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

Jack Quinn will be in the lineup when the Sabres host the Dallas Stars at KeyBank Center on Thursday.
Quinn - Buffalo's first-round selection (eighth overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft - made his NHL debut on Jan. 11 and tallied three shots. He was reassigned to Rochester the following day and has since tallied six goals and three assists in four games.
Tickets are available here.
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. Puck drop is scheduled for 7.
Here are five things to know going into tonight's game.

1. The lineup

Quinn will enter in place of Kyle Okposo, who is considered week to week after sustaining an upper-body injury during the third period of Buffalo's win at Ottawa on Tuesday.
The Sabres did not run line rushes during their morning skate, but coach Don Granato confirmed that Quinn will skate on one of the top two lines with either Tage Thompson or Dylan Cozens as his centerman. Quinn will also join the top power play along with Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, and Rasmus Dahlin.
"I'm looking forward to that," Granato said. "I went and watched him again and watched Rochester again last night, which is a luxury for me to be able to go drive 70 miles and go see them play. And he was good again."
Quinn is tied for the AHL lead with 18 goals despite missing all of December with mononucleosis. He tallied three shots in his debut for the Sabres, two of which were taken on seemingly open nets but blocked by defenders.
"I think as I get settled in, I'd bear down a little bit more on those, both of them," Quinn said that night.

2. Injury updates

Casey Mittelstadt was on the ice for the team's morning skate and is considered day to day. The centerman has been out since having surgery to repair an upper-body injury on Dec. 10.
Find more from the latest injury report - including updates on Okposo, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Malcolm Subban - here.

3. The goalies

The Sabres will turn back to Aaron Dell in goal following a 43-save outing from Michael Houser in Ottawa on Tuesday. Dell has a .923 save percentage in three starts since being recalled on Jan. 12.
Braden Holtby will start for Dallas. He is 6-8-1 with a .920 save percentage.

4. Tuch's hot start

Alex Tuch recorded a goal and an assist in the victory over the Senators on Saturday, giving him seven points (2+5) in as many games since making his Sabres debut on Dec. 29. He leads Sabres forwards in average ice time (18:30) during that span.

5. Scouting the Stars

Dallas is 1-4-0 in its last five games following a 5-3 loss at Montreal on Tuesday.
Joe Pavelski leads the Stars in goals (16), assists (22), and points (38). His seven power-play goals are tied for eighth in the NHL.
This is the first meeting between the Sabres and Stars this season. The two teams meet in Dallas on Feb. 27.