March 26, 2013 - 10:58 PM
By Mike Harrington
TAMPA, Fla. -- You want me to say something? Seriously? After that?
Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Lightning was hard to fathom. Just a no-show against a team going nowhere. Seven shots in the first two periods. Just no explanation. Let them try to explain it. Click the files below. Ron Rolston's disgust comes through pretty clear
Ron Rolston
Ryan Miller
Jason Pominville
Jordan Leopold
March 20, 2013 - 12:15 AM
By Mike Harrington
MONTREAL -- We'll start with the cockeyed optimist approach. The Sabres' 3-2 overtime victory over the Canadiens has them just six points behind a logjam of teams (Carolina, Toronto, Rangers, New Jersey) that are tied for spots 6-9 in the Eastern Conference. And it came on a day the team actually sent out playoff invoices to season ticket holders that said it needed to be prepared "so that tickets are available WHEN the Sabres clinch a playoff spot." (I put the capitals in for emphasis). Ooooook.
I've stopped laughing now. The realistic approach is that they're still 13th in the East and they still have the league's worst power play. But the line shifts by Ron Rolston looked good until Thomas Vanek got hurt, the power play is starting to get more pressure and Jhonas Enroth has suddenly became as reliable as Ryan Miller.
After all the rigamarole over the last three days, this team is nothing but interesting no matter where its place in the standings is. Enough talking from me. Let them talk after the win.
Steve Ott
Jhonas Enroth
Jordan Leopold
Ron Rolston
March 17, 2013 - 10:35 PM
By Mike Harrington
WASHINGTON -- Ryan Miller was understandably annoyed I asked him about Patrick Kaleta in the wake of another frustrating loss. Kaleta didn't play in the game and that kind of question is thus usually a no-go in a postgame setting.
But when Kaleta popped off about being scratched earlier Sunday, the rest of the team had already left after their morning skate. This was the first chance to get reaction so I asked. And Miller certainly reacted.
Continue reading "Postgame audio -- Miller on Kaleta: 'He just needs to grow up'" »
March 16, 2013 - 7:05 PM
A solid first period, a dreadful second period and a disappointing finish in overtime. Here's some of the thoughts the Sabres had after Saturday's 4-3 loss to Ottawa.
Ron Rolston
Ville Leino
Ryan Miller
February 19, 2013 - 11:35 PM
By Mike Harrington
The dressing room door was zipped shut for nearly 20 minutes after Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Winnipeg. On one hand, I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall in that room. On the other hand, I've heard it all before already. And we heard some more after this one.
Lack of effort (how is that possible again?). Lack of execution. Playing tight. It's all hard to believe, especially when you see how little Terry Pegula's $65 million payroll is buying him.
Lindy Ruff said he was embarrassed and added, "we need to take a hard look at everything". Ya think?
Hard to believe it's gotten to this point. Tied with Columbus for most regulation losses in the NHL (10). Now standing 13th in the East -- seven points behind every team in the Northeast Division -- and 27th in the NHL if Los Angeles got a point late Tuesday night in Edmonton.
Click the files below to go around the locker room after the inexplicable defeat:
February 15, 2013 - 11:15 PM
By Mike Harrington
It was one of those nights.
The Sabres were decent in the first period (albeit unable to get the puck out of their zone for the first 82 seconds). They were horrific in the second, getting richly deserved boos on their way off the ice in a 2-1 hole that would have been about 6-1 or 7-1 were it not for Ryan Miller.
Something pretty darn interesting must have gone on in that dressing room in the second intermission. Tyler Myers and Lindy Ruff both admitted there was plenty of anger and the third period that followed was easily this club's best of the year.
When the 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins was complete, Drew Stafford (the elephant finally off his back after scoring his first goal), greeted the media in an outlandish fur coat with Sabres logo on the back. He then unleashed this gem as reporters encircled him: "Guys, I want to thank Mike Harrington for letting me borrow his coat."
Hey man, whatever works.
Continue reading "Postgame audio: Lots of As to give for big comeback against Bs" »
February 12, 2013 - 11:45 PM
OTTAWA -- When you're judging quality of defeat, you know it's a bad season. That was the situation the Sabres were in after Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place.
There was plenty of merit to the thought because it was a big improvement over the previous three games. The offense generated chances (but didn't get nearly enough traffic in front of Craig Anderson) and for a good 35 minutes, the defense wasn't running around in its own end and smartly moved the puck around. No issues with Ryan Miller either.
Continue reading "Postgame audio: Miller, Ott and Foligno after another tough loss" »
February 7, 2013 - 11:47 PM
By Mike Harrington
It certainly helps to have the NHL's leading scorer but it's still hard to imagine the Sabres are third in the NHL in goals with 35. But that's the fact. Of course, being tied for last in goals-against with Washington (41) remains a huge issue.
Here's the latest numbers on Thomas Vanek's epic start to the season:
Continue reading "The latest Vanek attack (with postgame audio)" »
February 2, 2013 - 5:13 PM
Tyler Myers
Lindy Ruff
Drew Stafford
Jason Pominville
January 29, 2013 - 11:25 PM
In the wake of the Sabres' 4-3 overtime loss to the Leafs, hear the postgame thoughts of Lindy Ruff, Mikhail Grigorenko and Ryan Miller by clicking the audio files below.
Lindy Ruff
(click to download the file)
Ryan Miller
(click to download)
January 27, 2013 - 6:14 PM
Lindy Ruff
Mikhail Grigorenko
Ryan Miller
John Vogl has been covering the Sabres since 2002-03, an era that has included playoff runs, last-place finishes and three ownership changes. The award-winning writer is the Buffalo chapter chairman for the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
@BuffNewsVogl | jvogl@buffnews.com
Mike Harrington, a Canisius College graduate who began his career as a News reporter in 1987, is in his sixth season covering the Buffalo Sabres. He is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and can vouch that exposed flesh freezes instantly when walking in downtown Winnipeg in January.
