BOSTON -- Another curveball to the Sabres lineup. Jochen Hecht said yesterday he was good to go tonight and Lindy Ruff seemed to think the same. Instead, the Sabres have decided to hold Hecht out for tonight's game against the Boston Bruins and have brought Mark Mancari back from Portland. Tim Connolly has been dealing with a sore arm from blocking a shot Tuesday in Pittsburgh but will play. Thomas Vanek and Mike Grier will return as scheduled.
On defense, Shaone Morrisonn's one-game scratch from the lineup is over and he's returning tonight. Mike Weber, who replaced him Tuesday, is back in the press box.
"He's had a pretty rough stretch with goals against," coach Lindy Ruff said of Morrisonn. "We're trying to keep the guys in going the best. I thought he had a little bit of a tough spell and maybe a game off [would help]. I thought Weber was OK in the [Pittsburgh] game. I'd like to see Morrisonn in again too."
Ryan Miller will start in goal tonight against Tim Thomas, who continues to lead the NHL in goals-against (1.97) and save percentage (.939). Thomas, however, is just 8-9-3, 3.14, .897 against the Sabres in his career. This year, he's 2-0-1, 2.52, .917.
Miller is 3-0-1 against the Bruins this year but his stats (3.17, .913) are inflated by Buffalo's 7-6 win on Jan. 1. His career numbers are 19-5-7, 2.61, .914.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
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Sabres | Sabres game day
