Buffalo plays Columbus in conference battle

Columbus Blue Jackets (9-6-0, sixth in the Metropolitan) vs. Buffalo Sabres (7-8-2, sixth in the Atlantic)

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

LINE: Sabres -100, Blue Jackets -120; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: Columbus heads to Buffalo in Eastern Conference action.

The Sabres are 3-4-2 against Eastern Conference opponents. Buffalo is the top team in the Eastern Conference with 4.6 assists per game, led by Victor Olofsson averaging 0.6.

The Blue Jackets are 3-5-0 against conference opponents. Columbus ranks eighth in the NHL averaging 5.9 assists per game, led by Jakub Voracek with 0.9.

The teams square off Monday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with six goals and has 11 points. Rasmus Asplund has 6 points over the last 10 games for Buffalo.

Boone Jenner leads the Blue Jackets with nine goals and has 11 points. Voracek has nine assists over the last 10 games for Columbus.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 2-7-1, averaging 2.6 goals, four assists, 3.6 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game with an .884 save percentage.

Blue Jackets: 6-4-0, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.9 assists, 3.3 penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game with a .902 save percentage.

INJURIES: Sabres: Craig Anderson: day to day (upper body), Colin Miller: day to day (upper body), Casey Mittelstadt: out (upper body).

Blue Jackets: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by