Live from Sabres at Islanders

UNIONDALE, L.I. -- Greetings from Nassau Coliseum, where coach Lindy Ruff feels better because some of his players do. The Sabres will still be without a couple of players, though.

As guessed earlier today, Patrick Kaleta was indeed too ill to make the trip to Long Island. He and Paul Gaustad stayed home and won't face the Islanders. On the bright side for Ruff and the Sabres, linemates Tim Kennedy and Jochen Hecht -- who weren't well enough to start the second period against Toronto -- are feeling better today. They will play.

In a bit of surprise, it appears Ryan Miller may, too. The goaltender is on a roll, and Ruff hinted that the netminder will get his 10th start in the season's 11th game.

PREGAME

5:50 p.m.: So, Happy Halloween, long one of my favorite holidays. Never thought I'd be spending one in Uniondale, but oh well.

The Isles have decked the halls with webs and pumpkins, and costumed staffers are handing out treats to kids who are wandering the concourses with bags and baskets. It was a similar sight on Manhattan, where I spent the afternoon. It was pretty cool to see all the dressed-up kids walking into the local laundromats and art galleries and such to get chocolate. Of course, it also was really weird to see the tykes wander into the porn shop on 10th Avenue to get some candy. At least that's what I hope the store was giving away.

Anyway, while Manahattan is cool on October 31, so far it's definitely not Tampa Bay. Got to spend "Guavaween" there once (last year, maybe?), and it's an amazing party.

Speaking of parties, the five boroughs are getting ready for the New York City Marathon on Sunday morning. I ran the route as part of my day. I only ran about 10 feet, but I ran it nonetheless. Better than nothing; I usually only run if someone is chasing me.

The Big Apple is one of my favorite towns because neither of us use the night to sleep. I also like it because there's always something new to see. Today, I stumbled upon The Dakota, where John Lennon was shot.

Meanwhile, if it's Saturday, it must be bar-b-que. I previously hit Jack's in Nashville and the Harbor Club in HSBC Arena, and today featured lunch at Virgil's. As usual, the brisket and pulled pork were great, as were the cheese grits and Georgia pecan rice.

While Jack's was a first-time stop a few weeks back, I've been to Virgil's several times. Former Sabres writing mate Tim Graham and I used to go there, so I texted him hello while eating. Turns out, he was on his way to town to cover the Dolphins-Jets game Sunday. So, without further ado, I'm off to write the notebook for Sunday's paper so he and I can meet up for a soda or 10 as soon as possible.

6:29 p.m.: It's official. The goaltending matchup is Miller versus Martin Biron.

FIRST PERIOD

7:09 p.m.: The Sabres start the game with a fourth line of Nathan Paetsch-Matt Ellis-Adam Mair.

7:10 p.m.: The next line is Jochen Hecht-Tim Kennedy-Mike Grier. Cheap Plug Alert: The notebook leads with Kennedy and his faceoff schooling.

7:11 p.m.: They are followed by Clarke MacArthur-Tim Connolly-Jason Pominville, and Thomas Vanek-Derek Roy-Drew Stafford.

7:13 p.m.: Andrej Sekera is back after a seven-game absence and is paired on the blue line with Steve Montador.

7:19 p.m.: First TV timeout with 12:07 left. The Sabres have an 8-0 shot advantage, including four on a too-many-men penalty. Vanek missed a tap-in at the side of the net on a nice pass by MacArthur.

The Islanders' Ice Girls have orange wigs and one-piece orange short skirts, as this break and my earlier wanderings show.

7:24 p.m.: Isles come to life, but Miller stops partial breakaway by Sabres Edge legend Sean Bergenheim with 9:17 to go.

Standing ovation for Commander Michael Hoblin of the military.

7:29 p.m.: Craig Rivet and Tim Jackman, who interferred with Miller in the first meeting, drop the gloves. But Grier and the linesman grab Jackman before punches are thrown. Rivet and Jackman still go for roughing with 6:57 to go.

7:32 p.m.: Vanek misses another chance. Montador feeds him for an open net, but defenseman Radek Martinek blocks the goal with his foot. Just seconds prior, a nice drive by Hecht results in penalty by Martinek with 5:09 to go.

7:38 p.m.: Tyler Myers is struggling. He gives the puck away to Richard Park, and Park rips a shot past Miller's glove to give New York a 1-0 lead with 2:47 to go.

7:40 p.m.: By the way, the combined crowds for Wednesday's Devils game and tonight's Isles game would not add up to one Rangers game.

7:42 p.m.: End of one, Isles with a 1-0 lead. Sabres have a 14-9 shot edge and will have 1:04 of power-play time to start the second after a delay of game call on Kyle Okposo.

SECOND PERIOD

8:01 p.m.: Sabres start the second the way they played most of the first: shooting and watching Biron make a save.

8:05 p.m.: Jackman fights this time, with Montador as the opponent. Lots of lefts thrown by the Sabres defenseman, but none connect with 16:56 to go.

8:10 p.m.: Roy does a nice spin move to get open with 14:14 left, then doesn't shoot. He's still looking for his first goal. He was averaging 2.5 shots per game entering tonight.

8:15 p.m.: Paetsch goes off in pain after slash from Josh Bailey with 12:53 to go.

8:18 p.m.: After allowing no shots on the penalty kill, the Isles take a 2-0 lead with 10:44 left. Jeff Tambellini sneaks one past Miller off the goalie's left arm after Bergenheim threw the puck to the net.

8:23 p.m.: Bergenheim hits the post with 8:10 left.

8:24 p.m.: Tambellini hits the net. Doug Weight goes around the net to feed the winger for a one-timer from the left circle with 7:40 to go, and that's all for Miller. Patrick Lalime comes in with the Sabres down 3-0 and holding a 21-16 edge in shots.

8:27 p.m.: Biron, by the way, is 6-2-1 against his former team, with one shutout.

8:29 p.m.: The Isles' second shot on Lalime makes the score 4-0. Bailey rips a high, glove-side shot from the slot with 4:40 to go.

8:41 p.m.: Period comes to a close with Islanders holding a 4-0 lead. Sabres' shot edge is 26-20. Looks like there won't be an overtime to interrupt the gathering between Tim Graham and I.

8:51 p.m.: Attendance has just been announced at 8,889.

THIRD PERIOD

8:58 p.m.: Two minutes gone, and Lalime is feeling ornery. He's taken swipes at two Islanders already.

9:05 p.m.: The score is still 4-0 with 13:56 to go. Barring an unreal comeback, the following things will happen with a loss:

*Sabres will fall to 4-1 on road.

*Miller will lose for first time in regulation, falling to 8-1-1.

*The team's four-game winning streak will end.

9:10 p.m.: "Mar-ty, Mar-ty" as Biron makes his 30th save of the night.

9:23 p.m.: The boards are rattling, with each team out to make a physical statement. With 4:35 to go, Rivet made his, starting a fight with Andy Sutton and earning a decision.

9:25 p.m.: Here come the hats! Here come the hats! Tambellini scores on the instigator-induced power play with 4:18 to go.

9:32 p.m.: Doug Weight gets penalty shot with 13 seconds left after slash from behind by Chris Butler. Weight crashed into end boards after tripping on Lalime's blocker. Save by Lalime on the penalty shot. It's over, 5-0 Isles.

POSTGAME

Ruff: "The only thing you can be disappointed with is we didn’t take advantage of the offense. We did a lot of good things. We just didn’t score, and Marty played well."

Miller: "They get three on me, and normally you like to stay in, but I think 3-0 at that point Lindy wants to get a different kind of look to the game."

Miller on the second goal: "I think he goes elbow, post, elbow, in. It’s one of those kind of nights where it just didn’t shake out."

Biron, who won his 200th game and first with the Islanders: "It’s great. I’ve felt like I’ve been getting better after each game and slowly getting the way I want to play. It’s good to give the guys a bit of a confidence boost."

Vanek: "This one falls on me. I’m the goal scorer here, and I could have put the Islanders away in the first period myself, and I didn’t. From that end, it’s disappointing. I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to put those away. It’s my job, and I didn’t do it. It cost us the game."

---John Vogl

Comments

[ElmaGolf]

As I was watching last night's game, I wondered if there would be some loser who has been aching to type "Mister Softee" for 10 games. I wondered if that person would actually out themselves as being a bitter loser. I wondered if it was possible for someone to be so out of touch with reality to think it's clever and insightful to use "Mister Softee" after the performances Miller's turned in so far this year.

Congratulations Rush!! You did it!!!

[Greg]

It was one of THOSE games -- a stinker. From time to time the Swordsmen are going to have one of those. Vanek has to play better (bury chances) and Myers made a rookie mistake on the Isles' opening goal. __it happens.

Isles aren't totally dogs these days -- they're playing better after a slow start and remember, they're the type of team that seems to always give the Sabres fits.

[Greg B.]

Bill P- It's just you. The majority of ex-Sabres played their best years here, leave for "greener" pastures and never meet the success they experienced here. Dumont and Biron are exceptions. Briere and Drury are more of the rule.

Brian- I think what Vanek meant by that was the game would have had a different feel had he hit those two open nets, something you expect a $7 million player to do. Who knows how the Islanders would have reacted down 2-0 after 10 minutes. But he didn't, so we never found out. We get it, you think the Sabres are like last year's team. You're in the minority on that one.

[Bill Paitch]

can someone remind me why we let biron go as our backup goalie ???

also is it just me or do ex-sabres play better outside of buffalo than they did when they were here ?

[Brian]

Vanek said he "could have put the Islanders away ib the first period", but because he didn't, the loss is on him.

Huh?

He would've scored 6 goals in the first period?

If I was an Islander, I'd be pasting that little gem up on the bulletin board in time for Wednesday's rematch.

[Dave]

Awful game. Let's hope this was just a hiccup.

[timmer923]

Really tough to watch this one.....ugghhh
this team has to be ready for back to back action on Fri/Sat thru Nov......this is not a good way to start......colds/flu my be problem, but this team looked lame and poorly focused tonight and last night, too.

[Chet Zeshonski]

Lindy Ruff is never going to figure out how to properly use his backup goaltender. It's not a firing-worthy offense, but it's a maddening one.

P.S. Trade for Biron now, please.

[Jeff]

Easy to say it's not acceptable, but they were the better team when they went down 3-0. Miller played poorly and shouldn't have been in net in the first place. Lalime doesn't look like an NHL goalie, and Ruff refusing to go with him tonight says something...either about Ruff or Lalime.

[Johnathan]

I know they'll play a stinker every now and then--they weren't going to go 80-1-1-- but losing 5-0 to one of the worst teams in the league is not acceptable.

[Bulldog]

Brian, I wrote that post right before the Isles made it 2-0, which was immediately after the Sabres passed around the puck for seemingly an entire power play but didn't score.
Now that it's 4-0, all bets are off.

[Brian]

Bulldog:
"...just toying with the Islanders"?

4-0.

The Sabres "great start" is exaggerated. They have played mostly crappy teams in their first 10. And the teams they've lost too are really not good.

Shades of last season indeed.

[John in Wilmington]

I bet the Sabres have more players with the flu than just Gaustad and Kaleta.

[Rush]

Mister Softee #3....good job with your goalies, Lindy.

[Bulldog]

This is the weirdest game. The Sabres are passing at will, just toying with the Islanders, but when it comes to finishing their plays and putting the puck in the net, no one can -- or wants to -- do it.
It's like we're watching them practice, but they're holding back from scoring because they don't need to. It's only practice, after all.
And Miller's having an off night, for once. Losing to this lousy team will bring back shades of last season.

[Rush]

Mister Softee #2!

[cliff]

Kiran: you can hear the crowd noise if you watch the Islanders feed(assuming you have NHL package). I thought the lack of noise was due to more than the small crowd. While I want to listen to RJ, listening to the Islanders feed sounds like a real game. Buffalo feed sounds like it is being done from a studio.

[Greg B.]

You're so right, Rush. It's not like Myers gave that one to Park. The Miller haters must be rabid right now waiting to criticize him. He hasn't given them much material this season. Losers.

[Rush]

Mister Softee returns!

[twoeightnine]

Getting a trick of course.

[Bulldog]

What was John Vogl doing in a 10th Avenue porn shop? And more importantly, what was the cross street?

[Bill]

I've seen crowds like that at HSBC before people jumped on the Sabres bandwagon.

[Kiran]

I don't think I've ever watched a game and heard less ambient crown noise. It looks like they are playing in front of 1000 people...

[Mister Schopp]

Looks like the start of another season of bad Lindy decision-making about his goalies. Oh boy...

[CalgarySabre2]

Or else Lindy has already lost confidence in Lalime. Lindy does not extend much credit to back up goalies.

[Greg B.]

Good call, Jim. The team should also be a little healthier on Wednesday night. Home game and a healthy team probably give Lalime a better chance to win that one than tonight on the road with a flu-ridden team.

[Jim]

Good call if Miller plays tonight. Let Lalime play on Wed, which gives Miller almost a full week off so he can go back to back next weekend against Philly & Boston.