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No kidding: Lindy Ruff says the Sabres will play hard tonight

Lindy Ruff

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff watches from behind the bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. The Sabres won 1-0. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

AP

While the specter of a potential brawling throw down swirls around tonight’s Bruins-Sabres game in Buffalo, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff is keeping things gruff and in check.

When asked about what he expects to see in tonight’s rematch with the Bruins following their ugly loss to Boston that saw Milan Lucic play the part of bowling ball to Ryan Miller’s pin, Ruff made it clear to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News what he wants to see from his team.

“I’m expecting our team to come out hard in all areas,” was Ruff’s message he repeated during the three-minute chat. “We have to play a real hard game. That’s the message in all areas. Hard on the puck, hard getting it back, hard physically.”

Considering how soft the Sabres were in all respects against Boston in their previous game, playing hard would be a distinct turnaround for Buffalo. As for the whole “redemption against Lucic” thing, Ruff batted away any questions about that saying that if the same thing happens tonight, the lack of response won’t happen again.

We shall see. If the soft Sabres show up again, dealing with Lucic might be the least of their problems. An angry coach Ruff isn’t exactly a treat to deal with either.