Preview: Sabres at Blues

[November 19, 2015]  The St. Louis Blues have hit a rough patch with three losses in four games but hope to get back on track when they host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night in the first of two meetings between the clubs in a five-day span. The Blues have dominated the Sabres since 2011, winning six consecutive meetings while allowing a total of five goals.

Since posting three shutouts 6-1-0 stretch, St. Louis has permitted 15 tallies in its last four following a 3-1 setback at Columbus on Tuesday night. "We didn't have any energy so I don't know what to chalk it up to," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock told reporters. "If you don't have any energy you come in second place everywhere." Buffalo has scored just one goal each in dropping back-to-back decisions to San Jose and Dallas to fall to 5-2-1 over its last eight games. The Sabres are in the midst of a grueling four-game stretch that includes two games apiece against the Dallas Stars and the Blues.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG and Bell-TV (Buffalo), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE SABRES (8-9-1): Buffalo could be getting a huge reinforcement to its lineup with the potential return of left wing Evander Kane, who has been sidelined for the past 10 games due to an MCL injury in his left knee. "I think you'll have a pretty good chance to see me in the lineup tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that," Kane, who was initially expected to be out for four-to-six weeks, told reporters. Center Zemgus Girgensons suffered an upper-body injury that forced him to sit out Tuesday and will cause him the miss the next two games.

ABOUT THE BLUES (12-6-1): Center Jori Lehtera had to be taken to the hospital after he absorbed a high stick to the throat from Columbus' Brandon Saad and will be a game-time decision. “Hopefully he’ll be all right and we won’t be missing another high-end forward," Blues captain David Backes told reporters. "Whatever happens, we’ve got to move forward. We’ve got another tough game Thursday." Rookie defenseman Colton Parayko did not play against the Blue Jackets after suffering a lower-body injury versus Winnipeg on Monday night and is listed as day-to-day.

OVERTIME

1. Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko has five goals and eight points in his last seven games.

2. Kane has two goals and six points in nine games versus St. Louis.

3. Blues G Jake Allen shut out the Sabres in his only start against them.

PREDICTION: Blues 4, Sabres 1

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