Saturday NHL Morning Papers (Eastern Conference)

No offense, all you folks once again filling HSBC Arena on a nightly basis. The Buffalo Sabres know you’d like to see some style points when they hit the ice downtown but they figure you’ll be happier in the final analysis with plain old winning points. The results are hard to argue. The Sabres made it 12 straight games without a regulation loss at home Friday night, getting a pair of first-period goals and holding on to grind out a 2-1 win over the reeling Boston Bruins.
  • The Canadiens will have a depleted blue line Saturday afternoon when they play the Ottawa Senators (2 p.m., CBC, RDS. CJAD Radio-800). Jaroslav Spacek, who missed Wednesday’s game in Tampa because of the flu, will miss Saturday’s game with a mysterious upper-body injury.
  • The effort was there last night. So were the grit and tenacity. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the finishing touch yet again was not, and, because of that, neither was the result they wanted. After spotting the Buffalo Sabres a two-goal, first-period lead, the B’s tried mightily to come back, only to lose, 2-1, at HSBC Arena.
  • Within a week, the Ottawa Senators will have something they’ve only rarely had this year: a completely healthy roster of players. Goalie Pascal Leclaire, out with a concussion since Jan. 14, practised with the team for the first time on Friday and is expected back within the week, while centre Jesse Winchester, who injured his right knee in a Jan. 9 game against the Florida Panthers, is available to play whenever coach Cory Clouston wants to use him — or can find a spot for him in the lineup.

    • Southeast Division

    • When he’s not around ice, Thrashers coach John Anderson prefers moving water. He always keeps a boat, and part of his history and heart is on the water. He talked about this after a recent practice at Philips Arena, while watching a fishing show on his office TV.
    • Mike Knuble recorded another multi-goal game, and Jeff Schultz became the latest low-scoring defenseman to end a goal drought Friday night at Verizon Center. But the focus after the Washington Capitals picked up their ninth straight victory with a 4-1 triumph over the Florida Panthers was the uncertain status of Mike Green.
    • For the Lightning, it was hard not to be a bit disappointed.What had been the team’s most successful homestand, which included a season-best three-game winning streak, ended Friday night at the St. Pete Times Forum with a 2-1 loss to the Ducks in a shootout.
    • There’s still a lot of hockey left, but the Carolina Hurricanes could wind up with one of the top three picks in the NHL Entry Draft this year. Do that and the Canes might be able to get a sudden-impact kind of player. Someone like, say, Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks. Or Jonathan Toews, also of the Blackhawks. Four years ago, when the Hurricanes were on their way to winning the Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks were NHL afterthoughts. They finished 26-43-13, 28th in the league.
    • Scouting report: The Panthers are 6-1-2 in their past nine games and have recorded points in four of their past five games (3-1-1) despite just six goals during that stretch. …The Capitals have won eight consecutive games, their best run since a franchise record 10 consecutive during the 1983-84 season, and 11 of 12. …They scored three goals in two and a half minutes during the third period of Wednesday’s win against Anaheim and have scored in 21 of their past 23 periods. …The Panthers are 0-3-1 against the Caps this season, losing the last matchup 5-4 in a shootout after leading 4-1. …Caps LW Alexander Ovechkin leads the league at plus-32 and is second in goals with 34. …Michal Neuvirth will start in goal. Jose Theodore (hip flexor) might dress as his backup.

    Hat tip to the now defunct Illegal Curve for their permission in taking over this daily series.

    Anthony Curatolo
    NHLHS Senior Writer
    acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
    Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC