New Jersey faces Buffalo on 3-game home slide

Updated Feb. 23, 2021 3:10 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Buffalo Sabres (5-8-2, eighth in the East Division) vs. New Jersey Devils (6-5-2, seventh in the East Division)

Newark, New Jersey; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: New Jersey plays Buffalo looking to stop its three-game home slide.

The Devils are 6-5-2 against opponents from the East Division. New Jersey has given up 17 power-play goals, killing 59.5% of opponent chances.

The Sabres are 5-8-2 against the rest of their division. Buffalo averages only 2.4 penalties per game, the fewest in the NHL. Brandon Davidson leads them averaging 0.5.

In their last meeting on Feb. 20, Buffalo won 3-2. Sam Reinhart recorded a team-high 2 points for the Sabres.

TOP PERFORMERS: Miles Wood leads the Devils with five goals and has 8 points. Pavel Zacha has four goals over the last 10 games for New Jersey.

Victor Olofsson has 13 total points while scoring six goals and totaling seven assists for the Sabres. Reinhart has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Buffalo.

LAST 10 GAMES: Devils: 4-5-1, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.9 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .910 save percentage.

Sabres: 4-5-1, averaging 2.1 goals, four assists, 2.8 penalties and 5.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .904 save percentage.

INJURIES: Devils: Nikita Gusev: out (covid protocol).

Sabres: Rasmus Ristolainen: out (health and safety protocols), Tobias Rieder: day to day (undisclosed).

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