Columbus at Buffalo

After opening the season with a pair of losses against the mighty New York Rangers, Columbus steps way down in class to face rebuilding Buffalo. Columbus was hit by a rash of injuries last season that left it out of the playoffs after a 93-point effort in 2013-14, so they are much further along in the rebuilding phase than Buffalo. Columbus had a number of key moves in the offseason, including acquiring Brandon Saad from Chicago and signing him to a long-term deal. Saad has six assists in his last three against the Sabres. The Blue Jackets are on a 16-5 run, including 9-2 in their last 11 road games. Buffalo is rebuilding from the ground up after a train wreck season, opening with a 3-1 loss to Ottawa and a 4-1 defeat to Tampa Bay. The Sabres are 18-43 in their last 61 home games. Robin Lehner was placed on injured reserve, so Buffalo recalled fellow goaltender Nathan Lieuwen from Rochester. The Sabres are on a 10-43 run, 14-45 following a loss of three or more goals. Columbus is 5-2 against the Sabres, including 5-3 here in Buffalo, and the road team is 5-1 when they clash. Play Columbus.