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

Craig Anderson did not reveal any plans about his future on Thursday morning, only that he is trying to soak in every moment of the Buffalo Sabres' final home game of the season.
Anderson will start in goal for the Sabres against the Ottawa Senators, the team for which he spent the majority of his accomplished career.
"I've been very fortunate to play this game for a very long time," Anderson said. "I'm just going to enjoy every last bit of it. The last few years have been on borrowed life support here. Just kind of take the moment as it is, because when it's over, it's over.
"It's not looking too far forward and just trying to stay in the moment."
Tickets for tonight are available here.
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. The puck drops at 7.
Here are five things to know.

1. Anderson's moment

The Sabres were eliminated from the playoff race with their loss in New Jersey on Tuesday, but they return home with no shortage of motivations. A major one will be winning for Anderson, who will have family in attendance for what could be the final game of his career.
"There's a lot of respect for Craig in our locker room, from the coaching staff as well," Sabres coach Don Granato said.
Anderson, 41, is the oldest player in the NHL and happens to play on the league's youngest team. He has spent the past two seasons serving as a dependable presence in net, a vocal leader on the bench, and a mentor in the dressing room.
Anderson ranks 32nd in NHL history with 318 wins and 29th with 708 games played, the majority of which came during his 10 seasons with the Senators. He hit the 300-win and 700-game milestones while in a Sabres uniform.
"At the end of the day, it's about being around the guys," he said. "Everyone here is a close-knit group and that's something special to be a part of and that's something that I can be proud to be a part of."

2. The lineup

Mattias Samuelsson will be out due to an injury, Granato announced. Samuelsson had been playing through the injury while the Sabres pushed for the playoffs.
"He went above and beyond for us," Granato said. "I'm not comfortable that he should go in there tonight."
Victor Olofsson will be back in the lineup at forward, Granato announced. The forward lines and defense pairs will be revealed during pregame warmups.
UPDATE (2 p.m.) -The Sabres have recalled forward Lukas Rousek from Rochester, the team announced.

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3. Tage watch

Tage Thompson is four goals shy of the seventh 50-goal season in Sabres history with two games remaining. He was asked about the milestone Thursday morning.
"It would definitely be nice," he said. "It was definitely a goal that I've had at a certain point in the season when I thought it was within reach. It would definitely be nice to get that."
Thompson's 46 goals are tied with Pat LaFontaine (1991-92) and Danny Gare (1980-81) for eight-most in a single season in franchise history.
"Would love to see him hit [50], and I think he's going to do it in his career so if he can do it sooner than later, great," Granato said.

4. Scouting the Senators

Ottawa has won its last two games, including a 3-2 victory in its home finale against Carolina on Monday. Claude Giroux became the 96th player in NHL history to record 1,000 career points with two goals and an assist.
The Sabres are 1-2-0 against the Senators this season. The Sabres won the previous meeting in Buffalo 4-1 on opening night, fueled by a 35-save performance from Craig Anderson. The Senators won both meetings in Ottawa.

5. Fan Appreciation

The Sabres will hold Fan Appreciation Night at KeyBank Center. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative T-shirt.

Find more information on the night here.