Dallas @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 30, 2019 ) Buffalo 0, Dallas 1

Locked in a battle for the final two wild cards in the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars will open a brief two-game road trip with a visit to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. Dallas will catch a break in the matchup against the reeling Sabres, who will be short-handed with captain Jack Eichel sitting out due to a suspension.

The Stars had their four-game winning streak snapped in Sunday's 2-1 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, but they have allowed only six goals in their last four contests. "We didn't have tons of energy," coach Jim Montgomery said after the game. "So, regroup and get ready for the road trip." Buffalo, a loser of four in a row and 10 of 12 (2-8-2), will be without Eichel for the next two games for an illegal hit to the head of Colorado's Carl Soderberg. "It's a league decision. Obviously we have to stand by it, but I don't agree with it," Eichel said. "It's kind of frustrating."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southwest-Plus (Dallas), MSG-Dallas

ABOUT THE STARS (35-28-5): Goaltender Ben Bishop was named the NHL Second Star of the Week on Monday after recording back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his career. Bishop, who has allowed five goals in his last five starts, made 30 saves in a 1-0 shutout at Buffalo on Jan. 30 to improve to a staggering 11-0-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average against the Sabres. Captain Jamie Benn has scored six times in the last seven games and also netted the only goal in the win at Buffalo -- his ninth tally in 14 contests versus the Sabres.

ABOUT THE SABRES (30-29-9): With Eichel out, Casey Mittelstadt centered Jeff Skinner and Jason Pominville at Monday's practice while Evan Rodrigues was between Conor Sheary and Alexander Nylander. Buffalo's first-round pick in 2016, Nylander was on a four-game goal-scoring streak with Rochester before he was recalled Sunday and will be appearing in his eighth NHL game. "He's scoring, he's shooting the puck a lot more and we want him to attack the game with that same focus that he's had when he's been in Rochester," coach Phil Housley said.

OVERTIME

1. Dallas won has four straight and seven of eight against Buffalo.

2. Skinner has not scored in 11 straight games and is stuck on 36 goals -- one shy of his career high.

3. Stars F Alexander Radulov has scored four goals in his last two games.

PREDICTION: Stars 3, Sabres 2