In a key first step on the road back from a high ankle sprain, Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller is skating for the first time in nearly a month.

Miller skated on his own Sunday while the rest of the team was off. He was on the ice for about a half-hour again this morning in HSBC Arena before the team held its normal practice.

Skating with his leg pads on but wearing just a sweatshirt and baseball cap and no equpiment from the waist up, Miller flipped some pucks with goaltenders coach Jim Corsi and fellow netminders Patrick Lalime and Mikael Tellqvist.

"Everything walking around feels good," Miller said. "[The injury] has just kind of confined itself to the way I hurt it, which is sort of a twisting motion almost the way I butterfly. So I'm just going to have to keep stretching and working through it."

Miller has missed the last nine games since suffering the injury Feb. 21 against the New York Rangers in a collision with New York center Scott Gomez. Backup Patrick Lalime has started every game in his place, posting a 3-4-2 record.

Asked if he had any doubt if he would return this season, Miller was emphatic that he expects to play.

"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."

"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."

Newly acquired Mikael Tellqvist surprised some media members after practice today as he was leaving the locker room by saying he's starting Tuesday night's game in Ottawa. Miller then emerged and reporters could not question Tellqvist, who was unavailable for further comment.

Ruff had already spoken to reporters so Tuesday's starter won't be revealed until the morning skate in Ottawa.