Sabres at Blue Jackets preview

SABRES (6-4-0) at BLUE JACKETS (5-4-0)
7 p.m. ET; FS-O, MSG-B, NHL.TV

The Sabres last won four consecutive games from Dec. 9-15, 2014; they haven't won four in a row in regulation since March 19-27, 2012, when they won five straight.
Buffalo is off to its best start since 2011-12 (6-4-0).
Backup Joonas Korpisalo will make his second straight start for the Blue Jackets. He made 33 saves in a 7-4 win against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. Korpisalo is 3-0-0 with a 3.30 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. Starter Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed 18 goals in his past four games.

Players to watch

Forward Jason Pominville has six points (three goals, three assists) during a three-game point streak.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has five points (one goal, four assists) during a four-game point streak.

They said it

"Our standards have been set a little bit higher. We're trying to hold each other accountable to that standard, and that's coming to work every day." -- Sabres coach Phil Housley
"I know I've got the skill set. I just have to deliver every day. That's the only way I can become a starter." -- Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo

Sabres projected lineup

Jeff Skinner -- Jack Eichel -- Jason Pominville
Conor Sheary -- Vladimir Sobotka -- Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodrigues -- Casey Mittelstadt -- Kyle Okposo
Patrik Berglund -- Johan Larsson -- Zemgus Girgensons
Jake McCabe -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Dahlin -- Casey Nelson
Marco Scandella -- Zach Bogosian
Linus Ullmark
Carter Hutton
Scratched:Remi Elie, Tage Thompson, Nathan Beaulieu
Injured:Scott Wilson (ankle), Sean Malone (knee), Matt Hunwick (neck)

Blue Jackets projected lineup

Artemi Panarin -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno -- Boone Jenner -- Josh Anderson
Oliver Bjorkstrand -- Alex Wennberg -- Anthony Duclair
Lukas Sedlak -- Riley Nash -- Markus Hannikainen
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Ryan Murray -- Markus Nutivaara
Scott Harrington -- David Savard
Joonas Korpisalo
Sergei Bobrovsky
Scratched: Adam Clendening, Dean Kukan, Sonny Milano
Injured: Brandon Dubinsky (oblique strain)

Status report

Eichel, Reinhart and Sheary each has an injury. Housley said each will be a game-time decision, but expects them to play. …Hannikainen replaces Milano for the second straight game.

Stat pack

Skinner had three assists against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday to extend his point streak to four games (four goals, four assists). He has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past 10 games against the Blue Jackets. … McCabe has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past five games. … Eichel has nine points (three goals, six assists) in nine games against Columbus. … Columbus defensemen combined for eight points (two goals, six assists) against St. Louis. ... The Blue Jackets are 2-3-0 at home.