Morning skate report: Red Wings in town
Key reminder: Tonight's Sabres game against Detroit is on Versus and not MSG. So if you're a DirecTV customer, find your closest friend or nearest watering hole to see it. Here's some notes from the morning skates:
---Same lineup up front for the Sabres tonight. That means Vanek-Roy-Stafford, MacArthur-Connolly-Pominville, Hecht-Kennedy-Grier, Ellis-Gaustad-Kaleta. On defense, Toni Lydman takes over for Andrej Sekera and the pairs will go Myers-Tallinder, Butler-Rivet, Montador-Lydman.
---The Sabres lead the league, averaging more than 38 shots per game. But they're last in goals. No worries for coach Lindy Ruff. Nor should there be. "Those chances will turn into goals. No doubt in my mind. We've missed empty nets, had pucks go off feet by empty nets, pucks slide through sets of legs going through creases that the goalie isn't there. You generate the number of opportunities, they'll go in. I'm not the least bit worried about that."
---One area of concern is faceoffs. Buffalo's 42.8 success rate is just 28th in the league. "Puck possession is a key," Derek Roy. "When we don't have it we want to go get it. You win faceoffs, that makes it so much easier to keep the puck. Detroit is a good faceoff team so we have to be ready for them."
---Los Angeles goalie Jonathon Quick was named one of the NHL's three stars of the week. He won three games, but gave up eight goals with a 2.67 GAA and .909 save percentage. Say what? Among goalies who have started at least two games, Ryan Miller is tied for the lead in GAA (0.98) and second in save percentage (.955). Bizarre. Of course, Miller is only facing 22 shots a game, which is 29th out of the NHL's 30 teams.
Wings coach Mike Babcock today on Miller: "You give Miller 22 shots all year long, he'll be the best goalie in this league."
---Tim Kennedy and Wings center Justin Abdelkader were star teammates at Michigan State but did not face each other last year in the AHL because Portland did not face Detroit's Grand Rapids affiliate. Kennedy fed Abdelkader for the winning goal with 18.9 seconds left in the championship game of the 2007 Frozen Four against Boston College. Kennedy fed him again last night as they dined at Chef's. Abdelkader joked that it seemed everyone in the restaurant knew who Kennedy was. Be sure to read more about the Kennedy-Abdelkader connection in Wednesday's paper.
---Mike Harrington
