(WGR 550) - Despite winning their last game on Saturday, the Sabres visit Ottawa on Monday tied for third place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind Toronto. The Leafs have won four straight games, including one over the Sabres last Tuesday.
Montreal is one point back of Buffalo, while Tampa Bay trails by three. That means four points separates second and sixth place.
The last time the Sabres played Ottawa, Jack Eichel score all four of Buffalo's goals. Eichel has picked up a point in each of the last 18 games he's played in. Eichel's 51 points is tied for fourth in league scoring, but he's still 10 points back of the leader, Connor McDavid. Eichel's 24 goals are No. 2 in the league, four behind Boston's David Pastrnak.
Victor Olofsson has points in six straight games. He also has 24 points in his last 22 games. Olofsson is the top scoring rookie in the NHL.
Linus Ullmark will get the call in goal on Monday. He's 7-2-2 in his last 11 starts and has started seven of the Sabres' last eight games.
The road has not been kind to the Sabres lately as they've lost seven out of eight games away from the arena.
Ottawa has lost three out of four games, and 10 out of 14. The Senators have scored nine goals in their last two games.
Anthony Duclair is having a career season as he has 21 goals. The Ottawa winger has six goals in his last five games, and 11 goals in his last nine.
Marcus Hogberg has played the last three games in net for Ottawa. Overall, he's 1-1-2 with a 3.10 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. Hogberg was drafted in the third round by Ottawa in the 2013 NHL Draft and has played nine career NHL games. Injuries to Craig Anderson and Anders Nilsson forced his recall.
Ottawa is 21st in league goal scoring and 27th in goals-against. Part of that is having the league's worst power play, but the Sens have scored three goals with the extra man in their last two games.
In addition to Nilsson, Ottawa will be missing defensemen Dylan DeMelo and Nikita Zaitsev. Ron Hainsey missed Saturday's game with injury.
Join Mike Schopp at 6:30 for the pregame, where you will hear from Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger.
