GDT 45: 1/9/20 | 7:00 PM CT | vs Sabres | FSMW/101ESPN

[theohall]

The St. Louis Blues will try to extend their home winning streak to seven games on Thursday when they host the Buffalo Sabres.

The Blues, who are 9-2-1 in their last 12 contests overall, opened their five-game homestand with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. St. Louis' win came on the heels of an 0-2-1 road trip.

"We did enough," Blues winger David Perron told reporters after the game. "I don't know that we were clean and had that good energy all night long but apparently it was enough to get the win (Tuesday). After the trip and all the travel and that stuff that happened the last week, it's certainly nice."

The Sabres won their previous two games at home before hitting the road. They are coming off of a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

They posted a 5-2 win over St. Louis in the teams' earlier meeting this season in Buffalo on Dec. 10. Captain Jack Eichel scored twice to drive the Sabres offense and Linus Ullmark stopped 28 of 30 shots in that contest.

Captain Alex Pietrangelo and Troy Brouwer scored for the Blues in that game and Jake Allen allowed three goals on 31 shots.

Perron, the Blues' "Last Men In" candidate in voting for the All-Star Game, has produced two goals and two assists in his last two games.

"Did you guys get your votes in today?" Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington asked reporters after Tuesday's game. "He's making a good case for himself and I really hope he gets in because he deserves it. He's playing some of the best hockey I've ever seen him play. He's working well with the boys, the boys love him, and it would be great to have him here that week."

Blues defenseman Colton Parayko has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury. Rookies Jake Walman, then Niko Mikkola filled in for him, but veteran Carl Gunnarsson could return from the injured list to face the Sabres.

The Sabres are missing key wingers Jeff Skinner (upper body) and Victor Olofsson (lower body) due to long-term injuries. So the offensive emergence of Marcus Johansson with linemates Conor Sheary and Jimmy Vesey has been crucial.

Johansson has a goal and five assists in his last four games.

"I think Marcus of late has gotten some confidence," Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said. "His goal the other day (vs. Tampa Bay on Dec. 31) and just generally the play over the last few weeks after the Christmas break, he feels freer somehow. It's really important for us to get him on his game."

With Jake McCabe likely to miss Thursday's game with an undisclosed injury, fellow defenseman Lawrence Pilut arrived from Rochester of the American Hockey League as the potential replacement.

"He's gone down and played really, really well," Krueger told reporters after Tuesday's practice. "We're getting good reports back to us, so we're excited to see him now here again with us in this next phase of development and possibly gonna be seeing him play in the next few games."

The Sabres have been working to get newly acquired winger Michael Frolik through the immigration process. He is expected to give Buffalo's penalty killing a big lift.