ABBREVIATED GAME PREVIEW: STARS VS. SABRES
Off to the best start in franchise history and leading the Western Conference, Lindy Ruff's Dallas Stars (16-4-0) return home on Saturday night to host Dan Bylsma's improved Buffalo Sabres (8-9-2). Game time at the American Airlines Center is 7:00 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.
This is the second and final meeting of the season between the inter-conference clubs. On Tuesday, Dallas skated off with a 3-1 win. Valeri Nichushkin, Jason Spezza and Tyler Seguin (empty net) scored for Dallas, while Antti Niemi stopped 24 of 25 shots. Ryan O'Reilly's third-period power play goal was the only tally for the Sabres. Linus Ullmark stopped 26 of 28 Stars' shots in a losing cause.
Coming off a 3-2 regulation road win against the Capitals on Thursday, the Stars took an off-day on Friday. The team has several players battling minor illnesses. Buffalo dropped a 3-2 shootout decision against St. Louis on Thursday.
On the Buffalo injury front, defenseman Mark Pysyk (lower body) is considered day-to-day. Forwards Zemgus Girgensons (upper body) and Cody McCormick (blood clot), defenseman Mike Weber (knee) and goaltender Robin Lehner (ankle) are out of the lineup.