Bruins vs Sabres Preview: Sick Bruins Battle Sabres

The Boston Bruins will welcome the Buffalo Sabres to TD Garden for the first time this season on Thursday night and be battling more than an Atlantic Division rival.

According to a team source, multiple Boston Bruins players have been battling a seasonal bug since beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on a natural hat trick by captain Brad Marchand in the third period on Sunday night. The illness has hit goalie Jeremy Swayman the hardest, and he will not dress for tonight’s game. The Bruins have recalled goalie Brandon Bussi from the Providence Bruins on an emergency basis.

This will be the second time the Bruins and Sabres play each other after the Bruins beat the Sabres 5-2 in Buffalo on Nov. 14 behind multiple-point nights from David Pastrnak (1g, 2a) and Pavel Zacha and Charlie McAvoy, who each had two assists in the win.

The Bruins come into this divisional tilt riding a three-game win streak, and the Sabres are on a four-game winless skid.

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Game Day Preview:

Boston Bruins (17-4-3, 37 pts) vs Buffalo Sabres (10-14-2, 22 pts)

Time: 7:05 p.m. ET

How to watch: NESN, MSG-B, SNP, SNO, SNE

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Betting Lines:

Money Line: Bruins (-270), Sabres (+220)

Puck Line: Bruins -1.5 (-110), Sabres +1.5 (-110)

Over/Under: Over 6 (-122) Under 6 (+102)

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Bost0n Bruins Notes

–David Pastrnak leads the Bruins in goals (14), assists (22), and points with 36 in 24 games.

-Linus Ullmark will get the nod between the pipes tonight. Ullmark is 8-3-1 with a 2.65 GAA and a .918 save percentage.

-The Boston Bruins placed defenseman Derek Forbort on long-term injury reserve and recalled Mason Lohrei.

Boston Bruins Lineup

Forwards

Jake DeBrusk-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak

Brad Marchand-Charlie Coyle-Morgan Geekie

James van Riemsdyk-Matt Poitras-Trent Frederic

Jakub Lauko-John Beecher-Oskar Steen

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo

Mason Lohrei-Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies

Linus Ullmark

Brandon Bussi

Buffalo Sabres Lineup

Forwards

Jeff Skinner-Casey Mittelstadt-Tage Thompson

Zach Benson-Dylan Cozens-John-Jason Peterka

Isak Rosen-Tyson Jost-Victor Olofsson

Eric Robinson-Peyton Krebs-Kyle Okposo

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin-Mattias Samuelsson

Owen Power-Henri Jokiharju

Connor Clifton-Erik Johnson

Goalies

Devon Levi

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Officials

Referees: Chris Rooney, Jake Brenk

Linesmen: Ryan Daisy, James Tobias