26 Thomas Vanek ("A") - 19 Cody Hodgson - 29 Jason Pominville ("C")
82 Marcus Foligno - 63 Tyler Ennis - 21 Drew Stafford ("A")
42 Nathan Gerbe - 25 Mikhail Grigorenko - 9 Steve Ott
32 John Scott - 55 Jochen Hecht - 36 Patrick Kaleta
24 Robyn Regehr - 57 Tyler Myers
10 Christian Ehrhoff - 52 Alexander Sulzer
3 Jordan Leopold - 44 Andrej Sekera
1 Jhonas Enroth
30 Ryan Miller
Lineup News & Notes
Nathan Gerbe (back) has been cleared for action and will make his season debut tonight, while Ville Leino (LBI) and
Cody McCormick (finger) still remain sidelined with injuries. TJ Brennan, Matt Ellis and Mike Weber are the healthy
scratches, while Jhonas Enroth will get his first start in goal.
Weekly Transactions
David Leggio, Mark Mancari, Adam Pardy, Kevin Porter, Drew Schiestel and Nick Tarnasky each cleared waivers last
week, while Joe Finley was claimed by the New York Islanders. Buffalo announced Darcy Regier's contract extension
on Saturday.
According to the Stats
Buffalo were 2-2-0 versus Carolina last season, with Ryan Miller playing three games and stopping 83 of 92 shots
against (3.02 GAA, .902 SV%). Jhonas Enroth started one game and had a 34-save shutout. Their leading scorers
in the series were Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek, each with three goals and two assists.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
Projected Lineup
19 Jiri Tlusty - 12 Eric Staal ("C") - 28 Alexander Semin
53 Jeff Skinner - 11 Jordan Staal ("A") - 22 Zac Dalpe
21 Drayson Bowman - 36 Jussi Jokinen - 59 Chad LaRose
39 Patrick Dwyer - 37 Tim Brent - 8 Kevin Westgarth
6 Tim Gleason ("A") - 27 Justin Faulk
25 Joni Pitkanen - 4 Jamie McBain
44 Jay Harrison - 24 Bobby Sanguinetti
30 Cam Ward
31 Dan Ellis
Lineup News & Notes
Zach Boychuk, Zac Dalpe and Jamie McBain were scratched in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay. Joe Corvo and
Jeremy Welsh will join Boychuk as scratches tonight, while Cam Ward will start in goal.
Weekly Transactions
None.
According to the Stats
Carolina were 2-1-1 in four games versus Buffalo last season, with Cam Ward starting three games and stopping 109
of 117 shots against (2.65 GAA, .932 SV%). Eric Staal, with one goal and two assists, and Jussi Jokinen, with three
assists, were their leading scorers in the series.
There is some serious Cam Ward hate on the Canes board.
Granted I haven't really looked at his stats the past few years, but I've always thought of him as a decent keeper...at least in the top half of the league...
Has he really been this bad? Or is it just reaction to a rough start this year?
There is some serious Cam Ward hate on the Canes board.
Granted I haven't really looked at his stats the past few years, but I've always thought of him as a decent keeper...at least in the top half of the league...
Has he really been this bad? Or is it just reaction to a rough start this year?
8 Goals in 38 Shots but the defense has been poor. I'm interested to see if Ott goes after Gleason in one of these next two games though (I expect a split hopefully the Sabres go 1-0-1)
Has he really been this bad? Or is it just reaction to a rough start this year?
Ward's only stopped 30 of 38 shots this year, of course there's going to be frustration... just imagine what our board would be like if Miller had that kind of start. Historically, he's been good against us lately.
Quote:
Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward is 4-0-2 with 1.98 GAA in his last six against the Sabres but enters this matchup struggling. He's allowed eight goals on 38 shots for one of the league's worst GAAs (6.00).
Buffalo has gone 4-1-2 in its last seven trips to Carolina, but that regulation loss came in its most recent visit, 4-2 last Jan. 6.
Ward's only stopped 30 of 38 shots this year, of course there's going to be frustration... just imagine what our board would be like if Miller had that kind of start. Historically, he's been good against us lately.
That right there is why I always think of him as pretty darn good
Ward always plays the Sabres well and it seems as though Chad LaRose scores every...single...game...against us. Let's hope neither of the trends continue.
Gerbe is back, that could be an interesting 3rd line. Hopefully our offence can generate some sustained pressure to help expose this weak Carolina defence. These games are always fun so I'm excited for tomorrow night.
Buffalo needs two solid performances to come away with points against the canes. Win both in regulation and they are sitting in a great spot early and the canes are buried. My guess is they split with one going into OT.
I'm driving up there at two and plan on tailgating from 4-7. I hate the obnoxious Sabres fans who come up there just to feel like they can re-connect with Buffalo after moving away but I do love tailgating...and hockey...and watching Vanek put up a hat trick over the most overrated team in hockey...
Ugh, I'm worried that we're going to face a fired up Canes team. However, I am hopeful we'll be able to shred their D and goaltending for somewhere between 5-15 goals tonight. Carolina is one team I will encourage running up the score against. Because **** those guys.
I'm interested to see Grigorenko with Gerbe and Ott next to him.
Also want to see if the first line can keep up with the pace they've set so far this year. Their production has been fantastic. They've combined for 13 of our 19 points on the season thus far and Hogsdon is tops on the team in +/-.
