Buffalo faces Pittsburgh, aims to halt 9-game slide

Pittsburgh Penguins (16-9-1, third in the East Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (6-15-4, eighth in the East Division)

Buffalo, New York; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Buffalo aims to stop its nine-game skid with a victory over Pittsburgh.

The Sabres are 6-15-4 against the rest of their division. Buffalo averages only 2.5 penalties per game, the fewest in the NHL. Rasmus Ristolainen leads the team averaging 0.4.

The Penguins are 16-9-1 against opponents in the East Division. Pittsburgh ranks 10th in the NHL averaging 3.2 goals per game, led by Sidney Crosby with nine.

The teams square off for the second game in a row.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jake McCabe leads the Sabres with a plus-two in 13 games this season. Sam Reinhart has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Buffalo.

Crosby has 25 total points while scoring nine goals and totaling 16 assists for the Penguins. Kasperi Kapanen has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 1-7-2, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.9 assists, 2.7 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game with an .894 save percentage.

Penguins: 7-3-0, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.1 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game with a .918 save percentage.

INJURIES: Sabres: Jake McCabe: out (knee), Will Borgen: out (forearm), Jack Eichel: out (upper body), Linus Ullmark: out (lower body).

Penguins: None listed.

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