Anaheim, CA (WGR 550) -- Two streaking teams face each other tonight in Anaheim. Buffalo comes in with points in 11 straight games going 8-0-3 while the Ducks have won six of seven, seven in a row at home and have gone 13-2-2 in their last 17 home games. The Sabres have opened their seven game road trip picking up five of six points. Yesterday's 7-2 win in Phoenix was the club's most complete game in weeks. Buffalo is 9-2-1 in its last 12 road games.
Tim Connolly's 12 game point streak is the second longest in the NHL this season behind Anaheim's Corey Perry's 19 game streak. Connolly has 5 goals and 14 assists in the streak. Derek Roy now has four points in four games, Drew Stafford has five points in four games, Thomas Vanek has four points in two games and six points in five, Jason Pominville's three point night yesterday broke a streak on four games without a point, Pat Kaleta has two goals in three games, Clarke MacArthur has just two points in eight games, Tyler Myers has four goals and an assists in six games and Jochen Hecht has five goals and four assists in eight games. Ryan Miller is back on track giving up just seven goals in four games. Patrick Lalime again gets the start in a back to back situation. Tim Kennedy was scratched last night after having a few bad games. Lindy Ruff said, "He's had a couple of rough ones and it doesn't hurt. Staff sat out and came back and did well. I came down to the rink and sat down with him and talked to him about his play in the previous game. It's not unusual to have a young player start to fall a little bit. Sometimes if you sit up there and watch and watch how hard you have to compete and watch how well you have to play, it's a good opportunity to bounce back."
For the Ducks its been Jonas Hiller manning the crease during this streak. He's played in seven straight games and 10 out of 11. Dan Sexton has gotten hot lately for this club getting five points in six games, Ryan Getzlaf has two goals and three assists in seven games, before getting hurt Saku Koivu had six points in six games, Perry has six points in seven games. Bobby Ryan has 21 goals, but just two in ten games.
Joffrey Lupul has missed 16 games with back surgery, Temmu Selanne has missed two games with a broken jaw, Koivu's injury is a knee strain and George Parros has missed nine games with a cut hand.
The healthy scratches are again Tim Kennedy, Andrej Sekera and Nathan Paetsch.
Join Brian Koziol for the pregame beginning at 10:00 when he'll be joined by Ruff, Lalime and Mike Grier.
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