Sabres go back to Hutton for final matchup with Leafs

Phil Housley will stick with the same lineup from a win over St. Louis on Sunday when the Sabres conclude their season series with the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at KeyBank Center.
Carter Hutton will start in net, coming off a 30-save performance in that victory over the Blues. Jason Pominville, Scott Wilson and Matt Hunwick will be scratched.
"We got a result, so we're going to stay with the same group," Housley said.

The Sabres will be looking to replicate the atmosphere they generated during the third period on Sunday, when a physical shift from the line of Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson and Kyle Okposo inspired a raucous reaction from the KeyBank Center crowd that carried into overtime and a shootout.
Okposo said Tuesday that he felt the Sabres played with an "added intensity" throughout the game, which Housley echoed this morning.
"I just liked the way we competed," Housley said. "Everyone competes differently, whether it's a puck battle or finishing a hit. Everybody's counted on to do their part, and that's going to be important the rest of these games.
"The physicality was just the emotion of the game. I thought the guys really enjoyed it and the fans really enjoyed it."
The Sabres are looking to avoid being swept in their season series with Maple Leafs, having gone winless in four straight games against their cross-border rival dating back to last season. Buffalo held first-period leads in two meetings in Toronto within the last month but lost 5-3 and 5-2, respectively.
Coverage on MSG-B begins at 6:30 p.m. with the GMC Game Night pregame show, or you can listen live on WGR 550. The puck drops at 7.

Scouting the Leafs

The game will mark the second regular-season meeting between Alexander and William Nylander, who last played during Alex's NHL debut on April 3, 2017.
William, who got a late start to his season due to a contract holdout, has six assists in his last six games for the Leafs. Alex posted the first multi-point outing of his NHL career with a two-assist effort against the Blues on Sunday.
The younger Nylander said he's sought the advice of his older brother since being recalled from Rochester earlier this month.
"I talk to him every day," he said. "He's just helping me out and he tries to watch as many [games] as possible. It's been a lot of help."
The Maple Leafs are coming off a 3-0 loss in Nashville last night, their fourth loss in five games. Garret Sparks is expected to get the start in net.

Numbers to know

11 - The trio of Nylander, Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues generated 11 shots on Sunday, their second game as linemates. Sheary and Rodrigues both scores goals.
15 - Jack Eichel has 15 points (10+5) in 12 career games against the Maple Leafs, including a two-goal performance in Buffalo's visit to Toronto on Feb. 25.
54.49 -That's Brandon Montour's Corsi-for percentage through 10 games with the Sabres, his best mark for any 10-game segment this season according toNatural Stat Trick. He's averaging 1.61 points per 60 in that span, well over his career mark of 1.11.

Projected lineup

53 Jeff Skinner - 9 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart
43 Conor Sheary - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 92 Alex Nylander
17 Vladimir Sobotka - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 72 Tage Thompson
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo
4 Zach Bogosian - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
26 Rasmus Dahlin - 62 Brandon Montour
6 Marco Scandella - 8 Casey Nelson
40 Carter Hutton
35 Linus Ullmark