Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Red Wings

Don Granato spent the blizzard like many in Buffalo - hunkered down at home, watching the news, and thinking of those who were less fortunate.
"You realize, OK, this is a life and death situation for many and you're grateful you're not in that," he said. "I was fortunate to maintain power except for just a little bit.
"… So, very mindful that there were a lot of people that didn't come out of this unscathed and our thoughts and prayers are with those that weren't so fortunate in this, and our thoughts and prayers are with them moving forward, definitely."

Granato also felt a sense of pride in the community he has been a part of for nearly three years, one he has become inextricably tied to through a mutual passion for hockey, a tie he believes extends throughout the Buffalo Sabres dressing room.
He expects that pride to fuel the Sabres when they return to KeyBank Center tonight to host the Detroit Red Wings.
"I think sports is a big part of our culture, big part of our communities," Granato said. "I know our guys are very, very proud to be Buffalo Sabres and they'll be very proud to step on that ice for more than just themselves."
Video: PREGAME: Granato
Tickets for tonight are on sale now.
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.
Owen Power and Jacob Bryson will both return to the lineup after missing time with lower-body injuries. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start in goal.
Here's the full projected lineup based on the morning skate.
| December 29 vs. Detroit | | --- | | LW | C | RW | | 53 Jeff Skinner | 72 Tage Thompson | 89 Alex Tuch | | 77 JJ Peterka | 24 Dylan Cozens | 22 Jack Quinn | | 37 Casey Mittelstadt | 17 Tyson Jost | 71 Victor Olofsson | | 28 Zemgus Girgensons | 19 Peyton Krebs | 21 Kyle Okposo | | | | | | LD | RD | G | | 23 Mattias Samuelsson | 26 Rasmus Dahlin | 1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | | 25 Owen Power | 38 Kale Clague | 41 Craig Anderson | | 78 Jacob Bryson | 46 Ilya Lyubushkin | | | | | |
The Sabres had two games postponed as a result of the historic blizzard that hit Western New York on December 23 and continued through the holiday weekend.
The Sabres were scheduled to host the Lightning on December 22 but postponed the game to ensure players on both teams could be home for the CBA-mandated holiday break. Their first game after the break, originally scheduled for December 27 in Columbus, was postponed due to travel bans and the closure of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
All in all, it's been 10 days since the Sabres last played and seven games since their last team practice. (The Red Wings, meanwhile, played Wednesday.) Players did skate in groups on Tuesday and Wednesday, with those who live within walking distance skating at KeyBank Center and others skating offsite in the north towns.
Sabres captain Kyle Okposo said the team is prepared to play in spite of the circumstances.
"Listen, we want to play," he said. "At the end of the day, if we felt like we were going to be able to get enough ice and get enough guys on the ice, which we have, then we were going to play and we were going to feel comfortable doing that.
"I made sure that as a team everybody felt comfortable throughout this whole process and knowing that we were going to probably play a game today. So, I think we prepared the best that we can."
Video: PREGAME: Okposo
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams spent the storm in his hometown Clarence. On Christmas Eve, he bundled up and walked the half mile to check on his mother-in-law. The round trip took two hours.
"I've never seen anything like it," Adams said. "It just breaks your heart for people that ended up, whether it was in cars of stranded, in really bad spots. That's where perspective comes into play.
"We get up every day and do this for a living and you need to make sure you always remember how lucky we are. What the first responders, essential workers, people were doing to even try to allow us to be here today was pretty remarkable."
Video: KEVYN ADAMS
Okposo, a St. Paul native, also stayed in Buffalo with his wife and three children. His house lost power early on December 23.
"I just want to offer my condolences to everybody who lost their lives in the storm," Okposo said. "It was, as all of you guys (in the media) know, you guys were out here, it was horrific. It was terrifying at times. And I can't imagine those families or people that lost loved ones."
The Sabres entered the break on a four-game winning streak, fueled in part by a four-game goal scoring streak for Tage Thompson.
Thompson, despite the extended break, is still tied for second in the NHL in goals (26) and fourth in points (50). His 1.56 points per game average ranks third.
The Sabres lead the NHL with an average of 3.94 goals scored per game and boast the league's second-ranked power play at 29.8 percent.
Luukkonen, too, will look to stay hot coming out of the break. He has 80 saves on 84 shots in his last two starts, a .952 save percentage.
Detroit erased a 4-0 deficit and won 5-4 against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, pulling three points ahead of the Sabres in the Eastern Conference standings (the Sabres have one game in hand).
Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings with 32 points while David Perron has a team-high 12 goals.
Ville Husso started for the Red Wings against the Penguins but was pulled after allowing four goals in the first period. Magnus Hellberg made 19 saves in relief.