Buffalo Sabres

Double Minors: Christmas arrives with nothing but coal

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The Buffalo Sabres played their final pre-Christmas game with the look of a team ready to break from a major slump. Apparently they weren’t on the good list this year.

After taking a 1-0 lead, the Sabres saw their lead evaporate in 62 seconds. David Steckel found a loose puck that was blocked through a screen and then Phil Kessel chipped home a two-on-one after Robyn Regehr fell at the blue line. Nazem Kadri scored the winning goal on a third period three-on-two.

The Sabres got goals from the players who need to score. Jason Pominville opened the scoring and Derek Roy scored on a great shot on a mini breakaway in the third. They got another sterling performance from Ryan Miller (28 saves on 31 shots) but didn’t have enough to bring home a win.

Miller turned aside 22 of the first 24 shots he faced in two periods of play. The Sabres buckled down in the third, allowing only seven shots on goal. But Kadri’s wrister found the top corner. It appeared as if Miller was screened on the shot as Christian Ehrhoff (who was occupied by a driving forward) and Paul Gaustad (who attempted to block the shot) both were in the shooting lane. Still, it is the only shot Miller probably should have stopped on the night.

The Sabres will enjoy a couple days off before coming right back to work on Monday against Washington.

  • The Sabres need to start scoring some goals. It is a pretty simple request considering they have scored more than three goals in four of their last ten games. Won’t win too many games like that, even if your goalie is named Hasek.
  • Miller’s first-period play kept this game well within reach for the Sabres. It looks as if Miller (or Enroth) may need to steal a game or two as Buffalo finds their way out of the woods, and he was certainly on track to do so in the first period. There was certainly no tail off in the second and third, regardless of the Kardi goal. It seems as if Miller is finding his way back to form.
  • Drew Stafford continues to be snake bit. He was credited with four shots on the night. If he can start finding the net the Sabres might be back on the right track.
  • Lindy Ruff’s measured, puck possession, transition system is wasted with all of the talent he is missing on this roster.
  • It is hard to go by the NHL scoring regarding the play of Zack Kassian. They only credit him with one hit, but he was engaged for a good portion of the game. Short of hoping that he run every player through the boards, I would like to see him improve the physical aspect of his game. He was doing so upon his recall, it seems that has tailed off a bit.
  • 2ITB will take the next two days off. The Morning Skate will return on Monday.

Three Stars

1. Phil Kessel

2. James Reimer

3. Jason Pominville

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Game Summary

Event Summary

The Morning Skate: Sabres limp to holiday break

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The Sabres Christmas List likely reads: Healthy players and a win. Not necessarily in that order.

Buffalo scrapped their way through 40 minutes before mistakes and a terrible penalty doomed them in Ottawa. They will face off at Air Canada Centre with the Maple Leafs this evening. Buffalo will be off for two days before hosting the Capitals on Monday.

Patrick Kaleta is expected to return to the lineup this evening. Hopefully it is a longer return than his last one – in which he re-aggravated his groin ailment. Kaleta’s return should bring some stability to the penalty kill and some grit to five-on-five play.

Expect to see Ryan Miller back in net this evening, it would seem that Lindy Ruff has lost some faith in his backup, although it wouldn’t surprise me to see Jhonas Enroth play on Monday against the Capitals. After all, Enroth has been sturdy at home while Miller has been strong on the road.

The Sabres lines had a very interesting mix to them at yesterday’s practice. Brad Boyes was back skating, although he still needs a few more days to recuperate. Thomas Vanek and Paul Szczechura both took days to heal up as well. Of note, I credited Vanek with a far better performance than he put forth in Ottawa. I swear he scored the Buffalo goal, but it makes little difference at this point.

A win would certainly be a nice gift for a team that has had some serious struggles as of late.

Highlighted Matchup

Toronto’s big guns. Lupul, Kessel and Grabovski all had an impact on last Friday’s game. Grabovski, who was at one time an underachieving speedster, has turned into a nice complimentary weapon for the Leafs. Kessel and Lupul speak for themselves while Tyler Bozak and Tim Connolly are also threats to blow up. Buffalo will need to control Toronto’s speed as they did for parts of last Friday’s victory.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 18GP 8-7-2, 3.12 GAA, .904 SV%

TOR: James Reimer 12GP 5-3-3, 2.86 GAA, .900 SV%

Last Game

12/16/2011, First Niagara Center, Sabres 5 – Maple Leafs 4

The potential return of the Winter Classic

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Could the Winter Classic return to Buffalo?

Ted Black has made many a comment regarding his desire to return the Winter Classic to Buffalo. Based on the wild success of the first installment, it would certainly be a welcome return.

The post is fueled only by the passing comments Black has made about his desire to host the event. However, his diligence could certainly bring quick results in terms of hosting. Not to mention the fact that Terry Pegula’s money could seriously augment the roster over the coming seasons.

I would predict Buffalo could see the Winter Classic again by 2015. Minnesota, Detroit and Washington are likely to be in the running to host the event before any seconds are offered. Colorado would also be in the running if they can become relevant. But Minnesota certainly deserves a shot and Detroit and Washington likely have a wink-wink, nudge-nudge agreement with the league to get a game in the next few seasons.

So, Buffalo is probably three years away from being a candidate to participate in another Classic, let alone host one. While the league has doubled back regarding participants, no team has hosted twice in the history of the five-year event. In fact, the most recent hosts were former visitors; another factor aiding Detroit and Washington. Regardless, the weather in Buffalo is usually cooperative to this sort of event (aside from this year) and the fans showed overwhelming support the first time around. So we’ve got that going for us, which is nice.

Aside from the hurdle of other teams getting first dibs, fans will also need to deal with another monster altogether. Tickets. Continue reading →

Double Minors: Sabres/Amerks unravel late in Ottawa

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Maybe, just maybe, the injuries caught up to the Sabres. After scrapping to a 1-1 tie after 40 minutes, the Sabres simply couldn’t hang with Ottawa on the way to a 4-1 loss.

Buffalo, playing with five players who began the season in Rochester, looked over their heads many times in the game. Particularly in the third period. In particular, the second Senators goal came after prolonged play in the Buffalo zone and a turnover at the blue line by Paul Szczechura.

Lindy Ruff’s system isn’t all that complicated. He preaches puck possession and responsible play in zone. The basic idea is that if your team has the puck, the other team can’t score. It would appear that the depleted Sabres roster is thin on players capable of truly executing this system. Look no further than the shots Bufallo has been giving up lately. A puck possession team shouldn’t surrender 35 or more shots on a regular basis.

Ruff did show great faith in Ryan Miller, sending him back to the crease after his five-goal embarrassment on Saturday. He made some big saves as looked in control of his space this evening. His stat line will again show three goals against, not doing much for that astronomical 3.02 he entered with. However, he turned aside 35 shots and can’t hold much responsibility on any of the three goals he allowed. Earning third star honors and giving that type of performance shouldn’t be too disheartening to Sabres fans.

In fact, if you were to ignore Saturday, it would appear that Ryan Miller may be slowly finding his way out of the woods. He probably doesn’t have as nice of an iPhone compass as Ilya.

  • One last note on Miller, Ottawa’s second goal came on a rebound that struck him in the mask. The ice-level replay clearly showed that at least one strap had become unhooked. Now, this had no effect on his ability to stop the cross-crease feed that led to the goal, but it would have been nice if a referee had stopped play early on that one.
  • Derek Whitmore certainly showed he has some NHL skill in him. As a late college free agent, Whitmore’s career trajectory probably was going to end in the AHL. He has carved out a nice niche as a reliable scorer in the AHL and has now shown he can skate at the NHL level. He still looks similar to Szczechura, however – a depth NHL forward who would likely be 13 or 14 on the depth chart.
  • Marcus Foligno was -1 with two hits. He looked as if he needs a bit more time to develop his skating. He certainly has the ability to translate into a third or fourth line banger with some scoring touch. Not sure if his potential goes much higher than that. Still, a good showing in his first NHL game.
  • Thomas Vanek scored yet again, if the Hart was voted on regarding how valuable the player’s contributions to his team are – not incorporating league-wide stats etc. – Vanek might just be the runaway leader. Without him the Sabres would be looking at a lottery pick.
  • Jordan Leopold and Mike Weber had a rough night. They combined for two sloppy plays on the first two Ottawa goals. These things happen from game to game, but the mistakes are magnified lately with the number of missing regulars.
  • Daniel Alfredsson has been kept fairly quiet in this season’s series against Ottawa. It is awfully nice considering that mustache is the worst thing I have ever seen.

Three Stars

1. Eric Condra

2. Craig Anderson

3. Ryan Miller

NHL Links

Game Summary

Event Summary

The Morning Skate: Brotherly battle in Ottawa

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More reinforcements have arrived from Rochester. Derek Whitmore and Marcus Foligno will make their NHL debut tonight in Kanata as Buffalo faces the Senators.

The two most recent recalls are in to replace Tyler Ennis and Colin Stuart as they join the other half of the Sabres roster on the injured list. The injury situation is beyond laughable at this point and the Sabres are entering a situation where they just need to maintain some semblance of consistency.

Buffalo went into Ottawa earlier this year and turned in a strong enough effort to get a shootout victory. Their most recent showdown with the Sens was a disappointing overtime loss in which the Sabres entered the first intermission on the heels of very good hockey. Unfortunately, they didn’t put their foot on the collective throat of the Senators, instead they chose to play not to lose.

Based on the potential line up for tonight, it would seem as if the Sabres will be lucky to stay in the same league as their opponent. Ryan Miller is likely to be very busy based on the sloppy play the team usually puts forth and the fact he will have an even further depleted roster.

Highlighted Matchup

Foligno vs. Foligno. Marcus is lucky enough to make his NHL debut against his brother Nick. It is probably a stretch to think the two will drop the gloves, but everyone is hoping to see Marcus’ take on his father’s trademark goal celebration. The two brothers are certain to run into each other over the course of the game, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 17GP 8-6-2, 3.12 GAA, .902 SV%

OTT: Craig Anderson 28GP 13-11-2 3.42 GAA, .894 SV%

Last Game

12/13/2011, First Niagara Center, Sabres 2 – Senators 3 OT

Introducing “The Instigator Podcast” – 1.1 Venomous

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Today marks the first installment of a joint effort between Eric Schmitz, of 3rd Man In, and myself to bring something a little different to our blogs. It is a podcast that will now be known as The Instigator.

Our first run is a bit lengthy, but there is some good stuff in there. Instigator #1 covers venom, Ted Black’s recent comments, preaching patience and more. Comments and criticism will be welcome and expected. Comment on the story or hit us on Twitter: @3rdmanin or @2ITB_Buffalo.

Injuries beginning to take toll on Sabres’ record

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Despite the laundry list of injuries the Sabres have suffered this season, few losses can be explained because of missing players. At what point does the injury plague begin to reflect on Buffalo’s record? Maybe the win-loss record is already showing symptoms.

Last year certain injuries actually spurred the team to succeed. After a hot run of his own, Ryan Miller was concussed against New Jersey and was out of action for a couple of weeks. Luckily Jhonas Enroth went on a run to keep Buffalo in the playoff race. Despite having Derek Roy’s point-per-game pace on top of their stat sheet, the Sabres were better when Roy was put on the shelf.

The 2011-12 Sabres seem to be suffering a different fate. Pat Kaleta is nearing the oft-injured classification while injuries to Brad Boyes, Tyler Ennis, Ville Leino, Miller and Tyler Myers has sucked quite a bit of talent away from the roster. Even players recalled from Rochester have become victims. TJ Brennan, Colin Stuart and Cory Tropp were all hurt in Buffalo – Tropp and Stuart remain out of commission.

Again, many of Buffalo’s losses have come because of mental errors or terrible, awful hockey (see, Saturday night). But at what point do the band-aids on the roster start to peel off? It may already be happening. Continue reading →

Double Minors: Fright night in Pittsburgh

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It was the great Cosmo Kramer who said, “Yamma hamma its fright night!” That line may be the best way to describe what took place at Consol Energy Center last night.

Fresh off an invigorating home win, the Sabres were looking to start their first winning streak since early November. Then Jason Williams wired a curving slapshot by Ryan Miller from at least 60 feet. You might say Miller wanted that one back.

The 60-footer was just the first of an avalanche of goals against. Miller was very clearly “off” as Simon Despres scored on a pretty poor one-timer. Evgeni Malkin chased Miller with a nifty three-on-two goal in which the Buffalo defense opted to let the world-class lottery pick shoot from the hash marks. No fault to Miller on that one, but that was one of the few mistakes he wasn’t responsible for.

Credit to Miller, who catches heat for not taking responsibility for his play, he stood up and said he was bad and was a big reason for his team’s loss. That certainly doesn’t let him off the hook, but it isn’t as if he said the system wasn’t working and there were letdowns in other areas.

Jhonas Enroth wasn’t much better during his time in the net, but he also fell victim to very loose defensive coverage.

The issues last night extend far beyond number 30 and number 1. The entire team was flat and didn’t bring much punch. Perhaps they expended so much in their victory over the Leafs that they didn’t have any gas in the tank. It would be a flimsy excuse, but it wouldn’t necessarily be a foreign one.

Frankly, Lindy Ruff made the wrong choice by starting Miller. If there is one team Miller can’t beat it would be Pittsburgh. A simple eye test would show you that, the numbers back up the reasoning as well. Add the Toronto game from Friday, a travel day into a back-to-back situation and you have a pretty good recipe for starting Enroth. (Here is some work Alex did over on BBG on Miller’s struggles when fatigued)

Executing and stopping the puck is Miller’s sole responsibility, so there is no letting him off the hook. However, it was astounding to see Enroth back on the bench last night. Maybe Ruff wasn’t happy with Enroth’s recent play, but it was a major mistake to come back with Miller last night.

  • Thomas Vanek scored again. He is having a brilliant season and has truly developed into a major talent for this team.
  • Ruff played with Derek Roy and Luke Adam between Vanek and Pominville, he is going to have to take his medicine and put more offense between his top two forwards.
  • Speaking of Adam, he had a great goal for his 10th of the year. He has had a few struggles but seems to have plateaued at a pretty impressive level. It may just be time to reunite The Subway Line.
  • Paul Gaustad is, in fact, still playing for the Sabres. He scored his first goal in North America this season. Hopefully he can get on a bit of a roll to provide some secondary scoring for this team.
  • The injury situation is downright comical. Tyler Ennis and Colin Stuart fell victim to the bug. I’ll say it again. JT Allaire was the strength coach with the 2007 Bills. They had a whole bunch of odd injuries that year. He is now on staff with the Sabres and everyone has seen the results. Maybe he is just unlucky, but his luck is reflecting poorly on the franchise.

Three Stars

1. Evgeni Malkin

2. Simon Despres

3. Jason Williams

NHL Links

Game Summary

Event Summary

The Morning Skate: Injury riddled Sabres and Pens face off in Pittsburgh

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Depending how you slice it, saying the Rochester Americans and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are facing off this evening wouldn’t be that big of a stretch. Fact is WBS will host Norfolk while the Amerks are on a road trip in Texas. Their parent clubs have just poached a majority of their roster.

Both the Sabres and Penguins are without numerous key players – a certain Pittsburgh center being the most prominent absence – for this evening’s game. Both teams had to travel to Pittsburgh for the game. Buffalo hosted Toronto while the Penguins were in Ottawa last night.

This is the final trip Buffalo will make to the Consol Energy Center this season; their first trip came back in October. That game was also played without number 87. Buffalo had a far healthier roster the last time they rolled into Pittsburgh. On that night, Jhonas Enroth was dazzling and Buffalo received some depth scoring on their way to a win.

The Sabres power play was shaken from its slumber last night, scoring three goals in the second period alone. Pittsburgh suffered a loss in a high-scoring affair in Ottawa. Looking at the scores from last night’s games, the fact that both teams travelled and that this is the tail-end of a back-to-back set; it may be safe to assume Lindy Ruff and Dan Bylsma will keep things close to the vest.

Highlighted Matchup

The Baby Pens vs. the Amerks. The roster Buffalo will roll out is nothing near the near 50/50 split they iced against Washington in November. The same could be said for the Penguins. However, both teams are missing star players and their depth is being tested. Whichever team gets more support from those depth players is likely to get the win.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Jhonas Enroth 17GP 8-6-1, 2.43 GAA, .922 SV%

PIT: Marc-Andre Fleury 25GP, 15-7-2, 2.28 GAA, .916 SV%

Last Game

10/15/2011, Consol Energy Center, Sabres 3 – Penguins 2

*no stats for the third-straight Saturday, sorry*

Are Canadian ticket holders to blame for the quiet FNC?

Chris Ostrander1 Comment

Every Sabres-Leafs game is played in a hostile environment. That is a fact of life. Leafs fans can’t get tickets to their home games, there are seats readily available in Buffalo and they make the trip to enjoy a “road” game.

A portion of the Sabres season ticket base is from Ontario. So, a large portion of those seats are likely going to be claimed by Leaf fans three times a year. Add in the fans who are looking to get back into the black after buying Sabres season tickets, and there is an additional market for buyers. The secondary ticket market is also a viable option. Obviously there are avenues for Leaf fans to invade Buffalo.

What is interesting is the atmosphere that is created for these games. If last night’s contest wasn’t a 50/50 split, it was 60/40. As for which side had the edge, it is anyone’s guess. The back and forth chants between the fans created a playoff-like atmosphere that made an entertaining game even better.

The players responded to the fans and their play showed as much. Buffalo’s players reflected this in their postgame comments as well. Thomas Vanek’s quotes were practically calling out the fans for sitting on their hands every other night aside from yesterday and the Boston grudge match. He has a point. Continue reading →