Sabres Pregame

The Morning Skate: Bruins present a stiff test for surging Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres have taken seven of their last eight points thanks to some strong shootout play in net and from the forwards. Points nine and ten are on the table tonight.

Of course the Boston Bruins stand in the way of those precious two points. The Bruins remain a team this current Sabres roster is not built to take down. The Bruins are big, physical and tough. The Sabres  are small, agile and soft.

Because of the hole Buffalo dug between November and December, this is a must win game. Of course expectations will likely be a bit lower considering the way Boston has played Buffalo this year.

The Bruins’ last visit to First Niagara Center was the “grudge match” game after Ryan Miller was hit by Milan Lucic. The Sabres lost 4-3 in a shootout that night after playing 20 minutes of physically engaging hockey in which they controlled the play. The following 40 were far more passive and the team paid for it with the loss.

Buffalo not only needs to set an early tone, they need to carry it throughout the night. There are players on the roster capable of providing a steady physical presence, the key is making sure it survives beyond the first period.

With the possibility of not having Lindy Ruff on the bench, I’m curious to see how the team responds.

Highlighted Matchup

Nathan Gerbe vs. Brad Marchand. Both have the honey badger moniker following them around. Although, Marchand seems more fond of Nose Face Killah. Both are agitators who can easily stick in their opponent’s craw. Last time Marchand scored a big second period goal and acted like a real professional while taunting the Buffalo bench. Gerbe was the most physically active Sabre that night, but was ineffective on offense. Both have the ability to have an impact on this game. It will be interesting to see who has the better night.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller

BOS: Tim Thomas

Last Meeting

Sabres 3 – Bruins 4 SO, First Niagara Center, 11/23/2011

The Morning Skate: Healthy Sabres still searching for goals

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The Buffalo Sabres head off to Long Island after two days of rest and a roster that is nearly identical to the one that began the season 10-5.

They’re missing one major piece – Thomas Vanek – which makes matters a bit complicated when considering the Sabres haven’t scored three goals (without the help of an ENG) since January 13. Besides Vanek, the Sabres are finally healthy. If this season has taught Sabres fans one thing, it’s healthy changes everything.

The Sabres lost their first two contests against the Islanders this season, scoring three goals in the pair of games. It is just a microcosm of a season that has spiraled out of control in too many ways. The current lack of offense isn’t without effort. Buffalo threw everything they had at Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist. All they came up with were a few posts and two goals in two games.

Buffalo’s offensive struggles are now front and center. A rejuvenated defensive corps have been playing solid hockey and Ryan Miller appears that he has gotten himself back on track. Only the lack of offense remains the glaring shortfall with the team. I have to say that trading out some of the stale offensive pieces may be the only way to find offense on this roster. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: East leading Blueshirts come to town

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The Sabres finally have strung together a pair of wins. Now they begin one of the league’s toughest schedules to close the season (couldn’t find the Tweet).

Tonight the New York Blueshits Rangers are in town fresh off a shootout loss in New Jersey last night. Henrik Lundqvist is expected to be in goal tonight and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see Ryan Miller back in for the Sabres. Miller has put together a string of solid outings and the rest he received during the All-Star break will likely sway Lindy Ruff to start him. As for any other lineup changes, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Luke Adam given a chance to right his recent wrongs; but Ruff hates to alter a winning lineup.

Tonight will be a difficult test for the Sabres. Their last two wins were low scoring affairs as the offense is still struggling to find their way. In addition, Thomas Vanek is expected to miss time after being injured last night. That is probably for the best, I feel that he has been nursing a few injuries over the past few weeks.

Buffalo will also need to contend with the East’s best, a team that embarrassed them during their last visit. The Sabres have finally found some good mojo, it will be important to keep that rolling. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Sabres getting healthy after All-Star break

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Only during the NHL Premiere games did the Sabres roster look as it did yesterday in practice. Aside from Jochen Hecht, it appears as if the Sabres are as healthy as they have been all season.

Tyler Ennis and Paul Gaustad appear ready to play tonight in Montreal. The same reports note that Brayden McNabb has passed his baseline test and should be ready to return by the end of the week. It is a major step forward for a team that has been searching for answers with multiple players injured at a given time.

The question remains, is the roster good enough to win games? Considering the make-up of the lines, it is safe to assume that the line-up will be a near carbon copy to the one that started the year 10-5. That, of course, was before their confidence was all but destroyed by Milan Lucic and a string of injuries.

Tonight’s game in Montreal presents the Sabres the opportunity to win two games in a row for the first time since November. It will be a tough task in a hostile building against a team that plays Buffalo well – particularly in net. But a healthy roster means fewer excuses for everyone involved.

Highlighted Matchup

Tyler Ennis, Luke Adam and Ville Leino. The three players, particularly the latter two, have had interesting seasons. Adam was red-hot to start the year but has filtered to fourth line minutes as of late. His creativity seems choked off as Lindy Ruff continues to demand more from the young pivot. However, he has just returned from the All-Star game, it would be foolish to keep him stashed between two grinders. Ennis skated at center yesterday in practice and could potentially make the shift if Ruff is truly looking for different answers. Keep an eye on Ennis simply because he hasn’t been the impact player he was last year. If he shifts to pivot and Leino bumps to wing, pay even more attention. Ennis and Leino need to start producing, there is no more time to wait for them to warm up.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller

MTL: Carey Price

Last Meeting

Sabres 3 – Canadiens 2 SO, Bell Centre, 11/14/2011

The Morning Skate: The All-Star break is almost upon us

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It has been a long January. A very long January. After tonight’s match up there will be a brief reprieve for Sabres fans during the NHL All-Star break. Perhaps the best part of the time off will be the opportunity the team’s walking wounded has to heal.

Here’s hoping.

The Sabres skate into New Jersey with nothing to hold their heads up about. Their leading scorer has begun to slump, their most steady defenseman has been out injured, their replacement defensemen have been quite average and their goaltending continues to perplex. Oh, and they have lost 12-straight road games and still can’t score goals. Like I said, a long January.

Somehow, there is still some hope floating about. Truly. Christian Ehrhoff returns from a rib injury that has held him out for some time, Tyler Ennis and Robyn Regehr are skating in full and trade talk around the league is heating up. For those hoping for a Marlins-esque deconstruction, keep holding your breath. But don’t be surprised to see some moves made.

The Sabres are playing a very beatable team this evening. Unfortunately Marty Brodeur seems to do his best “Marty Brodeur” every time these teams meet. So goals will certainly be at a premium. Ryan Miller played the last game at The Rock, and played pretty well. He still yielded three goals, but you couldn’t hang the loss on him. This smells like a great opportunity for Lindy Ruff to use his backup. Let Miller take a full week off and decompress. Of course, Lindy Ruff will probably play Miller. It just seems like a good opportunity to let him collect his thoughts. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Skidding Sabres face red-hot Blues in St. Louis

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In late October a road trip would have been welcomed for the Sabres. They were struggling to win on home ice but were beastly on the road, my how the tables have turned.

The current seven-game trip the Sabres have embarked on couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Sabres have lost 11-straight on the road and are in the thick of a tortuous road journey. Buffalo’s road woes have been magnified on this trip through some of the NHL’s toughest home arenas. The Islanders, Detroit, Chicago and Winnipeg dispatched the Sabres by a 19-5 margin over the first four games of the trip. The final three take Buffalo to St. Louis (tonight), Montreal and New Jersey.

Just to rub a little salt in the wounds, the Blues have been playing some of the league’s best hockey of late. Jaroslav Halak is rolling, posting a pair of shutouts in his last two games. Just what a team with scoring woes needs to see.

The Sabres are still thin with injuries and may even have to play Joe Finley as a forward this evening depending on the status of Patrick Kaleta. All things considered, the potential line combinations may force Lindy Ruff to play his scoring lines more. Getting his top players premium ice time is something Ruff has shied away from at times this season. The potential for Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek to see upwards of 20 minutes could be a very good thing. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Road trip hits halfway point

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After three disappointing road losses, the Sabres current trip away from First Niagara Center is nearing its end.

The current seven-game road trip is half over. The Sabres will play in Winnipeg tonight prior to shipping off to St. Louis on Saturday. The trip has not been friendly thus far. Buffalo has given up fifteen goals on the trip while scoring only four. The past two games have shown what looks to be an exasperated team without any answers for what ails them on the ice.

Tonight they skate into one of the most hostile arenas in the league.

The Winnipeg faithful bought up every possible ticket over the summer and have been more than just vocal for every home game this season. The edge the Jets have at home rivals that of the Blackhawks or Canadiens. Winnipeg’s impressive home record makes the trip to the MTS Centre that much more ominous.

Buffalo past two outings came against superior opponents who showed how much farther ahead of the Sabres they were in impressive drubbings. Winnipeg, while ahead of the Sabres in the standings, is not much farther ahead in the talent department. That fact is something the Sabres need to capitalize on.

Of the many dead horses surrounding the Sabres this year is the fact that they haven’t had more than a couple truly quick starts. If Buffalo manages to wrangle some passion into their first 20 minutes, there is no reason to think they won’t come away with a victory.

What to Watch For

Luke Adam. I have been a little touch and go regarding the young center for a few weeks now. Enough is enough. While he has had some defensive zone lapses, Adam’s contributions early in the year were a major reason this team was winning. Look no further than the fact that he is the third leading goal scorer on the roster. His line with Brad Boyes and Nathan Gerbe showed some fire last night in Chicago. Like many lines this season, they had their moments but couldn’t finish. Watch Adam closely, if he gets the ice time he deserves the production will come.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller vs.WPG: Ondrej Pavelec

Last Meeting

Sabres 1 – Jets 2 OT (1/7/12 – First Niagara Center)

The Afternoon (Morning) Skate: Road trip heats up in Detroit

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Survival may be the word of the week for the Buffalo Sabres. Survival in the sense of team health and survival on the ice.

Buffalo continues a rather lengthy road trip tonight in Detroit and will have numerous trying road dates throughout this week. In addition to facing the Wings, the Sabres will be in Chicago, St. Louis and Winnipeg. They close the trip with the Devils and Canadiens. Not exactly the schedule a struggling team would want to see.

The Sabres played pretty strong hockey when they beat Toronto on Friday night. However, on Saturday, they reverted to the form which has dominated for much of the season. Another missed opportunity at building a winning streak was lost and tonight doesn’t necessarily offer a lay-up either.

The Red Wings dominated the Sabres earlier this season. It would appear that same result could occur tonight. Buffalo’s defense is wearing thin and lack their top defenders as they prepare to face one of the most dangerous offenses in the NHL.

Two points will be a tough chore for the Sabres, but it would give them  four in their last three games. At some point the Sabres need to find a foundation for a run at the playoffs. This road trip might do the trick.

Highlighted Matchup

Buffalo defense. When Mike Weber and MAG are looking at top-four minutes, there is a problem. Without Brayden McNabb and Robyn Regehr, the Sabres are forced to dig into the Rochester honey pot once again. Andrej Sekera is expected to play with Joe Finley as the scratch. Still, Tyler Myers and Jordan Leopold will get the big minutes for Buffalo while Weber, MAG, Sekera and T.J. Brennan round out the six defensemen. This group will need plenty of help this evening against a dangerous hockey club.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF – Ryan Miller 26 GP 11-12-2, 2.97 GAA, .903 SV%

DET – Jimmy Howard 37 GP 26-10-1, 2.04 GAA, .924 SV%

Last Game

12/2/2011, First Niagara Center, Sabres 1 – Red Wings 4

The Morning Skate: Sabres searching to end slump

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Since the lockout the cure-all for the Sabres has been home contests against the Maple Leafs. Even earlier in the season the Sabres filled up the net in a 5-4 home victory. Starting with that game, the Sabres have collected points in their past six home games (thanks @NickelCityIan).

Of course, the slight home turnaround has been countered with a sour run on the road. A run that includes Tuesday’s 2-0 loss in Toronto. Through three games this season against Toronto, the home game has won each meeting. With any luck this evening’s game will continue that trend.

Buffalo will need to find some goal scoring, particularly secondary scoring. Drew Stafford has had numerous golden opportunities as of late but has cashed in only one, a dirty goal against Edmonton. Stafford’s under-performance along with others lack of production has caused the most issues with the Sabres so far this season. The rare victories as of late have come when players not named Pominville and Vanek score.

Highlighted Matchup

Stafford, Boyes and Leino. This line has shown some strong puck possession and the ability to create opportunities. However, they haven’t found the net just yet. Leino was invisible in Toronto, but was creative against Winnipeg. In fact, he was one of Buffalo’s best forwards. If this line finds the back of the net, the Sabres will likely find two points.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 25 GP 10-12-2,3.01 GAA, .902 SV%

TOR: Jonas Gustavsson 21 GP 13-7-0,2.91 GAA, .908 SV%

Last Game

1/10/12, Air Canada Centre, Sabres 0 – Leafs 2

The Morning Skate: Sabres trudge back to face Jets

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The current state of the Buffalo Sabres is pretty darn ugly. Outside of a pair of players, there is no scoring. Despite playing strong hockey, their franchise netminder can’t keep three goals from getting by. The head coach seems to be making baffling lineup choices while the general manager is generally stuck due to a ridiculous injury situation and tight cap number.

All of that plus the fact the Sabres are three points behind tonight’s opponent for tenth in the conference. Raise your hand if you had the Sabres in the draft lottery rather than the top five this season. Nobody? Okay.

In all seriousness, tonight’s game (along with the remaining 42) is a must win. Buffalo is five points from a playoff position and need a strong run in order to secure a berth yet again. If the Sabres are able to establish some footing, last night’s loss will be nothing more than a hiccup. While that loss fits perfectly with the disheartening trend the team has picked up, it certainly be discarded with some strong play.

The Sabres victimized the Jets in their first meeting and probably would have blown their doors off if it hadn’t been for some terrible defensive zone coverage. Ryan Miller earned a victory in that game despite being piled on by the fans and hung out to dry by his team.

While a 60-minute effort still evades this team, simply finishing chances may be all that is necessary to win a few games. Last night was a perfect example, they can’t afford to provide yet another.

Highlighted Matchup

Sabres centers. Jochen Hecht is nothing more than a warm body between Vanek and Pominville. They really don’t need anything else at this point. Luke Adam will surely fill a larger role this evening and Ville Leino’s return may be pushed based on Derek Roy’s injury. The Sabres didn’t properly address their biggest need this offseason and now it is staring them square in the face – if it hadn’t been already this season.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller 24 GP 10-11-2, 3.05 GAA, .901 SV%

WPG: Ondrej Pavelec 33 GP 14-13-5, 2.94 GAA, .907 SV%

Last Game

11/8/2011, First Niagara Center, Sabres 6 – Jets 5 OT