Some notes as you get set for faceoff later tonight of the Sabres and Flyers (remember, it's a Versus game that will face off in the 7:40 range):
---The Sabres are just 1-3 at home (we're not counting the game in Finland) while the Flyers are 3-1 on the road.
---Only eight players who were on the Philly roster for last spring's playoff series will play tonight. That's because Danny Briere and Chris Pronger are injured and Sergei Bobrovsky is the backup goalie behind Ilya Bryzgalov. There are nine returnees who skated this morning -- Braydon Coburn, Andreas Nodl, Scott Hartnell, James van Riemsdyk, Matt Carle, Claude Giroux, Andrej Meszaros, Kimmo Timonen and Jody Shelley -- but either Nodl or Shelley will be a scratch.
---The Sabres have outscored opponents, 9-4, in the first period of their games -- and have yet to trail through 20 minutes. They're 3-0 when leading and 3-4 when tied.
"We've had a lot of starts that we've wanted," said Tyler Myers. "But it's periods in the game, the way we've come out in the second or some time in the third. That's what's killed us and we have to find a way to play 60 minutes."
---See who's winning after two periods tonight if you want a tip on the result. The Flyers are 5-0 when leading after two while Buffalo is 6-0.
---Byrzgalov is just 4-4-1 with a 3.16 GAA and .880 save percentage so far. Ryan Miller is 4-4-0, 2.14, .930.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
