Bruins at Sabres preview
Nash to make Boston debut; Kane likely will sit out again for Buffalo
by Joe Yerdon / NHL.com Correspondent
BRUINS (37-14-8) at SABRES (18-33-11)
5 p.m. ET; SN360, MSG-B, NESN, NHL.TV
The Game
Rick Nash will be available to make his Boston Bruins debut and center Patrice Bergeron will be a game-time decision when the Bruins face the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Sunday.
Nash was acquired from the New York Rangers in a trade earlier in the day. He has 28 points (18 goals, 10 assists) in 60 games this season.
Bergeron was seen wearing a protective boot after Boston's 4-3 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Bruins are in third place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the second-place Maple Leafs.
Anton Khudobin is expected to start in goal for Boston after Tuukka Rask made 32 saves against Toronto.
The Sabres likely will sit out forward Evander Kane for the second straight game in anticipation of Monday's Trade Deadline. He didn't play in the Sabres' 5-1 loss against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
Buffalo is in last place in the Atlantic Division, 20 points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Players to watch
Bruins forward Brad Marchand has seven points (three goals, four assists) in the past eight games and had two goals against Toronto on Saturday.
Sabres right wing Sam Reinhart has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the past 10 games.
They said it
"What happened was they were a lot better than us. We came out of it [with a goal each] but they were clearly the better team. I thought our gaps for our (defense) weren't good enough to kill some plays, to get some transition going whether it's breakout or neutral zone … then you start killing some penalties and it adds up." -- Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy on his team's loss to Toronto on Saturday
"It's tough, but we have to find a way to put a better effort in than that. It wasn't what we wanted, it's disappointing. It's different now, it's different without Kane there, it's something there've been rumors about and it's going to happen." -- Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly on playing without Evander Kane on Saturday
Bruins projected lineup
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk -- David Krejci -- Rick Nash
Danton Heinen -- Riley Nash -- David Backes
Tim Schaller -- Sean Kuraly -- Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara -- Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug -- Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk -- Kevan Miller
Anton Khudobin
Tuukka Rask
Scratched: Paul Postma, Adam McQuaid, Nick Holden
Injured: Anders Bjork (shoulder)
Sabres projected lineup
Benoit Pouliot -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Sam Reinhart
Zemgus Girgensons -- Evan Rodrigues -- Kyle Okposo
Scott Wilson -- Johan Larsson -- Jason Pominville
Jordan Nolan -- Jacob Josefson -- Nicholas Baptiste
Marco Scandella -- Casey Nelson
Nathan Beaulieu -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Justin Falk -- Victor Antipin
Chad Johnson
Robin Lehner
Scratched: Josh Gorges, Evander Kane
Injured: Jack Eichel (high-ankle sprain), Jake McCabe (thumb/shoulder), Zach Bogosian (hip)
Status report
Neither the Bruins nor the Sabres had a morning skate.
Stat pack
Bergeron has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the past eight games. ... O'Reilly has seven points (two goals, five assists) in the past seven games.