Buffalo Sabres v. Boston Bruins: Game Six Preview

Isn’t it funny how a 3-2 series bring a renewed sense of optimism and a totally changed outlook?

Before Saturday’s game, Buffalo Sabres fans were pretty pessimistic, many saying their farewells to the 2009-2010 season. Now, just one game later, they’re (once again) convinced this series belongs to the Sabres. This see-saw of emotions is probably taking years off lives.

But the one-game disparity between the two teams isn’t the only thing that’s fueling the excitement around tonight’s game. A lot of it has to do with the definite return of a Sabre, and the possible return of a Bruin.

Thomas Vanek will return to the Buffalo Sabres bench tonight (Kristin Williams/Wikipedia)

Yup, Thomas Vanek’s back.

As head coach Lindy Ruff said, Vanek’s playing time will depend on on how he feels and how the game progresses, but he’s definitely in. And that’s got to be a huge morale-booster for the team.

“Watching him shoot the puck today, it was like, ‘Wow, it’s nice to get a guy like that back who has a knack for the net,’” Craig Rivet told The Buffalo News‘s Mike Harrington.

While he hasn’t played the last few games, Vanek’s return still means one of the Sabres top scorers is back — and that’s huge when you’re playing in a game against a goaltender like Tuukka Rask. The more shots you can get on net, the better the chance of a goal; if more of those shots are solid shots, real chances at goals, it’s all the better.

“He’s obviously a talented goal scorer and does things people don’t see,” Derek Roy told Harrington. “He’s good defensively and we need him to obviously scare the other team a little bit and add to the power play because he’s great there.”

The Sabres have yet to score on a power play during the past five games, and since this has become a hard-hitting, fairly penalty-filled series, they can certainly use any help Vanek can give them on the power play.

But the Bruins may be getting some help back as well. Marc Savard, sidelined with a concussion since the beginning of March, could be back on the bench at TD Garden tonight.

Could Marc Savard return tonight, too? (Dan4th/Flickr)

While Savard has said he’s confident he could play, he’s not the only one making the decisions. He had to pass one more neuropsych test this afternoon, but, assuming he did so, head coach Claude Julien still has the final say. Savard, too, would be a great help in the scoring and power play departments for Boston.

So, once again, we’ve got a ridiculously evenly-matched series. If I were the betting type — well, I wouldn’t be betting on this.

Stuck at Home? Watch with Fans Virtually!

If you’re not lucky enough to be in Boston and have tickets for tonight’s game, and are stuck yelling at your TV instead, might I suggest a live blog or two?

Now, they’re both Bruins blogs, but I know we can all be civil and get along. Besides, sharing your commentary with other human beings, Sabres fans or not, has to be better than sharing it with an inanimate object, right?

First up, THW’s Bruins correspondent Mike Miccoli will be live-blogging on this very site. You’re already here, so just hang around!

And if that’s not enough, the Bruins official website runs a live blog every game day. With fan commentary, music, polls and video, it’s one of the best team blogs around (although I may be slightly biased), and even more fun during the playoffs.

As for me, I’ll be holed up in a friend’s basement trying to keep my heart from exploding. Having your two favorite teams matched up is a lot harder than it sounds.