On the recently completed 2016 IIHF World Hockey Championships

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


I really hope that I never see a Buffalo Sabres roster player on Team USA again for the IIHF World's as I'd rather see them competing in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Prospects? You Team USA can have all the prospects they want, and hopefully there will be many competing at the Worlds, but next year I want to see the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Sam Reinhart, Jake McCabe and maybe even Hudson Fasching chasing Lord Stanley with the rest of the Sabres.


Canada and the rest of the world put their souls into this tournament

Matt Duchene (COL) scored an empty-netter with 0.9 seconds left in the gold medal game and the Canadian team rushed on the ice to celebrate. The horn didn't sound but they were so pumped they couldn't help themselves. After order was restored and Team Finland was forced to line up at center ice for the final puck-drop, the finality of emotions set in on the Finns.

NBCSN had shots of Team Finland fans weeping in the crowd while their dejected hockey club watched Team Canada rush back on the ice for a rather anti-climatic second celebration. It was a crushing blow for Finland as expressed by the emotions of their players during these few moments.

In the bronze medal game, Team Russia crushed Team USA 7-2. As the home team the Russians enjoyed a packed house cheering and jeering throughout the game and their players responded with a resounding victory over the Americans.

Except for the opening five or six minutes when the Americans took it to Team Russia, it was a pretty lame effort from the Red, White and Blue. They were playing, but you could see their heart just wasn't in it. Words like "waltzing through," "disinterested," and "ready for the off season" defined the emotional output of Team USA as a whole, even though there were a few players who played with heart. Even after two Americans, Jordan Schroeder (MIN) and JT Compher (COL) got leveled by the Russians, Team USA still didn't figure out that Team Russia was playing for keeps.

It seems as if there's not as much emotional investment from America in international competition (save for the Olympics) as there is in other countries. And that's too bad as the US is starting to produce quality and quantity from their hockey programs nationwide.

Jake McCabe and the US to face Canadian onslaught

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray has mentioned on more than one occasion that he’s in the market for a left-handed, top-four defenseman, presumably to play along side the team’s top d-man, Rasmus Ristolainen. And with Sabres fans well into off season-mode thanks to the team missing the playoffs, speculation runs wild as to where we, the keyboard GM’s, will find said defenseman.

Free agent names like Keith Yandle (NYR,) Brian Campbell (FLA) and Alex Goligoski (DAL) have been thrown around in trying to find a fit and trades with teams like Minnesota, who have a healthy stockpile of defensemen, also come up in the discussion as well. There's a focus on the upcoming draft where the Sabres sit at No. 8 and any one of Olli Juolevi (FIN,) Jakob Chychrun (OHL) or Mikhail Sergachev (OHL) fit the bill but are probably at least a year or two away from hitting he NHL and as prospects, no one's even sure if they'll even hit their potential.

One prospect already in the fold, Brendan Guhle (2015, 51st overall,) looked the part in training camp last fall before he was felled by a Dion Phaneuf check in the preseason. Guhle was sent back to his junior team, Prince Albert of the WHL, and progressed nicely scoring 28 points (10 + 18) in 63 games for the Raiders before seeing his first pro action with the Rochester Americans. In six games for the Amerks, the 6'2" 189 lb. Guhle had a goal and three assists while never looking out of place.

However, a soon to be 19 yr. old on the top-pairing of an NHL team is a rare occurrence.

One defenseman already in the stable for Buffalo is Jake McCabe.

The 6'0", 214 lb. Eau Clare, Wisconsin native just completed his first full NHL season with the Sabres and acquitted himself quite well. Buffalo head coach Dan Bylsma had McCabe on the second pairing with young-vet Zach Bogosian and the two were solid as can be posting 14 points (4 + 10) in 77 games with a team-leading plus-6 in 19:07 of ice-time/game.

McCabe doesn't have the flash or offensive acumen of the players being mentioned for top-pairing duties, but he does the smart things in all areas of the ice. Team USA head coach John Hynes (NJD) has him paired with Connor Murhpy (ARI) as the team's anchor on defense both even strength and five-on-five. Murphy's three goals leads Team USA and his offensive acumen has paired well with a defensive stalwart like McCabe.

But the duo will face a huge challenge today as Team USA faces the juggernaut that is Team Canada.

The Canadians are rolling four lines featuring some preeminent talent  like Taylor Hall (EDM,) Matt Duchene (COL,) Connor McDavid (EDM,) Corey Perry (ANA) as well as Buffalo's own Ryan O'Reilly and Sam Reinhart. Although the Canadians aren't boasting their usual All-Star line-up for international competition, Team Canada is loaded with talent up and down the lineup and is leading the tournament with 40 goals in eight games on a 15.09 shooting percentage.

There will be plenty of intrigue within the Canadian/American rivalry which is renewed at 1:15 PM EST today. The headliner features presumed 2016 first-overall pick Auston Matthews leading Team USA against 2015 first-overall pick, McDavid. Both are franchise players with the latter being hailed as generational. And for Sabres fans there's McCabe and Hudson Fasching facing off against teammates O'Reilly and Reinhart.

Fasching has been playing solid for Team USA in a fourth-line role and also has gained the trust of Hynes on the penalty kill. In last game's upset of the Czech Republic, Fasching got to a puck in the slot and swept it out of harm's way denying the Czech team a golden opportunity. The importance of something like that shouldn't be overlooked in a 1-1 game that was decided in the shootout.

Overall this should be a good game to watch featuring plenty of speed and skating, but Sabres fans should keep an eye on the 22 yr. old McCabe. Seeing how he handles the pressure of playing against top-notch talent with a trip to the gold-medal game on the line a should give some indication as to whether he's ready for top-paring duties at the NHL-level.

USA vs Czech at IIHF World's. Plus, a d-man to keep an eye on.

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Today begins the march to gold and it's do or die for the eight remaining teams in the IIHF World Men's Hockey Championships in Russia. Although Team USA lost to Slovakia in their final Group-B preliminary round game, they did so in overtime and barely squeaked into today's quarterfinal matchup vs. the Czech Repbulic, the top team in Group-A.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe and winger Hudson Fasching will hit the ice for the Americans today for the 9:15 AM EST start while center Ryan O'Reilly and forward Sam Reinhart will play for Team Canada at 1:15 PM EST as the defending champs take on Team Sweden.

McCabe has been anchoring the back-end for Team USA and hits the quarterfinals with a goal, an assist and a plus-1 rating in five games. The 6'0" 210 lb. defender from Eau Claire, Wisconsin was injured in the first period of the first game vs. Team Canada and proceeded to miss the next two games but has come back strong becoming the Americans steadiest defenseman. Fasching has been placed in a fourth-line role and has one assist and a minus-3 rating in seven games.

Team Canada boasts a wealth of offensive talent but O'Reilly has staked his claim as the best two-way center on the team. In seven games he has two goals and four assists with a plus-5 rating. Reinhart, who scored 23 goals for the Sabres as a rookie, is playing on the fourth line and has two assists in seven games.

It's been very quiet in the Sabres front office these days, but the wheels are churning as GM Tim Murray and company are looking to add to the team, especially on the blueline.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman in his 30 Thoughts, has the Buffalo Sabres in on Czech defenseman Michal Kempny. Friedman wrote that "Kempny has some outstanding possession numbers. Buffalo, Chicago and Vancouver are among his most serious pursuers."

Kempny, who wears No. 6 for the Czechs, is a 6'0" 194 lbs., left-handed d-man who has been playing in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. The 25 yr. old had 21 points (5+16) in 59 games for Omsk Avangard last season.

Keep an eye on No. 6.

One more quick note. Despite the discrepancy in the standings, Team USA beat the Czech Republic to win last year's bronze medal.

Of May snow, Jake McCabe, and phenoms at the point on the PP

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Yeah, it snowed today. Whoopdeedoo. So we got ourselves some frozen precipitation that disappeared instantly as it had no chance of sticking to a very warm surface that is the earth in mid-May.

I’d gladly take a series of damp, cool days in May—complete with a mid-month snow shower—if it meant that we could have a winter like we just had. And as I sat inside today watching the weather for a bit, I thought to myself how great it was to get a ride in on my motorcycle in every month of the year and how awesome it was to be barbequing December through March.

Yeah, it snowed today, but so what? Winter was easy and Summer’s right around the corner.

 

 

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe scored his first goal at the IIHF World Hockey Championships in Russia today. In typical fashion, McCabe came in from the weak side and deposited a rocket of a cross-ice pass from former Sabres prospect JT Compher. McCabe's stats thus far in the tournament:  4 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, +2.

 

McCabe's been used in a shutdown/defensive role for USA head coach John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils and unfortunately the 22 yr. old Wisconsin native was on the ice for two of Germany's three goals in Team USA's 3-2 loss today.

 

On the first one McCabe effectively pinned his man, Patrik Hager, behind the USA net during a penalty kill but the puck squirted away far-side. Germany's Daryl Boyle took a feed in the slot and blasted a shot that was stopped by US goalie, Mike Condon. The rebound was deflected off of former Sabres draft pick Felix "I Know Nuthink!" Schutz and was headed towards the goal line before McCabe's man, Hager finished it off.

 

On the game-winner with a mere :33 remaining in regulation, the Americans lost a draw in their own zone and the puck went to the point . Germany's Korbinian Holzer (ANA,) he of zero goals at the NHL and AHL levels over the past two seasons, lofted a seeing-eye wrister to the net while McCabe was battling with Marcus Kink, effectively screening Condon as the long, slow wrist shot went by.

 

In addition to McCabe, Compher and Schutz the Sabres had connections with a few other players on the ice. Hudson Fasching skated for Team USA while Christian "The Hoff" Ehrhoff was on Germany's top d-pairing given the task of defending against Auston Matthews whenever he was on the ice. Ehrhoff scored the team's second goal of the game (assisted by Schutz.) Also skating for Germany was Phillip "Gogs" Gogulla a Buffalo 2nd-rounder (48th overall) from the Sabres 2005 draft class. Of note, no player from Gogulla's 2005 class or Schutz's 2006 class are currently with the Sabres organization.

 

Oy Vay! USA shells Hungary's Adam Vay but he's still worth a longer look

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


After facing 51 shots against Team Finland while allowing only three goals against two days ago at the IIHF World Hockey Championships in Russia, Team Hungary goalie Adam Vay faced another daunting challenge against a strong, but not elite, Team USA today.

With a vociferous group of fans cheering their Hungarian team joyously, Vay rose to the occasion and stymied the Americans in the first period while stopping all 15 shots against, many of them prime scoring opportunities, before the roof caved in in the second. Nick Foligno (CLB) would break Vay's spell on Team USA early in the second period on the powerplay. After taking a stretch pass in the neutral zone from defenseman Chris Wideman (OTT,) Foligno streaked in on a breakaway and rifled a shot top-shelf, glove-side to put Team USA up 1-0. Eighteen seconds later, Buffalo's Hudson Fasching sent a pass from below the goal line to Vince Hinostroza (CHI) who was camped out in the slot with no one around him and he promptly buried it. Later in the second period Dylan Larkin (DET) would the score to 3-0 on an end-to-end rush that finished with him banking one in off of Vay's leg.

Team Hungary, as expected, was totally outclassed and overmatched and the only reason it wasn't 7-0 through two periods was because of Vay. The Americans pumped 25 shots on him through two periods and they completely controlled the game. They allowed Hungary a total of four shots on goal through two periods with only two of them coming at even strength. In fact late in the game with Team USA up 5-0, the announcers focused upon the possibility of Hungary breaking the record for the least number of shots on goal (7) in a tournament game.

With only five shots on goal late in the third Hungary was able to that side step-that dubious distinction and finished with eight shots on goal, one more than the previous record, thanks to a late power play. They even scored on the powerplay which put their fans in a rather celebratory mood despite the impending 5-1 final score.

O'Reilly factors in at IIHF Worlds. Jake McCabe is shaken up, but returns

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Buffalo Sabres forward Ryan O'Reilly was at center ice when Team Canada faced off today against Team U.S.A. in the 2016 IIHF World Men's Hockey Championships in Russia. O'Reilly and fellow Sabres forward Sam Reinhart were up against a U.S.A. squad that featured two Buffalo players--D, Jake McCabe and F, Hudson Fasching.

O'Reilly and McCabe were both prominent players for their respective teams as Canada trounced the Americans by a 5-1 score. After the U.S. got out to a 1-0 lead off of a powerplay goal by Patrick Maroon (EDM) in his first-ever world tournament, the Canadians scored five unanswered goals. The game-winner came off of the stick of Brendan Gallagher (MTL) on a feed from O'Reilly after he hustled to grab the puck in the U.S. corner.

On O'Reilly's second assist (another primary one) he went to the corner with McCabe and used some veteran savvy to get the puck to Boone Jenner (CLB.) With the puck in the corner and O'Reilly on the ice after he and McCabe collided, O'Reilly reached out with his stick after McCabe thought he was in the clear and stole it back. Jenner got a pass behind the U.S.A. net and wheeled towards the front putting a shot that eeked in between goalie Keith Kindaid (NJD) and the post. It was definitely one that Kinkaid would want back as it put the Canadians up 4-1 and put the game out of reach.

That sort of hustle and puck work by O'Reilly is something Buffalo fans grew accustomed to in his first year with the Sabres.

McCabe played a fine game save for that one blemish. He was on the team's top-pairing as well as anchoring the top penalty kill unit which held the Canadians scoreless on five powerplay opportunities. But he had a scary incident midway through the first period.

While chasing down a puck in his own end he became airborne went into the boards awkwardly and wound up favoring his left side as he skated slowly towards the bench. He went to the lockerroom and wouldn't return for the remainder of the period. It was during his absence that Gallagher scored for Canada.

With names like Connor McDavid, Taylor Hall, Matt Duchene, Brad Marchand, and Derek Brassard, amongst others taking up the top forward spots, Buffalo's Reinhart was down the depth chart but still displayed his talents in the limited ice-time given. As usual he was in front of the net and also was able to find open ice in the U.S. zone. His only shot on goal was a product of finding that ice and he ripped one that boinked off of the facemask of Kinkaid leaving him just shy of Laurie Partridge hallucinations. All-in-all, however, it wasn't a particularly good performance by Kinkaid or much of the U.S. squad.

Fasching was barely noticeable in over seven minutes of ice-time, which is to be expected from his first men's championship experience.

Team USA plays Belarus tomorrow and has a day off on Sunday before facing Finland on Monday on NBCSN.


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Buffalo's other player at the Worlds is forward Zemgus Girgensons whose Team Latvia dropped an overtime decision to Team Sweden.

Girgensons was a minus-1 with one shot on goal in 19:53 of ice-time. Latvia takes on the Czech Republic tomorrow.