Conor Timmins playing for his penalty killing prowess

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Before the Buffalo Sabres face the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night, head coach Lindy Ruff added some clarity to why defenseman Zach Metsa was sent down to the Rochester Americans on Thursday.

Metsa was stellar in his 38 games with Buffalo, while Conor Timmins returned to the lineup on Wednesday from a broken leg.

"Just keep him playing,” said Ruff following the morning skate. “Short-term with Timmins going back in, we feel Timmins can help our penalty killing. And being healthy back there, the best thing is these next three, four days, at least, it gets him playing time, and Rochester's playing.

"He'll play 20-plus minutes, which will be great for him."

Noah Ostlund was back on the ice for the morning skate after missing one practice with an upper-body injury.

Ruff wouldn't say if the rookie will be ready to play Friday.

"It's a possibility,” he said. “We consider him day-to-day, but it's good he was back out there."

As for Ostlund, he seems ready to go.

"I feel OK,” the rookie said Friday. “We'll see later on how it responds here."

Ostlund says the injury came from a hit late in the third period against the Bruins on Wednesday.

If Ostlund can't play, Jordan Greenway still isn't an option just yet.

"He'll go through the protocol,” Ruff said of the veteran winger. “Today was scheduled as a non-skating day, because we had gone real hard with the 1-on-1 battle, the physical stuff trying to get him ready to see how he reacts to that. We've gone real hard with the skating part. Some days his off-ice workout has been real demanding, and it'll get to a point where he'll say, 'I'm ready to go.'"

Buffalo has lost two-straight games in overtime, but have gotten points in 14-of-15 games, going 12-1-2. Getting two points instead of four really hasn't hurt them in the standings, as they're still first in the Atlantic Division with a points percentage of .667. The Tampa Bay Lightning are currently at .662 and two points back.

The Carolina Hurricanes still lead the Eastern Conference at .676, but are tied in points with the Sabres.

It's Alex Lyon's turn in net for the Sabres. He's 6-0-1 in his last seven games, and 7-1-1 in his last nine.

Overall this season, he's 20-8-4 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.

It was back in October when the Sabres beat the Wings in Buffalo, 4-2.

In November, they played again in Detroit, and that's the game I feel was the Sabres’ turning point. Buffalo trailed the Red Wings, 4-1, and came back to win 5-4 in overtime.

Detroit has fallen to 10th in the Eastern Conference with a points percentage of .592. The New York Islanders are in ninth at .596, while the Ottawa Senators have the second Wild Card spot at .596. The Boston Bruins have the top Wild Card spot in the conference at .611.

The Red Wings have lost two-straight games.

John Gibson will play in his 10^th-straight game in net for the Red Wings. He's only won three of the nine games he’s played.

Overall this season, Gibson is 26-17-3 with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.

Alex DeBrincat is Detroit’s leading scorer with 35 goals and 39 assists for 74 points in 71 games.

Buffalo's own Pat Kane is 37-years-old and has had some injury problems. His production isn't even close to what it used to be, as he has 12 goals and 30 assists for 42 points in 56 games.

In 33 games against the Sabres, Kane has 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points.

I have to wonder if this could be his last game in Buffalo.

Tune in during "Schopp and the Bulldog" at 6 p.m. for pregame coverage on WGR when you'll hear from Ruff, Ostlund and Owen Power.