STARS (49-20-12) at SABRES (50-23-8)
7 p.m. ET; MORE27, HBO MAX, Victory+, truTV, TNT
Stars projected lineup
Sam Steel -- Wyatt Johnston -- Mikko Rantanen
Jason Robertson -- Matt Duchene -- Mavrik Bourque
Jamie Benn -- Justin Hryckowian -- Michael Bunting
Oskar Back -- Radek Faksa -- Adam Erne
Thomas Harley -- Nils Lundkvist
Esa Lindell -- Ilya Lyubushkin
Lian Bichsel -- Tyler Myers
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Arttu Hyry, Colin Blackwell, Kyle Capobianco, Alexander Petrovic
Injured: Nathan Bastian (hand), Miro Heiskanen (lower body), Roope Hintz (lower body), Nils Lundkvist (illness), Tyler Seguin (ACL)
Sabres projected lineup
Peyton Krebs -- Tage Thompson -- Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker -- Ryan McLeod -- Jack Quinn
Zach Benson -- Josh Norris -- Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway -- Tyson Kozak -- Beck Malenstyn
Mattias Samuelsson -- Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram -- Owen Power
Logan Stanley -- Conor Timmins
Colten Ellis
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Scratched: Michael Kesselring, Josh Dunne, Tanner Pearson, Luke Schenn
Injured: Alex Lyon (lower body), Sam Carrick (upper body), Noah Ostlund (upper body), Jiri Kulich (blood clot), Justin Danforth (lower body)
Status report
Steel is expected to return after missing nine games with an undisclosed injury. … Lundkvist will play after a three-game absence because of illness. … Hintz, a forward, will be out for Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference First Round against the Minnesota Wild. ... Heiskanen, a defenseman, has missed two games. ... Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said some players will be rested Wednesday but did not reveal who would sit out. ... Lyon, a goalie, is feeling better, Ruff said. … Ostlund is “really close,” but Ruff said the forward is doubtful to be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins.
