Preview: Rangers at Sabres

RANGERS (16-7-1) at SABRES (8-9-5)
7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, MSG, NHL.TV

Rangers team scope

The New York Rangers will make a change on defense when Adam Clendening replaces Kevin Klein in the lineup. Clendening has two assists in six games this season. "There's no doubt in my estimation that [Klein] can play better than he's played," coach Alain Vigneault said. "We felt that it was time to give Adam a look on [defense] and on the power play. He did a good job for us early on, he did a good job for us in training camp, and we're going to take a look at what he can do now." Goalie Henrik Lundqvist will start for the Rangers, who are 6-1-0 in their past seven road games while outscoring opponents 29-14. "I think our speed getting through the neutral zone has been a big key," forward Rick Nash said. "Games that we've struggled we've had a lot of turnovers in the neutral zone. We try to keep it simple at both blue lines, which is huge part of our game, and when we have success we get it deep and when we don't have success we have turnovers."

Sabres team scope

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel will play his first home game this season after having a goal and an assist in his return from a high-ankle sprain Tuesday. "It's been a while since I played at home so I'm just excited to get back in front of our crowd and try to put on a good show for them," Eichel said. Goalie Anders Nilsson will start for the Sabres. Robin Lehner was the first goalie off the ice Thursday but is not ready to return from a hip injury sustained late in the first period of a 5-4 win against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. "It feels like I'm 90 percent," Lehner said. "It's a little stiff still, but yeah, it's good… I just pulled my hip a little bit on the [first-period] goal and it's just precautionary so I sat out the rest of the game."

Rangers projected lineup

Chris Kreider -- Derek Stepan -- Jesper Fast
Jimmy Vesey -- Kevin Hayes -- Rick Nash
Matt Puempel -- J.T. Miller -- Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner -- Oscar Lindberg -- Brandon Pirri
Ryan McDonagh -- Dan Girardi
Marc Staal -- Nick Holden
Brady Skjei -- Adam Clendening
Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta
Scratched:Josh Jooris, Kevin Klein
Injured: Mika Zibanejad (broken fibula), Pavel Buchnevich (back)

Sabres projected lineup

William Carrier -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Kyle Okposo
Evander Kane -- Jack Eichel -- Sam Reinhart
Marcus Foligno -- Johan Larsson -- Brian Gionta
Matt Moulson -- Derek Grant -- Zemgus Girgensons
Jake McCabe -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Josh Gorges -- Cody Franson
Justin Falk -- Taylor Fedun
Anders Nilsson
Linus Ullmark
Scratched: None
Injured:Dmitry Kulikov (lower back), Tyler Ennis (groin), Zach Bogosian (MCL sprain), Nicolas Deslauriers (knee), Cody McCormick (blood clots), Robin Lehner (hip)

Status report

Ullmark was recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League to back up Nilsson … Klein and Jooris skated as extras for the Rangers.

Who's hot

Vesey and Holden each have a goal and an assists in their past three games… Reinhart has scored a goal in two straight games and has three points in his past two… Okposo has two goals and three assists in his past four games… Franson has an assist in two straight games.