Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- Andrej Sekera will miss a few weeks, maybe longer with a rib injury. He left the Nashville game with about five minutes left in the second period. Toni Lydman has come far enough along to take his place. Lydman is no stranger to Steve Montador as the two played as a pair for Calgary when they went to the Stanley Cup Finals. As far as how the defense is doing without Lydman, Lindy Ruff said, "I think we've worked on some things that have been different that has helped us play better defensively, I don't think it has anything to do with throwing another player in. I think the only way defensive issues can arise is if we make more individual mistakes."

The Sabres lead the NHL going into today's action with just 22 shots against. Ryan Miller has been stellar with a 0.98 goals against and .955 save percentage, but when he gets tested, it's been a breakaway or out numbered chance. Ruff said, "It's not from a lack of trying to score. I think that's why we've given up a couple of doozies. Part of our power play structure is to isolate on guy and if you make a mistake, you're going to pay for it, but I think we're sold on the way we're playing, it's creating the right number of offensive chances. I told the team, in all reality we could've had 60 shots, but we passed up 10 to 15 opportunities to put the puck on the net lookin for better plays that weren't there."

On the other side of thing the Sabres also lead the NHL with 38.7 shots per game. That has produced just four goals. Ruff said, "We haven't had much in the puck luck category. We had some great opportunities, even in the last power play we hit the post when we had nothing but open net. I think you got to work for your opportunities, you have to deserve to win and if we keep dominating play, the puck will start going in the net. I don't think there's anything wrong with the way we're playing and getting the amount of opportunities, by our count we had over 15 quality chances."

After today's games the Sabres and Atlanta will have either two or three games in hand on every team in the East except the Islanders.

The Sabres' first injury swap of the regular season is here. Insert Toni Lydman, scratch Andrej Sekera.

Lydman missed the first three games of the season with a hand injury, and coach Lindy Ruff said the veteran defenseman will be ready to play Tuesday when the Red Wings visit HSBC Arena. Lydman will be needed after Sekera was hurt in the second period of Saturday's 1-0 victory over Nashville.

"Andrej has got a rib injury, and he's going to miss at least a couple weeks. It could be longer," Ruff said after practice today. "He doesn't really know how he got hurt, so it's sort of a strange one."

Lydman will play on the blue line alongside Steve Montador, who was Sekera's partner. That leaves the pairings of Chris Butler-Craig Rivet and Henrik Tallinder-Tyler Myers intact.
"I don't think we need to change anything," Ruff said. "I've liked what the pairs have done. So short term, we'll throw him in that slot and get him going."

Yea, X, someone predicted this. Actually, it was ETC who said to watch out for an "injury" to happen .

It's amazing how often Myers covers for Tallinder rather than the other way around.

Thank God, because if Tallinder were still expected to pull his full weight he'd still be killing us on a regular basis. He better be real nice to Myers, because he's saving his ass. It definitely helps us out in one respect: If Tallinder gets his reputation propped back up again some other team may actually be willing to give us something for him.

Lindy: Sekera, you need to fake an injury

Sekera: But I feel fine

Lindy: Sekera (holds up picture of Tonya Harding)

Sekera: My rib coach, my rib, it hurts real bad

It's probably another case of heartbreak in reality.....

(I knew her for three weeks; and I really loved her.......)