Sharpen Up: All the Sabres news you need to know on December 12, 2019

Tonight at KeyBank Center, we're throwing it back to when the Sabres called Buffalo Memorial Auditorium home. It's Aud Night as Buffalo hosts the Nashville Predators.
Faceoff is at 7 p.m. with pregame coverage on MSG starting at 6:30. For fans attending the game, they'll find a commemorative Aud Night T-shirt at their seat with the color representing one of the levels of The Aud. Tickets for the game are on sale now.
Nearly 20 alumni from the 1980s are in town as well. They'll meet fans in the 100 level and in the Seneca Sports Lounge before the game. Be in your seats by 6:55 as they'll be honored on the ice before a special video open plays.
Here's what you need to know.

More on Aud Night

Before the game, the main Blue Zone Bar will host a happy hour with $5 Labatt drafts from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and live '80s music. The first 2,000 fans in attendance will also receive a special edition jersey koozie, courtesy of Labatt. All fans in attendance will find a T-shirt at their seat, and its color (red, blue, gold or orange) will correspond with a seating level of the Aud.
Click here for full details.

The following alumni are scheduled to attend:
Dave Andreychuk
Adam Creighton
Mike Foligno
Mike Hartman
Val James
Uwe Krupp
Kevin Maguire
Phil Myre
Wilf Paiement
Brent Peterson
Larry Playfair
Daren Puppa
Dave Schultz
Dave Snuggerud
John Tucker
John Van Boxmeer

Check out a gallery of photos from the 1980s here.

Tonight's matchup

From @SabresPR's Game notes…

Wednesday's practice

From the Ice Level Practice Report…
At a glance, Johan Larsson's goal against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday could be chalked up to a bit of good fortune. Zach Bogosian sent a shot wide of the net that caromed off the end boards and landed on Larsson's stick, and the forward banked his shot in off the pad of goalie Jake Allen.
Rewind 12 seconds, though, and you'll find the part of the play that still stuck in Kyle Okposo's mind one day later.
Larsson entered the offensive zone with possession of the puck and a tight gap between him and defenseman Justin Faulk. Rather than chip it into the corner and go on the forecheck, he deked and carried the puck down low.
"He probably doesn't make that play maybe earlier in the season or the last couple years," Okposo said after practice Wednesday. "But he's got a lot of confidence right now, and it's definitely a contagious thing."
Larsson has long been a trusted defensive presence during his seven-year tenure with the Sabres. He had one of the most specialized roles in the NHL last season, with just 16.12 percent of his 5-on-5 faceoffs having come in the offensive zone. Only linemate Zemgus Girgensons had a lower percentage, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
Read more here, which includes an update on Rasmus Dahlin.