National Hockey League roundup

Backes suffers from diverticulitis, a digestive-system ailment. He missed the team's first five games of the season before being cleared to play on Oct. 19.

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New Jersey Devils center Brian Boyle will make his season debut versus the Canucks at Rogers Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Boyle was cleared to practice on Oct. 21, over one month removed from when he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia -- a form of blood and bone marrow cancer. He was activated on Wednesday by the Metropolitan Division-leading Devils (8-2-0), who placed fellow forward Kyle Palmieri on injured reserve with a lower-body ailment.

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Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce is in concussion protocol and will not accompany the team on its upcoming two-game road trip, coach Bill Peters announced.

Pesce was struck in the head by a puck during Tuesday's practice.

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The Dallas Stars recalled forward Jason Dickinson from the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.

Dickinson, 22, currently shares fourth place in the AHL and leads Texas with six goals in 2017-18. He ranks second on the team with seven points in nine games.

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The Buffalo Sabres recalled forward Nicholas Baptiste from the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey.

Baptiste, 22, joins the Sabres for his first recall of the season after recording four points (three goals, one assist) in 14 games for Buffalo in his first NHL season in 2016-17.