Thomas Vanek said yesterday that he is feeling much better than he had been last week.Today, after another practice with his teammates, Vanek said that his upper body injury is healing to the point where he will likely be in the lineup for the Dallas Stars game in Buffalo on Friday night. The Sabres leading scorer has missed the past three games, and two thirds of teh Montreal game due to an upper body injury that he sustained in the first period of the road win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Vanek had been skating with Roy and Pominville at the time of his injury.
Vanek skated in place of Paul Gaustad today at practice. Goose was not on the ice today. He was given a well-earned rest -recvovery day. Vanek skated with Boyes and Kaleta in today's session.
Vanek's replacement, Ville Leino, has been riding shotgun with Jason Pominville and Derek Roy for the past three games. The newly formed trio has played extremely well together, and seems to have found a groove and chemistry while playing together. The line has four goals and four assists and is a combined +8 in the past three plus games.
In those games (BOS, NYI, NYR, MTL), Leino has four points on a goal and three helpers. He's a +3 in those games. Pominville has two goals and an assist and is +2. Roy has a goal and is +2. Pominville's two goals vs. Boston give him 19 for the season, tying with Thomas Vanek for the team lead.
It can be argued that Leino is thriving right now because he's getting expanded minutes while playing with two offensive threats, rather than playing on the grind line. Leino said last night that he feels like he's playing better during this win streak because he's having fun while making plays.
Lindy has an unwritten rule about not disrupting a winning lineup. Like a sleeping baby, Ruff leaves it alone and does not tempt fate.
What's a coach to do?
The Leino we have seen in the past 4-5 games is the Leino we all expected to see on a nightly basis when he was signed as a high priced UFA last Summer. He's playing with a ton of confidence right now, as evidenced by his spinning backhand pass to Pommer's stick in the slot for the second goal in last night's game. It took 55 games, however, Leino has got his mojo back.
On the other side of the argument, Vanek had been in a multi-game goal scoring slump that dates back to before the All Star Game. He was struggling to find his offense at the time of his injury during the first period of the win in Montreal.
Are you conflicted as to which winger should stay with 9 and 29?
I'm not. I subplant Leino and stick Vanek back in his rightful place. HDTV is your team MVP this season and now is not the time to flip him down to the third line just because he was struggling before his injury. I don't see Lindy breaking up the Stafford-Ennis-Gerbe line as they have been playing exceptionally well in the past two weeks.Kaleta-goose-Boyes have been playing well together, to0.
Centre Tyler Kennedy has a high ankle sprain and will be lost for 4-6 weeks. The loss of Kennedy a big blow to the Pens as Jordan Staal and Sidney Crosby are also out of the lineup.
The Pens are presently looking for a veteran centre.
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