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Sabres visit Blue Jackets

Nov 25, 2011 - 4:17 PM (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres have been a tough out on the road and will try to continue that trend tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Sabres have won two straight as the guest and are 7-2-0 away from home this season. However, they have lost two straight, three of four and four of their last six games overall, including Wednesday's 4-3 shootout loss versus the surging Boston Bruins.

Christian Ehrhoff, Thomas Vanek and T.J. Brennan each scored and Jhonas Enroth had 36 saves for the Sabres.

"I was happy with how we played," said Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff. "We worked hard."

Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller hasn't played since suffering a concussion on November 12 when Boston forward Milan Lucic knocked him over in front of the crease as both players went for the puck in a 6-2 Bruins win. After visiting the Blue Jackets, Buffalo will return to upstate New York for a three-game homestand versus the Capitals, Islanders and Red Wings.

Buffalo hasn't lost three games in a row this season and is 6-4-1 this month.

In injury news for the Sabres, forward Brad Boyes (knee) is expected to miss Friday's game and wingers Patrick Kaleta (lower body) and Cody McCormick (upper body) are listed at questionable.

Columbus had a season-best two-game winning streak stopped with Wednesday's 2-1 shootout loss at New Jersey.

Jared Boll scored in the third period and Curtis Sanford made 23 saves for the Blue Jackets, who lost for the sixth time in nine tries. The Blue Jackets outshot the Devils, 36-24, including 17-3 in the third period in defeat.

"It hasn't been one of our stronger traits and it's something we're working at," Columbus head coach Scott Arniel said about the shootout in which the Blue Jackets are 0-3 this season.

The Blue Jackets will play back-to-back games at home and are 4-6-1 as the host. They have tallied points in four straight and five of six games. After opening the season 2-12-1, Columbus is now 3-1-2 in its last six contests.

Left wing Vinny Prospal is expected to play in his 1,000th career game tonight and Boll is two games shy of 300 in his career. Boll ended a six-game scoreless drought against the Devils.

Columbus will also host St. Louis on its quick residency and is 4-6-1 at home this season.

Buffalo took the first meeting with Columbus by a 4-2 score on Oct. 27, as Jason Pominville scored twice and Vanek had three assists. Prospal and Fedor Tyutin scored for Columbus, which has lost three straight and five of the past nine matchups in this series.

The Sabres are only 1-3-1 in five contests at the Blue Jackets.