Flames vs Sabres Preview

The Calgary Flames have had two days off, their last game a 3-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night, and now they're back in Calgary to face the last-place Buffalo Sabres. Thrill of a lifetime!

The Sabres are 3-7-0 in their last ten while Calgary is 5-5-0, enjoying a moderately badly-timed hot streak from Cammalleri as well as some great play by Joni Ortio and Mikael Backlund, among others. It's going to be a battle for draft order and Buffalo has a pretty great hold on theirs.

Season series

The Sabres and the Flames met once in December, when Matt Stajan scored an overtime goal to win it for the Flames. Tonight will be their final matchup for the season.

Projected lineups

Joni Ortio is back in net again for Calgary, and it's likely that with the injuries to Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth, young goalie Nathan Lieuwen could get his first NHL start tonight for Buffalo. Matt Stajan returns to the Flames lineup after missing a handful of games.

Ken Agostino, who signed to a 2-year contract yesterday, will not be in the lineup tonight.

Agostino on the ice this morning for the #Flames, but won't play tonight. Could make NHL debut on Friday.

— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) March 18, 2014

Buffalo

Cory Conacher - Tyler Ennis - Drew Stafford
Marcus Foligno - Cody Hodgson - Brian Flynn
Nicolas Deslauriers - Ville Leino - Matt D`Agostini
John Scott - Zenon Konopka - Matt Ellis

Chad Ruhwedel - Christian Ehrhoff
Rasmus Ristolainen - Henrik Tallinder
Jamie McBain - Mike Weber

Nathan Lieuwen

Calgary

Lance Bouma - Mikael Backlund - Paul Byron
Mike Cammalleri - Sean Monahan - Joe Colborne
Curtis Glencross - Matt Stajan - Brian McGrattan
Ben Hanowski - T.J. Galiardi - Kevin Westgarth

Mark Giordano - TJ Brodie
Ladislav Smid - Tyler Wotherspoon
Kris Russell - Chris Butler

Joni Ortio
Joey MacDonald

Puck drop

7:00 PM MT on Sportsnet Calgary and on radio on Sportsnet FAN 960.

Check out Die By The Blade for more on the Sabres, and make sure you read Kevin's 5 questions with DBTB's Andrew Boron before the game!