Sabres' Lalime well enough to play
Vanek feeling better
Published: February 26, 2009, 1:02 pm
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RALEIGH, N.C. -- A loss will still put the Buffalo Sabres out of an Eastern Conference playoff position, but at least they'll try to avoid that with an experienced goaltender in the crease. The flu that felled Patrick Lalime on Wednesday dissipated today, and Lalime will be in the nets tonight when the Sabres face the Carolina Hurricanes in RBC Center.
"Better, a little bit stronger," said Lalime of how he feels. "The body feels better."
Lalime stayed on the ice throughout the Sabres' morning skate and stayed on to take some extra shots.
"I felt pretty good," he said. "Once you're over it, you just put gas in the machine and get going again."
Had Lalime not been available, the Sabres would have started Jhonas Enroth, the rookie who has never played an NHL game. The eighth-place Sabres are one point ahead of the Hurricanes.
Sabres left wing Thomas Vanek, meanwhile, took extra work tipping pucks in front of the net. He has a new face shield covering his fractured jaw -- it's a regular visor with a clear, plastic, football player-like chin guard -- and coach Lindy Ruff is hopeful Vanek will return to the lineup next week.
"I feel a lot better than I thought I would," Vanek said. "I don't have much pain. Obviously, when I try to open my mouth a lot it hurts, or when I try to eat something harder it hurts, but overall I feel great."
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