Sharpen Up: March 12, 2021 | Buffalo regroups for rematch with Penguins

The Buffalo Sabres dropped another game last night, this time, a 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center.
It's been a tough stretch for Buffalo. The team is 0-7-2 over the last nine games and 2-11-2 since returning from a COVID-related two-week pause in mid-February. Over those last 15 games, they've been outscored 53-28.
The Sabres will face the Penguins again tomorrow night at KeyBank Center. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on MSG and WGR 550 with pregame coverage on MSG starting at 6:30.
Buffalo will practice today and we'll have full coverage for you here on Sabres.com.
Here's what you need to know.

A look back at last night

Dylan Cozens exited last night's game early after being checked into the boards in front of the penalty boxes by Zach Aston-Reese 2:27 into the third period. He had to be assisted across the ice to reach the Sabres dressing room. No penalty was assessed on the play. Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said after the game that Cozens was still being evaluated and that he did not have an update on Cozens' status.

"Looking at it now, it's a push in the numbers in a real vulnerable, dangerous spot," Krueger said. "I think it has to be a penalty. … Really difficult when you see a player exposed like that and you give them a push right in the numbers at that distance. You know the danger of that as the player. So, quite disappointed that that wasn't called at that point."
Cozens had been playing his natural position of center on a line with Sam Reinhart and Taylor Hall. With Buffalo's depth at center already being tested, losing Cozens in what was a one-goal at the time certainly hurt.

"I think it was kind of a bad hit," Victor Olofsson said. "He was in a vulnerable place and he kind of had his momentum going after he dumped the puck there towards the boards. Just gave him an extra push and I think that was really unnecessary and a dangerous play."
Buffalo also played without captain Jack Eichel, who missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Krueger said before the game that Eichel went out of state for a "deeper assessment" of the injury. Eichel is expected to be out for at least a week.
We have more in last night's Postgame Report.
Tage Thompson and Olofsson scored for Buffalo. Jonas Johansson made 22 saves on 26 shots faced.

Thompson scored on a nice wraparound move. It was his first goal since January 29, 2019 - a span of 33 NHL games for him. The length between goals was amplified by a season-ending shoulder injury during his first game with the Sabres last season on November 17, 2019.
"That's something I've been putting a lot of emphasis on, just getting pucks down low and taking pucks to the net and using my body," Thompson said.

Like we said, Buffalo was down 3-2 when Cozens was injured. Colin Miller fought Aston-Reese immediately in the aftermath of the hit, but the Penguins got the last laugh - they needed only 16 seconds once play resumed to score and make it 4-2. They added an empty netter later on to put the game on ice.
"Guys are trying but obviously it's not good enough," Krueger said. "We're measured by results and we've got to go back at it tomorrow and nobody's gonna feel sorry for us in this situation. We've just got to fight our way out of it. Nothing's coming easy, that's for sure."
Read more here.

Tickets for March 20 go on sale to general public today

The Sabres will welcome fans back to the stands for select games starting March 20. It's a 1 p.m. faceoff against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public today at 2 p.m. Click here later today to purchase your seats.
Each fan who attends a game this season will need to produce a negative molecular PCR test result from a test taken within 72 hours of the game. To help fans, the Sabres will collaborate with Quest Diagnostics to facilitate cost-efficient molecular PCR testing through QuestDirect, the company's consumer-initiated testing service.
We have more details for you here.
Additional information for fans attending Sabres games this season can be found at Sabres.com/FAQ.