Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres at Oilers

EDMONTON - Zemgus Girgensons and Colin Miller will return to the Sabres' lineup tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, coach Don Granato confirmed.
The contest opens a three-game road trip in Western Canada for the Sabres, who are coming off a pair of emotional wins at home against Vegas last Thursday and in the Heritage Classic over Toronto on Sunday.
Coverage on MSG begins at 8:30 p.m. The puck drops at 9.
Here are five things to know.

1. The lineup

Girgensons is expected to join the lineup in place of John Hayden, based on the lines at the morning skate. Miller stepped in on defense for Robert Hagg.
Granato did not announce his starting goaltender.

2. A familiar trio

Girgensons will skate on the left wing alongside Cody Eakin and Kyle Okposo, a look the Sabres utilized to open the season. They have not skated as a line since Nov. 18, due in part to the fact that all three forwards have missed various lengths of time due to injuries or illnesses.
"I thought they, together as a trio, were really good," Granato said.
Girgensons sustained his injury in Nashville on Jan. 13. He returned to play one game, in Ottawa on Jan. 25, and has been out since. He has 12 points (7+5) in 37 contests this season.

3. Miller returns

Miller has been out since Jan. 15 after having surgery to repair an upper-body injury he had played through for over a month. He ranked second among Sabres defensemen with 12 points (2+10) in 32 games when his absence began.
He is expected to skate on a defense pair with Jacob Bryson.

4. A potential rematch

Dylan Cozens made a statement with his hit on Auston Matthews, the NHL's leading goal scorer, during the final minutes of the Heritage Classic. He made a different sort of statement against the current Art Ross leader back in November.
Granato matched Cozens against Connor McDavid for the bulk of that meeting with the Oilers. Cozens got the better of the matchup, scoring a pair of goals in Buffalo's 3-2 win.
The Oilers, as the home team, will dictate the matchups this time around. But the experience should come in handy should Cozens line up against McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.
"We put him in a lot of situations," Granato said. "Tonight, he's not going to have an easy line to play against. And not many players his age will play against the players he'll play against and we've had him playing against. And he's done a great job at it."

5. Scouting the Oilers

The Oilers have won three straight games, placing them ahead of the Golden Knights for third place in the Pacific Division. They scored four or more goals in each of those wins.
Edmonton's high-powered offense is fueled as usual by McDavid, who leads the NHL with 85 points, and Draisaitl, who is tied for second with 39 goals. It has added reinforcements in the form of former Sabres forward Evander Kane, who has 10 goals and 17 points in 21 games since joining the team in January.