Buffalo will have to wait until next season to welcome Ryan Miller back to town. It might also be that long before Sabres All-Star Zemgus Girgensons sees the ice again.

With both injured, Miller's surging Vancouver Canucks look to conclude an already successful five-game trip with a third straight victory Thursday night against Buffalo.

Miller made 20 saves in a 5-2 win over the Sabres (18-38-5) on Jan. 30, but won't be available in his first trip to Buffalo since the club traded him to St. Louis one year ago Sunday. Miller, in his 11th season with the Sabres at the time of trade, is out a reported four to six weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in Sunday's 4-0 win over New York Islanders.

Vancouver general manager Jim Benning has not officially discussed the extent of Miller's injury, but Jacob Markstrom was called up from the AHL to back up Eddie Lack, who made 40 saves in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Boston.

Markstrom has gone 12-27-5 with a 3.19 GAA in four NHL seasons but is second in the AHL with a 1.95 GAA.

"We're happy that we have that depth in our organization," said Benning, who could look to further reinforce the goaltending situation prior to Monday's trade deadline.

The Canucks (35-22-3) remain confident in Lack, who has gone 4-1-0 with a 1.95 GAA in his last seven games - five starts. He stopped 67 of 68 shots in the last two contests.

"It's good to see," said coach Willie Desjardins, whose team has won six of eight and is 3-1-0 on this eastern trip. "You like to see a guy getting hot."

Teammate Zack Kassian has been sizzling with four goals in three contests and seven of his nine on the season in nine games this month.

He has a goal and six assists in four games against Buffalo, which has dropped three straight to Vancouver.

Though Buffalo has lost five straight and 11 of 12 at home, it's looking to build on a 4-2 win at Columbus on Tuesday. The NHL's lowest-scoring team with 107 non-shootout goals, the Sabres were held to one in five of the previous six before totaling more than three for the first time in 14 contests.

However, Girgensons and linemate Tyler Ennis - the team's top two point leaders who are also tied with a club-high 15 goals - suffered lower-body injuries Tuesday. It's believed Ennis could miss a few days to a week, but Girgensons' apparent foot injury is feared to be season-ending.

"Both will be evaluated but one doesn't look very good," coach Ted Nolan said in reference to Girgensons. "We're concerned for sure. We'll cross our fingers and hope things work out."

In his second season, the 21-year-old Girgensons is second to Ennis with 30 points. He recorded a goal and an assist Tuesday prior to the injury and had an assist against Vancouver last month.

"(Girgensons has) been a big part of our team all year. It was tough to see him go down," center Cody Hodgson said.

The ex-Canuck Hodgson snapped a seven-game point drought with his third goal against the Blue Jackets. He's failed to register a point in three games against his former team.