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

The Buffalo Sabres will look to extend their home winning streak when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

The Sabres have won four straight games at KeyBank Center and have earned at least a point in five of their last six games overall (4-1-1). They’re one of just seven teams with four home wins already this season.

Columbus, meanwhile, comes to town with a 3-1-0 record on the road – including a shootout win in its most recent game at red-hot Pittsburgh.

Tuesday’s atmosphere will have a unique feel with the Sabres hosting their second-annual Buffalo Bills Night. Read more about the promotion – which includes appearances from Bills players and alumni – here.

The puck drops at 6:45 p.m. Here’s what you need to know.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 6 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 6:20 p.m.)

Michael Kesselring is "good to go" and will make his Sabres debut on defense. The 25-year-old was acquired alongside Josh Doan from Utah this past offseason and is expected to be a key member of the Buffalo defense corps. He’s missed the start of the season with an undisclosed injury, which he had initially tried to play through during training camp.

“I thought it was just a little thing that was gonna nag me, and it was gonna go away; it just kept getting worse, so I had to deal with it and get back fully healthy,” he said. “It’s a long season. At the end of the day, if I missed [nine] games, whatever it is, it’s not the end of the world.”

Read more on Kesselring’s expected debut in Monday’s practice report.

Here are the Sabres' lines from warmups:

Scouting the Blue Jackets

Columbus is off to a .500 start (4-4-0) on the strength of its play at even strength. The Blue Jackets have allowed just 11 goals at 5-on-5, the fewest in the NHL. Top-line wingers Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko have four even-strength goals apiece.

The Blue Jackets have outscored opponents 7-0 with their first line of Voronkov, Sean Monahan and Marchenko on the ice at 5-on-5.

That also means special teams – a strength for the Sabres this season – could be an area of opportunity for Buffalo. Columbus’ penalty kill is ranked last in the league, having given up at least one power-play goal in all but two games this season.