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

Rasmus Dahlin has seen more than his usual share of ice time lately, with ample time to recover between games amid an unusually light schedule.
That trend could continue tonight. The Sabres will play their lone game in a span of nine days at home against the San Jose Sharks. Their next contest - due to a postponement of their previously scheduled game in Montreal on Saturday - is not until Tuesday.
"If a guy's going, he could get a career-high in minutes because of that," Sabres coach Don Granato said Wednesday. "Because you don't have to save it for anything."
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. The puck drops at 7.
Here are five things to know.

Dahlin has surpassed 27 minutes in each of the past two games. Granato spoke highly of the defenseman's handling of the increased workload on Wednesday.
"We have made it known to him and he feels that we need more out of him because he's capable of it and our team needs it," Granato said. "He's taken more responsibility as a result. He's closing quicker in the defensive zone. We talk a lot about getting pucks back faster and he takes that to heart. We don't want to back up, we want to get the puck back now. Instead of getting it back in our defensive zone, get it back in the neutral zone. Instead of getting it back in the neutral zone, get it back in the offensive zone before they can come out.
"Dahls has worked on a lot of technique to do that better, and he's getting better and better at it, which is awesome to see."
Dahlin has six points in the last six games. His 21 points this season rank second on the Sabres behind Tage Thompson.
"He's been unbelievable," Granato said. "We can critique his game but there's not a team in this league that wouldn't love having him on their team."
Video: PREGAME: Granato
The Sabres are without six players due to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol: forwards Alex Tuch, Anders Bjork, Kyle Okposo, and Peyton Krebs and defensemen Casey Fitzgerald and Jacob Bryson.
Forwards Dylan Cozens, Mark Jankowski, and Zemgus Girgensons will all be back in the lineup for the first time since clearing protocol. Defenseman Colin Miller will return from a three-game absence due to an injury. Ryan MacInnis will make his Sabres debut.
Here is the projected lineup based on Wednesday's practice:
| January 6 vs. San Jose | | --- | | LW | C | RW | | 53 Jeff Skinner | 72 Tage Thompson | 71 Victor Olofsson | | 74 Rasmus Asplund | 24 Dylan Cozens | 29 Vinnie Hinostroza | | 57 Brett Murray | 17 Mark Jankowski | 28 Zemgus Girgensons | | 49 Ryan MacInnis | 20 Cody Eakin | 15 John Hayden | | LD | RD | G | | 26 Rasmus Dahlin | 10 Henri Jokiharju | 1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | | 4 Will Butcher | 13 Mark Pysyk | 47 Malcom Subban | | 6 Ethan Prow | 33 Colin Miller | |
MacInnis scored Rochester's lone goal in a loss to Syracuse on Wednesday, giving him six points in his last five games. He has 16 points (6+10) in 25 contests this season.
The Sabres signed the 25-year-old forward to a one-year deal during the offseason. He has appeared in 26 career NHL contests, all with Columbus.
"He has a lot of skill," Granato said. "He's on the wing tonight. He's been a centerman most of his career, but because he has a pretty high skill level and hockey sense, feel for the game, he's played a lot of wing this year in Rochester and done real well there.
"The coaches there felt he could slide into that slot very easily. So, I'm excited to see him. I've watched him since he was 16 years old, had him for a little bit at the U.S. National Team Development Program]. So, I know Ryan. I think he's found a new level in his game just within the last few months."
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal for the Sabres. He ranks ninth among qualified NHL goaltenders with a .927 save percentage through seven starts this season.
Read more **[here**about how Luukkonen's demeanor has impressed the Sabres.
San Jose has opened its current road trip with a pair of losses in which it allowed a combined 14 goals, falling 8-2 in Pittsburgh on Sunday and 6-2 in Detroit on Tuesday.
Now comes a visit to snowy Buffalo, where the Sharks have had troubles historically. The Sabres are 19-2-1 at home all-time against the Sharks and 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings at KeyBank Center. Their .889 home points percentage against the Sharks is their highest against any opponent.
The Sharks did the better of the Sabres in San Jose on Nov. 2, a 5-3 win in which forward Tomas Hertl notched two of his team-leading 16 goals. Granato said he saw signs of hesitancy from his team in that game, which followed a 5-2-1 start to the season.
"We want to play aggressive, we want to play assertive," Granato said. "… We want that passion, that fearlessness, that intensity."
Timo Meier leads the Sharks in assists (22) and points (35). Captain Logan Couture, who ranks second with 29 points, is in COVID protocol. Defensemen Erik Karlsson and Jacob Middleton are also out with injuries.
Adin Hill will start in goal.