January 31, 2008 - 5:14 PM | Comment
DULUTH, Ga. -- The Thrashers want payback for their 10-1 loss to the Sabres two weeks ago. Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff doesn't care.
"We had lost enough games in a row that I didn't care at the end of the night if the score was 15-1," said Ruff, who's team was on a 10-game winless streak. "I don't think they were feeling sorry for us walking into the game. We certainly weren't going to feel sorry for them leaving.
"I think they're reaching for straws."
Here's the Atlanta Journal-Constitution story from that game. The Thrashers' feelings hadn't changed when I talked with them today. Should be interesting.
---John Vogl
January 31, 2008 - 3:26 PM | Comment
Big news out of Atlanta: Thrashers winger Ilya Kovalchuk, who injured his knee Wednesday against Pittsburgh, is out for the weekend after undergoing an MRI this afternoon. That means the NHL's second-leading goal scorer (38) won't be on the ice against the Sabres Friday night in Phillips Arena. The Sabres, meanwhile, might be getting Maxim Afinogenov back in the lineup just as Drew Stafford takes a seat with the ankle injury he suffered Thursday at Florida.
---Mike Harrington
January 30, 2008 - 7:26 PM | Comment
SUNRISE, Fla. -- There was no way Ryan Miller was going to let this one get away. The Sabres goalie has lost countless shutouts in the final minutes, but he secured the sixth of his career in a 1-0 win over Florida.
The Sabres have won three games in a row to move into 10th place in the Eastern Conference -- tied with Atlanta, which they face Friday. That game was going to be intense anyway because the Thrashers were upset with the Sabres for "laughing at us" during a 10-1 win a couple of weeks ago.
9:58 p.m.: Miller gets his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career to give Sabres a 1-0 victory.
9:05 p.m.: End of two, 1-0 Sabres.
8:46 p.m.: Panthers are holding a State of the Team Address for season-ticket holders. Think the Sabres would do that? Me neither.
8:43 p.m.: Drew Stafford, who injured his leg in the first period, is not on the bench. He has an ankle injury and will not return.
8:30 p.m.: Road power-play drought is over. Thomas Vanek scores 40 seconds into second period to make it 1-0.
8:28 p.m.: Pat Burns, who works for the Devils, is scouting a Sabres game for the second straight night.
8:12 p.m.: End of first period, 0-0. Gave me plenty of time to decide that Panthers girls are best.
7:34 p.m.: Panthers introduced. They could probably have the starters shake hands each and every fan and game would only be delayed about 20 minutes.
7:30 p.m.: Thrashers Ice Girls, owners of NHL's best outfit, have some serious competition from the Panthers Ice Dancers. Oh, darn, the next road game is in Atlanta. Guess I'll have to judge them again.
7 p.m.: So, how's the weather in Buffalo? 80 and sunny here today. I think I should have used sunscreen while walking on the beach.
I still laugh when players on northern teams say they love the winters because it reminds them of home in Canada. These last two weeks, aside from crowds that are smaller than your average house party, have been perfect for hockey, it says here. Part of the fun of the playoffs is hanging outside the arena because it's so nice out. Well, it's always nice out here, and the towns take advantage. Unlike Buffalo, there have been bustling arena entertainment districts in Phoenix, Tampa and here (though it's across the street).
Just opened my e-mail and got an ad from TSN.ca that reads, "Bobby Orr wants you to win a million dollars." Guess what? Bobby Orr is actually about 20 seats away from me in the press box. I might carry my laptop over, show him the ad and say thanks for caring.
Sitting one seat away from me is my former partner in crime (literally and figuratively) Tim Graham. The Palm Beach Post football writer and former Sabres writer says hello to some of you; you know who you are.
---John Vogl
January 29, 2008 - 6:37 PM | Comment
TAMPA, Fla. -- That Jochen Hecht-Jason Pominville-Clarke MacArthur line is pretty good. They have combined for eight goals and 16 assists since MacArthur was recalled from Rochester on Jan. 6.
More important for them, they have helped the Sabres get back-to-back victories for the first time in a month. The Sabres looked much better in the past two games, more like the team people expected: enough offense, good goaltending and smart plays.
Now they just have to keep it up for 32 more games.
9:30 p.m.: Sabres win, 4-2.
9:17 p.m.: Another Tampa power-play goal makes it 4-2.
8:37 p.m.: End of second period, Sabres lead, 4-1.
8:35 p.m.: Brad Richards scores with one second left on five-on-three power play to make it 4-1.
8:29 p.m.: Derek Roy takes advantage of lazy Lightning to sneak one past pitiful Johan Holmqvist with 3:15 left in second. Sabres go up, 4-0.
8:17 p.m.: Sabres make it 3-0 on Toni Lydman bouncer from point.
8:16 p.m.: Bucky Gleason's least-favorite player, Chris Gratton, misses open net.
8:08 p.m.: A. Roy flattens Kaleta with cheap after whistle. Both go to box as Kaleta gets "diving" penalty. Roy gets roughing.
8:04 p.m.: Kaleta and Andre Roy say hello again.
7:42 p.m.: End of first period, Sabres lead, 2-0.
7:30 p.m.: MacArthur returns favor, feeds Pominville to make it 2-0 with 7:46 left in first.
7:21 p.m.: Standing ovation for hero of the game, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Steve Wenner, who just got back from Iraq.
7:19 p.m.: Patrick Kaleta mixes it up with Tampa tough guy Andre Roy.
7:16 p.m.: St. Pete Times Forum erupts with Sabres fans as Jason Pominville feeds Clarke MacArthur for a goal with 4:58 gone.
7:09 p.m.: USA Hockey legend Jim Craig might be stalking the Sabres. He dropped the first puck in Dallas last week, and he did the "Let's Play Hockey!" intro just now in Tampa.
7:03 p.m.: There won't be any booing of certain folks in striped shirts tonight. Ice Girls take the ice in referee outfits.
6:57 p.m.: PA announcer just had me scrambling for no reason! He announced "No. 9, Derek Roy" as the first Sabres scratch. Turns out he should have said "No. 19, Tim Connolly.
6:30 p.m.: The Sabres take the ice for the pregame warm-up, with Paul Gaustad one of the first players out. The center skipped the morning skate because of the flu, but it appears he can go.
Game will feature two defensemen who will get a lot of attention in the coming weeks. Brian Campbell and Tampa's Dan Boyle are two of the better puck-moving blue-liners, and both are unrestricted free agents at end of the year. With Tampa and Buffalo near the bottom, the players could become trade material if wins don't come quickly after the All-Star break. Boyle just returned from a wrist injury and already has assumed responsibility for a turnaround, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Pretty impressive run of names on the media list tonight: Scotty Bowman, Pat Burns and Dave Andreychuk.
---John Vogl
January 28, 2008 - 9:00 PM | Comment
Admit it. You'd love to have Thomas Vanek's problems. You'd take the $50 million and run, right?
Still, it must stink to be Vanek in a lot of ways. He's got only 13 goals and isn't going to come close to last year's 43. You play the Sabres now, you worry most about stopping Vanek and Derek Roy because there's no Daniel Briere and no Chris Drury. The pressure of being the league's top-paid player at age 24 -- when his career numbers didn't dictate a salary anywhere near $10 million -- has proven to be too much.
Vanek needs to shoot more and said after practice Monday he's going to stop obsessing over his numbers and just try to help sneak this team into the playoffs. He's a good guy who doesn't seem to be having much fun this year. He needs to take the weight of the team off his shoulders and just play. He's only one problem on a laundry list that's developed this season.
For all of you who say the Sabres should have taken Edmonton's four No. 1 picks last summer, I say you're revisionists. During those crazy days as Briere and Drury went out the door, I think you people would have been at the front of the line storming HSBC Arena if the Sabres had let Vanek go too.
It's the first year of the deal. Yes, Vanek could turn out to be the most expensive bust in Buffalo sports history. But let's see if he finds some rhythm here in the second half and especially next season before we draw any real conclusions.
---Mike Harrington
(Photo: Mark Mulville-Buffalo News)
January 28, 2008 - 6:13 PM | Comment
Don't be so quick to hand off the Stanley Cup to the Red Wings or Senators just yet. Teemu Selanne announced Monday afternoon he's coming back to the Ducks after spending the first half of the season in "retirement."
So Selanne is back. Scott Niedermayer is back. The Ducks went into the all-star break 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and just one point behind San Jose and Dallas for the Pacific Division lead and No. 2 seed in the West.
When you talk about trade deadline acquisitions, the Ducks couldn't do any better. This gives them a terrific chance to repeat as Cup champs.
With the second half starting Tuesday night, does Anaheim become your favorite? Or are you staying with Detroit and Ottawa? And is there really anyone other than those three who are Cup-capable?
---Mike Harrington
January 27, 2008 - 7:39 PM | Comment
ATLANTA -- Brian Campbell set up Eric Staal for a goal 1:20 into the 56th All-Star Game on Sunday before scoring his first All-Star goal off a perfect feed from Evgeni Malkin later in the period.
Campbell scored after slipping in from the point and firing a wrist shot past Chris Osgood from the left circle. Any chance Campbell was giving general managers around the league a little something to think about before the Feb. 26 trade deadline or next season?
Yep.
As auditions go, Campbell isn't going to convince anybody of what he can do based on the All-Star Game. The fact that he's in the game should say enough. Gee, maybe the Sabres should have accepted his five-year, $25 million offer.
Word around the league is that several teams are interested in Campbell. The hottest rumor, and one that made sense, was that Chicago wants him. They're loaded with prospects, including rookie Jack Skille.
Just thought you should know.
---Bucky Gleason
January 27, 2008 - 5:31 PM | Comment
Some interesting news concerning Western New York came out of the Professional Hockey Writer's Association meeting this morning. It looks like Buffalo could be among the leading candidates to host the 2011 World Junior Championships, which were awarded to the United States.
USA Hockey chief Dave Ogrean spoke at the meeting and acknowledged Buffalo is on the radar for the WJC. A final decision isn't going to be made for another 18 months or so after they review all the proposals. There was talk about it last year, but things seemed to quiet down.
At risk of coming off like a homer, Buffalo would be an ideal site for the WJC, which is the biggest 20-under hockey tournament on the planet.
Our proximity to Canada makes for a natural fit. Canadians take days off from work just to watch the game on television when they're held overseas. They would be coming down by the busload, and bringing some money with them.
This isn't exactly news, but Buffalo is a true, blue hockey town. You know what it's like around town when the Sabres are playing well, but it extends well beyond the NHL. Youth hockey was already big, and it continues to grow. News reporter Tom Borrelli wrote a great story recently about the 30-something locals playing Division I hockey.
Another thing that helps Buffalo is that Rochester and Jamestown are within a two-hour drive, so certain games also could be played there. They could keep the big games involving the United States and Canada in HSBC Arena.
Hey, how about having the finals at the Ralph?
People can say what they want about WNY, but the region definitely knows how to handle big events. Buffalo received high marks for the NCAA basketball tournament, the Frozen Four and the NHL draft, among others.
--- Bucky Gleason
January 26, 2008 - 8:25 PM | Comment
ATLANTA -- Patrick Kane admitted feeling a little out of place Saturday when he walked into the Western Conference dressing room, much like a little kid who was somewhere where he didn't belong. He played in the YoungStars game during All-Star festivities and came away inspired to play with the big boys.
"You feel kind of weird at first because you're a YoungStar and they're here for the All-Star Game," Kane said. "You go on the ice and get more comfortable around the guys when you start passing with them. One day, hopefully, I'm one of them and fooling around with the kids."
Kane, 19, is one of the best young players in the league. He has 12 goals and 45 points this season, putting him on pace for 73 points. He's the leading candidate to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year after the season. He'll definitely get my vote if his success continues over the final 32 games.
"It's obviously fun, but it's not what you want to be here for," Kane said. "You want to be here for the bigger game. For now, it's just fun to be a part of everything. It's nice to go up to guys and start talking to guys you played against or watched on TV."
Kane is a man on the ice, but his innocence is still intact away from the game. He gets a kick out of being around the star players in the league, almost as if he doesn't understand he's become one. He's still trying to grasp the fact that he was playing PlayStation hockey last year and now he's one of the players included in the video game.
One highlight for him Saturday was having an interview with Sam Gagner, his linemate last season with the London Knights, and actress Alyssa Milano. She was hanging out for All-Star festivities.
Quick question for his buddies back home: now Who's the Boss?
--- Bucky Gleason
January 26, 2008 - 6:32 PM | Comment
If Kevin Sylvester was on audition these last two games as Rick Jeanneret's eventual successor I'd say he passed with flying colors. In fact, I like him a lot better on play by play than as a studio host. He had a handle on the game. He didn't try to transform himself into Rick Jr. His pacing was sound. It's not easy coming out of hibernation and stepping into The Big Guy's shoes but Sylvester pulled it off. Not that I was listening to or grading his every word. Your thoughts?
---Bob DiCesare
January 24, 2008 - 7:18 PM | Comment
DALLAS -- Well, that makes for a happier All-Star break for the Sabres.
Buffalo ended an eight-game winless skid on the road, beating Dallas, 2-1. Derek Roy was impressive, showing he heard Lindy Ruff's message to make an immediate impact when he returned from a shoulder injury.
The power play is still struggling, and the team plane never arrived, but the Sabres were able to smile for once.
9:36 p.m.: Roy scores again, 2-1 Buffalo with 14:48 to go.
9:11 p.m.: End of second period, 1-1 tie.
9:04 p.m.: Stuuuuuuu rings out in crowd. Stu Barnes makes it a 1-1 tie with 2:52 to go in second.
8:51 p.m.: Thomas Vanek deflects Spacek's point shot into the net, but he did so with a high stick, nullifying the goal.
8:16 p.m.: End of first period, Sabres lead, 1-0.
8:04 p.m.: Sabres 0 for last 33 on road on power play.
7:59 p.m.: Long fight between Andrew Peters and Krystofer Barch results in power play for Buffalo as Barch gets two minutes for instigating. Now I'm not a fighter, but I can critique them. Peters has to stop letting guys grab his jersey and land 20 jabs while Peters tries to wind up his right hook.
7:50 p.m.: Standing ovation for Specialist Nicholas Cline, a military man given free tickets and chatted with on big screen.
7:40 p.m.: Derek Roy scores just 1:51 into game to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead.
7:38 p.m.: Game on.
6:59 p.m.: Teams hit the ice for pregame warm-ups. As expected in the crease, it's Michigan (Marty Turco) versus Michigan State (Ryan Miller). Nathan Paetsch will be scratched for Sabres.
6:54 p.m.: Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe is on the media seating chart. Wonder if A) he and Darcy Regier will catch up on old times, or B) he's glad Sabres matched his offer for Thomas Vanek. If he comes up, we'll find out.
6:18 p.m.: Well, back in the amazing American Airlines Center for the third straight night (caught Stars-Blue Jackets on Tuesday and a fantastic Foo Fighters concert Wednesday). Dallas Morning News had an info box this morning underneath a big picture of Brett Hull scoring against Dominik Hasek to win the 1999 Stanley Cup.
"It still looks like his foot's in the crease," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said when I showed him the paper.
Not sure what to expect from Sabres tonight (as usual). Captain Jaroslav Spacek called them together for a chat at center ice Wednesday after practice, and as he said today, "We need to win."
I do know what to expect during commercial breaks: best-looking Ice Girls so far. This is Texas, after all. Outfits aren't as good as the Thrashers' long-sleeve shirt/skirt get-up, but everything else is better.
Should be a few Sabres fans. There were blue and gold sweaters in the Sixth Floor Museum -- better known as the Texas School Book Depository -- and on the grassy knoll. The JFK museum is a must-see if you make the trip to Big D, where they have the friendliest arena staff I've encountered.
---John Vogl
January 23, 2008 - 11:02 PM | Comment
There's still a large segment of posters in the blogosphere here and elsewhere relentlessly carping at the media for continuing to bring up the names Briere and Drury. Well folks, we didn't ruin your team. Blame perhaps the most inept managment going in professional sports these days.
The media was right in the summer and fall. The standings say it all.
In the wake of the Leafs' 3-2 win Wednesday night over the Capitals, ponder this one: If the Sabres lose in regulation Thursday at Dallas and the Lightning win at home over Ottawa, Buffalo will have completed a first-to-worst slide in the Eastern Conference in just 48 games. That's ridiculous.
Seriously now, how is it our fault this team has fallen so hard and so fast?
There's plenty of overrated, underachieving players on this team. But this disaster goes right to the top, to Tom Golisano and Larry Quinn. Thank them for quickly ruining the euphoria this town had developed over its team.
Be sure to check out Sully's column in Thursday's paper for more thoughts on Golisano, the Sabres' suddenly absentee owner.
---Mike Harrington
January 23, 2008 - 10:24 AM | Comment
DALLAS -- Went to the Dallas Stars-Columbus Blue Jackets game Tuesday night, and it won't be easy for the Sabres to end their road winless streak.
The Stars are an imposing, physical team, the kind of squad the Sabres have had troubles with. Another impressive component of Dallas is its goaltenders' ability to play the puck. Backup Mike Smith had at least three passes to the opposite blue line to set up scoring chances, and Marty Turco, who will likely play against the Sabres, is even better.
The Sabres' coaching staff was also at the game, so I'm sure today's practice will deal with those points.
---John Vogl
January 22, 2008 - 11:26 AM | Comment
PHOENIX AIRPORT -- A little advice before we get to Sabres matters. If you're flying out of Phoenix, no matter what time you plan to leave for the airport, leave earlier. Was 15 miles from PHX, got up at 5 a.m. for a 7:45 flight -- and wasn't even close to making it. Traffic is worse than Atlanta, airport is slower than Buffalo, which makes it a no-win situation.
Speaking of no-win situations, back to the Sabres. Outlets not named The Buffalo News continue to get the Sabres' streaks wrong. Reports say the Sabres are on a "franchise-record road losing streak," just a week after a "franchise-record losing streak."
Nope to both. Again, according to the NHL, an overtime or shootout loss puts the team in the "winless" category, not the "losing" category. The Sabres are 0-5-3 in their past eight road games, not 0-8.
So, thanks to Sabres PR guru Kevin Snow and his friends at the Elias Sports Bureau, here's the team's single-season records.
Losing streak -- seven games, set four times.
10/25/1970 through 11/08/1970; 04/03/1993 through 04/15/1993; 10/09/1993 through 10/22/1993; and 12/04/2003 through 12/19/2003.
Road losing streak -- seven games, set three times.
10/14/1970 through 11/07/1970; 02/06/1971 through 02/27/1971; 01/10/1996 through 02/03/1996.
Road winless streak -- 23 games!
10/30/1971 through 02/19/1972
Four-way tie for second at 11 games: 02/17/1973 through 03/25/1973; 11/12/1986 through 12/20/1986; 10/13/1992 through 11/22/1992; and 10/13/2002 through 11/30/2002.
If the Sabres break that road winless streak, this travel-plagued morning -- they just announced my new flight is delayed (any bets my luggage gets lost?) -- will look downright cheery by comparison.
---John Vogl
January 21, 2008 - 4:20 PM | Comment
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Sabres are a mess. They are winless in their last eight road games, and have won just one of 13 overall. They held a players' only meeting after today's 6-2 loss in Phoenix.
They need to get better defensively, offensively and in net. Oh, and their confidence is shaken, too. Aside from that, everything is fine.
4:32 p.m.: A between-the-pads hat trick! Ed Jovanovski's power-play shot from the point goes between Thibault's pads with 1:52 to go.
4:29 p.m.: Let the howling begin. Peter Mueller's breakaway makes it 5-2 Coyotes with 2:57 to play. Pack the bus for Dallas.
4:11 p.m.: The wave is under way in the desert.
4:01 p.m.: Drew Stafford makes it 4-2 just 1:51 into the third on nice feed from Thomas Vanek. Arena personnel blares Britney Spears song to drown out legion of Sabres fans.
3:58 p.m.: Coyotes cheerleaders changed outfits for the third period, a sports bra ensemble that is much better than the standard garb from the first part of the game. Oh, and by the way, the game has restarted.
3:47 p.m.: Just saw Maxim Afinogenov in the hallway and asked him how he was doing. His response: "I don't know."
3:41 p.m.: End of second, Phoenix leads, 4-1.
3:19 p.m.: Mock cheer for Thibualt save.
3:18 p.m.: Terrible goal makes it 4-1 Phoenix. Derek Morris shot from the blue line goes between Thibault's pads. Free Taco Bell chalupas for everyone in attendance!
3:12 p.m.: Coyotes make it 3-1 with Henrik Tallinder backing off Shane Doan and biting on his fake.
3:07 p.m.: Coyotes score to make it 2-1 on power play with 1:57 gone in second on terrible giveaway by Toni Lydman.
2:48 p.m.: Interesting thing about press box in Jobing.com Arena: way more regular folks than press. Other interesting thing, and more important for Sabres fans: Two members of Chicago Blackhawks scouting department listed on the seating chart, and there was also a media pass for Chicago GM Dale Tallon at the entrance, though not sure if he's here. Blackhawks want a puck-moving defenseman like Brian Campbell. Some might get rid of that "like" and write, Blackhawks want puck-moving defenseman Brian Campbell.
2:45 p.m.: End of first period, 1-1 tie.
2:26 p.m.: Video tribute on Martin Luther King Day to Willie O'Ree, the first black player to make the NHL.
2:29 p.m.: Gaustad gets revenge, scores on rebound to make it 1-1.
2:16 p.m.: Intense (and that's an understatement) battle between Paul Gaustad and Coyotes defenseman Keith Ballard (former Sabres draft pick) on Buffalo power play ends with Gaustad losing his helmet and sitting on end of bench with bloody nose.
2:11 p.m.: Coyotes make it 1-0, beating starting goaltender Jocelyn Thibault between the legs on a soft shot just 54 seconds into the game.
2:02 p.m.: First "Let's go, Buffalo!" chant begins.
Welcome to Glendale, not to be confused with Phoenix. They are about 15-20 miles apart.
As usual, it's almost like home with Sabres sweaters throughout the building. Lots of Buffalo transplants in the Southwest, including fellow Frontier High grad Tom Doody and former Sabres employees who now work for the Coyotes: Grant Fuhr (goaltending coach), Jeff Holbrook (executive vice president), Doug Moss (president) and Rob Crean, the communications assistant who is a regular reader of the Sabres Edge (and really now, who wouldn't be?!)
---John Vogl
January 20, 2008 - 5:23 PM | Comment
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Sabres made it to the desert and practiced today in awkwardly named Jobing.com Arena. Well, everyone practiced but Tim Connolly and Maxim Afinogenov. Their groin injuries still kept them from getting on the ice.
Patience with Afinogenov has worn thin throughout HSBC Arena, and his time in Buffalo could be running short. But he's untradable while injured.
For all the talk about Thomas Vanek failing to live up to his $10 million salary this year, how about those two? Afinogenov is getting $3.5 million, while Connolly is making $3 million. Think that $6.5 million could have been spent better?
---John Vogl
January 19, 2008 - 10:39 PM | Comment
TORONTO -- The Sabres are 0-4-3 in their last seven games away from HSBC Arena and that doesn't bode well for a stretch that has six more games on the road before they return downtown to play New Jersey on Feb. 6.
Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs dropped Buffalo into a three-way tie for 12th in the East with Toronto and Florida. The Sabres are five points behind the Islanders in the race for the final playoff spot -- but just three points in front of Tampa Bay in the race to stay out of the conference cellar. Yikes.
The harsh reality: This season could be over by the time the team returns home. All the good feelings over Friday's 10-1 thrashing of Atlanta vaporized in a futile effort over the first 30 minutes Saturday. Now the Sabres are simply a team with one win in 12 games.
Ryan Miller had a mediocre outing after two stellar ones. Thomas Vanek got benched for most of the third period. The final 30 minutes were pretty good. Where was that from the opening faceoff?
I don't really know if there's much new ground to tread here. I'm out of words for tonight. Here's the spot to post your thoughts (or unleash your frustrations).
---Mike Harrington
January 19, 2008 - 6:36 PM | Comment
TORONTO -- Greetings from the gondola high atop the Air Canada Centre, where the Sabres are meeting the Toronto Maple Laffs north of the border for the first time this season (Isn't it just so much fun to tweak them at any chance we get?). Great view of the rink from up here and you gotta love the HUGE retired number banners hanging from the rafters that include old black-and-whites of each guy.
I look straight ahead and I see that Bill Barilko, Johnny Bower, Red Kelly, Tim Horton, Ted Kennedy, George Armstrong, Borje Salming and Darryl Sittler will be staring at me all night as I provide you with live updates.
The biggest bit of pregame news to come out of Lindy Ruff's briefing with the media was that Michael Ryan's eye injury suffered late in the third period Friday night against Atlanta is going to keep him off the ice for at least a week (and I would bet probably longer). Ruff said Ryan still has blood in the eye and has been told not to fly and to have no physical activity so Andrew Peters will go back into the lineup tonight.
Ryan is going to miss next week's games against Phoenix and Dallas and his status for the road trip later this month to Tampa Bay, Florida and Atlanta certainly has to be iffy as well. Ruff also said Jaroslav Spacek (back) should be able to play Monday in Phoenix while Maxim Afinogenov and Tim Connolly (groins) will make the trip to work out but are still not skating.
---Mike Harrington
Third Period
Waiting for the faceoff: John Vogl pointed me to the story on last night's game in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution and it could make for an interesting rematch with the Thrashers Feb. 1 in Phillips Arena. Some Thrashers players apparently didn't like the way the Sabres were trying to get the 10th goal and were laughing during Friday night's rout. Said Atlanta defenseman Garnet Exelby: "I think everyone is going to remember this game. Fortunately, we do get to play this team at home in a couple weeks." Hmmm.
12:34 left: The Sabres have finally found their legs and have pretty much dominated the play in the first 7 1/2 minutes. Toskala has made three difficult saves, the toughest on Daniel Paille. The best chance was by Clarke MacArthur, who fired wide after a great pass from Jochen Hecht. During this TV timeout, they're showing us a grainy old Peter Puck video about penalties on the jumbotron. Awesome! You've got to date to the 70s but remember these?
11:00 left: You could feel this one coming. Daniel Paille drills home a Paul Gaustad feed to the slot to make it 3-2. It's the red-hot Paille's 10th goal of the season and sixth in the last five games.
10:31 left: So much for momentum. Dmitri Kalinin is off for hooking. Crucial for Buffalo to kill this one off.
6:46 left: The penalty got killed off but Ales Kotalik gave the puck away in the Leafs zone and Jason Blake broke away on a 2-on-1 and beat Miller clean on the short side to make it 4-2. Again, a save in that situation to keep the Sabres within a goal would have been nice. Four goals on 19 shots against Miller tonight. Not good enough.
1:06 left: Dmitri Kalinin just clanked one off the goalpost that could have brought the Sabres within a goal -- and would have been his first of the season. Any Thomas Vanek sightings in this period? Not many. Adam Mair has been playing with Drew Stafford and Derek Roy. Vanek is still on the bench so it's likely this is Lindy Ruff sending a message.
It's over: The Leafs win it, 4-2, dropping the Sabres to 1-6-5 in their last 12 games and providing an unsightly start to the road trip. Toronto's third straight win. OK, so the laff is on me.
Second Period
19:26 left: The Leafs go up, 2-0, as Alexander Steen banks one off Brian Campbell past a startled Miller on a power play just 10 seconds after Henrik Tallinder is sent off for hooking. Pet peeve about the ACC: I've always noticed on TV that the bottom rows of seats -- in what's called the "Platinum Members Club" are empty at the start of every period. Tons of people miss a lot of action at the start of periods hanging out in the bars under the stands. Looks horrendous on the tube. Lots of empty seats cheered Steen's tally.
17:23 left: Alexei Ponikarovsky beats Miller on the short side to make it 3-0. Ugh. A pretty uninspired effort by everyone thus far, Miller included. Looks like the Sabres are on their way to starting a new winless streak. That's three goals on nine shots against Miller. Looks like Jocelyn Thibault's upcoming start Lindy Ruff has hinted at might be Monday in Phoenix.
10:24 left: Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala has hardly been challenged but he was up to the task on Buffalo's best chance, Ales Kotalik's one-timed slapshot from the slot. At the game's halfway mark, the Leafs had a 13-11 advantage in shots
6:44 left: Jochen Hecht scores high over Toskala's left shoulder on a Clarke MacArthur feed to make it 3-1. It's his 16th of the year, tying Derek Roy for team-high honors.
0:00 left: The Leafs aren't Laffs tonight as they lead, 3-1, after two. Shots on goal are even at 15-15. How bad a night is it for the Sabres? Some dude in a white Sabres jersey had the building in an uproar when he couldn't get a peck from his date while they were on the kisscam near the end of the period. The camera came back to them a couple of times and she just shook her head to say "no" as he put his palms in the air pleading. The crowd roared.
First Period
17:55 left: The Sabres are 0-3-3 in their last six road games and got off to a bad start in this one as Adam Mair took a foolish slashing penalty at center ice after just 37 seconds. Buffalo paid for it as Nik Antopov took a perfect pass from Mats Sundin and beat Ryan Miller on the power play to put Toronto up, 1-0.
17:21 left: A close call for Buffalo as the puck popped into the air and dropped behind Miller -- but nestled on the goal line against the post and never went in.
9:21 left: The Leafs still hold a 1-0 lead and just took advantage of a TV timeout to say a classy farewell to legendary CBC announcer Don Wittman, who died Saturday at 71 after a bout with cancer and is the talk of the press box tonight. Wittman did hockey games, the CFL and Olympics among his many events that Buffalo-area fans would recall. Wittman's picture was on the jumbotron as a script of his career accomplishments was read to ceremonial flute music. When it was over, the crowd applauded and many players on both teams tapped their sticks on the ice in appreciation. Nice. Click here for a terrific CBC video on his career.
2:00 left: The Sabres frittered away a power play as Alexander Steen was sent off for holding. The highlight of the two minutes was the "Let's Go, Buffalo" chant that started at one end, only to be drowned out by "Go Leafs Go."
0:00: The Leafs hold their 1-0 lead and a 6-4 edge in shots on goal at the end of a mundane period. Neither team had a shot in the final seven minutes of play. Yawn. The "Timbits" game of little kids sponsored by that donut chain we all love has been more entertaining.
January 18, 2008 - 10:30 PM | Comment
Hard to fathom. No wins and just 16 goals in 10 games. Then everything comes together in one night in a 10-1 thrashing of Atlanta.
Drew Stafford had three goals and five points. Derek Roy comes back in style with a hat trick. Dmitri Kalinin had three assists -- after recording just one point all season! Ryan Miller was solid again and Ilya Kovalchuk was kept off the scoresheet for once.
"We're not getting carried away," said defenseman Brian Campbell. "We're 1-10 in our last 11 games and we've still got a lot of work to do. We're looking forward to [Saturday] night in Toronto It doesn't matter how we won this one tonight if we don't keep it going."
Like Campbell said, it's only one night and this team is still on the outside looking in of the playoff race with seven straight road games coming up. But that's definitely more like it.
Express your relief for the end of the winless streak here.
---Mike Harrington
January 18, 2008 - 7:30 PM | Comment
Keep it here for live updates from HSBC Arena as the Sabres try to break their ugly 10-game winless streak when they meet NHL goal-scoring leader Ilya Kovalchuk and the Atlanta Thrashers. It will be Ryan Miller in goal for Buffalo against Atlanta's Johan Hedberg. Interesting starting lineup up front for Buffalo: Adam Mair centering for Patrick Kaleta and Michael Ryan. (The folks running the HD board got caught: There's no head shot of Kaleta so they could only run the Sabres logo when the starting lineup was announced. Oops!)
Derek Roy is back in the Buffalo lineup after recovering from his shoulder injury and should provide a badly-needed post to the team's sickly power play, which is in an 0-for-17 rut and has just two goals in its last 33 chances. Andrew Peters is a healthy scratch while Maxim Afinogenov and Tim Connolly remain out with groin injuries.
---Mike Harrington
Third Period
Opening faceoff: Hedberg is back in goal. Poor guy. He probably wishes coach Don Waddell had called it a night for him.
16:24 left: The Sabres kill off a two-man advantage, with Miller making three super saves on Kovalchuk over a 90-second span.
14:16 left: Drew Stafford goes off for elbowing Colin Stuart and the Thrashers aren't happy. Stafford was lucky he didn't get a major as the butt end of the stick got Stuart pretty good. Let's see if there's any retaliation the rest of the way.
12:07: There's some retaliation for you! Stafford takes Dmitri Kalinin's breakaway pass out of the penalty box and makes Hedberg look silly to make it 8-1. Hey Lindy, why hasn't this guy been in EVERY shootout? That's three points for Kalinin, equaling his career high set March 29, 2004 against Columbus.
8:22 left: Here come the hats! Stafford slams home a Derek Roy rebound for his first three-goal game in the NHL and a 9-1 lead (the team's most goals this season). He has five points and the crowd is "Drewwwwwwwwwwing" the team's first hat trick of the season.Think Roy makes a difference?
7:11 left: This might get to about 13-1. Eric Boulton drills Jason Pominville from behind to start a scrum and gets a four-minute penalty. The Thrashers are two men short but no penalties have been announced. This sub announcer should NEVER come back.
6:40 left: Boulton got the book -- a "superfecta" one press box wag just cracked. Two for roughing, two for instigating, five for fighting, a 10-minute misconduct and game misconduct. Wow. 29 minutes!
2:50 left: It's been a shooting gallery but no goals yet. Colin Stuart goes off for high sticking and Atlanta is two men short again. Buffalo has a 47-24 advantage in shots.
2:18 left: Ales Kotalik pounds shot No. 48 of the night past Hedberg to make it 10-1 and give the Sabres their first double-digit game since a 10-1 win over Los Angeles on Jan. 14, 2006. That's three on the power play as well -- after just two with the man-advantage in the last 10 games. It's also the first time the Thrashers have ever given up 10 in a game.
POST-GAME UPDATE: The Sabres win, 10-1, but that lone hat-thrower was right! Roy has been given credit for Buffalo's sixth goal so that's two hat tricks for the Sabres tonight.
Second Period
Out-of-town bulletin: Sidney Crosby was assisted from the ice with an apparent leg injury in the first period of the Penguins' game against the Lightning. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting it's a high ankle sprain. If that's all it is, he's probably going to be out at least a couple weeks. That's bad, bad news for the league. I'd say Crosby's status for next weekend's all-star game in Atlanta is iffy at best. The Associated Press is reporting Crosby will be out indefinitely.
14:30 left: Jochen Hecht has the best backhand on this team. He just took a Jason Pominville pass and rifled one behind Lehtonen to make it 5-1. And it was poetic justice because Hecht was wiped out in front of the net a few seconds earlier with no penalty called. Hecht's 15th, forging a tie with Roy for the team lead.
9:14 left: A huge scrap between Nolan Pratt and Atlanta's Chris Thorburn, who jumped in when it looked like Pratt was going with Garnet Exelby. Hope Andrew Peters was taking good notes from Pratt. Thorburn got an extra 10-minute misconduct.
5:19 left: Daniel Paille gets his second of the night on Dmitri Kalinin's rebound to make it 6-1. And Kari Lehtonen shows his frustration by firing the puck right at Derek Roy. Everybody is into the act -- that's Kalinin's first point since opening night, Oct. 5 against the Islanders. Did that puck hit Roy in the foot? It might have. If the goal is changed, of course, that would be the hat trick. One eagle eye in the stands thought so as he fired a hat on the ice. We'll see.
44.9 seconds left: Thomas Vanek gets into the act with his 13th goal of the season and first in nine games, a tip-in on a perfect pass from Kalinin to make it 7-1 Two points in five minutes for Kalinin after one point in 3 1/2 months? Bizarre.
0:00: Shots on goal were 16-5 in that period and 32-11 for the game. Sixteen goals in 10 games and now seven in two periods? Double bizarre.
First Period
18:06 left: What in the world was Slava Kozlov doing? The ex-Sabre just gave his old team a gift, backhanding the puck out of the corner off his goalie. It ricocheted in front to Ales Kotalik and Hedberg stopped Kotalik's shot but Daniel Paille jammed home the rebound to make it 1-0. It's Paille's ninth of the season and fourth in four games.
15:50 left: Good thing ex-Sabre enforcer Eric Boulton has no hands. Kotalik just handed him the puck for a clean breakaway but Boulton lost the puck as he was harassed by Henrik Tallinder.
14:46 left: What is this, Christmas giving to the Sabres? Drew Stafford just scored on the power play -- into an empty net no less -- as Jason Pominville's clear along the boards hits the glass and bounces in front with Hedberg standing defenseless behind the net.
14:23 left: Welcome back, Derek Roy. He takes a beautiful back pass from Thomas Vanek and chips in a back-hander. 3-0! I said 3-0! That's about a month's worth of goals in this streak isn't it? Guess Lindy Ruff was right yesterday when he said the Thrashers might be a tired team because they played last night at home and went to a shootout against Montreal
10:53 left: Welcome back, Derek Roy II. First he strips Kevin Doell at center ice, then takes a neat pass from Stafford and jams home his own rebound. It's Roy's team-high 15th (10th at home) and it's 4-0. That's four goals on nine shots -- or more goals than any of the 10 games in the current winless streak. Gotta wonder how long the Thrashers stay with Hedberg. That's 10-0 for Buffalo at home against Atlanta this year (Buffalo won here, 6-0, on Oct. 11).
9:52 left: Brian Campbell returns some of the gifts. A clean giveaway at the Thrashers' blueline allows Colin Stuart to break down the ice and score a short-handed goal. That makes it 4-1. Plays like that aren't the kind that get you $6 million contracts, just for the record. Stuart's third goal of the season and second in the last two games against the Sabres.
7:15 left: The Thrashers change goalies, bringing in Kari Lehtonen. Odd timing. What took so long?
3:53 left: You can tell regular PA announcer Jay Moran isn't here (he's at the Canisius-Niagara game). The substitute has been sloooooooow to announce penalties and just announced the "parachute drop" for free hamburger coupons was taking place. Um, dude, that happens between periods in case one falls from the catwalk on to the ice. Jeez, get with the program.
0:00: The Sabres leave the ice to a solid ovation with a 4-1 lead and a 16-6 bulge in shots on goal. It's their fourth four-goal period of the season (first since Dec. 8 at San Jose). Stafford, by the way, assisted on both of Roy's goals and had three points in the period -- already a career-high for a game with still 40 minutes to go.
January 18, 2008 - 2:53 PM | Comment
We're starved for offense around here -- 16 goals in 10 games will promote that feeling -- so it's great to see a nice play once in a while. But this is so much more. Watch Columbus' Rick Nash, one of the best players nobody talks about, undress the Phoenix defense to score the winning goal with 21.5 seconds left Thursday night and give the Blue Jackets a 4-3 victory over the Coyotes.
Said the analyst on Fox Sports Ohio: "Ho ho baby. My goodness gracious. Holy Moly." Who was that familiar voice? Danny Gare.
Now Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky knows how all those opposing coaches felt over the years. Click below to see the video. Amazing play.
FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Here's a Canadian Press story talking with Nash upon his arrival in Dallas for the Jackets' next game
---Mike Harrington
January 18, 2008 - 11:32 AM | Comment
Odd to see coach Lindy Ruff not skating with the Sabres this morning in HSBC Arena. When things aren't going well, may as well try something different in advance of tonight's game against Atlanta.
"Today was optional so we had four or five guys that didn't go out including myself," said Ruff. "We'll change everything right now."
Seriously though, the Sabres will get some help tonight with the return of Derek Roy. That should especially help the anemic power play, which has failed in 17 straight attempts and is 2 for 33 during the club's 10-game winless streak.
Thrashers winger Ilya Kovalchuk leads the NHL with 37 goals and is tied for the scoring lead (63 points) with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier. Kovalchuck scored the empty-netter in Atlanta's 5-2 win over the Sabres Jan. 6 in Phillips Arena and teammate Marian Hossa, who has 20 goals, burned Buffalo for a pair in that game.
The Thrashers, who are fifth in the Eastern Conference in scoring, snuck into first place in the Southeast Division by a point over Carolina after Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss at home to Montreal.
"We spent a good period of time in their end [in the last meeting] but we made some big mistakes that allowed them some pretty easy situations," Ruff said. "We've been able to take away the easy situations since that game and have played a lot better. If you're going to hand them opportunities, you're asking for bad things to happen. We've got to be the team that takes care of the puck."
---Mike Harrington
January 17, 2008 - 10:06 PM | Comment
Lindy Ruff likes the Sabres' chances against Atlanta on Friday night. The Thrashers had a 3-2 shootout loss at home Thursday, then had to board their charter for the flight to Buffalo.
"We've got a team coming in, with them playing tonight, that is in the right situation for us to, if we put our minds in the right place, get a win," Ruff said.
OK, so he hedged his bets a little. That's still fairly big talk from a team that's winless in 10 games.
---John Vogl
January 17, 2008 - 6:51 PM | Comment
The Sabres did nothing but practice the power play today. That's good for the man-advantage unit because it's in a 2-for-33 slump and could use the work.
But it's rough for the penalty killers. A full day of power-play drills should come with hazard pay. Michael Ryan’s limp and Nathan Paetsch’s ice pack showed why. Jaroslav Spacek drilled Ryan in the back of the left leg with a slap shot, and the forward crumpled to the ice.
"I was teaching him how to block shots," Spacek said with a grin.
Derek Roy ripped a slap shot into Paetsch’s left arm.
"I hate you, Roysie," Paetsch jokingly said across the room. "I can’t even feel my arm."
---John Vogl
January 16, 2008 - 10:42 PM | Comment
NEW YORK -- How's that headline for an attempt to find some positive in yet another dreary Sabres game? Hey, they were put out of their misery in regulation and we didn't have to wade through 65 minutes and the shootout!
Not much for me to say about Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Rangers. This team has to get some of its offensive players back, especially a healthy Derek Roy and a healthy Jaroslav Spacek. Tim Connolly would certainly help the power play and teams still respect Maxim Afinogenov by provding him plenty of open ice, even though his numbers are way down this year.
It's 10 games and counting for this winless streak. Vent away here.
---Mike Harrington
