BUF-OTT

SABRES (27-24-8) at SENATORS (20-28-11)
7:30 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS2, MSG-B, NHL.TV

The Sabres, 5-2-1 in their past eight games after going 3-5-0 in their previous eight, are nine points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Goalie Carter Hutton will start for Buffalo; he has won his past four starts with a 2.22 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
The Senators will try for their third win in their past 10 games (2-5-2).
Goalie Craig Anderson will start for Ottawa; he made 36 saves in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

Players to watch

Sabres center Jack Eichel has eight points (two goals, six assists) in a five-game point streak and 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 16 games against Ottawa.
Senators forward Brady Tkachuk has five points (two goals, three assists) in a three-game point streak.

They said it

"I really like the way that we're playing a full 60 [minutes] right now. It's going to be a huge test. Those guys are playing well. They beat us bad in our building coming out of the [All-Star] break (a 5-2 loss on Jan. 28), so we know that we're going to have to match their work ethic if we're going to be in this game." -- Sabres forward Kyle Okposo
"I thought we've played really solid, especially last game (against the Stars). For 65 minutes, we played a solid game, played hard, broke out the puck really well, and we want to build on those things. It's good for our confidence and we just want to keep pushing right now." -- Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau

Sabres projected lineup
Senators projected lineup
Status report

Englund was recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League after the Senators traded defenseman Dylan DeMelo to the Winnipeg Jets for two draft picks .... Larsson, who took maintenance days Monday and Tuesday, will be a game-time decision. … The Sabres recalled Wilson, a forward, from Rochester of the AHL on Monday. … Borowiecki, a defenseman, is week to week.

Stat pack

The Sabres have scored 12 goals in their past three games. … Buffalo is 11-5-3 in its past 19 games against Ottawa. … Duclair has gone 21 games without a goal.