Sabre Rattling

A Roy of Sunlight

Link: Buffalo News - Sabres keep Leafs in slumber.

Shhhh... indeed.  Not even Derek Roy's first career hat trick could wake the Leafs up top the fact that they stink.  After a performance on Wednesday vs. Atlanta that all of us Sabres-faithful were glad wasn't televised the boys came back with a game that highlighted the huge difference between these two clubs.  At times this looked like some of the earlier drubbings that Ottawa laid down on us.

Leafs fans were touting the skills of GM John Ferguson before the season with the pick-ups (like winos off the curb apparently) of Jeff O'Neill, Eric Lindros and Jason Allison.  Last night the 3 of them had a combined 4 shots on goal and a collective -4.
And, honestly if it weren't for the cheap shot Lindros through late in the 2nd period, I would have completely forgotten any of them had donned Leafs sweaters.

How frustrating must it be for Mats Sundin?  Just 5 days after playing in one of the greatest hockey games in the past 24 months, he is subjected to the disinterested and selfish play of a bunch of has-beens and knock-around jackasses like Tie Domi, Bryan McCabe and the 3 Amigos.

Well, enough gloating... though I have to admit encouraging the boys to get a 6th goal in the final minute and not take their foot off the Leafs' throat.  How much sweeter it was than I would have hoped for then that Derek Roy completed the Hat Trick he so richly deserved.

The Roy-Afinogenov-Vanek line was unbelievable last night, having apparently buried the hatchet from the Atlanta game.  Vanek's goal was the direct result of he and Max looking for each other on the entry and executing a perfect give and go to spring Max behind the net so that he could feed Campbell at the point for the bomb that Vanek tipped in.  Perfect use of linemates and execution.  A beautiful goal.

With the exception of the miscue defensively on Ponikarovsky's goal and a short stretch in the 2nd period where the Buds were the more aggressive team, the Boys in the AGH sweaters played a nigh-perfect game.  Campbell and Fitzpatrick are still a nightmare on defense and McCabe's goal was the direct result of Quinn getting the Sundin line out against that pair of d-men. 

So, up tonight are the improving B's, who we've owned so far this year.  But, this is a better team thanks to the Joe Thornton trade.  4 points out of a playoff spot we've got 5 more games against this season. 

No letting up now, I say, play hard and catch Ottawa for the division title.  I want no part of the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs because of two words... Henrik Lundqvist.  The rest of the Rags doesn't scare me that much, Ruff always seems to scheme a game for Jagr well.  Also, in our meetings this year it looked to me that we were the faster team with better corner men.  The wild card is always goaltending and Lundqvist was the reason that Mats Sundin ans happy on Sunday morning and Teppo Numinnen was not.  Of course, if we do meet them in the playoffs having Timmah! score the series clincher by beating the Kaspar-fish 1 on 1 would be poetic justice.  :)

Ta,

Quotes from the Gutless Fish Market

Link: Buffalo News - Connolly injury taints win for Sabres.

Link: Buffalo Sabres.

Last night's game vs. the Rags was a fine response to the non-showing the boys put up in Calgary.  But, overshadowing a solid outplaying of every Ranger not named Lundqvist was the hit that the Kaspar-fish sidelined Tim Connolly with.  I didn't see the game or the hit myself so I can't really pass judgment on it.  I will say though, that there are plenty of 'clean' or 'legal' hits that are obvious intents to injure.  Scott Stevens made a career of dishing those out.  Nothing will happen to Kaspar, nothing ever does.. but I'll say this the boys sure had their Quote on after the game:

"... and I was upset at the way he responded.  When challenged, he flopped around the ice like a half-dead fish."  -- Lindy Ruff

"When I see a 240-lb guy diving around like a Squirt after taking one of our guy's knees out... "  -- Chris Drury

"For every four good hits he dishes out, he gives three of those cheap shots.  It was pretty obvious that he was going for the knees and not a hip-check."  J.P. Dumont

Personally, I've never liked anything about Kasparaitis.  Not his hitting, offense, defense or attitude.  He's not one of those guys that you hate when he plays for the opposition but love when he's on your team... guys like him are just worthless.  Add him to the list with Peca, Tucker, Hatcher, Marchment and Brashear.  I've got no patience for guys that target knees or heads.  Period.

The above quotes are good but Mike Grier sums it up in a word... "gutless." 

"He's a heartless, gutless player," Grier said. "He has no respect for anyone else in the league. He cheap-shots guys and then won't stand up for himself. He tells me he wants to fight and then skates away and takes a dive when I barely even touch him.

"Probably the dirtiest player in the league. No one likes him. We got a game against these guys again (March 27), we'll see what happens. It's disgusting what he did to Timmy. He hurts guys with no shame. It doesn't faze him one bit. He could have hit him just as easily with his shoulder as he did with his hip."

Kaspar saw an opportunity to weaken an opponent fighting for the same playoff spot and he took it.  We all know he did, that's been his game for 10+ years in this league.  It's because of him that I love the new rule about defensemen getting a delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass.  Mario's miracle goal would have never happened had he not flung the puck into the stands to stop the clock before that.  It was an obvious delay of game tactic and should have been penalized.  The years of knocking the net off, icing, and putting the puck out of play instead of playing defense are over.  Maybe that's why he still feels the need to target the knees of the opposition's best players.  Yes, there, I said it.  Connolly had become the best player for us, night in, night out and he's gone until after the break because some sociopath enjoys hurting people.

First the non-goal in Calgary and now this.  I said the other day they would have to dig down deep to see what they were made of... well, I guess it's begun.

Ta,

Weekend Roundup: The Good and The Better Than Good

Buffalo Vs. Boston, thursday 10/20/05

After an extended break last week where it was obvious that the Sabres needed to work on two things, conditioning and the Power Play, the boys in the AGH's returned to the ice against division rival Boston for a dreaded game on the road.  The worries that had crept into my mind during the 4 days off between the loss in Florida and the game in Boston were pretty well dismissed afterwards.

• Could Ryan Miller rebound after that horrible goal in Florida?  Yes. 30 saves on 33 shots, and big ones in the 3rd period when Boston pressed for the tying goal.
• Would someone not named Daniel Briere show up to play offense?  Yes.  Timmah! had a goal and an assist, while Big Al Kotalik got what would be the Game Winner.
• Would the Power Play continue to look like a bad game of Hot Potato?  No.  2 for 8 and a lot of zone time.  Better puck movement and better entries.
• Would Adam Mair make a difference on the 4th line?  Oh yeah!  Pyatt-Gaustad-Mair is going to be a truly frightening 4th line for a long time.  Mair and Goose are great forechekers.

All in all a solid road victory.  J.P. Dumont is beginning to look like the guy who got under everyone's skin in 03-04, which is key to his game.  If he's trying to just play a finesse game we are in trouble.  DmirTRI Kalinin (1 assist) looked closer to being in game shape than at any point so far this season, logging 22:32 for most ice time by anyone in a Buffalo sweater. 

Flash Forward to Saturday...