Lehner to return as Sabres visit Red Wings

DETROIT - When the Buffalo Sabres last visited Little Caesars Arena back in November, they were unable to contain the speed of the Detroit Red Wings in a 3-1 loss. They'll try again when they visit their Atlantic Division rival to open a two-game road trip on Thursday.
The Red Wings have lost three of their last four games and sit eight points removed from a wild card berth. Even so, the Sabres know their young core can present problems.
"Through the neutral zone, you have to make sure you get pucks deep because they're going to try to force turnovers and use their quick strike, use their transition and speed against us," Sabres coach Phil Housley said. "Any time we get through the neutral zone, [we need to] get it in deep, get on the forecheck and make them play defense.

"In saying that, even in the offensive zone, if they come up with the puck they're taking off, they're stretching the play, stretching the ice. We're well aware of that. If we can control the gaps and not allow them their time and space, it's going to be important tonight."

Robin Lehner will be back in net for the Sabres after missing their game against Washington on Monday to rest a lower-body injury. Since joining the Sabres, Lehner is 3-2-1 with a .953 save percentage and a 1.65 goals-against average against the Red Wings.
The only other change to the Buffalo lineup will be on defense, where Victor Antipin is expected to replace Justin Falk after sitting as a healthy scratch on Monday. Antipin has collected assists in each of his two games against the Red Wings.
Changes to the defense corps have come often as of late - Falk, Antipin and Josh Gorges have all been healthy scratches in the past week - but Housley said it's not the product of a set rotation.
"It's just more of where we are," the coach said. "We've lost the last couple of games here so we're just going to continue to make changes and give guys opportunities."
Scott Wilson will play his first game in Detroit since being acquired by the Sabres on Dec. 4, which concluded a17-game stint with the Red Wings. Wilson went scoreless during his brief tenure in Detroit, but he's scored three goals and two assists in his last six games and 10 points (5+5) overall since joining Buffalo.
Wilson shed some light on his recent success in Wednesday's practice report.
Jimmy Howard will get the start in net for the Red Wings, who will be without All-Star defenseman Mike Green for the fourth-straight game due to an upper-body injury.
Coverage on MSG-B begins at 7 p.m. with the GMC Game Night Pregame Show, or you can listen live on WGR 550. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30.

Projected lineup

9 Evander Kane - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 23 Sam Reinhart
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 21 Kyle Okposo
20 Scott Wilson - 22 Johan Larsson - 29 Jason Pominville
67 Benoit Pouliot - 10 Jacob Josefson - 13 Nicholas Baptiste
82 Nathan Beaulieu - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
6 Marco Scandella - 8 Casey Nelson
4 Josh Gorges - 93 Victor Antipin
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson