Chicago @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 17, 2018 ) Chicago 3, Buffalo 5

Aside from a 10-game winning streak in November, the Buffalo Sabres have been unable to generate any consistency, which was apparent in their first two contests after the All-Star break. The Sabres may have their best chance to go on another run and move up in the standings when they open a franchise record-tying seven-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

Buffalo was foiled in its bid to win back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 11-13, dropping a 1-0 decision at Dallas on Wednesday after posting a 5-4 victory at Columbus one night earlier. "There are no moral victories at this point of the season," Sabres captain Jack Eichel said. "We've got a big game and a long homestretch we need to take advantage of." The Blackhawks were among the few teams who probably rued the timing of the break after they posted consecutive wins over defending Stanley Cup champion Washington and the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Islanders. "Well, we got our confidence," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said after the New York game. "It's nice for us to be able to make a big difference for our team right now."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVAS, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, NBCS Chicago, MSG-Buffalo

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (18-24-9): All-Star Patrick Kane, who leads Chicago in goals (29), assists (42) and points (71), grew up in Buffalo and has a chance to reach a major milestone in his hometown, needing one point to hit 900 for his career. Kane was on a tear prior to the All-Star break, scoring seven goals and collecting 14 assists during a nine-game point streak, and has been a nemesis for the Sabres by scoring eight times and setting up nine more tallies in 15 career matchups. Toews was red-hot heading into the break, notching a hat trick as part of a five-point night against Washington before netting a goal versus the Islanders.

ABOUT THE SABRES (25-19-6): Buffalo owns a solid 14-6-3 mark at KeyBank Center but has played only three games at home since the calendar flipped to 2019, setting up what could be a make-or-break stretch over the next two weeks. "We've got a seven-game homestand," said netminder Linus Ullmark, a hard-luck loser after turning aside 26 shots versus the Stars. "We've just got to bring the pace, bring the tempo and bring out greatest effort into those games." Leading scorer Eichel, who had a four-game point streak halted, has a goal and four assists in six games versus Chicago while posting a minus-9.

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo ended a 12-game losing streak in the series with a 5-3 victory on March 17.

2. Chicago assigned D Henri Jokiharju to Rockford of the American Hockey League.

3. Sabres F Jeff Skinner, who is six goals shy of his career high of 37, has scored three times in 12 games versus the Blackhawks.

PREDICTION: Sabres 3, Blackhawks 2