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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Now, Myers will have a week to reconsider after being suspended three games without pay by the NHL on Monday. Following a hearing by phone with Myers, the leagues department of player safety ruled the fifth-year player unnecessarily extended and launched himself into making the hit along the boards during the third period of Buffalos 2-1 home win Saturday. It happened along the boards inside the Sabres zone, with Myers right shoulder catching Zubrus in the jaw. Myers was assessed a minor penalty. Zubrus was briefly shaken up but continued playing. The suspension cost Myers $84,615 in salary, and will begin with Buffalos home game against Carolina on Tuesday night. Hes eligible to return for a home game against Philadelphia on Jan. 14. Myers suggested his height -- at 6-foot-8, hes the NHLs second-tallest player -- played a factor in how he hit Zubrus. "Thats just one of the disadvantages of being as tall as I am. It just comes with the territory," Myers said after practice but before the hearing was held. "I dont want to change anything just because of that. If things come out of it because of my height then Ill deal with it." The NHL did not agree, noting that Myers could have legally completed the hit by merely maintaining his position. Myers suspension further depletes Buffalos injury-riddled roster. The Sabres (12-26-4) are already down six regulars, including veteran defenceman Henrik Tallinder, who has missed three games with an upper-body injury. Forward Ville Leino, who has missed two games with a lower-body injury, practiced for the second time on Monday, but isnt expected to be ready to return. The Sabres also have a roster decision to make with rookie centre Mikhail Grigorenko returning from helping Russia finish third in the world junior hockey championships in Sweden last weekend. The Sabres only options are keeping the 2012 first-round draft pick in Buffalo or returning him to his Canadian Junior team in Quebec City. Interim coach Ted Nolan said hes leaning toward demoting Grigorenko to further develop his game. Nolan said consistency remains an issue, even though Grigorenko led Russia with eight points (five goals, three assists) in seven games. "I think thats a problem with some young players, that consistent factor," Nolan said. "Its up to our organization to correct that. And you dont correct it just by giving things to players like that. You make them earn it." Grigorenko has had difficulty finding his niche in Buffalo since making his NHL debut last season. He has three goals and five assists in 43 career NHL games, including two goals and an assist in 18 games this season. The Sabres have already been blocked by the NHL from sending Grigorenko to the American Hockey League because, at 19, the player still has junior eligibility in Canada. Air Max 270 Just Do It Black . Fifth-seeded Cilic gained his fourth title in Zagreb and became the third Croat overall to win at least 10 career titles. Cilic also lifted his career record in Zagreb to 22-4, winning 20 of his last 21 matches at the event. Nike Air Max 270 Clearance . After Andrew Romine served up two monster home runs in the inning, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he thought Romine was one of the bright spots on the night, showing just how bad the series opener against the last-place Minnesota Twins went for the Tigers. http://www.max270cheap.com/air-max-270-white-sale.html. More importantly, he is trying to show his young teammates the Colorado are still post-season contenders. 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"Track records are awesome," Johnson said after Fridays qualifying session. "I dont qualify on pole all that often, so I take great pride in them, especially track records. Very cool to do, and clearly a great time in the season and a great time in the Chase." Matt Kenseth, who trails Johnson by seven points in the standings, will start 14th Sunday in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He knows he has a lot of work ahead of him this weekend in making his car better, and then trying to catch Johnson on Sunday. "This track in the spring was extremely hard to pass at, probably one of the toughest tracks that we go to and I dont know if it will be any better or not this time," Kenseth said. "Pit strategy was all basically the same the last time we were here. So, unless you have cautions fall funny, I dont know if youll be able to do it on pit strategy. I think youre going to have to have a good balance, good speed, you have to be able to pass, have to have good pit stops, all these things. "I dont feel its a track where youre going to get a whole bunch of free ones from a strategy call. I think youre going to have to be good all day." Denny Hamlin qualified second with a lap at 139.023 for JGR, but he went out much later in Fridays session than teammate Kenseth. Joey Logano qualified third in a Penske Racing Ford, and Kyle Busch was fourth as both of Kenseths teammates out-qualified the title contender. Both HHamlin and Logano marveled at Johnsons performance.dddddddddddd "Hes been in kill mode for a while," Logano said. "When they are running for that championship, they find that extra notch that a lot of other teams cant find." Johnson is coming off a dominating performance last week at Texas, where he led 255 of the 334 laps to win his sixth race of the season and break a tie with Kenseth in the standings. "Last week, I ran second to him for a while and just to see the speed in his car -- and then he unloads today and you watch in practice how fast his car was," Logano said. "Hes got that next notch and hes going really fast right now." Hamlin, who lost the title to Johnson in 2010, said it was inevitable for Johnson to hit his stride. "Everyone in the garage knew they could turn it up at will, and this is typically the time of the year that they start doing that, especially when they are in championship contention," Hamlin said, adding that Johnson would have to have an off day for Kenseth to have a shot at winning the title. "And when I say off, hes going to have to finish fifth or sixth to give Matt an honest shot at beating him," Hamlin said. "You already know this weekend is pretty much crossed off as being an off weekend." Johnson said he doesnt think the No. 48 team is doing anything different. "Its hard when you are inside of it, inside the car, inside the team, to know what the difference is, because we are doing the same stuff," Johnson said. "But when I look around at what other champions do to do win, they always find a way to find a little more. Somehow we are doing that, yes, I recognize that, but its not a concerted effort. Its not something we are doing any differently. We are trying to rise up to the pace of (Kenseth) and beat him." ' ' '