The Ottawa Senators host the Buffalo Sabres Friday night in what will be the home team's final pre-season game before next Wednesday, when the puck drops for real.

Mark Stone skated this morning on his presumptive line alongside Kyle Turris and Mike Hoffman, while Ryan Dzingle skated with Derick Brassard and Bobby Ryan. Zack Smith should also return tonight and practiced with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Tom Pyatt while the fourth line was Chris Neil, Chris Kelly and Phil Varone.

One of those players will join Matt Puempel and the still recovering from Mono Curtis Lazar on the sidelines as the Senators will once again dress 7 defensemen, according to Guy Boucher.

Thomas Chabot will get a long look as the staff doesn't seem to be worried about his ability to play with some offense, but they want to make sure he can defend at an NHL level before committing any regular season playing time to the 19 year old blueliner.


Assuming Stone gets his final clearance to play, it will be instrumental in him getting some timing back and also his first chance to play in Boucher's system before the games count. Stone is the Senators' best forward and will provide some stability to a team that has looked good at times, and atrocious at times so far this pre-season.

With pretty much all hands on deck for this one, I thin the Senators will be looking to play more of a complete game, avoiding the massive let-downs that have plagued them so far over the last few games and dating back to the previous regimes.

Again, the results don't matter all that much but now is the time where the process does matter. The Senators should be in the thick of the playoff race, but they can ill afford to get off to a slow start and have to make up ground as the season goes. This is the final dress rehersal and the most complete NHL lineup they have iced so far, a situation that begs for their most complete effort.

It is also the Sabres last pre-season game, and they will feature the likes of Jack Eichel, Evander Kane and Sam Reinhart in their lineup, and former Senator Robin Lehner will be the Sabres' starter between the pipes.

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