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

The Buffalo Sabres will look to extend their winning streak to five games when they host the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center on Saturday.

Following a 12-day, six-game road trip that consisted of mostly Western Conference opponents, the Sabres returned home on Thursday and made up ground in the standings with a 5-3 victory over an Eastern Conference rival in the Philadelphia Flyers.

The game on Saturday presents a similar opportunity. The Islanders occupy the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 41 points – seven ahead of the Sabres, who have two games in hand.

Tage Thompson has helped fuel the winning streak, having scored a goal in each of the last five games. He’ll notch his second six-game goal-scoring streak of the season if he scores tonight, having previously done so from Nov. 13 to 23.

The puck drops at 5 p.m. Here’s what you need to know.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 4:30 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

The Sabres will be without defenseman Conor Timmins, who sustained a broken leg late in Thursday’s game against the Flyers and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Timmins’ absence coincides with the return of another big, right-shot defenseman in Michael Kesselring, who rejoined the lineup against the Flyers after missing the previous 14 games with a lower-body injury. Kesselring could be counted on to fill the void on the penalty kill, where Timmins was among the league leaders in shorthanded blocked shots.

Look for either Jacob Bryson or Zach Metsa to join the lineup on defense with Timmins out. Bryson, a left shot, had played 14 straight games prior to being scratched against the Flyers. But Ruff acknowledged he may turn to Metsa – like Timmins, a right shot – to create balance on the defense corps.

Metsa has played four NHL games this season, the most recent of which came on Oct. 25.

“I’ve always said, I like the lefty-righty combos better for breaking pucks out and even getting pucks in the offensive zone that are coming up the (boards),” Ruff said.

“… Metsa’s played well when he’s been in. I know he hasn’t been in for a while, but he’s worked extremely hard. If we have him in tomorrow, I’d expect him to play well.”

The Sabres also have a question at forward, with Tyson Kozak nursing an upper-body injury. Kozak missed practice on Friday but will skate Saturday morning before the team makes a decision on his status for the game, Ruff said.

Alex Lyon manned the home net at practice on Friday, an indication that he could make his fourth straight start in goal.

Scouting the Islanders

Gone are the days of the Islanders playing lockdown, low-event hockey. Their strong start under coach Patrick Roy has seen them embrace an up-tempo approach, aided by one of the league’s most dynamic young players in rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

Schaefer, the No. 1 pick in this summer’s draft, leads rookie defensemen with 23 points. His nine goals rank fourth among all NHL defensemen.

“I think it’s pretty amazing what he’s done so far,” Ruff said. “He’s been a difference maker for them. He’s a guy that, he’s going to be right up there with the top guys – and I’m talking (Quinn) Hughes and guys like that – when it comes to skating and being that offensive, two-way defenseman.”

New York is tied for second in the NHL with 34 rush goals, according to Stathletes. The Islanders’ one-two punch at center has helped fuel that success, with Bo Horvat tied for first in the NHL in rush goals (8) and Mathew Barzal among the league leaders in controlled zone entries.

Horvat will be out for the fourth straight game, however, leaving New York to try and snap a two-game losing skid without its leading scorer. The Islanders are coming off a 4-1 loss at home to Vancouver on Friday. Ilya Sorokin started that game, meaning the Sabres will see backup David Rittich (7-3-1, .905 save percentage) in net.