:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4409032/129237379.jpg)
The Buffalo Sabres, (11-7-0) invade the RBC Center tonight to do battle with the Carolina Hurricanes, (6-10-3) in the second matchup of the season between these two clubs. Carolina won the first contest, 4-3 in Buffalo on October 14.
In case you missed it, the Hurricanes are coming off a debacle of a performance on Wednesday night in Montreal, where they were whitewashed, 4-0. The team has now lost six of their last seven and 10 of their last 13 games.
Everyone is reading from the same script on Edwards Mill Road though, as players are sticking together, saying the right things, and vow to try harder as a team. But fans want to know, will those words actually translate to better on ice performance?
The coaching staff has gone back to another line re-shuffle. Anthony Stewart, who had been healthy scratched the past two games, will be promoted to the Eric Staal line and apparently will be the captain's wingman along with Chad LaRose.
There was no morning skate today, but according to Chip Alexander's tweets from practice yesterday, the lines were as follows:
- Stewart, Staal, LaRose
- Skinner, Jokinen, Ruutu
- Dwyer, Sutter, Ponikarovsky
- Boychuk, Brent, Tlusty
Justin Faulk was just recalled yesterday and could play tonight. The defensive pairings have not been confirmed.
Cam Ward will be in net and will probably face Jhonas Enroth, who is filling in for an injured Ryan Miller, a victim of a run over by Milan Lucic earlier in the week. UPDATE: Sorry, Brian Boucher got the surprise start.
Buffalo is led in scoring by Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville with 23 and 22 points respectively.
For more Sabres info, check out Die By The Blade.
The Canes will be back in black tonight, looking to change their recent fortunes. The game starts at 7. It will be televised locally by FS Carolinas and on 99.9 The Fan. We will have our open game thread up and running at 6:30.