With time running out in the regular season, the Vancouver Canucks will try to make up ground in the Western Conference playoff race on Sunday when they host the lowly Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Anderson Rockets Jersey . Sitting five points out of a playoff spot with only 10 games left on their schedule, the Canucks are in danger of missing the postseason in their first campaign under head coach John Tortorella. Although Vancouver didnt make it out of the first round in each of the last two springs, the club hasnt missed the playoffs since 2008. With 74 points, Vancouver is five behind Phoenix for the second wild card spot in the West. The Coyotes hold a game in hand over the Canucks, but with Phoenix idle on Sunday, Tortorellas club has a chance to cut the deficit to three points, Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin will return to action on Sunday and could help with Vancouvers postseason push. Sedin has missed the last nine games with an injured left hamstring, while Kesler has sat out the last four with a sprained right knee. Fellow forward Alexandre Burrows, however, expects to miss Sundays tilt after injuring his left hand in Vancouvers recent win over the Nashville Predators. Vancouver has won two of its last three games and is coming off Wednesdays 2-0 victory over visiting Nashville. Another win Sunday against the basement- dwelling Sabres would give the Canucks consecutive victories for the first time since beating Calgary and Edmonton from Jan. 18-21. The Canucks used a strong performance from rookie goaltender Eddie Lack to down the Predators. Lack made 30 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, while Alexander Edler and Nicklas Jensen scored in the third period for Vancouver. Jensen snapped a scoreless tie 6:06 into the third stanza. He scored from the top of the right circle after Henrik Sedin lost the puck in the slot. "Its being confident and not panicking and just trying to put it on net," Jensen said of his shot, which went just under the crossbar. "The fact the coach gives me that opportunity is really good, but at the same time you have to show you want to be in those situations too." Vancouver is 17-11-6 as the host this season and is wrapping a brief two-game homestand on Sunday. Buffalo is last in the NHL with just 48 points this season, but the Sabres were able to snap a seven-game losing streak in their last trip to the ice, picking up a 3-1 win in Edmonton. Cory Conacher had two goals on deflections and picked up an assist to back Buffalo neophyte Matt Hackett in Thursdays win over the Oilers. Hackett, the fifth goaltender to start for Buffalo this season, made 35 saves and helped the Sabres kill off 5-of-6 Edmonton power plays. "I think we deserved that one," said Conacher. "We kept it pretty simple for the most part. We ran into a bit of penalty trouble, but our PK came up huge." Hackett, who was recently called up from Rochester of the American Hockey League, made his debut with the club that acquired from Minnesota last April. With Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth still out with lower-body injuries, 22- year-old rookie Nathan Lieuwen will make his second career start on Sunday. Hackett will serve as the backup. Buffalo is 8-22-3 on the road this season and is playing the third test of a five-game swing on Sunday. The Sabres will continue the trek Tuesday in Montreal before completing the trip Thursday against Nashville. The Sabres have won four of the last six meetings with Vancouver, but the Canucks recorded a 3-0 win in Buffalo on Oct. 17. Sundays game marks Buffalos first road game against the Canucks since posting a 5-3 win on March 3, 2012. Before that victory two years ago, the Sabres had been winless in their previous six trips to B.C., going 0-5-0 with a tie. Michael Frazier Rockets Jersey . LOUIS -- The Tampa Bay Rays have placed right-handed pitcher Joel Peralta on the 15-day disabled list with an undisclosed illness. Steve Francis Jersey .S. -- Carl-Antoine Delisle snapped a tie in the third period with his second goal of the game to lead the Tigres past Cape Breton 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Wednesday as Victoriaville won its eighth in a row. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Clint-Capela-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Boston is making its first appearance in the ALCS since 2008. For Detroit, its a third straight trip to the ALCS and its fourth in eight years. The NFL Players Association will conduct its own investigation into the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday. Richard Smith, outside counsel for the union in the New Orleans Saints bounty case, will investigate tackle Jonathan Martins allegations, the person confirmed. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the union hadnt announced its plans. Martin has said that he was harassed daily by teammates, including guard Richie Incognito, who has been suspended. Smith will examine the roles of coach Joe Philbin, his staff and Miami management, although its unknown whether they will be willing to meet with him. One issue is whether anyone on the coaching staff ordered Incognito to toughen up Martin, a second-year tackle from Stanford who became a starter as a rookie but played poorly at times. NFL special investigator Ted Wells has been questioning players, coaches and staff at the Dolphins complex this week. Wells was appointed by Commissioner Roger Goodell after Dolphins owner Stephen Ross asked the league to look into thee case. Tyson Chandler Rockets Jersey. Martin spent nearly seven hours with Wells on Friday in New York. Wells will also interview Incognito, who was suspended Nov. 3 and has filed a grievance against the Dolphins seeking to rejoin the team. Incognitos hearing on his grievance will be Thursday. He can be suspended without pay by the Dolphins for up to four weeks. Martin abruptly left the team Oct. 28, and the case has raised questions about the teams locker room culture. Ross formed two committees to study the matter and conceded changes are needed. John Denney, the Dolphins player representative, said theres no timeframe regarding how long Wells interviews with the Dolphins will last. Its unknown whether Wells has talked yet with centre Mike Pouncey, who was hospitalized last week with a gall bladder ailment, missed last weeks victory over San Diego and might be unavailable to play Sunday against Carolina. Pouncey was feeling better but had further tests scheduled Wednesday. The Dolphins (5-5) have won two of their three games since Martins departure and are in contention for an AFC wild-card berth. ' ' '