Nov

15

November hasn’t been the prettiest month for Buffalo. For all of the good that came about in the opening month of the season, I’m starting to get a little worried about the team. In tonight’s loss to Pittsburgh, I was actually almost convinced that the issues from the last week would dissipate. “No, no: A double no,” as Jeanneret would say. Jason Pominville started us off well with a nifty goal. The Sabres have been struggling with the first period, and I kept believing that they were saving the best for last. Recall those third period comebacks and shootouts? They seem like a distant memory.

Rewind to last night, which was another debacle. Losing 6-1 to Columbus wasn’t quite was I was expecting, nor do I think any Buffalo fan could have predicted the score. Most alarming has been the goaltending situation. Lalime proved early on that he could fill in for Miller and pull off some great saves. Unfortunately, last night was not his night. I felt a mix of frustration and sympathy for him. I really think that he is a great improvement over previous backup goalies: He can make most saves, gives the offense a chance, and knows what to do. Alas, he apparently just needs a few days of practice to get back to the level of play he showed last month. Which he better return to… Lalime is not a one hit wonder for the Sabres.

So I’m on a negative tangent tonight. Optimism still prevails! Buffalo has a few days before their next game on Wednesday against the Bruins. Recall the last back-to-back losses in late October? Lindy shook up the team, resulting in two consecutive shutouts of 5-0 and 2-0. Time for another one of those insane practice sessions. I’m not horribly worried: The Sabres always bounce back, and aside from the last two games, this season has been phenomenal. Let’s just hope they can turn around by Wednesday!

Nov

1

First off, I want to apologize for going missing for the past two weeks. Broken laptop? Check. Too much homework? Check. I missed a few of the better games, too, thanks to night classes. Perhaps the reason why I had some issues in finance was because I was thinking about how the Sabres were doing. However, nothing was bette than driving home one night to an overtime broadcast with Rick Jeanneret. It was beyond exciting, believe me!

Tonight’s 5-0 shutout win was spectacular. The first two losses of the season were not easy to swallow. Everyone looked a little out of it, and it seemed like our goaltenders were falling apart. However, being the optimist that I always have been, I knew things would turn around. This is Buffalo, after all! Lindy Ruff took action immediately, according to a Sabres news report:

We talked a lot about our forecheck and the intensity on our forecheck- what our first two guys have been doing, and haven’t they been doing,” Ruff said. “Our strength of our club has always been playing in the offensive zone and it’s been our weakness in the past two games. We gave up 23 scoring chances last night and part of that was due to the fact that we didn’t’ spend any time in the other team’s zone. We identified what we thought was missing and that’s always the great challenge – get them back on track…[Today we] tried to get ourselves grounded again.”

Did it work? You be the judge after checking out the game summary. Both Paul Gaustad and Tim Connolly have recently returned, bringing some additional offensive talent to the line-up. More than that, though, I see the Buffalo Sabres as a team. No one tries to out-do everyone else. Whenever someone gets knocked down by some crazy fool on the opposition, you can bet that another Sabre is lurking a few feet away, ready to jump in. The depth chart has been surprising at times, yet it works. Even with the newest shake-up, I still see good things from every single line. After tonight’s game, I can not wait for another outing with my Sabres… Monday, 7:00 PM against the New Jersey Devils. Make sure to tune in on Versus!

Oct

15

I missed my hockey quite a lot, and to have the Sabres returning in the way that they have has been wonderful. I was a little skeptical about some of the decisions made, yet is there anything to complain about? The penalty kill has been perfect, and not just by chance. Tonight’s game against the Rangers included a four minute major penalty against Rivet that looked like a fairly normal situation. I was excited, to say the very least! Add to that a short-handed goal, and I’m in heaven with the Sabres.

The bad news comes with more injuries: Jochen Hecht underwent surgery, thereby joining the Paul Gaustad Club. He is expected to return in about two weeks, and Gaustad has another three or four weeks. Fortunately, everyone is stepping up quite a bit to fill any voids that may have been created by their losses. A 7-1 win and a 3-1 win? I’ll take those in less than a heartbeat.

In terms of what is the cause of the Sabres’ success, I don’t think there is any one specific thing. The defense has been phenomenal, and I’m usually one of the toughest critics of the blue liners. The offense and goaltending are other very strong: It’s worth noting that Ryan Miller should be able to relax knowing that he has a reliable back-up. Everything has come together perfectly, and I’m already counting down the time to the next game!

Friday, October 17th at 7:30 PM the Sabres take on the Canucks. Make sure to tune in!

Oct

11

Could there have been a better beginning to this season? Not for me. The Sabres came out strong last night, and never truly let up. Of course there was room for improvement, but is any team ever considered perfect? I was very happy with the start of the 2008-2009 hockey season. A shootout win made it even better. Six months without Buffalo meant that I was expecting something great, which I got.

The highlight of the night, at least for me, was the chance to yell “TEPPO!” every time I saw #27. With the documentary about Numminen playing before the game, as well as during one of the intermissions, it was hard not to get excited about his return.

Another thing I missed? Jaro Spacek’s interviews. Rob Ray’s questions were perfectly articulated, yet Spacek gave another wonderful performance. I do have to say that he is getting better at speaking English, but his trademark yell-into-the-microphone style is absolutely priceless!

Offensively, I think Buffalo had a few issues with setting up plays. However, there was also the issue associated with them not being able to completely figure out Montreal’s defense. To their credit, they held off the Sabres for a decent amount of time. But when you’re up against an offensive powerhouse with amazing goaltending behind it, there’s not much you can do. Hence, the shootout win.

The Sabres will next play on Monday, October 13th, at 2:00 PM against the New York Islanders. Get ready for another great game!

Mar

20

Imagine a game where the Sabres enter the third period down 4-1 from a serious lack of energy and chances. The odds are against them, but we all have a little sense of hope. Then, two goals are scored in 16 seconds, followed by another three minutes later. A dream? Not at all. This was the exact scenario last night, and Buffalo didn’t just stop to tie the game: They scored three more times to take home a very important and hard-earned two points! Tampa Bay looked like they were going to pull off an easy win after skating all over HSBC Arena like they owned it. The strategy was to give them that false sense of security, and then strike at the 15:00 mark in the third period. It was, quite possibly, the most perfect comeback in a very long time. It also proved that the Sabres CAN stage a comeback in the third period. Even after struggling through the first two periods, they knew what they were capable of and did it.

Similarly, the last few games have simply been great hockey. Some might say it was a shame that the Buffalo Sabres waited until the end of the season to whip out all the talent, but we all can agree that it is better late than never! Maybe somebody went out and listened to a little Vanessa Williams… Add that song to the game playlist! The Sabres are still in a precarious situation, situated between Philadelphia and Washington in the ninth spot. Everything is going quite well, though, and does not appear to be slowing down. Word even has it that Numminen is skating with the team in practice! How I miss Teppo and his smile. The rest of the blueline is pretty banged up, yet I see no reason to panic. The only issue is being careful about pronouncing #3’s last name in an adrenaline-filled moment!

The Sabres take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, March 21st, at 7:30 PM. Be prepared for another great rivalry, some possible fights, and more unbelievable hockey moments!

Mar

5

Last night was yet another two-goal scoring plateau for the Sabres, as they rushed out to an early lead. Predictably, the Flyers came storming back to tie the game up at 2-2 and force Buffalo to focus on the importance of winning the game in the third period. Something happened during that second intermission, though, sending the Sabres into a goal-scoring frenzy for the first six minutes of the final 20 minutes. Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, and Max Afinogenov each netted a goal in the third to seal the win, and send Philadelphia into a tailspin… Finally! Seeing the guys ensure a win prior to overtime and the dreaded shootout was quite exciting! It was a full team effort, with pretty much every line doing something or other to put themselves out front. This win put the Sabres just one point behind the Flyers for the final playoff spot: Still a precarious situation, but much better to be in striking distance!

On a bit of a random tangent, is it just me, or do the Versus announcers absolutely hate the Sabres? Every goal we scored was blamed on Biron being out of position… But how common is it for a guy to get a puck through a six-inch area?! There was more talent than the announcers cared to share. Or maybe I was just going through withdrawal without my Jeanneret-Neale team.

The Sabres next play tonight at 7:30 PM against the Washington Capitals. Both of these teams are hovering around the bottom of the playoff rush, with the Sabres ahead of the Capitals by a somewhat comfortable three points. Fatigue might be a factor for Buffalo, after coming off of last night’s rough and tumble match. One thing is true, though: This is another must-win situation that can be achieved.

Mar

4

Tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers is about as crucial as a hockey game can be. I have been absolutely thrilled with the Sabres’ last two games… If you can call low scoring losses thrilling. The frustrating part of the matter is that this team is not in character to be struggling! February 27th saw the Sabres win with eight goals. Since then, they have scored two goals per game and lost to the Canadiens and Red Wings. Why?! Personally, the returns of Afinogenov and Stafford brightened my days and made me excited to see some offensive talent return. The problem is that the lines were mixed up, and all of that good chemistry disappeared. That is not to say that change is necessarily bad, but what else is there to conclude at this point? Buffalo is on the verge of just making the playoffs… Or just missing them. Rather than looking at the short-term, it really is time to look ahead to that uncertain future. I would rather go three or four months without Sabres hockey, rather than four or five. This is a do or die situation, no matter how early it may be.

Make sure to tune in to Versus tonight to see the Sabres and the Flyers go at it at 7:00 PM. Expect some sparks to fly, as these two teams have never been all too friendly, and both are grasping at the bottom rung of the playoff ladder. Go Sabres!

Feb

28

No need for anyone to worry about Tuesday’s trade that saw Brian Campbell become an ex-Sabre. There was no doubt that he was one of the more popular defensemen: Who else could pull off that spin-o-rama without making a fool of themself?! Steve Bernier was acquired from the San Jose Sharks, along with a first round draft choice in this year’s entry draft. It takes time for a new player to be welcomed on the team, but this right winger apparently knows how to make his presence appreciated! He scored the first two goals in last night’s game, while also picking up an assist late in the second period. Right off the bat, we now know that the Sabres have another young player to turn to for offensive production. Additionally, Bernier was difficult to ignore on the ice: He backed up Ryan Miller a few times, while also throwing in a bunch of hits. Could there be more? Take a look at the third period, when Derek Roy was tackled. Bernier was there to back up a guy he’s known for a day or two. Welcome to the team!

Both the acquisition of a powerful forward and a solid win are exactly what the Buffalo Sabres have been looking for. There were some sticky spots from time to time, such as when a 3-0 lead was cut to 3-2 in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, the Sabres had a lot of fight in them. Once again, this proves that they have the talent to score enough goals to paralyze their opponents. For heaven’s sake, Peters scored his fourth career goal! Physically speaking, Nashville was bowled over on many different occasions. I still have the opinion that the team is still maturing, but with so many young players willing to do anything towin, every Sabres fan can rest assured that there will be many good seasons to come.

The Sabres will next play tomorrow, February 29th, at 7:30 PM against the Montreal Canadiens. This is a vital divisional game, seeing how Buffalo is at 71 points and Montreal is at 77 points. Another star performance from the team could put them in a much more comfortable position within the standings.

Feb

25

Sabres (5) vs. Maple Leafs (1): Attack!

This was a game that was very much needed. With such a close playoff race, even one point can mean a huge difference. There was very little to complain about… Aside from a missed shutout opportunity! Buffalo Sabres hockey is all about scoring and continuing to attack. There is no reason to sit back, even with a three or four goal cushion. Last Thursday proved this point.

Sabres (3) vs. Rangers (4): Simply Not Enough

The final seconds of Saturday’s game were heartbreaking. After seeing the Sabres fight their way back in the game three times, the dying seconds sopped up any and all energy left on the ice. The puck barely moved, even though I was holding my breath for a tying goal at 19:59. Not tonight, apparently. The Rangers outplayed the Sabres at some points, but this was a game that we should have taken. The one saving grace was the awesome Buffalo crowd who booed Chris Drury every step along the way! Sad to see him be on the winning side of a game against the team he ran away from. The Sabres might feel a little demoralized after this loss, but there were a lot of positives. They never gave up, and are still 100% in penalty killing against the New York Rangers. Not too shabby… Aside from falling in the standings.

The Sabres will next play tonight, February 25th, at 7:00 PM against the Philadelphia Flyers. An almost reunion of those two co-captains, now known as co-conspirators. At least in my book. The Flyers have been struggling lately, and hopefully the Sabres will be able to take advantage of this.

Feb

21

Last night’s game looked like it would be another loss, up until the last 15 minutes. Truly, the Buffalo Sabres looked like they were sleeping on the job without a care in the world. I was depressed, the team was depressed, and we all needed some kind of miracle. Ladies and gentleman, that is precisely what happened. Just as I expected, Ryan Miller made a crazy stop to spark a little offensive rush. Derek Roy ended up scoring, and perhaps it was his goal that threw the Sabres into overdrive. Technically, Thomas Vanek went into overdrive reminiscent of a rampaging loon. In a good way, of course! That man suddenly woke up and went to town! He scored two goals to force an overtime period, which was something no one expected. Want more? He scored the game winner at 2:25 to give the Sabres a very surprising win! This was the opposite of what usually happens: The team plays an amazing first period, and gradually falls apart. This time around, they lulled Tampa Bay into a false sense of security, only to strike in the last few minutes. In the true sense of the saying, it is never too late to win!

The boys next play tonight, February 21st, at 7:30 PM against the Toronto Maple Leafs. As much as anyone, I would love to see a complete game, but a few miracle moves saved up for the last period will work just fine. Go Sabres!

keep looking »