Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - With both the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars having nothing to play for on Wednesday, the Sabres are treating their final regular season game like a preseason game.
Lindy Ruff confirmed that some of his regulars won’t be playing. He said keeping players healthy for the playoffs against the Boston Bruins is important,
“We are going to rest some guys, just stay away from the chance of some guys getting hurt.
“There’s two parts to it, the part of accidental injury is real and there are examples of why take a chance when you have nothing to gain and how bad you’d look if you did put somebody in jeopardy when you didn’t need to?”
I can tell you Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, Mattias Samuelsson, Jason Zucker and Ryan McLeod all stayed out after the morning skate until the Zamboni kicked them off.
In early, like they’d be playing were Zach Metsa, Conor Timmins, Luke Schenn, Tanner Preason and Josh Dunne.
Colten Ellis will get the call in goal. He’s coming off a 37-save shutout on April 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s 8-4-1 with a 2.91 goals against and .904 save percentage.
Ruff said Alex Lyon feels a lot better and Noah Ostlund is close, but is doubtful for Game 1 against the Bruins.
Jarmo Kekalainen knows what the playoffs are like being the GM in Columbus, but it’s his first time experiencing it as a member of the Sabres. He said winning the Atlantic Division is something he’s proud for his players,
“I’m just real happy for the whole team and everybody around it, the people that have worked for the organization for a long time, I think it means a lot, they get rewarded for the hard work that they've done all year and it’s great to see.”
Kekalainen hopes he’s helped a little, but he thinks the transformation in this team has come from the players,
“I think the answer is always in the room, the leadership group, those are the guys that have to lead by example and show everybody around them that they’re not just the star players they’re guys that put everything into it every day whether it’s practice or the gym or a game and we’ve had a lot of guys that don’t get a lot of accolades, they don’t show up a lot on the scoreboard, I could mention Beck Malenstyn, a great guy that drives the culture, blocks shots, works his butt off every night, every day in practice, Peyton Krebs another one that doesn’t show up as a leading scorer, but just a hard working guy.”
Kekalainen has been in Buffalo just a little less than a year, but he has really enjoyed the fans of this team. He can’t wait to see their intensity ramped up in the playoffs,
“It’s pretty easy to see what it means to the fanbase and it’s been incredible to experience for me, even thinking of the April 6 game against Tampa, that felt like a playoff game already so I can’t wait to see if that can be elevated for the playoffs. They’ve been so supportive, so intense, it’s definitely like a seventh player on the ice.”
The Bruins are ranked eighth in the NHL while the Sabres are No. 4. Kekalainen is looking forward to the first round against them,
“I don’t think the regular season record really matters at this time of year, we analyze the Boston Bruins and see what they’re made of and they’re physical, they get very good goaltending and it’s going to be a tough opponent.”
Join “Schopp and the Bulldog” for pregame starting at 6:00 when you’ll hear from Kekalainen, Ruff and Ellis.
Jarmo Kekalainen has loved what the fans have brought to this team
Jarmo Kekalainen has loved what the fans have brought to this team
