Canucks at Sabres
Emotional goaltender Ryan Miller shed tears when addressing the media shortly after he was traded from the Buffalo Sabres in March 2014. Nearly 20 months later, Miller returns to First Niagara Center for the first time when his Vancouver Canucks open a seven-game road trip against the Sabres on Saturday afternoon.
"To be there so long, then go cold turkey, it is a little bit strange," the 35-year-old Miller told the Vancouver Sun. Miller, who was traded to St. Louis, did not return to Buffalo during his short time with the Blues and suffered a knee injury just before the Canucks were set to visit his former team last season. Both teams saw their modest two-game winning streaks halted in their last outings. Vancouver dropped a 3-2 decision to Pittsburgh on Wednesday while Buffalo rookie Jack Eichel netted his team-leading fifth goal in Thursday's 4-1 setback to Tampa Bay.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, RSN (Vancouver), MSG-B (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (6-3-4): Daniel Sedin scored his second goal in three games versus the Penguins and also tallied in his last meeting with Buffalo. Sedin has made himself comfortable on the road, recording six points (two goals, four assists) in five contests this season. Twin brother Henrik has heated up of late by setting up a goal in four straight games and also had an assist in his last encounter with the Sabres.
ABOUT THE SABRES (5-8-0): Tyler Ennis assisted on Eichel's goal for his fourth point in as many games. The 26-year-old Ennis also set up a goal in his last meeting with Vancouver, marking his fourth point (three goals, one assist) in five encounters with the Canucks. Ryan O'Reilly leads the team with nine assists and 13 points this season, but has failed to score a goal in 26 career meetings with Vancouver.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver is 0-for-5 on the power play after scoring at least one goal with the man advantage in each of its previous five contests.
2. Buffalo has thwarted 11-of-12 short-handed situations over the last six games.
3. The Canucks reassigned D Alex Biega, C Brendan Gaunce and G Jacob Markstrom to Utica of the American Hockey League on Friday.