The Buffalo Bandits will be playing the post season thanks to another victory on national television.
Buffalo’s 14-9 victory over Rochester was powered by a tremendous effort by Anthony Cosmo in goal and the NLL’s newest Player of the Week, Mark Steenhuis.
Photo courtesty: Buffalo Bandits
Steenhuis led all players with eight points (4+4) as he helped clinch a playoff spot for the Bandits. The former Transition Player of the Year (2008) has improved his offensive output in recent weeks and has put him on pace for a strong showing offensively this season. This is of particular importance considering the regression he had over the past two years.
The Bandits still have a chance to improve their standing in the NLL’s East Division as the playoffs draw near, but they will be playing on the road in the first round no matter what. Saturday’s game in Washington will be nothing more than a warmup for next week’s first round playoff game.
In addition to Steenhuis’ big effort, the Bandits defense locked down and stifled the usually high-octant Knighthawks offense last Saturday. Anthony Cosmo was superb in goal and enjoyed an evening of long, outside shots and only a handful of high-quality chances. He was capable of turning aside most of the Knighthawks’ best chances.
Cosmo was part of a larger defensive effort that saw the Bandits hold the Rochester to only two goals in the first half and many long scoreless stretches. That includes a drought of 16 minutes without a goal. From 11:54 of the second quarter until 12:45 of the third quarter and 11:26 of the third to 8:46 of the fourth quarter were the two longest droughts for Rochester. Buffalo made the Knighthawks pay, piecing together a number of lengthy runs, something they have struggled with this season.
The only missing puzzle piece on Saturday was John Tavares. For the first time in pretty much forever, Tavares did not factor in the goal scoring for the Bandits and only registered two assists. A good natured Darris Kilgour brushed off his stats, saying that he simply needs to shoot more. Continue reading →
The next group of player grades for the Sabres is comprised of young talent and new faces. This group either arrived in Buffalo this season, or are part of the burgeoning youth movement on the depth chart.
Tyler Ennis – A-
This might seem like a high grade to some, it may even look like a low grade for some. I say it is adequate with the understanding that Ennis still has room to grow, especially as a center. The ankle injury that sidelined him for 34 games was a devastating blow to his progress and the Sabres in general.
While he was sniffing at a point per game pace, it was basically just in the second half. That bodes quite well for a player that is looking like he could be a major weapon for the Sabres in the coming seasons. I still think Ennis needs to add a little size, but he certainly doesn’t need to change anything on the offensive side of his game.
Tyler Ennis and Cody Hodgson should prove to be the centers of the future in Buffalo
Cody Hodgson- C+
I like Hodgson’s game. His numbers weren’t ideal, but he showed some traits that should make him a dangerous piece of the puzzle moving forward. His brief time here was highlighted by a few nice goals and assists, obviously putting him with scorers will be a necessity. Depending on what kind of summer he has could mean that he comes to camp has the incumbent number two center (behind Ennis) with the chance to be a key contributor for next year.
For the ninth episode of The Instigator, Eric and I talk about the first round of the NHL playoffs, parity and non-traditional hockey markets. Of course, we also play plus/minus.
The second round of player grades will focus on Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Jochen Hecht and Brad Boyes. These six players are major parts of the core, plus Boyes, and make up a major portion of the Sabres’ top six.
Jason Pominville – A
Pominville was named the team MVP and was the leading scorer with 30 goals and 73 points. Outside of his dominant years playing the wing with Danny Briere, this was the best hockey I have seen Pominville play. He was active in all three zones, played consistently all year and was heads and shoulders better than any other forward on the Buffalo roster.
While Pominville’s second half was somewhat quieter than his first half, he still remained a steady force offensively. I would credit his slight regression on being separated from Thomas Vanek. Regardless, Pominville embraced the captaincy and built a nice standard to try and surpass for next season.
Thomas Vanek – B+
Comparing Vanek’s first half play to his second half play is like comparing Kate Upton to taking a stick in the eye. Vanek was brilliant over the first 41 games of the season. He was flirting with the league leaders in goals and points for some time before tailing off as the season progressed. A lot of that had to do with some lingering injuries that he refused to elaborate upon. I think his struggles can also be tied to moving him away from Jason Pominville.
Vanek has always been somewhat enigmatic. At times he can be an unstoppable force and then completely invisible for stretches after. He basically enjoyed a tremendous first half, followed by a disappointing second half plagued by injury. I give him credit for refusing his injuries to be an excuse for his play. Getting Vanek a steady center to feed him the puck should be a top Darcy Regier’s to-do list.
Derek Roy – B
Derek Roy and Drew Stafford each reversed their ugly first half play with some strong hockey during the stretch run. Roy’s hamstring injury may have lingered during the early portion of the year before fully healing. However, some of his uninspired efforts didn’t seem to be caused by the lack of physical ability.
Roy’s late season success could increase his trade value with some teams. Whether or not he is expected to be traded is anyone’s guess. However, his comments about Lindy Ruff likely sealed his ticket out of town. Continue reading →
The Buffalo Bandits enter this weekend’s game with Rochester with a truly unique opportunity in front of them. They can not only clinch a playoff spot, but also lock down the first overall pick in the 2012 NLL Entry Draft. Thus is life in a nine-team league, I suppose.
Obviously the Bandits will need some help if they are to achieve this feat. First, the easy part. The Bandits can clinch the playoffs if they beat Washington next weekend at home. Plain and simple, just win your game. However, the Bandits could also clinch with a win tomorrow and a loss by either Washington or Rochester in the next week.
The Bandits are currently flirting with missing out on the final playoff spot due to the swing rule that has been instituted this season. If the worst team in the East finished below the worst team in the West, the West team will play in the playoffs. Right now Washington and Buffalo are in a bit of a dog fight.
Despite some of the questions surrounding Buffalo’s post season future, they even have a shot at the East Division crown. This is more or less because of the parity in the East versus the success the Bandits have had. However, if they win out and both Toronto and Philadelphia lose out, Buffalo will win the East. Continue reading →
A recent setback with the pending sale of Outer Harbor land has brought additional debates to the surface of how the valuable waterfront property should be used.
Ensuring that public access is maintained by whomever ends up buying the property has suddenly become a key concern with any future sale. For the outer harbor, a vast expanse of underutilized property has begun making rounds in the news cycle as the NFTA attempts to unburden themselves of what seems to be an operational and budgetary albatross for the Authority.
Recent press would indicate that the impending sale has not just been moved to the back burner, they have been taken off the stove altogether. Again, as citizens hoping for a truly wonder waterfront, we need to wait.
Hurry up and wait could probably substitute quite well for other phrases that have been tossed around the discussion regarding the development of Buffalo’s waterfront. After all, what’s the big deal with a few more months or years of delays after decades of waiting?
Perhaps the plan that had been put forward by Bear Development wasn’t going to be the very best for the outer harbor, but we won’t know either way. Obviously with the NFTA shifting gears with the development plans there won’t be a singular direction as to what citizens can expect. However, with all the talk for public access, I wonder what exactly will there be for the public if no developers are ever pegged? Continue reading →
As the NFL draft creeps closer by the day, Bills fans are beginning to buzz as to what direction their team may take with their selections in New York.
Could Luke Kuechly be the man for the Bills?
By signing Mario Williams, the Bills have opened themselves up to possibly go for talent over necessity with their first round pick. There are some obvious deficiencies that do need to be addressed through the draft, but the talent available when the Bills are on the board may push Buddy Nix to take the best player, rather than the player who best meets the needs of the team.
Most draft experts are saying one of two names for the Bills in the first round. Either Riley Reiff or Michael Floyd. I think Luke Kuechly’s name should probably be mentioned in the conversation, along with Melvin Ingram. Why? Buffalo’s depth at linebacker is terribly thin.
I don’t think that Ingram would be very well suited to play linebacker at the NFL level. However, he does have some very impressive pass rushing characteristics which could make him an enticing option as a stand-up pass rusher. Kuechly, while incredibly talented, would be just another middle linebacker being lined up by the Bills. Currently, Kelvin Sheppard is penciled in to play the middle with Nick Barnett and Kirk Morrison (two inside backers) to play on the strong and weak sides. Add Kuechly to the mix would certainly add elite talent, but not necessarily a traditional outside linebacker.
Given that information, you probably end up back at square one with the first round pick. Simply take a look at the draft board and determine the best player listed and select him. Outside of picking a quarterback, running back or defensive lineman, nearly every other position could use an upgrade. Considering the Bills have so many needs, they will likely hit one of them with their choice.
If I’m making the pick, I’m either trading down or selecting the best tackle on my draft board. Reiff or Jonathon Martin are bound to be available when the Bills are on the clock. Either one of these guys would give the Bills a massive upgrade at tackle. When I look at the Bills roster, tackle is probably the biggest position of need, in my opinion. Figuring out if Buddy Nix values the tackles available as a first round talent is a whole different question.
As of now, I would say that Martin is probably the best fit for the needs the Bills have. Based on that assessment, that is why I would make Martin my selection, that is if he still carries a top-10 grade. There is just something about Martin I like better than Reiff. However, if they’re truly going to take the best player available, I could see them going in a number of different directions.
I can see Ingram as a viable choice, if he is deemed as the most talented. He would make even more sense if they feel confident that he can play outside linebacker in a 4-3. Drafting Ingram would give the Bills one more pass rushing monster along with Williams, Mark Anderson and Shawne Merriman (assuming they keep him). Think along the lines of the talent the Giants are able to roll out at any given time, that is basically what you’re looking at by drafting Ingram.
The same can be said of Kuechly as I just said of Ingram. If the Bills are comfortable with transitioning him to the outside, he would be a perfect fit. However, if he – or Kelvin Sheppard, for that matter – doesn’t have the skillset to transition to the outside in the NFL, taking Kuechly would be a waste.
If the Bills decide that none of the players above are truly the best available, then I would put my money on Floyd. He is a great prospect who would provide a true compliment to Stevie Johnson. Truthfully, he probably best fits the “best available” tag. If Floyd is the choice the Bills make, so be it. I’m not sure if I would totally agree with using the number 10 pick on a wide receiver, especially considering the other needs the team has. However, Floyd certainly would fill the hole opposite Johnson that has been previously filled by undrafted free agents.
What decision will need to be made is what the best approach for the Bills will be. Enough significant upgrades have been made to continue inserting talent into positions of need. However, the Bills don’t have the luxury of choosing which ever player they think is the best. There are spots that need to be filled and the first round pick needs to be used as such.
The NHL playoffs will forever be the best month and a half of television that you can find. No matter who is in the tournament, the yearly battle for the Stanley Cup is some of the most dramatic and captivating television you can find.
Even with all of the shenanigans, this year has yet to disappoint. The nightly gongshow that has become the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs has become appointment television that even the most casual of hockey fans have found interest with. The ratings from the Pittsburgh/Philadelphia ratings do all the talking.
Say what you will, but the physical nature of the Penguins/Flyers series has been terrific television.
However, things are starting to spiral out of control. From the lack of respect from the players, the lack of control from the officials to the lack of consistency from the league, some major problems have come to a head through just half of round one. Yet, I do have to ask, is this all bad for the game?
Obviously the ridiculous hits and headhunting are an ugly addition to these playoffs and need to be stopped. However, the fights and line brawls have to bring some extra spice for those casual viewers who may not be true hockey fans. Think about it, casual sports fans think hockey is all about fighting; these playoffs have provided plenty of that. There has even been some decent numbers in the goal scoring department, another category that is referenced when bemoaning television viewership.
While the offense hasn’t surpassed the magical six goals per game mark – 5.28 goals per game entering Wednesday – nearly every game has been a blast to watch. Personally, five goals in a game is really all you need. A 3-2 game is typically thrilling and features nearly two goals per period, you can’t ask for too much more. Also consider that there have been eight overtime games played of the 25 so far in these playoffs. Those OT games are basically canned drama that any fan could find interesting. Even the scoring numbers have been slightly skewed. Considering there have been three 1-0 games and two additional three-goal contests, the scoring could be much higher. Continue reading →
Over the next few days and weeks, I will be providing some grades for each player to suit up for the Sabres this season. The evaluations will be done in groups, beginning with the goaltenders.
Ryan Miller – B
Overall, the Sabres goaltending wasn’t good enough this season. Based on numbers alone, both Miller and Jhonas Enroth would be right in the middle of the pack among their peers. However, it was an up and down year for each highlighted by rough patches and some great play.
Miller’s hot streak to end the season was one of the main reasons the Sabres were even alive in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. His slump through November and December was one of the main reasons Buffalo was so deep in the Eastern Conference.
Overall, Miller played some very good hockey for long stretches. Obviously the run he began in January all but erased the ugly stats he developed earlier in the season. I would contend that a great deal of his struggles were tied to the long recovery from his collision with Milan Lucic. The injury itself may not have done as much damage as the lengthy recovery period Miller went through. A simple eye test would show that he wasn’t back to normal until well into January – nearly two full months after the injury.
Critics and apologists should all be able to agree that Miller’s season needed to be better. However, when healthy, I would argue he would have produced one of his best professional seasons to date. His play in early October was stellar, as was his final three months. There were a couple appearances that hurt his numbers – when he was injured and stepping in for Enroth in Philly – but his play at the end of the year all but righted the ship.
Miller’s play has always been more about his actual results rather than strictly numbers. Goaltending has always been about making the big saves when necessary, that doesn’t always mean your numbers will be Hasekian. For Miller, there is plenty of room for improvement. I would say a good offseason and a run of healthy hockey could certainly help shake some of the critics from his back. Continue reading →
The Buffalo Bills will play host to a national audience for a home night game in addition to playing four home games for the 2012 season.
With the Bills 2012 schedule released this evening, fans get a look at who and where the Bills will play this season. Buffalo will see the NFC West and AFC South, along with games against Cleveland and Kansas City this year, in addition to their usual slate of AFC East games.
The highlight of the season comes on November 15 when the Miami Dolphins come to town for a Thursday night contest in what will hopefully be cold, blustery weather. There is nothing better than putting a beating on the Dolphins while snow is flying. We will see if mother nature cooperates. Continue reading →
