Miller taking strides toward return
Goalie hits ice twice to work on ankle
Published: March 17, 2009, 12:30 am
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Ryan Miller is back on the ice and said Monday he fully intends to return before the season is over.
The Buffalo Sabres’ No. 1 goaltender has resumed skating on his own nearly a month after suffering a high ankle sprain, and that is a significant step in getting him back into the lineup. But it’s only a small step.
Miller skated alone Sunday and was on the ice again Monday for another 30 minutes in HSBC Arena prior to his team’s regular practice.
Skating with his leg pads on but wearing just a sweat shirt and a baseball cap and no equipment from the waist up, Miller flipped some pucks with goaltenders coach Jim Corsi and fellow netminders Patrick Lalime and Mikael Tellqvist.
Asked if he had any concern that his injury will prove to be season- ending, Miller said the point of his rehab is to fast-track a return.
“That’s what I’m working for. If I don’t work it and do the things I’m doing, then that becomes a little more difficult,” Miller said. “If I
keep doing this kind of stuff and working through it, it pushes the timetable way up. I fully expect to play. That’s what’s in my head. Without any setbacks, it’s very likely we’re not going to have any problems.”
Miller was having the best season of his career when he suffered the injury Feb. 21 against the New York Rangers in a collision with Scott Gomez.
The Sabres won that game to pull within a point of fifth place in the Eastern Conference but are just 3-4-2 in Miller’s absence and are 10th heading into tonight’s game in Ottawa against the Senators.
Miller is 29-16-5 this season with career bests in goals-against average (2.50) and save percentage (.919). The Sabres have 13 games left so time is fast running out on Miller’s ability to impact the playoff race.
“We want him to keep progressing,” said coach Lindy Ruff. “I hope I get him sooner than later. Ankle sprains, sometimes they come around just like that. His is progressing. There’s normal progression, everything has been going well and there’s been no setbacks.”
“Sunday I tried a tape job, [Monday] I tried a different tape job,” Miller said. “Just seeing what works and what doesn’t work. Seeing how the ankle reacts. A lot of what I have to do is making sure to keep that scar tissue active and breaking it up, keeping the muscles around it active.”
Miller will keep working the ankle. The next step will be to get back into full equipment, and then take pucks at full practice speed.
“You guys are going to see me on the ice more and more for stretching, range of motion stuff,” Miller said. “When we start getting more into practice, I’m sure you will have some more questions for me. This is what it is and how it will be for a while and you’ll know when we take the next step.”
Lalime has been solid in Miller’s place, posting a 2.47 GAA and .923 save percentage in his nine starts despite his below-.500 record. But Ruff has voiced concerns about his workload in recent days and tonight’s game starts a stretch of six games in 12 days.
Lalime, who led the Senators to the Eastern Conference finals in 2003, had his worst game since Miller’s injury in a 6-3 loss in Ottawa on March 7. backup Mikael Tellqvist, acquired from Phoenix at the trade deadline, surprised some media members after practice Monday as he was leaving the locker room by saying he’s starting the game.
Miller then emerged for his media briefing and reporters could not question Tellqvist, who was unavailable for further comment. However, Ruff said Tuesday morning on his radio program on WGR that Tellqvist would start.
In the nine full games the Sabres have played without Ryan Miller:
* They are 3-4-2 for eight of a possible 18 points.
* Goalies have made 266 saves on 289 shots for a save percentage of .920.-x
* Goalies have given up 23 goals for a goals-against average of 2.52.-y
* Goalies have given up 13 goals, or 56.5 percent of the total, in the third period.
* Goalies have given up two short-handed goals. Miller has given up one all season.
* The Sabres have not won when giving up more than one goal.
* The Sabres have outscored opponents, 24-23, but in their three victories they won by an aggregate 13-3.
* The Sabres are averaging 2.63 goals per game. On the season the average is 2.84.
* Opponents have scored on 2 of 7 shootout attempts for a .286 percentage. The Sabres are 0 of 7 in those two shootout losses.
x-Mikael Tellqvist gave up one goal on four shots while playing 13:36 against the Flyers. Patrick Lalime's save percentage is .923 in the nine games.
y-Lalime's goals-against average is 2.47.
mharrington@buffnews.com
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