Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Plenty on the docket tonight for Sabres fans to watch as three contests are of relevance to the organization.
The Sabres are at home for their fifth back-to-back of the season as the Edmonton Oilers come to town. Edmonton is one point ahead of the Sabres in the league standings thus far and may be the most disappointing team in the league.
The Oilers are a team that had three consecutive first overall picks (2010-12) including claiming victory in the "Fail For Nail" campaign of 2012, yet it looks as if they're gunning for this year's prize prospect, Connor McDavid. If the Oilers continue to plummet to the bottom of the league (which wouldn't be tanking, would it?) they'll have a good shot at McDavid or the next two top-prospects, C, Jack Eichel and D, Noah Hanifin. Both are considered top-notch prospects who would be at or near the top of any draft year.
And for those interested in seeing them in action, the collegians face off against each other tonight as Eichel's Boston University Terriers face off against Hanifin and his Boston College Eagles in a battle of #5 vs. #3 in the college ranks. Game time is 8pm on NBCSN.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Dear Habs fans, you're kidding me, right?
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
There's no justification, nor is there any rationalization of Montreal Canadiens rookie Jiri Sekac's boarding of Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
Say what you will about Zadorov "turning at the last moment." You know, like when you quickly survey the flow of the play in anticipation of wear you can go with the puck then actually attempt to play it instead of turning away from it.
Yeah, it was his fault. And when former ref Kerry Fraser backs it, well you know you're right. Right?
Save your blabber.
I have one question. Would you feel the same way if a Sabres' player did the exact same thing to a Canadiens player?
It's doubtful.
What it should come down to in this case, as with any, is intent to injure. Even though intent to injure is almost impossible to prove, Jiri Sekac was intent upon doing as much damage as he could to a player in a vulnerable position. It matters not whether or not Zadorov was at fault for putting himself in a vulnerable position (and you can't prove that he foresaw what was coming as he was about to play the puck.) It was a brutal hit. So brutal that the immediate reaction from the booth was "That might be a game ejection. That was a vicious hit."
And so it was.
You see, it wasn't about Zadorov, it was how Sekac zoned in on Zadorov's back, "He's looking at numbers the whole way" and the speed with which he went in. That and how Sekac snapped his hips for maximum impact on contact, kind of like a boxer when he snaps those hips while throwing a roundhouse to get the most power out of his punch.
Even though Sekac "does not let up one bit," the impact would have been lessened had he not cocked and released a George Forman-like roundhouse elbow smack dab between the five and one.
Don't worry, though, Sabres fans are accustomed to this kind of stuff. The city of Buffalo, the Sabres and their fans are looked (down) upon as the bastard-child of the red-headed stepchild and no matter what the child did, it's his fault.
We get it.
Just remember, very dog has his day.
Woof.
There's no justification, nor is there any rationalization of Montreal Canadiens rookie Jiri Sekac's boarding of Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
Say what you will about Zadorov "turning at the last moment." You know, like when you quickly survey the flow of the play in anticipation of wear you can go with the puck then actually attempt to play it instead of turning away from it.
Yeah, it was his fault. And when former ref Kerry Fraser backs it, well you know you're right. Right?
Save your blabber.
I have one question. Would you feel the same way if a Sabres' player did the exact same thing to a Canadiens player?
It's doubtful.
What it should come down to in this case, as with any, is intent to injure. Even though intent to injure is almost impossible to prove, Jiri Sekac was intent upon doing as much damage as he could to a player in a vulnerable position. It matters not whether or not Zadorov was at fault for putting himself in a vulnerable position (and you can't prove that he foresaw what was coming as he was about to play the puck.) It was a brutal hit. So brutal that the immediate reaction from the booth was "That might be a game ejection. That was a vicious hit."
And so it was.
You see, it wasn't about Zadorov, it was how Sekac zoned in on Zadorov's back, "He's looking at numbers the whole way" and the speed with which he went in. That and how Sekac snapped his hips for maximum impact on contact, kind of like a boxer when he snaps those hips while throwing a roundhouse to get the most power out of his punch.
Even though Sekac "does not let up one bit," the impact would have been lessened had he not cocked and released a George Forman-like roundhouse elbow smack dab between the five and one.
Don't worry, though, Sabres fans are accustomed to this kind of stuff. The city of Buffalo, the Sabres and their fans are looked (down) upon as the bastard-child of the red-headed stepchild and no matter what the child did, it's his fault.
We get it.
Just remember, very dog has his day.
Woof.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Les Habitants visit Buffalo with Brian Gionta, Josh Gorges. Plus, susceptibility
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Sabres continue a four-game homestand tonight as they host the Montreal Canadiens, a team that they've played 262 times. It's not hard to imagine the Les Habitants, a franchise with 24 Stanley Cups and over 3000 wins, dominating the Sabres. But, oddly enough, through four and a half decades of battling with Montreal, the Sabres have a 119-106-37 record in the series.
Recent history, though, hasn't been so kind. Although they are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games against Montreal, the Sabres haven't beaten the Canadiens since a 2-1 victory in Montreal on March 23, 2013. Since then Buffalo is 0-5-0, have scored only four goals and were shut out in the last two meetings.
Montreal enters tonight's contest with 17 points via an 8-4-1 record, good for second in the Atlantic Division. After a hot start, they've cooled considerably going 0-2-1 in their last three including back-to-back blowouts at home. They were dumped 6-2 by the upstart Calgary Flames on Sunday and were shut out by the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 last night.
The Buffalo Sabres continue a four-game homestand tonight as they host the Montreal Canadiens, a team that they've played 262 times. It's not hard to imagine the Les Habitants, a franchise with 24 Stanley Cups and over 3000 wins, dominating the Sabres. But, oddly enough, through four and a half decades of battling with Montreal, the Sabres have a 119-106-37 record in the series.
Recent history, though, hasn't been so kind. Although they are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games against Montreal, the Sabres haven't beaten the Canadiens since a 2-1 victory in Montreal on March 23, 2013. Since then Buffalo is 0-5-0, have scored only four goals and were shut out in the last two meetings.
Montreal enters tonight's contest with 17 points via an 8-4-1 record, good for second in the Atlantic Division. After a hot start, they've cooled considerably going 0-2-1 in their last three including back-to-back blowouts at home. They were dumped 6-2 by the upstart Calgary Flames on Sunday and were shut out by the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 last night.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Sabres raise some eyebrows in beating Detroit, are 2-2-1 in last five
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Sabres weren't supposed to beat the Detroit Red Wings yesterday evening. Get a loser-point? Maybe. But win the game? Nope. Shouldn't happen.
It's too early to think that Sabres head coach Ted Nolan might be ticking off the powers that be in Buffalo, but Sabres President Ted Black and general manager Tim Murray may have had their interest piqued yesterday. The team Nolan coached vs. the Red Wings in the Sabres first home victory looked like a good, hard-working team that's tired of being an embarrassment.
With the 3-2 shootout victory over Detroit, the Sabres are now 2-2-1 in their last five games. Granted, they were shut out in the two losses by a combined 9-0 score, but a loss is a loss whether it's by a goal or five goals. And a win is a win no matter how few goals it takes.
The Sabres are in Jekyll and Hyde mode right now as they've altered between good, solid performances and embarrassments. It started in San Jose' as they throttled the Sharks 2-1 in the last game of their three-game, west coast swing. That was followed by a 4-0 shellacking in Toronto, one that caused Nolan to put the team through a grueling practice the following day.
The Buffalo Sabres weren't supposed to beat the Detroit Red Wings yesterday evening. Get a loser-point? Maybe. But win the game? Nope. Shouldn't happen.
It's too early to think that Sabres head coach Ted Nolan might be ticking off the powers that be in Buffalo, but Sabres President Ted Black and general manager Tim Murray may have had their interest piqued yesterday. The team Nolan coached vs. the Red Wings in the Sabres first home victory looked like a good, hard-working team that's tired of being an embarrassment.
With the 3-2 shootout victory over Detroit, the Sabres are now 2-2-1 in their last five games. Granted, they were shut out in the two losses by a combined 9-0 score, but a loss is a loss whether it's by a goal or five goals. And a win is a win no matter how few goals it takes.
The Sabres are in Jekyll and Hyde mode right now as they've altered between good, solid performances and embarrassments. It started in San Jose' as they throttled the Sharks 2-1 in the last game of their three-game, west coast swing. That was followed by a 4-0 shellacking in Toronto, one that caused Nolan to put the team through a grueling practice the following day.
Monday, November 3, 2014
2014-15 Individual Stats--October
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Although I'd rather have someone eye gouge me than watch a Buffalo hockey game sometimes, there are times when you can pull individual positives out of a wreckage. With a 2-8-1 record and only 12 goals scored in 11 games, they're really hard to find on this Sabres team, but here are a few pluses.
Although I'd rather have someone eye gouge me than watch a Buffalo hockey game sometimes, there are times when you can pull individual positives out of a wreckage. With a 2-8-1 record and only 12 goals scored in 11 games, they're really hard to find on this Sabres team, but here are a few pluses.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
2014-15 Team Stats--October
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Sabres hit Pittsburgh tonight for a tilt with the Penguins before returning home tomorrow to take on the Detroit Red Wings. In the process they hope to say goodbye to an ugly start to the season. (For posterity's sake, Buffalo was 1-9-1 after 11 games, 2-12-1 to for the month of October.)
For as bad as October was to open the season, there is a bright spot. The Sabres have a top-10 penalty kill unit allowing only six goals on 41 opportunities for a 85.4 kill percentage. And in a tribute to how well the goalies have played, despite giving up a league-high 36.7 shots per game, their team goals against comes in at 3.27, good for 21st in the league.
The Buffalo Sabres hit Pittsburgh tonight for a tilt with the Penguins before returning home tomorrow to take on the Detroit Red Wings. In the process they hope to say goodbye to an ugly start to the season. (For posterity's sake, Buffalo was 1-9-1 after 11 games, 2-12-1 to for the month of October.)
For as bad as October was to open the season, there is a bright spot. The Sabres have a top-10 penalty kill unit allowing only six goals on 41 opportunities for a 85.4 kill percentage. And in a tribute to how well the goalies have played, despite giving up a league-high 36.7 shots per game, their team goals against comes in at 3.27, good for 21st in the league.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Sam Reinhart sent back to junior. Still awaiting a Nikita Zadorov decision
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres' rookie forward Sam Reinhart was returned to the Kootenay Ice, his junior team, today. The 2nd overall pick in the 2014 Draft was held without a goal and managed only one assist with the team and was playing fourth-line minutes during the latter part of his stay. Because he did not appear in his 10th NHL game for Buffalo, his entry-level contract will not kick in.
Simple statistics dictate that the move was warranted. Other players in his situation like forwards Leon Draisatl (EDM, 2014 3rd-overall,) Andre Burakowsky (WSH, 2013, 23rd) and Defenseman Aaron Ekblad (FLA, 2014, 1st) all had better numbers and were playing bigger minutes.
For a statistical comparison, through nine games, Draisatl had a goal and two assists averaging over 13 minutes per game and Burakowsky has two goals and six assists averaging 14 minutes per game as the Capitals #2 center. Ekblad is averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice-time per game on the Cats defense. He's playing second-pairing minutes while being one of the anchors on the penalty kill unit. He has two assists.
And the teams that those three are playing on are in much better shape than the Sabres at this point. After a slow start a young Edmonton team with plenty of talent up-front has gained some traction having won four in a row before losing to Nashville on Wednesday. The Panthers also started slow but went 2-0-2 in their last four games. Washington sits right in the middle of the Metropolitan Division with a 4-3-2 record.
But, one could also say that although Reinhart was on a bad team in Buffalo playing just over 10 minutes a game, he didn't look that much out of place in an NHL rink. He's always played a subtle game and he continued with that during his stint with the Sabres. You could see progress as he was learning the game and he would have continued to learn more as the season went on. But it was not enough, especially when you look at the physical differences in Reinhart and NHL players.
Buffalo Sabres' rookie forward Sam Reinhart was returned to the Kootenay Ice, his junior team, today. The 2nd overall pick in the 2014 Draft was held without a goal and managed only one assist with the team and was playing fourth-line minutes during the latter part of his stay. Because he did not appear in his 10th NHL game for Buffalo, his entry-level contract will not kick in.
Simple statistics dictate that the move was warranted. Other players in his situation like forwards Leon Draisatl (EDM, 2014 3rd-overall,) Andre Burakowsky (WSH, 2013, 23rd) and Defenseman Aaron Ekblad (FLA, 2014, 1st) all had better numbers and were playing bigger minutes.
For a statistical comparison, through nine games, Draisatl had a goal and two assists averaging over 13 minutes per game and Burakowsky has two goals and six assists averaging 14 minutes per game as the Capitals #2 center. Ekblad is averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice-time per game on the Cats defense. He's playing second-pairing minutes while being one of the anchors on the penalty kill unit. He has two assists.
And the teams that those three are playing on are in much better shape than the Sabres at this point. After a slow start a young Edmonton team with plenty of talent up-front has gained some traction having won four in a row before losing to Nashville on Wednesday. The Panthers also started slow but went 2-0-2 in their last four games. Washington sits right in the middle of the Metropolitan Division with a 4-3-2 record.
But, one could also say that although Reinhart was on a bad team in Buffalo playing just over 10 minutes a game, he didn't look that much out of place in an NHL rink. He's always played a subtle game and he continued with that during his stint with the Sabres. You could see progress as he was learning the game and he would have continued to learn more as the season went on. But it was not enough, especially when you look at the physical differences in Reinhart and NHL players.
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