Boston Bruins (15-8-4, fourth in the East Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (6-18-4, eighth in the East Division)
Buffalo, New York; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Buffalo aims to stop its 12-game skid with a victory over Boston.
The Sabres are 6-18-4 against East Division teams. Buffalo averages just 2.5 penalties per game, the fewest in the league. Rasmus Ristolainen leads the team averaging 0.3.
The Bruins are 15-8-4 against the rest of their division. Boston averages 4.4 penalties per game, the most in the Nhl. Brad Marchand leads the team with 11 total penalties.
The teams match up Thursday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jake McCabe leads the Sabres with a plus-two in 13 games this season. Sam Reinhart has four goals and one assist over the last 10 games for Buffalo.
Marchand has 33 total points while scoring 12 goals and totaling 21 assists for the Bruins. David Pastrnak has 10 points over the last 10 games for Boston.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 0-9-1, averaging 1.6 goals, 3.1 assists, 2.7 penalties and 6.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.8 goals per game with an .877 save percentage.
Bruins: 4-4-2, averaging two goals, 3.5 assists, 4.4 penalties and 11.3 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game with a .934 save percentage.
INJURIES: Sabres: Dylan Cozens: day to day (head), Jake McCabe: out (knee), Will Borgen: out (forearm), Jack Eichel: out (upper body), Linus Ullmark: out (lower body).
Bruins: Tuukka Rask: day to day (undisclosed).
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