It’s All on the Line for Sabres and Hurricanes

The odds are against Buffalo entering tonight’s Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals at Raleigh, N.C.

The Sabres must win on Carolina’s home ice, where the Hurricanes were 31-8-2 in the regular season.

In 117 best-of-seven series that have gone to the final game, the home team has won 73 (62%), according to the NHL.

Buffalo Coach Lindy Ruff turned up the tension on Wednesday by criticizing Carolina, calling them a “pretty arrogant bunch” for laughing during a 4-0 victory in Game 4.

Carolina’s players did little more than roll their eyes when told of the comments. Coach Peter Laviolette was annoyed.

“There should be some sort of a gag order, honestly,” he said. “I don’t want to answer any questions on Lindy.”

The winner advances to play Edmonton in the Stanley Cup finals.

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The Mighty Ducks signed Bjorn Melin to a one-year contract and the forward is expected to be at training camp in September. Melin, 24, has played in the Swedish Elite League for the last seven years and had a career-high 36 points in 49 games with HV-71 Jonkoping.

Melin was a sixth-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 1999 and was acquired by the Ducks on March 19, 2002 for left wing Dave Roche.

-- Eric Stephens

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Chris Chelios, the NHL’s oldest player, signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. He will be a 45-year-old defenseman next year in the middle of his eighth season with the team.... Wayne Gretzky signed a five-year deal to remain the coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.