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Struggling Sabres host Jets

Jan 7, 2012 - 4:22 PM (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres will try to avoid their fifth loss in six games tonight when they host the Winnipeg Jets at the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres have suffered through a disappointing season so far and are just 1-3-1 in their last five games. Buffalo has also lost seven of nine and is currently sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference -- three points in back of Winnipeg.

Buffalo is coming off a loss on Friday night, as Carolina -- one of four teams below the Sabres in the East standings -- posted a 4-2 home win behind 31 saves from Cam Ward. The Hurricanes also received a three-point night from captain Eric Staal.

Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville had goals for Buffalo and Ryan Miller gave up three goals on 34 shots in the loss.

The Sabres, who were coming off a 4-3 win over Edmonton on Tuesday, haven't won back-to-back games since capturing four in a row from November 4-11.

"I don't want to stand here and talk about grade-A scoring chances because we probably had our highest total for the whole year and we walked out of there with two goals. It's frustrating," said Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff.

Buffalo has dealt with injuries to key players recently and although defenseman Tyler Myers returned from a 19-game absence last night, Sabres forward Derek Roy left the game in Carolina due to an upper body injury. It's unclear what Roy's status for tonight's contest is, but the Sabres will still be without key forwards Ville Leino (broken foot) and Tyler Ennis (ankle) as well as defenseman Christian Ehrhoff (upper body).

The Sabres are 10-9-4 as the home team this year, but after tonight, they'll play eight of their next nine on the road.

The Jets ended December on a three-game winning streak, but have lost their first two games in 2012. Winnipeg was dealt a 7-3 setback Wednesday in Montreal and then dropped a 4-0 decision the following night in Toronto.

Those two recent defeats came at the start of a four-game road trip and dropped Winnipeg to 5-10-4 on the road this season compared to a 14-6-1 mark at home. The Jets enter tonight having lost six of their last seven on the road and will complete their swing Tuesday in Boston.

Winnipeg fired 24 shots at Jonas Gustavsson on Thursday, but Toronto's goaltender turned aside every one to help the Leafs secure the 4-0 victory. Chris Mason was tagged for all four goals on 25 shots for the Jets.

The Jets hope forward Bryan Little can return to the lineup tonight to help them rebound from their recent shutout loss. Little has missed the last eight games with an injured foot, but Winnipeg may activate him off injured reserve before this evening's tilt. He had recorded 15 points in his last 15 games before landing on IR.

Winnipeg defenseman Dustin Byfuglien will miss a sixth straight game with a knee injury.

Buffalo has taken three straight from the Jets franchise and the Sabres notched a 6-5 overtime win when the clubs met at First Niagara Center on Nov. 8. Thomas Vanek scored a power-play goal with 25 seconds left in OT to give the Sabres that win.

The Sabres have taken four of five and six of eight encounters overall in this series. The Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise has dropped its last four trips to western New York.