Update: The Sabres announced after this article was published that Grigorenko will be staying in Buffalo. Also, Vanek is in for Gerbe, Brennan is in for Sulzer, and Weber is in for an injured Regehr tonight.
The biggest storyline of this game isn’t going to be what actually happens in this game, it is going to be will he play or won’t he play. Since Mikhail Grigorenko has suited up and played in five NHL games, if Grigorenko is in the lineup then the Sabres have made the decision to keep him instead of sending him back to the Remparts. If not, well either the team hasn’t made a decision yet or he is already halfway to Quebec City.
Game #6 – Toronto Maple Leafs (2-3-0) vs. Buffalo Sabres (2-3-0)
Puck Drop – 7:00pm – First Niagara Center – Buffalo, NY
TV – MSG, Leafs-TV — Radio – WGR 550-AM
Maple Leafs Blog – Pension Plan Puppets (Please play nice if you’re going to visit.)
Story
The Buffalo Sabres are looking to get off their three game losing streak and they face a foe that they already have some experience with. The Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs faced off last week, a 2-1 victory for Buffalo. Playing the Leafs has been good for the Sabres over the years and most of that good fortune has come at the First Niagara Center. The Sabres are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Leafs at home.
The Sabres scoring woes are well documented at this point but there is one small bright spot to try and focus. The team is 2nd in the league on the power play at home, converting on four of their ten opportunities. The Leafs have a decent road penalty kill thus far, only allowing two goals on 14 opportunities.
Buffalo Lines*
Vanek – Hodgson – Pominville
Ott – Ennis – Stafford
Foligno – Grigorenko – Hecht
Scott – Ellis – Kaleta
Myers – Leopold
Ehrhoff – Sulzer
Sekera – Regehr
Goal: Ryan Miller
Scratches: Leino, Weber, Brennan, Gerbe
*Making a few assumptions at time of writing including that Vanek will play and Grigorenko will stay with the team.
Toronto Lines*
Nikolai Kulemin – Mikhail Grabovski – James vanRiemsdyk
Matt Frattin – Nazem Kadri – Leo Komarov
Clarke MacArthur – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel
Colton Orr – Jay McClement – Mike Brown
Dion Phaneuf – Mike Kostka
Mike Komisarek – Carl Gunnarsson
John-Michael Liles – Mark Fraser
*These lines are from the last game, they could very well be different against the Sabres.