Brayden McNabb has been recalled to fill the huge skates of Tyler Myers. McNabb has been large and in charge for the Amerks this season. He has impressed the Sabres brass with his unique brand of hard, smart hockey when he's played in Buffalo this season.
One word of advice to attacking forwards: HOLD YOUR HEAD UP!
McNabb has a goal and four assists in his previous 20 game stint with the Sabres this season.
He has 25 points in 36 games with the Amerks.
Were it not for the exceptional, physical contributions of McNabb while the team was decimated by injuries, the Sabres would be in worse shape now than they were 90 days ago. McNabb stepped in and played an integral role when Myers, Regehr, Ehrhoff, and Sekera were injured earlier this season.
McNabb will be in the lineup tonight against Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan O'Reilly and the Colorado Avalanche.
McNabb earned an invitation to the AHL All Star Game in January, however, he was not able to play due to the concussion that he suffered while playing for the Sabres against the Maple Leafs in January.
A native of Davidson, Saskatchewan, McNabb was selected by Buffalo in the third round (66th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
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@billhoppenhl reports from morning skate that Reggie Sekera and Jochen Hecht are skating, however, they are wearing the obilgatory red, "don't touch me" pinnies.
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AVALANCHE at SABRES
-First and only meeting between the Sabres and Avalanche this season.
-Last meeting: Colorado defeated Buffalo, 4-3 (OT), in Colorado on Jan. 4, 2011.
-The Sabres are 4-3-3 in their last 10 games vs. the Avalanche; 5-3-2 at home.
-This is the 133rd game all-time between Buffalo and Colorado; the Sabres are 59-50-23 against the Avalanche (36-19-10 at home).
STORYLINES
The Sabres (7-2-1) have 15 points in their last 10 games, trailing only Dallas (19), Pittsburgh (18) and St. Louis (17) for most points in their last 10 games.
Buffalo has won five straight at home for the first time since closing last season with wins in their last five home games. The Sabres last won six consecutive home games from Jan. 17 to Feb. 15, 2007.
Buffalo enters the day four points out of a playoff spot after beginning the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of eighth in the Eastern Conference.
The Sabres are 10-6-0 against the Western Conference this season, including a 3-0-0 record against the Northwest Division.
The Avalanche are 11-4-0 against the Eastern Conference, and 4-0-0 against the Northeast.
The Sabres are looking for their first win against the Avalanche since Dec. 4, 2005 (6-4 win at Colorado).
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Marcus Foligno recorded his first career goal on Saturday at OTT and then followed that up with his first assist on Monday vs. MTL…
Buffalo has played a league-high 13 overtime games at home… Jason Pominville ranks fourth in the league with 42 points (16+26) in 36 home games… Buffalo is 27-3-2 when allowing two or fewer goals and 24-4-3 when scoring three or more… The Sabres are 15-5-3 with Corey Tropp in the lineup.
ENNIS IS HEATING UP
Tyler Ennis has scored a goal in each of the Sabres’ last two games and has 11 points (6+5) in his last 14 games. The Sabres are 11-1-3 when Tyler Ennis records a point this season and 38-9-7 when he tallies a point in his career. With two goals on Monday vs. MTL,
Ennis recorded his third career two-goal game.
MYERS MOVES UP THE CHARTS
With his overtime goal on Monday vs. MTL, Tyler Myers broke the Sabres’ franchise record for overtime goals by a defenseman, with three. In just his third NHL season, Myers has also tied Brian Campbell and Alexei Zhitnik for fifth-most game-winning goals by a defenseman, with seven.
KILLING IT
Buffalo has killed off 20 straight penalties entering tonight .The team hasn’t allowed a power play goal since Feb. 24 vs. BOS, with Buffalo’s goaltenders turning away 24 power play shots during that stretch.
IT’S MILLER TIME
Ryan Miller is 9-1-1 in his last 11 games with a .944 save percentage and a 1.78 goals against average, and 14-3-3 in his last 21 games with a 1.84 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.
BATTLING BACK
The Sabres began the day on Feb. 17 in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of a playoff spot after a 7-2 loss at PHI the night before. Since then, the team has gone 9-2-2, allowing 2.00 goals per game. Only one team in NHL history has overcome a 10 point deficit this late in the season, when the New York Islanders rallied from a 10-point hole on Feb. 18, 1994 to snag eighth place in
the conference.
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Landeskog created an internet sensation when he "Gabri-ill'd" after he scored the GWG on Sunday in Denver.
The 19 year old #2 overall pick in the 2011 entry draft, and former Kitchener Ranger beast, is having a fantastic rookie season. He and Cody Hodgson will battle for rookie supremacy tonight!
landeskog has 19 goals and 25 assists in 71 NHL games this season.
thanks, avalanche.com
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Matt Duchene will NOT play tonight for the Avs. He will re-join the lineup Thursday night.
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