Connolly and Stafford expected back tonight

[Carl J. Ironsides]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabresnhl/story/237228.html

Nice to be back at full strength for such a key game.

Buffalo Sabres center Tim Connolly, who missed the last two games with an undisclosed illness, skated with the team this morning and is expected to play in tonight's game against the Ottawa Senators in HSBC Arena.

Connolly left last Wednesday's game on Long Island with the illness and missed Buffalo's home-and-home sweep over the weekend against Philadelphia. But coach Lindy Ruff said this morning that Connolly skated on his own Sunday in preparation for tonight's game. "He got a skate in which I felt was important," Ruff said. "He feels like he's close to being healthy. We'll keep an eye on where he's at. He won't play the minutes he's been previously playing but he's going to get some quality time."

Winger Drew Stafford, who missed most of the final two periods Saturday night with an upper-body injury, also skated today and Ruff said he will play tonight as well.

[JLB]

News we needed!! :rockon:


:sabres:

[CrazzyLegs10]

good, tell them to turn down the vents in HSBC: they might blow Timmy C over.

[Scary Good]

I'm guessing Peters stays in tonight with a full lineup, and a few scumbags on ott...not really a place for Ryan tonight.

[Blofan4life]

If Connolly was out another game I would really be mad. If he was that sick he would have to be in the hospital getting fluids and I hope we would know if that was the case. Let's hpe he plays to his full potential and isn't to hung over from being sick.

[smashingt2312]

Excellent.

[JFKDivisionChamps02]

Damn right! sounds good, we will need them for Ottawa baby!

[Sabres244]

I'm guessing Peters stays in tonight with a full lineup, and a few scumbags on ott...not really a place for Ryan tonight.

Disagree. Ryan has been pretty effective lately, and both games with Ottawa were rather calm. Ryan has 2 solid games vs Ottawa too.

We'll see.

[Carl J. Ironsides]

I'm guessing Peters stays in tonight with a full lineup, and a few scumbags on ott...not really a place for Ryan tonight.

With all due respect, why is there more a place for Peters than Ryan tonight? As 244 said, Ryan has been solid against Ottawa this year (he scored in the victory), and the teams haven't fought yet. We've seen two clean games centered around skill between Buffalo and Ottawa. If the Sabres dress Peters rather than Ryan tonight, it will be rather disappointing.

[CrazzyLegs10]

With all due respect, why is there more a place for Peters than Ryan tonight? As 244 said, Ryan has been solid against Ottawa this year (he scored in the victory), and the teams haven't fought yet. We've seen two clean games centered around skill between Buffalo and Ottawa. If the Sabres dress Peters rather than Ryan tonight, it will be rather disappointing.

Ok, you may have a small point, but, hes been solid against Ottawa because he has one goal? So, he played in one game and all a sudden hes got a streak vs them. The guy has two goals all year, hes pretty effective the last few games doing very little (aka not screwing up and skating hard). We have enough guys in the lineup tonight that can do that. Against Ott he will definitely lose time if he played and I see Peters in the lineup.

[MauvaisSang]

Ok, you may have a small point, but, hes been solid against Ottawa because he has one goal? So, he played in one game and all a sudden hes got a streak vs them. The guy has two goals all year, hes pretty effective the last few games doing very little (aka not screwing up and skating hard). We have enough guys in the lineup tonight that can do that. Against Ott he will definitely lose time if he played and I see Peters in the lineup.


And Peters would contribute what,exactly? A minute of ice time, and, if we're lucky, a mediocre, anticlimatic fight?

[emo]

With all due respect, why is there more a place for Peters than Ryan tonight? As 244 said, Ryan has been solid against Ottawa this year (he scored in the victory), and the teams haven't fought yet. We've seen two clean games centered around skill between Buffalo and Ottawa. If the Sabres dress Peters rather than Ryan tonight, it will be rather disappointing.

add to that the fact that with ott mair and goose can handle the heavy lifting, neil doesn't really fight, he agitates, and either one could take mcgrattan, not to mention both actually bring regular minutes to the table

not a knock on peters but I'd like to see buffao phase teh straight goon out of the team, and let a guy like souray, goose, mair, or make a move for boris the hate valabik, a guy who can log minutes but can also throw if needed

[CrazzyLegs10]

I didn't say Peters would accumulate to much, but if thers a meley at center ice, I'd want him on the bench instead of 150 lb Ryan. This could be pretty heated up, as Philly was.

[Sabres244]

McGratten not even in the lineup according to TSN