8 p.m. vs. Buffalo Sabres • Xcel Energy Center • BSN, 100.3-FM
Wild vs. Buffalo preview: Streaking Sabres offer milestone chance for Jared Spurgeon
The Sabres are on a five-game win streak heading into Saturday's clash at the Xcel Energy Center.
January 28, 2023 at 12:33AM
![Jared Spurgeon (46) of the Minnesota Wild Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ • carlos.gonzalez@startribune.com.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/LVVIQRUIK4J3U2VPHX2XJBG7VE.jpg?&w=712)
Wild update: F Ryan Hartman is expected to return to the Wild lineup after being a healthy scratch last game due to his recent rash of penalties. RW Matt Boldy has four goals during a four-game point streak. D Jared Spurgeon is one point away from 369 in his career and tying Ryan Suter for fourth place on the Wild's all-time scoring list. This is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the Wild and Sabres. Buffalo won 6-5 in overtime on Jan. 7.
Sabres update: Since that game against the Wild, the Sabres have gone 6-4-1. They arrive in Minnesota on a five-game win streak, with three of those victories on the road. Overall, the Sabres are 15-7-1 as the visitor. D Rasmus Dahlin had five points vs. the Wild earlier this month. His 41 assists lead the team, while C Tage Thompson paces the Sabres in goals (34) and points (68).
![Iowa Wild head coach Derek Lalonde in Xcel Energy Center before the Minnesota Wild faced Colorado Tuesday night. ] JEFF WHEELER ï jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Derek Lalonde was named the fourth head coach in Iowa Wild history in June. He visited St. Paul when the Minnesota Wild played their first home preseason game of the year against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday night, September 27, 2016 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/HE5EQY6W2BW2UIHRYTNPMH4QVQ.jpg?&w=436&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
The Detroit Red Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde on Thursday and named Todd McLellan as his replacement, a major change by general manager Steve Yzerman more than a third of the way through another disappointing season in the place known as ''Hockeytown.''
