Carolina @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 11, 2019 ) Buffalo 3, Carolina 4

Teams trying the end long playoff droughts look to move within one point of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference when the surging Carolina Hurricanes visit the stumbling Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The Hurricanes, who have not made the postseason the past nine seasons, are 4-1-1 in their last six games after a 4-0 victory at Pittsburgh on Tuesday and go for a 10th straight win over Buffalo.

“We know how we have to play as a group. That’s what’s nice,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters after the win. “We don’t always do it, but the guys know how we have to play to be effective. Part of it is certainly not letting off the gas, and just go play. Not worry about the score. I think we did that for the most part (Tuesday) and got rewarded.” The Sabres, who are without a playoff game in seven straight seasons, have one game in hand on the Hurricanes as they sit three points behind Columbus for the second wild-card position after Buffalo beat Minnesota 5-4 in a shootout Tuesday at home. “We can’t be taking any relief out of anything right now,” Sabres forward Sam Reinhart told reporters. “. … The games are kind of winding down in a hurry, and we know how important every game is. We’ve got to play with a playoff atmosphere and take advantage of that every night.” Buffalo’s Jeff Skinner recorded one of his team-leading 31 goals, but Sebastian Aho scored twice as Carolina won the first of three meetings 4-3 on Jan. 11.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Carolina), MSG Buffalo

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (26-21-6): Curtis McElhinney returned to the lineup after missing three weeks with a lower-body injury and notched his first shutout of the season while stopping all 23 shots Tuesday. “You look at (McElhinney), he’s just so calm,” Carolina forward Jordan Martinook told reporters. “It almost looks easy. Everything looks easy. So for him to come in there and do that job is phenomenal, and it gives us more confidence than we already had in him.” Aho owns nine of his team-best 60 points in his last six games and Teuvo Teravainen recorded seven of 45 in the same span.

ABOUT THE SABRES (26-20-6): Coach Phil Housley split up captain Jack Eichel (team-leading 56 points) and Skinner on Tuesday, but they were reportedly skating together at practice with veteran Jason Pominville on Wednesday. Eichel boasts seven points in his last six games, but Skinner has cooled off with three points in seven contests and one goal in his past eight outings. Reinhart had a goal and an assist Tuesday to tie Skinner for second on the team with 47 points while defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (33 points, team-worst minus-18) recorded an assist for the sixth time in seven games.

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo D Zach Bogosian (12 points, 47 contests) is slated to play his 600th NHL game Thursday.

2. Carolina D Dougie Hamilton leads the team with 166 shots and owns five points (three goals) in the past five games.

3. The Sabres are 3-of-5 on the power play the last two contests after going 0-of-16 the previous six.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 4, Sabres 3