BUFFALO – Ryan O’Reilly and Tyler Ennis, the Sabres’ top center-wing duo all season, will be broken up to start this afternoon’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, coach Dan Bylsma said.
“There’s not a lot to it,” Bylsma said this morning. “Tyler’s pressing a little bit in certain circumstances, certain situations. I think maybe just a different look for our line in terms of possibly playing a team that has one line that’s their top line, maybe a different look for Ryan O’Reilly to go up against that line for a big portion of the game.”
Ennis has three goals and six points in 11 games.
Bylsma knows he has players who are pressing.
“Without question, I think we have a couple players who are sitting on zeros and they know it,” he said.
In other news, Bylsma said goalie Linus Ullmark will start against former Sabres star Ryan Miller inside the First Niagara Center. Ullmark was yanked after allowing three goals in the opening period in Thursday’s 4-1 loss Tampa Bay. Bylsma said the goals weren’t the rookie’s fault.