Sabres At Hurricanes: Game Day Preview

by Bob Wage on Jan 6, 2012 2:57 PM EST in Carolina Hurricanes Game Day Previews

The Buffalo Sabres, (18-17-4) and many of their followers are in town to do battle with the Carolina Hurricanes, (13-21-7) tonight at the RBC. The Hurricanes have a 4-3-3 record in their last 10 games while the Sabres are 3-5-2.

As Carolyn mentioned yesterday, the Carolina coaching staff has mixed up the lines a bit in a quest to find a bonafide number one line. Will they find one in Eric Staal, Tuomo Ruutu, and Jussi Jokinen?

Brett Sutter has been recalled from Charlotte and will center the fourth line in this one. Patrick Dwyer is close to being ready to return to the ice, but he will not play tonight. Jeff Skinner is skating with a yellow jersey but there is no timetable for his return.

Look for Cam Ward to start in net and he'll be facing Ryan Miller, who is just four wins shy of a Buffalo franchise record. Some are asking what is wrong with Miller this year, but few have called out Ward, who is having a less than stellar season himself.

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Cam Ward	35	2012	13	15		108	3.22	1046	938	.897	1

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Ryan Miller	23	1278	10	10		65	3.05	652	587	.900	1

The Sabres will be trying to put together two wins in a row for the first time in 24 games. Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek lead Buffalo in scoring.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Jason Pominville	39	13	27	40	-4	8	5	1	3		110

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Thomas Vanek	39	18	21	39	1	34	8	0	4		115

According to the Buffalo News, their lines should be as follows:

Vanek, Hecht, Pominville
Gerbe, Roy, Stafford
Kassian, Adam, McCormick
Kaleta, Gaustad, Ellis
Ennis, McNabb
Regehr, Leopold
Weber, Gragnani

The Hurricanes will be starting the eighth back-to-back set out of 16 for them this season. Tomorrow night they play in Nashville.

Drayson Bowman has a team leading three game point streak. Jay Harrison has points in two straight.

The clubs have met twice so far this season and have a split decision with each of them winning once.

The game will not be televised locally. We will have our Open Game Thread and Live Blog with Brian and me reporting from ~~skid~~ press row starting close to 6:30.

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Thank You Bob

looks like this might be a good game tonight and seeing how the lines were posted earlier..should prove to be Interesting or uber fustrating for The Caniac Nation..see ya in a couple of hours..!! as The Canes & Chiefs are both playing wooo hooo !!

9/11/01 - Never Forget !!
Long Live #63 The Condor
Go Canes & Checkers !!!

by CaniacSteve on Jan 6, 2012 4:49 PM EST reply actions

Quote from Canes Now

“But Jokinen is happy to be back on the wing, happy to be on a line with Eric Staal and Tuomo Ruutu. He’s happy to be away from what he has called his “least-favorite position” at center.’’

I think he’s enough of a pro that he wouldn’t let playing at his “least favorite position” affect his effort, but it can’t hurt to have him where he is more comfortable. I like Muller’s idea that these three should be the players hauling the mail. All three are veteran players who have the ability to score and be difference makers. They are the top 3 on the team when you combine experience with scoring ability. That 4th line will be interesting to watch tonight. Sutter42 should provide enough hustle to keep some pucks alive in the offensive zone, and Nodl ( I guess the Noodle thing didn’t work) and Beef Stew should get a few looks at the net. If only the two wingers could get a center with a name that resemble a food, we could have a dinner line or something like that!

by Hockeydog on Jan 6, 2012 5:17 PM EST reply actions