Miller, Butler likely playing; Hank out?
DETROIT -- Chris Butler and Ryan Miller are getting the chance to rest in the Sabres' fancy hotel while Henrik Tallinder and Patrick Lalime take the ice in Joe Louis Arena. Based on past history, that should mean Butler and Miller will be in the lineup tonight against Detroit while Tallinder takes a seat in the press box and Lalime stays on the bench.
Miller, a Michigan native, has plenty of family and friends coming to the game, so he was expected to play. It helped that he stopped 43 shots and was the star of the game Friday night in the 2-1 shootout victory over the Rangers. No way he was coming out after that.
Tallinder played just 13:54 against New York, the fewest minutes of any defenseman, and was minus-1. Butler has been playing well.
Both teams had optional morning skates; the Sabres was expected after playing the night before. They looked at last week's game in Boston as a statement game, and Detroit coach Mike Babcock thinks this one will be the same.
"I know Lindy [Ruff] real well," Babcock said this morning. "The team's going to be really prepared. It's going to be a measuring-stick game for them."
---John Vogl
