-- Sabres center Tim Connolly and defenseman Dmitri Kalinin will not play in Game 3 of Buffalo's Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against Ottawa on Wednesday night.
Connolly is day to day with an upper body injury, coach Lindy Ruff said following Wednesday's morning skate.
Kalinin's lower body injury, however, could be more serious. Ruff said that Kalinin's status will be week to week, which means the defenseman probably wouldn't be able to return until Monday's Game 6, at the earliest. The Sabres are up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Rory Fitzpatrick will replace Kalinin, while rookie forward Jiri Novotny is expected to take Connolly's place in the lineup for the series' third game.
Fitzpatrick played in Game 4 of Buffalo's quarterfinal series against Philadelphia when he replaced Teppo Numminen, who was recovering from an irregular heartbeat.
It is believed that Kalinin was injured midway through the third period of Game 2 Monday after receiving a body check while playing the puck in his own end.
Connolly left and did not return after he was caught with his head down while carrying the puck through the middle and was checked by Ottawa's Peter Schaefer in the opening minute of Buffalo's 2-1 win.
Connolly is day to day with an upper body injury, coach Lindy Ruff said following Wednesday's morning skate.
Kalinin's lower body injury, however, could be more serious. Ruff said that Kalinin's status will be week to week, which means the defenseman probably wouldn't be able to return until Monday's Game 6, at the earliest. The Sabres are up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Rory Fitzpatrick will replace Kalinin, while rookie forward Jiri Novotny is expected to take Connolly's place in the lineup for the series' third game.
Fitzpatrick played in Game 4 of Buffalo's quarterfinal series against Philadelphia when he replaced Teppo Numminen, who was recovering from an irregular heartbeat.
It is believed that Kalinin was injured midway through the third period of Game 2 Monday after receiving a body check while playing the puck in his own end.
Connolly left and did not return after he was caught with his head down while carrying the puck through the middle and was checked by Ottawa's Peter Schaefer in the opening minute of Buffalo's 2-1 win.
