Gamenight: Buffalo Sabres Open Season with a Challenge

he Buffalo Sabres will begin the 82-game-long season tonight with an opponent who seemed to have their number for the past five years.  

The Sabres hope to change their fortunes against the Ottawa Senators in game one.

Since the end of the NHL lockout, the Senators are 25-7-4 against the Sabres.  

However, the Sabres won the last time these two teams met. Thomas Vanek, returning from one of many injuries he suffered last season, scorched the Senators for four goals.  

It's a new season, however, and last season doesn't really matter.

BUFFALO

The Sabres bring back more of the same roster that exited the playoffs in Round One last year.  

This team is certainly hungry for more, and players on the team insist they are ready to make a run for the Cup. With the additions of Jordan Leopold and Shaone Morrisonn to their defense, going along with the veteran addition of Rob Niedermayer, they may be right.  

Ryan Miller hopes to carry his success over from last season into this season. Not surprisingly, the Vezina Trophy winner will start tonight.

OTTAWA

The Senators bring in a new face of their own, signing defenseman Sergei Gonchar on the first day of free agency over the summer.  

The Senators hope that Gonchar will be a capable power-play quarterback. The Senators Twitter feed reports that Pascal LeClaire will be the starting goalie for the Senators.    

INJURIES

The Sabres have no injuries to report.  C Jason Spezza will be a game-time decision; D Philip Kuba is out with a broken leg.   

SCRATCHES

F Nathan Gerbe, D Chris Butler, and D Mike Weber are scratched for the Sabres.