Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres at Ducks

ANAHEIM – Jeff Skinner will be back in the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres when they open a three-game road trip in California against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

Skinner, who leads the Sabres with 17 goals this season, has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury. He participated in the morning skate on a line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch and skated on the top power-play unit.

“We all know Jeff Skinner and the emotion he brings, and that’s a positive,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “That energy, that passion for the game, that compete. He’s such an integral part of Thompson and Tuch, the three as a line, and those guys – there’s no question, they’ve missed him.”

The game can be streamed exclusively on ESPN+/Hulu beginning at 10 p.m. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio call on WGR 550.

Here are five things to know.

1. The lineup

Here’s how the Sabres lined up for the morning skate, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen expected to start in goal for the sixth straight game.

Forwards

53 Jeff Skinner – 72 Tage Thompson – 89 Alex Tuch

9 Zach Benson – 37 Casey Mittelstadt – 77 JJ Peterka

12 Jordan Greenway – 24 Dylan Cozens – 22 Jack Quinn

28 Zemgus Girgensons – 19 Peyton Krebs – 21 Kyle Okposo

Defensemen

26 Rasmus Dahlin – 23 Mattias Samuelsson

25 Owen Power – 10 Henri Jokiharju

33 Ryan Johnson – 75 Connor Clifton

Goalies

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

27 Devon Levi

2. Injury updates

Erik Johnson made the trip with the Sabres to California but remains day to day with an upper-body injury, Granato announced. The defenseman has skated on his own each of the past two days.

Granato said he does not expect Johnson to play in Los Angeles on Wednesday, though he has not been ruled out for the road trip finale in San Jose on Saturday.

3. Fathers and son

Here’s something you don’t see often: Both Thompson and Ryan Johnson will play for the first time against their fathers, both of whom are assistant coaches for Anaheim on Greg Cronin’s staff.

Brent Thompson, a longtime defenseman in the NHL, joined Anaheim last summer after spending 12 seasons in the New York Islanders organization, the bulk of which he worked as head coach for their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

“He’s always a guy I lean on,” Tage Thompson said. “I think throughout my entire life and my hockey career, he’s always been the one I go to. He’s been through it himself, he played and now he coaches.

“I’m very blessed to have someone like him in my life and to have him as a father and be able to share those experiences and for him to give me guidance. Being a coach and a father is something that obviously not a lot of people get to have and something that I definitely don’t take for granted.”

Craig Johnson, a former forward in the NHL, is in his second season with the Ducks after previously working in the Los Angeles Kings organization. Tuesday will be his first time watching Ryan play professionally in person, though Ryan said he watches often on TV.

“He watches quite a few of the games even though he’s got his own team to watch,” Ryan Johnson said. “So, he watches a lot of hockey. But yeah, he’s given me just advice and feedback too. … I’m excited that he’s able to be here coaching and watching as well.”

4. Johnson’s homecoming

The game will also serve as a homecoming for Ryan Johnson, who grew up attending Ducks games and playing in the Anaheim Jr. Ducks program.

The defenseman said he expects to have about 50 people in attendance including family and former teammates.

“It feels good,” he said. “Just a lot of fun being in this state, going home and seeing a lot of familiar sights. Usually we’re exploring a new city. But yeah, being the hometown, I’ve skated this rink a few times when I was younger too. So, I feel like it’s really cool.”

5. Scouting the Ducks

Anaheim has lost its last three games, including a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers at home on Sunday.

Frank Vatrano leads the Ducks in goals (21) and points (33). Trevor Zegras, who led the team in scoring last season, has been limited to 20 games and is currently out with a broken ankle.

John Gibson is expected to start in goal.