The Sabres and Penguins will face off in the second ever game between NHL teams since Pegula Ice Arena opened on Oct. 11, 2013 as home of Penn State's NCAA Division I men's and women's ice hockey teams. The Sabres previously opened their 2016 preseason schedule at Penn State against the Minnesota Wild.
Now in its fourth season since opening, Pegula Ice Arena has posted 57 straight sellouts for the school's men's hockey team, which made its first NCAA tournament appearance this season. The 5,782-seat arena, which was funded as part of a $102 million donation by Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, was planned in 2010 with the amenities required to host professional exhibition games.
Below is the complete 2017 Buffalo Sabres preseason schedule (all times EST):
| Day | Date | Opponent | Time | Location |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monday | Sept. 18 | CAROLINA | 7:00 PM | KeyBank Center |
| Tuesday | Sept. 19 | PITTSBURGH | 7:00 PM | Pegula Ice Arena |
| Friday | Sept. 22 | at Toronto | 7:30 PM | Ricoh Coliseum (Toronto, Ont.) |
| Saturday | Sept. 23 | TORONTO | 7:00 PM | KeyBank Center |
| Wednesday | Sept. 27 | at Pittsburgh | 7:00 PM | PPG Paints Arena |
| Friday | Sept. 29 | NY ISLANDERS | 7:00 PM | KeyBank Center |