Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Devils

Jordan Greenway participated in an optional skate Friday morning and is expected to be in the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres against the New Jersey Devils.

Greenway left the ice shortly before the end of practice on Thursday due to what coach Don Granato described as “aggravation” of an injury.

The meeting with the Devils opens a back-to-back set of games for the Sabres, who then host the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center on Saturday.

Pregame coverage on Friday begins at 6:30 p.m. on MSG/MSG+ with puck drop scheduled for 7. Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.

Here are five things to know.

1. The standings

The Sabres can pull within six points of the second wild card spot – currently occupied by the Washington Capitals – with a victory. The Capitals lost 5-1 in Toronto on Thursday.

The Devils are also in the thick of the playoff race, currently three points ahead of the Sabres with each team having played 73 games.

Find the full playoff picture entering Friday in Sabres.com’s wild card hub.

2. The lineup

The Sabres did not hold line rushes during their optional morning skate. Here’s how the forwards and defensemen lined up for practice on Thursday:

FORWARDS

77 JJ Peterka – 72 Tage Thompson – 89 Alex Tuch

9 Zach Benson – 24 Dylan Cozens – 22 Jack Quinn

53 Jeff Skinner – 19 Peyton Krebs – 12 Jordan Greenway

50 Eric Robinson – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 71 Victor Olofsson 

17 Tyson Jost

DEFENSEMEN

25 Owen Power – 26 Rasmus Dahlin

4 Bowen Byram – 10 Henri Jokiharju

78 Jacob Bryson – 75 Connor Clifton

38 Kale Clague

3. In the crease

Granato did not announce a starting goaltender for the game, though Devon Levi practiced in the home net on Thursday while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie split reps at the other end of the ice.

Levi made 31 saves on 32 shots after relieving Luukkonen during the first period against Ottawa on Wednesday.

4. Peterka’s scoring streak

JJ Peterka enters Friday having scored four goals in the last three games while playing on a line with Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson. Peterka skated a career-high 21:38 against Ottawa on Thursday and leads the Sabres with 25 goals this season.

Granato attributed Peterka’s recent success to improved defensive play, which has allowed him to spend more time on offense.

“You can see that in his play, where he’s picked a couple pucks off that have gone back for chances,” Granato said. “He’s positionally in a spot where he can get a puck back, better, sooner, quicker. Or defend less, I guess, to get to offense more.”

5. Scouting the Devils

The Devils have won four of their last five games following a 6-3 victory in Toronto on Tuesday. Timo Meier scored a goal in that game, upping his NHL-leading total to 13 since the beginning of March.

The Sabres are 0-2-0 against the Devils this season. The Devils won 5-4 in Buffalo on Oct. 27, then took the rematch 7-2 in New Jersey on Nov. 25. Defenseman Luke Hughes led all players with a combined four points (1+3) in those two meetings.

Jake Allen will start in goal for the Devils. The veteran has four wins and a .925 save percentage in six games since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens.