OILERS (18-10-3) vs. SABRES (13-11-6)
TV: 6:00 p.m. MT; Televised on Sportsnet
Head-to-Head:
Tonight's game is the first of two dates between the Oilers and Sabres in the 2019-20 season.
The two sides will reconvene once again in the new year, on Jan. 2.
Goaltender Mikko Koskinen earned the victory in both meetings with the Sabres in '18-19, averaging a .938 save percentage and 2.50 goals-against in the Oilers 7-2 and 4-3 wins.
Connor McDavid led the Oilers offensively with one goal and three assists in two outings versus Jack Eichel and the Sabres.
Eichel and Casey Mittelstadt both had two goals in two games for the Sabres.
Oilers team scope:
The Oilers sit at .500 on their current four-game homestand, most recently gutting out a 2-1 W against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Orange & Blue hold the top spot in the Pacific Division, but just by a single point, owning 39 compared to next-best Arizona's 38.
Leon Draisaitl and McDavid are first and second in National Hockey League scoring with 53 and 52 points, respectively. They are also one and two in League assists, with 34 (Draisaitl) and 33 (McDavid).
Edmonton is 5-4-1 in their last 10 games and 8-4-2 at Rogers Place.
Sabres team scope:
The Sabres enter Edmonton on the heels of a back-to-back, coming out on the losing end of a 6-5 OT decision against the Vancouver Canucks.
Buffalo is 0-1-1 on the current three-game Pacific road swing and 5-8-3 on the road in '19-20.
Eichel, coming off a two-assist performance, ranks first in key scoring metrics for the Sabres with 18 goals, 23 assists and 41 points. The Sabres captain is on a career-best 12-game point streak, scoring 22 points over that time (10G, 12A).
Buffalo keeper Linus Ullmark is 7-6-2 with a .914 save percentage and 2.94 GAA.
By the Numbers:
Edmonton is 1-3-0 against the Atlantic Division this year and Buffalo is 3-2-3 vs. the Pacific. ... The Oilers are 14-3-1 when scoring first, while BUF is 11-4-2. ... Eichel has nine points (5G, 4A) in seven career games against the Oilers. ... Kyle Okposo (7G, 7A) has 14 points in 14 outings against Edmonton. ... Buffalo is 11-6-1 against Edmonton since '05-06 and 4-2-0 in the last three campaigns.
Injury Report:
OILERS - Zack Kassian (back) is day-to-day; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand) is on IR; Matt Benning (concussion) is on IR
SABRES - Evan Rodrigues (undisclosed) is day-to-day; Rasmus Dahlin (concussion) is on IR; Tage Thompson (upper body) is on IR; Vladimir Sobotka (knee) is on IR; Matt Hunwick (neck) is on IR.
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com