Sharpen Up: January 31, 2022 | Sabres finish road trip tomorrow on ESPN+

The Buffalo Sabres split their games over the weekend and will wrap up their road trip tomorrow night in Vegas.
Following a 3-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, they held strong against the Colorado Avalanche, who are one of the hottest teams in NHL history right now, in a 4-1 loss last night.
Tomorrow night's game against the Golden Knights can be seen only on ESPN+ and Hulu, so you'll need a subscription to either streaming service to watch. It's a 10 p.m. faceoff. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio call on WGR 550.
Here's what you need to know.

About last night

From the Postgame Report:
Rasmus Dahlin arrived in Denver just prior to game time, waited on the results of a COVID-19 test and took the ice midway through warmups. Tage Thompson hoped to play through soreness for a second straight night but could not get the green light. Casey Mittelstadt sustained an injury during the first period.
Adversity continued to snowball for the Sabres during their 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, but it did not deter them in a game that was closer than the score suggested.
"We battled hard," Dylan Cozens said. "I think that second period, first 10 minutes was some of the best hockey we've played. With everything going on, I'm proud of how we played today."

Dustin Tokarski made his first start since entering COVID-19 protocol on Dec. 2. He had practiced on and off since Dec. 27 but had not played due to lingering symptoms of the virus. He made 32 saves.
Cozens scored Buffalo's lone goal during the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit. Colorado regained the lead when Alex Newhook appeared to swat a rebound out of midair in the direction of linemate Dylan Sikura, who fed Nazem Kadri for the go-ahead goal.
Sabres coach Don Granato challenged the play, believing Newhook's motion constituted an illegal hand pass. The challenge was unsuccessful, and Mikko Rantanen extended the Avalanche lead to 3-1 with a one-time shot on the ensuing power play.
The Sabres pushed back in the third period, outshooting the Avalanche 13-6 despite adding Victor Olofsson to their list of injured players after he took a high stick to the face. Valeri Nichushkin ended their comeback bid with an empty-net goal.
"The guys gutted it out," Tokarski said. "It's a loss, for sure you want the two points but, man, a heck of a hockey game by our guys start to finish. Just goes to show it's a good group in there. It was a bounce or two from going the other way and us winning that game. A credit to all the guys."

Granato listed Thompson as a game-time decision when he met with the media pregame. Thompson sustained an injury during the first period against Arizona on Saturday but finished the game. He is considered day to day.
Mittelstadt did not return following the first intermission. He has appeared in seven games this season, having missed two separate stretches with upper-body injuries.
"No update on Casey," Granato said. "We knew a back-to-back would be tough. It was unfortunate he wasn't comfortable in the moves he was trying and then probably pulled out early because of precaution. I don't have any word on it yet."
Read more here.
The Avalanche wrapped up the month of January with a 15-0-1 record, the best January record of any club in league history. They've won 10 in a row. Buffalo will face them again on February 19 at KeyBank Center.

Making history

Congrats to Kedryn Orrison Pilgrim of the Rochester Americans on making her NHL debut as an athletic trainer last night.

'Better Together' launches today

As Black History Month begins, the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres are launching Better Together, a One Buffalo fundraising initiative to benefit organizations that are fighting food insecurity in Black and African American communities, today.
Through Better Together, the Buffalo Bills Foundation and Buffalo Sabres Foundation have partnered to raise funds for five local organizations that are working to ensure families have access to healthy, nutritious food in Black and African American communities:
• African Heritage Food Co-op
• Buffalo Center for Health Equity
• Buffalo Freedom Gardens
• Buffalo Go Green
• Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)
The Bills and Sabres foundations will be making donations totaling $120,000 to these organizations throughout the first week of February and are asking the community to participate.
Fans are invited to donate at bettertogetherbuffalo.org until Feb. 4.
Every donor will receive a Better Together pin designed by local Black artist Edreys Wajed. Anyone who donates $35 or more will receive a tote along with the pin.

Better Together is also being supported by Perry's Ice Cream, which will match the first $20,000 in online donations from funds that were accrued through the sale of their "Let's Dough Buffalo" ice cream.