Buffalo enters Thursday’s United Center matchup with a 10-point standings cushion and the stronger power-index ranking.
Thursday at United Center gives Buffalo (8-7-3, 19 points; power rank 26) a chance to widen its gap over Chicago (4-13-1, 9 points; rank 32). Chicago has lost six straight and its last five listed games, while Buffalo has dropped two straight but gone 2-3 in its last five. Buffalo’s Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson have 15 points apiece, while Chicago’s Connor Bedard has 14 in 12 games; the scoring matchup looms in a rematch of Buffalo’s 4-3 win. Buffalo’s turnover margin is -9.8 per game compared with Chicago’s -12.8, a puck-control gap that could help decide whether the Sabres dictate play or Chicago breaks its skid.