Injured Buffalo Sabres left wing Thomas Vanek entered the TD Garden this morning sporting a walking cast on his left leg.

Buffalo's top goal scorer during the regular season, Vanek suffered a "lower body injury" during Game 2 on Saturday when he was hooked and slashed by Boston's Johnny Boychuk during a partial breakaway with under 7 minutes left in the opening period. Vanek left the ice and did not return and is considered doubtful for Game 3 Monday night at the Garden.

When asked Monday if he would be playing, Vanek said, "I'll leave it up to the big guys."

Over the weekend, Vanek didn't rule himself out for the Bruins-Sabres first-round playoff series, which is tied at a game apiece.

Sabres defenseman Steve Montador expects the team to stick with the same system without Vanek.

"Thomas is hard to replace, but one player doesn't make a team, and you can say that about any one guy in our lineup," Montador said Sunday. "We want to continue to play hard, play our system and we'll get the chances that we need if we continue to work."

He might be just using the walking cast when he's out and about for precautionary reasons. That's what Miller said he did when he injured his ankle last year.

He might be just using the walking cast when he's out and about for precautionary reasons. That's what Miller said he did when he injured his ankle last year.

The problem is that the damage is done. Connolly is trying to play on a broken foot and look how that is working out so far? When Vanek comes back he'll be 50-70% but not the monster that he was for two weeks when he was finally 100%. I want to get excited for his return, but history has constantly showed us that when players force themselves back they just aren't as effective. There's no way around it, no matter how many ra-ra sayings about sucking it up.