Buffalo @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 3, 2019 ) Buffalo 3, Pittsburgh 1

The Pittsburgh Penguins recorded 15 wins in 18 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to their season-opening loss in October. The Penguins look to regain their stranglehold in the series and bounce back from a shutout in their last outing when the teams meet in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

The Penguins, who dropped a 4-0 decision to Toronto in the back end of a home-and-home series on Thursday, carry a seven-game point streak (6-0-1) at PPG Paints Arena into Saturday's contest. Pittsburgh traditionally has been a safe haven for the home team against the Sabres, but the visitors ended an eight-game winless skid in the Steel City with a 5-4 overtime victory on Nov. 19, 2018, before former Penguins forward Conor Sheary tallied twice in a 3-1 triumph in the season opener on Oct. 3. The 27-year-old Sheary, who has collected four goals and six points in four career encounters versus his former team, admitted he's trying his best to keep focused on Buffalo's quest for a playoff spot as opposed to the upcoming NHL trade deadline. "It's just small picture," Sheary said. "You can't worry about the outside noise or about what people are saying about me, about this team, any other players in here. I just worry about doing what I can to help this team win."

TIME: 1 p.m. ET. TV: MSG-Buffalo, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE SABRES (27-25-8): Captain Jack Eichel, who leads the team in goals (33), assists (42) and points (75), joined Kyle Okposo in returning to practice on Friday after each missed the previous day's session for maintenance. Okposo scored a goal in Buffalo's 5-2 victory over Toronto on Sunday and tallied again two nights later, but the Sabres saw their modest three-game winning streak halted with a 7-4 setback in Ottawa. "We have to win games. That's it. That's the bottom line," the 31-year-old Okposo said. "We have to trust the way we play is going to produce results.”

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (37-16-6): Pittsburgh overcame myriad injuries to elevate to the top of the Metropolitan Division with a spirited 23-6-2 stretch over 31 games before Thursday's setback. Defenseman Kris Letang and superstar captain Sidney Crosby saw their respective six- and five-game point streaks come to a halt versus the Maple Leafs. Letang and Crosby, however, each set up a power-play goal by Evgeni Malkin in the team's first meeting.

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo D Rasmus Dahlin, who scored in the first meeting with Pittsburgh, is riding a five-game point streak (one goal, five assists).

2. Penguins C Dominik Kahun (lower body) did not practice on Friday and will be a game-time decision against the Sabres.

3. Buffalo placed D Zach Bogosian on unconditional waivers Friday with the intention of terminating his contract.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Penguins 3