 and Zach Bogosian (lower body). Ristolainen missed his second straight game, Bogosian missed his third game in a row. ... D Matt Tennyson, D Jake McCabe, LW Scott Wilson, D Matt Hunwick and LW Evan Rodrigues were also scratched for Buffalo. ... Before the game, the Sabres demoted C Tage Thompson to the minors. Thompson, a former first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues, is in the midst of a 23-game goal drought. ... D Mike Green, LW Justin Abdelkader, LW Thomas Vanek, C Michael Rasmussen, RW Martin Frk, C Jacob de la Rose and D Trevor Daley were scratched for Detroit. UP NEXT:Red Wings: Home against New Jersey on Friday. Sabres: On the road against the New York Islanders on Saturday.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, N. Y., 14203 / Though both teams are eliminated from playoff contention, the Detroit Red Wings have certainly shown more spirit than the Buffalo Sabres of late. The Red Wings can cap an already successful five-game road trip with a third straight victory Thursday night, while trying to hand the reeling Sabres a fifth consecutive defeat. Detroit improved to 3-1-0 on its current road stretch with a 3-2 victory at playoff-bound San Jose on Monday. Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou each scored and Christoffer Ehn added a short-handed goal as the Red Wings led 3-0 before holding on to improve to 4-1-0 since a 1-9-3 rut." I think it shows when we put the effort in and work for 60 minutes, we can compete against any team," goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who made 39 saves, told the Red Wings' official website. "I think everyone wants to prove what they can do." It seems like we're all in sync and we're all playing the same way." Both knocking on the door of 30 goals, Athanasiou (29 goals) and Larkin (28) have been giving their best most of the season. Athanasiou has five goals and seven points in the last five contests. Though Bernier owns a 2.35 goals-against average while winning two of his last three starts, Jimmy Howard could be in net aiming for a third consecutive victory. Howard has a 1.99 goals-against average in his last two starts, and allowed five goals while Detroit dropped the first two meetings with Buffalo this season. A third consecutive win over the Red Wings might not mean much to the Sabres, who have shown little fight and heart while amid a 3-15-2 stretch. Things might have bottomed out for Buffalo with Tuesday's 4-0 loss at last-place Ottawa. In a rather listless effort, the Sabres put 35 shots on the Senators' Craig Anderson, but were a mess defensively during their 13th straight road defeat and fourth shutout in nine games. The result came hours after team owners Terry and Kim Pegula said that "something has to change" to improve the current state of a club that will miss the playoffs for an eighth straight season. But, they also stated that general manager Jason Botterill remains supportive of second-year coach Phil Housley. Buffalo players, at least publicly, have put the onus on themselves to show some pride in these final days of a lost season." We've got to all be accountable," star Jack Eichel told the Sabres' official website. "We've got to hold each other accountable." This is the National Hockey League. You've got to be better. Everyone, myself, everybody. ... I think just the way that the last little bit's gone, it's been embarrassing for us." Eichel has recorded just three of his team-leading 75 points in the last eight games. However, he has three goals and five assists in his last eight versus Detroit. After Carter Hutton made 27 saves in his third straight loss Tuesday, Linus Ullmark could be in goal for Buffalo trying to snap his own five-game slide. Ullmark, though, has a 1.44 goals-against average while winning both games against the Red Wings this season. Larkin has a goal in three straight games versus Buffalo.--Field Level Media
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