Sharpen Up: January 18, 2019

The Sabres will take on the Vancouver Cancuks tonight at Rogers Arena to close out the three-game road trip. It's also the last game before the bye week that will lead into All-Star Weekend.
Faceoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. on MSG and WGR 550. Join us for the GMC Game Night pregame show starting at 9:30 on MSG.
Here's what you need to know.

Tonight's matchup

From the Game Notes…
- During his five-game streak, Dahlin has a plus-4 rating, and has averaged 22:10 of ice time and 3.2 shots per game, also boasting a 52.94 percent shot attempt percentage (CF%) during 5-on-5 play. - With 26 points (5+21) through 47 games, Dahlin is scoring at a higher rate than he did in the Swedish Hockey League last season, when he totaled 20 points (7+13) in 41 games. - Dahlin's current point total puts him on pace for 45 points this season. It would trail only Phil Housley (57 points in 1982-83) for the most ever recorded by a defenseman before his 19th birthday.

Thursday's practice

Let's check out a clip from the Ice Level Practice Report...
Following their overtime win in Calgary on Wednesday night, Jack Eichel and Evan Rodrigues described the atmosphere on the Buffalo Sabres' bench in a manner that was reminiscent of their early-season, never-quit attitude.
Two nights earlier, the Sabres felt they were emotionally deflated by goals against in a 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. They used the time between those two games to restore confidence, and it paid off in a winning effort.
"We had a great practice," Jason Pominville said. "We had a really, really good meeting. We had a meeting after, the boys talked. I think you can't just sit there and feel sorry for yourself and dwell on losing a game, whether you lost it 7-2 or 2-1. A loss is a loss and you've got to move forward.
"I thought we did a good job the next day of seeing it on video, putting it behind us, coming to work and practicing hard and having good habits. So were the coaches, the coaches were upbeat at practice a couple days ago and it helped us, for sure."

Early in the season, players spoke often about the importance of having the wherewithal to stick to a game plan through times of adversity. It was a signature aspect of the Sabres in October and November; when they were trailing, they stuck to their simple, defense-first identity and let the rest fall into place.
Rodrigues said he felt they had drifted from that identity of late. They deviated from their simple game in adverse times, instead falling into the trap of trying to do too much and making more mistakes in the process. They used their practice in Calgary on Tuesday to get back on track.
"I think it's really important that we stay consistent," Housley said. "I think our leadership group has done a terrific job. We have very good conversations on what we need to do, what we need to improve on, how our work habits are, what our standard is, and we've got to stay consistent in that."'
Jeff Skinner took a maintenance day but is expected to play against the Canucks on Friday. Remi Eliefilled in on the top line alongside Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.
Read the full report, including the full line combos and D pairings here.

Welcome to the organization, Taylor Leier

Last night, the team announced that it had acquired forward Taylor Leier from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Justin Bailey.
Leier (5'11", 180 lbs., 2/15/1994) will join the Rochester Americans (AHL) after recording 19 points (10+9) in 34 AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms so far this season. Now in his fifth professional season, the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native has totaled 136 points (56+80) in 226 career regular-season games with the Phantoms. In 2017, he was named the Most Valuable Player at the AHL All-Star Classic.
Since being selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Leier has appeared in 55 NHL games, recording seven points (2+5). He spent the entire 2017-18 season with the Flyers, appearing in a career-high 39 NHL games.

Looking back with Mike Grier

When the former Sabres forward was in town last week, Brian Duff caught up with him for another edition of Alumni Spotlight presented by BlueCross Blue Shield. You can read the full Q&A by clicking here. This is a quick sample:
Duffer: It felt like everybody on that team contributed in 2005-06. Would you agree that it was kind of unique that way?
Grier: It was for sure. It's something that I didn't come across too often in my career, a team that was that close and everyone kinda played their role. Everyone felt important and everyone contributed. It didn't matter.
We had some skilled guys who didn't get a lot of power-play time and things like that, but no one complained. Everyone just went out and did their job. It was a pretty special group.
Duffer: Understanding there are always contractual situations and free agency, why did you leave Buffalo the first time and why did you come back?
Grier:The first time, I think things were kind of teetering, it could have gone one way or the other. I think myself, J-P [Dumont] and Jay McKee, a few of us had contracts that were up, and I think Danny [Briere] and Dru's [Chris Drury] were coming up the following year and it just wasn't clear which direction they were gonna go.
And I was at the point in my career where I really wanted to win. I had a taste of it here the year before getting to the [Eastern Conference] Finals and I thought going to San Jose was a good opportunity to do that. I would have loved to have stayed here if everyone had been wrapped up and committed to staying here, I would have definitely hopped on board and would have loved to.
So, looking back at it, it's kind of disappointing it couldn't have worked out, even when you see the guys that were still coming up after me - [Thomas] Vanek, I think that was his first year, and Pommer [Jason Pominville] and [Paul] Gaustad, and you had guys like Staff [Drew Stafford] coming up. I think it really could have been really really something special if everyone could have been kept together.
But when [general manager] Darcy [Regier] and [head coach] Lindy [Ruff] reached out and gave me a chance to come back, I was more than happy to take it. It's a place that one, I enjoyed playing for Lindy. He was a great coach and a great person, and I had a great relationship with him. And two, my wife and I, we enjoyed it here, so to get a chance to come back just made sense.

Alumni Wine Festival to eclipse $1 million in total funds raised

The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association will host the 15th annual Buffalo Sabres Alumni Wine Festival on Tuesday, March 19 at KeyBank Center from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The event, co-sponsored by KeyBank, Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and John W. Danforth, will feature wineries and restaurants from Buffalo, Niagara-on-the-Lake and beyond.
As the event moves into its 15th year, it is expected to reach the $1 million mark in funds raised to benefit breast cancer care in Western New York. Most notably, the Sabres Alumni Wine Festival has supported the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hope Chest Dragon Boats, a Mobile Mammography Unit and mammography machines for many Western New York hospitals.
Tickets are $75 each and are available here, the KeyBank Center Box Office, or by calling Nick Fearby at (716) 855-4452. All proceeds from the event will benefit breast cancer care in Western New York.
Click here for more details.