Buffalo @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2018 ) Buffalo 7, Nashville 4

The Buffalo Sabres have cooled off a bit following their franchise record-tying 10-game winning streak, losing two in a row heading into the final contest of a three-game road trip versus the Nashville Predators on Monday. Captain Jack Eichel hasn't slowed down, however, setting up two goals in Buffalo's 5-4 setback at Tampa Bay on Friday and again in a 3-2 overtime loss at Florida the following night.

"It says a lot about him and his maturity that the most important thing about him is winning right now," Sabres coach Phil Housley told the Buffalo News of Eichel, who is the team leader in assists (27) and points (32) to offset just five goals this season after registering 73 in his first three campaigns. The 22-year-old Eichel set up five tallies in two games versus Nashville last season to give him nine points (three goals, six assists) in six career encounters versus the club. The injury-ravaged Predators snapped a modest two-game skid with a fast start on Saturday, scoring three goals in the first five minutes of a contest for the first time in franchise history in a 5-2 triumph over Chicago. "For me, the leadership group and the players get the credit," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette told reporters. "... I thought under the circumstances, it was one of our best team wins of the year."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Pacific, MSG Buffalo, FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE SABRES (17-7-3): Jeff Skinner ended November with a flourish, converting a 2-on-1 rush with Sam Reinhart midway into the first period on Friday for his 14th goal last month to give him 20 on the season - more than double the next highest Sabre. The former Calder Memorial trophy recipient has done most of his goal-scoring damage (12) away from KeyBank Center. Reinhart scored and set up a goal versus the Panthers to extend his point streak to three games (three goals, two assists).

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (18-8-1): Ryan Johansen dented the scoresheet for the first time in four outings and boosted his team-leading assist total to 18 on Saturday by setting up Kevin Fiala's goal 2:11 into the first period. The 26-year-old Johansen wasn't done as he scored for the fifth time just two minutes later to give him a club-best 23 points for Nashville, which will be looking for offense as goal-scoring leader Filip Forsberg is sidelined four-to-six weeks by an upper-body injury. "It was exactly what we needed and exactly how we had to come out of the gates," said Johansen, who has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 13 career encounters versus the Sabres.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville G Pekka Rinne has collected three shutouts en route to a 4-2-0 mark in six career meetings with Buffalo.

2. Sabres D Rasmus Dahlin recorded 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 15 games to earn NHL Rookie of the Month honors for November.

3. Housley, a Hall of Fame defenseman, spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Predators.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Sabres 2