Preview: Home Finale

Game #80

Buffalo Sabres (25-42-12) vs. Ottawa Senators (27-41-11)

Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

Season Series: 2-1 Sabres

12/12: Sabres 3, Senators 2 (recap)

2/15: Senators 3, Sares 2 (OT) (recap)

3/8: Sabres 4, Senators 3 (SO) (recap)

TV: MSG

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Senators blog: Silver Seven Sens

What to Watch

1. Home Finale

Tonight will be the final home game of the season for the Sabres. They haven’t given fans a lot to cheer about in KeyBank Center this season. We’ll see if they can flip the script tonight and send the fans off on a happy note.

2. Nylander Debut

Alex Nylander will make his season debut with the Sabres tonight after being recalled yesterday. The 2016 eighth overall pick will skate on the third line with Casey Mittelstadt and Kyle Okposo.

3. Clinching Scenario

The Sabres can clinch last place in the NHL and have the best odds in the NHL Draft Lottery with a regulation loss to the Senators tonight.

Know Your Opponent

1. No Karlsson

Erik Karlsson did not travel with the Senators to Buffalo and will not play again this season. It’s possible the star defenseman has played his last game in a Sens sweater.

2. Losing Streak

The Sens have really ben struggling the past few weeks. They’ve lost eight of their last nine games entering tonight. They’ll be without some key players tonight outside of Karlsson.

Projected Lineup

71 Evan Rodrigues - 15 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville

20 Scott Wilson - 90 Ryan O’Reilly - 23 Sam Reinhart

92 Alex Nylander - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 21 Kyle Okposo

17 Jordan Nolan - 22 Johan Larsson - 13 Nick Baptiste

6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen

45 Brendan Guhle - 8 Casey Nelson

82 Nathan Beaulieu - 41 Justin Falk

Starting Goaltender: 31 Chad Johnson