Sharpen Up: December 5, 2017

A busy day yesterday leads into a game night tonight. Evan Rodrigues and Scott Wilson are with the team, Kyle Criscuolo has been assigned to Rochester and Matt Moulson is on waivers.
The team is in Colorado for a game against the Avalanche tonight. Spend your night with us, starting with the GMC Game Night pregame show at 8:30 p.m. on MSG. Faceoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. with Dan and Rayzor on the call on MSG and WGR 550. In the meantime, we'll have coverage from the morning skate at Pepsi Center, scheduled for 1:15 p.m. ET.
Here's what you need to know.

Get to know Scott Wilson

He's someone Sabres general manager Jason Botterill is pretty familiar with.
Prior to being acquired by the Red Wings in a trade on Oct. 21, Wilson (5'11", 183 lbs., 4/24/1992) played in parts of four seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He totaled 26 points (8+18) in his first full NHL season in 2016-17 and appeared in 20 playoff games with the Penguins in 2017, helping the team to its second consecutive Stanley Cup.
Before joining Pittsburgh full-time for the 2016-17 season, Wilson appeared in 90 regular-season AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Oakville, Ontario native has totaled 77 points (41+36) in his AHL career and led the league in goals at the time of his last recall to Pittsburgh in February 2016.
The Sabres acquired him Monday afternoon from Detroit for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
"We are very happy to add Scott to our roster," Botterill said. "Scott is a hard-working, young player that will be a great fit for our club. As a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, his experience will be an asset both on and off the ice."

More roster news

Sabres Now and our Ice Level Practice Report keyed in on the locker room reaction to the waiving of Moulson and the recalling of Rodrigues (the Wilson trade went down after the team had already left for Colorado). Here's a sampling of what you can find there.
"With the position we're in, we've got to make some difficult decisions about our team and our lineup," coach Phil Housley said. "Sometimes they're tough decisions. I think we need to focus as a group on our own game as an individual but certainly these are the tough ones that you have to make in this business."
Housley said the decision to waive Moulson was made after multiple conversations with general manger Jason Botterill in an effort to foster more internal competition for roster spots. The Sabres recalled Hudson Fasching on Saturday and Evan Rodrigues on Monday, with Kyle Criscuolo assigned to Rochester in a corresponding move.

The assignment of Moulson is significant due both to his veteran status and his close relationship to several players in the Buffalo dressing room. Kyle Okposo's history with Moulson dates back to their time together with the Islanders, and the two are godparents to each other's children.
"It's tough when you lose a guy like that," Okposo said. "He's been my best friend for a while. He means a lot to me so it's tough news. At the same time, it's a business. He knows that better than anybody and I know that. But in saying that, it's tough personally, for sure."
Jack Eichel lived with Moulson and his family during his rookie season of 2015-16, an arrangement made after Moulson offered to help ease Eichel into life as a pro hockey player.
"I owe a lot to him," Eichel said. "He's been there for me since the day I was drafted. Obviously, I've become very close with Matt, his family, his wife, his two kids. They've basically been like family to me. I feel for him, one of the best guys you can play with. I don't think there's a bad word to be said about him."
Nathan Beaulieu did not practice after missing the entirety of the third period on Saturday due to an illness. Housley said that Beaulieu will not travel with the team to Colorado for the start of their road trip, but did not rule out the possibility of him joining the Sabres at some point this week.

Tonight's game

For whatever reason, the home team has had a distinct advantage in these Sabres-Avalanche matchups.
From

's Game Notes…
- Robin Lehner has started all four games against the Avalanche since he joined the Sabres, stopping 115 of 122 shots faced in those games (.943). - Jack Eichel (1+3), Ryan O'Reilly (0+4) and Sam Reinhart (3+1) each have four points in four career games against the Avalanche. - Benoit Pouliot has seven points (3+4) in his last eight games against Colorado, including a point in each of the last three (2+1). - Rasmus Ristolainen has four points (1+3) in his last five games against the Avalanche, including an assist in each meeting last season. - Evan Rodrigues had a point in both of his previous meetings with the Avalanche (1+1).