Preview: Sabres at Rangers

SABRES (13-15-8) at RANGERS (26-12-1)
7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, MSG, NHL.TV

Sabres team scope

It's the second of a three-game road trip for the Buffalo Sabres, who are 1-4-2 in their past seven games. After being swept by the Boston Bruins in a home-and-home series, the Sabres received bad news Monday when coach Dan Bylsma announced center Johan Larsson is out indefinitely after having surgery in Boston to repair a dislocated wrist and elbow sustained after being hit into the boards during a 3-1 loss at TD Garden on Saturday. The Buffalo News reported Monday that Larsson told Gotland Newspapers in Sweden that he will miss the remainder of the season. "I think every center's role is going to increase with him being out," center Zemgus Girgensons said Tuesday. "It's nothing I haven't done, and other guys have done it. It's just another day of hockey."

Rangers team scope

The New York Rangers play their first game of the calendar year seeking their fourth straight win. "Our game is headed in the right direction," coach Alain Vigneault told the Rangers website Monday. "We're defending well and quick, the way we talked about prior to the season. Offensively we're getting contributions from different areas, different lines, and our [defensemen] are finding ways also to chip in, and our specialty teams have improved. What teams want to do is get better during the regular season and that's what we're doing right now. To tell you the truth, do we really have a choice? If you look at our division, how teams are winning, you've got to make sure your game is good and is improving."

Sabres projected lineup

Marcus Foligno -- Jack Eichel -- Kyle Okposo
Evander Kane -- Sam Reinhart -- Justin Bailey
William Carrier -- Zemgus Girgensons -- Brian Gionta
Nicolas Deslauriers -- Derek Grant -- Matt Moulson
Josh Gorges -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Jake McCabe -- Zach Bogosian
Justin Falk -- Cody Franson
Anders Nilsson
Robin Lehner
Scratched: None
Injured: Dmitry Kulikov (lower back), Johan Larsson (wrist, elbow), Ryan O'Reilly (appendectomy), Tyler Ennis (groin), Cody McCormick (blood clots)

Rangers projected lineup

Chris Kreider -- Derek Stepan -- Mats Zuccarello
Jimmy Vesey -- Kevin Hayes -- J.T. Miller
Nicklas Jensen -- Oscar Lindberg -- Jesper Fast
Michael Grabner -- Marek Hrivik -- Brandon Pirri
Ryan McDonagh -- Kevin Klein
Marc Staal -- Nick Holden
Brady Skjei -- Dan Girardi
Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta
Scratched: Adam Clendening
Injured: Pavel Buchnevich (back), Rick Nash (groin), Mika Zibanejad (broken fibula), Matt Puempel (concussion-like symptoms)

Status report

Gorges, who left midway through the first period Saturday because of a hip injury, skated Tuesday morning and will be a game-time decision. Kulikov is expected to miss his third straight game. Nilsson will start for the first time since allowing five goals on 32 shots at the New York Islanders on Dec. 23. … The Rangers did not hold a morning skate Tuesday. Nash practiced Monday but is expected to miss his sixth straight game. "As soon as he says, 'I'm good to go,' I'm putting him in," Vigneault said. Buchnevich skated in a non-contact jersey Monday. Buchnevich, who hasn't played since Nov. 12, is closing in on being able to practice with contact, according to Vigneault. Jensen was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Monday. He leads Hartford with 14 goals and 24 points in 29 games.

Who's hot

Eichel has two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak. … Kreider had a hat trick in a 6-2 win at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and has eight points (six goals, two assists) during a four-game point streak. McDonagh (one goal, six assists) also has a four-game point streak. Miller has three goals in his past two games, Zuccarello has nine assists during a six-game point streak. Stepan has four goals and five assists in his past six games.