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Sabres-Blue Jackets Preview

Feb 6, 2010 - 4:29 AM By MATT BROWN STATS Editor

Buffalo (32-16-7) at Columbus (23-27-9), 7:00 p.m. EDT

For a Buffalo Sabres club struggling to maintain the Northeast Division lead, a visit to Central Division-worst Columbus might appear timely - but the Sabres have never won there.

They'll try to change that Saturday night against a Blue Jackets team riding a sudden wave of positive momentum under new coach Claude Noel.

The Sabres (32-17-7) and New York Islanders are the only NHL teams never to have won at Columbus (23-27-9). Buffalo is 0-2-0 with one tie at Nationwide Arena, and has also dropped three straight meetings overall in this series since a 6-0 home victory on March 29, 2004.

Columbus captain Rick Nash has a goal in each of his club's three consecutive victories over the Sabres.

Now would be a great time for Buffalo to end its puzzling futility against the Blue Jackets. Ottawa trailed the Sabres by 13 points entering play Jan. 14, but has since won 11 straight to trim the lead to a single point. Buffalo hasn't helped its cause, dropping seven of its last nine including a 4-3 home loss to Carolina on Friday night - the club's season-high third consecutive defeat in regulation.

"Everybody's just a little on edge, maybe," said Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller, who made 23 saves but gave up two goals in the final 12 minutes including Jussi Jokinen's game-winner with 3:17 remaining. "We should be ready to play. We have to be able to get rid of habits, get rest, and play. There's a lot of hockey left."

Miller won't be getting much rest in the coming weeks as he'll be joining Team USA for the Olympics in Vancouver, but he's looking like he could use some time off. He's yielded three goals or more in six of his last eight games after doing so only eight times in his first 40 starts.

Drew Stafford scored twice for Buffalo on Friday, snapping a personal eight-game drought and increasing his season total to 14. The winger failed to register a point in his only previous game against Columbus, a 3-0 defeat Oct. 19, 2007.

The Blue Jackets are mired in the Central basement, but may be breathing new life after firing Ken Hitchcock and replacing him with Noel earlier this week. They made Noel's debut a success Thursday, beating Dallas 2-1 at home.

"We looked like a different team," said Nash, who recorded his 190th assist in his 500th career game. "(It was) a totally different vibe out there (Thursday). It was nice."

Steve Mason made 22 saves for the Blue Jackets, while Anton Stralman scored in the first period and R.J. Umberger added an empty-netter that proved vital when Brad Richards put the Stars on the board in the final minute.

"He was (doing) 'play-by-play' the whole game," Umberger said of Noel. "I thought he was a commentator. It was good. He was positive, he was upbeat."

Noel will have more reason to be upbeat if he can lead the Blue Jackets to their first consecutive victories since a three-game winning streak Jan. 7-10. They've dropped seven of 12 since, alternating losses with wins in their last nine contests.