Oh, Atlas, Where Art Thou?

By Chris

A 2-0 loss. To the freaking Islanders? A team that's scored 147 goals and given up 200? And Bill Guerin wasn't even in the lineup.

The anemic Buffalo offense we've seen the last three games isn't going to get the Sabres into the playoffs. Patrick Lalime isn't elite, but he's done enough to put the team in a position to win in each of the three games he's started since Ryan Miller's injury.

It's not clear when Thomas Vanek is coming back, but one thing is certain: Darcy Regier needs to look at bringing in some scoring before the Trade Deadline on Wednesday. Because as talented as the players on the roster are, they're not getting the job done.

Vanek was injured in the Feb. 7 game against Ottawa. He played just 3:07 that night. Since then (10 games), the Sabres have scored 23 goals. They've given up 30. They've been shut out twice.


Over the last 10 games:

• Tim Connolly has 7 points, all assists. He's a -2.

• Jochen Hecht has two points and is a -5.
  

• Drew Stafford has 6 points with 2 goals. He's a -2. Both of those goals came on the powerplay against Toronto.
  

• Ales Kotalik has six points, including 3 goals. He's a -5.
  

• Clarke MacArthur, seventh on the team in scoring, has 2 points and is a -4.
  

• Derek Roy has 9 points, 3 of them coming in that Rangers game. He's scored two goals and has an even +/- rating.
  

• Jason Pominville has 1 goal, 4 assists and is a -3. He hasn't scored in consecutive games since he scored in four straight games in November (Another fast fact: His only multi-goal game of the season came against Toronto on New Year's Day. He scored a hefty pair).

The best thing you can say about any of those players is that they've been mediocre. No one has risen to the challenge since Vanek went out of the lineup. If anything is going to keep the Sabres out of the playoffs, it's that no one has been able to step up.

The good news is that Florida and Carolina lost. However, the Canadiens and the Rangers both scored out-of-conference victories. It's a long, tough road ahead.

Winning in regulation on Wednesday against Montreal is critical.

In Atlas we trust.

Disaster cycle

By Jon

The Sabres take on the Islanders tonight in that terrible shack on Long Island. The Isles haven't made much noise this season, so let's check on where they are at using FEMA's infamous disaster cycle graphic that was on its Web site for about a minute...

So, things are going well.

For some reason, I always get a little extra excited for games against the Islanders. I think it's something about going to a school where about 50 percent of the students come from that terrible mass of land floating in the water like it's the state's tail. If you couldn't tell, I'm not a huge fan of the area(well, at least not the people that generally come from it.)

Neither is Rich.

Gametime is 7 p.m. on the g'island.

Plans for the Night

by Ryan

Tonight the Sabres take on the Islanders in Nassau, but that's now what I'm thinking about right now. For me, I'm wondering if Mark Steenhuis is playing tonight and what I ask him if he is.

The novel experiment that is the HSBC Arena press box will be once again occupied by a blogger tonight, and that blogger is me. Andrew from USRT is on Long Island this weekend, and I asked to fill in for him tonight at the Bandits game. After a few emails and a thorough background check, I'm in.

I can't promise the results will be phenomenal, but I'll have a game recap up and a few thoughts on the press box experience. I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you enjoy the results. Don't worry, I'll be watching the Sabres game on DVR and will have a lot to talk about there, too.

Just another big night for the Buffalo sports scene, right?

History with Darcy Regier

by Ryan

I'm getting a very late start today, but we will have a bunch of things up very shortly. While we do that, check out the NHL.com profile on Darcy Regier. If you're not familiar with his playing career it's a pretty interesting look at his history before GM of the Sabres. Here's a quote:

Regier got his opportunity with a bad Barons team, and enjoyed his time there as a young player heading to his first NHL camp.

"(The Barons) were the old Golden Seals," said Regier. "I was drafted by the Golden Seals but never went to the camp there; they became the Barons. Gary Simmons was there at that training camp (1976). He had snakeskin cowboy (boots) and I still was coming from Canada and so I walked in there, all excited because I used to cheer for the (Canadian Football League) Saskatchewan Roughriders and it was like I had three heads when I brought up the CFL and those guys were all deep into the NFL.

Sounds like fun. If we had the proper training, we would analyze the psyche of our general manager and determine the way he operates at the deadline is directly influenced by how he was treated way back when. However, I'm pretty tired. Still, it's interesting to know how he was affected by the deadline as a player.

End of an Era

by Ryan

Over a year ago Jon said goodbye to J.P. Losman, but today is the day he finally leaves our lives.



I have to admit, I'm getting a bit dusty over here. The Gibran Hamdan Era is upon us.

Pockets Full of Cane

by Ryan

Don't ask why or how, but a few days ago I had lunch with Rick Jeanneret. It wasn't just the two of us, but more like 40 people asking dopey questions with me sitting there drinking a bottle of water. No matter, Rick was as lively as ever and telling stories while we all sat there, just happy to be around.

What we learned that day was that, much like a lot of people in this area, his favorite Sabres team of all time was the 05-06 team that lost to Carolina. Jeanneret described how much fun it was to watch that team go from zero expectations to the Eastern Conference Finals. He said that every day was an adventure, and as a fans of that team I think we all agree with that.

It's no surprise, then, that the best story he told involves that team. Rick said he and Jim Lorenz were sitting at the bar of the hotel in Carolina and Lindy Ruff gets off the elevator. It's the night before Game Seven, and they were surprised to see him. He looks drained, and takes a seat at the bar next to the two. He says that he just has to laugh because he doesn't know what to do anymore: they just lost McKee.

It's funny that Vogl mentioned something similar on Sabres Edge yesterday, because I've been thinking about that story ever since. The absurdity of that season never fails to amaze me. I've never seen a team so snake bitten when it came to injuries, let alone all at the same position. If there is a benchmark for crazy injury situations and heartbreaking losses, that's it.

The point is that we're nowhere near that this season. Miller's injury is huge, and so far Vanek's jaw seems to have had a much greater impact on this team offensively; but we're far from the tipping point of absurdity that dooms a season. There will be struggles and a few tough games, but Vanek has a timetable and Miller will have one soon. There are a lot of issues with this team, but there isn't a tragic flaw just yet.



Last night was a great example of the things this team has going for them, as well as what could bring them down. The Sabres played a very strong game overall, got a great performance from their backup goaltender, and played strong defense all night. Their penalty kill was fantastic, they were aggressive and hit hard, and they defended the goal crease. They played good, solid road hockey and took a point on the road.

But they scored once. Pat Kaleta scored the only goal for the Sabres, which means their top two lines were quiet once again. Tim Connolly suddenly doesn't have a goal in ten games, and Jochen Hecht continues his league average season. Pominville, Roy, Stafford. Nothing. That's not a direct criticism of any of those players, but they were held scoreless again last night. For a team desperately in need of someone to step up and score goals, we still seem to be looking for that player to do it.



They certainly had their chances though, and a lot of that frustration has to come from a stellar game by Cam Ward. The Sabres were thankful they got a good effort from Lalime as well, who looked much more comfortable in the starting role. Right now this team's big problems do not lie in goaltending or defense. Lalime has done his job and the defense was fairly excellent last night, but to win games the Sabres need to give Patty more than one goal to work with.

That's not to say I'm completely disappointed with the effort. Buffalo gave a much better showing than they did the last time they faced the Hurricanes, and perhaps that means they understand what's at stake these days. With your two stars out of the lineup, the big thing you want to see from this team is growth. Perhaps you look for it a bit too much, but I liked what I saw last night for the most part.



I liked that Bayda and Conboy got face washed when they got near Lalime, and I really like the penalty kill I saw last night. The box was great, rotation was perfect, and they blocked a ton of shots all night. Defense will be key down the stretch, and this team looks healthy and ready to play on the back end. That's progress, and if scoring goals becomes the issue with this team it's probably the most fixable problem a team like this can have.

Tied for 8th may not be the most comfortable of seats this time of year, but I can live with it for now. Again, it has become about survival, not advancement at this point. The good news is that Buffalo got some help last night, and a win on Saturday can tie them with the Rangers and put some points between Buffalo and Carolina. This isn't the most ideal of situations, but I'd say it's still doable.

11-9. That's the big picture, and all you can really ask for. The fate of this team still lays at their feet, and last night there was some indication that they intend on making it happen.

Pulitzer Would Be Pissed

by Ryan

Yesterday Jon posted about Derrick Dockery, which was awesome because I was allowed to close my eyes for five minutes instead of posting. However, as Jonathan in the comments pointed out, he messed up.



This is not Derrick Dockery, this is Jason Peters. Now I give Jon the benefit of the doubt, because if I know him he was in a hurry and just didn't think about it. In fact, Google Image Search probably screwed him over, because if you search "Derrick Dockery" that picture shows up on the first page.

So, to clarify things a bit I thought I'd compare Dockery and Peters so we get them both straight. You see, for me it's purely a difference between what their expressions say. For example, here's Peters:

What meatloaf?

And here's Dockery:



Ya'll crazy for giving me that much money...

See, there's a distinct difference. It also helps that Dockery's head looks a lot like a pineapple Runt, but you didn't hear that from me. In any event, we're sorry for the confusion.

Charge?

by Ryan

I'm actually watching the rest of the game again right now, but seriously, how is this a charging penalty?





I know the charging rules are a bit iffy and we're in no way objective here, but how do you call that a charge? Stayed on his feet, more glide than stride, and the puck was right there. I know Kalata has a bit of a reputation at this point, but is he supposed to sit there and let Rod do whatever he wants with the puck?

Even more so than the call itself, how do you justify calling that penalty at that juncture in the game? Less than ten minutes left in a tie game with huge playoff implications, and you're giving a team with an already lopsided penalty total another power play? I know there is no required reciprocity when it comes to penalty totals, but we all know the rules are a bit different in big games.

As a Sabres fan of course I'm going to be critical of a call like that, but even more so, as a hockey fan I don't want to see that call made. Thank God the game wasn't decided on that power play. The last thing we need are great games being determined by a referee making a questionable call from center ice. There are necessary penalty calls to make (Gaustad's hook, for one) and then there are the ones you hate as a hockey fan.

I hated that call last night, and I know I'm not alone. Is consistency really too much to ask in a situation like this?

No Surprises

by Ryan

There are lots of things happening in the hockey world today, and for that I am thankful. A lot of people seem to be freaking out about where this team is headed and all that good stuff, but I think those feelings have a lot to do with the impending trade deadline as well as a number of other things going on in the world.

To me it seems that when things are going wrong in the real world, the little things that don't matter like sports are magnified and given additional meaning. Considering the way the economy is and the horrible things that have happened in the area recently, I'd say we're in a situation where hockey means more.

Still, it's a good time to be a hockey fan. The media will be hounding the staff and players about Miller's status, Vanek's status, hell, the status of everything. That's good, they will be doing their jobs. There is plenty of meaningful hockey going on, and that's a welcome distraction from the fact that football doesn't exist for another five months (it's been a month already!) and real baseball isn't for a while. Things are buzzing in the NHL right now, and that makes for fun things to talk about. That's about all I can ask for, really.

Today the first domino fell with regards to the trade deadline, and that makes me really excited. That's a deal I didn't see happening, and I just had half hour conversation about it that serves as proof. Things are going to get really interesting over the next few days. Hell, Doug Janik and Steve Begin just got swapped! Those are both former Sabres! (Kind of) These are exciting times we live in.

The point is that people are going to be freaking out a lot over the next week or so, and I think that's okay. In fact, complete overreaction is what makes sports so great. You can overreact about anything in the sporting world, and as long as you don't spiral into cold blooded murder over it, it's all good. That's what makes it fun. Our obsession with sports was something I praised two weeks ago, and I'm not going to knock it now. It's a part of who we are, and I'm okay with it.

I do have good news, though: the Sabres play tonight. Lalime will be in net, and it's a big freaking game as far as the standings go. That means the stakes will be high, and hopefully the players will perform as such. We've seen quite a few looks from the Sabres this year against Carolina. They've been terrible as well as quite strong, and we all are hoping for the latter tonight.

So sit back and relax. We'll be here to sort it out when it's over.

On the cutting room floor

By Jon

Two years ago, this man became the highest paid athlete in Buffalo history. Let me repeat that for you:

Derrick f@#$%^& Dockery signed the biggest athletic contract in Buffalo history.

Now he's gone, and he's probably better off for it. He wasn't a terrible player, and he certainly wasn't a bust of Johnsonian proportions, but the man did not live up to his contract. As I was cruising for stats, I came across the a list (below) that has been posted on a ton of message boards and blogs. Let me say that I can not vouch for it's validity nor do I know who made it or where it came from, but I think it's pretty interesting to look at nonetheless.

Sacks allowed by Left Guards (2008)
1. Kris Dielman (Chargers) 0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
1. Charlie Johnson (Colts) 0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
1. David Baas (49ers) 0 sacks allowed (9 starts)
4. Carl Nicks (Saints) 0.5 sacks allowed (13 starts)
5. Todd Herremans (Eagles) 0.75 sacks allowed (15 starts)
[...]
17. Justin Blalock (Falcons) 3.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
27. Eric Steinbach (Browns) 3.0 sacks allowed (14 starts)
21. Floyd Womack (Seahawks) 3.5 sacks allowed (14 starts)
22. Edwin Mulitalo (Lions) 4.25 sacks allowed (11 starts)
23. Arron Sears (Bucs) 4.5 sacks allowed (15 starts)
23. Uche Nwaneri (Jags) 4.5 sacks allowed (15 starts)
23. Cory Procter (Cowboys) 4.5 sacks allowed (11 starts)
[...]
29. Alan Faneca (Jets) 7.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
31. Chris Kemoeatu (Steelers) 7.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
32. Derrick Dockery (Bills) 8.25 sacks allowed (16 starts)

Ouch. I know, offensive lineman stats are lame and never really tell the full story, but seeing the $49 million man at the bottom of that list makes me want to vomit. Just for kicks, let's check out the Left Tackles:

Sacks allowed by Left Tackles (2008)
1. Ryan Clady (Broncos) 0.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
2. Michael Roos (Titans) 1.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
3. Tra Thomas (Eagles) 2.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
3. Orlando Pace (Rams) 2.0 sacks allowed (14 starts)
5. Jake Long (Dolphins) 2.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
[...]
17. Joe Thomas (Browns) 4.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
17. Branden Albert (Cheifs) 4.5 sacks allowed (15 starts)
19. Levi Brown (Bengals) 5.5 sacks allowed (11 starts)
20. Mike Gandy (Cardinals) 6.25 sacks allowed (16 starts)
21. David Diehl (Giants) 6.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
[...]
30. John St. Clair (Bears) 9.75 sacks allowed (16 starts)
31. Duane Brown (Texans) 11.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
31. Jason Peters (Bills) 11.5 sacks allowed (13 starts)

Maybe Captain Holdout will be next on the cutting room floor. Your Buffalo Bills: Rebuilding since 1999!

Spit That Out

by Ryan

We are six days away from the NHL's trading deadline, and very few people have a very good sense of what will happen on that day. The general sentiment is that it will be a relatively quiet deadline, as many teams are still considered to be in the playoff race and won't be so willing to sell and throw in the towel. Brian Burke promises to be active, and the Sens have announced they will be looking to sell. That's nowhere near the whole story, but it's a start. But what are the Sabres doing? Buying or selling?

Last season the Sabres tried to do both, and things seem to have worked out in hindsight. Instead of a complete rebuilding mentality, Buffalo swapped Brian Campbell for picks and Steve Bernier, which laid the groundwork for Craig Rivet's arrival the following summer. That's classic Darcy Regier rebuilding, and the results have been fairly successful.

This season is a bit different. Buffalo has a number of expiring contracts on the roster, and with a sudden need at goaltender, what happens with this roster next week? If Miller's timetable is still undetermined, the Sabres may even look to go there, right? Well, at least someone is asking that:

But if goaltending is the Sabres’ biggest concern, would they be willing to go after Kari Lehtonen of the Atlanta Thrashers? Chew on that one for a while.

I'm chewing, but I'm not sure I like the taste of that. As I've said before, I really don't see the Sabres making a move that threatens Patrick Lalime's spot on the roster. Darcy has proven to be a character guy countless times, and we've heard about how well the team gets along with Patrick all season. His favorable relationship with Miller is evident as well, and just because the goaltending position may be one of mild crisis right now doesn't mean Regier will cut the two-year Lalime experiment short.

So what does that mean if the Sabres don't trade for a goaltender? Are they sellers? I seriously doubt they approach the deadline as such, but that doesn't mean they will make any moves intended to help make a run this season. If there is anything Darcy Regier is good at it is not mortgaging the future in order to suceed in the present, and that won't happen this year.

This team isn't a cup contender with Miller and Vanek healthy, and they won't be one no matter what happens next Wednesday. The goal may be to make the playoffs, but I think we'll see them struggle and fall short of that before we make a push. In fact, I think I'd prefer to see them slip than go for broke. The Sabres already have a core in place that can make things happen. Sacrificing any part of that isn't worth a first round clash with Boston or Washington...

...right?

For the A.M.

by Ryan

Good morning, we have at least one healthy goaltender in the system. Here are a few items of interest before we talk about the Hurricanes:

- I would start the morning with Pominville Postgame Press Conference Bingo, but Jason's last interview put a huge hole in the "bad games equals predictable interviews" theory. Actually, that's not true; the interview was predictable but he avoided key buzzwords necessary or Bingo. Either way, only two were used, which doesn't really make it worth slowing the site down with another video. Let's hope for better next time.

- One reason I don't want to see Enroth in net? He's winless in his last nine starts. Enroth has been good for Portland this season, and is third among AHL rookies in wins and first in shutouts. He even looked pretty solid when the Pirates came to HSBC back in January. Enroth is supposed to be a good NHL player in due time, but not right now. This is just a kid, and a rookie in the AHL doesn't translate to a rookie in the NHL very well. Scott Clemmensen he is not.

- I did end up watching the Sharks/Red Wings game last night, and I was very impressed by Detroit. My only problem was that the feed Yahoo had was San Jose, which wasn't all that great. I know we love RJ and he's a classic homer announcer, but Rick doesn't claim a close goal is "definitely a goal" when you can't see jack squat. Penalties, officiating, the war room in Toronto; they had a problem with almost everything last night. I suppose the scoreboard gave them reason to be upset, but come on now.

- As far as games that matter, the Rangers managed a point up in Toronto, and the Penguins and Flyers both won. That means the Sabres need to win tonight to keep pace. Great.

- I was going to do a post about Goose's hit on Getzlaf from Wednesday, but D.O. over at Die by the Blade already did. Check that out while we're waiting on an update from the morning skate. Maybe we'll hear some good news this time.

What to Watch

by Ryan

Does anyone actually feel like watching "games that matter" tonight? I know we're in the middle of a playoff push, but at this point I feel like I need to work on my butterfly stance just in case I'm necessary at practice tomorrow. Either way, here are the important games to watch tonight:

Kings @ Flyers, 7pm- Flyers are almost out of reach at this point, as they are five points ahead of Buffalo with three games in hand. This is one of those games, so hope for a big road showing from L.A. Yes, that is asking a lot.

Rangers @ Maple Leafs, 7:30pm- The first game for Torts in New York is the conclusion of one of these odd home and home series the league likes so much now. I know travel is a big deal, but isn't it more fun when you see a team twice in less than 30 hours? I think so. Anyway, for once it's okay to root for the Leafs. Sort of.

Islanders @ Penguins, 7:30- The Penguins are just four points out of the 8th spot, and if you're pessimistic about this Sabres team this is the game you should be watching. We also play the Isles on Saturday night, so consider it scouting if it makes you feel any better.

If you don't want to scoreboard watch tonight, I'd check out the Detroit/San Jose game. I know everyone's excited about Claude Lemieux's return to Motown, which is fine by me. I'm sure the 2:46 seconds he's on ice will be riveting. Either way, a game against the two best teams in the West should be fun, and I'll probably watch this game over all the others. There's a good chance these two face each other in the playoffs, so it should be a good atmosphere in Detroit.

Pray to the hockey gods tonight, and let's hope your glove hand has gotten better since last time. We might need you.

About Last Night...

by Ryan

Chris will have his post up in a bit. I can see it in draft, I swear. However, I should probably clarify my post from last night a bit. Looking it over (all five sentences of it) I suppose it does look a bit depressing, but it really wasn't meant to be that way.

The "nothing good" I have to say is that despite all the rallying cries we've heard from the Sabres, nothing changed last night. The players that have been struggling continue to struggle and produce very little, and with your two best players injured those struggles are only magnified. Hecht can shoot from behind the goal line all he wants, but that's not going to get him back up to where he should be. Pominville has been a relative disappointment and he played like it last night. You know you're in trouble when Roy and Pominville get tossed on a line with Adam Mair, and Paul Gaustad is tossing passes around that no one seemed ready to handle.

It was a frustrating game, and one that goes down as another missed chance. You can say the Sabres played the same way they've had all season, but that's exactly the point. Right now, the Sabres putting up an average game isn't going to cut it anymore. There are too many pieces missing for everyone involved to put up the same effort and get a win. That's the "nothing good" from last night, and thus the frustration today.

In any event, Lalime has flu-like symptoms after waking up last night feeling ill. I suppose that's better than night tremors. Jim Corsi took his place in practice, which means he should get the start against Carolina. In other news, Jonas Enroth has contracted typhoid.

Also, shop.nhl.com knows how to cheer me up. Here's the catalogue I got in the mail today:



You have no idea how many times I heard, "can't Vanek play with a cage?" last night. How long has it been? Ugh.

Spring at Last

by Ryan



Oh I'm ready for baseball, that's for sure. First "games" start today, and before you know it we'll be watching real baseball. I'm excited.

Tough Night

by Ryan



He's just uh... just thinking about some stuff. Should be good to go in a few days. Chris has the "View" post tonight, as I have nothing to say about this team. Nothing good, at least.

Be strong, Stress Buffalo, be strong.

The Set Up

by Ryan

Time is short because I'm heading to the game tonight. Kevin sets the scene nicely, so I'll leave the big preview to him.

Still, I've been thinking about the whole Miller situation over the past few days and I've been surprised by the reaction from a lot of people. The majority of fans are disappointed in the team's lack of reaction from the Sabres, and that's to be expected. However, fans overreact sometimes, and they are far from right all of the time. This does not surprise me.

What does surprise me is how the Sabres and Lindy Ruff have apparently reacted to it. Based on how quickly Ryan Miller shuffled away in his walking boot yesterday I'd say it's a touchy subject, and Lindy Ruff wanted no part of it either. The people involved seem downright angry about any sort of talk like that, and especially Jerry Sullivan's column on the subject.

That's what is surprising. Athletes are used to what the media writes, and it's very rare anything "gets through", so to speak. They have built up immunities to criticism from outsiders and focus on the opinions that matter: coaches, teammates, owners. Besides, if something is written that misunderstands the situation, athletes write it off as a stupid columnist not understanding a game they never played.

That hasn't happened with this situation, and for as much flack as a guy like Sullivan has taken, that's worth noting. Maybe the reason accusations like this have ruffled so many feathers is because there is a bit of truth to it, and that truth isn't something they want to face.

If that's the case, this could turn out to be a good thing. Tonight's game gives the Sabres the perfect opponent to "fight back" against, and they've been very chippy with the Ducks in the past. This could be a token statement game, not only for the fans and media but for the players itself. I'm expecting a reaction from this team, and everyone will be watching for the first time someone gets close to Patrick Lalime.

It may not have been the time to address it on Saturday, but it seems like the perfect time to do so is tonight. They've got all night to get around to it.

Awesome

by Ryan

Stubhub has two official ticket partners in the NHL: the Buffalo Sabres and the Phoenix Coyotes. So, when they advertise on a hockey website, what teams are they going to use? This is what was on ESPN.com's NHL page:



Ugh. That's former Sabres backup Jocelyn Thibault getting shelled by the Coyotes last season. That was a fun time. If you remember correctly, that was the last game Thibault was allowed to play until the season finale, and Thibault was only allowed to play that game because Miller was little more than a pile of dust after being worked right into the pavement.

So yeah, that's exactly what I want to be reminded of today: epic failures by backup goaltenders. Good omens all around.

Resetting the Bar

by Ryan

So now that we know that we know nothing about Miller's status, where do we place our expectations for this team? As recent as two weeks ago we thought this team could wind up in 4th place in the conference; and while that's still possible numerically it doesn't seem likely while missing Miller and Vanek.

So where does this team stand? Right now they're in 8th place, just a point out of ninth and three points from fourth place. According to the 90+ Points or Bust standings from Mirtle, the Sabres need to finish the season 11-10-1 to hit that mark and finish in 8th place.

That doesn't seem impossible, but for me that's about as far as my expectations go. With Miller going down the focus shifts from climbing the standings to merely surviving, and when Patrick Lalime is your starting goaltender you can't ask for much more than .500 at best. Jonas Enroth is not going to save this team, and I doubt Darcy makes a trade that mortgages the future and puts Lalime's roster spot in jeopardy in the long term. We know he's a character guy, and Lalime fits the locker room very well.

Now it is still possible that the right players step up, and maybe Hecht and Pominville get it together and take over for Atlas while Lalime goes on a hot streak. Still, expectations have to drop quite a bit from now on, and it's not impossible this team finishes in double digits once again. It's a scary thought, but it has to be considered right now, doesn't it?

It's not pessimism at this point, it's reality. Mirtle said it himself, "Carolina's been coming on as of late and has to be considered likely to grab a spot unless the Sabres can get some solid goaltending from their backup(s)." The Rangers may fall from the sky before Buffalo even have the chance, but who knows how they react to a new head coach. The only solution for the Sabres is to get their two best players healthy again, and the timetable for that may run longer than we can afford.

This won't just be on Lalime's head, either. This team has relied on Ryan Miller to keep them in far too many games, and that's a luxury they no longer have. The Sabres have always talked a big game, but this is where we will see if they can hold down the fort all on their own.

Long Lost Brothers?

by Ryan

I'm slowly working my way through the Free Darko book, and I came across something that I wanted to share with you guys. The section about Gerald Wallace and Josh Smith sounded really familiar, which is odd because I'm not a huge basketball fan.

So here it is: Gerald Wallace is Tim Connolly.



Now it's difficult to relate basketball and hockey, so bear with me on this. Still, listen to what the FD guys have to say about Wallace's game*:

It's worth noting that, for all their oddity, Wallace and (Josh) Smith remain professionals, and thus commodities within a market. Both present problems for any team looking to invest in them.

...

Wallace has a long-term deal with the Bobcats, but he sustained a serious concussion in 2008. This was the fourth such head injury of his career, which is practically unheard of in the NBA; for a football player this would likely spell early retirement. Wallace returned to the court, but he's become a walking paradox. His style is dependent on sowing the seeds of chaos, disruption, and recklessness-in principle, it prevents him from learning how to break his fall. But with another concussion all the more likely, Wallace has become his own worst enemy.

In other words, this is Gerald Wallace when he's not producing freakishly on the court:



Concussion and, most recently:



Collapsed lung.

The way Free Darko described Wallace's playmaking ability, as well as his liability, made me think of Timmy right away. It's difficult to compare stats between the two sports, but the similarities are undeniable when you consider the potential of each player as well as their injury risk.

I can't say I've seen a ton of Bobcats games over the past few years, but does this sound comparable to anyone else? I know a few readers are taking in Free Darko, so I was wondering what they thought of the comparison. Just something that came to mind... don't mind me...

Seriously, buy the book now that I've quoted it all over the place. It's an excellent read.

As Promised, the Update

by Ryan

The update on Miller's status following this morning's practice is what every Sabres fan has been waiting around for all weekend. Well, here it is:

"The update is that he has an ankle sprain. He'll be out indefinitely. There really is no more than that. An ankle sprain takes time. You don't know how much time it's going to take."

Miller himself said that he has no time-table for a return to the crease. He wears a walking boot some of the time.

So... nothing new, then? The walking boot was sort of expected, and we've already seen the term "indefinitely" thrown around, so this isn't an update as much as a restatement of known facts.

The fact that they still aren't sure of a timeframe is reason to worry. That usually means a reluctance to reveal the nature of a long term injury, and high ankle sprains have a recent history of being long term.

With a major injury, the first thing you want to see is a timeframe set and work your way from there. We had one with Vanek, an while it may be pushed back a bit we know the possibilities. Miller's injury is different, and with no calendar to stare at it makes things a bit harder track. In other words, we will be staring at practice updates for the next few weeks at least. Fun.

Here is some good news, though:

Thomas Vanek returned to practice with a full cage to protect his jaw. Vanek is limited but on schedule. He skated with Maxin Afinogenov and Andrew Peters.
Ruff said, "I thought Thomas (Vanek) did pretty good. For the first day out there, I was surprised at how well he moved."

In other words, "He can't talk but damn, that boy can skate."

Missed By One

by Ryan

It's practically a Sabres tradition to get one opposing coach fired per season.



Damn, missed by one game. The Sabres game on Saturday set the wheels in motion for sure, but it wasn't the crushing blow that is Niklas Hagman's overtime winner. Bummer.

About That Game...

by Ryan

We're still waiting on word of Miller's injury, but we probably should discuss the rest of Saturday night's game while we're waiting. This is what will be left of this team either way, and there was a lot to like out of the effort. Any time you beat a team above you in the standings it's a big deal, and there was a lot of good signs to take away from this game.

Still, I'm having a hard time separating the good the Sabres were doing from the downright awful the Rangers were tossing about. Their defense was terrible, they had no counter-attack whatsoever, and if not for a quick goal on a cold goaltender and Goose being lazy in garbage time they would have been shut out by a tandem of goalies. For a team that's in a well-documented free fall, they sure didn't show any signs of recovery on Saturday.



Last night the Rags salvaged a point against Toronto, but it was far from an impressive showing. The way they're playing right now it's not hard to imagine they fall right out of the top eight, but you could say that for about Montreal and Buffalo as well. If I have to pick I'd say the Rangers fall out and Carolina takes their spot, but who knows now with Miller's status up in the air.

In any event, the Sabres did their job and took advantage of the Rangers' miscues, and for that you have to give them credit. Tim Connolly was great again, setting up the Roy goal by faking the hell out of the man attacking on the point and putting a great pass across to Rivet. It's not something that will show up on the score sheet, but it's yet another great play Tim Connolly makes for your power play unit. He also sets up Hecht's goal in the third that puts the game away, something this team needed in the wake of Miller's injury.



Paille also had another great game, not only scoring the first goal but playing aggressive as well. If not for stepping on the puck he would have had another breakaway chance, and he was all over the ice every shift. Give him credit for coming back strong after seeing the press box for a few games. Some players can't handle that treatment, but the time off has obviously benefited his game and his focus. Paille was one of the strongest Sabres down the stretch last year, and we need him to replicate that play this season.

Scoring four goals against a top level goaltender like Lundqvist is a good sign, but I liked the defensive effort I saw on Saturday, too. Aside from Gaustad not tying up Dawes stick for the second Rangers goal, the Sabres played a much better defensive game on Saturday night. They were aware and active on the forecheck (for most of the game), and many of the little mistakes that beat them against Carolina and Philly were corrected.



Remember that power play goal the Leafs scored when the defenseman pinched into the slot and no one saw him? The Rangers tried the same play on Saturday and there were two sticks in the passing lane. That's the improvement you want to see, and how the Sabres react in their own zone will be even more important with Miller out.

If you want to look at it purely from a game perspective, it was indeed a good win. I think we all know at what price it came, and the real perspective on this game will come once we get an update. When we know something, so will you.

No Secret Anymore

by Ryan

As far as I'm concerned, Jerry Sullivan asked the question of the year last night:

"Are there some things more important than the final score?"

Yes there are, and Lindy Ruff was half right. He said the playoffs are more important and that's true, but so is your five year, $31.25 million franchise goaltender. In fact, he's the most important piece of your playoff hopes. Ryan Miller is the only player on this team more important than Thomas Vanek, and now they're both gone.

But this wasn't some freak accident or a deflected puck, this was Scott Gomez making contact with your franchise goaltender behind the net. Call it "running" or "slew footing" or whatever you'd like, Scott Gomez took out the best player on the ice last night, and no one felt the need to do anything about it. Kevin Sylvester can claim Connolly went after Gomez all he wants, but that's some pretty poor retribution no matter how you spin it.

You can slice this play any way you'd like, and I'm sure we'll hear some crazy angles over the next few days. If you ask me, it's all pretty irrelevant. Whether intentional or not, no matter what the score, and no matter what the penalty situation; someone goes after a Ranger following this play. Or sometime. Whenever, there was over 18 minutes left in the game and two separate three goal leads. Someone pays for Gomez' little "accident" no matter what the score because it's Ryan freaking Miller.

Some people have said that the time and place to react to something like this was 30 or 40 games ago, and in a way they're right. However, that doesn't nullify the fact that someone should have done something about it right then and there. I don't care who had their back to the play, or didn't see it, or whatever. How Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundqvist are off the hook on this is beyond me.

And don't say that no one has complained about this before, because fans have been rumbling about Miller getting bumped all year. I've heard countless times from a number of fans that only Rivet or Gaustad or Mair will go after a guy for bumping Miller. It was obvious when Rivet was hurt that no one on defense wants to make a guy pay, and many people have pointed it out against aggressive teams. Of course more people mention it when Miller finally gets hurt, but that doesn't change anything.

It was interesting to see what people thought of this team's lack of reaction in the postgame. Lindy Ruff defended it and appears to have ordered it, even accusing Sully of being "angry" about the hit instead of answering just the question. Rob Ray defended the club's absence of action as well, but it's pretty clear he still thinks he's on the team at times. Ray's reaction was rather shocking considering how he played the game, but I suppose when you think you're still in the player's club it's easy to defend this team.

The rest of the opinions were very critical, and rightfully so. Robitaille was clearly upset about the way this team "responded", and Paul Hamilton was as well. I'm paraphrasing here, but Hamilton said that he would have liked to see someone go after Gomez during the last few seconds and "beat the hell out of him" regardless of the penalties or suspensions. That's a pretty harsh reaction from a guy who is in the locker room asking questions every day, and to be honest I completely agree.

The postgame interviews were very odd, but I think Patrick Lalime was the most honest. He called this team out in the most gentile way possible, saying that he "hoped" the players didn't see it instead of refusing to act. I think Lalime is looking ahead to Tuesday night against a hard hitting Ducks team, and hoping the team will be there for him.

Still, the way players reacted was a bit unsettling. The interviews we saw from Ruff and Lalime, as well as the reaction from Ray all felt like they were missing something. They were edging around a few questions, almost like they were hiding this deep dark secret that they don't want to let out. No one wanted to say it, but it was there. This team does have a secret, but tonight it was clear as day to me:

This team is soft.

Now don't get me wrong, I know how tough hockey players are. I've been in the locker room asking questions with players holding bloody heads and bruised bodies. Hockey is one of the toughest sports out there, and I'd never question a player's intensity or devotion to the game, but what I saw tonight out of that group was not good. If you can't stand up for your franchise goaltender, how do you win a seven game playoff series where teams are doing that night in and night out against you?

Even if there was not going to be retribution in the third period, finish your goddamn checks. I don't want to see Roy skating up to a guy in the corner and peeling off for a change six inches from the puck. Take him into the wall and put some pressure on. Hit a guy who has his head down over the middle. Don't stick check or let a guy go by you. The Rangers played like garbage all night, take out your beacon of hope for the postseason, and you're not at all angry? Show some fire.

What happened tonight smacks of a team desperately needing some heart. I'm not asking for a brawl, but I'm asking for someone to step up and make the Rangers pay a price for hitting Miller. Run Lundqvist or Gomez or Drury. Dubinsky runs into Lalime later in the period and nothing is done. Who is the Sabres' emergency goaltender? Do we even know who that guy is?

I respect Ryan Miller for giving an interview during the postgame, as there are plenty of places to hide in that locker room. Still, what I saw on his face was not good. He looked angry and scared, and you could tell the situation was much worse than he let on. As fans of a team battling for a playoff spot, the last thing you want to hear is your starting goaltender call his injury a good opportunity for the AHL prospect. If there was anything I didn't want to hear Ryan Miller say, it was the name "Jonas Enroth".

The game was fine and the win was good, but there is something more important than the final score. His name is Ryan Miller, and for some reason no one on the Buffalo Sabres felt like making someone pay for what happened to him. It's not the end-all-be-all sign of things to come for this team, but it's a sign I sure do hate. It bothers me that nothing was done.

I hate their utter refusal to act when some struggling hockey player even goes near my dark horse candidate for the Vezina. I don't care how much money Scott Gomez is making, his recent game log smacks of average. The Sabres let an overpaid, frustrated hockey player on a sinking ship of a team effectively cripple their postseason hopes, and everyone on the roster seems content with this.

Yikes.

I Agree With Alex Burrows

by Ryan







You only need the first 45 seconds or so of that clip. Pretty sure he was talking about the play last night. Whatever, it's still true.

Pray For Ryan Miller

by Ryan



Sabres win, but Miller is the story. As soon as we hear something, you'll see it.

God help us all.

Same Old Same Old

by Ryan

Let's sneak another look at those standings:



Pittsburgh did us a favor this afternoon and beat the Flyers, but that puts the Pens just two points out of 8th. I guess the definition of "favor" depends solely on how the Sabres do tonight.

Each playoff race takes on a life all its own, but the rules for success are always the same: move up or keep pace. Tonight the Sabres desperately need to keep pace, and the opponent only makes the situation that much more dire. The New York Rangers are struggling, and a win tonight for the Sabres will give them a bit of breathing room between Carolina and Pittsburgh, as well as put them in a tie with the Rangers.

It's a big game for sure, but it feels like every game is big these days. The fact of the matter is that the Sabres need a good showing on home ice against an opponent ahead of them in the standings. Every team may have a clunker every now and then, but Buffalo is running out of games to give away.

Teppo is out tonight with Tallinder returning, meaning Butler stays with the big club. I thought Numminen had played better lately, but I don't disagree with keeping Butler in the lineup. To be honest, it will just be nice to have a healthy blue line for once.

7:00 PM from HSBC Arena. Just another four point game, right?

Another Big Saturday

by Ryan

If you were wondering what happened in the "games that matter" category last night, here's a picture for you:



We don't usually post the standings until after the trade deadline, but I think this is worth seeing:



I think the best term for this is "dangerously close." A loss tonight means Carolina is one point from a playoff spot with all square on the games played front. Florida plays Boston tonight and can move ahead of the Sabres with a win and game in hand. Tonight, as usual, is huge.

The good news is that today is Hockey Day in Canada, which means the Habs game will be on CBC at 3pm. I'll be watching CBC all day because I'm still sick, but that means I'll have plenty of posts up if you're doing the same. Today is a very big day for hockey.

I'm excited.

Insert Witty Twitter Pun Here

by Ryan

Oh yeah, I have no idea why, but a few days ago I started a Twitter for the Roost. It won't be updated as often as "Rick Rielly's", but it will be updated with every post. I'll be, uh, posting(?) a few things there as well, so consider it my personal Twitter as well. I'm sure this little experiment will be just swell.

Guess What

by Ryan

I have a confession to make: I missed most of the Sabres game last night.

It was an odd combination of illness and sleep deprivation that forced me to pass out for extended periods of time during last night's game, which has robbed me of most opinions on the outcome. I saw the last ten minutes and the inevitable power play goal, but much of the first two periods are a blur at the moment.

Later on today I will remedy those blurs by watching the game again. Somehow I managed to tape most of it, and what's left of my thoughts will become a post later on. However, I've been thinking a lot today about what happened last Friday.

When I look back on what I wrote that day about the area and the Sabres, I'm surprised by a few things I said. To be honest those two posts are probably some of the best I've ever written, but the situation we were in at the time is certainly a factor in their quality. Rather, what surprises me is that I knew what would happen that night. Let's face it, the set up I gave the game was pretty spot on, and I wasn't alone in thinking the Sabres would come out like that.

This isn't meant to be a pat on the back, either. I think we all knew what would happen with this team on Friday, just like many of us thought they would lay an egg on Sunday against Carolina. I've never been as confident about a game as I was on Friday night, otherwise I would have never written like that. Kevin at BfloBlog even asked after the Hurricanes game if the Sabres are "completely predictable", and in a way I think they are.

So what does this mean? I mean, none of us are claiming to be experts about hockey or this particular Sabres team; but the fact that we can feel a so called "clunker" coming is at the very least alarming. A predictable team means a team with a lot of bad habits, and I'm pretty sure we saw another one last night.

Again, we could be wrong about all this. Or maybe we've just been lucky when it comes to guessing what happens next for this team. Still, we're looking at a gigantic Saturday night tomorrow, and what's lingering in the back of my mind about this game isn't all that encouraging.

So Kevin asked and I will ask again: are the Sabres predictable?

Strike Up the Band

by Ryan



I think a nice summary of the game can be found here. I'm a bit under the weather right now, but I'll have something more to say about the game in the morning. Ugh.

Back Home to Roost

by Ryan

The Globetrotters may be playing on the roof of the Spectrum (!?!), but tonight Sabres fans are looking forward to a different kind of roosting. Paul Gaustad returns to the lineup after a five game absence, and fans hope his return will be just the boost this team needs.

But here's my question: why?

When Sabres fans have talked about injuries, the mention of Gaustad being out was a big deal. Now while I agree that it is, I'm still not exactly sure why. It's not like he's leading the way in scoring, and isn't that exactly what this team needs with Vanek out?

Well, as we've said before: not really. The Sabres just need to stay afloat here, and good teams can stay buoyant by grinding out a few games with good defensive play and some spot scoring. If you're looking for the former out of your lineup, Goose is your man. You've seen him bang bodies and hit, and you might say his impact is somewhere in that mythical "intangibles" category us hockey fans love so much; but the fact of the matter is that Gaustad's numbers back up his impact in the roster.

He currently leads the team in faceoff percentage (minimum 5 attempts), and he has one of the lowest Goals against/60 minutes on the team. That's a defensively responsible center on a team that's lacked an influx of centers all season. He also is second on the team with 99 hits, which were registered in just 38 games.

The Sabres record with Gaustad in the lineup isn't particularly stellar. In fact, at 20-17-1 it's about the same pace they are on total. Still, this is where you get into the intangibles: the Sabres just look better when a guy like Goose is playing. Perhaps that's the mirage created by a guy selling out so hard to win a faceoff, but to most fans it looks like the Sabres are trying harder with Gaustad in the lineup. The "energy" line never takes a shift off with Gaustad playing, and he's found guys to skate with this season in Ellis and Mair, as well as a few others.

Maybe it is merely cosmetic, but I just like the way this team plays with Goose in the lineup. It could be coincidence, but they seem to play with more confidence when Gaustad is healthy, almost like they know a line will be there to back them up when things get physical. That's the mentality you like to see from a team making a playoff push, and it might be what they were missing against teams like Ottawa and Carolina recently.

To sum up all of the above, it will be nice to see Goose again. We need him.

What Happened to the Habs?

by Ryan

This happened:



Montreal lost in a shootout last night, which means they are one point ahead of the Sabres with both teams at 58 games. The Rangers also won, which means the Sabres have to win tonight to keep pace and get a bit closer to Philly, who is three points better than Buffalo with three games in hand.

We'll have plenty to say about tonight's game and Gaustad's apparent return to the lineup, but for now watch that Ovechkin goal another 20 or so times. What a move just to get it by Hamrlik, let alone the lift he got on that puck while falling down. Unreal.

Thomas Vanek Can Eat Next Week

by Ryan

Our friend D.O. over at Die by the Blade has the link to Vanek's blog update. He talks about his jaw, the plane crash, and how he's doing in general. Here's the good news:

Since the beginning of this week I’m back in the arena. Just trying to sweat a bit on the bike. The sutures have already been removed – don’t even start to ask me how many, but there were quite a lot. Next week the jaw-braces will be loosened a bit so that I can start eating again. Once that’s done I’ll get back on the ice again.

As we all know, solid food is a good thing. This means he won't lose too much weight and can start to gain strength again. Vanek says he hopes he doesn't fall too far out of game shape, but straight liquids don't help very much. Now what about the bad news?

I haven’t set myself a deadline when I want to play again. The doctors said that I would miss at least 4 weeks altogether. But it could also be 5 to 6 weeks. We’ll just have to wait and see. The only thing certain is that I’ll be wearing a full visor helmet when I get back. That’s because the jaw-braces will stay put for another month from now. Otherwise the risk would be to (sic) big.

I'm pretty sure what he means by "full visor helmet" is a full cage, also known as The Robidas. He might also mean something like this, which is much more conducive to what he normally wears. Let's face it, wire mesh a few inches from your face sucks when you're trying to play hockey.

The rest of the news isn't anything new, although I really don't like seeing that timetable stretched a bit. We all knew that four weeks was a generous estimate, but six weeks doesn't give him much time to get back into the swing of things before the postseason starts.

It's not much of an update, but right now it's the best we have. When it comes to Vanek, I'll celebrate every step in the process of him getting back on ice. Hooray solid foods!

Gerb, Pog, and Pearlman

by Ryan

- All I can think about when I watch a game with Justin Pogge involved.



Okay, I also think about this, too.

- Has anyone else watched Demetri Martin's "Important Things"? The second episode is on tonight, and I liked what I saw last week. I was wondering what everyone else thought. In honor of that, here's a sports-related drawing from Demetri:



- The situation in Montreal is officially a disaster, and Mirtle asks a good question about the Habs. With Kovalev sitting at home and more trades imminent, it will be really intriguing to see how they respond. They play Washington tonight, but we'll give you the full rundown of "important games" later on.

- I'm pretty sure Time Warner customers have Center Ice free this week. If not, I have no idea why I watched the Bruins/Canes game in HD last night. It was awesome, and you should check it out tonight for yourself.

- I'm a big fan of Michael Lewis, and he wrote a monster article about Shane Battier you should check out.

- You should also watch this Rudy Fernández dunk, which Rich is convinced he would have used in the second round on Saturday. Yes, Rich is still alive.

- I haven't talked about the A-Rod steroids thing, and that's mostly because Jon's in the area code at the moment. If I talk about the Yankees he might go at me with a taser, so I'll hold off for a bit. However, I think Jeff Pearlman's Deadspin post brought up a really good point. I'll leave it at that.

- Okay, one more. As a Red Sox fan, finding out about A-Rod's steroid use is like almost getting married, then things falling apart and later finding out the girl gained 400 lbs and gave AIDS to like 15 people. (What about Eric Gagne? I can't hear you la-la-la-la...)

- Chris Simpson was a joke last night. Did she really think Burke was going to tell her his strategy at the trade deadline? Her... attire made Jason Blake so uncomfortable he kept checking the scoreboard clock to see when he could get back into the locker room. I know she's done a lot of work with the Hall of Fame and she knows her hockey, but try to look like you're not some bewitching temptress while asking Craig Rivet about plane crashes. Save it for the Timmy interview, okay?

- The Versus broadcast overall was pretty weak. We had the B team to start, but they sounded pretty unprepared and kept rehashing the same points over and over. I'm also pretty sure they pronounced "Pogge" wrong, and for the first period said "Gerb" instead of "Gerbe". Also, why does everyone else think Ales' name is pronounced "Coat-a-lick"?

Skinning the Pog

by Ryan

You thought it was happening all over again, didn't you? The Sabres weren't showing up and Miller was bailing them out, but it would only be a matter of time before Blake sets something up, right? Cue the same music from Sunday night, and kiss goodbye two more points.



What happened?

Well, for one the Sabres realized who they were playing. Toronto looked like the same team Buffalo faced last time, and the final score would show it. Thank Ryan Miller for keeping this team alive in the first, and Toronto for hanging Justin Pogge out to dry again.

I mean, how is it helping him develop if you're going to let the kid get shelled all night? Remember when Ryan Miller was called up and got killed by Detroit? And then in the postgame was nearly crying when he said, "I just have to come back to practice tomorrow, if I’m still here.”

You could argue that in the long run that helped Miller's career and determination, but I doubt Brian Burke wants to see his prospect get lit up twice by the same team in one season. And if he means that much to you, are you throwing Toskala under the bus or CuJo? Actually, I'm pretty confused by this whole "start Pogge against the Sabres" thing. Someone help me out.

In any event, after the first ten minutes of the game the effort from the Leafs was laughable. The Sabres scored on a power play, and it was over. That entire sequence was started by Roy, who makes a nice play on the penalty kill to clear the zone and draws the trip. After 4 on 4 action a turnover puts the puck right on Stafford's stick. That's the game right there. 1-0, and the Sabres never looked back.

Less than two minutes later Connolly makes a hell of a pass, and the defense couldn't tie up Paille in front. Paille's been dying to score a goal since being put back into the lineup, and it was good to see him rewarded for going to the net. Still, it shouldn't be that easy. Toronto just shut it down from then on, and Miller was still coming up big. Ellis gets a weak goal to end the first, and if not for Jason Pominville's amazing chesticular aim it would be 4-0 after one.



Seriously, how do they rule Pominville did that on purpose? I've scored goals off my chest before, but there's no way I can imagine him doing that with intent and malice and all that good stuff that makes it not a goal. It's a tough call at full speed, but if not for the game already in blowout mode you would see a lot more complaints about a goal like that.

The Leafs' only spark was Jason Blake, who made it pretty clear that the Sabres weren't playing all that great after all. The penalty kill was completely drawn to him at the side of the net, and none of them saw Kubina pinching from the point. It's a pretty simple play, and if one guy picks it up there's no issue. It's a goal that keeps the Leafs in it, and the kind of breakdown you don't like to see from a team in a position to put Toronto away.

Still, the Sabres came away with the important two points they needed. Carolina lost to Boston, and now there's a bit more breathing room between the haves and the have nots in the East. It wasn't perfect, but it was good to see that Buffalo can look past a team like Toronto no matter where they are in the standings. It's pretty obvious that there's something lingering with Ottawa, but the Sabres need to beat weaker teams while they can to gain some ground. There are no ghosts in Toronto, and that must be a confidence boost for a group that needs a spark.

You could say that this team needs to "learn to win" while missing Vanek, but the truth is that they just need to survive while he's out. Gaustad could be back Thursday, maybe Tallinder too, and a week has gone by since Vanek broke his jaw. The mark of a good team is keeping afloat through tough injuries, and in the end it doesn't matter how they do it.



Tonight the Sabres were bailed out by their goaltender and took advantage of a rookie in the other net that wasn't getting much help. Well... that's one way to do it.

McPlayoff Hopes

by Ryan



I've been saving that video for far too long. Also things I've been saving? Awkward pictures of Marlies!




Yup, not even a little creepy.

In any event, the Leafs are at the same position they were last season at this time: inherent mediocrity. They are too far out of the playoff race to make a push, and too far out of the Tavares Race to tank. That's exactly where Sabres fans want to see them every year, but I doubt they have many more seasons like that with Burke at the helm.

Justin Pogge will start tonight for the Leafs, who seem to like this kid against the Sabres. He beat Buffalo in a preseason game, but his last effort was a 5-0 loss where he was hung out to dry by his forwards. It was the game before Vanek broke his life, and the Sabres looked great. Ah, memories.

No word on Gaustad, but Tallinder should be back tonight. The Sabres need a good effort tonight, or at the very least show they care. With the Rangers and Philly coming up this week, a win would put them even with the Rangers and make this weekend very intriguing. We all like intrigue, so let's hope for the best.

7PM at ACC on Versus.

Another Door Opens

by Ryan

We're two weeks away from the trading deadline, and slowly we're starting to see how things are going to shake out in the East. The Western Conference is a complete disaster, with almost everyone but Colorado still fighting for a playoff spot. When we played Phoenix a few weeks ago they were in a playoff spot. A 1-9 record in their last ten has put them in 14th place and way out of things. That's just the kind of race it's been.

The East is a bit easier to dissect. There's a gap between the 8th and 9th spot, and it looks like the top ten teams in the East are the only ones still in the race. We know which teams we need to root against, and what games to watch night in and night out.

Last night the Rangers helped Buffalo out again, taking another tough road loss in St. Louis. The loss means that a win against Toronto tonight puts the teams each with 66 points and 58 games played. It's an opportunity the Sabres had on Sunday and refused to capitalize on, but the quotes we heard after that game make you think things will be different tonight.

We know Montreal won't go down easy, and the Rangers aren't going to pack it in either. They will make some moves, and before March 4th we are going to see some big trades in the East as teams gear up for the postseason.

I don't expect the Sabres to make any trades until that deadline, but where Buffalo will improve is with their injured players returning. Gaustad is close to coming back, and Tallinder is getting there as well. Those are two big pieces coming back into the lineup, and we all know another big player comes back just after the trading deadline.

Tonight the Sabres can move up in Toronto, but fans will be watching the scoreboard as well. Carolina is at home against Boston, and Florida plays host to New Jersey. The top two teams in the conference are taking on two teams the Sabres need to see lose. It's an interesting hallway we've got ourselves in, isn't it?

Losing Ground, Gaining Bingo Dots

by Ryan

After a big loss you knew SabresTV would turn to Pominville to set things right. We haven't had much luck so far with this whole Bingo thing, but let's see if we can turn it around. Here's the video:



And here's the board:



This is the list we came up with:

"get pucks deep"
"desperate team"
"get pucks to the net"
"climbing"
"definitely"
"work ethic"

Six isn't bad, but we're still looking for that elusive first bingo. We still have plenty of time, but it's obvious that the worse the loss the more cliche the responses become. If that's the case, let's hope we don't see a bingo for quite some time.

Yard Sale!

by Ryan



How did I not see this until just now? Dustin Brown hits, then takes a monster hit. Forget the fight afterwards, it's the hit in front that matters.

On the Klunker

by Ryan

Every year there seems to be one loss that really gets to you. Last night wasn't it.

It's a frustrating game for sure, but that's about it. There is no lingering anger about the game, no worry about where this team is headed. Everyone knows how important a win would be, and the team just didn't show up. If they don't think it's all that important, why should we?

Lindy Ruff said it better than I can, so just listen to him. I watched this and nodded the entire time, and I know I wasn't alone. The Sabres didn't show up in a game that Craig Rivet called "the most important game of the year." Not a good night overall.

It's bad enough the Sabres dropped a four point game when they could have dropped the hammer on the Hurricanes, but the rest of the night was turning out great for the Sabres. All of the things they couldn't control went their way. Montreal continued their tailspin, the Rangers lost, and Florida lost as well. The Sabres could have climbed the standings a little, and basically shut the door on the teams 9th and lower in the conference. It didn't happen, and now that door is opened a little more.

What I'm starting to see more and more is that the Sabres just aren't going to climb the standings and finish where we want them to be. The Sabres are just five points away from 4th place and four home games in the first round, but dropping games like this makes that five point deficit seem impossible. To make the playoffs the Sabres have to finish 13-11-1, and right now I don't see them doing that much better than that.

That's not to say they won't gain some ground. They will still finish somewhere in the 6-8 range, but that's still a first round match up against a division winner. I don't think any rational Sabres fan thinks this team is a Cup contender, but they have the potential to steal a round if things go well. That "going well" thing gets a whole lot harder when you're playing against Boston, Washington, and New Jersey.

You don't want to take too much from one game, but the last few games have given me the feeling that we're expecting too much from this team. Maybe where they are is where they're supposed to be. There's still time to climb the ladder, but it's starting to get longer.

The Face Remains the Same

by Ryan

What's so important about a picture like this?



At first glance, nothing much. No goal being scored, and it's not a good shot of any Sabre. But check out that guy in the second row between Connolly and Butler. That guy is awesome. I mean, he knew he was watching a "clunker", as Lindy Ruff described, and he has the face to match it. Oh but not just here, check this out: he's everywhere.



Here he is just above Butler.



Distracted while Teppo skates up ice.



Clearly something exciting happened here. Him? Stone cold.



Partially obscured by Lydman, but the face remains the same.



He was missing in one photo. He must have left to get that Coke, which is probably mediocre as well.



Can you find him in this photo*? Think of it as a slow-moving game of Where's Waldo where you get shut out and embarrassed in the end.

So why am I stalking him through various photos? Well, I think he has the perfect expression to describe last night's game. We'll talk about the game in a bit, but I thought that was worth seeing. Yes, I'm crazy.

*He's next to Miller's head.

I Bet This Car Was Green Too

by Ryan

Well this doesn't seem shady at all, does it?

The Culver City Police Department on Sunday afternoon released a brief statement with details of the arrest. The statement noted officers spotted three men in a 2006 Mercedes Benz and recognized Lynch as the Bills' running back.

"A subsequent field investigation led to the discovery of a loaded firearm," the report said. "The officers determined the gun belonged to Lynch and he was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm."

So the reason for stopping the vehicle is that Marshawn Lynch was inside it. That's cool if the officers are looking for an autograph, but is that really proper protocol to search a vehicle? You know the guy inside it?

It's a touchy issue because we only know what is in the police report, but that's not a great explanation to start with. This is a case where Lynch's history may prove to haunt him, but it's hard to say what will happen based on a charge like this.

I'd hate to sound like I'm defending a guy just because he's on my team, but I think it looks pretty fishy no matter who Lynch is. He shouldn't be in that situation in the first place, and now the gun safety issue comes back to the forefront in the NFL. Still, I'd wait and see what comes out about this before passing a judgement just yet.

Orange Out

by Ryan



On Saturday I saw the Syracuse Orange take on Georgetown at the Carrier Dome.

It's an interesting thing, watching basketball with 31,000 people. Earlier this year I saw Cuse take on Long Beach State, but it doesn't compare to a rivalry game that goes into overtime.

It's funny that Jon mentioned Big Four basketball on Saturday, because watching a Syracuse game just doesn't compare. A Canisius/Niagara game at Koessler is nothing like a Syracuse game even against the lowliest of opponents. The student sections, the level of play, and the crowd itself just isn't even close.

The thing is, Syracuse basketball is a really big deal. Like, it's as big a deal as the Bills or Sabres are in Western New York. Go to a mall in Syracuse on a game day. Everyone has on an Orange hat or shirt, and if they aren't they are shopping for more. At stores they have the obligatory Bills and Sabres gear, but it's the Jonny Flynn jerseys that garner the most attention.

They are billed as "New York's College Team," and that's not a very big exaggeration. Flynn is on taxis in New York City, and he has a ton of fans around here for obvious reasons. It also doesn't hurt that they are good, and they've been on ESPN a lot already this season.

The game was a bit worrisome, but overall a lot of fun. The crowd was into it, and it was fun to take in a "big time" basketball game for the first time. I'll be going to the Niagara/Siena game in a few weeks, but if you want to see some real "big time" basketball for yourself, Villanova visits the Carrier Dome in two weeks.

Make sure you wear your orange.

It's Been a While...

by Ryan

Seventeen games. Seventeen long games, and finally Jason Pominville scores a goal. It turned out to be an important one on Friday night, so you know what that means: break out the game board!



Here we go:



Back in a bit with the totals. Play along at home if you'd like.

What to watch tonight...

By Jon



Hate the NBA? Love HORSE but hate the idea of GEICO? Me too! That's why I'll be tuned to ESPN2 at 9:00 to watch the Niagara men's basketball team take on Fairfield.

I may be the only one, but I always get genuinely excited when a Big 4 team plays on national TV. There is something cool about watching our community teams in the national spotlight, even if it's at a strange timeslot with annoying announcers that may or may not have seen your team play before.

Tonight's game is a pretty big one for Niagara. A win puts them within two games of MAAC leader Siena with three conference games to play; A loss puts a regular season MAAC title out of reach.

I hate writing about college basketball on this blog-- the Buffalo blogosphere seems to turn a blind eye toward college hoops. But if you have ever looked for a chance to get into local college hoops, tonight is as good as ever to start. If Niagara wins, I would suggest heading over to Ticketmaster and grab a pair of tickets to the Feb. 27 Niagara/Siena game immediately. The game is almost guaranteed to sell out, and you won't find a better playoff-like atmosphere in the area (at least until those NHL playoffs roll around again.)

Oh yeah, and UB ain't too bad, either. They have won nine straight and sit at the top of the MAC at 9-1, two games ahead of second-place Akron. They play the Zips on Feb. 26 at Alumni Arena.

It's a very good possibility that WNY may see two teams in the NCAA Tournament (though Niagara will have a tough time getting aroun Siena in the MAAC Tourney, which will be held on the Saints' home court.) Is that what it's going to take for WNY to become more of a college hoops town?

Keep Watching

by Ryan

Okay, watch it one more time:



If you're reading this and it's still the top post, it means no one has chipped in today while I'm celebrating Valentine's Day/Syracuse vs. Georgetown in Central New York. I'm not getting back until late tonight, so unless one of the other three come up with a post you won't be seeing anything until the wee hours of the morning.

I mean, it's Valentine's Day! We love that you're reading (especially after last night...), but go find someone to love! In fact, if you're reading this and single, post a comment highlighting your positive attributes and find your better half out in cyberspace. You're already reading the same websites, so you've got things in common! Here, let me help you out by starting a nice list for you:

- You love Paul Gaustad

- You have excellent tase in bloggers

- You probably call Thomas Vanek "Atlas"

- You are currently alone

See? That's four things right in there! C'mon people, I want to see some some love in the blogosphere today.



Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

A View from the Roost: Too Perfect

by Ryan



It may have started with silence, but it ended in chaos.



I've never heard a building so quiet for so long. It was clear that everyone was waiting for that moment of silence, and for Doug Allen to knock the anthems out of the park. He did, and we were ready for hockey tonight. There was some talk of canceling this game, but I never really thought it would happen. People needed this, and it was clear from the beginning that the Sabres were ready to play.

Buffalo came out hard, and some good work on the boards set up Rivet on the point for the first goal. One of the big criticisms of the Sabres was that they weren't ready to shoot from the point on Wednesday, but they were ready to fire tonight. Mair is cutting across to get in front, and it's 1-0 thanks to a nice tip just seven minutes in.

You knew the Sabres were playing a different game when they scored on the power play. Against Ottawa it looked like Stafford just wasn't comfortable standing in front. Tonight things were different, and he set up a perfect screen on Jaro's rocket from the point. It trickles in, and the Sabres have a two goal lead on the best team in hockey.



San Jose just didn't look themselves in the first, and it was glaringly obvious when Joe Thornton gives the puck away at center ice. Roy makes a good play to get it to Stafford, and the return pass down the wing is gunned far corner. 3-0. Chaos. It was the perfect start to a game so many needed, and HSBC Arena was buzzing. It wasn't a perfect period, with Marleau getting a power play goal near the end; but it was exactly the start this team needed.

The second was fairly uneventful, with not much happening until about eight minutes in. Blake goes off for tripping, and off the faceoff Kotalik puts a rocket past Nabokov. Again, Ales was ready to shoot right away, and Ellis puts a nice screen in front before he can be moved by the defense. These were things they just weren't doing on Wednesday, but the power play was rolling because of it tonight.

But here's where San Jose shows you why they're going to win the President's Trophy. Just over a minute later Joe Thornton turns nothing into a goal, making a nice pass to Marleau in front for his second of the night. Did I mention Marleau was an absolute steal in most fantasy drafts? Draft position in three of my leagues this year? 107, 161, and 32th overall. (The 107 and 161 was me.) 56 points (27+29) in 52 games? Nice.

The Sharks dominated play in the second, putting up 17 shots and just out-hustling the Sabres. Mike Grier even got a breakaway, but if you know your Sabres hockey you know Mike Grier averages 12 breakaways a year and never scores. Miller stones him, but the pressure was still on. You started to wonder if this team would be able to hold on, which was justified when San Jose got another late-period goal, this time from Dan Boyle. Thornton fed him with a great pass, and the defenseman makes a fantastic play to blow past Paille and stiff arm Lydman. It's a goal most defenseman can't score, and that's why he makes $6.667 million for the next five years.

So there it was, a one goal game with just twenty minutes to play. You could hear the atmosphere in the building change, and during that intermission people weren't as confident anymore. Conversation around me shifted from hockey to other things, and we all know what the most newsworthy conversation was. During the game you noticed a few empty seats, and you had to wonder why they weren't filled. Even at a hockey game, the reality of life can't be lost. Forgotten maybe, but it's always there.

When the third started it was obvious the Sabres were sitting back a bit. Call it weariness from a long day, or maybe just a bad habit, but it cost them. San Jose is too good to let back into a game, and six minutes in Setoguchi ties the game. It was a minor disaster defensively, with Sekera losing his stick, Numminen retrieving it for him, and no one on the point to disrupt the one timer. The penalty called may have been garbage (Thornton high sticked his own man), but the defense that resulted deserved to be scored on. Not a good start, and suddenly this game is not so perfect anymore.

The third period was interesting because it seemed to slow down for both teams. In the end only 11 total, and the road schedule for the Sharks was pretty evident when all was said and done. San Jose was outworking the Sabres all over the ice, but Buffalo was hanging on thanks to some big saves from Miller. You had to wonder which team would crack first, and it was Buffalo that blinked, with the defense costing them once again.

Your thoughts on the Pavelski goal depends on which team you root for. If you're a Sabres fan, you hate everything about it. An unassisted goal means your team messed up, and clearly Butler misplays the puck and misses the man, allowing Pavelski to get a shot off while surrounded by blue sweaters. However, if you're a Sharks fan you love the individual effort and the moves he puts on. Put it this way: if Tim Connolly scores that goal you're raving for days, but since it was Pavelski you only shake your head.

I'll be honest, I thought they were going to come back. With so much time left, you knew the crowd would respond and the Sabres would pick it up. San Jose did a great job breaking things up in the neutral zone, and they showed they know how to close games out. When you lose seven games all season you know a thing or two about finishing, and the Sharks were killing clock with ease. Doubt replaced confidence, and as a scattered few headed for the exits I wondered what happened to this game.

With a minute left things got a bit interesting. Buffalo pulled the goalie and worked hard on the last shift, keeping it in a few times and winning some battles along the wall. San Jose was content to keep it there, though, and time was running out. San Jose just knows exactly what to do here, and it was a case of the best team in the league coming through in the end.

With about ten seconds left and the puck in the far corner, I thought to myself, "it was too perfect." Sometimes things just don't work out, and maybe that first period would be enough to take away from a game like this. Then somehow it slips off Pominville's stick and glides into the slot. Rivet winds up with six seconds left...



The picture says it all. Forget about the watermark and look at Rivet's face. Can you imagine getting ready to take that shot? What's going through his head? The trade that moved his family across the country? Two points in a tough playoff race? The plane crash and everything that happened earlier that day? July 4th? The hopes of an entire community? The human brain is an amazing thing, and it's entirely possible that all of that flashed across his mind in under a second. Or maybe it was just, "Please, please get through." Doesn't matter. Tie game.

As a fan you develop specific levels of crowd noise. Each game registers a certain position, and the rest are therefore judged by comparison forevermore. Dave asked how loud it was there after that goal, and I sent back "Ottawa Brawl Game loud." That's pretty far up there, and for good reason. The place absolutely erupted, and Pominville gets his first goal since New Year's Day.

Overtime had its moments, but you knew all along this was headed to a shootout. Miller needed to redeem himself, and he would get a chance against a workhorse of a goaltender. The usual suspects were up for the Sabres, but after three shooters each it was still scoreless. Here comes Jason Pominville, and here comes the crowd again. Our favorite quote puts on a great move, and suddenly we're on the brink.

But here comes Marleau. Did I mention he's been great this year? He makes a nice move to keep things going, and Derek Roy is up next. There's no way he scores, right? That was their chance, and they've gotten enough chances tonight. No way Roy does the same move on Nabokov.



Great move. Just make one save. One save.

You know what happens next. The crowd explodes, the Sabres spill onto the ice, and the closing credits roll. The Sabres just took down the best team in hockey and made an entire region smile, if only for a brief moment. Afterwards the players and coaches would say that it's only a game, but we all know it was about much more than that just then.

Tonight we saw the power of sports once again. It didn't make everything better, and it didn't solve the world's problems in one fell swoop. But in the time it took Craig Rivet to wind up and take that shot, seven tenths of a second, it made everything disappear. When that fog horn blasted after Miller's final save, hockey was bigger than everything.

The Buffalo Sabres will never replace a loved one, but for a millisecond tonight it felt like they cured cancer, fixed the economy, and gave everyone a big hug. In the end it will go down in the record books as just another win, but we all know it was more than that. It was everything this city needed, and a welcome distraction from a harsh reality.



It was perfect.

I'd Always Win in the End

by Ryan

There's a hockey game tonight. Everyone knows this.

That's the thing about a city like Buffalo, everyone knows what's going on with their sports teams. The bye weeks are memorized, plans are made around Sabres games, and the day after is nothing but sports talk. This is a place where K-Mart puts the Bills game on the loudspeaker, and the Sabres score is yelled out at concerts between songs. Sports matter here in Buffalo, and we are proud of our fandom.

There is a lot wrong with a place like Buffalo, but if you look closely enough you can find a whole lot of good. There is crime and corruption and failure, but every so often you get a beautiful day when none of that matters. The sun is bright, the water is clear, and suddenly you forget about everything else and just take it in. Maybe it's a boat ride or a jog through Forest Lawn, or maybe even a game of pond hockey on a chilly winter day. No matter what people say, there is beauty in a place like this.

Chbosky once wrote that, "we accept the love we think we deserve." In a way I think that's true about a place like Buffalo. We embrace the people who embrace us, and that makes us forget about everyone who leaves us behind. For every McGahee and Doug Gilmour is a Rob Ray and Thurman Thomas, and those are the people we remember in the end. We just want people to like us, and sometimes it seems we care a bit too much about something like that.

Still, I expected nothing less of the Sabres in their reaction to the crash. This is a team that has always embraced the local community, and they matched the small town feel of a place like Buffalo. This is a place where we seriously discuss intro videos and debate just what they say about the area. We take our sports seriously, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

In the end I think we will all know someone involved in this disaster because that's the kind of place this is. The people left around here stay for the same reasons, and they all understand how to get through tough times. The little things we love become that much more important when tragedy strikes, and everyone will be touched by something so terrible.

I have no idea what will happen tonight. All I know is that when we've needed a boost in the past the Sabres have been there. The Rangers game after the October Surprise is just one example. Football will always be first, but it's clear that this is a hockey town as well. It's also a community that always comes through at the worst possible times; and the guys on this hockey team are a part of this community, too. After such a trying day, Western New York will be looking for a boost.

There is a hockey game tonight. Everyone will be watching.

More Like the Trees and Less Like the Clouds

by Ryan

I woke up about an hour ago. It seems that I have missed a lot.

These are uneasy times around the area, so I'm not sure how appropriate talking about sports will be. I will have something prepared in a little bit, but for now I'll leave you with a mini-revelation of sorts: Ryan Miller is a Ryan Adams fan.

I'm sure you've heard one of us mention Adams here before, but Ryan mentioned him on his blog a few weeks back:

I am trying to track down some new music and haven't been real successful. I am a big fan of Ryan Adams (the alt. country/rock guy... Not the Canadian singer/photographer better known for 80's pop) and was hoping to be blown away by his new album, Cardinology. So far I am not blown away but he has some good songs on there... It is a little slow and a little too country for me at the moment... But who knows? I may be in that mood soon and the album will sound great.

If you haven't heard of Ryan Adams I think it is a good idea to listen to some of his stuff. I like to listen to his albums straight through while we are on the road. We have a lot of time spent on an airplane or a bus so it is good to have some music that I classify as "chill." He has his moments where he plays a good rock song, but most of his stuff is very simple, slow guitar songs with good lyrics.

It's not a bad suggestion, especially on a day like this. Back in a bit.

Short on Time, Sleep

by Ryan

So I haven't slept in 28 hours and am on my way to the Canisius/Niagara basketball game in Buffalo. I'll have some stuff up later tonight, but frequent commenter Dave has started a blog of his own. It's named after a Tragically Hip song, so you know he started off on the right foot. Give him a look see while I take in some basketball, I'll be back in a bit to catch you up.



Ugh.

Ryan Miller in 3D?

by Ryan

A quick comparison for you. Here is Coraline's father:



And this is Ryan Miller:



Impair his vision and mix in some insomnia and you have a perfect match. I think that explains his play in the shootout on Saturday, as well as that Alfredsson goal last night.

Mere Mortals

by Ryan

From Monday:

What is most interesting for me is what will happen to the power play. With Vanek and Gaustad out, both power play units are missing the player that camps out in front. This means different power play lines and perhaps a different philosophy when dealing with the man advantage. The shot selection on the point needs to be better, and there will be less-skilled sticks sitting in front when those shots do get through. Watch what the Sabres do very closely on Wednesday, as the power play only becomes more important with Vanek out.

This is Thomas Vanek, and he is clearly missed by the Buffalo Sabres.

Twelve power play opportunities, and just one goal. For the first power play of the night, Buffalo sent out Hecht/MacArthur/Kotalik. Yes, it was that bad. Stafford didn't look comfortable in front at all, and only Connolly was willing to let shots go from the point. We will not discuss the six minute power play that was wasted.

Aside from Ales' lone shot from the point, the rest of the power plays were a mix of bad passing and poor decision making. Down two goals the Sabres were making extra passes to players already engaged by a defender. I'm sorry, but guys like Derek Roy and Jason Pominville need to take a shot when they are within ten feet of the goalie. They made Brian Elliot look great for the second game in a row, and that's embarrassing. This is not the Ottawa of old, this is a broken, one dimensional hockey team that has taken it to a superior team missing a few key guys. Twice.



Tonight the Buffalo Sabres just looked like a bunch of guys playing mediocre hockey. No one stood out, no one stepped up, and that's why they lost. Hecht was invisible again, and you have to wonder how bad Paille has been if he couldn't crack that roster. Who knows how long he sits after a game like this, but his replacement in the lineup didn't do too bad all things considered.

Gerbe was probably one of the better Sabres out there, and he got plenty of time on the power play. Last night he said he is "cursed" when it comes to scoring goals in Buffalo, and after that breakaway I'm starting to believe him. He did his job and even did some hitting, but he was brought up to score goals and still hasn't done that.

You don't want to base too much off of just one game, but this is a pretty auspicious start for a hockey team determined to show they are more than just Thomas Vanek's teammates. For a large part of the season this team relied on Vanek to give them a spark, but when Atlas went down the hope was that they could carry on at the same pace. The comeback in the third period gave some cause to that belief, but what we saw tonight makes me worry.



If you're an optimist you say that the Sabres have taken points in six of ten and were caught still in a bit of shock over the loss of Vanek. However, if you're a Sabres fan you know Pominville hasn't scored in 17 games, Roy is getting up there, and the Sabres just got out hustled by Ottawa's checking line for the winning goal. That's not good, and we haven't even talked about Miller's softie to put it away.

With San Jose in town on Friday, it's not hard to imagine a pointless week for Buffalo at the worst possible time. The Sabres have finally gotten within striking distance of the teams ahead of them, and they can't afford to let points slip away against weak teams. Montreal may lose tonight, but the Rangers picked up two points, and Philadelphia picked up another game on Buffalo.

It's nothing to panic over just yet, but it's certainly not helping the morale around these parts.

Back to the Bigs

by Ryan

A look at the standings says this is a game the Sabres can't afford to let slip away. With San Jose coming to town on Friday, this is the best chance the Sabres have to get points at home this week. A split at the very least is going to be necessary, and their best chance for that split is tonight.

Gerbe is up, as Dan Paille is still searching for his game. He lost it sometime over the summer, so he's got a lot of ground to cover. Ottawa is still awful, and Ryan Miller is in net.



The hat in honor of Atlas. This could turn out to be a very long month.

7:30 from HSBC. I'm on the couch tonight, but it honestly may be a better view with HD.

Who is Nanerpus?

by Ryan

Now for the second objective... which prospect should be named "Nanerpus"?



My first guess is Tim Kennedy, but I suppose that's not fair because he didn't knock his own teeth out. The cut on his lip looked pretty bad last night, but he said it was "okay" during the postgame interviews.

So who else? I honestly don't see that name sticking to anyone on the Pirates. To be frank, they just don't have someone who looks like a one-eyed banana octopus with a moustache. But what about another long lost Sabres prospect?



Mike Ryan.

These days Ryan plays for Albany, which means he's property of the Carolina Hurricanes. In theory this means we should dislike him, but it's hard to have ill feelings for a mediocre hockey player bouncing around the minor leagues. He's been tearing it up for the River Rats this season, but I've never thought anything of actually disliking him.

By the end of last night's game, the fans were booing Mike Ryan. Ryan was starting trouble all night, fighting with Pirates and generally being a nuisance. He was screaming at teammates when he was open in the slot, even though the River Rat was scraping himself off the wall after a hit. Clearly he considers himself above all this minor league hockey nonsense, and he plays like it.

So why should we call him Nanerpus? Well, think about what the commercial is trying doing. Dennys wants you to dislike him because he looks ridiculous, and clearly isn't a Grand Slam. However, in the end you actually just think the whole thing is just funny. That's exactly what happened last night with Mike Ryan. If you are a Pirates fan at that game last night you're supposed to boo him for being a jerk, but every time that roar went up I had to laugh. Why boo a banana sitting on a stack of pancakes? Plus, Nanerpus would totally start a fight after the other team scores a goal.

So there you have it. Mike Ryan = Nanerpus. I'm glad we cleared this up.

More on Portland

by Ryan

Just a few other thoughts on the Pirates game. I'm still working on a recap, but those aren't exactly conducive to opinion, are they?

- Okay, I'm going to just say it: Salty Pete is freaking creepy. He walked by after the game when we were waiting for the interview room to open up, and it wasn't anything I'd want a hug from if I was six. They let him use the t-shirt cannon, but I'm pretty sure no one was maimed last night. We'll keep you posted.

- Attendance last night was listed at 11,444. The entire lower bowl was filled, and all but the ends were full in the 200s. That's a pretty solid, and it's nice to see people interested in the farm team. Hopefully this is something they continue to do to gain interest.

- Stafford and Kaleta were hanging around the locker room after the game. It's nice to see the guys on the big club interested in what is going on down in Portland. It may just be because they have friends on the squad, but Dineen mentioned that a lot of the players have been actively helping the Pirates and making conversation with them. That's a really good sign, especially for a franchise that develops so many players from within.

- Gragnani struggled a bit on the point last night. Portland only carried five defenceman because of injury, and Gragnani was pushed right off the puck on more than one occasion. The first, a body check that sent the puck flying into the corner. He then failed to tie the man up in front, which cost the Pirates a goal. Not a strong shift for him.

- They only had a few people on the ice crew last night. For Sabres games there are always a good dozen people on ice during TV timeouts. I think somewhere in between is appropriate.

- It was freezing in the press box last night.

Update:

- I forgot to mention this, but the official for last night's game was Jamie Koharski, Don Koharski's son. Not to pile onto the kid, but he did a freaking awful job of officiating last night. He let the game get out of control, and not just with the Gerbe ejection. There were some iffy penalties called, and a few extra roughing penalties for guys like Conboy would have eliminated a lot of the chippiness we saw. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll have a game review up sometime during the Sabres game. Obviously, I'm not on deadline.

An Entirely Different View from the Roost

by Ryan

We will have a game recap and some other thoughts up later on, but about that press pass...



I didn't think they would actually let me in.

As I made my way up to the security entrance and fought my way through youth hockey players and parents, I figured I was in the wrong place. Even when I picked up my credentials that said "The Goose's Roost" I thought someone would realize they made a terrible mistake and escort me from the building. There's no way they actually let someone like me get a press pass for a real hockey game, right?

But there I was, sitting alone in the HSBC Arena press box. My name was on the seating chart and everything. If things were as black and white as most front offices would lead you to believe, this is enemy territory. Alert the authorities, there’s blogger in the press box. I was waiting for the hammer to fall and my cover blown. I'm no journalist, and someone is going to notice that eventually, right? The Media Thought Police will take me down for eating too much popcorn or something, right?

Well no, not really. No one seemed to care who I was, and I suppose in a way that's a compliment. I set myself up in the west corner of the box, alone with my laptop and about 100 pages of game notes. Everyone did their own thing, and for the first period I went over those notes and got myself acquainted with both team's rosters.

During the first intermission I wandered around the press box, wondering if I could find a few familiar faces. I found one in Andrew from USRT, who was taking in the game from his usual seat with Artvoice. He was nice enough to introduce me to a few others in the box, and I moved my things down to sit with him for the rest of the night. This would help a lot, as I wasn't sure how the postgame procedure went and needed the guidance.

Overall, sitting in the press box is an interesting experience. I wasn't on deadline, so for me the setting wasn't as hectic as it is for others. My goal was to take in the experience and maybe write a game recap (which will go up later). Everyone seemed friendly, and at the very least cordial. The "rules" weren't all that hard to follow (no cheering, no bothering others, no hugging Paul Hamilton...), and if you looked the part no one would give you any trouble.

I actually sat next to the goal judge for the second and third period, so while he wasn't watching the game I asked him a few questions about his job. Needless to say he would rather be behind the net watching things unfold, and I tend to agree with him. Still, he was nice enough to put up with me for 40 minutes of hockey, so I appreciate the relocation. I hope the extra few hundred dollars in revenue that put him there is worth it.

The late goal meant a lot of antsy journalists, as it required rewrites and missed deadlines for many. On the trip to the locker room I took a backseat and let the real reporters work, not wanting to get in anyone's way. I probably should have been more aggressive, but I honestly just wanted to see how things worked this time around. I didn't want to ask anything stupid, and I certainly didn't want to cut off someone who actually needed to get a quote. Next time will be better.

So how did this "blogger in the press box" thing go? Well, I can’t speak for every blogger out there, but it was pretty freaking cool. All I wanted to do was blend in and get a feel for what it's really like, and I think I did a good job of that. I didn't get in the way, I didn't look like a fool, and I'd like to think I made a good impression on the people I met.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. I made a few mistakes last night that I'd like the chance to fix, and now that I understand how things work I think I could be a bit more effective next time around. I'm not under the impression that I'm a journalist in any way, but if the chance is there to be one for just a night, I'll take it every time.

Experiments in Blogging

by Ryan

Today is going to be an interesting day. You may remember that a few weeks back Jon sat in the press box for an Albany River Rats/Portland Pirates game in Albany, writing a game story for the site and also for Maine Hockey Journal. Well, when the game in Buffalo between the two teams was announced, I wondered if I could do the same thing.

So I asked.

As it turns out, that's how you get things done in the working world. Shocking, I know. So, if all goes well tonight I'll be taking this one in from the HSBC press box. There will be no cheering, but I do look pretty darn nice all dressed up, and the hockey will be the same.



So here my main objectives for the day:

- Write a recap of the game.

- Write about sitting in the press box.

- Not get yelled at for taking someone's seat.

- Figure out which prospect will forever be named "Nanerpuss":



Somehow I think that last one will be the most difficult out of the three. We can't just waste a Denny's commercial on anyone now, can we?

One Year Later

by Ryan



Less than one year later, he's back doing things like this:



Pretty amazing all that happened just twelve months ago.

Get Well Soon, Luker


SabresProspects has the story about Luke Adam, who ruptured his spleen during a game on Sunday. He had surgery and will be okay, but obviously he won't be playing for the rest of the season.

Luke was nice enough to do an interview with us over the summer, and we wish him the best in his recovery. If you're a friend of his on Facebook, stop by and send him your best.

A Cry for Help

by Ryan

It's been sixteen games since Jason Pominville has scored a goal. That's about 1/4 of a season without scoring. In that time he has registered 13 assists, but when you consider that he's scored at least 25 goals the last two seasons it becomes a bit more clear that he's not playing up to that pace this year.

I feel this is my fault.

You see, just after his two goal game on New Year's Day we came up with a little thing called Jason Pominville's Postgame Press Conference Bingo. We just wanted to have a little fun, but obviously something catastrophic happened. Jason Pominville hasn't been the same since, and it obviously has something to do with his postgame press conferences.

I mean we've only gotten to play once since the game started, so the juice certainly isn't worth the squeeze. We need to hear from Pommer, so let's fire up the bingo board and see what he has to say about Thomas Vanek being hurt:



Here's what we got: "Getting bounces", "frustrating", "confidence"

Three. A whopping three choices. He didn't even say his favorite word: definitely. Clearly the boy's a mess. We need to get him some help so he can get the puck in the net. Think of it this way, the more he scores the more likely SabresTV puts his postgame video online. That more Pominville the better in this time of need.

Unless he's slumping to spite us...

While We're Here...

by Ryan

A few weeks ago we looked at the shift in Vanek's game by the numbers, with the promise that we would check back in after another ten games. Vanek's injury will shut him down for over a month, so that means we only have eight games of data to look at. Let's see what Vanek's totals are, starting with his previous numbers.

Here is Vanek's game log:

First Five Games: 7G, 2A, 32 SOG

Next Ten Games: 5G, 1A, 33 SOG

Next Ten Games: 6G, 2A, 31 SOG

Next Ten Games: 7G, 1A, 34 SOG

Last Eleven Games: 3G, 8A, 21 SOG

And now, the more recent numbers:

Last Eight Games: 4G, 6A, 13 SOG

To be fair, those eight games include the Ottawa game, in which he only had 3:07 in ice time. Still, it's obvious his shot totals were going to be far less, and his assist total is still higher than any point during those first four periods. Vanek's game has changed significantly over the last 19 games, and his decrease in goals and significant drop in shots proves it.

This time let's forget about the reasons, and instead look at Vanek's impact on the Sabres as a whole. It's pretty clear that Vanek hasn't played terrible over the last 20 games or so, but it is obvious his game has changed. Take away the hat trick on Wednesday and you don't have much in the way of goal scoring, and that's what he's getting paid to do.

In fact, Vanek's six shots against Toronto are almost half of his shot total over the last eight games. Over that stretch he was held without a shot three times, not including the Ottawa game on Saturday. That may not seem like a big deal for some players, but consider this: the Tampa Bay game on January 21 was the first time Vanek was held without a shot since March 22. That's a very, very long time.

That's not to say that Vanek won't be missed. In fact, he most certainly will be. Vanek was a big part of setting up Stafford and Connolly, and they will be looking for a new winger on the top line for about a month now. Still, it's not difficult to argue that this may be the best time to lose a guy like Vanek because he's not being relied on so heavily now. Connolly has stepped up, Miller has been spectacular for at least a month now, and the balance in scoring has slowly returned.

Atlas will be missed, and he's still a point per game player this season. However, this doesn't mean the team is offensively crippled without him. Visual evaluation of the team over the last few weeks says so, and the numbers confirm it. A fractured jaw may derail Vanek's quest for 50 goals, but it doesn't fracture the Sabres' postseason hopes.

One Year Ago...

by Ryan

To continue the "pick me up Monday" theme, here is what was going on a year ago today:

- Ryan Miller was the best goaltender in the last 30 days...

- The Sabres were not in the playoff picture.

- Brian Campbell was a red-headed disaster.

- Tim Connolly had not played in a month.

- Thomas Vanek was not Atlas, but rather a guy that dropped a lot of F bombs.

- I missed all of Hockey Day in Canada.

- The Sabres were coming off one of the worst losses of the season (Boston), and were a day away from having someone almost die on the ice.

See? Some good there, but mostly bad. We are better off this season, with or without Vanek in the lineup. I honestly think we are going to be okay. The defense is getting healthy, and unlike early this season we are seeing relatively balanced scoring. The Sabres don't need Thomas Vanek to be Atlas right now, but they could certainly use him in the lineup.

What is most interesting for me is what will happen to the power play. With Vanek and Gaustad out, both power play units are missing the player that camps out in front. This means different power play lines and perhaps a different philosophy when dealing with the man advantage. The shot selection on the point needs to be better, and there will be less-skilled sticks sitting in front when those shots do get through. Watch what the Sabres do very closely on Wednesday, as the power play only becomes more important with Vanek out.

Four weeks out means Vanek will miss about 12 games, with a likely return date March 10 at Philadelphia. That's just after the trading deadline, and right when this team will be gearing up for the postseason. It will be an interesting time for sure, but I think he will be coming back to a team that's still going strong.

The sky is not falling because Atlas isn't there to hold up the globe. Rather, Vanek is going to need someone to take his place here and there, and plenty of guys have been quiet this year. Paille, Hecht, MacArthur, Kotalik. Four players that have been shaky all year and nonexistent at times. If they have any sense for the moment, they'll come through at a time like this.

The sky isn't falling, but someone needs to keep us up.

Things To Do Other Than Freak Out About Thomas Vanek

by Ryan

By now you've all heard the news. That's a pretty big blow no matter how you slice it, but we're here to provide a few suggestions that may take your mind off it.

- Revise your resume (because hey, things could be worse...)

- Read Downtown Owl

- Cry

- Make a Thomas Vanek Mii to play Wii Sports with.

- Make Henrik Tallinder a get well soon card. (We need to showcase someone...)

- Cry a lot.

- Watch Remember the Titans

- Write 25 random things about yourself.

- Go see the Pirates at HSBC Arena.

- Remember you're not an Islanders fan.



- Go see Coraline

- Debate positives and negatives of Snuggies and Slankets.

- Look back at last season (check back at noon...)

- Check the standings and remember they're right where they want to be.

Ghosts of Kanata

by Ryan

When you look at the standings, you have to wonder if that point is going to cost them in the end. Then again, we have more important things to worry about right now.

If you looked at the first two periods it's pretty obvious that the Sabres didn't deserve to win this game. They were outhit, outplayed, and only Ryan Miller's goaltending kept this from a blowout. Lindy Ruff denied Miller a bit of rest, and Miller responded by making 40 saves behind a tired team.



Once Vanek takes that puck to the face it was all over. Any energy the team had left with Vanek racing off the ice holding his face. From then on it was the Sabres letting their old demons get to them. Why can't the Sabres look past this Senators team the way they do against Toronto? You can argue that Ottawa is much worse, but Buffalo still struggles with the shell of a team that beat them in the playoffs two years ago. The only thing that remains of that team are the uniform colors, but it seems that Buffalo just can't look beyond the past.

Going into the third period you knew there was a chance for comeback, but it would take a pretty big individual effort. The Ellis line was working well again, but they're not going to be the scoring threat every night. With the Sabres' big gun missing, someone would have to step up.

Enter Tim Connolly.



He didn't score a goal tonight, but there wasn't much that he didn't do in that third period. He made everything happen on the Mair goal, stripping the defenseman and finding Mair open in front. He intercepts a breakaway pass and draws a penalty, giving the Sabres the power play that would tie the game. This wasn't the kind of monster game we see from guys like Vanek, but Connolly did the little things to get this game tied up. Even in the shootout, with the game on his stick Connolly kept things going with a nice goal.



Miller didn't get it done in the shootout, but can you really ask for more from him last night? The team sleepwalked through two periods and came out of this with a point. Five out of six after a west coast road trip, and they've made up some ground on the teams ahead of them.

Montreal lost again last night, Florida did as well, and the Penguins lost this afternoon. No ground lost, and a few points gained. That's all you can ask for, I suppose.

Oh God

Now I have the same look on my face as he does. As soon as we hear anything, you'll know. I doubt we know much until at least Tuesday, but that doesn't mean I'm not already worried about it.

More on the game in a bit...

Chaos in the Capitol

by Ryan

Is tonight's game a must win? Let's set the scene:

Ottawa is a complete mess, their head coach is fired, their GM is answering questions about every move he's made since Muckler left, and they have one line that can score. Their starting goaltender is in Binghamton, fans are talking about John Tavares, and there is 19 points between the two teams.

Yeah, tonight is a must win. Simply put, the Sabres are good enough to beat a team like Ottawa no matter what happened last night, and they need the points against an easy opponent. I don't think anyone is all that scary outside of Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson; and one line teams don't beat the Sabres anymore.

There is the potential for a letdown game tonight, but I don't think we'll see that from this team tonight. Consider this: the Sabres are finishing up the most brutal part of the schedule tonight. A win tonight puts them even further up the standings, and with the same Ottawa team in town on Wednesday it would be difficult to see that as a loss, either. Four points against a weak opponent does wonders for a team's confidence, and I just don't see the Sabres slipping up tonight.

If the Sabres win tonight we may look back on this week as the one that propelled them into the playoffs. Beating teams within the division is always huge, and this stretch is just so important because of who is on the other bench. The Sabres showed they can beat good teams last night, so there shouldn't be a problem against an awful team like Ottawa. There are no ghosts left from that Cup run, just a group of players in disarray and very little leadership.

There is lots of action in the NHL tonight, so we could see the standings look completely different. We'll be here tomorrow morning to sort through it. For now, sit back and enjoy the most awkward home and home series in the history of the NHL.

7PM from Scotiabank Place. I expect good things, and you should, too.

Climbing the Ladder

by Ryan

I'm struggling with what I want to say about last night's game. I think we all know how important that win was, and what it does for the Sabres in the standings. Still, who was the star of the show? What was the main story? In a 3-2 victory, what was the one thing people want to talk about?



I suppose Ryan Miller is one of those things. His shutout streak ended last night, but if not for 15 saves in the first period Buffalo wouldn't have had a chance to win this game. Miller has been so good for so long this season it's hard to keep talking about him every night. Still, it should be noted that what we are watching is the Ryan Miller we may see for the next five years. Is anyone else excited about that?

Another thing worth mentioning is Lindy Ruff. I know we may somehow go down as "the blog that wanted to fire Lindy Ruff", but that's pretty far from the case. Since late December, Ruff has done a great job coaching this team, and I give him all the credit in the world for what we've seen. I'll expand upon this sometime next week, but putting Nathan Paetsch on the 4th line is just another example of Lindy understanding his team and what it's capable of.

Rob Ray nailed it in the broadcast last night. The Ellis/Mair/Paetsch line was fantastic and provided a big boost to the team in the wake of Gaustad's injury. They worked the boards, got pucks on the net, and gave the top two lines a break by matching up with Montreal's best for a few shifts. They even got a goal, the result of great work off the faceoff and behind the net. You could see it on Nathan's face, he was so happy to finally be able to contribute. If you can get that out of your seventh defenseman, you're in pretty good shape.



Overall I thought the defense played well again. Butler got himself into trouble in the corner on the Koivu goal, but he and Weber had a pretty strong game when it all was over. I think being able to trust the younger guys helps players like Teppo and Jaro because they don't have to do too much to soon. When players are coming back from injury they need to work at their own pace, and if you don't have to cover 3/4th of the ice to compensate for a rookie it's hard to get comfortable out there.

We keep looking at the Sabres as a damaged team earning wins, but they are starting to get healthy as time goes on. Slowly they are turning into a team getting near full strength, and I think the effort we've seen from them reflects that. Even with Goose out there was no let up on the way they hit, go to the boards, or defend their teammates. Kaleta had another good game, and Hecht played relatively well in Gaustad's spot. He won't bring as much grit to that line, but if he gets going with MacArthur they could be a decent third scoring threat.

Which brings us to the main scoring threat these days: Tim Connolly.



What I really wanted to talk about was Tim Connolly, but I know he's not the whole story. I know everyone's swooning over Timmy these days, but I have to say I've been so impressed with his game since returning from injury. Let's forget his goal right now and talk about a play that yielded no result.

Vanek/Connolly/Stafford is on the ice, and Stafford attacks the puck carrier to the right of the net. Another Hab comes over to support the D, so Vanek collapses down to take him out. The puck is bounced around, and slides into open ice as Connolly wheels in from the other side of the net. The right defenseman for Buffalo moves into the slot, and as Connolly curls around he slides a no-look pass right into his wheelhouse. The shot goes wide.

But here's what got me going about this play: Connolly never looks into the slot. I watched this a half dozen times on replay, Connolly looks through the net for a brief second to watch the D move down from the point. After that he looks right at the point along the half-wall, freezing every Hab on the ice and moving them all to the imaginary point man. Before anyone can react the shot is already hitting the glass, not even the camera man able to react properly.

I was watching this with someone who mentioned a great point: this play is exactly what makes Tim Connolly a liability. With vision like that, Connolly put himself in a position to get blindsided by a defender that catches on. If his fake doesn't work, he reads the play to the slot and finishes his check, probably sending him to the IR and ending his most recent run of brilliance. Connolly has always said he will sacrifice his body to make plays, and this is the kind of magic he has in mind. It didn't work and it didn't get him hurt, but this is a great example of what Timmy does and the potential consequences.

Still, there's reason to say it's all worth it. Mainly, the goal he did score. When that puck bounced off the side of the net, there was no doubt in my mind that Connolly would bury it. That's the kind of faith I have in Timmy when he's healthy, and what makes him different from so many players on this team. If Hecht scores on that breakaway he had earlier I would be pleasantly surprised, but Connolly's goal is just what he does.

What he's doing is finally giving us a contract year, and I couldn't be happier.

Hey Look, A Distraction

I'll talk about last night very shortly. In the mean time, watch this:

Friday Night Habs

by Ryan

Just how big is tonight's game?



Well, it's TSN's top story, so let's start there.

The Sabres currently sit in 7th place, but Montreal is only five points away. Barring overtime, this is a huge four point game for either team, and you know the intensity will translate on the ice. Goose is out for a while, but that doesn't mean this team will stop hitting. After what we saw against the Leafs, we could be in for a heck of a game.

I've been excited about this game since Wednesday, but that doesn't mean I have a big preview about it. Kevin does, so you should check that out.

7:30 from HSBC Arena. Playoff atmosphere? Yeah, playoff atmosphere.

"Go to Fiji and See if the Water is Really Like That"

by Ryan



In case you forgot that Marshawn Lynch is awesome, here you go.

Things we've learned:

- Red Kool Aid, unless his cousin makes the blue.

- Family First

- Penguins are important

- he likes green cars

- redzone.org

I think that's about all you can ask for from Money. Forget the Pro Bowl, I'm satisfied.

Mike Milbury is a Great Analyst When He's Not an Incompetent Human Being

by Ryan

You probably can't hear this, but listen anyway.



That's Mike Milbury calling Tim Connolly a "self centered little dink." To quote Sabres Edge

"When he's not injured or acting like a self-centered little dink, he's a very good player," Milbury said during highlights on NESN.

I think Anne at Sabretooth's House makes a good point about this: no one is defending Tim Connolly by attempting to debunk the notion that he is self-centered, or a "dink". In fact, unless Milbury means Connolly is a lesbian couple with two sources of income and no children, I have no clue what that means. To be quite honest, I have no problem if someone considers Tim Connolly to be either of those things. There's a good chance it's true, and it doesn't change what I think about him either way.

However, here's where Mike Milbury gets into trouble. You see, Milbury has history with Tim Connolly, and that does matter in this discussion. It's not a defense of Connolly as much as it is an admission of facts: Mike Milbury drafted Connolly fifth overall in 1999, then threw him under the bus with Taylor Pyatt just two years later. Milbury obviously had some sort of issues with Connolly, parting ways with him before he hit 20 years old. That must have been two killer years of self-centered hockey, or maybe Milbury's just bad at his job.

Why does this matter? Well, it's obvious that they have history that directly affects his analysis of a player. It's a throwaway comment, sure, but is it a necessary one? It is Milbury's job to be critical of players, but the backhanded compliment he delivers obviously comes with some bias. I think it's an example of him going out of his way to belittle a player he has personal problems with, and I don't think there's any room for that on the air.

Not only that, but he doesn't exactly have a great track record in his tenure as Islanders GM. Quothe the Wiki:

He is a well-known figure in the National Hockey League for his controversial (and often quotable) style, as well as for his penchant for blockbuster trades. For these reasons, when he referred to himself as "Mad Mike" after trading away Roberto Luongo, the nickname has stuck ever since.

During several of the years that Milbury served as Islanders GM, the team's ownership mandated that he operate the team on an austere budget. In 1999 he was forced to trade star scorer Zigmund Palffy because team owners no longer wanted to pay his multi-million dollar contract.

However, Milbury has also been criticized for the many decisions he made in which payroll or orders for upper management were not factors. Many young players and prospects that Milbury traded away went on to have distinguished careers, often eclipsing those of the players he received in return. He has traded away defensemen Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden, Bryan Berard, Eric Brewer, Darius Kasparaitis, and Bryan McCabe; goalies Roberto Luongo and Tommy Salo, as well as forwards Olli Jokinen, Todd Bertuzzi, Raffi Torres. Milbury has also come under fire for his draft day decisions such as choosing Rick DiPietro first overall in 2000 over Dany Heatley and Marian Gaborik; as well as his decision to include the 2001 second overall draft pick (Jason Spezza) as part of the Alexei Yashin trade.

Throughout Milbury's tenure as Islanders GM, fans chanted "Mike Must Go" when the team performed badly.

That's a massive list of All Star talent Milbury has parted with, and Tim Connolly didn't even make the cut. The fact of the matter is that Milbury failed miserably as the Islanders GM and head coach, and the woeful track record on Long Island since has a lot to do with the damage he did. It may seem stupid to wonder if after all those bad moves Milbury still has sour grapes left for Timmy, but that man has grown a hell of a vineyard so far.

To be honest, that's the biggest problem I have with what Milbury said: he just doesn't have much credibility. I mean, take another look at that list and tell me you're taking personnel advice from him. That's right, the guy who traded Jason Spezza sight unseen is taking a swipe at the way someone else (who he traded away) plays hockey. Wade Redden, Zedeno Chara? Pieces parts. Yep, that's the kind of guy I trust with my player evaluations.

As far as I'm concerned, Mike Milbury has about as much credibility as Matt Millen has in the NFL right now. Just because someone wants to hire him doesn't mean he knows much of anything, and it certainly doesn't mean we have to listen.

Again, this isn't about defending Tim Connolly. Quite frankly, there isn't a reason to do so. Timmy's a big boy and can handle himself, and that includes a bitter former general manager's dislike of a teenage hockey player. I'm sure we all put our best face forward from age 18-20, and life-long opinions should be solidified and disclosed on national television based off said teenage face.

Tim Connolly can just do what the rest of us do with Mike Milbury: watch "that other guy" take him to the woodshed routinely on "Coast to Coast." It's by far my favorite part of Hockey Night in Canada, and I'm sure Timmy will enjoy it now, too.

Brilliant

by Ryan

The people who wanted to see Drew Stafford get traded earlier this year got their wish. It's a tough loss, but we're just going to have to embrace the "new look" Sabres once again.

Overheard and Other Things

by Ryan

A few more things about the game last night.

- During the second intermission I saw this unfold in the restroom. Down three goals, a twenty-something Leafs fan decides to defend himself the only way he knows how: talk about the past. He starts saying things like, "well at least we have a Stanley Cup" or, "pretty empty up in those rafters." Yadda yadda yadda. Everyone ignores him until one guy takes exception.

"It's okay," he says, "In ten years we're going to invade you, rape you of your natural resources, and then absorb you. YOU WILL BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!"

That's probably the best on the spot bathroom heckling I've ever witnessed. Good stuff to top off an already good game.

- When I was leaving the Arena last night I wondered if that will be the last time I see such an easy Leafs game in person. Think about the team we saw play in Anaheim on Monday night. Within two years that's what it will be like to play the Leafs with Brian Burke at the helm. That's a pretty sobering stuff, so enjoy these pushover victories while they last...

- In case you were wondering, Pat Kaleta had two minutes of shorthanded TOI. That's another pretty solid game from him, and even the dive called against was iffy. He's done a great job since coming back from injury, there's just no other way to slice it.

- The little kid sitting behind me was awesome. Despite kicking my chair the entire game, he knew all the words to "We Will Rock You", played guitar with Sabretooth on the Jumbotron, and got a puck from Mike Weber during the pregame skate. That's a full day in my book.



- If you want an idea of how spectacular Stafford's goal was, consider this: after the goal the Leafs change D pairs. Jeff Finger comes off the bench and just laughs as he skates by Pogge. Yeah, it was that good.

- I couldn't get over how bad the Leafs penalty kill was. They over-pursue the puck, leave too many guys open in front, and don't block shots at all. If you ever want to explain to someone the difference between a good PK and a bad one; show them last night's game. From behind the net what the Leafs were doing was downright laughable, they could barely rotate at the point properly.

- Isn't it nice to not have to talk about Vanek struggling anymore?



- Word on the street is another defenseman is ready to play tomorrow. I'm excited already.

Hindsight's Inquiry

by Ryan

From ESPN.com

"And it wasn't just about that player," Regier told ESPN.com. "With the situation of losing both [Chris] Drury and [Daniel] Briere [to free agency] and saying that we were going to keep our young players together, then seeing the offer sheet to Vanek -- it was a statement by the organization to say, 'Listen, we're not vulnerable.' It was important from so many directions, from inside the locker room to outside the locker room with the fans and making a statement to the rest of the league."

We can't help but harp back to the Edmonton angle. Not only would the Oilers not have Penner on their hands right now if the Sabres had not matched, but they would have an elite forward to play with star winger Ales Hemsky, something the local Edmonton media has pointed out as a major issue with right now.

For as much heat as former Oilers GM/now team president Kevin Lowe got around the league in the summer of 2007, give him credit on this point -- he was right about Vanek being worth the money.

It's strange to think about this team without Thomas Vanek, especially after a game like last night. It's an odd "what if?", but it's very clear that things would be much different if that summer went like the Sabres had planned.

So... quickly: Thomas Vanek, or Chris Drury?

A View from the Roost: Atlas Comes Home

by Ryan



The bucket may say so, but Thomas Vanek wasn't the best player on the ice tonight.

Sure you could make a case for him, but there were plenty of other guys who played just as well. Drew Stafford made the best move of the night. Patrick Kaleta drew four penalties and ran all over the Leafs. Tim Connolly continued to play phenomenal hockey, and Ryan Miller hasn't allowed a goal in over two games. We know who the three stars would be when it was all over, but here's a better question: when you have so many guys playing like that, how do you beat this team?

Tonight the Buffalo Sabres ran the Toronto Maple Leafs right out of the building. In fact, they ran all the Maple Leafs fans out of the building, too. There were no "Go Leafs Go" chants, no cheers for Leafs goals, and no sarcastic cries of "Go Bills." There was nothing to cheer about if you're a Leafs fan, and a 5-0 final makes for a tough trip back across the border.



Let's face it, this Stafford/Connolly/Vanek line is something else. After some great work for Connolly's goal, it was obvious they were ready to roll and roll they did. Toronto was absolutely terrified of this line all night, and rightly so. All three are playing great hockey, and a lot of the penalties called tonight were simply out of fear that this line would beat them. It didn't help.

I mean, can you really stop that much talent? Three forwards working the boards hard, digging out pucks and getting into open ice to make things happen. All three have a knack for getting into position to score, and they can dangle with the best of them. Stafford showed that tonight with a beautiful goal, and we all know what Atlas and Timmy can do with some space. If not for the mixed medley of rookies on the back end you could make a case for Stafford/Connolly/Vanek being the best line in hockey right now.

Despite the lede, it really is nice to see Atlas get things going again. Vanek had six shots on the night, and he really could have had five goals if he gets a few bounces. It's pretty amazing that his last four hat tricks were all naturals, but I think that speaks for just how easy it is for him to take over a game. He wasn't fantastic tonight, but his sure line was. It's the kind of game we need from them when the rest of the team struggles, and that's what we saw tonight.



What I loved to see is Vanek's second goal: the "f$%k you!' slap shot. When things are going well for Thomas he doesn't even bother celebrating, but what a phenomenal play he made on that goal. His first breakaway move was decent, but this time around he froze the goaltender and ripped it into the top corner. That's the confidence we want Vanek to play with every night, and perhaps that extra edge has been missing recently. I still find it very hard to criticize Vanek's game this season, but it was great to see him get that extra edge back.

While the Sabres impressed, Toronto just didn't show up at all. Sixteen shots isn't going to cut it, and they looked flat all night. If you needed an indication that Toronto isn't ready to make a playoff push, this was the game. They hung Justin Pogge out to dry on multiple occasions, and their penalty kill was terrible. Undisciplined, sloppy hockey killed Toronto tonight, and the fans who made the trip down the QEW to watch didn't make a peep all night.

The best part about this game is that you know Montreal was watching. The Habs' play Buffalo and Toronto back to back this weekend, so they have to be scouting tonight's game. The Sabres absolutely blew the Leafs away, sending a message to both teams that they are the real deal. This team is making the playoffs, and looks more than capable of making a climb in the standings. Montreal sits all the way up in fourth place, but that's only five points away and there's a ton of hockey left to play.



After such a dominating performance tonight, you can't help but look up.

"Shades of the Sioux"

by Ryan

The title comes from the text I got from my friend Dave after this goal:



When Ryan Miller says you scored a "sick" goal, you know it was nice.

More to come.

A Different View

by Ryan

Over the last few seasons I've gone back and forth on Sabres/Leafs games. It's obvious that they are very expensive compared to most other games, but if you've ever been to one you know they are some of the most fun games you'll ever attend. For most people the negatives outweigh the positives, and after the Platinum pricing came into effect I thought I wouldn't see the Leafs in person for quite some time.

And then we got an email from Keller, a reader who wondered if we wanted his seats. Well, of course we do. So thanks to him for the tickets, and I'm working on that question.

In any event, I'm excited to see how the Sabres respond after a pretty impressive road trip. They came out of it 3-3, but what we saw on the West Coast was strong hockey in spite of a depleted back end. With Teppo back tonight the effort should be improved, and if they bring the same intensity to tonight's game they shouldn't have a problem getting two points.

7:30PM from HSBC Arena. I have a feeling there will be some stories to tell after this one.

UB's National Signing Day event

By Chris

If you're not headed out to pick up your authentic Thomas Vanek autographed jersey with your tickets at the HSBC Arena box office for tonight's Sabres game, you might want to head over to UB's North Campus. Alumni Arena should be bustling with activity.

Join Turner Gill and your 2008 MAC Football Champions for National Signing Day as they announce the 2009 class of incoming recruits. The event will take place in Alumni Arena on February 4th at 6:30 pm, admission is free.

Stop by the concourse for player autographs, official Bulls merchandise, $1.50 hot dogs, and get your picture taken with the MAC Championship Trophy!

For those who are unable to attend, the event will be streamed live on buffalobulls.com. For details, call 1-877-UB-THERE.

Here's a good read on the new recruits.

Who can say no to a $1.50 hot dog?

____________________




Also, quarterback Drew Willy was invited to the NFL Combine, taking place later this month in Indianapolis. His draft stock is rising. UB ran an NFL-style offense this year and Willy has proven to be an effective pocket passer as long as he keeps his nerves in check. He's one of 21 quarterbacks invited to the Combine and we wish him the best of luck.

Niklas Hagman Cannot Be Stopped

by Ryan



It wasn't pretty, but it was pretty awesome. We'll have a game preview up in a bit, but let's hope he doesn't do that tonight.

The Return

By Chris

Remember us?





It's been awhile since the Sabres have touched home ice as they've just wrapped up a six-game road trip. Face off against the Leafs from HSBC Arena is at 7:30 p.m. tonight and then the Sabres must head back on the road to Montreal on Friday and Ottawa on Saturday. The scheduling gods can be cruel.

The good news is that Teppo Numminen should be on the ice tonight and Rick Jeanneret will be back up in the press box calling the action. Jaroslav Spacek might even be back for Friday's game.

Numminen is recovering from minor jaw surgery and missed the entire road trip. Marc-Andre Gragnani was decent in Numminen's absence, but expect the young defenseman to be sent back down to Portland soon.

Rookie Justin Pogge has been called up from the AHL and will start for a Toronto that's currently nine points out of a playoff spot. Ryan Miller will start for the Sabres.

Dr. Mirtle projects that the Sabres will need to finish roughly three games over .500 the rest of the way if they want to return to the postseason. It starts tonight.

____________________

In other Sabres news, the regular season finale at home against Boston on April 11 has been given a 4 p.m. puck drop. With the earlier start time, it will give Sabres fans a chance to watch two other games at 7 p.m. that might have playoff implications in the East: Pittsburgh at Montreal and Washington at Florida.

Thank You, Alex Burrows

by Ryan



For ripping points away from Carolina at the very last minute. A shorty, no less. That's an awful play by Cam Ward, and an awesome goal celebration.

The climb up the mountain may still be the same thanks to the Rangers and Habs, but at least the Sabres didn't lose ground on one team behind them. Freaking Panthers.

What to Watch and Other Things

by Ryan

The Sabres have a much needed off day, but is there really ever a day off for hockey fans? Here are a few games you might be interested in watching, as well as where to watch them.

Washington vs New Jersey, 7PM (Jersey is ten points ahead of Buffalo)

Florida vs Toronto, 7:30PM (Florida is three points behind Buffalo, Toronto is in town tomorrow)

Penguins vs Canadiens, 7:30PM (Pens are 4 behind Buffalo, Habs are 5 ahead)

Thrashers vs Rangers, 8PM (Rangers are 5 points ahead of Buffalo)

Hurricanes vs Canucks, 10PM (Carolina is 2 points behind Buffalo)

I'm sure I'll catch at least one of these games, probably the Leafs because of tomorrow's game. Here are a few other links for the evening:

- Puck Daddy takes a look at shootout aces, and look who is atop the list. Amazing that they use the one photo of him using the forehand, though.

- If Mats Sundin is a Snuffleupagus, does that make the recent backup goaltender signings by Buffalo hefalumps? Is Max a sneech?

- I just ordered Leitch's God Save the Fan in paperback. I didn't read the first version, so I'm sure I'll be posting about it once it's read. I also pre-ordered Palahniuk's new book, so that should be fun.

- Sabres.TV still hasn't given us a Pominville video to play with. I think they're on to us. I mean, they have Matt Ellis on there instead. C'mon guys, throw us a bone here.

- It's been two days and I still can't believe this guy has two Super Bowl rings:



- The Sabres are now 5-5 in their last ten games, but doesn't it feel like they've played better than that? Aside from the mind numbing amount of injuries this team has sustained, I feel like they have played well enough to win since the All Star Break. The standings don't show it, but I think the team is improving down the stretch.

- Last night there was a lot of talk about Vanek's game recently. I think I'll put something a bit more substantial together for tomorrow, but I know a lot of people feel he hasn't been right since the end of December. I'll see what I come up with.

Welcome Back, Pat

by Ryan

It may not have felt like that long, but Pat Kaleta missed 24 games with a neck injury. On Saturday night he slid back into the roster, and made an immediate impact. He fought Daniel Carcillo and hit hard, showing no fear despite coming off an injury that would make most weary of confrontation so soon.

Better yet, he actually played hockey for once. He was put on the penalty kill, forechecked hard, and made a noticeable effort in his own zone. His ice time in Phoenix on Saturday totaled 10:40, more than forwards such as Matt Ellis, Daniel Paille, and Ales Kotalik. In the wake of an injury to Jochen Hecht, Kaleta was given a chance by the coaching staff to step up and make an impact. He didn't disappoint.

Last night Kaleta followed up an impressive return to action with an even more productive outing, making this play early in the first period:



Yes, that's an agitator outworking one of the Ducks' top lines, beating Bobby Ryan in the corner and crashing the net in front of Teemu Selanne. Couple that goal with a few huge hits and almost ten minutes in ice and you saw another surprisingly solid game from Kaleta.

We've talked his role on the team quite often, but what we've seen so far is exactly what he's capable of doing every game. He doesn't have to be a six minute a night, Andrew Peters type of player. He can kill penalties, he can score a few goals, and he can even hold his own against the opposition's top line. He won't dominate Ottawa's big three or keep Sidney Crosby at bay, but he won't be a complete embarrassment like most fourth liners.

Maybe it's an overreaction to two games, but I think the way the Sabres as a team played this weekend reflects what Kaleta brings to the lineup. They weren't afraid to hit and cause trouble for the Ducks or Coyotes, and it was a big factor in both games. The Sabres didn't dominate either team physically, but they didn't back down, either. That's a big deal, and even if you have an undersized team you can't shy away from hitting once the postseason comes.

Kaleta is gaining a reputation around the league as a pest, but I think it's clear that he can be more than that for this hockey team. As he develops, the opportunity will be there for more ice time, and maybe even score a few points. His forechecking along with Gaustad created the first goal last night, and I don't see why that can't happen more often. With a defense so weak due to injuries, it will take even more hard work by the forwards to be successful at both ends of the ice. There can't be any easy shifts, and a strong checking line is essential to give the few remaining players on the point a bit of rest.

It's funny, when you realize an injury cost him a quarter of the season, you only miss his game that much more. I guess what I'm saying here is, it's good to have him back.

On Point

by Ryan

No matter what you may want to say about the officiating tonight, I think we can all agree on one thing: the Sabres aren't going to win many hockey games with that defense.



It wasn't a terrible effort, but a twenty shot second period for Anaheim sort of tells the story. Better yet, take a look at the box score and look at the TOI for defenseman.

Lydman- 27:39
Butler- 22:57
Rivet- 18:15
Gragnani- 18:00
Weber- 15:51
Paetsch- 15:35

Take into consideration the fact that Rivet had 12 minutes in penalties, which only hurt the defense that much more. You have to like the fact that the defense didn't back down and defended Lalime, but each penalty against hurt the team's chances of keeping the lead intact.



You couldn't complain about the first period, with the Sabres literally taking it to the Ducks. Patrick Kaleta wrecks Bobby Ryan's life, then swings around for the early goal. It's a hell of a shift from a guy this team has sorely missed, and it's good to see him working hard after a tough injury. No matter what you take from this game, remember that the Sabres refused to back down, and that's a great sign despite losing two points.

It does seem odd to me that Anaheim didn't register penalty minutes that didn't match Buffalo until halfway through the third period, but there's not much you can do about it I suppose. The Weber penalty in the second period was meant to send a message to the players to calm down; the old "send the first guy" routine to get things calm again. It didn't work, but it wasn't the penalty that cost the Sabres.



Do the Sabres win this game if Ryan Miller starts? Maybe. Lalime wasn't fantastic and the game winner was weak, but he played quite well and didn't look rusty for being off ice so long. It's clear that Miller needs a game or two off down the stretch, and although Lalime didn't get the win he was serviceable tonight. It will look bad in the statistics, but Lalime came up big at times and did get a rough ride from the Ducks.

The fact of the matter is that if the Sabres can't rely on the back end to keep the puck out of the net they can't do much of anything. The lack of pressure from the forwards wasn't from a lack of effort, but rather knowing that there won't be much support on the blue line if things get past them.

Butler can't play over 20 minutes and be effective, Gragnani isn't ready, and Weber looks like a rookie recovering from a knee injury. I think we all know how the staff feels about Nathan Paetsch when three rookies have more ice time than him. Rivet and Lydman can't do it all, and when Rivet spends over 1/6 of the game in the box you can't expect a win.

It's a frustrating game to watch, but you have to think that this will be the worst of it, right? The end of a six game road trip, your defense decimated well beyond the ordinary mid-season injuries. Someone has to be getting healthy soon, right? I mean, when the next step is putting your third leading scorer back on the blueline; someone needs to get healthy right now.

Please, please someone get healthy right now.

If You Go By Night You'll Hit the Coast for Sure

by Ryan

What I saw on Saturday night tells me I should be confident about tonight's game, but everything else I know tells me otherwise.

Lalime will be in net, Hecht will be out, and Spacek adds to the growing list of defenseman out as well. That means Mike Weber is back up, and our defense looks a little something like this:

Lydman-Rivet
Weber-Paetsch
Gragnani-Butler

That's probably not how they will play, but no matter how you match those six that's absolutely terrifying. We're getting down to the bottom of the barrel here, to the point where Chris asked me who's next in line on defense and I responded, "Pominville?" I wasn't kidding, I'm pretty sure that's our last option.

Still, the Sabres played a heck of a game on Saturday against a physical opponent. I'd expect the same thing from a team like Anahiem, but like Kevin said today, "the Ducks are not what they used to be."

Currently in 5th in the Western conference, Anahiem has seen struggles between the pipes and some turnover in the front office this season. Brain Burke is gone, and Jonas Hiller has replaced Jean-Sebastien Giguere as the starting goaltender. Giguere has struggled since his father's death, and he leaves a huge contract on the table next season if he doesn't regain his form soon.

In fact, take a close look at the Ducks payroll. That's a ton of UFAs on a team struggling to make the playoffs. The gap between 5th and 11th in the West is just five points, and a slip up means this team is in some serious trouble.

If the Sabres can piece things together tonight they could cap off a pretty impressive road trip. Anaheim has just as much at stake, as the difference between being buyers and sellers at the deadline could be a few wins in February. With Lalime in net you never know what to expect, but you have to think the Sabres can finish strong after such an impressive win in the desert.



10PM from the Honda Center. I doubt the ice opens up and Turbowing comes out, but it should be fun either way.

Just a Reminder...

by Ryan



The Buffalo Sabres play 41 games per year in this building. You wouldn't know it from the last few weeks, but they do. I hear they are back in town sometime this week, so that should be fun.

On the Road

by Ryan

It's hard to say what was most impressive about Saturday night's win against Phoenix. Ryan Miller got a shutout, Tim Connolly continued to impress, and the defense held despite yet another injury. Miller is and should be the story of the game, but what I'm looking for in these games is something a bit different. Mainly, signs that this team is ready to make a playoff run. On Saturday I saw a team do a lot of things right, but the most important thing they did was get back up off the mat.

If you want a recap of the first period, the pictures say it all:

















It may be a bit of hyperbole, but the Sabres got it taken to them in that first 20 minutes. They were outshot 15-6 and were physically outplayed all over the ice. If not for a big period from Ryan Miller the game would be well out of reach before the first intermission, but he continued his great play and kept this team alive. Despite all the lost battles and big hits, Buffalo was still in a game on the road.

I think the moment happened when Vanek was run into that goalpost. At the time I said that the Sabres needed to fight back, that they can't let that happen to their best player with no retaliation. If things went a bit differently I may still be upset that a Coyote didn't taste metal on Saturday, but Buffalo got back in an even more impressive way.

Tim Connolly fought back, but he did it by paying the price to change the scoreboard. For all the times we've seen a Sabre avoid confrontation and play it safe, watching Tim Connolly crash the net to poke that puck in is exactly what you want to see. The top line may have been knocked around during that first period, but they had no fear on Saturday night. That's a confidence you love seeing from your team, and against a physical opponent you need that confidence to overcome that threat. This Buffalo Sabres team will never physically dominate a playoff game, but they can't be intimidated by a team when they get there.



Let's face it, when you see Derek Roy sacrifice his body to get that pass to Paille you know things are going well. Roy has taken a lot of flak for taking the easy way out, but to see two guys like Timmy and Derek make plays like that has to make you feel good about where the Sabres are headed. For all the hits and injuries they faced, Buffalo didn't back down at all.

Saturday we saw the Sabres beat a playoff team by doing all the little things right. Miller was excellent, the defense came through when it mattered, and the penalty kill was fantastic. Phoenix was missing some critical elements, but the Sabres blueline was hurting once again. It was a good effort despite a lot of things going against them, and seeing that kind of resiliency out of the Sabres is a great sign for the stretch run.

Everything seemed to go Buffalo's way on Saturday. The teams around them lost, their goaltender continues to play out of his skull, and the offense came through when it mattered most. On the road trip cited as so important by many, Buffalo is starting to give us reason to think an extended season isn't impossible after all.



There's a long way to go, but you have to feel good about the road we're on so far.

The Familiar Silence

by Ryan

It probably is not a shocking revelation, but I am under 25 years old. This means my car insurance is high, and I don't remember nearly enough about the Buffalo Bills' four Super Bowl appearances.

Some people would consider this a good thing, but I hate the fact that I missed out on a significant part of the team's history. There are clips and a few fuzzy memories, but very little about those four years has stayed with me as I've grown up. I've seen the NFL Films version of those four miserable football games, but nothing can compare to watching that kick sail wide in real time.

What I do remember, however, is the silence. I remember it from the car ride home after the last Super Bowl, and no matter how young I was I remember what it meant. Something terrible had happened, and we were supposed to be sad.

Since then I've encountered this silence countless times. On the couch, at the stadium, or on the car ride home. Game Five against Ottawa. Aaron Boone. The last two Monday Night games. My life as a sports fan has been marred with silences like this, and so I've become prepared for such moments. You can never really expect it to happen, but in the back of your mind you know it can.



Tonight my living room was filled with that silence, but none of us were Cardinals fans. Instead it was a half dozen Bills fans who knew exactly what Cardinals fans were feeling. It's a special kind of sympathy, as only a few teams truly fit the model these days. Arizona was getting its first real taste of losing in the spotlight, and in the worst way possible.

You have to wonder if it would have been better for them to lose big. When the score hit 20-7 they could have just folded, placing this Super Bowl into the vast collection of blowout wins against inferior teams. After all, it's Super Bowl XXV that fans remember most out of all those Bills games. Losing big would hurt, but it's the getting close and falling short that hurts even more.



When Arizona did fight back, it was hard to remember that they could lose. If you were writing a movie, this was the part where the underdogs get a few bounces and win the game on the strength of their star. Larry Fitzgerald shook the Steelers defense and proved he is the best receiver on the planet. That catch on the fade route was absolutely phenomenal, and outrunning the entire Steelers defense on the second touchdown shows exactly what he's capable of.

But there was time left, and we all know what happens to a team like Arizona when there's time left.



The game was fantastic, and you have to be happy that Arizona made it exciting to the bitter end. Still, it's hard to completely forget about how similar this felt to a Bills game. We all know the last time there was a safety in the Super Bowl, and the history a team like Arizona has puts both groups of fans in the same boat. Tonight the number of teams without a Super Bowl victory remains the same, but another team has had victory ripped away from them.



It's hard to hate the game, but you sure do hate that silence sometimes.

Hey Dummy

I think I need a new job.

Belated Super Bowl Post

by Ryan



So yeah, about the Super Bowl. It will be hard to top a game like we saw last year, in which we saw the Patriots fall short of one of the greatest seasons in NFL history. Instead, we were treated to a schadenfreude show of epic proportions, one which I still enjoy to this day.

Seeing the Buzzsaw That Is The Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl is going to be really weird, but it brings up an interesting conundrum for Bills fans. Do you root for a team that has never won the Super Bowl to get their first, or do you hope for failure to make your own failure seem better?

Honestly, I hope they win. It's not that I want the list of teams that have never won it to get smaller, but rather to prove that teams like Arizona can win it all. Let's face it, the Bills will never be a favorite no matter what happens. They will never be able to replicate what happened in the 90s, and a run like we've seen with Arizona is likely to be the only way it happens.

I just want to see if it can be done, and no matter what I doubt I'll be disappointed with the game. This is probably the least hyped Super Bowl in recent memory, and since it's the last football we'll see for seven months we better make it count.

Cardinals 31, Steelers 17. Let's see what happens.