[OT LOSS] Leafs in Buffalo to try and start a win streak (Game 31)

[jetsforever]

Buffalo Sabres
(11-15-4)
13th in the Eastern Conference

AT


Toronto Maple Leafs
(15-12-2)
6th in the Eastern Conference


First Niagra Center
Buffalo, NY
Thursday, March 21, 2013
7PM Eastern time


Players to Watch:

Nazem Kadri (11 goals, 30 points)	Thomas Vanek (14 goals, 31 points)
James Van Riemsdyk (14 goals, 22 points)	Cody Hodgson (12 goals, 24 points)
Phil Kessel ( 10 goals, 28 points)	Jason Pomminville (9 goals, 22 points)

Full Rosters:

...............


GO LEAFS GO!

[Lavy16]

Need a Leafs win and the Devils-Canes game not to be a 3 point game

[OptiMized]

Vanek is day-to-day with a hip issue. Hope he misses tonight.

Wonder if John Scott takes on the might thORR tonight

[OptiMized]

Leafs recall Ryan Hamilton. Must know that Lupul will be suspended

oh and obviously Komi clears waivers

[Tito Santana]

Vanek is out. Lupul is probably out too. Hope they put Hamilton with whoever Lupul is playing with and not on the 4th line.

[Lavy16]

I was watching the NHL network and Kevin Weeks figures Lupul will only get 1 game being a 1st time offender

[OptiMized]

David Alter ‏@DavidAlter590 11m

#Marlies may need a new captain...Ryan Hamilton has 30 goals this season in AHL and would need to clear waivers to be sent back down.

Trade might be coming unless they are willing to lose the Marlies captain on waivers. Maybe they send Orr or McLaren down? Don't see why they'd call him up without the ability to safely send him down. Either way Hamilton looks like he will be here for a while

[KingerSox]

I wanna see us just pound them like 6-0 or something like that. Just because I want to see Ryan Miller throw another hissy fit.

[KingerSox]

I don't think they'd be sweating if eventually they have to send Hamilton back on waivers.

[OptiMized]

David Alter
‏@DavidAlter590
Turns out Hamilton could be sent back. Has to be on an NHL roster for 30 days or have played 10 games. He has played only 3 NHL games.

So which is it? Brian Huddle who follows the Leafs minor-league stuff says he would still have to pass through waivers.

[OptiMized]

I don't think they'd be sweating if eventually they have to send Hamilton back on waivers.

It's weird though. Marlies are on the road to the playoffs and losing their captain (and top-scorer) or even exposing him on waivers is risky. Around the deadline teams are always looking for an extra bottom 6 guy. Keith Aucoin got picked up so i think Hamilton could if he enters waivers

especially with Fraser in the press box. If it's just a 1-2 game thing just run with Orr- McClement - Fraser (we've done it before) until Lupul comes back, if this is why they called him up

[KingerSox]

Losing him for the Marlies would suck. But I don't know if Hamilton would be claimed. Aucoin got claimed because he has a reputation for lighting up the AHL and could step in top 6 temporarily for a club. Hamilton's a guy other organzations have other guys like in their system. Nice in the AHL but dime a dozen in the NHL. These waiver rules are confusing me a bit too.

[LuckyLuke2]

There is absolutely no way they would call up Hamilton without being able to send him back down, Nonis is smarter than that.

The second guy who tweeted must be right. Why would they call him up being the Marlies captain while they're in a playoff push and not be able to send him back? He has to be able to go back down.

Either way this must mean Lupul will be suspended one game. I honeslty feel like he deserves one game, I hope it's not more. He did elbow Hedman in the head.

Tough blow considering tonight's a must win and without Lupul it's harder.

So yeah Hamilton will probably plug in on the fourth line with McClement and Orr.

[OptiMized]

I watch Law and Order so i'm always looking for clues lol but this still seems a little weird to me. If it's for a possible Lupul suspension then why not run with the same 4th line that Carlyle has been in love with this season. If it's for a potential injury (as a precautionary measure) why chose a leader and the only finisher on the Marlies... would rather have Zigomanis come up

I guess we'll find out why soon

[LuckyLuke2]

Without Lupul tonight I expect:

JVR - Bozak - Kessel

MaCarthur - Kadri - Frattin

Kulemin - Grabovski - Komarov

Hamilton - McClement - Orr

Phaneuf - Gunnar

Liles - Gardiner

Fraser - Franson