NBCSN’s coverage of the 2019-20 NHL season continues with Thursday’s matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
The Red Wings, perennial contenders during their recent 25-season playoff streak, are headed towards missing the postseason for the fourth straight year. They are currently in their longest playoff drought since 1979 to 1983, when they missed the postseason in five straight seasons.
The Sabres look to be headed to their 9th straight offseason without a playoff appearance – having last made the postseason in 2011, the longest active drought in the league. Since the 8-1-1 start to the season, the Sabres are 15-22-6 and sit 11 points back of a playoff spot.
Jack Eichel is having a career year (career-high 31 goals – 4th in NHL, 66 points – t-7th in NHL), a season after setting highs in goals (28), assists (54) and points (82). He is on pace to reach 48 goals and 102 points. Earlier this season, Eichel had a 17-game point streak from Nov. 16 to Dec. 17 – the longest of his career and longest in the NHL this season. He missed one game with an upper-body injury that halted his streak, although he tallied an assist in the following game when he returned.
The Red Wings are on pace to finish this season with just 42 points, which would be the fewest points by any team in an 82-game season since the expansion Atlanta Thrashers in 1999-00 (39 points). It would also be Detroit’s worst season since 1985-86, when they finished with 40 points in an 80-game season.
[COVERAGE BEGINS AT 6 P.M. ET ON NBCSN]
WHAT: Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres
WHERE: KeyBank Center
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
LIVE STREAM: You can watch the Red Wings-Sabres stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
RED WINGS
Robby Fabbri - Dylan Larkin - Darren Helm
Tyler Bertuzzi - Valtteri Filppula - Justin Abdelkader
Andreas Athanasiou - Luke Glendening - Taro Hirose
Givani Smith - Christoffer Ehn - Adam Erne
Dennis Cholowski - Filip Hronek
Patrik Nemeth - Alex Biega
Trevor Daley - Gustav Lindstrom
Starting goalie: Jonathan Bernier
SABRES
Jimmy Vesey - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart
Conor Sheary - Marcus Johansson - Michael Frolik
Jeff Skinner - Evan Rodrigues - Rasmus Asplund
Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Jean-Sebastien Dea
Brandon Montour - Rasmus Ristolainen
Jake McCabe - Henri Jokiharju
Lawrence Pilut - Colin Miller
Starting goalie: Jonas Johannson
Kenny Albert and Pierre McGuire will call the action from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Kathryn Tappen hosts studio coverage on Thursday with Anson Carter and Colby Armstrong.