Sharpen Up: January 13, 2017

No game will be easy for Buffalo from here on out and they'll look to quickly shake off last night's loss today. Following a 4-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning last night at Amalie Arena, the Sabres will be right back at it tonight against Carolina.
The Hurricanes are 12-1-1 in their last 14 home games
Here's what you need to know.

Let's take a look one last time at the Lightning game. Buffalo got off to a hot start when Matt Moulson opened the scoring, but the Lightning scored the next three goals to take control of the game.

The Sabres got into some penalty trouble - justified or not - throughout the night. The Lightning power play went 2-for-5, including a 5-on-3 goal to tie the game 1-1. The other power-play goal was an empty netter to ice the game. Buffalo, meanwhile, was 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
We have more in the game recap.
Here's some locker room reaction:

"We weren't moving our feet," Sabres captain Brian Gionta said. "We weren't doing a good job accepting their speed and we couldn't conversely get anything going on our forecheck. When we got the puck we weren't moving, supporting each other, but we just could never get our feet moving."

Of course, there are some positives to build on. The Sabres showed some jump in the final period, which allowed them to get within a goal thank to Evander Kane's 11th of the year.

"I think we made a few line adjustments and I thought we started working better in the third period," Kane said. "That's what we have to do, that goal starts from both D pinching down the walls, not giving them easy breakouts, being aggressive, making an aggressive mistake if you're going to make one. We need to do that throughout the whole game, not just when we get down. It's a mindset and the way we have to play."

Notes for tonight's matchup

• If he dresses, tonight will be Zach Bogosian's 500th NHL game.
• Kane has 21 points (9+12) in 24 career games against the Hurricanes.
• Matt Moulson has 19 points (6+13) in his last 19 games against Carolina.
• Marcus Foligno has a point in each of his last four games against the Hurricanes (1+3).
• Kyle Okposo has tallied 12 points (5+7) in 13 career visits to Carolina.

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On tap today

The Sabres will not hold a gameday skate in Raleigh today so we'll have lineup news later this evening from coach Dan Bylsma.
Then join us for the TOPS Game Night pregame show starting at 7 p.m. on MSG. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30. You can also hear Dan and Rayzor's call live on WGR 550.

Report Card Nights

Sabres Report Card Nights, presented by NY's 529 College Savings Program are back.
Students in grades K-12 who have an A or A-equivalent on their most recent report cards will earn one free 300 Level II ticket to one of two games: either Friday, Jan. 20 against the Detroit Red Wings or Saturday, Feb. 4 against the Ottawa Senators. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Additional tickets for those games can be purchased for $40 each. One winner will also be chosen at random to win a $500 contribution to a NY 529 College Savings Program.
This offer can be redeemed in person at the KeyBank Center box office or online here.
Students must bring the report card to the box office to receive their free ticket and to purchase any additional tickets. For more information, contact the KeyBank Center box office at (716) 855-4444.

A good day out

As part of the Senior Wishes program, three Sabres fans had a great time at Saturday's game:

And a good night

If you missed out on Zach Bogosian's Casino For A Cause last weekend, here are the highlights: