Buffalo Sabres

Double Minors: Sabres 4 – Ducks 1

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The Sabres started the season off with a convincing 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Helsinki. Thomas Vanek scored twice on the power play and Ryan Miller made 29 saves for Buffalo.

Buffalo’s big guns were active early as Vanek and Ville Leino scored in the first period and Jason Pominville and Vanek tallied in the second. Miller was tested late, turning aside 23 shots in the second and third period after facing only six in the first. The Sabres special teams were especially effective as Buffalo killed off all five penalties and converted two of four power play chances.

There were a few hiccups as the game progressed. The Sabres coasted through the third period after building a 4-1 lead through two periods. They didn’t register a shot in the final stanza and spent a great deal of time short handed. They face Los Angeles tomorrow after the Kings came back to top the Rangers 3-2 in overtime.

  • Christian Ehrhoff’s contribution to the power play was immediate. He assisted on Vanek’s second goal of the game after making a strong move down the boards. His presence on the top unit will be a major benefit for the Sabres all season.
  • Ryan Miller had an outstanding performance. He had an easy first period but was up to the task in the second and third. He made several sparkling saves and certainly earned his third-star status.
  • If Leino and Vanek can get hot early it will be of benefit to everyone involved. Vanek’s line accounted for three goals and eight points today. Leino only tallied once, but looked smooth as a centerman, he won just under 50% of his draws, a number that will go up with more repetition.
  • The Robyn Regehr and Tyler Myers paring will be absolutely miserable to play against. Regehr has a serious mean streak and it is clear that it will rub off on Myers – someone who showed his nasty streak in the playoffs. Myers was third in ice time (23:00) and Regehr will log equal minutes if he stays out of the penalty box (4 PIM).
  • This team needs to learn to keep the pedal down. It is only one game, I’m well aware. But the way the Sabres shut it down in the third period is somewhat disconcerting. They lost a big lead in game six against Philly and it cost them the series. They need to learn that you press on the throat when your heel is on it, not let up.

Three Stars

  1. Thomas Vanek: 2G + 1A, 9SOG
  2. Jason Pominville: 1G + 2A
  3. Ryan Miller: 29 saves – 30 shots, .967 SV%

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The Morning Skate: Sabres vs. Ducks

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The Buffalo Sabres finally drop the puck on the 2011-12 NHL season this afternoon when as they take on the Anaheim Ducks as part of the 2011 NHL Premiere. The Morning Skate will go full format for the regular season, the scaled-back TMS used for the preseason is due to the swollen rosters and lack of stats.

Buffalo has a tough draw for the Premiere compared to some past match ups. They will play two of the favorites to emerge from the West between Anaheim today and Los Angeles tomorrow. A slow start won’t be accepted well in Buffalo and these two games will offer a barometer to see what you should expect from the Sabres this season.

The powerplay came along well towards the end of the preseason and the lines appear to have gelled quite well. How they will fare in a regular season game is the unknown factor, but the look of three solid scoring lines should instill confidence in Sabres fans.

Highlighted match up

The toughest match up for the Sabres will be how to neutralize the Ducks top line of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan. All three are tough, nasty players who can score goals at ease. Expect to see Tyler Myers and Robyn Regehr see quite a bit of time against this line with Paul Gaustad’s line also checking the big guns. If the Sabres can shut down these three they will likely have success in today’s game.

Projected goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 2010-11: 66 GP, 34-22-8, 2.59 GAA, .916 SV%

ANA: Jonas Hiller 2010-11: 49 GP, 26-16-3, 2.56 GAA, .924 SV%

Last meeting 12/21/2010, HSBC Arena, Sabres 5 – Ducks 2

Expect both teams to play with a lot of energy, they have had plenty of time to adjust to the time change and will be amped to get the season started. Anaheim will have the crowd on their side as Teemu Selanne returns home alongside Saku Koivu. Ville Leino is Buffalo’s lone Finn and he doesn’t have the star power of the other two, so expect a pro-Ducks crowd. The Sabres will need a quick start to build confidence with the new roster and potentially win some fans to their cause. Expect special teams to play a huge role in this game as both teams try to establish some footing on a new season.

Five things not to like about the 2011-12 Sabres

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The first half of this post focused on the five things you have to be confident about as the Sabres season begins. This portion will focus on the things that will have fans worried for the entire season, or until the issue is resolved.

Is the team’s depth going to be an issue? Will Ville Leino excel as a center? Will Ryan Miller return to Vezina form? There are flaws to every team, but in a championship-starved town the slightest slip up could flip the turnip truck. Continue reading →

Five things to like about the 2011-12 Sabres

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Most prognosticators have decided that the Sabres will either finish second in the Eastern Conference or out of the playoff race. While I don’t share that level of division, there are certainly a lot of questions surrounding the Sabres as they prepare to drop the puck on a new season.

Will the new additions on defense improve life for Ryan Miller? Will Jhonas Enroth provide to be an effective backup? Will Ville Leino be able to effectively play center? All of these questions lay at the forefront of the massive expectations that the fans and media have for this team. Of course, there are plenty of things to like about this team. Continue reading →

Jason Pominville named Sabres captain

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The Buffalo Sabres announced via Twitter that Jason Pominville will be the full-time captain for the 2011-12 season. The assistants will be Paul Gaustad, Derek Roy, Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek.

This is neither an exciting or boring choice. Many fans thought Vanek or Tyler Myers were the front runners to get the ‘C’ this season. Pominville has worn an ‘A’ for some time, it was a natural progression for him.

Pominville has certainly seen quite a bit during his time in Buffalo and has developed into a leader in many ways. Being drafted and developed by the organization was surely another advantage for the winger.

There is no reason to think Pominville is the wrong choice, the evidence that he is a capbable leader has been there for some time. Perhaps it is the fact that he isn’t as exciting of a choice as Vanek or Myers that is slightly off putting.  The one thing you get with Pominville is steadiness. He is a consistent point producer and plays in every situation. He is also always speaking to the media after wins or losses. Pominvile definitely has some of the qualities that Chris Drury and Danny Briere brought to the captaincy. The hope will be that he elevates his game due to the letter.

Of course, he isn’t a gritty in-your-face guy either. That is what worries me. He doesn’t exude any attitude that would make you think he would run you through a wall. Say what you will about Craig Rivet, he had that quality. If there is any drawback to naming Pominville as captain, it is because he is what some may describe as soft.

Most of the assistants make sense. Roy and Gaustad are incumbents and Vanek was a better player when wearing an ‘A’ last year. Stafford is an interesting choice, I think Ruff is hoping to have the same effect with Stafford as the ‘A’ had on Vanek.

I am perplexed that Tyler Myers has been left off this list. He is going to be a leader for this team for a long time, there is no reason not to start him on that path now. I have little doubt he would have represented himself well with a letter. Perhaps if Gaustad is not re-signed next year Myers will inherit his letter.

I can’t say I’m happy with the selection of Pominville, but j can’t say I’m upset either. I trust he will be an effective captain, hopefully the new role kicks him into the 30-goal club.

2ITB NHL preview: The East

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Another NHL season is upon us after a summer that was filled with more Buffalo hockey news than you could shake a stick at. The entire Eastern Conference saw a shake up over the summer and the conference could see a similar playoff race, with seeds 7-12 all within shouting distance of each other. I think the same playoff cast will return this season, but with a few minor changes: Continue reading →

Where does Myers rank among his draft mates?

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An easy assessment of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft would be to call it the Year of the Defenseman. Twelve defensemen were taken in the first round with twelve more being taken in the second round. Nearly half of the first 60 picks were spent on players to patrol the blue line.

One of those defensemen was Tyler Myers. The Sabres selected Myers, the number four ranked North American skater, with the 12th selection in the first round. Buffalo actually traded up one spot, to ensure they got Myers before the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings selected Colton Teubert with the next selection. Myers was the fifth defenseman taken in the first round, behind blue chips; Drew Doughty (2, LA), Zach Bogosian (3, Atlanta), Alex Pietrangelo (4, St. Louis) and Luke Schenn (5, Toronto).

Myers signed a seven-year $38 million extension this summer. This preempted the massive eight-year $56 million contract given to Doughty by the Kings and the five-year $18 million deal that Schenn got. Bogosian is on his second contract (two years, $10 million) and Pietrangelo will get a new deal in two summers.

As for the six drafted below Myers, only three have seen extended time in the NHL and three have yet to see time in the NHL. Myers is the only one to win an NHL award but isn’t counted on as much as Doughty is. Meanwhile, Schenn and Bogosian both fill top-four roles for their respective clubs but aren’t yet the top defensemen on their teams.

Myers’ contract is one of the best of the bunch, both in terms of length and cost, and he has seen more success than a large fraction of the picks. Of the twelve first rounders, I rank them as follows: Continue reading →

Double Minors: Sabres vs. Adler Mannheim and stupid helmet numbers

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Rather than just offering analysis of a game I merely listened to I will present a different point of view on today’s game between the Sabres and Adler Mannheim.

Boy, those helmet numbers sure look stupid.

I expected little from this game rather than a unique way for European hockey fans to see the Sabres. Adler Mannheim was obviously outmatched in this game as they gave up three first-period goals as the Sabres rolled 8-3. The Eagles presented a challenge in the early going, creating a  few chances on Jhonas Enroth, but couldn’t skate with the Sabres for 60 minutes.

Luke Adam and Tyler Ennis each scored twice, although Adam’s second goal was awarded to Thomas Vanek. Christian Ehrhoff scored on his native soil, as well. From the sound of it, The Ville Leino, Brad Boyes and Ennis line was deadly for the entire game, something that will hopefully carry over to Friday and Saturday.

The overall atmosphere of this game is what should truly be taken away. There was little doubt that the Sabres would be capable of winning the game. But applaud the fans of Mannheim as they packed the standing room seats 90 minutes before puck drop and chanted and sang for the entire game. Not once did I hear silence from that section, a truly marvelous feature to any sporting event, particularly hockey.

I am just as guilty as every other Sabres fan, I am not one to stand up an lead my section in a “Sabres on the warpath” chant for a few minutes, let alone an entire game. Of course, the fans in the F’N Center probably wouldn’t even carry the chant. Too many people are sitting on their hands. It is about time the crowds for home Sabres games make a difference, I hope the regime and roster changes help spark that in the 18,690 each night. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Sabres vs. Adler Mannheim

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The Sabres European Vacation is in full swing as they prepare to play their final preseason game against Adler Mannheim this afternoon.

The Sabres have had a few days to enjoy Germany and adjust to the time change after arriving over the weekend. A few practices and a stop to a U.S. military hospital has certainly kept the team busy. Now the actual business portion of the trip begins.

Jhonas Enroth will be starting today’s game and the Buffalo lineup will be slightly different than the final stateside preseason games were.With Derek Roy healthy, Lindy Ruff has shuffled his lines in order to keep chemistry while icing a balanced attack. According to John Vogl’s report, the lines will look something like this: Continue reading →

F’N Center upgrades and more

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As the offseason began, the construction crews moved into the First Niagara Center. Now that the summer has come to a close there are plenty of new features the soak in at One Seymour H Knox III Plaza.

No more Slugs on the videoboard and a new paintjob are among the numerous renovations made to the F'N Center.

Terry Pegula and company entered the offseason hoping to start the transformation of Buffalo into Hockey Heaven. It all started with the renovations of the Sabres locker room, plus an overhaul of the coaching staff’s offices and visitors locker space as well.

The locker room, expected to be the class of the NHL, is all but finished. An overhaul of the concessions and the de-Slugging of the entire arena was completed some time ago. The Sabres put gobs of money into the ice equipment, with laser beam Zambonis and dehumidification (is that a word) equipment. There are also plans to install a 90-foot video board on the outside of the arena, as well.

I’m certainly missing a handful of additional renovations and upgrades that will make the overall experience of the F’N Center – both on the ice and in the stands – better for everyone involved. Continue reading →