I Love Carolina

But I hate the hurricanes. GO SABRES!

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2012/03/no-change-in-lines-at-morning-skate.html

"The Internet wolves are howling about getting Derek Roy out of the middle between Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville but it hasn't happened at today's morning skate. It's status quo as it was on the road trip. That means the struggling top line is still together and the lines remain:

Vanek-Roy-Pominville
Ennis-Hodgson-Stafford
Gerbe-Leino-Kaleta
Boyes-Ellis-Tropp"

I hope Lindy does leave the lines alone (even though I'd like Boyes and Kaleta to switch). 26-9-29 need to figure things out on their own and get going again. Shuffling people around doesn't do it, players do it themselves after figuring out what they need to improve on. Having another line one-upping them every night is as much motivation as getting sent down the depth chart.

I'd like to see Regehr get another rest tonight after getting smoked by Chris Thorborn of all people. He's a little slow anyway, but with his hip/leg injury he looked like a pylon on that goal. Sulzer should play tonight in front of the home crowd so Regehr can be fresh tomorrow night for Boston.

---Ryan Miller will play in net tonight, making his 21st start in the last 22 games and his 10th straight. (He's 6-1-1 in the last eight with a 1.60 GAA and .952 save percentage). Miller said he was tired Monday in Winnipeg but told coach Lindy Ruff this morning he was feeling fresher. Still, Ruff admitted that backup Jhonas Enroth -- who is winless since Nov. 26 -- is going to have to play soon, perhaps as early as Thursday night in Boston.

"We got some back-to-back games Jhonas will have to play that will be demanding on us," Ruff said. "To come back and have to play four [games] in six [nights] is a tough test. We know Jhonas will have to step in for one of those."

---At least at the morning skate, Ruff didn't shuffle his lines. Derek Roy remained between Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville even though the trio has no points and is a combined minus-12 over the last three games. In the last six games, they have three points and are minus-13.

Ruff did, however, say that he was "still chewin' on that one" when asked if he might switch things up tonight. Translation: Pay attention in the second period.

"You score one goal and the puck starts following you for some reason,' said Roy. "Then you get another couple. You have to work together."

Vanek, who has four goals since the calendar hit 2012, pushed away several questions about whether he's got a lingering shoulder problem.

"I'm pretty good. You always have bumps and bruises during the year but those are no excuses," he said. "It's not an issue for me. I don't worry about that too much. It's a game of confidence. I just haven't got myself into spots where I can get those shots away."

Hate the toilet bowls.

Stop Eric Stall, that is all!