Just about everybody was on the ice this morning at HSBC Arena as the Buffalo Sabres get ready to face the Boston Bruins tonight in a showdown game.

Just how important is this game? “Every game is important” said Coach Lindy Ruff to the media following the practice. But this one looms large. Given up for dead just three weeks ago, the team could forge a tie for 8th place tonight with a regulation win, and that puts the boys right back in the playoff mix.

Tim Connolly skated today, and Coach Ruff reported that they had a long meeting with Connolly just yesterday, and are monitoring his progress very closely. From the looks of things, Connolly might be ready to go in time for Sunday’s game against Florida. Maxim Afinogenov, however, is a whole other story, and it looks like his recovery has actually regressed.

The other guy on the sudden “sick list” is Dmitri Kalinin, who did not practice this morning and is apparently under the weather. Ruff stated that Kalinin should be OK for tonight, but if not then Nathan Paetsch will be pressed into service on the blue line.

One of the guys adding a huge physical presence on the ice is Patrick Kaleta, and if the Sabres suddenly become totally healthy, he might be sent back to Rochester, and from where I’m watching, that would be a bad thing. His style of play is rubbing off on the entire team.

Ryan Miller will be looking for his 100th career NHL victory tonight… he got 99 in Wednesday’s shootout win over the Devils. And speaking of that shootout, Henrik Tallinder made history with his awesome goal, when he became the first blueliner to ever attempt a shot in a shootout, and obviously, the first one to ever score a goal.

There are only a few scattered singles remaining, so look for another sellout tonight for a 7:30 start.

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