Author: Chris Ostrander

Double Minors: Sabres 2 – Flames 1

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Jhonas Enroth played big and the Sabres turned in their first 60-minute effort at First Niagara Center this season. Yet, they only escaped with a 2-1 victory over a clearly fatigued Calgary Flames team.

We made it tough on ourselves. It was one of those nights where you hit an arm or a foot, but skating-wise I thought it was one of our best games of the year.

Ruff had more than a couple of thoughts from his press conference that noted his pleasure with his team’s effort while leaving room for improvement. He noted a short handed 2-on-1 late in the first period, which amounted to little more than a routine save for Enroth, as one of the few gaffes on the evening.

The Sabres imposed their will on the Flames for much of the game. Buffalo put 18 shots on goal in the first period, followed by 19 more in the second. Had it not been for Henrik Karlsson in the first period, Buffalo would have found the back of the net four or five times. Ruff mentioned the power play created five or six chances on their own in the first. Unfortunately the extra man unit wasn’t rewarded for their effort.

Buffalo’s penalty kill was three-for-three and raised their season total to 93%, they have killed off 40 of 43 opportunities thus far.

Enroth was a big part of the victory and was somehow robbed of one of the three stars on the night. He had an easy go early on, facing only 17 shots through two periods, but turned aside 12 of 13 in the third period and finished with 29 saves. He certainly made Ruff’s decision tough going into tomorrow’s game in Ottawa after stringing together a shutout streak of 107:39 over his past three appearances.

The Sabres head to Ottawa tomorrow to face one of the four teams they are tied with for fifth in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa dropped a 2-1 game, at home, to Montreal this evening.

  • Corey Tropp made his NHL debut tonight, logging 6:19 on eight shifts. He had one great opportunity in the first period when he chased down a loose puck, unfortunately he couldn’t settle the puck to get a chance on net. “I thought his energy was good,” Ruff said. “For his first NHL game, with his ice time – the fact that we had the six minutes in power plays in the first period limited the first line’s minutes – but they had some great shifts at the right times for us.”
  • Brad Boyes was another player who benefited from a new role in the wake of Pat Kaleta’s suspension. Boyes skated on the wing with Paul Gaustad and Nathan Gerbe, a line that had seen some minutes late last season as well. They were very effective together and Gerbe put them on the board with an emphatic one-timer in the third.
  • With Tropp skating with the “fourth line” and Boyes up with the “third” the Sabres appeared to have great balance through all four lines. Boyes, who has been fantastic since his promotion to the power play, looked right at home with Gaustad and Gerbe, giving those two some additional scoring seems like the right decision to make for the foreseeable future. While this is only one game, perhaps Ruff will put Kaleta down with Ellis and McCormick once he returns from his suspension. When asked in his presser, Ruff didn’t tip his hat as to any changes upon Kaleta’s return next week.
  • For the first time all season, all six defensemen looked as if they belong in an NHL game. Not one pairing appeared to be the weak link. Tyler Myers and Andrej Sekera are very comfortable together and the remaining pairs looked to work well too.
  • Ville Leino, Derek Roy and Drew Stafford comprised Buffalo’s best line this evening. The trio created Buffalo’s first goal – with a big assist to Sekera – and were dangerous for the whole night. Leino seems to have found a comfort zone with these two and there doesn’t seem to be any reason to split them up.
  • For my money, you start Ryan Miller tomorrow in Ottawa. Something tells me Ruff will stick with the hot hand and ride Enroth once more. However, Miller is the franchise for a reason and is more than capable of bouncing back with a strong effort. He is due for a good game at the very least.
  • Enroth had a stellar third period and made more than a few big saves throughout the night. Credit the team for limiting Calgary’s chances for most of the contest and keeping things simple for the young Swede. More games like that is exactly what Buffalo needs from their backup. It is a crime he didn’t get one of the three stars tonight.

Three Stars

1. Drew Stafford

2. Henrik Karlsson

3. Brad Boyes

NHL Links

Game Summary

Event Summary

Miller vs. Enroth needs to be evaluated with an open mind

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Don’t call it a controversy. Ryan Miller is still the starting goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres, much to the chagrin of many fans throughout Buffalo. However, too many people are looking at this situation with a closed mind, whereas they need to see the entire situation before passing full judgement.

Don’t expect a changing of the guard just yet.

Jhonas Enroth has given the Buffalo Sabres a weapon they have not had since Marty Biron’s departure in 2007. He is a high draft pick who is more than capable of filling the role of backup goaltender in the NHL. His stats back that up, he is 2-0-0 in two stars (one relief effort too) with a 1.39 GAA and .955 SV%.

Ryan Miller’s stat line is currently 4-5-0, 2.48 GAA, .922 SV%. Obviously the loss column sticks out there. Special thanks to Mike Harrington who tweeted the stats I was hammering out minutes ago. Miller was hovering near the top of the league through his first five games with a 4-1 record, 1.61 GAA and .950 SV%. He his 0-4, 3.91 and .874 in his last four, not as good. Again, thanks to Mike at TBN, he churned out the numbers before I could.

What really stands out in the whole “Miller vs. Enroth” flap is where the fans stand on the matter. Mind you, the media really hasn’t fueled the fire until this recent outing. Until then it had only been goaltending-illiterate fans on message boards and in the stand who know all there is to know about the position. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Backup battle between Sabres & Flames

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It will be a showdown between countrymen as Henrik Karlsson and Jhonas Enroth will each get the nod for their respective team’s this evening at First Niagara Center.

The Flames are coming off a 4-1 over Detroit last night and are crawling to stay relevant in the West. Buffalo, one for their last five, is searching for some stability. Whether that is in net, on home ice or in the standings. The Sabres were two points back of the Maple Leafs and fourth in the Eastern Conference just over a week ago. They are now one point behind the Rangers and Hurricanes for eighth place.

A dismal start doomed the Sabres on Wednesday in a game that should not have brought about that type of effort. Ryan Miller wasn’t particularly sharp and the rest of the team could not have been worse. It seems as if Mike Weber will be back in the press box after a ho-hum outing against Philadelphia. I expect this is because Derek Roy was not very good on the power play point, not because Weber played poorly.

The bottom line for the Sabres is they need to find a 60-minute effort. They have yet to do so in quite some time and it is a major reason they have won only once in their last five attempts.

Highlighted Matchup

Chris Bulter vs. Robyn Regehr. This isn’t very fair to compare, considering Butler is a young, error-prone defenseman and Regehr has been a rock for the Sabres for much of the season. However, these two were essentially traded straight up for one another. Plus they are both skating on a premier pairing. Butler has been rolling with Jay Bouwmeester while Regehr has skated with Tyler Myers for all but one game this season. Also keep an eye out for Corey Tropp, he has that rare size/skill bundle that makes power forwards such a commodity. He would make things very difficult if he has a good showing in these four games.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Jhonas Enroth 3GP, 2-0-0, 1.39, .955 SV%

CGY: Henrik Karlsson 3GP, 0-1-1, 3.31 GAA, .881 SV%

Last Meeting

12/27/2010, Scotiabank Saddledome, Sabres 2 – Flames 5


Double Minors: Sabres 2 – Flyers 3

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Don’t let the stats fool you, there were two different hockey teams on the ice at First Niagara Center yesterday.

A dismal start by the Sabres opened up a 3-0 lead for the Flyers only 6:30 into the game, chased Ryan Miller and had every fair weather fan (especially those in section 305) shouting for a trade. Now, the entire team was horrendous for those six minutes. Buffalo was outshot 11-2, outchanced 6-0 and outplayed in every aspect of the game.

Lindy Ruff made his goalie change after Miller was torched high glove for the second time and it was obvious that the team wasn’t responding to much else. From that point the game was fairly even, although the Sabres failed to muster any scoring chances for the remaining 54 minutes. In all, it was a really poorly played game by the team in navy blue.

Thomas Vanek was one of the lone bright spots for the Sabres, he continued to be an offensive force and had a role in both Buffalo goals. Outside of Vanek’s performance not much else was good. Andrej Sekera and Luke Adam tallied for the Sabres on two shots that went in from behind the net. One can only wonder how Ilya Bryzgalov would have fared with the chances Miller faced in this one, he didn’t look particularly sharp at any point. In fact, his only difficult save kept the game from going to overtime when he kicked his pad out on Vanek in the dying seconds.

The Sabres home record fell to 1-4 on the season and they continue to show an inability to play a simple game in front of their home fans. It is hard to blame them for not having an edge at home, the place is practically a crypt, but I’ll offer more on that tomorrow.

  • Mike Weber didn’t do himself any favors with his play, neither did Robyn Regehr for that matter. Both were out of position multiple times throughout the first period. After the first they were better, but still not polished. Weber had the look of a guy who has been in the press box for a month. He will need more time to get his game back.
  • Something that has been lost in the Miller flap is the abysmal play of the Sabres through the first six minutes. Just about every player stunk, along with Miller for that period. To be outshot 11-2 in 1/4 of a period is quite a feat. The silver lining is that the Sabres managed to outshoot the Flyers 29-15 for the remainder of the contest.
  • Drew Stafford was fairly average for most of the game. However, his line as a whole, had a strong game. Ville Leino had his most effective game while Derek Roy was visible at times. They didn’t get on the scoresheet, but their play signified that is inevitable.
  • Brad Boyes is stuck. He has been great on the power play skating alongside scorers. However, on a line with Matt Ellis and Cody McCormick, he is registered largely ineffective. Boyes was moved up to skate with Roy and Leino for a short time, but the experiment didn’t last long.
  • The line shuffle that occurred on Monday lasted all of five minutes. Not to say the new lines weren’t going to be successful but the team needed a jolt, pulling Miller and moving back to comfortable lines was the only logical decision.
  • Tyler Myers is somewhat of an enigma. He either makes great choices with the puck and in the defensive zone, then he passes the puck directly to Jaromir Jagr. It seems like he needs to settle down and make simple decisions. Last night wasn’t his worst game of the year, so there is certainly some progress being made.
  • The power play won’t succeed if Derek Roy continues to play on the point. He is a brilliant playmaker and puck handler, but his is not a competent point man. Roy needs to play from the boards or low on the circles. Jason Pominville is a far more competent point man for the power play, even if he breaks five sticks a game.

Three Stars

1. James Van Riemsdyk

2. Luke Adam

3. Jaromir Jagr

NHL Links

Game Summary

Event Summary

 

Mike Weber inserted into lineup, will skate with Regehr

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In addition to Ville Leino’s shift to center on Buffalo’s top line, the Sabres will have another lineup change this evening against Philadelphia.

Mike Weber will indeed be inserted in the Sabres’ lineup and will skate with Robyn Regehr, this according to Bill Hoppe. Tyler Myers will skate with Andrej Sekera, reuniting a pair that saw quite a bit of time with one another last season. Marc-Andre Gragnani will be the defenseman who is scratched this evening.

Inserting Weber was likely an easy choice. Not only was Marc-Andre Gragnani not getting results on the power play – the main reason for which he was dressed – but he was also just terrible in his own zone. While Weber won’t man a power play point he will bring plenty of stability to the Buffalo blueline. That stability will hopefully cut down the massive number of shots the Sabres have been allowing lately.

While the issue of allowing countless shots on goal has plagued the Sabres, the only potential solution to the problem – establishing a more responsible in-zone presence – hadn’t been addressed. Dressing Weber addresses the problem. Having Weber skate with the veteran keeps Regehr on a true lockdown pair but adds even more toughness with the addition of Weber.

Moving Myers from the top pairing is somewhat perplexing only because he has been good in his zone with Regehr. While he has had some errant outlet passes, his overall defensive game has been sound. Perhaps Ruff saw too much defense and not enough offense from Myers. Ruff has mentioned he wants to see more offense out of Myers, perhaps in a role where he is “carrying” the pairing Myers will be more apt to lug the puck. That isn’t to say Sekera is chopped liver – he has actually been Buffalo’s best defenseman for most of the year – but based on Myers style of play and their chemistry last year, Sekera may serve as the best partner for Myers for the time being.

How long these pairs last is anyone’s guess. They could remain the same for much of the season, or be changed after one period, that is just how Lindy Ruff operates. Regardless, by limiting the number of offense-first players on the blueline, the Sabres should see positive results from the move.

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