Live from Sabres at Toronto

TORONTO -- Ah, preseason. A chance to try to get back into game shape. A chance to try to stay onsides. And, yes, I'm talking about me, not the players.

The Sabres are in Toronto, and the starting lineup for the opening exhibition game has just been handed out. Here's Buffalo's starting six: Andrej Sekera and Mike Weber on the blue line; Jochen Hecht centering for Daniel Paille and Drew Stafford; and Ryan Miller in net.

More lines and pairings to come as we go along, but one blue-line duo that won't be together tonight (and maybe not this season) is Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman. Tallinder is in the lineup tonight while Lydman is sitting. For more on Tallinder, see Tuesday's paper.

7:35 p.m.: Starting in goal for Toronto is Curtis Joseph. He received a loud ovation, and the fans quickly welcomed him back with a "Cu-jo, Cu-jo" chant.

7:42 p.m.: That didn't take long. Sabres draw a penalty in opening seconds when Mike Weber feeds Drew Stafford with a long outlet pass. Marek Zagrapan makes Leafs pay with a goal just 45 seconds in.

Other defensive pairings are Tallinder and Mike Card, and Jaroslav Spacek with Nathan Paetsch. Haven't seen all the forward lines yet, but banger line is Dylan Hunter in the middle of Andrew Peters and Patrick Kaleta.

7:53 p.m.: First bad decision of Sabres' season is a drop pass in his own zone by Tallinder, whose feed went to Toronto's Dominic Moore. The score is 1-1 with 11:51 to go in first after Moore beats Miller with high wrister.

7:57 p.m.: Other forward lines are Tyler Bouck-Clarke MacArthur-Ales Kotalik, and Philip Gogulla-Zagrapan-Mark Mancari.

8 p.m.: First fight of year has Petes taking down Ryan Hollweg.

8:15 p.m.: Eventful final 1:08 of the first period. Toronto takes a 2-1 lead when Carlo Colaiacovo beats Miller with high shot through screen. Then the physical play takes over. Hollweg tackles Peters along boards but doesn't get called. Kaleta responds by burying Hollweg near Leafs' bench. Ben Ondrus takes offense, and he and Kaleta have brief fight. Peters argues noncall and gets two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, 10-minute misconduct and game misconduct.

Apparently, five months away makes people ornery.

8:42 p.m.: Boyd Devereaux gives Leafs a 3-1 lead 4:26 into second period. Play starts with turnover by Ales Kotalik.

8:48 p.m.: Miller takes a seat and Jhonas Enroth makes his first professional appearance.

8:54 p.m.: Enroth stops first shot, but second one makes score 4-1 Toronto. Robert Earl steps out of penalty box and gets breakaway goal.

Lindy Ruff told me before the game he's not too worried about the results of the first two preseason games. Good.

9:33 p.m.: Gogulla makes it 4-2 less than four minutes into third on nice cross-crease feed from MacArthur.

9:50 p.m.: Sabres keep it interesting as Mancari scores with 6:41 to play to cut Toronto's lead to 5-3.

9:54 p.m: More from Moore puts Leafs ahead by three again. He streaks past Sekera while short-handed and slides the puck past Enroth with 5:26 to go.

9:57 p.m.: The goals keep coming. Stafford feeds Hecht in front with 3:26 left to make it 6-4. Needless to say, the offense is ahead of the defense so far in training camp.

10:05 p.m.: That's it from Toronto, where the Sabres open the exhibition season with a 7-4 loss to the Maple Leafs (Jiri Tlusty scored an empty-net goal with 16.6 seconds to go). It was typical preseason hockey: a little sloppy with a few good signs and obviously more work ahead.

---John Vogl

Comments

[Chad]

Excuses: I have no problem with Golisano spending more money. I am simply pre-emptively responding to Lloyd's clamoring for Shanahan. If you know Lloyd's history, he will now spend all season screaming "where's Shanahan?!" when there was no chance of us ever getting him.

"I reply: "Who else was a Stanley Cup winner on the Sabres while Drury was here who could've helped the team go further?"

I reply: That was utterly irrelevant if we had a healty defensemen or four in Game 7 against Carolina. Former Stanley Cup winners don't win Stanley Cups. Good players win Stanley Cups. To say, "he won a Stanley Cup in the past, he'll help us win one now" is such a completely flawed statement on its face that it doesn't even warrant a response.

[Lloyd Marshall, Jr.]

Chad asks: "Chris Drury won Stanley Cups with Colorado. How many did Drury win for Buffalo?"

I reply: "Who else was a Stanley Cup winner on the Sabres while Drury was here who could've helped the team go further?"

[Buffalo Excuses]

Just a thought Chad, but how many millions does your boss have to make in the production of a mediocre product?

Not saying we should sign Shanahan, he's never come here anyway. But you are SO desperate NOT to spend any money, it really makes some people question your motives.

[Chad]

"That's right, Chad... anything to make the Sabres a Stanley Cup champ."

Kind of like how he made the Rangers a Stanley Cup champ? And if you want to make the predictable "but how many did he win with Detroit?" argument, that's fine. Chris Drury won Stanley Cups with Colorado. How many did Drury win for Buffalo?

[Lloyd Marshall, Jr.]

That's right, Chad... anything to make the Sabres a Stanley Cup champ.

Open the safe, Tom!

[Chad]

"Hey, Tom: Bring the fully-loaded Brinks truck to Shanahan's house!"

Good idea, Lloyd. Tom, empty the vaults for Shanny, his 46 points and declining production. Get it done!!!

[Lloyd Marshall, Jr.]

"Shanahan has refused contract offers from other teams..."

Hey, Tom: Bring the fully-loaded Brinks truck to Shanahan's house!

[Jim Beaucokee]

The game is on the NHL Channel.

Jim Beaucokee
Queens, NY

[Chad]

Taken from Rotoworld.com:

"Shanahan has refused contract offers from other teams with the hopes of landing a deal with the Rangers."

Wrong again, Lloydie.

[Lloyd Marshall, Jr.]

"I heard that Shanahan is either retiring or playing for the Rangers. I don't think he wants to play for anyone else..."

Tom Golisano has the mega-bucks to change his mind quickly. USE 'EM, TOM!!!

[Chad]

JB, I heard that Shanahan is either retiring or playing for the Rangers. I don't think he wants to play for anyone else. Unfortunate for Buffalo, but not the Sabres fault if that's the case.

As an aside, good to see Kaleta dropped the gloves last night. More importantly, glad that Kaleta stuck up for a teammate who just received a cheap shot. That was lacking last year.

[JB]

Glad to see Miller worked hard over the summer...Looking forward to getting glimpse of Lalime in the crease tonight. Random thought - Anyone notice that Shanahan turned down an invite to the Rangers' camp without a contract? For a couple of million can you imagine what his presence and leadership would do to the Sabres? Just a thought Darcy....

[Chad]

At the end of the day, it's a preseason game. Looking at who played tonight, I'd say a good 8 of 20 skaters have no chance of wearing a Sabres jersey this year. I'm encouraged by the play of Zagrapan, Mancari and MacArthur. If one of those players can make the "leap," Buffalo will be a lot better for it.

[Dave]

Why could Tallinder and Lydman possibly not be paired this year?

[rusty]

what channel is the game on ?

[Eric]

Bad goal given up by Miller. Another shortsider.