"It's always a challenge," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "It's not so much the competition as it is the difficulty of the road trip, going out west and playing some hard games. I think it would say a lot about our group to knuckle down and get two points."
Robin Lehner will start in net for the Sabres. Johan Larsson is a game-time decision, but did skate with the team on Thursday morning and said afterward that he felt OK. Larsson missed practice on Wednesday for a maintenance day.
Bylsma said that Hudson Fasching will skate with the team in warmups just in case Larsson can't play. That means forward Nick Baptiste, who made his NHL debut on Tuesday in Calgary, will remain in the lineup. Baptiste skated 8:50 of ice time on Tuesday and his play on the forecheck helped lead to Zemgus Girgensons' goal in the first period.
"I liked his speed," Bylsma said. "I liked his composure with the puck, something I was looking for from him. He was in on the forecheck, turning over a couple pucks for them in the first period. I liked his wall play in the third. It added to our group."
The Canucks are 3-0-0 so far this season, but what makes their record particularly interesting is the fact that they have not yet held a lead in regulation. They've come from behind to win in overtime or a shootout in each of their first three games and are tied for third in the League with an average of 1.67 goals-against per game.
Jakob Markstrom will start in net for the Canucks. Former Sabre Ryan Miller missed the team's game on Tuesday due to injury but will dress as the backup.
Coverage on Thursday begins at 9:30 p.m. with Tops Sabres Gamenight on MSG-B. Rick Jeanneret and Rob Ray will have the call once the puck drops at 10 p.m., so join us live on MSG-B or listen on WGR 550.
