Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead Sabres at Red Wings

DETROIT – The Buffalo Sabres can continue to make up ground in the Eastern Conference wild-card race when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena.

The Sabres and Red Wings both enter the matchup in pursuit of the second wild-card spot, which is currently occupied by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Red Wings sit one point behind the Penguins, three ahead of the Sabres.

The game will be nationally televised on TNT with puck drop scheduled for 1 p.m. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio call on WGR 550.  

Here are five things to know.

1. The playoff race

The Sabres can move within two points of a playoff spot with a win and a loss by the Capitals, who host the Ottawa Senators at 6 p.m.

If the Sabres and Capitals both win, the Capitals would move into the second wild-card spot and the Sabres would be three points behind them.

Find the full picture entering Sunday’s games in Sabres.com’s wild card hub.

2. The lineup

Jordan Greenway practiced Saturday in a non-contact jersey and had not been ruled out for the game when Sabres coach Don Granato met with the media afterward.

“He has a chance for tomorrow, but I’ll talk to him now and see where he’s at,” Granato said.

Rasmus Dahlin took a maintenance day on Saturday but is expected to be in the lineup.

(Update, 11:35 a.m) - Greenway and Dahlin will both be in the lineup, the team announced. Zemgus Girgensons will be out due to an illness.

3. The season series

This is the fourth and final meeting between the Sabres and Red Wings this season, the last two of which were played within a five-day span last month.

The Sabres won 7-3 in Buffalo on March 12 behind two goals from Bowen Byram and three points from Zach Benson. The Red Wings won the rematch in Detroit 4-1 despite Tage Thompson scoring the opening goal,

Thompson leads the Sabres with four points (1+3) through the three games. Lucas Raymond (2+2) and Robby Fabbri (1+3) have four points each in the season series.

4. Thompson’s production

Thompson has scored goals in consecutive games and enters Sunday with 10 goals and 19 points in his last 13 contests dating back to March 9. He is tied for fourth in the NHL in goals and 14th in points in that span.

5. Scouting the Red Wings

The Red Wings have lost five of their last six games after falling 4-3 to the New York Rangers on Friday. Four of those losses were by one goal.

Detroit will have one new face in its lineup in captain Dylan Larkin, who was out for both games against the Sabres last month. Larkin has four goals and seven points in seven games since returning to the lineup on March 21.

Alex Lyon (19-17-4, .906 save percentage) will start in goal.