Link: Buffalo News - Biron earns victory in return.
Link: Buffalo News - Buffalo News - Sabres Bedeviled in New Jersey.
First off, I'm skipping the game in Rochester against the Caps on Wednesday. I mean, why not? The Sabres did.
Buffalo vs. New Jersey, Friday 10/28
Speaking of skipping games, they almost took the entire night off against the Devils on Friday. It was only a solid 3rd period that got them close to getting a point they didn't deserve. For 2 periods I couldn't tell that Marty Brodeur wasn't in net. The Sabres had only 12 shots on goal and Scott Clemmensen barely broke a sweat. The kid finally had to earn his paycheck in the 3rd. Unfortunately, Ryan Miller didn't and the boys couldn't get one more agains the New Jersey 1-2-2... because there's no way they were playing the trap in the swamp.
High points for this game include the Official Return of Jochen Hecht. For the first 8 games this season there was someone else inhabiting #55's sweater, because the disinterested guy on the ice certainly couldn't have been the Hecht I know. Since being moved to the top line with Briere and Dumont he's re-kindled the chemistry they had in 2003-04 before Mike Grier was acquired. Tough along the boards, taking smart shots to create rebounds and making up for Briere's lack of defensive awareness. Having Hecht out there allows Danny to gamble a bit more. The camera guy for FSN caught him skating around after a whistle and there was an intensity in his eyes that wasn't there 2 weeks ago. More determined, more focused.
Our $3 million/year facoff specialist/Co-Captain (Chris Drury) scored a huge goal to tie the game. Glad to see him get off the schnide. He was 10-7 in the Faceoff Cirlce against the tough NJ centermen. Though he did lose a crucial draw on the 5 on 3 the Devils had early on, but the PK was outstanding nonetheless.
Low points include the the complete vanishment of Thomas Vanek. This game marked his arrival in Chateau Bow-Wow where he took a regular shift on the 4th line with Goose and Adam Mair, none of whom have looked particularly good recently. I'm sure the kid's frustrated, but he's got to work when he's on the ice and he hasn't been doing it. Hopefully, he'll respond to this by putting his head down and getting to work, but right now he looks a little lost out there.
Tri is still struggling past his own blue line. He's having a hard time getting pucks through the neutral zone and getting his shot through from the point. His defensive zone play has been much improved since the beginning of the season. He's using his stick and his body very effectively, taking good angles to cut guys off and smoothly moving the puck out of harm's way.
Lastly, I have to say that the cameraman for FSN was horrible. Not once did this guy actually put the camera on the puck itself. He was zoomed in too far and couldn't get the camera to the corners. To me it looked like he'd never watched a hockey game before. Unbelievably amatuerish. He was moving at one speed and the game was moving twice as fast as he was. This only accentuated how unutterably annoying and homerish Chico Resch is. He keeps stepping on Mike Emrick trying to call the game, and Emrick has spent too much time calling national games recently (where he's supposed to talk about everything except the game being shown) and his normally solid Play-by-Play was sporadic and uninspired.
Buffalo vs. New York Isles, Saturday 10/29
By constrast to the uneven performance by both the teams on the ice and the guys putting on the TV coverage in New Jersey the night previous, the game on Saturday was really entertaining. I'm not a fan of Howie Rose and Joe Michelletti normally, but they really brought their A-Game on Saturday. Their banter about the who would be benched for playing badly (Steve Sterling has been benching guys who take dumb penalties, namely Lukowich and Shawn Bates) was quite the good time. At one point after the Sabres had chased DiPietro (after a horrible goal on a slapper from the blueline by Hecht), Michelletti quipped, "I wonder what will happen if Garth Snow gives up a bad goal?"
For a game that started out on the exact wrong foot, Marty giving up a goal to both Satan and Z in the first 5 minutes, this really was a very solid outing for the guys in the AGH's. Congrats have to go out to Marty Biron for a gutsy performance. It was obvious he was uncomfortable to start the game, but he got stronger and stronger as the game went on, to the point of making a huge stop late in the game when it was tied at 4. I was also glad to see the guys play hard for him as well, when it was obvious to everyone in the building that this game was essentially a job interview for the Edmonton Oilers. If they trade Biron, moving him to EDM would be great... that way I can still root for him. I make no bones about it, I'm a big Biron fan and really would like to see him succeed at this level. He's had to endure an absolutely miserable stretch of time as the Sabres goalie and I'm interested to see how he can handle being in a more stable environment.
As far as the rest of the game goes, this was one they had to win. No question. It was imperative to get two points out this game and keep pace with the rest ofthe Northeast Division, Boston excepted of course. The power play was a very respectable 4 for 8 and Chris Drury was 20-9 in the Faceoff Circle. Both of those stats are just sick.
Jochen Hecht has a 3 point night while Big Al Kotalik got two on the power play. What a rocket he has from the point! The goal by Timmah! to put us up 5-4 was huge and a great display of hand/eye coordination. More surprisingly was that Timmah! went to the net to get that goal.
This team really missed Toni Lydman and Taylor Pyatt (both of whom were injured in the loss to NJ on friday). Having Andro Peters take a regular shift (with Vanek, btw) made for some very interesting moments. Not good interesting either.
Because of these injuries, Darth Regier really needs to do something with his goalies. The roster is now hurting because of the place the Mika Noronen takes up. They could have called up the red-hot Derek Roy or Jason Pominville from Rochester and fielded a stronger squad. Had we lost this game the blame would have to go directly as Darth Fair Value's feet.
They're off until wednesday, where they should take these couple of days to work on breakouts. Both of these games (and the unmentionable game) saw way too many turnovers and ill-advised passes through the neutral zone.
Ta,
P.S. For those who have Center Ice, I advise you strongly to tune in for any game containing either the Carolina Hurricanes or the San Jose Sharks. Ye Gods, are those guys fun to watch. And one more note of praise for the guys at FSN Bay Area... watch a Sharks game, then watch a New Jersey game and you'll see the difference in the quality of the broadcast. Hahn and Remenda are just great.... excellent TV.
Great write ups. I watched the Isles game on Saturday night before heading out here in DC and was impressed with the comeback bid after being down 4-3. Hecht looks so a lot better in his last two, and Al's cannon from the point is amazing.
This team will go as far as its PP will take it.
Posted by: Chris | Tuesday, 01 November 2005 at 09:13 AM
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