Author: Chris Ostrander

The Morning Skate: Sabres vs. Flyers

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The Buffalo Sabres have their first chance to exact revenge on the Philadelphia Flyers after their first-round playoff loss last season.

Both teams have significantly different rosters but still have a familiar core that will remember the seven-game epic that dispatched the Sabres and left the Flyers gasping for air before their second-round series. Ville Leino will play against his former team for the first time and Ilya Bryzgalov will give the new Flyers media rules a test after his 5-1 win against Carolina.

The Sabres have had a rough week and a half after busting out of the gates with a 5-1 record. Buffalo is 1-3 over their last four games and it appears that their struggles on home ice have carried over from last season.

Still, they are currently in the Eastern Conference’s top eight and are in a three-way tie with the Flyers and Panthers with 13 points. Of course, it is very early to be discussing the playoff picture.

Both the Sabres and Flyers will be searching to gain some stability with this game. Ryan Miller had a sizzling start that matched his team’s success. After a couple so-so outings, Miller is in need of a bounce back game. The same can be said for Philadelphia’s big money goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. After signing a monster deal in the offseason, Bryzgalov’s numbers aren’t matching those going into his bank account. However, he had a fine showing against the Hurricanes and has had plenty of rest entering this game.

Lindy Ruff made some interesting line changes prior to a grueling work out on Monday. He followed with a special teams specific practice yesterday. The additional preparation time should put Buffalo in good shape for a strong showing tonight. If nothing else they should come out trying to prove a point after getting bagged by their coach.

Highlighted Matchup

Ryan Miller vs. Ilya Bryzgalov. There are going to be plenty of things to watch for tonight, but the showdown between the big money goalies will be intriguing. Despite the fact that a goaltender’s performance is 100% independent from that of his counterpart, the many critics of both will be watching with a keen eye. If one plays with a better edge expect his team to win.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 8GP, 4-4-0, 2.14 GAA, .930 SV%

PHI: Ilya Bryzgalov 9GP, 4-4-1, 3.16 GAA, .880 SV%

What To Watch For

1. Ville Leino has not only inherited Tim Connolly’s responsibilities, he also inherited his critics. The prized free agent hasn’t found his groove through ten games and multiple line changes. His newest role is centering Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville. This will be an all-or-nothing venture for the playmaking Finn. I would expect him to succeed with the team’s two best scoring weapons. Keep an eye on Subway Line 2.0.

2. The sixth defenseman. It would appear that Mike Weber is poised to make his season debut. Who better to play him against than a muck and grind team like Philly? Weber will take the place of Marc-Andre Gragnani, who was replaced by Derek Roy on the top power play unit yesterday. It would be shocking if Weber doesn’t play after than move by Ruff. Gragnani wasn’t contributing as a power play specialist and was awful in his zone, seems like an easy decision.

3. Luke Adam, Derek Roy and Drew Stafford may quickly click or the latter two may continue to struggle. Adam is coming off the Sabres’ top line in hopes of sparking the two veterans. If this shuffle doesn’t prove effective – plus the Leino experiment – the Sabres could be in serious trouble offensively.

2010-11 Season Series BUF 2-2-0

10/26/2010, Wachovia Center, Sabres 3 – Flyers 6

1/11/2011, HSBC Arena, Sabres 2 – Flyers 5

3/5/2011, Wachovia Center, Sabres 5 – Flyers 3

4/8/2011, HSBC Arena, Sabres 4 – 3 OT

Sabres Stat Pack: Shots against a sign of struggles at home

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Ryan Miller has been doing this far too many times this season.

Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth both boast a save percentage well above .900 (.930 and .946 respectively), as well they should. The Buffalo Sabres have managed to surrender a boatload of shots in their first ten games.

The Sabres are currently ninth-worst in the NHL with an average of 31.9 shots per game (319 total). By comparison, Buffalo is averaging only 29.4 shots per contest (294 total). While shots allowed and taken don’t paint a full picture of a dominant or struggling team, it can offer some insight to the Sabres current 6-4 record.

Most Sabres fans have found some cause for concern though numerous outlets thus far, despite the team sitting in a playoff spot and only trailing the division leading Maple Leafs (seriously?) by three points. Whether it is “inconsistent” goaltending, Ville Leino’s inability to spark early or the all-in or bust nature of the power play; there is some unrest throughout Hockey Heaven.

The only true disturbing trends that have developed early in the season has been Buffalo’s play at home and the appalling rate in which they give up shots. Winning at home was a problem in 2010-11 and it seems to be a recurring theme this year. Regardless of the tomb-like state of the seating bowl, the Sabres can’t seem to find their footing at First Niagara Center. Continue reading →

Deskchair Quarterback: Bills 23 – Redskins 0

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It only took four years for the Bills to get a regular season victory in Toronto. They did it in the same manner they have won nearly every game this season, on the back of Fred Jackson.

Jackson ran roughshod over the Washington Redskins and amassed 194 yards in offense as the Bills shut out the Skins 23-0. The Bills are 3-1 against the NFC East and face Dallas in two weeks. Jackson’s performance was backed by a banner defensive day. The Bills racked up nine sacks and blocked a field goal on one of the two threatening drives Washington was able to manufacture.

Ryan Fitzpatrick had another efficient afternoon, tossing two touchdown passes and hitting for over 250 yards. Great numbers from the man with the new contract. Still, Sunday was all about Jackson.

Jackson broke off three big plays that led directly to Bills points and was generally unstoppable for the entire afternoon. It is high time he get a new contract from the Bills. A really big contract. There is something to be said about the guy who gets plenty of attention from the TV crew. It isn’t just that he will run angry or never gives up. Jackson’s jersey was tattered and the stripes on his helmet were shredded from his effort. No worries though, Jackson just kept rolling as the motor that drives the Bills offense.

Defensively, the Bills were expected to be in for an easy afternoon due to all of Washington’s injuries. Buffalo made sure to take advantage of that situation. Marcell Dareus was dominant at nose tackle and Arthur Moats as a factor on the edge all game. While signing Shawne Merriman was the right move – there was nothing to lose in doing so – Moats seems to have a higher motor at this point. Seeing Moats have a positive impact on the game was huge. There were times that Merriman’s presence on the field did help the Buffalo defense, despite not getting tangible results (sacks), he had a positive impact on the team result. Losing him opened a hole that could have proven to be disastrous. Clearly Arthur Moats is a capable NFL pass rusher and there is no reason to move him back inside. Ever.

There should be some tempering after this game. The Redskins were seriously banged up and had a bad enough offense to begin with. So, maybe the Bills had an easier road than in previous games. Still, they held an NFL team off the scoreboard for an entire game. They will face a far more difficult task against the Jets next week and will certainly have their hands full against the Cowboys too.

The next four games present an opportunity for the Bills to really establish a strong foothold on a playoff spot. Facing the Jets twice, the Dolphins and the Cowboys, Buffalo needs to be no worse than 2-2. The Dolphins game needs to be a sure win, while there should be a victory against the Jets. Assume this week is a must win against an up-and-down team at the Ralph. The Bills need to win that one. That gives a free pass for the road game in New York and a pass against the Cowboys. Now, there is no reason not to beat Dallas, but they are a Jekyll and Hyde team much like the Giants. Buffalo could see their best or they could see them at their worst. Based on that set of four games, Buffalo would enter the final five weeks with a 7-4 (or better) record with three potential gimmies between Tennessee, Miami and Denver.

That would all but guarantee a Wild Card spot for a team that hasn’t seen the post season since the 90s.

Ruff shakes up lines, Leino to center Vanek and Pominville

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Lindy Ruff has decided that it is time for a change.  With a 1-2-0 record though the first three games of a five-game home stand; the Sabres were in need of a wake-up call.

The shake-up hit the top two lines as Luke Adam has been flipped for Ville Leino. Leino is back at center between the Sabres’ top two scorers. It looks as if Ruff wants Leino to play out of the funk he is in, definitely the best approach. While there is certainly a possibility to derail the early success Vanek and Pominville have had, Adam wasn’t a direct factor in their torrid start. If anything, Leino’s slickness will add an extra wrinkle to the already lethal wingers.

Adam will now skate alongside Derek Roy and Drew Stafford. Reports say Adam will be on the wing with the two veterans. This move won’t help or hurt a line that was largely in effective before Leino was moved to their wing. Adam has had a strong start to the season and has benefitted from his time with Vanek and Pominville. However, he wasn’t the only factor to their success. In fact, their continued success on the power play shows that they aren’t fully dependent on their center to produce.

Based on the limited ice time the Leino has been receiving, it is obvious Ruff hasn’t liked his game. Ruff is also aware that sitting a player on the bench won’t do much more than pile on the negative reinforcement. By placing Leino with Buffalo’s two best offensive weapons, Ruff has created the potential for Leino to utilize his tremendous playmaking ability with two players on hot streaks.

The key for Leino will be to make quicker decisions. It seems that he has been over handling the puck and thinking too long in regards to finding passing lanes or getting pucks to the net. If he is able to “simplify” his game there should be a marked improvement. Having two line mates who have been successful thus far is another added bonus. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Sabres vs. Panthers

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The Buffalo Sabres may still be searching for their first “60-minute” effort at home, but they are no longer searching for their first home win.

Lindy Ruff may have said it best when he said they needed to get a win for the new room and get that out of the way. It is always fun when Ruff shares those candid thoughts. The Sabres will be looking for home win number two this evening against the Florida Panthers.

The Sabres will have played half of their contests against the NHL’s two Florida teams after tonight. After dropping their home-and-home against Tampa Bay, getting two points tonight would give Buffalo an even split in the four games.

Buffalo has started to find a bit of scoring support outside of The Subway Line. Brad Boyes has goals in two-straight and the grind line of Gerbe, Gaustad and Kaleta have become productive in their own right. While Buffalo’s second scoring line of Leino, Roy and Stafford remain in a funk but will prove to be a dangerous compliment to Buffalo’s top line of Vanek, Adam and Pominville.

A lot is being made of the lack of production coming from Leino and his line mates. However, it still seems early to be labeling Leino as a bust and overpaid. He and his line mates likely need a game in which they get a goal or two to get things rolling.

The only evident change in the Panthers’ lineup will likely come between the pipes. Jose Theodore suffered a minor injury and Jacob Markstrom has filled in admirably. Markstrom is a blue-chip prospect who takes up a lot of net. Where Theodore is a smaller, athletic goaltender; Markstrom is a big body who will play a technical game similar to Henrik Lundqvist.

Some fans in Buffalo seem to think there is a goalie controversy brewing, if anything Jhonas Enroth is developing into a 1B goaltender to compliment Ryan Miller. While Enroth’s performance on Thursday was outstanding, it probably doesn’t merit a second-straight start. Suffice it to say, he will certainly see time next week.

Highlighted Matchup

Buffalo penalty kill vs. Florida power play. Florida’s power play has had a solid run to start the season. This is due, in large part, to the numerous new acquisitions they made in the offseason. The Sabres have done a great job killing penalties this season, it is likely the greatest strength of the team at this point. When the Panthers power play has clicked they have succeeded, the Sabres will be tasked with shutting the unit down.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 7GP, 4-3-0, 2.01 GAA, .933% SV%

FAL: Jacob Markstrom 4GP, 2-2-0, 2.11 GAA, .945 SV%

Last Game BUF leads series 1-0-0

10/20/2011, BankAtlantic Center, Sabres 3 – Panthers 0

 

Bills extend Fitzpatrick with six-year $59 million contract

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The Bills took care of one star’s miniscule contract. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been signed to a six-year $59 million extension by the team.

Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson have been the two driving forces in the Bills success this despite being criminally underpaid. Well, maybe not criminally, they do make millions of dollars playing a game.

Still, Fitzpatrick’s play in relief of Trent Edwards was a relief last season and he has continued to progress as an effective quarterback this year. His play has been so eye-opening that fans have gone from rallying a “Suck for Luck” campaign to talking playoff possibilities.

A six-year deal is fairly hefty for a former seventh-round pick from Harvard. He has certainly earned the money, I just wonder if the length of the contract is ideal for the development of the Bills. I was expecting a four or five-year deal that would allow the Bills to draft and cultivate a franchise QB, very much in the way Aaron Rodgers was groomed in Green Bay. Now, the Bills can always walk away from the deal or release Fitzpatrick and only be on the hook for the $24 million he is guaranteed. But for a team which thinks bottom line before finish line, that doesn’t seem like a very real option.

Assuming Fitzpatrick remains a Bill through the entire term of the contract, you can expect to see a franchise quarterback drafted two or three years down the line. There won’t be much need to bring a youngster in just yet.

While some fans who have been clamoring for a true franchise QB will complain about Fitzpatrick’s ability to throw a good deep ball, they should be happy to know that Fitzpatrick is more than capable of carrying the banner until a true franchise QB is brought in. Think of it this way; with no need to draft a QB in the first or second round for the next three years, the Bills can continue to shore up their other weaknesses.

Perhaps the opportunity to build for the future is the silver lining in this deal. There is no doubting that Fitzpatrick is the man the Bills want as their QB, however he is not the prototype many football fans would draw up to lead their team. By signing him to a significant deal, the Bills have ensured they can focus on the numerous holes on defense and other positions of need in the draft and free agency.

Fitzmagic will certainly have plenty of extra focus on him thanks to the new deal, he will have higher standard to live up to because of it. He should have little trouble doing so based on his past performances.

Double Minors: Sabres 4 – Blue Jackets 2

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Just call them the Subway Line.

Vanek-Adam-Pominville, call them The Subway Line

Thanks to Thomas Vanek, Luke Adam and Jason Pominville, plenty of Buffalonians will be eating free subs after home games this season. The people at Subway will be second guessing their decision to say three goals is all the Sabres need to score in order to qualify for the free sandwich.

I understand that the Senators had the Pizza Line a few years ago, but this is not an imitation of the Sens power line. This is a different giveaway and a different set of players.

The Sabres’ power line racked up seven points (2+5) and Pominville earned first star honors for his effort this evening. Brad Boyes and Pat Kaleta also factored in the scoring for the Sabres.

Buffalo nearly gave back another two-goal lead at home before Kaleta’s go-ahead tally late in the third. After a sound first period, the Sabres slept walked through much of the second and third period. Two defensive gaffes by the Sabres resulted in the Columbus goals. This time the Sabres were able to battle back and lock down their first home win.

The first period featured two fights, 30 shots and Buffalo’s first home power play goal of the season. After Pominville’s tally in the second, the Sabres took a break. Vinny Prospal scored on a transition play created by a Christian Ehrhoff turnover and Fedor Tyutin tied the game in the third period.

Kaleta’s winner came at the end of a hard shift for Buffalo’s grind line and Pominville sealed it with a late power play goal.

Jhonas Enroth had another great outing and potentially made a case to get back in the crease sooner than a week from now.

  • The Sabres power play finally got clicking, going 2-for-3 on the night. They didn’t get much help from the zebras, the Sabres were whistled for six minors. Still, Buffalo managed to exploit openings in the Blue Jackets penalty kill in order to score their goals. Boyes’ tally came off a beautiful passing play on the rush, while Pominville’s was equally pretty as Vanek found him from behind the net.
  • Despite having a tough turnover that resulted in a goal, Ehrhoff did some things well tonight. He was shut off at the point, but his volley into the corner helped set up Kaleta’s winner. Ehrhoff seems to be settling in a bit and looks to have developed a comfort zone with his partner, Andrej Sekera.
  • The Sabres didn’t give a full 60 minutes, as some might say. They allowed an inferior team to put 43 shots on goal while taking six penalties. While the Sabres have the luxury of two goaltenders who can bail them out of that situation, the defense needs to be shored up. This is the perfect opportunity to insert Mike Weber into the lineup.
  • Weber could replace Marc-Andre Gragnani without missing a beat. Gragnani seems to be a little anxious when he has the puck on his stick and he has not been sound in his own zone. Simply put, the Sabres have too many offensive defenseman in the lineup. They need a little more responsibility in their top six.
  • Enroth was a bear in net. He had a few awkward moments, but that is going to be commonplace for the youngster. Enroth plays an almost uncomfortable style that can make fans nervous when a shot comes through. He probably didn’t earn a start on Saturday, but he should see time at least once next week.
  • Pat Kaleta scoffed a bit at The Code when he declined a fight with Cody Bass before obliging him shortly thereafter. As it turns out he has a pretty nasty cut and infection on his nose, not something that was noticeable in-arena. However, he made it his mission to run Vinny Prospal through the glass any chance he had in the third period. That is the type of play I want to see more of from Kaleta.
  • Yes, Tyler Myers had a few tough shifts. He definitely doesn’t appear to be at 100% efficiency just yet. Perhaps he has a few offseason habits he needs to kick. Who knows? He had a few tough plays this evening but also made a handful of smart, sound plays as well. It is too easy for Sabres fans to pile on these players after one or two bad plays. Evaluate the player’s entire game or don’t evaluate it at all.
  • Matt Ellis dressed and the Sabres won. You can’t deny that the dude would run through a wall if needed. It will be hard to take him out of the lineup.
  • Brad Boyes has come alive. He had a great game against the Panthers and has started finding the net once again. He is certainly benefitting from playing with the team’s two hottest scorers on the power play. But he is showing quite a bit of life. He is suddenly looking like the guy who went on a tear from the first game he arrived in Buffalo.

Three Stars

1. Jason Pominville

2. Jhonas Enroth

3. Patrick Kaleta

NHL Links

Game Summary

Event Summary

Ruff shifts Ehrhoff to tweak stagnant power play

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Moving Christian Ehrhoff within the Sabres power play is expected to bring results

The Buffalo Sabres are 5-2, sit one point out of the Northeast Division lead and have a sound game when it comes to road contests. Yet, something is broken.

Buffalo’s power play has become a burden for a team that has had an otherwise sparkling start. Many Chicken Little fans are bemoaning the two lackluster home efforts, but it is the power play that seems to carry the greatest cause for concern. There is reason to worry about the 0-2 home record, both games were practically carbon copies of themselves and it is an eerie reminder of the 0-6-1 home start the Sabres had last season. It just isn’t paramount at this point in time.

After arriving home from Europe with a power play efficiency just south of 40%, it seemed as if the addition of Christian Ehrhoff and additional offensive depth was already paying off. The Sabres went 3-for-8 on their power plays in Europe; they are 1-for-17 since.  Will Hunting could tell you those are bad numbers. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Sabres vs. Blue Jackets

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Despite what the current standings say, Buffalo’s match up with the Columbus Blue Jackets this evening will be anything but a sure thing.

Columbus found some offense as they finally won their first game of the season, 4-1 over Detroit. After opening the season 0-7-1, the Blue Jackets rode two special teams goals (one shorthanded, one power play) to the victory.

On top of facing a seriously desperate team, Buffalo will have some significant history against them as well. Prior to their two-game sweep of the Blue Jackets last season, Buffalo had not beaten Columbus since the 2004 season. The Sabres are 4-7-1 all-time against Columbus and lost four of the previous seven games against the Blue Jackets. What is most important is that the Sabres had been winless against Columbus since the lockout.

Aside from cracking the Blue Jackets’ code last season, Buffalo will be facing a team that has had a topsy-turvy start to the season. Columbus beat Detroit, thanks in part to facing a backup goaltender, but have otherwise been very subpar this year. The Sabres not only need to jump to an early lead, tey need to step on the throat when they have their opponent down.

The Sabres are still struggling to find depth scoring behind the line of Thomas Vanek, Luke Adam and Jason Pominville. Brad Boyes and Nathan Gerbe got in on the act on Tuesday, which is a promising development. Both have been generating more chances of late, they were due to get a goal.

Every other line for Buffalo has not been able to provide help in the goal scoring department. Partly because all but one line (26-72-29) has been shuffled and flipped through nearly every game. With a bit more time to develop chemistry there should be some progress seen in terms of offensive output.

Highlighted Matchup

Buffalo power play vs. Columbus penalty kill. In their search for secondary scoring, Lindy Ruff shuffled his power play units prior to Tuesday’s game. While the Sabres remain in the top-20 in terms of conversions, they have only four power play goals this season – three of which were scored in Europe. In practice it seemed as if Christian Ehrhoff was being moved up towards the top of the point, rather than down on the circle. This was something I had touched on previously and I’m glad they are going to try and fix the problem. With the league’s worst penalty kill in town it will be imperative for the Sabres to capitalize on the potential mismatch. If the power play fails them again they could have bigger problems than finding the best spot for Ville Leino.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Jhonas Enroth 1GP, 1-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .935 SV%

CBJ: Steve Mason 9GP, 1-7-1, 3.25 GA, .889 SV%

2010-2011 Season Series BUF 2-0-0

12/3/2010, HSBC Arena, Sabres 5 – Blue Jackets 0

4/9/2011, Nationwide Area, Sabres 5 – Blue Jackets 4

Ville Leino and preaching patience

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The additional expectations and pressure that come with a six-year $27 million contract were probably something Ville Leino was prepared to deal with entering his first season with the Buffalo Sabres.

He was probably ready to accept the challenge that came with learning a new system, playing with new linemates and even switching back to his old position. The hiccup in all of this has been an early; make that very early, slump accompanied by a game of musical line changes.

Leino has skated with three different lines already and the season is only eight games old. After starting as a center between Tyler Ennis and Brady Boyes, he was given a new winger (Cody McCormick) before being bumped to the wing with Derek Roy and Drew Stafford.

The most recent move should be the best one for the new forward. Leino’s best play in Philadelphia came on the wing; there is no reason to think the success won’t be duplicated here. That isn’t to say Leino would have been an effective center for Buffalo, he just hadn’t settled into the role through the first handful of games. Continue reading →