Hurricanes at Sabres preview

HURRICANES (12-11-7) at SABRES (8-18-6)
7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, FS-CR, NHL.TV

Johnson hasn't played since Dec. 2, when the Sabres lost 5-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Robin Lehner has played the past five games, including a 2-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
The Sabres could get defenseman Nathan Beaulieu back in the lineup. Beaulieu has missed the past five games with an illness in which he lost 10 pounds. The Sabres did not skate Friday, but Beaulieu said he was feeling much better. Coach Phil Housley said his lineup will be a game-time decision.
The Hurricanes are 1-2-2 entering the finale of a six-game road trip. They are coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Carolina did not skate Friday. Coach Bill Peters told the Hurricanes website on Thursday he hadn't decided whether Scott Darling or Cam Ward would start. Ward earned his 300th NHL victory against Vegas. This is the first of back-to-back games for Carolina, which hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Players to watch

Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner has three assists in the past two games. He has scored 11 goals in 22 games against Buffalo.
Sabres left wing Evander Kane has five points in the past six games (two goals, three assists).

They said it

"We're looking at some different ways to generate some 5-on-5 offense; always looking to try and be solution-based. Not a lot of opportunity to practice in this League so if you're looking to do some things, you've got to do it in practice." -- Hurricanes coach Bill Peters on possible line changes
"You have to be hard on them, be physical. You can't turn off them as a group, especially their [defensemen], you've got to stay on them. It's about being hard in the battle and trying to possess the puck and try to get pucks to the net." -- Sabres left wing Evander Kane on how to disrupt Carolina's puck- possession game

Hurricanes projected lineup

Sebastian Aho -- Jordan Staal -- Teuvo Teravainen
Jeff Skinner -- Derek Ryan -- Justin Williams
Brock McGinn -- Victor Rask -- Elias Lindholm
Joakim Nordstrom -- Marcus Kruger -- Josh Jooris
Jaccob Slavin -- Brett Pesce
Haydn Fleury -- Justin Faulk
Noah Hanifin -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Scott Darling
Cam Ward
Scratched:Klas Dahlbeck, Phillip Di Giuseppe
Injured:Lee Stempniak (upper body)

Sabres projected lineup

Benoit Pouliot -- Jack Eichel -- Jason Pominville
Zemgus Girgensons -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Kyle Okposo
Evander Kane -- Evan Rodrigues -- Sam Reinhart
Scott Wilson -- Johan Larsson -- Jordan Nolan
Marco Scandella -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Nathan Beaulieu -- Zach Bogosian
Jake McCabe -- Justin Falk
Chad Johnson
Robin Lehner
Scratched:Josh Gorges, Victor Antipin
Injured:Jacob Josefson (ankle), Taylor Fedun (lower body)

Status update

Josefson skated again on Friday but is still week to week.

Stat pack

Faulk needs one point for 200 in his NHL career. Carolina is first in the NHL in shots on goal per game (35.2) and in fewest shots against per game (28.9). … Buffalo has scored one goal in five of Johnson's last six starts.