GDT: #11 – Bruins at Sabres – Thu Oct 30, 7:00PM ET – MSG-B, BELL TV – WGR

[Woodhouse]

BOS (5-6-0) at BUF (2-8-0) – THU OCT 30, 7:00PM ET – MSG-B, BELL TV – WGR – CHAT

Gameday Headlines

Game Preview: 10/30/14 vs. BOS – Ian Ott, Sabres PR

Sabres back home to face injury-plagued Bruins – John Manasso, NHL.com

Bruins-Sabres Preview – STATS Writer, AP

Hapless Sabres searching for answers with season unravelling – Bill Hoppe, OTH

Morning Skate update – Chris Ryndak, Sabres.com

Previous Headlines

Leafs send Sabres to embarrassing loss – Bill Hoppe, OTH

Sabres offense stymied in Toronto – Chris Ryndak, Sabres.com

Sabres fall meekly in Toronto – John Vogl, TBN

Bruins silenced in loss to Wild – Amalie Benjamin, Boston Globe

Griffith looks like good fit for Bruins – Amalie Benjamin, Boston Globe

Krug’s injury adds to Bruins’ problems – Fluto Shinzawa, Boston Globe

Frustrated Nolan puts reeling Sabres through long practice – Bill Hoppe, OTH

Sabres’ Hodgson close to being scratched – Bill Hoppe, OTH

Nolan pushes players in practice on Wednesday – Chris Ryndak, Sabres.com​

BUFFALO SABRES

Projected Lineup

26 Matt Moulson – 63 Tyler Ennis – 21 Drew Stafford
17 Torrey Mitchell – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 12 Brian Gionta
82 Marcus Foligno – 8 Cody McCormick – 80 Chris Stewart
44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 23 Sam Reinhart – 19 Cody Hodgson
x: 65 Brian Flynn

4 Josh Gorges – 57 Tyler Myers
61 Andre Benoit – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
6 Mike Weber – 24 Tyson Strachan
x: 41 Andrej Meszaros, 51 Nikita Zadorov

1 Jhonas Enroth
34 Michal Neuvirth

Lineup News & Notes

Matt Hackett (knee) and Patrick Kaleta (face) remain on injured reserve, but Kaleta begun taking
contact in Monday's practice, while still donning a full-face shield, and Hackett practiced for the
first time on Wednesday.

According to the Stats

Buffalo's ten goals are tied for the fourth-fewest through the first ten games in NHL history, and
fewest since Chicago scored that many in 1936-37.​

BOSTON BRUINS

Projected Lineup

17 Milan Lucic – 46 David Krejci – 53 Seth Griffith
23 Chris Kelly – 37 Patrice Bergeron – 12 Simon Gagne
63 Brad Marchand – 34 Carl Soderberg – 21 Loui Eriksson
20 Daniel Paille – 11 Gregory Campbell – 18 Reilly Smith
x: 25 Matt Fraser, 51 Ryan Spooner

44 Dennis Seidenberg – 27 Dougie Hamilton
45 Joe Morrow – 54 Adam McQuaid
79 David Warsofsky – 62 Zach Trotman
x: 43 Matt Bartkowski

72 Niklas Svedberg
40 Tuukka Rask

Lineup News & Notes

Boston's injury list includes Zdeno Chara (knee), Torey Krug (finger), Kevan Miller (shoulder), and
Marc Savard (concussion, LTIR).

According to the Stats

With Zdeno Chara out, Dougie Hamilton logged a career-high 28:32 in ice time Tuesday.​

NHL VIDEOCENTER

Buffalo Sabres (for the latest videos, visit what's new)

[NHL]657320[/NHL]

[NHL]657326[/NHL]

Boston Bruins (for the latest videos, visit what's new)

[NHL]657394[/NHL]​

Click to read more...

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Looking at Boston's full roster they don't seem to be as scary a beast as they've been the last 3 years or so. Their bottom half is very average.

Having said that, I don't see a win in our near future. 3-1 Boston.

 

[Woodhouse]

Three injuries on the Bruins blue line?! Eh, I might reconsider that shutout Survivor pick.

***

Morning Skate
October 30, 2014 at 10:30 am – 11:30 am
First Niagara Center

Tim Murray on WGR 550
October 30, 2014 at 5:05 pm

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

2 things about that sabres in 90

1) its longer than 90 secs
2) that Ennis drop pass, oh lord

 

[Wisent42]

I've seen Boston play a couple of times this year. They don't seem as scary as before. And they seem to have folded in a couple of games. They're on their way down. But we're not moving up so still a win for the Bruins.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Which one scores on his birthday?

@BuffaloSabres

Happy birthday to 3 #Sabres today! @Cstew_80, Drew Stafford & @tstracks! #BirthdayHatTrick

 

[Moncton man]

It's the Bruins, missing Chara and Boychuk, it might be a bit easier, but still the way the Sabres "performed" in their last game... I don't see a Buffalo win.

 

[SabresFan26]

Bruins D is weak. Forwards are still a great core and Rask is a top notch goaltender.

 

[Zip15]

They seem to play harder against Boston. Still, I don't see a win. 3-1, Bruins (we scored!).

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

3-0 l

 

[StlSwedes]

Morale is low.

 

[tsujimoto74]

So Nolan demoted Hodgson and Reinhart still can't get top 9 minutes? lol. On the plus side, Hodgson will be easily the most skilled winger he's had to play with so far.

 

[Sabretooth]

At least they kept Des with Reinhart. They've at least shown a little bit of chemistry. Good things could happen swapping out Cody for Cody, depending on the minutes they actually get.

 

[Clock]

I'm gonna stick with cheering for two goals.

 

[Tapu Coco]

I want to see a win today. Hopefully that long practice has some sort of positive effect on them

I've seen Boston play a couple of times this year. They don't seem as scary as before. And they seem to have folded in a couple of games. They're on their way down.

Something I love seeing

 

[26CornerBlitz]

I've seen Boston play a couple of times this year. They don't seem as scary as before. And they seem to have folded in a couple of games. They're on their way down. But we're not moving up so still a win for the Bruins.

Bet they'd love a do over on the Seguin deal.

 

[Paxon]

So Nolan demoted Hodgson and Reinhart still can't get top 9 minutes? lol. On the plus side, Hodgson will be easily the most skilled winger he's had to play with so far.

That 4th line should get as much ice time as or more than the third line.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@JoeYerdon

Ted Nolan said one of Strachan or Zadorov will be in tonight. #Sabres

Why not both?

 

[1972]

That 4th line should get as much ice time as or more than the third line.

what's funny is Nolan probably thinks he is demoting Hodgson and Hodgson probably is ecstatic he finally gets to play with someone that can actually pass the puck.

 

[Woodhouse]

Bill Hoppe @BillHoppeNHL 27m
#Sabres will make a change on D tonight. Nolan wouldn't say who's in/out.

Amalie Benjamin @AmalieBenjamin 17m
Niklas Svedberg in goal tonight. Claude probably felt bad that he wouldn't give up any info about lines or pairings.

Amalie Benjamin @AmalieBenjamin 13m
Brad Marchand will be a game-time decision, per Claude Julien.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Bill Hoppe @BillHoppeNHL 27m
#Sabres will make a change on D tonight. Nolan wouldn't say who's in/out.

Amalie Benjamin @AmalieBenjamin 17m
Niklas Svedberg in goal tonight. Claude probably felt bad that he wouldn't give up any info about lines or pairings.

Amalie Benjamin @AmalieBenjamin 13m
Brad Marchand will be a game-time decision, per Claude Julien.

Hope it's Zadorov in for Benoit. Looking at what Nolan's done so far with the younger guys, though, it's probably more likely he scratched Ristolainen for Strachan.

 

[mikemcburn]

what's funny is Nolan probably thinks he is demoting Hodgson and Hodgson probably is ecstatic he finally gets to play with someone that can actually pass the puck.

Answering a media question yesterday, Hodgson said something to affect of it (being on the 4th line) not mattering to him because he just wants to help the team (ie: whatever he's asked to do he'll try to do), though of course only the "it doesn't matter" part made the tweet rounds for the drama effect, lol.

Anyway, shortly after Nolan came in last season and decided Ennis was his guy, Hodgson's wing mates were rotated in and out so frequently that he ended up playing with just about everyone it seemed, and for part of that stretch I believe Deslauriers was deemed to qualify as a 2nd liner?

Pretty sure, anyway, that Hodgson-Deslauriers had a stretch last season. Forget whoever was their 3rd mate, but I'd bet on Reinhart being a genuine upgrade.

According to ice times, the last couple games Girgensons et. al. were the 1st line while the other three were roughly equitable. Unless Nolan has predetermined things for Reinhart's 9th game, I'd guess the ice time is split up according to which trios demo Nolan's quest for untamed energy and effort? Meaning official line numbers may not mean much.

 

[Woodhouse]

[NHL]657320[/NHL]

More pre-game interviews here: Stafford, Gionta, Reinhart.

 

[stokes84]

Mess has to be the one coming out after the flop on that Gardiner goal.

 

[SabresFan26]

I think Mes will be out. He was flat out horrible last game and that hook at center ice without trying to get back was pathetic.