Columbus, OH (WGR 550) -- After starting eight straight games and giving up 12 goals in his last three efforts, Ryan Miller is getting a break. Patrick Lalime will get the nod in net when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Lalime hasn't started since January 19th when he gave up four first period goals and had to be replaced by Miller, in an eventual loss to Anaheim. Lalime has only played ten minutes in 12 games. He usually has trouble if it goes more than two weeks in between games. Other than that short appearance, he's been idle for 28 days. He proved what he could do if it was only a week in between games. He's 7-4-0 vs the Blue Jackets with a 3.03 goals against and .882 save percentage.
Before I move on with tonight's game, I must first do some housekeeping from last night. Earlier today one of Drew Stafford's goals was given to Derek Roy. Andrej Sekera's assist comes off the score sheet. The official scorer in Buffalo is a total embarrassment to the NHL who hires him and the Sabres. There is one or more mistake every single game. There's no excuse for it. Not only did he miss that the puck went off Roy's back which was obvious on the replay he also had Sekera scoring, changed it to Jochen Hecht and then back to Sekera when Hecht told the ref he did not touch the puck. Once again the replay was obvious that the fluttering puck totally missed Hecht. I sit in all the other arenas and there might be a scoring change every five games or so. Most are announcing the goal as the puck is dropped and most are accurate. Last night there were three goals scored and none had been announced. The job, with all the replays available is not that hard!
Today was an optional skate so it was impossible to figure who might be sitting. The Sabres have lost three straight and are 3-6-2 in their last 11. Tim Kennedy has had a tough time for awhile now and is minus five in his last two games. Steve Montador started last night as a winger, but ended up playing defense for the benched Sekera and looked good. Sekera has been producing offensive with two goals and an assist in two games, but he's made a few defensive errors that have led to key goals. Tyler Myers has not has a plus game since January 18th in Phoenix. That covers nine games where he's minus seven. Clarke MacArthur hasn't scored in six games and is minus five. Jason Pominville has four points in three games. In 11 games Thomas Vanek has 12 points. Stafford has three points in three games. Tim Connolly didn't have a point last night for only the second time in 21 games. Roy now has two goals in three games.
The Blue Jackets got their first win under new coach Claude Noel on Thursday beating Dallas 2-1. Columbus has won two of three and five of nine. Overall it's 23-27-9 and are 14th in the West. Leading scorer Rick Nash hasn't scored a goal in five games, but has five goals and six assists in ten games. Nash has five points in six games vs Buffalo.
WGR 550's coverage of Buffalo-Columbus begins at 6:00 when Brian Koziol is joined by Lindy Ruff, Lalime and Steve Montador.
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