The Sabres took the ice 25 minutes later than their scheduled 11:30 a.m. time today in HSBC Arena. Here's some items flowing through my notebook at the noon hour:
--Looks like Mark Mancari is back in Portland. Drew Stafford is on a regular line in Mancari's spot for practice today with Luke Adam and Jason Pominville. No Shoane Morrisonn still. Tim Connolly and Rob Niedermayer remain in red (non-contact) jerseys.
---Sabres prospect Marcus Foligno made a good first impression for Team Canada with two goals Sunday night in an intrasquad game in Toronto. First cuts for Canada are coming Tuesday and I'm planning to check out an exhibition game next Tuesday in Toronto against Sweden.
---Former San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov has been released from his KHL contract for what's being called "family circumstances." Hmm. I wonder if that means a "contract with an NHL team needing goaltending like Tampa Bay or Washington."
---Can HBO be getting two stories that are any different? The Penguins are unbeatable while the Capitals are a trainwreck. They've lost six straight for the first time under Bruce Boudreau, and you'd have to think last night's 7-0 loss to the Rangers at MSG that featured an Alex Ovechkin-Brandon Dubinsky fight would be a bottoming out point.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
