(My Sportsbook) - The Buffalo Sabres will try to keep their fading playoff hopes alive when they host the mighty Detroit Red Wings tonight in an interconference matchup at HSBC Arena.

With 85 points and four games left in the regular season, the Sabres are running out of time to make the playoffs. Buffalo is four points behind both the New York Rangers and Florida for the eighth and final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference, but the Sabres get to use a game in hand over both clubs tonight.

Buffalo had a streak of five straight games with a point snapped Saturday against visiting New Jersey. Martin Brodeur was spectacular between the pipes, stopping 35 shots, including 21 in the third period to lift the Devils past the Sabres, 3-2.

Jochen Hecht and Clarke MacArthur scored for the Sabres, who were 4-0-1 in their five games prior to the regulation loss against Jersey.

Ryan Miller stopped 19-of-22 shots before being pulled after 40 minutes. Mikael Tellqvist turned aside all six shots that he faced in the final stanza.

Buffalo is playing the second of two straight on home ice tonight and is 22-14-3 as the host this season. The Sabres, who will begin a two-game road trip Wednesday in Toronto, will close out their regular season with a home test against Boston on Saturday.

The Red Wings, meanwhile, have already clinched the Central Division title and can finish no worse than the second seed in the West. With 109 points, Detroit is six behind San Jose for the Western Conference's top spot. The Red Wings have four games left and get to use a game in hand over the Sharks tonight.

Detroit had lost three straight, but ended that skid with Sunday's victory over visiting Minnesota. Marian Hossa scored in the final minute of the third period to lift the Red Wings to the 3-2 victory over the Wild at Joe Louis Arena.

Hossa also picked up an assist for the Red Wings, who earned their 50th victory of the season. Detroit has reached the 50-win mark in each of the last four campaigns.

Jiri Hudler and Pavel Datsyuk also scored in the victory, while Chris Osgood made 21 saves. Tomas Holmstrom finished with a pair of assists for the Wings.

Detroit is 23-11-5 as the visiting team this season and has won six of its last seven road tests.

The Red Wings beat the visiting Sabres, 3-1, on January 10 and Detroit has won two straight and four of the last five meetings between the clubs. Detroit has also picked up wins in each of its last two trips to western New York.