Game Preview: No Changes Expected To Forward Groups, Greaves Starts As Blue Jackets Face Sabres In Buffalo

The Columbus Blue Jackets (39-27-12, 90 points) got their "had-to-have-it" win Tuesday night, beating the Detroit Red Wings in a five-round shootout to end their six-game skid.

While not mathematically required to stay in contention, the two points kept realistic playoff hopes very much alive for the Blue Jackets.

It also gave them much-needed momentum heading into their next biggest game of the season, which is Thursday night when they face the Buffalo Sabres (48-23-8, 104 points).

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Depending on how other games around the NHL go, the Blue Jackets could end the night in third place in the Metropolitan Division with a win.

With a loss, they could find themselves in fifth place in the division and four points out of a playoff spot.

To address the elephant in the room: it's a big game.

Here are five things to know before another critical 7:00 p.m. puck-drop:

• One of the surprise teams of the season, Buffalo finds themselves leading the Atlantic Division and just two points behind the Hurricanes for the best record in the Eastern Conference. ... They've been great for a number of reasons, but the balanced scoring threat has been key for. They have nine players with 40+ points. By comparison, the Blue Jackets only have four with. ... Special teams have been a weakness recently for the Sabres. They're 0-for-15 over the last four games on the power play and have allowed three power play goals in their last two games, including two Wednesday night to the Rangers.
   
• Buffalo is yet to announce a starter, but for the Blue Jackets, it's another start for Jet Greaves. He's been above average all season and sensational in the last two, stopping 57 of 62 shots on goal (.920 save percentage) combined. Of the 28 goalies who have played more than 50% of their team's games, Greaves ranks sixth in save percentage (.922) and is tied for sixth in goals against average (2.09) in 5-on-5 action. 
   
• Zach Werenski played a career high 33:26 in the win Tuesday, but Adam Fantilli's 25:08 bested his season-high by more than two minutes and was the third-highest of his career. Kirill Marchenko's 24:49 was his second-highest ice time of the season, and Charlie Coyle's 22:18 was also his second-highest of the campaign. Head coach Rick Bowness relied heavily on his top six and his top defensive pairing, and look for more of the same Thursday with the Blue Jackets coming off an off day (and heading into one).
   
• Speaking of Werenski, he needs seven points in these last four games to tie Artemi Panarin's franchise record for most points (87) in a season. Werenski is also just one goal, one assist, and two points away from matching career highs in all three categories, which he set last season.
   
• A fan of what he saw Tuesday night, Bowness is making only one change to the lineup and it's on the defensive side of things, where Egor Zamula comes in for Jake Christiansen. The latter played just 5:49 on Tuesday night and was benched after getting rope-a-doped by Red Wings veteran defenseman Justin Faulk on a goal. Zamula will be in Christiansen's spot: left side, third pair. Here are the complete lineups: