Sharpen Up: December 20, 2021 | Sabres play host to Blue Jackets tonight

UPDATE (11:50 A.M.) - TONIGHT'S GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED. Click here for more details.
The Buffalo Sabres are scheduled to host the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at KeyBank Center. Faceoff is at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.
Fans can catch the game on MSG and WGR 550 with pregame coverage on MSG starting at 6:30.
Stay tuned for updates from the Sabres morning skate. Alex Tuch is expected to make his season debut.
The Blue Jackets will hold their morning skate in Columbus and then travel to Buffalo. They canceled practice yesterday after three players entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
The two clubs will play tonight in Buffalo and then again on Thursday in Ohio's capital.
Buffalo's home game against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday has been postponed due to a significant number of Avalanche players entering COVID protocol.
Here's what you need to know.

What happened last game

The Sabres earned five of six points on their three-game road trip last week. They capped it off with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it was highlighted by a save from Malcolm Subban that quickly garnered "Save of the Year Nominee" status.
From the Postgame Report:
Malcolm Subban made a career-high 45 saves against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, one of which left the hockey world collectively asking: What just happened?

Count Subban among the many who were wondering how he managed to stop an Evan Rodrigues shot that found its way behind his back but not past the goal line. The goaltender contorted his left arm - opposite the shooter - behind his body as if he had a slinky for a shoulder.
The puck hit the back side of Subban's glove just above the goal line, prompting a lengthy video review at the next whistle. While officials scoured whatever angles they could, Subban skated to the Buffalo bench for a chat with fellow goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

"[Luukkonen] asked if I got that with my glove," Subban recalled afterward. "I was like, 'Oh, I don't know, maybe it hit the post and hit my glove.' I didn't know what happened, and then I saw the replay and it was a pretty lucky save."
Defenseman Casey Fitzgerald made his NHL debut, recording an assist and a fight.
The fight with Sam Lafferty was an immediate response to a hit by Lafferty on Vinnie Hinostroza.

"I didn't really like the hit, it was a little bit leg on leg," Fitzgerald said. "Vinnie's a guy who, he's got a big motor and he's always going. I know he'd do the same for me, just like anyone else on this team. It's one thing I think in Rochester that they've kind of instilled in us, is you want to stick up for your teammates, and it goes hand in hand up here."

Fitzgerald skated on a defense pair with Jacob Bryson, with whom he made the jump from the NCAA to Rochester in 2019. It was his shot from the point that deflected off traffic and created the rebound for Girgensons' goal, earning Fitzgerald his first NHL assist.
Read more here.

Yesterday's practice

Last Wednesday, Alex Tuch skated as a full participant in practice. On Sunday, Sabres coach Don Granato said Tuch was ready for action.
From the Practice Report:
Alex Tuch was prodded to center ice to lead the Sabres' post-practice stretch inside KeyBank Center on Sunday morning. Afterward, he lingered while coach Don Granato had a conversation with his assistants.
"He was waiting for me to finish conversations at the end of practice to give him the OK, that I was OK with him going in the lineup," Granato said. "I think he's been OK for a while. He's ready to go."
Tuch will make his Sabres debut at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. It will be his first game since June 24, when the Golden Knights' playoff run ended in Game 6 of their semifinal series against the Montreal Canadiens.

Tuch underwent shoulder surgery in July. He was acquired by the Sabres alongside Peyton Krebs and a pair of draft picks in exchange for Jack Eichel on Nov. 4.
"Two days less than five months since surgery," he said. "It's been a long road. Coming to a new team, trying to mesh with your teammates but you're not able to go in and battle, has been difficult. At the same time, I think it's made it really easy on me coming into a new city. They've been very welcoming.
"I've had some ups and downs, like any other rehab process, but I like where I'm at right now and I'm excited to get going here."
Read the full Practice Report here.

Tonight's matchup

From @SabresPR's Game Notes:
• This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and Blue Jackets this season.
• Last meeting: Columbus defeated Buffalo 7-4 in Buffalo on Nov. 22.
• Next meeting: Thursday, Dec. 23 in Columbus.
• The Sabres are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games against the Blue Jackets; 5-5-0 at home.
• This is the 37th game all-time between Buffalo and Columbus; Buffalo has a 14-18-4 series record.
• The Sabres are 9-10-1 at home against the Blue Jackets all-time.
• The Sabres have six points in their last four games and enter tonight's game looking for their first five-game point streak since March 29 to April 6, 2021 (3-0-2).
• Buffalo has held its opponents without a power-play goal in eight of its last 11 games dating back to Nov. 26 vs. Montreal.
• The team has gone 20-for-23 (87.0%) and ranked fifth in the NHL on the penalty kill during that stretch entering play Sunday.
• Kyle Okposo has six points (2+4) and a plus-4 rating in his last six home games.
• Rasmus Dahlin has posted eight assists in seven career games against the Blue Jackets, including at least one assist in each of his last four meetings (0+6).
• Dahlin has three career two-assist games against Columbus.
• Jeff Skinner has 16 points (7+9) in his last 17 games against the Blue Jackets, including six points (3+3) in seven games as a member of the Sabres.
• Skinner's 23 points (12+11) in 30 career games against Columbus are the most by any current Sabres player.
• In two career games against Columbus, Malcolm Subban has allowed one goal, going 1-1-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .982 save percentage.
• Victor Olofsson and Tage Thompson both have a point in each of their last three games against Columbus (3+1).