Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) - The NHL comes out of its Christmas break with the Bruins here on Friday. No team could play or practice for three days.
Ralph Krueger said Marco Scandella is sick and won't play this game. Apparently a bug has been going around the team.
Johan Larsson and Kyle Okposo were in the morning skate with Okposo likely to play. Larsson missed two games with an upper-body injury, while Okposo missed the Ottawa game due to sickness.
The last game the Sabres played was on Monday when they fired 44 shots on Senators goalie Craig Anderson and lost 3-1.
The Sabres' penalty killing has been better in most games, as in six out of the last seven games, they've been perfect, going 12-for-12. The problem was the Philadelphia game, where Buffalo only killed two of five shorthanded situations.
The team has lost four of five games, but still remains only one point out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.
On Monday, Jack Eichel didn't have a point for the first time in 18 games. The last time Eichel had gone pointless was Nov. 14 against Carolina.
Victor Olofsson had his six-game point streak broken against the Senators.
Friday will be Jeff Skinner's 700th NHL game.
Linus Ullmark has only given up four goals in his last two starts and is 7-3-2 in his last 12 games.
Buffalo is only 1-6-3 in its last 10 games at home against the Bruins. If you flip that, Boston is 9-1-1 in their last 11 in the arena.
After the morning skate the Sabres called up Curtis Lazar from Rochester.
Torey Krug won't play for the Bruins as he's out with an upper-body injury.
Boston has a nine-point lead over second place Toronto in the division, but are four points back of Washington for the Eastern Conference lead.
It's been a little tough sledding for Boston recently as they've lost eight of 10 games.
Jaroslav Halak will start in goal for Boston. He's lost three of his last four games. Halak is 8-3-4 with a 2.37 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.
David Pastrnak leads the NHL with 28 goals. Despite having all those goals, he's been goalless in five of his last six games. Pastrnak and Brad Marchand have 54 points, which ties them for fourth in league scoring.
Join Mike Schopp for the pregame live from (716) Food and Sport starting at 6:00.
