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HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN FELLS MILLER; LALIME WILL START |
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Ryan Miller limped to across the Sabres lockerroom, after a lengthy delay, and addressed the media. The thick scrum of reporters parted like the red sea to allow Miller access to his stall. Respecting the goalie's injury was paramount. I looked down and saw his toenails.... hmmmm.... where's his sock and loafer? Miller conducted his presser with one shoe off so as to find comfort from the pain.
He was visibly disapponted, however, he looked at his injury as a glass being half fulll.
He was in obvious discomfort, however, he walked without crutches or assistance, which is a good sign. Move over Thomas Vanek. Ryan Miller is the new injured Buffalo Sabres star.
Miller has a high ankle sprain and will be further evaluated Sunday.
"Its stiff.. its, like I said, an ankle sprain.. we took some Xrays and those didn't show anything. These are things you kind of have to feel out-- there's no timetable, really. Its a comfort level. Right now, I just wanna get through tonight til the morning and see how its feeling--- how my body reacts".
Leading 3-0, Ranger Scott Gomez busted in on the right wing wall, as he and Miller both were attempting to recover a loose puck in the trapezoid adjacent the Miller's cage. Pretty routine play that you see on a frequent basis in the NHL. The two collided and Miller fell to the ice in obvious discomfort. Sabre trainer Tim Macre assisted Miller as he got to his feet. After a three minute evaluation, Miller made his way to the Buffalo room and he was done for the night. Patty Lalime was pressed into duty ice cold, and was forced to face a Ranger Powerplay. It was a hairy sequence of events.
Miller added: "I've had ankle sprains different times, and each one's been different. So, we'll see how this one plays out. As we evaluate it, its a high ankle sprain, but its relatively low.."
Gomez was asked if he thought since there was no Sabre retribution that they believed his story to be true that it was an accident.
"Absoutely. Like I said, we just bumped into each other. The refs were right there and if there's something they're going to call it. There was no call (by the refs) "
The good news is there is no break and the high ankle sprain was diagnosed by the Sabres trainers to not be the worst degree high ankle sprain that there is.
Miller has injured the ankle before, but he was in no position to compare it to past injured ankles.
"I'm not trying to play coy, its just you can't just say off the bat that... its stiff, its tender..."
Patty Lalime will be the starter fo rthe foreseeable future. "I guess you guys will see Jhonas (Enroth) come up, so its exciting for him...."
Enroth will likely be recalled from Portland Sunday.
So, was it a slewfoot by Gomez on Miller or was it incidental contact?
"I haven't seen the replays yet... I know Scott personally and I don't think he would ever come in and hit me, especially when I'm not facing the play".
Was there malice in Gomez's heart?
"Some of the guys said that he might have lost and edge and the referee said he (Gomez) lost an edge. He's not that kind of guy. He was definitely, probably going for the puck".
Gomez agreed when the media spoke with him in the Rangers room before his team departed for the bus to their charter.
"It was an accident", no question. I was just going behind the net... stopped and we kinda lost our balance and we ran into each other, I don't know what happened. It was one of those unfortunate things
One NHL exec in attendance told me, "if that was Dubinsky or anopther guy like that that hit Miller, its another story. Gomez is not that kinda guy."
Gomez is more of a Lady Byng than a thug. I believe him to be truthful and contrite. He was concerned for Miller afterwards.
Gomez was asked if he thought since there was no Sabre retribution that they believed his story to be true that it was an accident.
"Absoutely. Like I said, we just bumped into each other. The refs were right there and if there's something they're going to call it. There was no call (by the refs) "
Miller was happy that his team grabbed two critical points to drw even with the Rangers with 68 points. The Rangers deafted Boston, 2-0 and they also have 68 points. Miller wished he could have stayed in his crease for all sixty minutes.
" I'm disappointed I had to leave the game, but I was proud of the guys-- they sucked it up and Patty did a great job coming in. Thats a tough position, facing their powerplay. Our penalty kill did a great job".
"We'll find out more tomorrow. Right now, its just the ways its gonna be"
***
Henrik Lunqvist was a stunend, disgusted man after the loss.
"The one goal hits Redden's glove and goes in.... I read it the whole way from the point in.. it was going in my belly... next thing I know, its in my net. Unbelievable, man!"
His team is in a fragile mental state right now, and ther no more questions than answers.
The goal in question was launch from the point by Reggie Sekera.
Back breaker of a goal.
"We could not score until the third period. By then it was too late because we got insecure about giving up three goal".
****
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