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

The Buffalo Sabres continue their five-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth at KeyBank Center on Saturday.

Both teams will be looking to rebound from uneven losses. The Sabres dropped their most recent game 4-0 at home against Dallas on Thursday while the Mammoth lost 6-1 in Boston.

Starting fast will be an emphasis for the Sabres, who are 2-2-0 but have fallen behind in the first period of each of their first four games. The slow starts haven’t been for a lack of opportunity; the Sabres rank fifth in NHL in 5-on-5 scoring chances per 60 minutes.

“Our starts have to be better,” coach Lindy Ruff said postgame on Thursday. “We have to start putting the puck in the back of the net early.”

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

• Tickets for tonight are still available

How to watch

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

Streaming (Sabres broadcast market): DAZN

Streaming (out of market): ESPN+

Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App

More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games

Lineup notes (updated 6:40 p.m.)

Colten Ellis gets the start in net. He stopped 18 of 20 shots to win his season debut Tuesday versus Minnesota.

Forwards Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius are scratched for the first time this season. Ruff wants to see better compete out of both those guys, he said.

"If you want to stay in the lineup, you've got to play hard, and you've got to be bringing something to the table every night," the coach added.

Sam Carrick and Tyson Kozak enter the lineup, and Justin Danforth gets a bump to the third line. Here's the full projected lineup from warmups:

Scouting the Mammoth

Utah had one of the NHL’s hottest offenses to start the season prior to its misstep in Boston on Thursday.

The Mammoth scored four or more goals in each of their first three victories and, through four games, their power play was operating at a 61.5-percent clip (8-for-13). Nick Schmaltz opened the season on a four-game goal scoring streak.

Against the Bruins, the Mammoth went 0-for-7 on the power play and 1-for-4 on the penalty kill.