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The Buffalo Sabres (10-14-2, 22 points, 7th Atlantic) pay a visit to TD Garden in Boston on Thursday for an Atlantic division showdown against the division leading Boston Bruins (14-7-3, 37 points, 1st Atlantic). Buffalo was defeated by the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 on Tuesday night and has lost each of its last four. Boston defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday 3-1 on a hat trick from Brad Merchand and the Bruins have won three straight. Buffalo will play without LW Zemgus Girgensons, LW Jordan Greenway, RW Jack Quinn and RW Alex Tuch. Boston will play without LW Milan Lucic
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The Buffalo Sabres are averaging 2.85 goals per game, which is 25th in hockey, while taking an average of 29.2 shots per game which is 26th. Buffalo’s power play is scoring 15.8% of the time which is 25th, while the Sabres are winning only 44.6% of their face offs which is last in the NHL. Jeff Skinner has scored a team high 11 goals for Buffalo, while JJ Peterka has scored 10. Casey Mittelstadt is the leader in assists with 16 and Rasmus Dahlin is second with 15. Mittelstadt has a team best 22 points and Dahlin is second with 21, while Skinner has 20.
Buffalo's blue line has a goals against average of 3.46, which is 24th in the NHL. The Sabres are allowing an average of 29.8 shots per game which is 12th. Buffalo's penalty kill unit is slightly above average, holding opponents scoreless 81.2% o f the time the Sabres are shorthanded, which is 14th. Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 6-5-1 with a 2.81 goals against average and .907 save percentage, but missed Buffalo’s last game. Devon Levi, who was called up Tuesday from the minors, will be in net if Luukkonen cannot go. Levi is 3-4-1 with a 3.73 GA/G and .876 SV%.