Buffalo Sabres

White at home. Please.

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It is about time the NHL switched back to white jerseys at home and dark on the road.

I say this for two reasons. The Sabres’ white jerseys might be the best in the league and I want to see them here, rather than on TV. Secondly, so many other teams have horrible white uniforms but great dark sweaters, see the Flyers.

After watching Buffalo sport their whites at home a handful of times this year, I really began yearning for the NHL to switch their mandate. It was originally set up to keep teams from needing to bring two sets of gear on long road trips in the event the home team would be wearing their alternate jerseys. Of course, the desire to sell more dark jerseys on a league-wide scale probably had something to do with it too. Continue reading →

Sabres clinch over Flyers

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The Sabres certainly didn’t make it easy on themselves. They only needed to earn one point over their final two games, but they were against teams that wouldn’t give Buffalo a free pass.

Four minutes of really bad hockey looked like it might doom Buffalo last night, but Nathan Gerbe had a goal of the year candidate to tie the game in the third and Thomas Vanek put it away early in OT.

"Yo Stanly Cup Playoffs. Here come the Buffalo Sabres."

Due credit goes to the HSBC Arena crowd for a high-energy night with the only lull coming during the Flyers’ second period run and a slow-going first period. Otherwise that was as loud as I have heard HSBC this season. Between the stirring pre-game ceremony to the rousing ovation at the end of regulation, the place was rocking last night. Continue reading →

A night in the booth with RJ

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I have done stats for a lot of play-by-play and color guy. There was one duo who I had never worked with, Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale. Last night I was able to add them to my list.

Through some stroke of luck I was asked to sit and do stats for MSG for the Sabres final game against the Flyers last night. For someone who grew up listening to Jeanneret call games and watching Neale on Hockey Night in Canada, it was going to be a cool experience. Now, I had gotten to know these guys when I worked for the team previously, so I wasn’t all geeked up over getting to be in the booth with them. This was more of a professional accomplishment for me. Continue reading →

Hey Tim, thanks for showing up

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Tonight’s Bruins-Rangers game was somewhere in the limbo that exists between a catch-22 and a win-win scenario. On one hand, a Rangers win all but eliminates the Maple Leafs and makes Carolina’s mountain that much steeper. On the other hand, a Boston win would keep the Sabres in seventh place and knock off another game for the Rags and giving Buffalo a magic number of three.

Well, Tim Thomas let in three pretty bad goals as the Bruins gave up a three-goal lead and took one on the chin, 5-3 to the Rangers. Looking at the whole situation I’m happy the Rangers won. I think Zdeno Chara is a scummer and I enjoy seeing him lose. The same goes for Brad Marchand, Gregory Campbell and Milan Lucic. Besides, one loss for the Rangers doesn’t do all that much for the Sabres’ hopes. If the Canes lose Wednesday, that is a whole different story.

Still, the fact that the Bruins folded like a tent after building a three-goal lead isn’t a good sign for them. Not to mention, their Vezina Candidate didn’t make any big saves for them when they needed it. Actually, he didn’t make many saves at all, whether they were routine or big saves.

For my money I don’t know if I want to see the Bruins in the first round. The Capitals are the best matchup on paper but the Sabres don’t play them too well. That leaves the Flyers who are backing their way into the playoffs themselves. If it came down to the Bruins or Flyers, I would take the Bruins. The Flyers’ size and depth scares me more than the thought of having to exorcise demons from last years playoffs.

The magic number

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The magic number is four. If the Sabres gain four points over the Hurricanes over the next few days, Buffalo will have secured a playoff bid.

The Sabres enter tomorrows game against Tampa Bay with a three point lead over the Canes. A Buffalo win, coupled with a regulation loss by Carolina, will keep the Canes from catching up in the playoff race. There are your four points. Continue reading →

This is the part where everyone says to trade Ryan Miller

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Cue the naysayers. Jhonas Enroth’s performance against the Rangers will bring every single Ryan Miller-hater out of the woodwork.

Forget the fact that Miller put up two huge shutouts and another strong two-goal game last week. He was named the first star of the week and was a major part of the Sabres establishing a strong foothold in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Of course he let in a few weak goals against Toronto that erased any good play that preceded the game. Continue reading →

Potential UFAs as the Frozen Four takes shape

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The NCAA’s two power conferences are represented in the 2011 Frozen Four as North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth will be representing the WCHA against Michigan and Notre Dame from the CCHA.

Andy Meile is one potential free agent who could be on the Buffalo Sabres radar

North Dakota has crazy depth and will face an incredible test against Michigan as the Sioux haven’t had many hiccups in the second half of the season. Minnesota-Duluth has taken a Cinderella-type run past Union and top-seed Yale. Notre Dame’s goaltending makes them a scary team for anyone to face.

With all but four teams still playing, now is the time of the season when college free agents become attractive to NHL teams. Just today Niagara forward and Hobey Baker candidate, Paul Zanette, was signed by Montreal to an AHL contract. One of the biggest names on the table, Paul Thompson (UNH) was picked up by the Penguins. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a few games with the big club at the tail end of the year, they’re in dire need of forward depth. Continue reading →

My idea for the HSBC 100 level

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The Terry Pegula era has been greeted with unbridled enthusiasm. I don’t blame anyone for it either. He, and Ted Black, have said all the right things and have made all the right moves thus far. They have added numerous facets to the in-arena and home viewing experience.

Part of my plan to redecorate the 100 level (click for full size)

Many of the improvements have come from the Sabres Suggestion Box. One suggestion that has been addressed by one (or more) fans is to do something with the red wall that lines the 100 level at HSBC Arena. This is something that has crossed my mind before and cropped back up when the suggestion box debuted.

My idea is to add some art to the wall. I first thought of this when I caught a game at Air Canada Centre. The ACC has put a mural of old pictures around their wall. The pictures are made up of old pictures of fans from Maple Leaf Gardens. This adds a very cool aspect to the in-arena experience there. That is where the genesis of my idea was born. Continue reading →

Telling weekend for Sabres

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This is one of those weekends that you could bill as the biggest of the season, until the next set of back-to-back games rolls along. So I will refrain from dubbing tonight’s game against Florida and tomorrow’s against New Jersey as the two most important games of the year.

Buffalo's poor play against Florida this year needs to be put in the past entering this weekend.

However, the Sabres are in a position of power and can tighten their grip on a playoff spot if they take at least three of four this weekend. In actuality they could split the weekend and maintain the same lead they have on Carolina going in to tonight. There are so many different ways this can play out you can nail down one option and say “this is how it has to be.” Continue reading →

Welcome to Hockey Heaven

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I’m in the process of completing a Photoshop project that will show my grand plan for the red wall that currently adorns the 100 level. Part of my plan is to include, what I think should be, the Sabres new catchphrase or slogan Hockey Heaven.

I guess I’m not the only one who has jumped all over Ted Black’s awesome tag line. This video was put together by the people running the Hockey Heaven Facebook page.

I am all aboard for Buffalo officially becoming known as Hockey Heaven. Let Detroit be Hockeytown and completely forget “the City of Hockey” that has no flow. Hockey Heaven is where it’s at, and Buffalo is Hockey Heaven.