Sabres Edge

Lindy's not shy

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

Sabres won't see Kovalchuk, might see Max

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

Live from sunny Florida-Sabres -- another win

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

Live from Tampa-Sabres -- another victory

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

Don't give up on Vanek yet

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)

Teemu's back

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

Campbell hits the score sheet early

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

World Juniors would be great fit in Buffalo

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

Kane settles in

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

Kevin Sylvester

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