Detroit Red Wings (28-38-10, seventh in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (31-36-9, sixth in the Atlantic Division)
Buffalo, New York; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Buffalo heads into the matchup with Detroit after losing four games in a row.
The Sabres are 9-12-4 against the rest of their division. Buffalo scores 2.7 goals per game, the fewest in the Eastern Conference. Jeff Skinner leads the team with 37 total goals.
The Red Wings are 7-14-4 against the rest of their division. Detroit has scored 33 power-play goals, converting on 16.4 percent of chances. In their last meeting on Feb. 9, Buffalo won 3-1.
TOP PERFORMERS: Skinner leads the Sabres with 37 goals and has totaled 59 points. Brandon Montour has recorded one goal and four assists over the last 10 games for Buffalo.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Wings: 5-5-0, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.6 assists, 2.9 penalties and 5.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game with a .920 save percentage.
Sabres: 1-8-1, averaging 1.6 goals, 2.7 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game with a .898 save percentage.
Sabres Injuries: Zach Bogosian: day to day (undisclosed), Rasmus Ristolainen: day to day (illness), Jake McCabe: out (upper body).
Red Wings Injuries: Jacob de la Rose: out (upper body), Michael Rasmussen: out (upper body), Mike Green: out for season (illness), Thomas Vanek: day to day (middle body), Justin Abdelkader: day to day (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by HERO Sports, and data from Sportradar.
