Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres will try to get back into the win column at home in the NHL’s only game on Friday when the New Jersey Devils come to town.
Buffalo had won 5-of-6 home games until the Ottawa Senators came in Wednesday and scored five first period goals in a 6-2 victory.
The Sabres will also host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, so chances are good that both Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will play this weekend.
Levi should get the call against the Devils on Friday night. It’ll be his third game since being recalled from the Rochester Americans.
On March 19, he stopped 31-of-33 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. He then played 50:14 on Wednesday, making 31 saves on 32 shots. That works out to a 1.66 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage.
Overall this season, Levi is 9-8-2 with a 3.16 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage.
Jordan Greenway left practice early on Thursday, but the Sabres say he’s expected to play. Tyson Jost has also been cleared to play, but he wasn’t on a regular line in Thursday’s practice.
One thing we did see at practice was Rasmus Dahlin paired with Owen Power.
Alex Tuch has nine points in his last eight games. He’s on a six-game assist streak. Tuch’s centermen Tage Thompson has 10 points in nine games.
Buffalo has gone 2-4-0 since having a three-game winning streak that got them to within three points of the playoffs. Now, they trail the Washington Capitals for the East’s last Wild Card spot by eight points and after Friday’s game, the Caps will still hold two games in hand.
New Jersey is three points better than the Sabres and they’re even in games.
This is the first time this season the Devils have come to Buffalo. They’ve played twice in New Jersey with the Devils winning 5-4 and 7-2. Luke Hughes had four points in those two games.
Keeping the puck out of the net has been a problem for the Devils this year and not having a decent goalie cost Lindy Ruff his job. Since Travis Green took over New Jersey is 6-6-0, but the difference is, Green has had Jake Allen who was traded to the Devils from the Montreal Canadiens on March 8.
Allen has played well, going 4-2-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. Allen has played in 6-out-of-8 games for the Devils.
Overall this season, Allen is a combined 10-14-3 with a 3.39 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
Despite missing 16 games due to injury, Jack Hughes has 26 goals and 45 assists for 71 points in 57 games. Jesper Bratt leads New Jersey with 23 goals and 49 assists for 72 points.
Timo Meier has been on fire for the Devils with 14 goals and 23 points in 17 games.
Tune in during "Schopp and the Bulldog" at 6 p.m. ET for pregame coverage on WGR, when you’ll hear from Don Granato, Levi and Bo Byram.
