After dressing up in their alternate blues for their first team picture with new owner Terry Pegula, the Sabres are opening practice in HSBC Arena. The only players missing remain Jochen Hecht and goaltender Patrick Lalime. Patrick Kaleta came on the ice at the start of practice and took a few spins before leaving once drills started. Jhonas Enroth has shed the red and black Portland Pirates color scheme on his pads and has blue and gold ones. He's not going anywhere.
As he did Tuesday against Carolina, Chris Butler is the extra defenseman and is taking turns with Andrej Sekera alongside Tyler Myers. The other pairs remain Steve Montador-Jordan Leopold and Shaone Morrisonn-Mike Weber.
The forward lines are Vanek-Connolly-Pominville, Ennis-Boyes-Stafford, Gerbe-Gaustad-Mancari and Niedermayer-McCormick-Grier.
And another note: There is a blue number 7 surrounded in gold painted on the ice behind each net in honor of Rick Martin. Great touch again in Pegulaville.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
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