Stanley and Ruff aren't worried about what Marco Sturm says

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm told reporters on Friday that his team is bigger and stronger than the Buffalo Sabres and that they will be coming after them. One of the reasons Jarmo Kekalainen acquired Logan Stanley from the Winnipeg Jets is he felt the Sabres were being pushed around. Stanley had hear what was said and he said,

"It's fine, they got a good team, big team, physical and lots of talent over there, so they're going to put their best foot forward just like we will and it's going to be a heck of a series.

"That's their opinion and we're going to come out and play our game, every playoff series is physical and and we'll be ready for the challenge."

Stanley isn't the least bit worried about a physical series because he feels his teammates show up,

"100%, these guys in here stick up for each other and physicality is a big part of the playoffs and it's going to be a physical series on both sides and we'll be ready for that."

Lindy Ruff knows where his team is at when it comes to a physical game. He said his players have done a good job of growing into it,

"I think "Dahls" said 'They drank beers' and that's how they came together, they did some things to bond where they understood that we failed the test a few times last year when it was a chance to really come together as a group to look after each other, to protect each other, to be there for each other, whether it's a hit, you're in a fight or it's blocking shots for goaltenders, whatever that is and I thought that momentum started earlier in the year and it kept getting greater and greater.

"You look at the Tampa Bay game where they tried to come in here and bully us, but it didn't work out."

The Sabres have to be careful they don't get caught up in what the Bruins want to do. Stanley is confident they'll play their game,

"We want to play to our strengths and play how we have all year and what's got us to this point and the playoffs the physicality and the intensity and the competitiveness all ramps up another level."

When Stanley got here, Ruff had said that Winnipeg played a different system and it would take a bit for Stanley to master the Sabres system and fit in. The big defenseman said he thought it would've kicked in sooner than it did,

"Maybe it was a little longer than I thought it would never being traded before, it's definitely different, you come into a new group, a new system a different style than playing the game, but I'm feeling pretty comfortable now, just still trying to get better and grow my game every day."

Buffalo plays with pace and they try to do that for most of the game. Stanley said that's not the way the Jets approached the game,

"The speed at which this team plays with is a little bit different than in Winnipeg being an older group, so that was definitely and adjustment, they want to get up and go and it's been a lot of fun to adjust to it."

Noah Ostlund said after practice that he's been skating and felt good today. As far if he's ready to play he said, "We'll see tomorrow." Ruff said,

"It's his first day back with us, we're going to get him involved in some physical contact and see where he's at, he has been skating, we've just been trying to get him to that next level and today was that next level, so we'll see how he feels after taking faceoffs and being involved in practice, so definitely a possibility, I don't know about Game 1, but he's right there knocking on the door."

Alex Lyon told me after practice that he's been back to normal for four or five days and he felt good in practice and is ready to play. Ruff confirmed that Lyon will be available.

Colten Ellis didn't practice, but Ruff said he will be available.