Sabres game day: Ralph Krueger working to fix struggling offense

Matchup: Buffalo Sabres (11-10-4) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-10-4)

Where: KeyBank Center.

When: 4 p.m.

TV: MSG.

Radio: WGR 550.

Adding offense: Coach Ralph Krueger said repeatedly throughout training camp that his players would have to sacrifice some offense in his defensive-zone structure. This isn't what Krueger envisioned, though.

The Sabres have scored the second-fewest goals (27) in the National Hockey League since Nov. 11, and they have a league-worst six points in 12 games during that span. The power play is in a 1-for-33 slump and a number of forwards are having trouble finishing.

Sam Reinhart has one goal in eight games, Jeff Skinner has one goal in seven games, Conor Sheary is without a goal in his past 17 games and Casey Mittelstadt has no goals with one assist in the past 16 games. Mittelstadt has only 13 shots during that span, five of which came Monday night in Tampa.

Krueger said the cause behind the struggling offense is "probably a lack of confidence," so what's the solution?

"We need to have a concentrated group and we need to continue on building our defensive foundation, which is becoming stronger and stronger, but now adding the offense will be the key," Krueger said. "And our power play, again, is the motor. I mean, it didn’t score on so many chances [Wednesday]. It’s got to break out of the shell and we have to keep working on that. For me, I think the solution to the offense will be a better power play, more effective scoring chances there, and that will carry into our 5-on-5 play.”

Sabres' lineup: Linus Ullmark will start in goal for the sixth time in eight games. He has an .878 save percentage in three career games against Toronto.

Krueger won't reveal his lineup until pregame warmups.

Sabres defenseman Colin Miller has been a healthy scratch in six of the past eight games, and forward Curtis Lazar has been out of the lineup in two of the past three games. Here's how the Sabres lined up Wednesday night against the Calgary Flames:

Rivalry: The Sabres have lost five straight against Toronto and have never endured a six-game losing streak in the rivalry. The two teams will play against Saturday in Scotiabank Arena, making this the first home-and-home between the two teams since Nov. 15-16, 2013.

The Sabres are 10-1-2 (two ties) all-time in the home portion of their 13 previous home-and-home series with the Maple Leafs and 2-10-1 in the road games. Buffalo is 70-30-8 at home against Toronto all-time.

The Sabres were swept by the Leafs (0-3-1) last season for the first time and haven't beaten them since a 3-2 road win on March 28, 2016. Buffalo's had not lost five in a row to Toronto since 1972.

Leafs' lineup: Backup goalie Michael Hutchinson will start for the Leafs. The 29-year-old is 0-4-1 with a 4.44 goals-against average and .879 save percentage in six games this season. Forward Alexander Kerfoot will serve the second and final game of his suspension for a hit on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson.

Here's how Toronto lined up during practice Thursday in KeyBank Center:

Opposing player to watch: Leafs center John Tavares has only one goal over his past six games, however, he's had remarkable success against the Sabres since being drafted first overall in 2009. Tavares has 18 goals among 36 points in 30 career games against Buffalo.

Changes: The Leafs are 3-0 with a plus-10 goal differential since firing Mike Babcock and hiring Sheldon Keefe. They scored two power-play goals on five opportunities and allowed one goal on the penalty kill in those three games.

For context, the Leafs were 9-10-4 with a negative-7 goal differential and league's 18th-best power play under Babcock this season. Keefe was coach of the Toronto Marlies when they swept the Rochester Americans in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs last April.