MAPLE LEAFS (16-7-6) at SABRES (13-17-3)
7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, SNO
Maple Leafs projected lineup
Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Tyler Bertuzzi -- John Tavares -- Mitchell Marner
Nicholas Robertson -- Max Domi -- Calle Jarnkrok
Bobby McMann -- David Kampf -- Noah Gregor
Morgan Rielly -- Timothy Liljegren
TJ Brodie -- Jake McCabe
Simon Benoit -- Connor Timmins
Ilya Samsonov
Martin Jones
Scratched: William Lagesson, Pontus Holmberg
Injured: John Klingberg (hip), Mark Giordano (broken finger), Joseph Woll (lower body), Ryan Reaves (lower body)
Sabres projected lineup
Jeff Skinner -- Tage Thompson -- Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka -- Dylan Cozens -- Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway -- Casey Mittelstadt -- Zach Benson
Victor Olofsson -- Peyton Krebs -- Kyle Okposo
Rasmus Dahlin -- Mattias Samuelsson
Owen Power -- Henri Jokiharju
Ryan Johnson -- Connor Clifton
Devon Levi
Eric Comrie
Scratched: Eric Robinson, Tyson Jost, Erik Johnson, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Injured: Zemgus Girgensons (lower body)
Status report
Giordano, who has missed nine games, skated with the team for the first time since he was injured against the Florida Panthers on Nov. 28. The defenseman won't play before the NHL holiday break, coach Sheldon Keefe said. … The Sabres held an optional morning skate. … Skinner and Greenway are each game-time decisions after missing three and nine games, respectively, each with an upper-body injury. Each was off the ice early, suggesting they will play. … Girgensons, a forward, skated with the team for the first time since he was injured Nov. 24 but will not play Thursday or when the Sabres visit the New York Rangers on Saturday.
