vs. 
Season series -- This is the third of four meetings between the teams and the third in eight days. The Islanders have handed the Sabres 5-3 (Jan. 15 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum) and 5-2 (Friday night at HSBC Arena) losses.
Team Scope:
Sabres -- Buffalo is doing everything it can to remain in the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, but the Isles haven't exactly been gracious in the first two meetings. Playing on home ice Friday night, the Sabres fell in a 4-0 hole against the Isles and was unable to complete a third-period rally. The loss kept them with 47 points, seven behind eighth-place Atlanta.
"I didn't like the start of the game, not at all," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said, as the Sabres trailed 2-0 and were outshot 10-3 before the game was 11 minutes old. "I didn't like our first shift. It wasn't good enough."
Islanders -- New York has been decimated by injuries this season, but it received some welcomed news on Thursday when alternate captain Kyle Okposo returned to the lineup. Along with defenseman Mark Streit, Okposo suffered a major shoulder injury before the Islanders played their first preseason game. Okposo picked up his first point of the season on Friday night.
"He's a big part of our team," teammate Zenon Konopka told Newsday. "To get a player like that back in the middle of the season is unbelievable."
http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2010020724
Soooo, a Sabres win + ATL regulation loss tonight would make us 6 points back of 8th place, with two games in hand.
If not, then recommence the bitch-fest...
Salut
look forward to this game!
