BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Jaroslav Spacek could miss the rest of the
regular season and Dmitri Kalinin will be out for weeks, leaving
the Buffalo Sabres without two veteran defensemen for their final
playoff push.
Spacek has a chest injury and will require more tests to
determine when he could return, but coach Lindy Ruff said Tuesday,
"It's going to be a good period of time." As for Kalinin, Ruff
said the player will miss up to two weeks with a shoulder injury.
Both were hurt during a 3-2 shootout loss to the New York
Rangers on Monday.
The only good news is that defenseman Henrik Tallinder, who's
missed three games because of a shoulder injury, is expected to
return for Buffalo's game at Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Losing Spacek and Kalinin is a serious blow to a Sabres team
that's 1-3-2 in the past six games and falling behind in the
Eastern Conference playoff race. With 12 games left, Buffalo began
Tuesday three points behind Philadelphia, which holds the eighth
and final playoff berth.
Spacek has been among the Sabres' steadiest defenseman this
season and leads the team's blueliners with nine goals and 31
points. Averaging a little over 23 minutes a game, he's taken on an
even bigger role after the team traded All-Star defenseman Brian
Campbell to San Jose two weeks ago.
Kalinin has been inconsistent, but is still averaging more than
17 minutes of ice time.
Defenseman Nathan Paetsch expects to play despite still feeling
sore after being checked hard into the boards by New York's Sean
Avery in the second period Monday.
The Sabres bolstered their defense by recalling Mike Weber from
AHL Rochester. Weber has no points in four games with the Sabres
this season, and hasn't been with the team since early November.
Ruff hasn't ruled out giving forward Jason Pominville an
occasional shift on defense.
"Our identity's going to have to be the underdog category now,
and battle through adversity," Ruff said.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)