Patrick Lalime Fan

Veteran Buffalo goaltender Patrick Lalime underwent two surgicalprocedures recently and will be ready to resume training in about amonth.

Lalime, who turns 35 next month, revealed on Sunday that heunderwent surgery for a sports hernia as well as an arthroscopicprocedure on his hip.

Lalime completed his first season with Buffalo, in which he went5-13-3 in 24 games with a 3.10 goals-against average and .900 savepercentage. He was thrust into the starter's role late in the season toreplace injured Ryan Miller, but the Sabres could not secure a playoffspot.

The netminder has recorded 35 shutouts and a 2.57 goals-againstaverage in 421 regular season games in a career that began inPittsburgh. He achieved his greatest success with Ottawa between 1999and 2004 but was let go by the Senators after a tough playoff loss tothe Toronto Maple Leafs.

He went on to have stints with St. Louis and Chicago before joining the Sabres.

The St-Bonaventure, Que., native has one year remaining on a two-year, $2-million US contract.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2009/06/07/sp-lalime-sabres.html