Buffalo @ Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2019 ) Carolina 6, Buffalo 5

The Carolina Hurricanes hope to resume their surge toward a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after a tough loss, when they open a five-game homestand against the fading Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. The Hurricanes registered 46 shots, but suffered their second regulation loss in 10 games (7-2-1) with a 3-0 setback at Columbus on Friday to fall into a virtual tie with the Blue Jackets for the top wild-card spot - with both sitting two points ahead of ninth-place Montreal.

“I think it’s a mental challenge this time of year,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters before Friday’s game. “The guys have been grinding so hard, especially our group from where we’ve come from. We had to put it in high gear about game 30. Other teams had the luxury of not having to press that early. But we’ve pressed pretty hard and that takes a mental toll.” The Hurricanes go after their ninth straight victory in the series after notching a pair of one-goal wins this season while the Sabres are suffering through a stretch of 197 minutes, 40 seconds of scoreless hockey. Buffalo has dropped six straight games (0-5-1), including the last three by shutout after losing 5-0 to Pittsburgh at home on Thursday, to fall out of contention for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference despite building a 10-game win streak earlier in the season. “It’s proven to work earlier this (season), so this is a frustrating time for us,” Sabres forward Conor Sheary told reporters of his team’s system. “We’re obviously not feeling great about ourselves. We just have to come to the rink ready to work each day and hopefully put out a better effort Saturday.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Buffalo, FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE SABRES (30-31-9): Captain Jack Eichel is eligible to return to the lineup after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit and the 22-year-old center tops the team with a career-high 72 points to sit two away from 100 career goals. Jeff Skinner leads Buffalo with 36 goals - one shy of his career high in 2016-17 with Carolina - but is mired in a 13-game drought and has not scored a point in four contests. Forward Sam Reinhart is stuck on 58 points after going without one for six games while rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been kept off the scoresheet in seven contests this month.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (38-25-7): Sebastian Aho leads the team with 77 points, including six goals and four assists in the past 10 games, while fellow forward Teuvo Teravainen posted four assists in the past three games to push his point total to 65. Power forward Micheal Ferland (17 goals, 35 points) had five shots in his return to the lineup Friday after missing the previous two games with an upper-body injury. Petr Mrazek made 17 saves Friday to take the loss and end his six-game winning streak and that could give Saturday’s start to veteran Curtis McElhinney, who has allowed 12 goals in his last two outings.

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo LW Alex Nylander, the eight overall pick in the 2016 draft, has one shot in two games since being recalled.

2. Carolina D Brett Pesce had a minus-1 rating Friday, but still leads the team with a plus-29 and has three assists in the last three games.

3. Sabres veteran D Zach Bogosian (upper body) missed Thursday’s game and is listed as questionable.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 5, Sabres 2