Zach Benson brings a five-game point streak into Friday's Buffalo Sabres home game against Columbus, a rematch of the teams' opening-night meeting.
Buffalo will try to rebound at KeyBank Center after Wednesday's loss to Ottawa ended a three-game winning streak, according to the Sabres' game preview. Columbus won the season's first meeting 6-3 behind a three-point performance from Matthew Knies.
How to watch and follow the game
MSG will carry the game in the Sabres' broadcast market, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. In-market streaming is available through DAZN, and radio coverage is on WGR 550 and the Buffalo Sabres app.
The game is Buffalo's annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night, presented by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Buffalo's lineup and milestone watch
Benson has two goals and six assists during his five-game streak. His 12 assists lead Buffalo this season.
Tage Thompson needs one goal to tie Miroslav Satan for eighth on the franchise's career list at 224. Thompson's 11 goals against Columbus are the most by a Sabres player.
Peyton Krebs scored against Ottawa for his eighth point of the season, his highest total through the first 15 games of a season.
Coach Lindy Ruff said before Wednesday's game that forward Jiri Kulich, recovering from a concussion, and defenseman Conor Timmins, who had a lower-body injury, were cleared to return. Neither played against Ottawa. The team's Friday preview had not confirmed their availability for Columbus.
Colten Ellis has started three of Buffalo's past four games and posted a .909 save percentage during that span.
Columbus arrives after consecutive wins
The Blue Jackets returned to .500 with a 7-2 victory over Colorado on Tuesday and a 2-1 shootout win over Dallas on Thursday. They allowed a combined three goals in those games.
Zach Werenski scored his first goal of the season against Dallas on a pass from Kent Johnson. Johnson, whose 17 points lead Columbus, later scored the shootout winner.
Cam Talbot started Thursday, making Jet Greaves a potential choice against Buffalo. That remained a projection in the team's preview, rather than a confirmed starting assignment. Greaves made 23 saves in Columbus' opening-night win over the Sabres.
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