Sabre Rattling

Kings of the Road

Link: Buffalo News - Sabres keep winning on road.

Buffalo vs. Montreal, Thursday 12/1

The boys in the AGH sweaters made it a clean sweep of their 3-game road trip with a truly gutsy performance last night at the Bell Centre in Montreal.  Another big night from Soups and Timmah! with three points apiece, including an absolutely brilliant setup by Connolly for the game winner in OT to Campbell.  More stunning than the Sabres recent play considering the injuries to 3 top players (Briere, Dumont and MIller) is the complete reversal of fortunes for these two guys.  It's almost worth it to just sit here and gush like a school-girl over how well they're playing right now, but I make a really ugly woman, so, on second-thought, scratch that idea.  I will say though that if they keep this up I'm going to lose what's left of my hair.  These past few games have been real nail-biters, as well as being fabulously entertaining.

Points of Interest:

• Kalinin played 11:10 last night, nearly doubling his ice-time from the game before.  I noted him playing with Campbell in the third period and both seemed to play better in their own zone.  This may be a pairing Ruff should explore for the future.
• The defensive pairs, other than Lydman/Tallinder, have been in a state of flux mostly because of Kalinin's poor play.  This is beginning to have a negative impact on McKee's game (he's panicking with the puck too much).  So, the quicker we can find a partner that brings out the best in Tri, the better.
• Adam Mair should get some love for his performance last night.  He really fore-checked hard, battled inthe corners and, with Goose, gave the Habs a lot of trouble in their own end.  They may not have had a lot of chances, but their shifts were always something to build momentum from.
• The Sabres special teams continue to bail them out of tight situations.  Last night both the Power Play (Drury's highlight-reel roofer over Theodore's shoulder) and the Penalty Kill (1:45 long 5 on 3 that kept the game 2-1) played a major role in their getting to OT for Campbell's GWG.
• Biron made a couple of game savers in the third.  he was wandering to play the puck, which is nearly always an adventure.  But, as I was saying to someone in chat last night after the game, I think that's a sign that Marty's really into the game and reading the play well.  So, I'm ok with the trade off.  He reminds me of Belfour that way.  That's the only way he reminds me of Eddie, but you take the comparisions when you can get them.
• Tim Connolly may have a new nickname soon... I may start calling him The Mini-Modano.  He doesn't have Mike's size, but their skating styles are similar as are their vision and skill level.  Tim's more of a passer than Mike, but they both have wicked, hard shots.
• Derek Roy led the team in TOI last night, and I thought he deserved it.  Over 22 minutes.  He and Thomas Vanek had some jump and a little snarl.  They both were guilty of being too fancy with the puck, especially considering how well-coached the Habs are with getting their sticks on pucks.  Very impressive they are, it creates a lot of turnovers for them.
• Drury's goal was of the kind that we hired him to score.  That's what a captain is supposed to do.  Score big goals in big games at crucial times.  Huge goal...it may turn out to be one of those we look at as a turning point for this season.
• Our team defense is becoming scary.  Tonight we limited the Canadiens to just 18 shots in regulation, that includes taking an uncharacterstic 7 minor penalties. 
• According to one of the posters over on HF, Campbell has ridiculous stamina, and needs very little time between shifts and is rarely winded.  If he can round his defensive game out as well as his offensive one is right now, he could wind up being a Rafalski-like player.  Another reason why I think pairing him with Tri may pay big dividends.

That's enough for now.  As always I heartily encourage any Sabres fans to check out the Buffalo Forum at HfBoards.com. The guys there are passionate and friendly, a good group of internet buddies to have.  They've taught me a lot over the years and without them these posts wouldn't be nearly as good.

Ta,

Giving Thanks for 3 Soild Victories

Link: Buffalo News - Sabres rewrite shootout script.

I'll start this post with the flash back to Wedensday evening when the Buffalo Sabres took on the New York Islanders and got a little karmic payback for the Shootout loss to the Rangers the night before.  I'll then go through the other two games over the weekend and will try and follow up with a post about the state of the team near the 1/4 mark of the season.

Buffalo vs. New York Islanders, Wednesday 11/23

After outplaying the Rangers the evening before but losing in a shootout, the boys in the AGH sweaters came back with a gritty performance to eek out a shootout victory of their own against the Sabres East, er, NY Islanders.  For the most part the Sabres were outworked and out-hustled by a much more determined Islanders squad than had been on the ice for the previous two games between these two clubs.  Both Yashin and Satan were sharp, as was Mark Parrish and most of the defense corps (Brent Sopel notwithstanding).  The Isles were far more disciplined that night, taking only 3 minor penalties and keeping the Sabres 4th ranked power play (1 for 3) off the ice.  The game had flow and speed. 

Points of Interest:

• Martin Biron has finally adjusted to the new NHL.  He's playing more aggressively and is more confident than he was earlier in the season.  He has great patience in the shootout, forcing Yashin to hit the post when he tried to stuff it in the short-side.  Great stuff. 
• Tim Connolly is slowly becoming a really fearful player for the opposition to contain.  He has great vision and puck-handling skills.  This we've always known, but now he's stronger on the puck and making people pay for trying to check him, dishing off to the open man or spot and creating offense with all of that talent.  This, in turn, is beginning to get him more respect at the blue line which is creating even more room for him to set things up.  Oh, all of that and he's the best back-checker on the team. 
• Gaustad/Pyatt/Mair is a monster of a checking/energy line.  Boy are those guys fun to watch.  It's truly a shame that Pyatt broke his wrist in the Friday night game against the Habs.  He was finally beginning to play the kind of game that we knew he had in him.
• Ales Kotalik is playing with a ton more confidence than he ever has before.  The difference with him now, 5 on 5, is that he's constantly moving his legs.  He's shooting from everywhere, which he should, and is having a blast playing on Connolly's left wing.  The game-tying goal late in the third period was all Big Al.  I've never seen him skate that hard around a defender (Sopel) before.  I think he's finally beginning to realize that he's 6'2" 228lbs, and a faster skater than many blueliners in the league. 
• Chris Drury is quietly putting together a solid run of points here.  Now that Al's bomb from the point is being guarded against, it's opening things up down low, and Drury has benefitted from this.
• Kalinin continues to struggle.  He looks completely out of synch with the rest of the team. 

All in all, though, this was a savvy road game played by Buffalo.  They kept the game close until the opportunity presented itself to catch a break.  They did.  Then they poured it on in the OT, playing the best 5 minutes of hockey I've seen them play this year!  This is a game they would have lost in 03-04.

Buffalo vs. Montreal, Friday 11/25

The first two meetings between these two clubs could have easily gone the other way.  The Habs eeked out two wins though they were generally out-played by the Sabres.  This night we would be without both J.P. Dumont (abdominal... on IR for at least two weeks as of this writing) and co-captain Daniel Briere, breaking a 231 Iron Man streak for him.  The injuries have been piling up for Buffalo with those two out, along with Ryan Miller, Taylor Pyatt (wrist, 3-6 weeks) and Mika Noronen (slight groin).  The AGH would be without Dmitri Kalinin as well as Lindy Ruff made him a healthy scratch for the first time in a long time.  Ruff finally decided to go with just 6 defensemen in this game for the first time this year, I think. 

Points of Interest:

• The Habs don't look like an elite team against the Sabres.  It may be that we match up well against them... speed on speed.  I don't know.  But, in this game they never looked like a team the Sabres are trailing in the standings.
• Biron was enormous in this game.  Simply outstanding.  He loves to play the Canadiens, and it shows.  While the Habs had 41 SoG, a great number of them were not of the highest quality, but, of course, a few were, and Marty was there for the team.  This was something that Biron was going to need to go through.  In no way was this game safely played (like the game against NYI).  It was pedal to the metal, fire-wagon hockey and the better goalie won.
• Brian Campbell is playing like a different guy than the one that has inhabited #51 for the past few seasons.  Confident, fast and shooting with authority.  His Power Play goal was a beaut.  I still don't like him being paired with Fitzie as they get hemmed in their own end too much.  But, his offensive game has never looked better... well, except for when he played for the Ottawa 67's.
• Speaking of playing better.  Both Thomas Vanek and Chris Drury have been sharper in the o-zone.  Drury is burying more of the opportunities his hard work creates and Vanek has been dishing the puck well.
• Connolly had another strong game with 1 and 1.  His back-checking has made the the defensemen's job a lot easier.  His goal late in the third had me seeing flashes of Mike Modano out there.  If he keeps this up we'll have two extremely dangerous and mature lines for the playoffs.
• The defense pair of Tallinder and Lydman were extremely efficient as well.  They look very comfortable together.  Henrik's stick has been especially quick in recent games.  Angling his man off along the boards and stripping him of the puck.