The Sabres are playing the second game of their first back-to-back set. They held a lead for the second time this season against the Los Angeles Kings before losing 4-2 at Staples Center on Saturday. The Ducks could be without center Ryan Getzlaf for the fourth time in six games because of a lower-body injury that initially occurred during practice Sept. 27. Anaheim's leading scorer last season (73 points) missed the first three games before playing against the Calgary Flames on Monday and the New York Islanders on Wednesday. He sat out a 3-1 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Friday and didn't practice Saturday.
Players to watch
Goalie Chad Johnson made 44 saves in a 3-0 win at Honda Center on Dec. 17, 2015, a Sabres record for saves in a regulation shutout. In Johnson's most recent appearance, he gave up six goals on 22 shots before he was removed from a 6-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday. Ducks forward Corey Perry has 16 points (12 goals, four assists) in 15 games against the Sabres.
They said it
"Right now, we're just finding ways to lose and we need to turn the corner here and find ways to win."-- Sabres coach Phil Housley "If you're defending all the time, then you're going to be forced to take penalties." -- Ducks coach Randy Carlyle on their average of 13:48 shorthanded per game, seventh-highest in the League
Gibson sustained an upper-body injury during warmups Friday and left after the first period against the Avalanche. He went through a full practice Saturday. ... The Sabres recalled Bailey from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Saturday, and he could fill in for Okposo.
Stat pack
The Sabres have allowed four shorthanded goals in their first five games after allowing four last season. ... The Ducks are 0-for-17 with the man-advantage. Anaheim and the Islanders (0-for-18) are the remaining teams that have not scored a power-play goal.
