Blues at Sabres preview

BLUES (18-7-6) at SABRES (14-11-6)
7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, FS-MW, NHL.TV

Eichel has 10 goals and 13 assists during his streak, including five multipoint games.
The Sabres are 3-1-3 in their past seven games after going 2-8-2 in their previous 12. They have scored at least three goals in four of their past five games.
The Blues are 6-3-1 in their past 10 games but have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak. They are 3-0-1 in their past four games against the Sabres.

Players to watch

Blues forward David Perron has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past 10 games.
Sabres forward Victor Olofsson has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his past 16 games.

They said it

"We need to start right. Last game (a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs) we got caught, put on our heels. We need to dictate a bit more and get into our game right away, which is putting it behind their (defense), having a good, fast forecheck and kind of smothering them all over the ice. When we do those kinds of things, we make it tough and the game kind of unfolds for us." -- Blues center Ryan O'Reilly
"I think if you don't have energy, you're going to get embarrassed. These guys are the Stanley Cup champs for a reason. They play a heavy game, they play hard. If you don't match their intensity, they're going to come out hard. They lost their last game they played, against Toronto, so we know they're going to have a thorn in their side. We've got to be ready to go. Whatever it takes." -- Sabres forward Kyle Okposo on Buffalo playing its fourth game in six days

Blues projected lineup

Jaden Schwartz -- Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou
David Perron -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Tyler Bozak
Ivan Barbashev -- Robert Thomas -- Troy Brouwer
Mackenzie MacEachern -- Jacob de la Rose -- Austin Poganski
Colton Parayko -- Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester -- Justin Faulk
Vince Dunn -- Robert Bortuzzo
Jake Allen
Jordan Binnington
Scratched:Carl Gunnarsson, Nathan Walker
Injured: Zach Sanford (upper body), Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder), Alexander Steen (ankle), Sammy Blais (wrist), Oskar Sundqvist (lower body)

Sabres projected lineup

Victor Olofsson -- Jack Eichel -- Sam Reinhart
Jimmy Vesey -- Marcus Johansson -- Rasmus Asplund
Jeff Skinner -- Casey Mittelstadt -- Evan Rodrigues
Zemgus Girgensons -- Johan Larsson -- Kyle Okposo
Brandon Montour -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Jake McCabe -- Zach Bogosian
Colin Miller -- Henri Jokiharju
Linus Ullmark
Carter Hutton
Scratched: Marco Scandella, Conor Sheary
Injured: Rasmus Dahlin (concussion), Tage Thompson (upper body), Vladimir Sobotka (lower body)

Status report

Steen and Sundqvist are "getting pretty close" to returning, according to coach Craig Berube. … Dahlin skated with the Sabres for the first time since sustaining a concussion. He has not been cleared for contact but is day to day. … Mittelstadt will be back in the lineup after being scratched Sunday in Edmonton.

Stat pack

Schwartz is three assists away from 200 in the NHL. … Schenn needs three points to reach 300 in the NHL. ... Larsson has one goal and six assists in his past six games.