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

Comments

[Dave]

Why not Sekera?

[Steve-O]

The Bitterness Po-Po should arrest itself if it thinks Chad and the others who eschew the "sky is falling" approach are the bitter ones. Get some perspective, aces.

[Chad]

I'm going to cry. The whole region of Western NY doesn't like me? I guess that puts me in a group with Bucky and Sully.

Oh wait, just RJ doesn't like me because I speak the truth. I thought I was really hitting it big here on this blog, too. Darn.

[The Bitterness Police]

Chad,

What? No venom toward Jerry Sullivan? Not bringing up Drury after the Rangers game?? Good, it's boring anyway.

Signed,
Western New York

[TJ]

Sure, Miller's hot but this is starting to look again like Ruff riding him til he drops. He's already started 5 straight - and by the time the Sabres play at Chicago, Miller would have enough rest for Ruff to use the excuse to play him then as well.

I agree with Cari and Bucky Gleason previously - Numminen can use a few games off. It seems though as if Ruff will stick with him, regardless of his play, simply for sentimental reasons and that's plain wrong.

[Cari]

I have to say, as poor as Tallinder's performance has been this season, I'd rather see Ruff giving Numminen a night or two off. He's playing well enough overall, but the guy could use a break. I would almost dare to say throw Paetsch in the lineup at some point to shake off the rust, too. If someone goes down and we don't have time to get replacements from Portland, it wouldn't be in the Sabres' favor to play him after sitting for X amount of games.

[Chad]

Good to see Butler back in the lineup. Not surprising that Miller is playing considering he was great against the Rangers and he's from Michigan. I figured he'd play both in this back-to-back and they'd give Lalime the start in Chicago against his former team and in an arena he put up pretty good numbers last year.

Tallinder out? I wonder if Lindy is hoping he responds again like he did the first time he was benched. That, or he wants as many righty sticks (on defense) in the lineup as possible.