{coyotes} COYOTES (22-44-8) at SABRES (20-46-7)

Wednesday 25 March 2015

{coyotes} COYOTES (22-44-8) at SABRES (20-46-7)

The Fault in Our Stars / Divergent / The Descendants

Thursday, March 26, 2015

7:00 PM ET

COYOTES (22-44-8) at SABRES (20-46-7)

TV: FS-A, MSG-B, BELL TV

Season series: The Buffalo Sabres swept their two-game series against the Arizona Coyotes last season. Sabres forward Tyler Ennis scored in each of the one-goal wins.

Coyotes team scope: Goalie Mike Smith will start for Arizona, coach Dave Tippett said Wednesday. Smith made 33 saves Tuesday when Arizona got a much-needed win, 5-4 in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings. The Coyotes had lost 17 of their previous 18 games. Forward Lauri Korpikoski drew a double minor for high-sticking when Red Wings defenseman Marek Zidlicky caught him with a stick to the mouth; Tippett said Korpikoski's status will be re-evaluated Thursday. Forward Mark Arcobello scored twice, including the overtime winner, and tied a career-high with three points. He has seven goals and 11 points in 19 games since joining the Coyotes, his fourth NHL team this season. Arcobello has set career highs with 15 goals and 26 points.

Sabres team scope: Defenseman Zach Bogosian and forward Patrick Kaleta are hoping to return. Bogosian played more than 30 minutes against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 11, but hasn't been in the lineup since because of a lower-body injury. Kaleta has missed more than a month with a lower-body injury. Each player said he still had to confer with Buffalo's medical staff about playing. Goalie Matt Hackett could get the start. The Sabres are 1-8-2 in their past 11 games and trail the Coyotes by five points in the overall NHL standings. "We're approaching tomorrow's game like any other. It's two teams desperate for wins, and we want to win," captain Brian Gionta said in comments tweeted by the Sabres.

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Team Stats