Game Day Notes: Sens @ Sabres

Daccord set for his NHL debut, Ryan sidelined after blocking a shot last night against the Rangers and more pre-game news and notes before our 7 p.m. start in Buffalo.

Projected Line-up

Sens interim head coach Marc Crawford meet with the media earlier this afternoon and passed along a quick line-up change for tonight's game in Buffalo. Bobby Ryan, who missed the entire third period last night against the Rangers, has been ruled out for tonight but could return for the season finale this weekend against the Blue Jackets.
"He blocked a shot earlier in the game and it didn't allow him to play at all in the third period," relayed Crawford. "He'll be out tonight but we're hopeful that he'll be able to play on Saturday. It's too sore for him to play today but there's nothing structurally wrong with him."
Mikkel Boedker has been the extra forward the past few games will take Ryan's spot in the line-up tonight but Crawford shared that the plan was always for Boedker to return to action against the Sabres.
"It'll be a good opportunity for Mikkel to come back in," said the coach. "I told him yesterday that he was playing tonight anyways and we weren't going to take Bobby out of the line-up but we were planning to bring Mikkel back in in this game."

No morning skate today so here's how the Sens' projected line-up could look in Buffalo tonight:
Balcers - Pageau - Veronneau
Tkachuk - White - Gibbons
Duclair - Tierney - Boedker
Smith - Lindberg - Paajarvi
Chabot - DeMelo
Wolanin - Ceci
Englund - Jaros

In Goal

It was annouced by the coach yesterday but tonight will mark the National Hockey League debut for Joey Daccord. Daccord signed his entry-level contract with the Senators earlier this week after a stellar NCAA career at Arizona State University and is excited to make his first professional start against the Sabres.
"It's indescribable. It's something I've worked towards my whole life," said Daccord yesterday in New York. "I'm just really thankful for the opportunity from the Ottawa Senators organization and I can't wait to get out there."

Daccord was drafted by the Senators back in 2015 in the 7th round (199th overall) and following a year in the USHL he played 3 seasons with the Sun Devils where his numbers improved every year.

Recent Meeting

These teams faced off a little over a week ago in Ottawa with the Senators earning a convincing 4-0 victory. The Sens had multi-point efforts from Thomas Chabot (2A) and Brian Gibbons (1G, 1A) while Craig Anderson was perfect in net stopping all 35 shots he faced to pick up the shutout win.
"I've said it since the start of the year, he's been facing so many shots every night," said Chabot post-game about Anderson's performance. "We've never made it easy for him and he's always standing there and trying to do his best ... Tonight getting a shutout, it's what he deserves. He's played so well all year."
You can catch the full highlights from that game below:

Where to Watch

It's a 7 p.m. start time in Buffalo tonight and you catch all the action at Sens House where they'll be serving up tall cans of Molson Canadian for just $6 or a bucket of 3 for $17.50.
Click here
to make a reservation.