Goalie Ray Emery figures to return for Ottawa on Thursday as the Senators visit a beleaguered Buffalo squad, but coach Bryan Murray has remained noncommittal about who will play in net.

Emery has completed a three-game suspension for a Feb. 10 slashing incident involving Montreal's Maxim Lapierre. The netminder has a 4-1 record against Buffalo, the team the Senators are chasing in the Northeast Division.

Ottawa goalie Ray Emery ranks fourth in the NHL in save percentage (.922) and 10th in goals-against average (2.40).
(Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)

Martin Gerber has won six consecutive games, including the three in Emery's stead. While Gerber posted a shutout last week, he provided his teammates with some anxious moments in the two most recent wins.

For his part, Emery says he's more than ready to get back into the net.

"I feel all right," Emery told the Ottawa Citizen. "I got a lot of rest. I've just been kind of relaxing. I'm glad it's over."

Ottawa has points in their last six games (5-0-1) and hung on the last time out, a 4-3 shootout win at home over Edmonton on Tuesday.

Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher each had a goal and assist to lead the way offensively for Ottawa (35-22-3).

Gerber made 27 saves in net but allowed two goals in the last five minutes to necessitate overtime.

"He won the games, that's what you ask your goaltender to do, so my assessment of him is pretty good," Murray told the Citizen. "It wasn't his doing that we gave up a lot of goals late [Tuesday]. … I thought he played fine. He gave us a chance to win. At this level, that's all we ask."

With the win, Murray became the fifth man to win 600 NHL games, joining a club that includes Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, Dick Irvin Sr. and Pat Quinn.

Buffalo limps into game

Ottawa's last regulation loss was to Buffalo, but the Senators will see quite a different Sabres team from that game only two weeks ago.

Buffalo lost a player to injury for the fifth consecutive game on Tuesday, as Daniel Paille suffered a broken finger in a 6-3 win over Philadelphia.

"I actually laughed," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told the Buffalo News. "What can you do? The doctor said it's going to be maybe two or three weeks.

"I said. 'That's a short one for us.'"

Paille takes his place in the infirmary along with forwards Maxim Afinogenov (wrist) Paul Gaustad (ankle) and Ales Kotalik (knee) as well as defenceman Jaroslav Spacek (hand). Injured forwards Jiri Novotny and Tim Connolly are still not close to returning.

Six different Sabres scored in the team's win over the Flyers, Daniel Briere added two assists to go along with his goal, while scorers Chris Drury, Derek Roy and Jason Pominville added an assist.

Enforcer Andrew Peters surprised by scoring a goal, his first since before the lockout.

Ryan Miller finished with 32 saves in his fourth consecutive start for Buffalo (40-15-5), the Eastern Conference leaders.

Miller, who stoned Ottawa in last year's playoff upset, is actually winless in three starts against the Senators this season. Backup Martin Biron has gone 2-1.

The trade rumours surrounding Biron, present all season, have only intensified with the rash of injuries. Buffalo has been forced to recall the likes of Drew Stafford, Mike Ryan and Clarke MacArthur from their Rochester affiliate in the American Hockey League.

The two clubs will face off again on Saturday in Ottawa (CBC 7 p.m. ET - Ottawa region only).