Bruins at Sabres
The Boston Bruins will be without another key cog on the blue line when they visit the Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. With captain Zdeno Chara already out four to six weeks with a knee injury, fellow defenseman Torey Krug will be sidelined two to three weeks after suffering a broken finger during Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Minnesota. Ironically, both blue-liners scored in Boston's 4-0 triumph over Buffalo in the teams' first meeting on Oct. 18.
Niklas Svedberg turned aside 32 shots to record his first NHL shutout and may get the call again as the Bruins look to rebound from their second loss in three games. Buffalo's pronounced scoring woes once again reared their ugly head Tuesday as it was shut out for the fourth time on the young season with a 4-0 setback to Toronto. The Sabres have mustered just 10 goals in as many games, the lowest total in a stretch of that length since the 1936-37 Chicago Blackhawks.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (5-6-0): With Kevan Miller sidelined by a dislocated shoulder in addition to the absences of Chara and Krug, the Bruins recalled defensemen Joe Morrow and David Warsofsky from Providence of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. Morrow is on his second recall to Boston after being summoned on Friday, while Warsofsky joins the big club for the first time this season. Fellow blue-liner Zach Trotman notched an assist Tuesday, setting up the first of rookie Seth Griffith's two goals.
ABOUT THE SABRES (2-8-0): Coach Ted Nolan received an eyeful of his struggling team to begin the season - and he certainly wasn't shy about admitting he doesn't like what he sees. "I always give our team a 10-game grace period," Nolan told the Buffalo News on Wednesday. "You give them a little bit of rope and maybe some will hang themselves. The last 10 or so games, we saw that. Taking it easy is over now." Center Cody Hodgson was dropped to the fourth line in Wednesday's practice and could be reduced to the role of spectator versus Boston.
OVERTIME
1. Griffith shares the team lead in goals with fellow Cs David Krejci and Carl Soderberg.
2. Buffalo rookie C Sam Reinhart missed the teams' first meeting as a healthy scratch but is expected to take the ice on Thursday.
3. Krejci, who set up a goal versus the Sabres in the first meeting, has collected three tallies and six assists during his seven-game point streak.