ATLANTA - Atlanta goaltender Byron Dafoe hurt his left groin during pregame warmups Monday and was replaced by Frederic Cassivi for the Thrashers' game against the Buffalo Sabres. <br>
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General manager Don Waddell says Dafoe, who already has missed 12 games with an injured groin, will be re-evaluated Tuesday. <br>
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Dafoe was replaced by Pasi Nurminen after allowing three goals in Saturday's 6-2 loss to Detroit. Nurminen, though, strained his left groin trying to defend Brett Hull's second-period goal, and Dafoe returned to give up two more goals in the third. <br>
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The Thrashers' three-point-five-nine goals-against average is the NHL's worst, by more than half a goal per game. <br>
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Cassivi was recalled Sunday from Chicago of the AHL. He made his NHL debut last season for the Thrashers, going two-to-three with a 3.54 average in six games. <br>
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Nurminen, who is expected to miss two weeks, has been Atlanta's best goalie. <br>
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Dafoe, signed November 20 to a $1.25 million contract for the rest of this season, has the option to return next season.
