Buffalo Sabres veteran netminder Craig Anderson is set to make his first start since Nov. 2 on Saturday night against the Arizona Coyotes, head coach Don Granato announced.

The 40-year-old has been sidelined for almost three months with an upper-body injury. In his six appearances for the Sabres this season, he registered a 2.5 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

Granato doesn't have information on who will back Anderson up, according to beat reporter Paul Hamilton.

Buffalo placed goaltender Aaron Dell on waivers Saturday afternoon.

The 32-year-old is serving a three-game suspension for interference after he injured Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson during Tuesday's contest.

Dell struggled mightily this season, holding an .893 save percentage and 4.03 goals-against average in 12 appearances.

Buffalo's crease has been rocked by injuries all season, to the extent that former NHL goalie Roberto Luongo jokingly suggested he'd step back between the pipes.

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Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron is nearing his season debut after undergoing hip surgery in July, and he's hopeful the procedure has fully resolved the worsening pain he experienced over the past couple of years.

The 32-year-old chronicled the extent of the issue while speaking to reporters Saturday.

"Every day was different, every game was different. I remember some days just taking off your equipment and barely being able to walk to your stall. Going upstairs was always tough some days. Not even being able to sleep after games," he said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

"It would feel OK, and then you'd go to bed, and every time you moved in your sleep, it would wake you up in pain because all that adrenaline and Tylenol and Advil kind of wears off in the night."

Byron said he received a cortisone injection before last year's playoffs. It initially made him feel better, but the relief dissipated midway through the Canadiens' first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"By Game 5, it was just right back to where it was, and I remember saying in my head, 'This could be your last game of the year; you've just gotta grind through it, push through it, give everything you have. You have literally nothing left to leave on the table and win the game,'" he said. "Same thing Game 6, same thing Game 7, and that mentally just carried on."

Byron registered six points while averaging 14:35 of ice time in 22 playoff games during Montreal's run to the Stanley Cup Final. He scored a highlight-reel shorthanded goal to secure a Game 1 victory against Toronto.

Byron said the relief provided by the cortisone shot, though short-lived, changed his perspective on a potential recovery.

"That injection moment was kind of when the lightbulb went off and said, 'Wow, if that's how I can feel every day, I've gotta find a way to get that again.' This was the path I had to take, and I'm hoping it works," he said. "I'm excited. I'm really excited to play again and try it out because I feel really good right now."

Montreal head coach Dominique Ducharme said Byron and fellow injured forward Brendan Gallagher won't play Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers, but he's confident the duo can suit up against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Gallagher, 29, has been sidelined for all of January with a lower-body injury.

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No Dallas Stars player will ever wear No. 56 again.

The team retired Hall of Fame defenseman Sergei Zubov's number prior to Friday's game against the Washington Capitals.

The Stars aired a tribute video of Zubov's highlights before the ceremony got underway.

As chants of "Zub" reigned down from the crowd during his speech, Zubov graciously thanked the Stars faithful.

Zubov then watched as his No. 56 got raised to the rafters of the American Airlines Center.

In 839 games across 12 seasons with the Stars, Zubov recorded 549 points, which ranks seventh on the franchise's all-time list and most among Dallas defensemen. He helped lead the Stars to their only Stanley Cup in 1999, recording 13 points in 23 playoff games while averaging over 30 minutes per contest. Zubov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.

Neal Broten (No. 7), Bill Goldsworthy (No. 8), Mike Modano (No. 9), Bill Masterton (No. 19), and Jere Lehtinen (No. 26) are the only other players in Stars franchise history to have their jersey retired.

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King Henrik will forever be enshrined in the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

The New York Rangers retired legendary goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's No. 30 jersey Friday night. He's the 11th player in franchise history to have his number retired.

"The highs were high but the lows were low, and there was not much in between," Lundqvist said during the ceremony. "And that's how I chose to live my life for the past 20 years and 15 here in New York, it never really changed.

"Playing well and trying to help the team to win - that was so important to me."

He added: "While I reflect on my time here in New York - everything I experienced, the people I've met, and what the game has given me - I keep coming back to one feeling, and that's gratitude. I feel so grateful for everything this organization has given me, supporting me and my family."

The 39-year-old announced his retirement from the NHL in August after 15 seasons, all of which he spent backstopping the Rangers. He retired as the franchise leader in both regular-season and playoff wins, shutouts, and games played.

Lundqvist didn't capture a Stanley Cup during his time with the Rangers, but he came close on a number of occasions. He helped the team reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Final and put together many other promising playoff runs.

Rangers general manager Chris Drury, who was once Lundqvist's teammate, commended the Swede on Friday, saying he was a perfect example of what it means to be a Ranger.

"You want to be like Hank. His desire, determination, will to win," Drury said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "His dedication to his craft, along with his talent and skill level. His commitment to this community and this city. He is, for me, the gold standard for what a New York Ranger is, and what a New York Ranger should be for this generation of players."

Lundqvist finished his career with a 459-310-96 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.43 goals-against average. He captured one Vezina Trophy in 2012 and was nominated for the award five times. He also led Team Sweden to a gold medal at the 2006 Olympic Games and a silver in 2014.

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Former NHL goalie and current Florida Panthers executive Roberto Luongo caught wind of the Buffalo Sabres' needs between the pipes and jokingly insinuated that he could strap the pads back on.

The Sabres are currently down their top six netminders after Michael Houser entered COVID-19 protocol Friday.

Here's a full list of the team's shelved goaltenders:

Buffalo is scheduled to play the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday and the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

Anderson and Tokarski were full participants in Friday's practice. However, Tokarski hasn't played since Nov. 29, and the team said he's been dealing with "COVID fog" issues, according to The Buffalo News' Mike Harrington. There's a chance he could play in one of the two upcoming games.

"I think it's possible. But I don't know," Tokarski said. "It's a day-to-day thing. As everyone's been telling you, I wish we could give you more. But that's actually the honest truth with it. Because some days you feel something, some days you don't, and we're working together with the doctors and coaches and staff to make up a plan that is good for everyone, good for the team, good for myself, health-wise."

Anderson hasn't played since Nov. 2, but the team isn't intent on rushing the 40-year-old back until he's ready.

"The medical team will clear them to go when they feel that they're comfortable with what they've gone through from the component of injury and recovery," head coach Tony Granato said.

"And that's what this is all about: ramping it up. Because they haven't participated in much practice with the shots and the traffic and the physicality ... and they need that. They need that for their own peace of mind to say that, 'OK, I can handle a game right now.' And they just hadn't had much of that."

The Sabres have Mat Robson and Charles Williams in the AHL, although neither of them is on an NHL contract.

Buffalo's six goalies have combined for a .905 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average in 42 games this season.

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Ontario will launch its open market for private, regulated operators to offer single-event sports betting this spring, iGaming Ontario (iGO) announced Friday.

Private gaming operators that have registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and have executed an operating agreement with iGO can begin offering their games to players in the province on April 4, as per the release.

"Consumers can be assured that companies who successfully enter the new Ontario market will have met rigorous standards of game and operator integrity, fairness, player protections and social responsibility, allowing all players to play with confidence," Martha Otton, iGO executive director, said in a prepared statement. "Prevention of underage access, ensuring compliance with applicable laws including anti-money laundering rules and regulations, and measures to enable more responsible gambling are just a few of the assurances consumers can expect in the new market as of April 4."

Residents in Canada's largest province aged 19+ will be able to place legal wagers through private, regulated operators on professional sports in time for such marquee events as the NHL and NBA playoffs, and golf's Masters Tournament.

Ontario's population of nearly 15 million is larger than all but four U.S. states (California, Texas, Florida, and New York).

The Canadian federal government cleared the way for private, legal single-game sports betting with the passage of Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, in the Senate of Canada in June.

Previously, single-game sports betting had been legal in the country but only via parlay wagers. Canadians will now have the ability to bet on single-game matches across sports (excluding horse racing), with the government set to collect taxes on estimated billions of dollars currently being wagered illegally.

Tap here to sign up and receive updates on when theScore's sportsbook, theScore Bet, will go live in Ontario (19+).

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Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar announced Friday that Nathan MacKinnon will miss the next three games with a facial fracture and a concussion, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh.

It's unclear if the 26-year-old will miss the All-Star Game next week.

MacKinnon sustained the injuries during a collision with Boston Bruins forward Taylor Hall in the first period of Wednesday's contest. Hall knocked the shaft of MacKinnon's stick with his shoulder as the center tried to exit the zone, hitting MacKinnon in the face and causing him to fall to the ice.

MacKinnon was bloodied on the play, and the Avalanche later announced he wouldn't return to the contest.

Colorado will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, and the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 1.

Here's how the Avalanche will look without him:

MacKinnon is currently the team's third-leading scorer with 43 points in 31 games this season. He was named captain of the Central Division's All-Star roster.

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With 16 games over the next couple of days, we're heading for a busy weekend of hockey.

Let's dive into some of my favorite plays.

Wild (-125) @ Rangers (+105)
Jan. 28, 7 p.m. EST

This game is the headliner of tonight's schedule. It features two of the league's top eight teams in terms of points percentage, including a Rangers side that sits fourth in overall points.

However, it's not a side that appeals most to me. It's the total because I like the under. Igor Shesterkin was given the night off on Thursday, which means he's fresh and ready to go for this heavyweight clash. Goaltending is the best friend of unders - and nobody provides better than Shesterkin.

He owns a .937 save percentage and leads the NHL in goals saved above expectation, sitting at +23.4 through 26 games.

He has conceded two goals or fewer 16 times (62%) and given up more than three goals on just four occasions. Even in defeat, Shesterkin has a habit of limiting the damage dealt.

On the flip side of things, the Wild haven't been nearly as dangerous offensively away from home. At five-on-five, they sit 17th in goals per 60 and 22nd in expected goals per 60. They are average or below in both categories. Without the ability to get their stars in optimal matchups, I don't see them breaking this game open against Shesterkin.

While Cam Talbot is certainly not Shesterkin, he should be able to hold his own at the other end of the rink. He owns a respectable .910 save percentage and has performed at expectation based on the difficulty of his workload.

Don't expect fireworks in this contest.

Bet: Under 6 (-105)

Maple Leafs (-230) @ Red Wings (+185)
Jan. 29, 7 p.m. EST

The Maple Leafs are a well-oiled machine right now. They own a 7-2-1 record over the last 10 games despite ranking 31st in team save percentage at five-on-five during this stretch. They haven't gotten anything close to average goaltending, but it hasn't mattered as the wins continue to pile up.

I don't see that changing Saturday in Detroit. The Maple Leafs have controlled 59.44% of the high-danger chances over the last 10, which slots them fourth in the NHL. Winning the chance battle that dramatically makes any team dangerous - especially one with the firepower of Toronto.

The Red Wings sit at the other end of the totem pole. Their share of the high-danger chances (41.55%) over the last 10 ranks them ahead of only the Canadiens, Blue Jackets, and Sabres. Not ideal.

Opponents are taking it to the Red Wings in the chance department every night. The Leafs should have their way against a struggling team that will find itself in the latter half of a back-to-back.

Bet: Maple Leafs in regulation (-140)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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