The Sabres power play ranks sixth in the NHL since Dec. 21 with a 32.1-percent conversion rate (9-for-28). The unit will be tested against a Hurricanes penalty kill that ranks second in the league at 85.0 percent and first since the beginning of December.

The Carolina Hurricanes held a morning skate at Lenovo Center on Friday morning before their final matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights of the regular season.

On Oct. 16 in Pittsburgh the Sabres started the habit of getting and blowing leads. Buffalo had a 2-0 and 3-1 first period lead against the Penguins only to lose in overtime on a Sidney Crosby overtime goal.

They’re now 3-4-3 since the Christmas break, partially due to a major uptick in quality chances allowed at five-on-five; they were at 2.18 per 60 heading into the holiday, fourth-best in the NHL. In the 10 games since, though, they’re over 2.5.

The Rangers have now recorded a point in six consecutive games following a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over Utah.

McLeod’s hat-trick goal with 24 seconds remaining put the finishing touches on a bend-but-don’t-break performance by the Sabres, who were coming off a loss to Seattle in their most recent game in which goals against compounded into a blown lead.

Ryan McLeod scored on the first shot of the game, again just before the second period horn, and was awarded an empty-net goal for his first career hat trick in the Sabres’ 4-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night at KeyBank Center.

The Tampa Bay Lightning return to Florida having received a little bit of everything on their three-game road trip, but now the attention turns to settling a score with a Western Conference club.

Ryan McLeod registered a hat trick, one on the game's first shot, as the Buffalo Sabres held off the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, Wednesday night in a nationally televised game in KeyBank Center.

The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET on TNT. Fans looking to watch this NHL game can do so for free by using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial or with SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available. Max has plans starting at just $9.99/month and includes movies, original series and more.

Seth Jarvis scored in the second and third periods to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Friday night.