The Buffalo Sabres are 10 points behind the Bruins for the second wild card and have won three of their past four games (3-1-0). "We will still establish how we want to play and how we're going to work," coach Dan Bylsma said. "I think the last game (5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday) was a real good example of that. Tonight we want to make the push to establish that's the kind of team we're going to be and that's how we're going to play. That goes for our team and that goes for our individuals individually." Forwards Kyle Okposo and William Carrier, and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, each returned to the lineup against the Maple Leafs. "I really liked the balance of our team," Bylsma said. "Not just on the defensive side but throughout our lineup. Each guy, each line, each [defense] pairing contributing in a good way. I really liked that about our game against Toronto." Goalie Robin Lehner will make his fourth consecutive start. Forward Brian Gionta will play his 1,000th NHL game. "It's the team you grew up watching," said Gionta, 38, who was born about 70 miles east of Buffalo in Rochester, New York. "It's the team you fell in love with. You dreamed of being in the NHL. To have lasted this long I never would have imagined. And to be able to come here and play was pretty special."
