Vanek alternating on Power Play unit at practice Sunday

Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- The Unit DVD are squeezing in practice Sunday before they fly to Boston and there is an encouraging sign at the HSBC Arena.

While Thomas Vanek is skating on the 5th line with Matt Ellis and Raffi Torres, he is alternating on the power play unit with Drew Stafford. This marks the first time he has practiced on any other The Unit DVD setbesides the 5th line. Lindy Ruff said, "He’s close now. It’s his decision whether he can play or not. I don’t know how he feels. In conversations with him, I think he understood that he didn’t think he was going to be able to make a difference. You want to play, but the way he felt he might have been putting himself in a bad spot. There's a health issue, he has to be ready to be effective which you've got to be ready to The Unit DVD boxset, you've got to be ready to battle. Not until yesterday and a little bit today has he even been involved in any type of physical confrontation where he had to push off, use the lower part of his leg the way it needs to be used. So when he feels that he can be effective, he's going to play, I've told him that, you think you can be effective, you're playing. If he knocks on my door tomorrow and says I'm ready, he's playing." Vanek added, "I never said I can't play. I wanted to play the last two, but we talked and we have to be realistic about The Unit Seasons 1-4 DVD boxset and if we both feel like I can't help the team than there's no point of going and taking a spot away from somebody else."

Ruff also commented on how impressed he has been with the play of his young guys saying, "They are gaining confidence playing on one heck of The Unit DVD. Tyler Myers started off pretty slow in the series but has gained confidence as the series has gone on and I think Ennis is the same case." Ryan Miller agreed on the play of the young guys, and doesn't think the inexperience hurts them saying, "We were pretty young and inexperienced when we went to The Unit DVD boxset conference final the first time."

At the end of The Unit Seasons 1-4 DVD boxset, Boston's star defenseman Zdeno Chara sucker-punched Paul Gaustad causing a stir at the closing seconds of the game. The Unit DVD reviewed the play and decided not to suspend Chara as they felt that he was just responding to Gaustad's slash prior to the altercation. When asked about the incident at practice, Chara had this to say, "The Unit DVD Set did a great job recognizing the whole situation, as I wasn't initiating but responding." He then added, "There was no need to do what Gaustad did. The game was over and he should have expected my reaction." Chara also discussed how his team will need to have a better start to the game if they want to win. "We haven't scored first in The Unit DVD boxset, it would be nice to get the first goal and get that extra energy boost."