The Sabres are set to get one of their top two centers back. Tim Connolly, who has missed four games with a fractured nose that required surgery, will play Saturday when Boston visits HSBC Arena.
"It’ll give us some help on our power play, it’ll give us one more guy who’s a little bit more creative in the middle," said coach Lindy Ruff, who used Connolly as the center for left wing Luke Adam and right wing Thomas Vanek during practice today in Northtown Center in Amherst. “Hopefully, if we can play him with Van it can help create a few more opportunities.”
With the season-ending leg injury to Derek Roy, Connolly will be asked to produce more offense.
"He’s going to have to, if you look at it," Ruff said. "They’re our two most creative offensive players, and when you’re looking for production you’ve got to look to those guys first."
Said Connolly: "Everybody else, along with myself, is going to have to pick it up and chip in and do what we can to score some goals out there, get the power play going and create some offense."
Defenseman Tyler Myers, who missed the last two games due to illness, returned to practice. Right wing Patrick Kaleta suffered an upper-body injury Tuesday against Edmonton and will miss at least Saturday’s game. He skated today but did not use his left arm or hand during the workout.
---John Vogl
