Sharpen Up: April 5, 2017

It's the final home game of the season and we have a lot planned for you tonight. The Sabres and Canadiens will square off for the fourth and final time this season.
If you're coming to KeyBank Center, there's a lot going on for Fan Appreciation Night. If you're watching from home, the pregame show kicks off at 7 p.m.
Here's what you need to know.

The players yesterday addressed their disappointment in how this season has turned out and their own appreciation for the fanbase.
From yesterday's Ice Level Practice Report:
Buffalo's goal on Wednesday night, which will be Fan Appreciation Night at KeyBank Center, is to not let a performance like the one against Toronto be the last thing their fans see from them this season. The game against the Montreal Canadiens will conclude their home schedule.

"As far as I know, it's a pretty full building every time we're here," Robin Lehner said. "They're very supportive fans. They deserve better. They deserve better than what they've got. We can't give up, we can't lie down and give up. You've got to keep working. You've got to keep going towards the goal and get better as a team. It's what this town and this city deserves."

"I've got nothing but great things to say about these fans," Jack Eichel said. "They're nothing but great to us, nothing but great to me. My family, all my friends, whenever they're in town they treat them great. It's been a mediocre two years and for them to continue to support us and be behind us, selling games out … I'm sure that if we were in other cities it wouldn't be the same case so you've got to appreciate that as a player."

Tonight's matchup

Join us for the Tops Game Night pregame show starting at 7 p.m. on MSG. RJ and Rayzor have the call just after 7:30 p.m.
Buffalo is 52-for-60 (86.7%) on the penalty kill in its last 23 games.
The Sabres ranked first in the league with a 24.8% success rate on the power play entering play Tuesday.
Buffalo has not finished a season ranked in the top five in power-play percentage since the 2005-06 season (third, 21.2%) and the team has led the league only once (1991-92, 22.5%)
The team's current power-play percentage would rank as the third-best conversion rate in franchise history and the best since the team's 25.4% mark in 1975-76. It would be the 13th-best season by any team since the league began publishing the stat in 1987-88.
Buffalo is 25-15-6 all-time in the final home game of the season.
Evander Kane (2+4) and Cody Franson (1+5) each have six points in their last six games against Montreal.
Ryan O'Reilly has 13 points (4+9) in 14 career games against the Canadiens.

What to expect tonight for Fan Appreciation Night presented by ADPRO Sports

And everyone will have the chance to win some prizes as part of Fan Appreciation Goes Digital during our final two games this weekend. Download the My One Buffalo app and tune in to MSG. Click here for full details..

On tap today

Stay tuned for full pregame coverage from the optional Morning Skate. Dan Bylsma will address the media with any lineup news and notes. Kyle Okposo missed practice again yesterday due to an illness he's dealing with for about a week now.
Then check back after the game for full postgame coverage here on Sabres.com.