Glen Murray made it through the morning skate without any problems. Claude Julien said that unless something happens between now and puck drop, there's a good chance Murray will be back in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 20 against Pittsburgh.

Murray has been skating with P.J. Axelsson and David Krejci on the third line in practice the last two days. He will most likely fill that slot again tonight.

* Alex Auld will start tonight for the first time since Jan. 22, when he allowed four goals in 20 minutes of play against Montreal.

* Shane Hnidy, who missed practice with a cut on his finger, will play tonight. Hnidy skated this morning and said the main concern was infection.

* Axelsson, Zdeno Chara, Marc Savard, and Marco Sturm didn't participate in the morning skate, which was optional.

* Don't expect a Shawn Thornton-Andrew Peters rematch tonight. Peters was one of the last Sabres to leave the ice after his club's optional morning skate.

* Ryan Miller will start tonight.

Tonight's expected lineup:

Sturm-Savard-Kessel
Lucic-Metropolit-Kobasew
Axelsson-Krejci-Murray
Reich-Nokelainen-Thornton

Chara-Wideman
Stuart-Ward
Ference-Hnidy

Auld