Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres at Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. -Don Granato expects a pushback from the Carolina Hurricanes given the nature of their meeting on Tuesday, a 4-2 win for the Sabres that postponed the Hurricanes' shot at a playoff berth.
Granato framed the rematch as the latest in a long line of welcome challenges.
"I am excited," Granato said. "I love it. Regardless of outcome, we know the direction we're going, we know the direction we have to go. So, it's welcome, anything. Bring it on, in the sense of we know that it's going to make us better."
The game can be seen exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu with puck drop scheduled for 7:30. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the call on WGR 550.
Here are five things to know.

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1. The lineup

Mark Pysyk will join the lineup on defense in place of Will Butcher. The two veterans have rotated in and out of the lineup of late, a trend Granato said could continue moving forward.
"I don't like guys sitting out, definitely," Granato said. "So, as much as we can keep guys active, we will. The younger guys have been playing well. Really good. So, if they keep playing that way, they'll have their spots."
Craig Anderson will start in goal. He made 32 saves in the win over the Hurricanes on Tuesday.

2. Miller remains out

Colin Miller will not play. The defenseman returned from COVID-19 protocol earlier this week and skated with the Sabres on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Miller's close," Granato said.

3. The road trip

Raleigh is the first stop of a four-game trip for the Sabres, which continues with visits to three other Eastern Conference contenders in Florida, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.
The Sabres have played 14 of 17 games since the beginning of March against teams occupying playoff spots and have gone 10-4-3 in that span.
Granato has repeatedly pointed to the value of such a stretch for a young team, as he did again this morning.
"Teams talk a lot about the presence of veteran players and maybe that they can show players the way," Granato said. "But nobody talks about playing great teams. It's the exact same effect. They're showing you how to play the game hard and intense, with detail. They hold you accountable for details that you might not have in your game. So, it's the exact same dynamic you want."

4. Olofsson's hot stretch

Victor Olofsson has nine points (5+4) in his last nine games. He has three multi-point performances in the last five contests after tallying an assist and the game-winning goal on Tuesday.

5. Scouting the Hurricanes

Antti Raanta will start in goal for the Hurricanes. He is 11-4-4 with a .917 save percentage in 21 games this season.
Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes in goals (31) and points (69). Andrei Svechnikov is a close second in both categories with 29 goals and 60 points.