Ryan Miller was in the midst of a career season before he went down on Feb. 21. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller is back skating on his injured left ankle, and says he expects to return before the end of the regular season.

Miller, who has missed nine games since suffering a high ankle sprain during a win over the New York Rangers on Feb. 21, skated on his own Sunday at Buffalo's HSBC Arena, and again on Monday before the Sabres practised.

Wearing his leg pads but no other protective equipment, Miller flipped pucks around with goalie coach Jim Corsi and fellow netminders Patrick Lalime and Mikael Telqvist.

"Everything walking around feels good," Miller said. "[The injury] has just kind of confined itself to the way I hurt it, which is sort of a twisting motion almost the way I butterfly. So I'm just going to have to keep stretching and working through it."

Though high ankle sprains are notoriously troublesome, Miller insisted he'll be back this season.

"I fully expect to play," Miller said. "That's what's in my head. Without any setbacks, it's very likely we're not going to have any problems."

Getting Miller back in goal is vital to the Sabres' questionable playoff chances. Buffalo (34-27-8) is 10th in the Eastern Conference, three points behind Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot with 13 games remaining.

The Sabres have played two fewer games than the Hurricanes, but also have to contend with the ninth-place Florida Panthers, who are two points up on Buffalo with the same number of games left.

The Sabres have gone 3-4-2 with Lalime playing every game in place of Miller, who's on pace to set career bests in goals-against average (2.50) and save percentage (.919). Miller is also tied for second in the NHL with seven shootout wins.