Sharpen Up: March 17, 2018

Happy St. Patrick's Day. It's a game day at KeyBank Center as the Sabres take on the Chicago Blackhawks. It's a 1 p.m. faceoff, but get to the rink early to check out Buffalo's St. Patrick's Day-themed warmup jerseys that will be auctioned off online](http://auction.nhl.com/iSynApp/allAuction.action?sid=1100803&rc=25&sort=timeleft_asc&selectedCatId=11904&&pgcust1=sabres&pgcust2=team&pgcust3=&pgmode1=profilepage&pgmode2=&qMode=open&qt[0].type=openbrac&qt[1].type=fieldmatch&qt[1].name=panname_profileName_s&qt[1].value1=team&qt[2].type=operand&qt[3].type=fieldmatch&qt[3].name=panname_teamName_s&qt[3].value1=sabres&qt[4 after the game.
For $20, you can also purchase special autographed pucks in the 100 Level concourse. All proceeds will go directly to the Buffalo Sabres Foundation.
Jack Eichel may suit up today, but we'll know for sure after we hear from Phil Housley later this morning.
If you're not coming to the rink, be sure to catch the GMC Game Night pregame show starting at 12:30 p.m. on MSG. RJ is back and will have the call with Rayzor after a ceremonial faceoff featuring Olympic gold medalist Emily Pfalzer.
Here's what you need to know.

Yesterday's practice

From the Ice Level Practice Report…
Kyle Okposo feared the worst, just like the rest of us.
When Okposo stayed down on the ice following a collision with Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan on March 8, it was hard not to think back to a year ago, when a concussion cost the forward the final six games of his season and eventually landed him in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at Buffalo General.
Okposo, too, thought back to last season. But while he was diagnosed with a concussion following the collision with Ryan, he quickly noticed that his symptoms weren't as severe. Reports from Phil Housley were positive, and on Friday Okposo was back on the ice with the Buffalo Sabres as a full participant at practice.
"Yeah, that kind of runs through your mind, 'Oh no, I hope it doesn't happen again,' and, 'Here we go,'" Okposo said. "But it wasn't really like that. I didn't have many symptoms. Mood wasn't affected, sleep wasn't affected, so I saw the people that I needed to and feeling good and ready to get back at it."
Okposo left the door open for a potential return to the lineup against Chicago on Saturday, but Housley said he remains in concussion protocol and still must be cleared.
"This was a first really good step today in practice to see where he's at," Housley said. "I really like what he brought today, sharp and clean."

Here's how the lineup looked at practice

Housley named Chad Johnson the starting goaltender for today's game.
Jacob Josefson, Casey Nelson and Rasmus Ristolainen stayed off the ice for maintenance days. Robin Lehner left the ice shortly into practice, which Housley said was also for a maintenance issue. All are expected to be ready come Saturday.
20 Scott Wilson - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 23 Sam Reinhart
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 15 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville
67 Benoit Pouliot - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 13 Nick Baptiste / 25 Seth Griffith
17 Jordan Nolan - 22 Johan Larsson - 95 Justin Bailey
21 Kyle Okposo
Defense: 4 Josh Gorges, 6 Marco Scandella, 41 Justin Falk, 45 Brendan Guhle, 82 Nathan Beaulieu, 93 Victor Antipin
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson
35 Linus Ullmark

Today's matchup

From the Game Notes…
- Sam Reinhart has totaled 26 points (11+15) in his last 26 games. - Rasmus Ristolainen has 25 points (6+19) in his last 33 games dating back to Dec. 29. Ristolainen's 25 points during that span tied for eighth among NHL defensemen entering play Friday. - Though he missed five games from March 2 to 10, Evan Rodrigues has totaled 11 points (4+8) in his last 12 games played and comes into today's game with points in a career-best three straight appearances (2+3). - Scott Wilson has recorded a point in three of his last four games (1+2).