The Sabres are on the ice for an early practice in First Niagara Center before heading to Florida and coach Lindy Ruff, as per usual, has some of his lines jazzed up to try to spark more offense.
The red-hot Tyler Ennis line, flanked by Marcus Foligno and Drew Stafford, remains together. The struggling Vanek-Roy-Pominville trio has been broken up.
Roy and Pominville now have Corey Tropp on left wing, giving them a solid grinder to play with. Vanek is back on right wing with Ville Leino and Cody Hodgson. Brad Boyes is centering Cody McCormick and Patrick Kaleta.
Nathan Gerbe (upper body) is missing from the practice. On defense, Andrej Sekera is playing on the extra pair with Tyler Myers but Ruff was hopeful on Wednesday Sekera would play this weekend. McNabb-Weber, Regehr-Leopold and Ehrhoff-Sulzer stay together.
More after practice.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
