Washington, Somehow, Comes Up With An Effort More Lame Than Buffalo In Columbus

The Columbus game two nights ago was about as pitiful as it gets. It was the most pathetic display of hockey I've ever had the displeasure of witnessing. The 5-1 loss at Columbus was distressing enough, but I brought a friend to the game, his first NHL game. The only redeeming quality was the AC/DC "For those about to rock! (cannon fires) We salute you" goal celebration. He's a huge AC/DC fan.

It's a good thing that the Sabres played the Washington Capitals last night. They might be the only team in the league right now that will put on a pathetic display of hockey that's worse than the Sabres did in Columbus the previous night. And, if you factor in the pure talent-level, the Caps probably put on the worst showing of any team in the NHL this season.

(from l-r) Marc-Andre Gragnani, Brayden McNabb,
and TJ Brennan suit up for the game vs.
the Washington Capitals

Thanks, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, Dennis Wideman and Co. Without your lousy performance last night, the Sabres would be looking at a 0-3-1 record in the last four, a F'N Center home record of 4-7-1, and a spot outside of the top-eight in the Eastern Conference.

And it wouldn't have been surprising to see the Sabres take another hit at home at the hands of the uber-talented Capitals. The Sabres had the ready-made exuse--an inordinate number of injuries.

The Sabres were missing eight regulars and one #7 d-man.

Let's go down the list:

• Tyler Ennis (F,) Injured Reserve, 10-25-11--sprained ankle
• Ryan Miller (G,) IR, 11-14-11--concussion
• Cody McCormick (F,) IR, 11-16-11--"upper body"
• Mike Weber (D,) IR, 11-18-11--"upper body"
• Tyler Myers (D,) IR, 11-23-11--broken wrist
• Pat Kaleta (F,) day-to-day, 11-23-11--"lower body"
• Brad Boyes (F,) IR, 11-25-11--knee
• Robyn Regehr (D,) day-to-day, 11-26-11--"upper body"
• Drew Stafford (F,) day-to-day, 11-26--11--"undisclosed"

Rookie Zack Kassian and
journeyman Paul Szczechura
suit up for the Caps game.

That list includes the starting goalie (Miller,) two top-four d-men (Regehr and Myers) and three top-nine forwards (Ennis, Stafford, Boyes.)

Taking their place (not including journeyman, Matt Ellis and Jochen Hecht, who returned from injury):

• Drew MacIntyre (G,) journeyman goalie--recalled11-14-11
• Corey Tropp (F,) one full AHL season--11-16-11
• TJ Brennan (D,) two full AHL seasons--11-21-11
• Zack Kassian (F,) 21 AHL games (three in 2011 post-season)--11-24-11
• Brayden McNabb (D,) 19 AHL games--11-26-11
• Paul Szczechura (F,) journeyman forward with 83 NHL and 214 AHL games in five seasons--11-26-11

Also in the lineup:

• Luke Adam (C,) 21 yrs. old, second NHL season--rookie
• Jhonas Enroth (G,) 23 yrs. old, second NHL season--rookie
• Marc-Andre Gragnani (D,) 24 yrs. old, first full NHL season
• Nathan Gerbe (F,) 24 yrs. old, second full NHL season

Szczechura started things off when he went full-bore in the the corner and got former Sabres draft pick Dennis Wideman (8th-round, 2002) to freak out (see video below.) Wideman sent a blind feed off of "Chewy's" stick that went right to Luke Adam who one-timed it past Thomas Vokoun. He also worked the corner and fed Adam for his second goal as the big Sabres center waltzed in on Vokoun with four Caps--including a pylon named Oveckin--merely watching and blasted one by.

Brayden McNabb levels Jason
Chimera in his 1st NHL game.

McNabb lead the team with six hits, a couple of doozies, and cleared the crease with attitude. He replaced Regehr and played a stand-up, defensive d-man role in his first NHL game.

Kassian scored his first NHL goal (in his second game) and proceeded to hit like the player the team envisioned when he was drafted with the 13th overall pick in the 2009 draft. The gap-toothed power forward scored on a weak goal, five-hole just :27 seconds after Jason Chimera pulled the Caps within one.

Zack Kassian celebrates his
first NHL goal. Derek Roy retrieved
the puck.

Tropp continued to be a nuisance and continues to make a strong push to stick once the walking wounded return. Brennan has played solid in his three games

In a tribute to the continuity of the Sabres system, Rochester coach Ron Rolston has prepared the youngsters well for the NHL game played by Buffalo. Enroth was rarely tested as the team played a simple "road game" at home. Nothing fancy, just solid d and smart decisions.



Luke Adam puts up his bear-claw
to high-five his teammates as
an obviously disenchanted
Alex Ovechin of the Caps
heads to the bench.

 If this is "the year of the core"--veterans who've played together for years leading the team this season--last night showed us a glimpse of "the new core." All of these players will have the opportunity to develop further in Rochester this season hoping to someday join the likes of Myers, Ennis and Gerbe as well as Adam, Enroth and Gragnani as the future of the Blue and Gold.


And thanks to the Washington Capitals last night, they got off to a rollicking start.

edit: TJ Brennan, Paul "Chewy" Szczechura and Corey Tropp were all sent down yesterday (Nov. 28.) Zack Kassian and Brayden McNabb have stuck with the team with their size factoring in on the decision.