A big win and plenty of help

That's six wins in seven games. Plenty of offense from every line. Some strong two-way defensive play. And, often overlooked during this streak, some terrific goaltending from Ryan Miller.

November began as an utter disaster and finished strong for the Sabres. December couldn't have started any better with Saturday's 8-1 destruction of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Things are tightening up in the Northeast Division as well. Ottawa lost again as the Rangers drubbed the Sens, 5-2. Montreal blew a three-goal lead in the final 7 1/2 minutes (at home!) and lost to Nashville in a shootout, 5-4. The Bruins fell at Tampa Bay, 4-1. Sure, the Maple Leafs stayed one point ahead of Buffalo with their 4-2 win over Pittsburgh but are you really worried about them? Didn't think so.

No question, the rest of the division is seeing the Sabres team everyone figured had to be in there somewhere during those dark November days when no pucks were going into opposing nets. Right now, the Sabres are easily playing better than anyone else in this division.

Now it's off to the West Coast for three toughies at Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose. Let's hear your thoughts on Saturday's big one and what you want to see out west -- Three points? Four? Five?

---Mike Harrington

(Photo: Tim Connolly celebrates his first-period goal/Mark Mulville-Buffalo News)

Comments

[Heather from Charleston, SC]

That's one of those games when I really wish it were possible for both teams to lose...ya know? Like: Toronto vs. Ottawa (ew! of course, I still sit fixated on the television while the game is on, swearing each time anyone gets a goal) =D

[Tricky Dick]

Yowza, Heather!

I was rooting for the Canes last night -- they shut out those overrated Rangers!

[Heather from Charleston, SC]

Hey Jimmy come up with some new material please...we've heard all of your crap before and we still don't care what you have to say.

Why did we like them when they were losing?? Are you serious with that question...the answer is: BECAUSE WE'RE FANS!!!!!

You just wanted to give them a kick in the a$$??? Guess what...that's not the job of a fan...a fan's job is to support the team, it's the COACH'S job to give them a kick in a$$...and you are NO coach, so do us all a favor and just shut the F up!

[Jim Z in Buffalo KT]

A nice string of wins. Are the Sabres still in last place in our divison or is Boston? Are the Sabres still the second or third worst team in the conference.

You guys seemed to like them when they were losing. WHY?

Nobody wanted to give them a kick right in their a$$ like they needed.

What do they need? Toughness. Toughness in the corners by our forwards and toughness in our defensemen.

Any Jim Schonfeld's or King Kong Korab's out there? What's Brian Campbell suppsoe to do? Hit someone with his purse.

You breathe on these guys and they're out injured.

Tim Connolly is made out of egg shells.

The Sabres have shown that they can play when they want too. That shouldn't be a good thing. You must play your best all the time and not when you feel like it.

What's with Miller and him unabe to get a shutout in the last minutes of a game. I've seen it way too many times.

Miller is a poor puck handler and he goes down too fast on shots.

Have a full two minutes for a penalty. Reduce the size of goalie equipment. Delay of game for a puck shot from behind your own blue line.

[David, North Bay Ontario]

Sam makes me laugh. (probably related to "James of Kaisertown)
He actually sounds like he knows a few things. Then makes comments like hockey is the ugly step-child of sports and the Sabres in particular don't stand a chance. Well everyone is entitled to their opinion and they're like assholes, everybody has one.
The reality is this: the only way the Sabres "don't stand a chance" is if they don't make the playoffs, and unless you're clairvoyant, you're guessing.
I'm not psychic, but I can predict with certainty that the Sabres will continue to improve and entertain their fans. I will go out on a limb and forecast they make the playoffs. I agree that they are "learning how to win" and were quite terrible at seasons start. However, they are getting better and I think they'll get 4 of 6 possible points out west.
If you don't like the Sabres or hockey, go post something on a "pretty" baseball site.

[Will]

I want at least 4 points.

[Sam Sucks]

Moron.

[Sam]

What CHET doesn't seem to understand, is that the NFL playoffs are IMMEDIATE ELIMINATION games. You have a bad game and you're gone. THAT is conducive to excellent teams being upset. NOT THE CASE in baseball, basketball or the ugly stepchild of pro sports, hockey.

A "BEST OF" series will typically get you the BETTER of the 2 teams playing---no true upsets likely.

Sabres don't stand a chance this season, even if they had blown Carolina out by 100 goals.

[buffoutwest]

all i know is that it is not everyday carolina, 2nd in the conference, gets blown out 8-1, even though they had a decided advantage in power plays...

if miller plays well, and the team is healthy, they still have enough weapons to compete

[Chet]

Sam,

The Colts won the Super Bowl last year with a team that was clearly worse than the three or four editions that came before it. The Sabres might surprise you. Every year, we hear the same tired cliche from teams that start slowly: "We're learning how to win." It's as if they forgot everything they learned during the previous campaign. Coming from this year's Sabres, though, I believe it. They're each learning new roles in the absence of their departed former captains. Whatever the reason, it's clicking right now, and I'd be very happy with 4 points in the next 3 games.

P.S. Individual improvement from two dozen different players, each of whom is a year older, wiser, and better, can trump that "much BETTER team" from last year.

[Scott]

It is what it is! No better , no worst. I think Buffalo is starting to develop into a solid team and they will be a force to be reckoned with in the second half of the season. Buffalo is where it is in the standings because they didn't bring passion into their game earlier. Now a few of the other teams in their division are playing the same way the Sabres did earlier. It's a long season thats going to have its ebbs and flows. I think we learned from 2 years ago that its much better to come into the playoffs playing your best hockey as opposed to coming out of the gates fast and furious.
West coast trip will be very difficult as the teams we are playing are all solid teams, hopefully our team can use this time away as a group as a time to focus and gel and gain even more confidence. I think over the last couple of weeks they have proven that they can compete with the best in the East, Now is there opportunity to see how they rate with some of the perennial favorites in the west. Prediction - 4 points.

Lets Go Buffalo !

[Sam]

I hate to say it but.....

It's ONE game. They may as well have scored 100 goals. Obviously Carolina was faltering. Gee, the Sabres are playing so much better than the rest of the division---you know, the division they're still in last place in--even with all this superior play!

Fact is, the Sabres are having a nice little run, just as the others are having a down period.

WHAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE is the fact that a much BETTER team, namely last season's Sabres, couldn't get it done. Their record at mid-season will be below .500, and the season will end with a predictable fizzle.

Don't be mad at the messenger.

[Sabres Fan Out West]

You know, we've lived in Reno for 12 years, and scheduling happenstance has kept us from seeing the Sabres on their infrequent stops in San Jose. I jumped on tickets for this game, but then worried through their early performance. I'm optimistic of a positive west coast swing. I know my family will be whooping it up Saturday night.

[Brian]

All I know is anytime a hockey team can outscore one of the best college football offenses in the nation(WVU)...you gotta be doin somethin right.