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

The Buffalo Sabres are back at KeyBank Center, where they'll take on the Boston Bruins this afternoon.
Faceoff is at 1 p.m. on MSG and WGR 550. Tickets are on sale now.
The first 8,000 fans 21 and older will receive a Sabres-branded St. Patrick's Day koozie courtesy of Bud Light. The team will also take the ice wearing special St. Patrick's Day warmup jerseys, which will be available for bidding later today at Sabres.com/Auction.
For fans watching at home, Rick Jeanneret will join the pregame show, which begins at 12:30 on MSG.
Here are five things to know ahead of today's game:

1. Returning home

Today's game opens up a three-game homestand. The Sabres wrapped up a stint on the road in which they went 1-1-1.
In Philadelphia on Friday, Victor Olofsson returned to the lineup and scored twice. However, the team fell to the Flyers 5-2.
"Our top guys didn't look like themselves," head coach Don Granato said. "They were outstanding in Toronto. Tonight, they weren't themselves. Obviously, in the third period we're trying to move around and maybe see some different combinations because of the situation, but they looked tired."
Read the full recap here.

2. The season series

This is the fourth and final meeting between the Sabres and Bruins this season. The last time out between these clubs, Boston defeated Buffalo 7-1 in Boston on March 2.
The Sabres are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games against the Bruins and 1-8-1 at home.
This is the 312th game all-time between Buffalo and Boston. Buffalo has a 127-137-47 series record. The Sabres are 75-57-24 at home against the Bruins all-time.
The Bruins are coming off a 5-2 win in Minnesota on Saturday.

3. What else to watch for

Stay tuned for lineup news and other notes later this morning when Granato speaks with the media.
In his last three games, Owen Power has notched four points (0+4). With a point today, Power would earn his second four-game point streak of the season. He recorded his first from January 21 to 26.
The Sabres are 16-5-2 in games in which Power records at least one point.
Power is second among all NHL skaters in 5-on-5 time on ice per game played (19:52), the highest mark by a rookie since the NHL began tracking the stat in 2009-10 (minimum two games played).
Power has logged more even-strength ice time per game (20:50) than any rookie since the NHL began tracking the stat in 1997-98. Power leads all NHL rookies in time on ice per game played (23:45), 2:37 more per game than the next closest rookie skater.
Alex Tuch has recorded nine points (6+3) in his last eight games dating back to Feb. 15 at Anaheim.
Rasmus Dahlin is one assist away from becoming the first Sabres defenseman since Phil Housley in 1989-90 (60) to record 50 or more assists in a single season.
With an assist, he would join Housley and John Van Boxmeer as the only defensemen in franchise history to reach 50 assists in a single season.
Tage Thompson has recorded 37 points (16+21) in his last 35 games, including 18 points (7+11) in his last 16 games.
Thompson needs one goal in today's game to become the first Sabres skater to record 43 or more goals in a season since Thomas Vanek (43) in 2006-07.
Jeff Skinner has notched 17 points (9+8) in his last 16 games
The team signed collegiate goaltending prospect Devon Levi to a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. While he will remain with the team for the rest of the season, it may be some time before the Quebec native hits the ice with the team as he completes the necessary immigration process.
Read more about Levi here.

4. The Wild Card standings

Let's check out the scores from yesterday:
Here's the latest in the Wild Card race:
| Team | GP | Points | P% | Reg. W | ROW | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | WC1 - New York Islanders | 71 | 80 | .563 | 31 | 36 | | WC2 - Pittsburgh Penguins | 69 | 78 | .565 | 25 | 33 | | Florida Panthers | 69 | 77 | .558 | 30 | 33 | | Washington Capitals | 70 | 73 | .521 | 25 | 31 | | Buffalo Sabres | 68 | 72 | .529 | 25 | 32 | | Ottawa Senators | 69 | 71 | .514 | 26 | 31 | | Detroit Red Wings | 68 | 69 | .507 | 24 | 28 |
Today, the Capitals face the Wild on the road at 2 p.m.
On Monday, Ottawa plays Pittsburgh and the Red Wings host the Panthers.

5. The week ahead

Four of Buffalo's next five games are on home ice. Following today's game, the Sabres will take on the Nashville Predators on Tuesday and the New Jersey Devils on Friday for Military Appreciation Night.
Following a game against the Islanders on the road on Saturday, the Sabres will return to Buffalo to play Montreal on March 27.
Tickets for all remaining home games are on sale now.