Devan Dubnyk has a minor groin tweak and is day-to-day.
Avalanche: Goalie Semyon Varlamov will make his fourth consecutive start. The young Russian has allowed just four goals in his last three games. ... Defenseman Erik Johnson (knee) and forward Steve Downie (illness) skipped practice Friday. Johnson was injured in Thursday's 4-2 loss at Nashville and was undergoing tests Friday. He is questionable today. Downie is expected to play. Forward Chuck Kobasew (back) skated on his own Friday but is unavailable.
=========
Warmups will reveal status of Vanek, Kaleta, Sens' Karlsson for tonight's game
The Sabres held an optional pregame skate today in Scotiabank Place and we'll have to wait for the warmups to see what kind of lineup they field tonight against the Senators. Marcus Foligno took the skate and seems to think he's going to play his second NHL game (his first was also here in December).
Lindy Ruff, meanwhile, would only say that Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta are game-time decisions; Kaleta, however, rarely stays off the ice even for an optional. He wasn't out there today so his prospects may be shaky.
Foligno has 14 goals and 20 assists for Rochester and had his best month in February with 11 points. But he's only played one game in March because of all the traveling he's done with the Sabres as an emergency recall.
"I'm not as nervous as I was the first time around," Foligno said. "I know what to expect and I'm looking forward to the second game. The only thing I've done is staying extra in practice to get the heart rate going. Practices have been intense in Rochester. I haven't played in a week but I still feel really good, really confident."
It will be Ryan Miller in goal against 6-foot-7 Ottawa netminder Ben Bishop, who has won both starts since coming from St. Louis.
"He covers a lot of net," Ruff said. "We're going to work off his backside and create rebound opportunities where he's going to have to make second saves. A goalie that big, obviously the first save I think he can make. We have to get him scrambling for at least that second opportunity. It's tough nowadays to even get a third."
CBC's Cassie Campbell is reporting that Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, the NHL's leader in points from the blueline with 67, is a game-time decision tonight after getting banged up in Thursday's win against the Rangers. He has a goal and three assists in five games against Buffalo this year. That would be a big loss.
Avalanche: Goalie Semyon Varlamov will make his fourth consecutive start. The young Russian has allowed just four goals in his last three games. ... Defenseman Erik Johnson (knee) and forward Steve Downie (illness) skipped practice Friday. Johnson was injured in Thursday's 4-2 loss at Nashville and was undergoing tests Friday. He is questionable today. Downie is expected to play. Forward Chuck Kobasew (back) skated on his own Friday but is unavailable.
=========
Warmups will reveal status of Vanek, Kaleta, Sens' Karlsson for tonight's game
The Sabres held an optional pregame skate today in Scotiabank Place and we'll have to wait for the warmups to see what kind of lineup they field tonight against the Senators. Marcus Foligno took the skate and seems to think he's going to play his second NHL game (his first was also here in December).
Lindy Ruff, meanwhile, would only say that Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta are game-time decisions; Kaleta, however, rarely stays off the ice even for an optional. He wasn't out there today so his prospects may be shaky.
Foligno has 14 goals and 20 assists for Rochester and had his best month in February with 11 points. But he's only played one game in March because of all the traveling he's done with the Sabres as an emergency recall.
"I'm not as nervous as I was the first time around," Foligno said. "I know what to expect and I'm looking forward to the second game. The only thing I've done is staying extra in practice to get the heart rate going. Practices have been intense in Rochester. I haven't played in a week but I still feel really good, really confident."
It will be Ryan Miller in goal against 6-foot-7 Ottawa netminder Ben Bishop, who has won both starts since coming from St. Louis.
"He covers a lot of net," Ruff said. "We're going to work off his backside and create rebound opportunities where he's going to have to make second saves. A goalie that big, obviously the first save I think he can make. We have to get him scrambling for at least that second opportunity. It's tough nowadays to even get a third."
CBC's Cassie Campbell is reporting that Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, the NHL's leader in points from the blueline with 67, is a game-time decision tonight after getting banged up in Thursday's win against the Rangers. He has a goal and three assists in five games against Buffalo this year. That would be a big loss.
