Sabres vs. Ducks | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines

Lindy Ruff was asked after the Buffalo Sabres’ win at Madison Square Garden on Thursday – their 12th victory in the past 13 games – if he would allow himself time to enjoy the success.

“For the next five minutes,” Ruff said.

With the Sabres’ schedule, there is little time to bask in any one moment.

The Sabres play five home games over the next eight days, beginning when they host the Anaheim Ducks tonight at KeyBank Center.

With the condensed schedule comes opportunity to continue to stack points in the standings. The Sabres have won five straight games at KeyBank Center and are 13-5-2 on home ice this season. Their points percentage at home (.700) is tied for third in the NHL.

The Sabres enter Saturday one point out of a wild card spot, but with games in hand on several of the teams they're chasing.

The homestand begins at 7 p.m. Here’s what you need to know in the meantime.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, ESPN+ (out of market)

Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App

More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games

Lineup notes (updated 11:30 a.m.)

Based on the morning skate, Buffalo appears to be rolling out the same lineup from Thursday's win. The one change is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the starter's net.

Quick hits

• The Sabres have earned 12 wins in a 13-game span on just three prior occasions, the last being in 2005. The team has never won 13 out of 14, meaning they can make some franchise history with a victory tonight.
• Josh Doan has scored goals in four straight games, the longest streak of his career.
• Bowen Byram has 10 points (3+7) in his last eight contests, his most points over an eight-game span in his career.

Scouting the Ducks

The Ducks have cooled considerably since their hot start to the season, carrying a 1-8-1 record in their last 10 games into Saturday’s matchup.

"I think we're going to see a real desperate team tonight, for sure," Ruff said.

Anaheim’s young roster is headlined by talented, high-scoring forwards such as Leo Carlsson (42 points), Cutter Gauthier (40 points), and Beckett Sennecke (33 points) – all of whom were first-round draft picks in the past four years.

The team’s struggles have come on the defensive end. The Ducks have allowed five or more goals in six of their last seven games. Their 163 goals against this season are eight more than the next closest team (St. Louis) and their 749 scoring chances against are fourth most in the NHL, according to Stathletes.

One item to watch is the status of forward Troy Terry, who shares the team scoring lead with Carlsson. Terry missed the Ducks’ last game in Carolina and is considered day to day.