lishes a late charge to the wire, and splashed his way to victory in the Preakness.Baffert comes into the Haskell quietly, unlike last years Pharoah Fest. American Freedom was the 3-1 third choice, coming in with wins in the Sir Barton Stakes and

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- After three years in the NHLs basement, the Buffalo Sabres planned on turning the corner this season. That plan got a whole lot tougher one day before Buffalos season opener when budding superstar Jack Eichel suffered a severe ankle injury.The injury occurred at Buffalos final practice before its opener against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m., Thursday). Late in the practice session, Eichel awkwardly fell to the ice after tangling with teammate Zemgus Girgensons. He screamed in pain and was helped off the ice by his teammates.The Sabres announced that Eichel suffered a high ankle sprain -- which means he could miss 1-2 months.He has an ankle injury and at this point not a lot to tell after that, Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma said, according to NHL.com. Hes going to get evaluated this afternoon. Initially he goes down in a lot of pain obviously and I think the initial shock of it is you see that, but were going to let it calm down here and get evaluated and see the extent of him turning his ankle there.The second overall pick in the 2015 draft, Eichel became an instant sensation in Buffalo and led the Sabres in goals as a rookie with 24.Eichel isnt the only key member of the Sabres to begin the year on the infirmary list. Free-agent addition Kyle Okposo will miss the opener with a knee injury, and center Ryan OReillys status is up in the air due to a back injury.One positive for the Sabres is the return of defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Ristolainen returned after signing a six-year deal with the Sabres on Thursday. Goalie Robin Lehner is also in much better shape after a promising but injury-plagued season one year ago; Lehner lost more than 20 pounds in preparation for the upcoming season.The Canadiens, meanwhile, will be without their star goaltender for the season opener. Carey Price will not make the trip to Buffalo due to an illness. The Canadiens are counting on Price to return as the backbone of their team; Montreals season fell apart last year after Price was lost for the season due to a knee injury.Unfortunately, he caught the flu and everyone reacts differently to medicine, Ottawa head coach Michel Therrien said, according to NHL.com He caught a nasty bug, as were seeing now. Hes day-to-day. Theres a chance hell join the team in Ottawa on Friday, but hell have to be healthy. Its too bad, but theres nothing we can do about it.Thats hockey. There will be setbacks. We all would have liked for Carey to be between the pipes for the first game. Not only us, but our fans too. Its just going to be a matter of time now.Al Montoya is expected to start between the pipes for Montreal in his first game for the Canadiens. Hell be backed up by Charlie Lindgren.It will be the Montreal debut for defenseman Shea Weber, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade for P.K. Subban this offseason. Weber, 31, spent his first 10 seasons with the Nashville Predators. Gritty forward Andrew Shaw will also make his Montreal debut after spending his entire career with the Chicago Blackhawks.The Canadiens also added Russian forward Alexander Radulov, who has spent most of his career in the KHL after brief spells with the Nashville Predators.Swell Water Bottle Sale . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Swell Drink Bottle Sale . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. http://www.swellbottlesclearance.com/ . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Swell Black Bottle . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. SWell Bottle Clearance . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators.OCEANPORT, N.J. -- Leaving Monmouth Park hours after Triple Crown winner American Pharoahs triumphant return to the races in last years Haskell Invitational, track president Bob Kulina already was thinking ahead.The guy who has been around the Jersey shore track since the early 1970s knew nothing could top the spectacle of American Pharoah: 60,000 fans standing and cheering as the champion charged down the stretch in his first race as the first Triple Crown champion in 37 years.Kulina, though, caught some racing luck for Sundays 49th running of the Haskell: Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist vs. Preakness winner Exaggerator, with Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert in the mix with American Freedom.I have to tell the truth, Kulina said this week. A year ago Sunday driving home, if you told me I was looking at this type of race the year after American Pharoahs Triple Crown and Haskell victory, I would have said `Sign me up now.Theres plenty of storylines:- The Nyquist-Exaggerator rivalry resumes. Nyquist won the first four meetings, including the Breeders Cup Juvenile and the Derby. Exaggerator ended the streak -- and any chance for another Triple Crown try -- by handing Nyquist the only loss of his career in the Preakness.- Baffert has won five of the last six Haskells and is seeking a ninth win in Monmouth Parks showcase race.- Its the first time the top three Derby finishers -- Nyquist, Exaggerator and Gun Runner- are running in the Haskell. Its the first time since 2010 that its Derby winner vs. Preakness winner.- On the local front, trainers and brothers-in-law Eddie Plesa Jr. and Jason Servis will saddle long shots Awesome Slew and New Jersey-bred Sunny Ridge. Sunny Ridge is bred and owned by Dennis Drazin, an advisor to the group that operates the track.You couldnt have asked for a better field or a greater race, Kulina said.While anticipation builds for the 1 1/8-mile Haskell, there was a huge upset in Saturdays $600,000 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds at Saratoga -- Laoban went wire-to-wire and won the first race of his career after an 0-for-7 start. A son of Uncle Mo, Laoban returned $56 on a $2 win bet. Belmont Stakes winner Creator never challenged and finished last in the six-horse field. Governor Malibu was second.Nyquist is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the six-horse Haskell, with Exaggerator next at 5-2. The Derby winner leaves from the rail; the Preakkness winner from the outside post.dddddddddddd.This will be Nyquists first race since running third in the Preakness on May 21. He then developed an elevated white blood cell count and was returned to his home base at Santa Anita. Trainer Doug ONeill now says his colt is ready to go again.Hes doing really well. His last few works have been exceptional, ONeill said. Were coming into this race with a lot of optimism. For a six-horse field, its very deep.Nyquist, owned by J. Paul Reddam, is the reigning 2-year-old champion and has eight wins in nine career starts for earnings of $5.1 million.Exaggerator, trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his brother, Kent, finished 11th in the Belmont but appears charged up again for the Haskell.His entry was a surprise since hes been training at Saratoga, with plans calling for him to run in the Jim Dandy, then the Travers on Aug. 27. The Travers could be next for Nyquist, too.Those kinds of things are always fun, Keith Desormeaux said of the rivalry. Nyquist is a top horse and its always fun to outrun top competition.ONeill called it kind of a shock when he found out Exaggerator was Haskell-bound.Hes such a hard-trying horse and a class horse. His move in the Preakness was stunning, ONeill said. Weve faced him a bunch. We respect him a ton.Look for Nyquist, under jockey Mario Gutierrez, to be on or close to the lead. Exaggerator relishes a late charge to the wire, and splashed his way to victory in the Preakness.Baffert comes into the Haskell quietly, unlike last years Pharoah Fest. American Freedom was the 3-1 third choice, coming in with wins in the Sir Barton Stakes and the Iowa Derby. Gun Runner is 4-1, Alishes a late charge to the wire, and splashed his way to victory in the Preakness.Baffert comes into the Haskell quietly, unlike last years Pharoah Fest. American Freedom was the 3-1 third choice, coming in with wins in the Sir Barton Stakes and wesome Slew 15-1 and Sunny Ridge 20-1.Plesa understands what hes facing in sending out long shot Awesome Slew.I feel like David fighting Goliath in this race when you look at these horses, he said.---The field, from the rail out, is Nyquist (Mario Gutierrez, 6-5), Sunny Ridge (Nik Juarez, 20-1), Awesome Slew (Paco Lopez, 15-1), Gun Runner (Florent Geroux, 4-1), American Freedom (Rafael Bejarano, 3-1) and Exaggerator (Kent Desormeaux, 5-2).---Follow Richard Rosenblatt on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/rosenblattap---AP freelance writer Mike Farrell contributed to this report. ' ' '