Tyler Myers was hit with a three-game Shanaban after giving Scott Gomez a face full of glass on Monday night. Tonight’s visit from the Avalanche will be the first game Myers misses. 
The suspension to Myers was warranted and is the appropriate length. What is completely asinine is the fact that the NHL continues their completely inconsistent manner of evaluating supplemental discipline. Evgeni Malkin lowered virtually the same hit on Johnny Boychuk over the weekend and escaped with a minor. Maybe if Tyler Myers was one of the league’s most electrifying players in the middle of the Hart Trophy race he wouldn’t have been suspended either. Is that really a difficult conclusion to come to?
Buffalo will play their first without Myers – 11 points (4+7), +9 since the All-Star break – against a Western Conference foe pushing for a playoff spot of their own. I’d expect to see Brayden McNabb in the lineup for the next three games. He has been playing solid hockey for the Amerks and has the physical edge the Sabres will need for the remaining games this season. Andrej Sekera could be in the lineup, although it seems like a serious longshot. I would count on McNabb stepping in for at least the next three nights.
The Sabres offense has still been struggling to find the back of the net, but they are creating chances. Peter Budaj made 33 saves on Monday and Buffalo has put at least 30 shots on goal in three of their last four. It is time for the Sabres to start capitalizing on their chances, scoring three or four a night will give this team a very real shot at achieving the impossible.
Highlighted Matchup
Cody Hodgson. The newest forward on the team is still finding his way. I’m not sure if it is a conditioning issue, fatigue from playing on a nightly basis, his arrival and subsequent puddle jump across the country and further participation on Buffalo’s west coast trip or just a systematic problem. What I do know is that a number of fans are getting anxious about his potential. It would be nice if he got a few points over the next few games. Despite what the box score says, he hasn’t been all bad.
Projected Goaltenders
BUF: Ryan Miller
COL: Semyon Varlamov
Last Meeting
Sabres 3 – Avalanche 4 OT, Pepsi Center, 1/4/2011
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