Despite the absence of their captain, the Sabres did receive good news regarding two other forwards. Zemgus Girgensons will return from a four-game absence, while Sam Reinhart is a game-time decision after missing the last two practices due to an illness.

Eichel skated with the team Tuesday morning after participating in the latter half of practice on Monday. Sabres coach Phil Housley said the team is being cautious with his return from an upper-body injury, with their next game not until Friday in Carolina.

Jack Eichel will be out for the third straight game when the Buffalo Sabres host the New Jersey Devils at KeyBank Center on Tuesday night.

Reinhart, who's having a career year with 40 points (9+31) in 42 games this season, was optimistic after participating in the Sabres' morning skate.

"The good news is I feel really good today and back to my normal self," he said. "I'm excited about the possibility of getting into another game tonight."

The Sabres are looking to rebound from a 2-1 loss in Boston on Saturday night, their fourth in five games since the Christmas break. Housley has stressed the idea that games are going to get tighter as they look to defend their playoff positioning in the second half, something they saw transpire against the Bruins.

"We're learning, kind of on the fly, how difficult the games do get," Reinhart said. "As hard as it is to kind of up your intensity now, it's a lot better doing it from this position, a lot more enjoyable. I think we've just got to get back to having fun and embracing the challenge that lies ahead for us."

The answer, Housley said, is simplicity. He continued to deliver his message of taking what's given in transition and getting bodies to the net in the offensive zone.

"You watch the goals now being scored and it's pretty simple," he said. "It's low-to-high movement or a guy driving out a cycle and just getting a puck to the net, and then it's a race to get there. That's what we have to do a better job of."

Carter Hutton will start in net for the Sabres. Keith Kinkaid is expected to oppose him for the Devils.

Coverage on MSG-B begins at 6:30 p.m. with the GMC Game Night pregame show, or you can listen live on WGR 550. The puck drops at 7.

Scouting the Devils

New Jersey will be without its leading scorer as well in reigning Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who will miss his seventh straight game with an upper-body injury. Hall leads the Devils with 26 assists and 37 points in 33 games this season.

Without Hall, the Devils have played to a 3-2-0 record in their last five games with a pair of shutout wins over Vancouver and Carolina. Kyle Palmieri leads the team with 20 goals, while 2017 first-overall pick Nico Hischier has six points (3+3) in his last six contests.

"I remember early in the season last year, they outworked us," Housley said. "This is a team that prides itself on its work, just knowing the coach, John Hynes and who he is. They're going to come and work and they're going to keep it simple. They have been playing good hockey lately in their last five games.

"They shut out Carolina and Vancouver back-to-back. They had a lead against Vegas. We realize that, but again, we've got to get back to what makes us tick, and that's the simplification of our game, getting on the attack, and then hanging onto pucks down low, trying to wear them down in their defensive zone."

Projected lineup

This would change with the inclusion of Reinhart, who spent Tuesday morning skating on an extra line with Eichel and Scott Wilson, but here's how the Sabres lined up in his absence:

53 Jeff Skinner - 17 Vladimir Sobotka - 72 Tage Thompson

49 C.J. Smith - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 28 Zemgus Girgensons

43 Conor Sheary - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 29 Jason Pominville

81 Remi Elie - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo

24 Lawrence Pilut - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen

6 Marco Scandella - 19 Jake McCabe

26 Rasmus Dahlin - 4 Zach Bogosian

40 Carter Hutton

35 Linus Ullmark

