Sabres at Penguins preview

SABRES (0-0-0) at PENGUINS (0-0-0)
7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, MSG-B, NHL.TV

Krueger last coached in the NHL in 2012-13, when the Edmonton Oilers were 19-22-7 during a shortened 48-game regular season. The Sabres were 33-39-10 under coach Phil Housley last season.
Forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Tanev could debut on the second line for the Penguins. Galchenyuk, acquired in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on June 29, is a game-time decision with a lower-body injury. He had 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) in 72 games with the Coyotes last season.
Tanev signed a six-year contract with Pittsburgh on July 1 after having an NHL career-high 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 80 games with the Winnipeg Jets last season.
Pittsburgh is 15-0-3 in its past 18 games against Buffalo and 8-0-1 in its past nine home games against the Sabres.

Players to watch

Sabres forward Jimmy Vesey will debut for Buffalo after being acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on July 1. He had 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 81 games with the Rangers last season.
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is attempting to rebound from last season, when he had 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists), 89 penalty minutes and a minus-25 rating. He had four assists in three games against the Sabres.

They said it

"It seems like yesterday that I began. It's hard to believe it's five months now into the role, but it feels natural." -- Sabres coach Ralph Krueger
"Had a long offseason. You want to turn the page. Game 1 is the start of that. I think you get excited for it, and with a new group." -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby

Sabres projected lineup

Victor Olofsson
-- Jack Eichel -- Sam Reinhart
Jeff Skinner -- Marcus Johansson -- Vladimir Sobotka
Jimmy Vesey -- Casey Mittelstadt -- Conor Sheary
Zemgus Girgensons -- Johan Larsson -- Kyle Okposo
Rasmus Dahlin -- Colin Miller
Jake McCabe -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Marco Scandella --
Henri Jokiharju
Carter Hutton
Linus Ullmark
Scratched: John Gilmour, Evan Rodrigues
Injured: Zach Bogosian (hip), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (hip), Brandon Montour (hand)

Penguins projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Patric Hornqvist
Alex Galchenyuk -- Evgeni Malkin -- Brandon Tanev
Jared McCann -- Nick Bjugstad -- Dominik Kahun
Zach Aston-Reese -- Teddy Blueger -- Dominik Simon
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Jack Johnson -- Justin Schultz
Marcus Pettersson -- Erik Gudbranson
Matt Murray
Tristan Jarry
Scratched:Chad Ruhwedel, Juuso Riikola, John Marino
Injured: Bryan Rust (undisclosed)

Status report

Olofsson and Jokiharju were recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Thursday. ... Crosby will play after sustaining an undisclosed injury by taking a shot off his foot from Scandella in Pittsburgh's final preseason game Saturday.

Stat pack

Hutton is 3-0-0 with a 1.36 goals-against average, .956 save percentage and two shutouts in five games against the Penguins at Pittsburgh. ... Crosby has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in a six-game point streak against the Sabres. He has least one point in 35 of 39 games against Buffalo during his NHL career.