Center Sean Malone, who signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday will make his NHL debut. Malone, 21, was selected in the sixth round (No. 159) of the 2013 NHL Draft and played four seasons for Harvard, which lost 2-1 to Minnesota Duluth in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament on Thursday. Malone, a native of West Seneca, New York, had 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists) in 36 games during his senior season. Although the Sabres will not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they will look for positives in the last weekend of the regular season. "It's a tough situation to be in, but the fact of the matter is we still have two games to play," defenseman Josh Gorges told the Buffalo News. "If anything, you look and see character, the character of every individual, us as a team. What are we made of? What's our mindset? Are we a team that just says 'Who cares because it doesn't matter?' or do we at least have enough gumption, enough price to do things the right way?" There has been no update on the condition of forward Kyle Okposo, out with an illness since March 28 who reportedly was hospitalized this week. "It's a difficult situation and a difficult time for Kyle and his family," coach Dan Bylsma told the Buffalo News on Friday. "We want to do everything we can to be with him and help him through the time that he's in right now. It's certainly a cloud." Goaltender Robin Lehner will start for the Sabres, who have lost three of their past four games (1-3-0).
