Buffalo @ New Jersey preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 8, 2019 ) New Jersey 1, Buffalo 5

The Buffalo Sabres are beginning to see their playoff hopes fade a bit as they embark on a critical three-game road trip that starts with a matchup against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night. The Sabres had gained points in four of five games (3-1-1) before suffering a demoralizing 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers at home Friday, an effort that caused coach Phil Housley to call his team “soft.”

“It’s very disappointing because I feel we were taking a step in the right direction,” Housley told reporters after his team allowed three third-period goals. “. … You have to understand desperation at this time of the season and every shift counts, every play counts. The details of the game count.” Buffalo sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and is trying to stay within striking distance of the second wild-card spot as they prepare to take on New Jersey, which is coming off an inspiring comeback victory on the road. The Devils trailed 4-1 at Minnesota late in the second period Friday before rallying for a 5-4 overtime victory as center Nico Hischier scored with winner 3:19 into the extra session. “We’ve talked a lot about when things aren’t going well and adversity strikes it’s up to the way we care about each other and tonight showed that,” New Jersey right wing Kyle Palmieri told reporters after the win. “It was our culture coming out and believing in each other.”

TV: 6 p.m. ET, MSG Buffalo, MSG Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE SABRES (28-22-7): Left wing Jeff Skinner scored twice Friday to push his team-leading total to 36 goals - one shy of his career high with Carolina in 2016-17 - and gave him five in the past five games. Captain Jack Eichel was kept off the scoresheet Friday after recording eight of his team-best 61 points in the previous six contests while fellow forward Sam Reinhart had an assist to match his career high of 50 points that he set last season. Carter Hutton (15-16-3) has given up 20 goals in his last six games and Linus Ullmark (13-6-4) surrendered five on 28 shots in Friday’s setback.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (22-28-8): All of Hischier’s three game-winning goals this season have come in overtime and the 20-year-old center has posted six of his 42 points in the past four contests. Palmieri scored his team-leading 24th goal before setting up Hischier’s game-winner Friday and tops New Jersey with 44 points - matching his total last season. Cory Schneider stopped all 15 shots he faced in relief of starter Keith Kinkaid on Friday to earn the first victory of his injury-plagued season and told reporters, “Sometimes things happen in a strange way, but I was more excited for our team.”

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin recorded his 26th assist Friday, the second-most by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history behind Housley (40).

2. New Jersey F Kenny Agostino has posted a pair of assists in three games since being claimed on waivers from Montreal.

3. Sabres RW Kyle Okposo, who had an assist in his team’s 5-1 win over the Devils on Jan. 8, left Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Devils 3