The Buffalo Sabres will try to build on a recent stretch of better hockey when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday at KeyBank Center in a rematch of opening night. Buffalo had won three straight games before Wednesday's setback against Ottawa, while Columbus comes in after climbing back to.500 with wins over Colorado and Dallas.
The game also brings two notable lineup changes for the Sabres. Jiri Kulich is expected to return, and Conor Timmins is set to make his season debut. For a team that is still looking for consistency, that kind of movement matters, especially against a Blue Jackets group that has already shown it can score in bunches.
The first meeting between these teams came on opening night, when Columbus beat Buffalo 6-3 in Columbus. That result is part of the backdrop for Friday's matchup, but the Sabres enter with a better feel than they had at the start of the season after putting together three straight wins before Wednesday.
Ryan McLeod also remains part of the conversation after talking through his recent performance and being scratched. He said it was frustrating to be out of the lineup and that the break should help him get back to basics. Lindy Ruff said the focus is on what comes next, not just the decision for one night, and noted that he met with McLeod to discuss his play.
Goaltending could be another key point. The Blue Jackets are expected to start Jet Greaves, while the Sabres are expected to have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in net. Columbus used Cam Talbot in Thursday's 2-1 shootout win over the Stars, a result that followed Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Avalanche.
The Sabres' annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night adds another layer to the setting, but the bigger storyline is simple: Buffalo has a chance to keep moving forward, and Friday's rematch offers an early test of how real that progress is.
