Is Sekera ready to return? Will Gerbe play in Florida?
Lindy Ruff:
thanks, sabres.com
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Updated 2:20pm EDT:
Thomas Vanek told me that he is looking forward to playing with Hodgson and Leino.
"Great players. I'm looking forward to playing with them".
Vanek says to be successful on this roadie, his team mates have to stick to the the script.
"We have to be good on the lines, at both ends of the ice. Getting it deep, having a high forward, and playing as a five man unit is most important. The three forwards are important but having the D active and jumping in as very important to us right now."
Vanek told me that he znd his teammates know that the Panthers are a much improved team who are difficult to play against.
"Florida's a veteran team, they've got guys who've won (Stanley) Cups, they're playing well. They are a good skating team, on the back end they are led by Soupy and we know what he brings. Again, for us, its more about how well we play. When we worry about how we play, we play okay".
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Tyler Ennis was all smiles when I propped him about the exceptional play of his line. +15 and 15 points in last three games is impressive. Enzo wants more from himself.
"I think as a line we are playing well. Skating hard, having fun, just going out and we know exactly what we have to do each and every shift. Marcus knows what he has to do. He's a big guy. He's strong and when he gets down in the corners he makes space. Staff's obviously putting the puck in the net and making a lot of good plays. I'm enjoying myself at centre and I'm trying to be creative and getting my guys involved. As a line, I feel like we are going out and doing something special every shift. Its pretty fun right now. We know its going to be tough in Florida. They've got a good team and they've been scoring a lot. We're getting better every game."
Ennis admits that he knows that Florida and Tampa are very defensive-minded teams, and that he and his mates will have to eat a smorgasbord of "The Trap" and "The 1-3-3" in the next two games.
"Its not the most enjoyable style to play against and its not the most pretty style to watch but, we've got to do the same thing: come with speed, get the puck in and do what we've been doing lately. Just have fun. Work hard. Play hard.
The formula for success on this trip is simple, if you ask Ennis:
"We've been talking about it a lot lately, just putting the puck in front and having it go off a body or a skate. We talk about teams collapse and every team now, it seems, loves to get all its guys in front of the net, so as a line, we keep putting pucks there and working to win them. In the neutral zone, I think we're playing really well. That might be our biggest improvement just coming with speed through the neutral zone, and develop plays on our entries and create chances".
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"This is my kind of hockey. Tough, physical, and smart", Cody McCormick told me about this business trip to Sunrise and to Tampa.
"Nothing will be given to us. We have to go there and take what we want and earn it".
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Nathan Gerbe told me today that he's eager to return to the lineup.
Will he play in Sunrise?
"I feel better. Its not my decision", he told me as he was walking out of the building today. Gerbe will accompany the team to Florida and will take the skate in the morning. He told me that he felt good after his off-ice workout this morning at the arena.
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Reggie Sekera looks a little bit thinner, but is none the worse for wear after sitting out fivev games with pneumonia. Today he was the seventh D at practice.
Sekera told me that he feels good enough to play. He'll take the skate in Sunrise on Saturday morning and Lindy Ruff will make the call on if he plays or not. Mike Weber appears to be the odd man out in the event that Sekera draws back in. Alex Sulzer had a sloppy start to the Avs game, however, he recovered and played well in the late stages. Sulzer looks like a solid 5 or 6 D for the Sabres and looks to be more productive and confident in his own end than Weber does at this time.
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Inquiring minds want to know:
Will Alex Ovechkin play tonight in Winnipeg after he was dummied by team mate Mike Knuble in yesterday's practice??
The answer is YES.
thanks, jets.com
Alex The GR8 was shaken up but he says he'll play tonight. The Peg trail Washington by four points, and Buffalo by only one.
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10am EDT:
The Sabres are on the ice right now before they head south for Florida.
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