Sabres at Leafs Preview: Buffalo set for "split-squad" Ontario-filled weekend

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The Sabres will play a pair of games against two rivals from the north this weekend, starting with a game tonight in the T-Dot.

Dan Bylsma said the games will be somewhat of a split-squad situation, as the Sabres left many of their players home in Buffalo to prepare for tomorrow's game against Ottawa. Jack Eichel will not be in the lineup tonight.

Rasmus Ristolainen is still out with injury, likely for at least another week. Zach Bogosian is also out with a lower-body injury. The Sabres have six less players at camp than they did at the start of yesterday. Eric Cornel was sent back to juniors, Colin Jacobs was sent to Rochester and C.J. Motte, Josh Chapman, Spiro Goulakos and Keegan Asmundson were all released from their tryouts.

Jason Akeson will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety for a hit on Senators' forward Colin Greening in the last preseason game. The hit did not look suspension worthy since he seems to hit Greening's shoulder, so there's a good chance he would be available to play tonight.

It's the first time the Sabres will see Mike Babcock since he spurned Buffalo to coach the Maple Leafs. Toronto's lineup for tonight is currently as unknown as the Sabres.