The Game Stats: NHL.com Recap ... chances to Buffalo’s six in the first period but couldn’t capitalize. Kurtis MacDermid couldn’t quite get a stick on a loose puck in front of the Sabres ...

By comparison, sending Halonen down would allow Mercer to move back to wing, unless Sheldon Keefe were to decide to continue playing Kurtis MacDermid over Justin Dowling. Given Dowling’s better ...