Arizona @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2018 ) Arizona 1, Buffalo 3

The Buffalo Sabres attempt to keep their perfect home record intact when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Monday. The Sabres have won all five of their contests at KeyBank Center this season and four of five overall after posting a 2-0 victory in Detroit on Friday.

Linus Ullmark made 41 saves en route to his third career shutout and captain Jack Eichel notched a pair of assists for Buffalo, which has allowed fewer than three goals six times this campaign - including three blankings. Eichel shares the team lead in goals (six) with Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson, who has netted all eight of his career tallies on the power play. Arizona bounced back from its first regulation loss in seven contests by recording a 5-3 triumph in New Jersey on Friday. Nick Schmaltz and captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson each scored a goal and set up another while defenseman Jason Demers collected his first three assists of the season to surpass 200 career points (202) as the Coyotes overcame a 2-0 deficit to improve to 2-1-0 on their four-game road trip despite being outshot 35-17.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TVA, FS Arizona Plus, MSG (Buffalo)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (6-3-1): Michael Grabner, who is two assists shy of 100 in the NHL, scored a short-handed goal against the Devils to increase his career total to 22 - second among all active players (Boston's Brad Marchand, 26). Schmaltz collected all 11 of his points this season in his last eight games and has registered 25 (nine goals) in 27 contests since being acquired from Chicago last November. Barrett Hayton, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft, scored his first career goal on Friday - giving him two points in his first three NHL contests.

ABOUT THE SABRES (9-2-1): Defenseman Marco Scandella sat out the win over the Red Wings and will miss up to three weeks with a lower-body injury, which he suffered against the New York Rangers on Thursday. Fellow blue-liner Brandon Montour could be making his season debut soon as he practiced with the team on Sunday for the first time since suffering a hand injury in the second game of the preseason. "It's day-to-day to see him get integrated here," coach Ralph Krueger told reporters. "We've got no timeline on the re-entry. It's the first day, once again, and we'll build on this."

OVERTIME

1. Sabres D Rasmus Ristolainen remains one point shy of 200 for his career after being kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back games.

2. Arizona C Brad Richardson (upper body) missed the win over New Jersey and is questionable for Monday's contest.

3. Buffalo recalled D William Borgen from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Sunday for the second time in three days.

PREDICTION: Sabres 3, Coyotes 1