MORNING SKATE LINES
Tropp-Roy-Pominville
Stafford-Ennis-Foligno
Vanek-Hodgson-Leino
McCormick-Boyes-Kaleta

LINEUP NEWS
- Tyler Myers will serve the second game of his three-game suspension
- Ryan Miller is expected to get the start in goal.
- Andrej Sekera returns after missing five games; Brayden McNabb will sit out
- Nathan Gerbe is out with an upper body injury

WHAT THEY SAID TODAY
*Lindy Ruff (listen to the full audio)
*Andrej Sekera (listen to the full audio)

TONIGHT’S GAME
SABRES at PANTHERS
-This is the fourth and final meeting between the Sabres and Panthers this season.
-Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Florida, 2-1 (OT), in Buffalo on Dec. 9.
-The Sabres are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games vs. the Panthers; 8-2-0 on the road.
-This is the 72nd game all-time between Buffalo and Florida; Buffalo leads the series with a 42-25-4 record. Buffalo is 24-10-3 at home against the Panthers all-time.

STORYLINES
- Buffalo enters the day three points out of a playoff spot after beginning the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of eighth in the Eastern Conference.
- Ryan Miller is 2-1-0 against Florida this season with a 1.33 GAA and a .951 SV%. Miller was won four of his last five games against the Panthers and is 13-8-0 against them in his career with a 2.30 GAA and a .921 SV%.
-Jason Pominville leads all Sabres with 27 points (11+16) in 26 career games against the Panthers, including five (3+2) in three games this season. Pominville has points in six straight games against the Panthers (5+6).

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Alexander Sulzer scored his second career goal (first this season) on Wednesday vs. COL… Drew Stafford has five points (1+4) in his last two games… Buffalo is 27-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 24-4-4 when scoring three or more.

ENNIS IS ON FIRE
Tyler Ennis has points in each of his last three games (3+3) and has 14 points (6+8) in his last 15 games. The Sabres are 11-1-4 when Ennis records a point this season and 38-9-8 when he tallies a point in his career. With three assists on Wednesday vs. COL, Ennis recorded his fourth career three-point game. Hehas also won 60.7% of his faceoffs since his switch back to center three games ago.

MAKING THE JUMP
Marcus Foligno recorded his first career goal on Saturday at OTT and then followed that up with his first assist on Monday vs. MTL. After a two-goal game on Wednesday vs. COL, Foligno now has four points (3+1) a plus-4 rating in three games since his recall on March 9. Prior to this recall, Foligno had only played one NHL game. In his first professional season, he has 34 points (14+20) in 55 games in the AHL.

IT’S MILLER TIME
Ryan Miller is 9-1-2 in his last 12 games with a .940 save percentage and a 1.95 goals against average, and 14-3-4 in his last 22 games with a 1.93 goals against average and a .937 save percentage.


 

LINEUP NEWS
- Tyler Myers will serve the first game of his three-game suspension
- Brayden McNabb has been recalled on an emergency basis from Rochester.
- Ryan Miller is expected to get the start in goal.
- Andrej Sekera skated today; Ruff hopes to have him back by Saturday.

WHAT THE COACH SAID TODAY
Lindy Ruff (listen to the full audio)
Were you disappointed in the number of games Tyler got?
Yeah, I was surprised, disappointed. I felt that as a first-time offender it was a little harsh.

Is inconsistency the problem with some of these (suspensions)?
I agree. I think that is. One of our players can be basically in an identical situation, and there was nothing. There’s disappointment, but we’ve gotta get by that and get ready to win a game.

What are some of things Ron Rolston has told you about McNabb since he went back down?
He’s been a good defender; and on the offensive side he’s moved the puck well for them. Basically what we saw the first time here. His confidence level was getting fairly high with us, and I thought he played well. We’re looking forward to him stepping up and playing a big game for us.

Sekera was back on the ice today – how close is he to returning?
We’re hoping by the weekend. He’s feeling better. He couldn’t do a normal workout yesterday, and he’s down some weight. We’re just trying to get him back where we’ll get some fitness into him, try and get his weight back to where it needs to be. In the next couple of days push him ahead, and hopefully get him back by Saturday.

TONIGHT’S GAME
AVALANCHE at SABRES
- First and only meeting between the Sabres and Avalanche this season.
- Last meeting: Colorado defeated Buffalo, 4-3 (OT), in Colorado on Jan. 4, 2011.
- The Sabres are 4-3-3 in their last 10 games vs. the Avalanche; 5-3-2 at home.
- This is the 133rd game all-time between Buffalo and Colorado; the Sabres are 59-50-23 against the Avalanche (36-19-10 at home).

STORYLINES
- The Sabres (7-2-1) have 15 points in their last 10 games, trailing only Dallas (19), Pittsburgh (18) and St. Louis (17) for most points in their last 10 games.
- Buffalo has won five straight at home for the first time since closing last season with wins in their last five home games. The Sabres last won six consecutive home games from Jan. 17 to Feb. 15, 2007.
- Buffalo enters the day four points out of a playoff spot after beginning the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of eighth in the Eastern Conference.
- The Sabres are 10-6-0 against the Western Conference this season, including a 3-0-0 record against the Northwest Division. The Avalanche are 11-4-0 against the Eastern Conference, and 4-0-0 against the Northeast.
- The Sabres are looking for their first win against the Avalanche since Dec. 4, 2005 (6-4 win at Colorado).

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Marcus Foligno recorded his first career goal on Saturday at OTT and then followed that up with his first assist on Monday vs. MTL… Buffalo has played a league-high 13 overtime games at home… Jason Pominville ranks fourth in the league with 42 points (16+26) in 36 home games… Buffalo is 27-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 24-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 15-5-3 with Corey Tropp in the lineup.

ENNIS IS HEATING UP
Tyler Ennis has scored a goal in each of the Sabres’ last two games and has 11 points (6+5) in his last 14 games. The Sabres are 11-1-3 when Tyler Ennis records a point this season and 38-9-7 when he tallies a point in his career. With two goals on Monday vs. MTL, Ennis recorded his third career two-goal game.

MYERS MOVES UP THE CHARTS
With his overtime goal on Monday vs. MTL, Tyler Myers broke the Sabres’ franchise record for overtime goals by a defenseman, with three. In just his third NHL season, Myers has also tied Brian Campbell and Alexei Zhitnik for fifth-most game-winning goals by a defenseman, with seven.

KILLING IT
Buffalo has killed off 20 straight penalties entering tonight .The team hasn’t allowed a power play goal since Feb. 24 vs. BOS, with Buffalo’s goaltenders turning away 24 power play shots during that stretch.

IT’S MILLER TIME
Ryan Miller is 9-1-1 in his last 11 games with a .944 save percentage and a 1.78 goals against average, and 14-3-3 in his last 21 games with a 1.84 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.

LINEUP NEWS
- Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta are both expected to play tonight
- Ryan Miller expected to get the start in goal.
- Matt Ellis out with a knee injury; Andrej Sekera has been diagnosed with pneumonia

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING
Lindy Ruff (listen to the full audio)
Thomas Vanek says he feels better – will he play tonight?
It looks like he’s ready to go so we’ll get him back in. I don’t know after three days absence how that will affect him; we’ll see.

It has to be a boost just to have Vanek available to you?
We’re getting a good player back in the lineup, so it’s definitely a positive for us.

What’s the latest on Ellis and Sekera?
Sekera has taken another turn for the worse; he hasn’t even left home yet. I think he’s been diagnosed with pneumonia. So it’s not good. With Ellis, he’s gonna be gone for a good period of time with a knee injury. I can’t put a time frame on (how long he’ll be out), but it’s not good.

TONIGHT’S GAME
CANADIENS at SABRES
-Fifth of six meetings between the Sabres and Canadiens this season.
-Last meeting: Montreal defeated Buffalo, 4-3 (SO), in Buffalo on Feb. 17.
-The teams meet next on Wednesday, March 21 in Buffalo.
-The Sabres are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games vs. the Canadiens; 6-2-2 at home.
-This is the 252nd game all-time between Buffalo and Montreal; the Sabres are 114-100-37 against the Canadiens (66-34-24 at home).

STORYLINES
- The Sabres (7-2-1) have 15 points in their last 10 games, trailing only Dallas (19), Pittsburgh (18) and St. Louis (18) for most points in their last 10 games. They have won four straight at home for the first time since closing last season with wins in their last five home games.
- Buffalo enters tonight’s game two points out of a playoff spot after beginning the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of eighth in the Eastern Conference.
- The Sabres are 10-5-4 against the Northeast Division this season, including a 3-0-1 record against the Canadiens. Buffalo has gone 6-0-1 in their last seven against the Habs, dating back to Nov. 27, 2010.
- Derek Roy has five points (1+4) against the Canadiens this season and leads all Sabres with 35 (12+23) in 45 career games against the Habs.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Buffalo is 26-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 23-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 14-5-3 with Corey Tropp in the lineup… Matt Ellis left Saturday’s game with a lower body injury… The Sabres are 10-1-3 when Tyler Ennis records a point this season and 37-9-7 when he tallies a point in his career… Marcus Foligno recorded his first career point with a goal on Saturday at OTT… Buffalo has played a league-high 12 overtime games at home… Jason Pominville ranks fourth in the league with 41 points (16+25) in 35 home games.

KILLING IT
The Sabres were only whistled for one penalty in each of their last two games, and killed off each power play attempt. Buffalo has killed off 18 straight penalties entering tonight, and the team hasn’t allowed a power play goal since Feb. 24 vs. BOS.

IT’S MILLER TIME
Ryan Miller is 8-1-1 in his last 10 games with a .945 save percentage and a 1.76 goals against average, and 13-3-3 in his last 19 games with a 1.89 goals against average and a .938 save percentage.

FINISHING STRONG AFTER THE BREAK
Buffalo is 537-400-183 (.561) all-time in games after the All-Star break. This includes a record of 86-47-21 (.627) in those games since the lockout. The Sabres are 11-5-3 (.658) since the 2012 NHL All-Star Game.

BATTLING BACK
The Sabres began the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of a playoff spot after a 7-2 loss at PHI the night before. Since then, the team has gone 8-2-2, allowing 2.00 goals per game. Only one team in NHL history has overcome a 10-point deficit this late in the season, when the New York Islanders rallied from a 10-point hole on Feb. 18, 1994 to snag eighth place in the conference.

LINEUP NEWS
- Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta will be game-time decisions
- Ryan Miller expected to get the start in goal.
- Marcus Foligno has been recalled on an emergency basis from Rochester
- Ben Bishop will get the start in goal for Ottawa; Erik Karlsson is a game-time decision

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING
Lindy Ruff (listen to the full audio)
What are you expecting from the Senators tonight?
I think they’ve been playing good hockey. They just beat the Rangers. Obviously every point is as important for them as it is for us. They beat a good hockey team last time in this building, and we’re gonna have to be on our game.

What’s different about the Sens now as compared to the start of the season?
Spezza’s had a great year for them, and Michalek too. They had a great run, followed by a six or seven game losing streak – which seems to be normal for this league. When you look at it, you point to the young defenseman having a great year, along with a couple of their key forwards up front. They’ve had exceptional years.

Marcus Foligno has been on a lot of planes lately; what can you expect from him if he plays?
If he does play, I’d like to see him be the best Foligno out there.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES at SENATORS
-This is the sixth and final meeting between the Sabres and Senators this season.
-Last meeting: Ottawa defeated Buffalo, 3-2 (SO), in Buffalo on Dec. 31.
-The Sabres are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games vs. the Senators; 5-5-0 on the road.
-This is the 112th game all-time between Buffalo and Ottawa; Buffalo leads the series with a 55-40-16 record. Buffalo is 25-21-10 on the road against the Senators all-time.

STORYLINES
-The Sabres are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, trailing only Pittsburgh and Dallas for most points among all NHL teams in their last 10 games.
-Buffalo enters tonight’s game two points out of a playoff spot after beginning the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out.
-The Sabres are 9-5-4 against the Northeast Division this season, including a 2-1-2 record against the Senators.
-Tyler Ennis has eight points (3+5) in eight career games against Ottawa, including points in each of his last four (2+3) against the Senators.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Buffalo is 26-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 22-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 13-5-3 with Corey Tropp in the lineup… Thomas Vanek left Thursday’s game with an upper body injury… The Sabres are 9-1-3 when Ennis records a point this season and 36-9-7 when he tallies a point in his career.

HOMETOWN BOY
Derek Roy, an Ottawa native, is Buffalo’s leading scorer against the Senators with 36 points (14+22) in 44 games played. Roy has tallied five points (2+3) in five games against the Sens this year, and added the game-deciding goal in the shootout when the teams met on Nov. 5.

BOSTON -- The last time Buffalo ventured into the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on November 12, they were riding a four-game winning streak and sat in fifth-place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-5-0. Things were much different when they boarded a plane for Montreal after that game.

The Bruins had rocked the Sabres with a 6-2 loss, and a controversial hit delivered by Boston’s Milan Lucic left goaltender Ryan Miller with a concussion that caused him to miss eight games.

The Sabres are 21-23-8 since that night, but a recent run of 7-1-2 in their past 10 games has vaulted them to within two points of the final playoff spot in the East.

Miller has been a huge reason for the team’s recent success. Questions regarding his health have disappeared during a stretch that has seen him make 10 straight starts while playing in 21 consecutive games. (Miller’s only non-start during this streak was a relief appearance during a 7-2 loss in Philadelphia on February 16.) It’s been 50 days since Miller last watched an entire game from the bench – January 18 in Chicago.

The NHL’s reigning First Star of the week is 7-1-1 in his last nine games with a .949 save percentage and a 1.65 goals against average; and 12-3-3 in his last 18 games with a 1.84 GAA and a .939 save %.

These stellar numbers have left head coach Lindy Ruff with an interesting dilemma as they return to the scene of the November crime. Does he start Miller for the 11th straight game, in front of what will likely be a raucous Boston crowd? Or does he give him a break and opt for Jhonas Enroth, who is 0-1-2 with a 2.68 GAA in four career games against the Bruins? (As a comparison: Miller is 22-6-7 in 35 career games versus Boston, with a 2.53 GAA and .917 save %)

Ruff wasn’t available to the media today as the Sabres held an optional morning skate following last night’s 3-2 overtime win over Carolina. (This is Buffalo’s fifth game in eight days, and second of a stretch that has them playing three in four.) But even if Ruff was to talk to the media this morning, the chances of him revealing his starting goaltender on a game day are about as good as me choosing a vacation in Winnipeg over a trip to Disney World.

Following last night’s game, Miller downplayed the reaction to his comments to reporters after Monday’s 3-1 loss in Winnipeg. “As you can tell, I’m tired from this trip,” Miller said while standing in front of stall at the MTS Centre. “I can barely talk right now.”

Miller said those words were spoken in the moment, and don’t reflect his current state of mind.

“I’m fine. We’ll see how everything plays out here. Lindy will want to get a plan together. I’ll get as much rest as possible. If they need me to play, I’ll play. We’ll go from there,” Miller explained. “I think this all kind of spun out of me saying I was exhausted or something like that. It was three in four at the tail end of a road trip where we played four games, so I was commenting on that. We had a chance to travel without any practice and get some rest.

“We do this for a living; we’ve done this a lot. I sat on the couch for I don’t know how many hours, just putting food in my mouth and watching mindless television. That usually does the trick.”

---

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES at BRUINS
-Fifth of six meetings between the Sabres and Bruins this season.
-Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Boston, 2-1, in Buffalo on Feb. 24.
-The teams meet next on Saturday, Apr. 7 in Boston for the last game of the season.
-The Sabres are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games vs. the Bruins; 4-5-1 on the road.
-This is the 262nd game all-time between Buffalo and Boston; Buffalo leads the series with a 114-108-39 record; Buffalo is 44-67-18 all-time against the Bruins on the road.

STORYLINES
-The Sabres are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, tying Pittsburgh (8-2-0) and Dallas (7-1-2) for most points among all NHL teams in their last 10 games.
-Buffalo enters tonight’s game two points out of a playoff spot after beginning the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out.
-The Sabres are 9-4-4 against the Northeast Division this season, including a 2-1-1 record against the Bruins.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Buffalo has faced Boston more than any other team in franchise history, with 261 games played between the two clubs… Buffalo is 26-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 22-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 13-4-3 with Corey Tropp in the lineup.

LET'S PLAY TWO
Tonight’s game wraps up Buffalo’s 19th of a league-high 21 sets of back-to-back games this season after last night’s 3-2 overtime win vs. CAR. The Sabres are 12-7-0 in the first game and 6-7-5 in the second. Buffalo’s points breakdown in back-to-back sets is as follows: four points (3), three points (2), two points (9), one point (3) and zero points (1).

Lindy Ruff may jumble his offensive lines before tonight’s game, but he’s sticking with the hot hand in goal.
 
Ryan Miller will make his ninth straight start in goal tonight when the Buffalo Sabres host the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m. at First Niagara Center. Miller has appeared in the Sabres’ last 20 games and is 11-3-3 in his last 18 with a 1.78 goals against average and a .942 save percentage. In his last eight games, he’s 6-1-1 with a 1.60 goals against average and a .952 save percentage.
 
With all of that work from Miller, backup Jhonas Enroth has been relegated to the bench. He’s made only two starts since Jan. 18 but the Sabres have five games in the next eight days. After tonight’s game they’ll travel to Boston for a game against the Bruins tomorrow night. Ruff said that Enroth would start one of the upcoming games during this busy stretch.
 
“We put a plan in place and again, [Miller’s] going to need a game [off] here or there,” Ruff said. “The schedule’s been demanding but the fact that we took a couple days on the road trip in between where we didn’t put the equipment on, in talking to him this morning, he felt a lot fresher. We’ve got some back-to-back games that Jhonas will have to play.”
 

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Vanek

Roy

Pominville

Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy and Jason Pominville were together on a line during today’s morning skate. The trio has combined for 13 shots and a -10 in their last three games with no points between them. Ruff had hinted earlier that he may break the line up and that may still be the case heading into tonight.
 
“I’m still chewing on that one. I’ve talked to the players, talked to individuals on that line. Sometimes it’s something they’ve got to work their way through,” Ruff said. “It’s really the first tough segment those guys have gone through in Pommer and Van’s case. But we’ve been going well as a team and I may make an adjustment before the game; I may not.”
 
Vanek said that getting back on track starts in practice and thought he had a good skate this morning.
 
“It’s just one of those things where we’re not getting it done, myself included,” Vanek said. “As I said the other day, it’s a game of confidence and when it’s not there you need to start to play a little simpler. That’s what I’m trying to do right now.”
 
One line that has been clicking for the Sabres has been that of Tyler Ennis, Cody Hodgson and Drew Stafford.
 
“I thought that line had some good chemistry,” Ruff said. “Maybe not the best game in Winnipeg but I thought the two games before that, they really played well.”
 
Ennis moved from the center position to the left wing upon Hodgson’s arrival at the trade deadline. Their line created many scoring opportunities on the road trip and scored goals in San Jose and Vancouver. Ennis said that he’s had a good transition moving back to the wing and that he’s enjoyed playing with Hodgson.
 
“I love it. He’s a really good, well-rounded player,” Ennis said. “He does it all. He’s smart. He understands the game which pretty fun to play with.”

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Hodgson

Hodgson he will make his Sabres’ home debut in his first career game at First Niagara Center.
 
“I don’t have too much expectations but I’m looking forward to it,” Hodgson said. “I’ve never played in this rink but I’ve heard real good things. It’s loud and exciting with a lot of passionate.”
 

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Lines from today’s practice:
 
Vanek – Roy – Pominville
Ennis – Hodgson – Stafford
Nathan Gerbe – Ville Leino – Patrick Kaleta
Matt Ellis – Brad Boyes – Corey Tropp
 
Christian Ehrhoff – Mike Weber
Jordan Leopold – Tyler Myers
Robyn Regehr – Andrej Sekera
 
Forward Cody McCormick and defenseman Alexander Sulzer also skated.
 

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This is the fourth and final meeting between the Sabres and Hurricanes this season. The Sabres are 1-2 against Carolina this season and 4-4-2 in their last 10 meetings.  Buffalo has won its last three home games and has points in its last four at home (3-0-1).

For that stretch to continue, Ruff said that his team will have to shut down the Hurricanes’ top weapons. Captain Eric Staal leads the Hurricanes with 19 goals and 59 points. Brandon Sutter had a goal and assist in the team’s last game and reigning Calder Trophy Winner Jeff Skinner has five points in his last five games (1+4).
 
“I think they’ve got four or five guys on the offensive side of it who are dangerous,” Ruff said. “Last time when we played them in our building here earlier in the year, we gave them a lot of odd-numbered situations. Some of them were shorthanded.  We’ve got to stay away from those types of opportunities.”

LINEUP NEWS
- Ryan Miller will get the start in goal.
- Robyn Regehr expects to back in lineup after missing Saturday's game in Vancouver with lower body injury.
- Marcus Foligno has been recalled on an emergency basis from the AHL's Rochester Americans.

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING
Lindy Ruff (listen to the full audio)
Are these the kind of big games you live for as a coach?
We’ve been living for every game. It started in Anaheim. We treated that as a game that we wanted to get this trip off to a great start. We tried to follow that up in San Jose, and knew we were in for a real tough one in Vancouver. This team here has been one of the better home teams; they’ve really played well in this building. We’re gonna have to play well, execute and make big plays.

Robyn Regehr said he’s ready to play – will he play?
What, and break up a winning lineup? We’ll make that a game day decision. He’s doing good. I thought he looked good out there at the morning skate.

Marcus Foligno has been recalled?
Yeah. We’ve got a couple of guys up front that we want to be sure of, and we don’t want to get caught.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES at JETS
- This is the fourth and final meeting between the Sabres and Jets this season.
- Last meeting: Winnipeg defeated Buffalo, 4-1, in Winnipeg on Jan. 19.
- Sabres are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games vs. the Jets; 2-3-5 on the road.
- 48th game all-time between Buffalo and Winnipeg; Buffalo leads the series with a 21-15-11 record.
- Sabres are 7-9-7 all-time on the road against Winnipeg.

STORYLINES
- Buffalo has points in eight consecutive games (6-0-2) for the first time since going 8-0-3 in 11 games from Dec. 26, 2009 to Jan. 18, 2010.
- The Sabres have has won their last three on the road and will look to win four straight road games for the first time since winning the first four road games of the season (Oct. 8-20). They haven’t won more than four in a row on the road since winning their first 10 road games of the 2006-07 season.
- A regulation win tonight would put the Sabres in playoff position for the first time since Dec. 19 (77 days ago). Buffalo’s largest point deficit from eighth place this season was 10 points. The Sabres were last 10 points out of playoff position on Feb. 16, just 18 days ago.
- The Sabres are looking for their first win in the city of Winnipeg since Feb. 10, 1993.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Buffalo is 25-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 21-4-3 when scoring three or more... Buffalo has scored first in their last nine games, going 6-1-2… The Sabres are 12-3-3 with Corey Tropp in the lineup… With 32 points (12+20) in 26 career games against Winnipeg, Derek Roy has more points against the Jets than any other non-divisional opponent.

IT’S MILLER TIME
Ryan Miller was named the NHL's First Star of the week after going 3-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and .974 save %. He started the week with back-to-back road shutouts against Anaheim and San Jose. Miller is 6-0-1 in his last seven games with a .958 % and a 1.40 GAA; and 11-2-3 in his last 17 games with a 1.70 GAA and a .944 save %. Over his last three games, Miller made 106 consecutive saves without allowing a goal before finally being beaten in the second period on Saturday. The goal snapped his shutout streak at 155:37, just 5:59 short of his career-best.

TYLER’S ON A TEAR
Tyler Ennis has eight points (3+5) in his last nine games and is currently on a career-best five-game point streak (1+4). The Sabres are 9-1-3 when Ennis records a point this season and 36-9-7 when he tallies a point in his career. The team is 18-8-5 this season with Ennis in the lineup.

LINEUP NEWS
- Ryan Miller is expected to get the start in goal.
- Robyn Regehr will not play (lower body); Alexander Sulzer will take his place.
- Marcus Foligno has been recalled from Rochester

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING
Lindy Ruff
What’s the latest on Robyn Regehr?
He’s just day-to-day. He was evaluated, and rode the bike today. We’ll see where it goes tomorrow.

What has Cody Hodgson brought to your team?
His line has really played well. They scored the only goal in San Jose, and I thought they were in on four or five really good opportunities. He’s had a couple of great opportunities himself. He’s played well for us. We’re looking for offense out of him. The chances have been there, but he hasn’t finished.

Cody Hodgson
How does it feel to be back in Vancouver?
It’s weird, a different feel. It’s like being a guest at home. It’s just different, but I’ll be used to it by the time I get on the ice tonight.

How did your first two games go?
It’s been good. Obviously we won two games, and that’s a plus. Hopefully we can keep it going.

We all know hockey is hockey, but how are you mentally with the move?
Obviously I was shocked initially. But the more you think about it, it’s just a hockey trade. They got some good players, and they’re helping them win. Hopefully I can do the same thing in Buffalo, that’s all I’m focused on.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES at CANUCKS
-Only meeting of the season between the Sabres and Canucks.
-Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Vancouver 4-3 (OT) on Nov.15, 2010.
-The Sabres are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games vs. Canucks; 3-6-1 on the road.
-110th all-time game between BUF and VAN; series is even 45-45-19 (all ties)
-Buffalo is 16-27-11 all-time in Vancouver.

STORYLINES
-Buffalo has earned points in a season-high seven consecutive games (5-0-2) entering tonight’s game. This is the first time they’ve picked up points in seven straight games since Feb. 23-Mar.6/11. The last time Buffalo collected points in eight or more games was Dec. 26/09-Jan. 18/10 when they went 8-0-3 through 11 games,
-Ryan Miller is 5-0-1 in his last six games with a .966 save percentage and a 1.14 GAA.
-Miller has recorded back-to-back shutouts, and has not allowed a goal in 120:00. His career shutout streak high is 161:35, set from Nov.27/10-Dec. 7/10. 
-The Sabres are 0-5-1 in their last six games in Vancouver, with their last win coming on Feb. 28, 1999. The six games are the most they’ve gone without a road win against any team in the NHL.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Sabres are 9-6-0 against the West, and 2-0-0 against Northwest Division teams this season… Vancouver is 6-0-0 against Northeast teams this season… Tyler Ennis has seven points in his last eight games, and is currently on a four-game assist streak... The Sabres are 8-1-3 when Ennis records a point; 35-9-7 in his career.

SAN JOSE, Calif. --- It was after 2 a.m. local time when the Buffalo Sabres finally arrived at their hotel in downtown San Jose on Thursday, so there was no morning skate for the team today in advance of tonight’s contest with the Sharks at HP Pavilion. Game time is 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff will hold his game-day media availability about two hours before the game. Check back to Sabres.com for later for audio of his press conference along with any lineup news.

A curfew at San Jose International Airport prevents flights from taking off or landing after 11 p.m., so the Sabres actually flew 40 miles further north to Oakland, and followed that up with a 45-minute bus ride back down I-880 to their final destination. It will be more of the same following tonight’s game, with the Sabres not expected to arrive in Vancouver until sometime in the range of 2 a.m.

Of course, more time on the bus after games also allows for more of the most unpredictable conversations you’ll ever have. Last night’s ride featured a lot of pro wrestling talk, as broadcast producer Joe Pinter challenged anyone to name a wrestler so he could dazzle us with random facts about them. And if you think Brian Duff is a walking encyclopedia of NHL facts, you’ll be surprised to know he’s well versed in wrestling lore too, even dropping an Iron Mike Sharpe reference on the group. I also learned something when Kevin Sylvester chimed in with the news that the legendary Adrian Adonis was from Kenmore, NY. A quick check of Wikipedia also taught me that Adonis was killed in a car accident in Newfoundland while swerving to avoid a moose.

But I digress.

The Sabres (28-27-8, 64 points) come into tonight’s game on a 4-0-2 roll, and are trying to earn points in seven consecutive games for the first time this season. They are five points behind eight-place Washington for the final playoff spot in the East, and win tonight would move them into 10th spot – leapfrogging over the idle Maple Leafs and Lightning. The Winnipeg Jets hold down ninth-place in the East, and they could overtake Washington tonight with a win in Florida. The Capitals don’t play again until Friday when the host the New Jersey Devils.

The Sharks (33-22-7, 73 points) are two points behind the Pacific Division-leading Phoenix Coyotes, with one game in hand. San Jose defeated Philadelphia 1-0 on Tuesday, and they are looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since February 2. Tuesday’s game was San Jose’s first at home after a 17-day road trip that saw them stumble to a 2-6-1 mark, and drop them out of first place in the Pacific.

Head coach Todd McLellan is suffering from concussion-like symptoms, and will not be behind the Sharks bench for the second straight game after being struck in the head by an opposing player's stick during Saturday’s game in Minnesota. Jamie McGinn and Minnesota’s Marco Scandella were involved in a play along the boards in front of the Sharks bench when Scandella’s stick came around and “tomahawked” McLellan in the head. He eventually made his way to the Sharks’ locker room under his own power after appearing to collapse behind the bench.

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TODAY’S GAME
SABRES at SHARKS
-Only meeting of the season between the Sabres and Sharks.
-When we last met: Buffalo defeated San Jose, 3-0, in San Jose on Jan. 6, 2011.
-The Sabres are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games vs. the Sharks; 2-4-4 on the road.

STORYLINES
-Buffalo has earned points in six consecutive games (4-0-2) entering tonight’s game, tying the season-high set between Jan. 24 and Feb. 10 (5-0-1). The Sabres last had points in seven straight from Feb. 23 to March 6 last season, when they went 5-0-2.
-Ryan Miller is 4-0-1 in his last five games with a .957 save percentage and a 1.36 goals against average. Miller set a regular season franchise record for most saves in a shutout with 43 saves last night at ANA, topping Dominik Hasek’s 42 saves in a 1-0 win vs. MTL on Dec. 19, 1997.
-With Cody Hodgson’s debut last night, Buffalo has dressed 33 players (30 skaters, 3 goaltenders) this season. It is their highest total since they had the same number in 2003-04. The Sabres have also dressed nine rookies for the first time since 2006-07.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Sabres are 4-1-0 against Pacific division teams this season… Buffalo is 24-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 20-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 16-8-5 with Tyler Ennis in the lineup this season and 7-1-3 when he records a point (34-9-7 in his career)…Buffalo has scored first in their last seven games, going 4-1-2.

TONIGHT’S LINES
Vanek-Roy-Pominville
Stafford-Hodgson-Ennis
Gerbe-Leino-Kaleta
Ellis-Boyes-Tropp

LINEUP NEWS
- Cody Hodgson will make his Sabres debut centering Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis.
- Ville Leino moves back to center between Nathan Gerbe and Patrick Kaleta.
- Ryan Miller is expected to get the start in goal.

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING
Lindy Ruff (click to hear full audio)
How much thought went into your lines, specifically moving Ennis back to the wing?
There’s nothing etched in stone with those lines. We didn’t get a chance to practice them so we really don’t know what they’re going to look like. We can easily take a look at different lines, even during the game. It’s something when you bring players in, it’s always a little bit disruptive because some guys are getting moved out of their spots. With Gaus going out, somebody has to go in that spot. A lot of times it takes a bit of time.

Cody Hodgson (click to hear full audio)
What are your thoughts on being a Buffalo Sabre?
I’m excited. It’s a good group of guys – they’re younger, a lot of offensively-skilled players, steady d-corps, and great goaltending. Hopefully I’ll be able to fit in.

What was your initial reaction to the trade, and where are you at with it now?
I didn’t know what to think. I’m excited, I’m looking forward to it. Like I said, it’s a good group of guys and hopefully I can fit in and do well. I’m interested in helping the team get into the playoff picture.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES at DUCKS
-This is the second of two meetings between the Sabres and Ducks this season.
-Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Anaheim, 4-1, in Helsinki, Finland to open the regular season on Oct. 7.
-The Sabres are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games vs. the Ducks; 6-4-0 on the road.
-This is the 26th game all-time between Buffalo and Anaheim; Buffalo leads the series with a 14-8-3 record.

STORYLINES
-Buffalo has gotten points in five or more consecutive games for the second time this season (3-0-2) entering tonight’s game. A win or overtime loss would extend the streak to six, tying the season-high set between Jan. 24 and Feb. 10 (5-0-1).
-The Sabres, who have lost their last three road meetings with the Ducks, are looking for their first win in Anaheim since a 5-2 victory on Oct. 34, 2003. Prior to those losses, Buffalo had won five straight in Anaheim.
-Ryan Miller is 3-0-1 in his last four games with a .942 save percentage and a 1.69 goals against average.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Sabres are 3-1-0 against Pacific division teams this season… Christian Ehrhoff leads all Sabres with 19 points (5+14) against Anaheim; it is his highest total against any team… Buffalo is 23-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 20-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 15-8-5 with Tyler Ennis in the lineup this season and 6-1-3 when he records a point (33-9-7 in his career)… Buffalo is 2-3-0 all time on Feb. 29.