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Here's a meaningless tidbit to warrant another blog: If Milan Michalek can't go Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, expect him to return on Tuesday at Scotiabank Place v. the Montreal Canadiens.

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If I told you that the Ottawa Senators could grab a piece of second-place in the Northeast division with a win tonight against the Buffalo Sabres, would you believe me?

Probably not. But, as I've said all year, the fact that this team - one that's comprised mostly of young talent and spare parts - is so competitive is a true testament to the coaching of Paul MacLean.

A win against a Buffalo Sabres team that's really struggling right now - thanks in large part to an absurd amount of injuries, which I'll touch on later - could give this team just another shot of momentum they need heading forward. Grab two in regulation, and the Ottawa Senators would be tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs, staring up only at the venerable Boston Bruins.

An OT win would put Toronto, Buffalo, and Ottawa in a three-way tie for second-place. Is it just me, or is the Eastern Conference race hotter than ever? It's almost as if the sixth-place team and twelfth-place team are just four points apart.

(They are.)

While the Ottawa Senators fan base might be watching the standings, my guess is that more eyes will be locked in on the debut of #7. No, I'm not talking about the highly-touted prospect David Rundblad, who was sent away in a trade this past weekend. Instead, I'm referencing Kyle Turris, another big-name youngster that the Ottawa Senators are hoping can provide serious scoring down the middle.

Turris is about as enigmatic as it gets. His natural skill set is almost otherwordly. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to piece it together consistently over 137 GP with the Phoenix Coyotes. Many speculated that a change in scenery would help his game, and considering what the Ottawa organization gave up in acquiring his services, I'm assuming the front office felt the same way.

Kyle isn't the only highlight tonight, though. One of the more amusing storylines is thanks in large part to the beaten-down depth chart in Buffalo, paving the way for call-up Marcus Foligno. He'll get to play against his older brother, Nick, tonight.

In case you're wondering about my constant references to the injuries plaguing Buffalo, here's an official list of names unavailable for the Sabres tonight - Tyler Myers(wrist), Brad Boyes(knee), Pat Kaleta(groin), Nathan Gerbe(concussion), Ville Leino(scrub), Colin Stuart(LBI), Jochen Hecht(LBI), Tyler Ennis(ankle), and Corey Tropp(UBI).

To make matters worse, the Ottawa Senators are getting bodies back, which could tilt the ice in favor of the home team. The return of Sergei Gonchar and Filip Kuba would've been dreaded a year ago, but both have played a bit better this season and provide the team with depth on the back-end. With both drawing into the lineup, Brian Lee's headed out.

Also joining Brian Lee in the press box? Bobby Butler. Two words: About. Time.

In fact, the only name now missing from the Ottawa lineup is the NHL's league-leading goal scorer in Milan Michalek. It's a big miss, but there's optimism regarding his concussion, as I reported the day of the initial hit. It's mild in nature, and he's been exercising on the bike since the injury. Ian Mendes of Sportsnet mentioned that he could return as early as Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Ryan Miller will oppose Craig Anderson in the crease, as expected. Miller's played well in his career v. Ottawa, but the stats have had trouble translating to victories(13-15-3, .916 save percentage, 2.71 GAA). Craig Anderson hasn't fared much better against Buffalo(3-3-1, .906 save percentage, 3.35 GAA).

Puck drops at 7:30 PM ET on TSN.

Buffalo Sabres
Vanek-Roy-Pominville
Adam-Stafford-Szczechura
Foligno-Gaustad-Kassian
Whitmore-Ellis-McCormick

Regehr-Sekera
Ehrhoff-Leopold
Weber-McNabb

Ottawa Senators
Greening-Spezza-Alfredsson
Foligno-Turris-Condra
Smith-Regin-Neil
Daugavins-Konopka-Winchester

Kuba-Karlsson
Gonchar-Cowen
Phillips-Carkner
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Thanks for reading!

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