Sabres interim coach Ron Rolston may be leaning towards playing Jochen Hecht in place of Mikhail Grigorenko tonight in Philly.
After today's optional skate, Grigo stayed out on the ice for extra skating, a sure tell that he will be a scratch.
Grigo has a goal and four assists in 21 games this season. On this road trip, he has shown some signs of positive growth inside games.
Grigo skated 8:19 (10 shifts) in the New Jersey loss. He skated with Scott and Stafford. In Carolina, Grigo skated 11:05, and in NYR he skated 9:46. The kid has been showing increased confidence and has been playing a more complete game in the past two weeks. The kid has earned increased ice time and finally has gotten PP time.
Asked by media after today's optional as to whether Grigo would sit for hecht tonight, Rolston said:"not sure yet"
Count me in as a vocal opponent of sitting the 18 year old future in order to skate the 35 year old has been.
Hecht was in the press box for the Devils game on Thursday night.
According to @kwsnow, Rolston will play D Jordan Leopold and John Scott tonight. Sekera is "questionable" for the Flyers game, while Leino has been ruled out.
Leopold has missed the past eight games, as he was placed on IT with an upper body injury on 2/21.
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Updated 11:35 am:
According to the Buffalo News:
Ron Rolston held an optional skate in Philly this morning.
Absent from the session were: Vanek, Ott, Regehr, and Ehrhoff.
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The Sabres have played games this season against enemy back-up goalies by the name of Dan Ellis, Justin Peters, Ben Scrivens, Michal Neuvirth and Anton Khudhonin.
Do not be surprised if the Flyers send Michael Leighton to their cage for tonight's tilt against the Sabres. The Flyers recalled Leighton from their AHL Glens Falls team on Saturday night.
Ilya Bryzgalov lost 3-0 in Boston on Saturday afternoon. Logic dictates that the starter will get the break tonight.
Leighton started the season with the Flyers but was placed on injured reserve on February 10 after injuring himself in a practice session.
Ryan Miller will get the Buffalo net in Philly.
These are two points that both teams desperately need to earn.
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The Flyers haven’t lost four in a row yet this season, however, they will get a double-barrel assault from the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night.
The Flyers sleep-walked through a sixty minute snoozer on Satutrday. Tuuka Rask and the Bruins made the listless Flyers tap-out. The Flyers were blitzed 3-0 by the Bruins.
Might there be big changes in Philly's future? Will Laviolette lose his job? If so, is Lindy Ruff a man for the job of turning around the Flyers?
Tim Panaccio's take on the Laviolette matter:
If and when it comes, it figures to be in the form of a major trade – not the firing of Laviolette, who has two years left on a contract extension.
The Flyers have been wrecked by injuries and inconsistency, plus an offseason in which general manager Paul Holmgren struck out big-time on three players who could have had considerable impact in this lineup – Ryan Suter, Zach Parise and Shea Weber.
Logic suggests firing Laviolette in a lockout-shortened season given the overall state of the club isn’t going to change things dramatically and won’t guarantee a playoff berth, either.
Laviolette was particularly uptight when he faced the Philly media after the Boston loss.
Thanks, flyers.nhl.com
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Flyers badass Scott Hartnell said after the 3-0 loss to Boston that his team is a group that is lacking confidence right now.
“If one thing goes wrong out, whether it a be bad call or the first goal on that power play where he made a great play, you look down the bench and everyone’s heads are down,” Hartnell said.
“We were deflated right from that … that’s not what good teams, do. It’s on us to pick each other up and support each other and be positive. It just seemed liked we were down 1-0 and it seemed like we packed it in.”
Sounds like the Sabres before Lindy Ruff was fired last month, doesn't it?
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