Published by hockeybuzz.com, 1-23-2017
Goalie Robin Lehner was pulled in last Tuesday's game at Toronto after giving up three goals (one of them and extreme softie) to the Leafs. Back up Anders Nilsson relieved him and eventually gave up a fourth goal to Toronto, which was a matter of very poor positioning on his part, and the Sabres ended up dropping the game by a 4-3 score with Nilsson being the losing goalie of record.
It was a real heartbreaker for Sabres fans as a real promising start to 2017 (3-0-1) all of a sudden turned into a struggle as the team suffered it's third loss in it's last four games.
Naturally, Lehner was ticked at getting the hook and proceeded to act like it. "I'm a competitive guy," said Lehner post-game to the gathered media, "I don't like to give up. I don't like to come out of the game.
"I think I've been pretty good this year at letting (a bad goal) go. There hasn't been many games this year that I've let in more than three."
This much is true.
Lehner hasn't given up more than four goals all season and the last time he gave up four in one game was back in November during a particularly rough five-game stretch. He gave up four goals three times and three goals on another game. The only saving grace was his 2-1 shootout win vs. the Ottawa Senators in Buffalo.
The Toronto game was the first time all season the 19-18-9 Sabres had pulled their starting goalie outside of injury.
Both goalies got the job done last weekend with consecutive overtime victories. Nilsson was in for Buffalo's 3-2 OT win at home over the Detroit Red Wings while Lehner outdueled Montreal's Carey Price for the 3-2 OT win at the Bell Center.
The amount of goals let in by Buffalo goalies hasn't been a sticking point so much this season as the team in front of them just couldn't score. Buffalo finished the month of November averaging a league-low 1.95 goals/game. At one point during the month they went 10 games without scoring more than two goals and hit season low of 1.69 g/gm.
It was brutal and how they got out of that stretch with a 3-5-2 record was a minor miracle.
But the "timeliness of goals allowed" is what prompted head coach Dan Bylsma mentioned as the reasoning behind giving Lehner the hook. “Our first shift and a bouncer off some shin pads and in," said the coach. "In succession they score again from the bad angle, then the third one we had three guys go behind the net on a bit of a puck retrieval, and they get it out front to Matthews for the third goal.
“Really at that point in time, you just want to stop the momentum that the Leafs have.”
Those were three unanswered goals that gave the Leafs a 3-2 lead. Had Nilsson not allowed a very preventable fourth goal, it may have worked and the Sabres might have gotten out of the Air Canada Center with a point or two. It didn't, but after missing out on points in Toronto, Buffalo came back to snag four points against Atlantic Division foes and put themselves a schmazel of teams looking at third place in the division.
Perhaps Bylsma's hook of Lehner resonated throughout the team as they pulled out two gutsy wins despite an extremely depleted defense-corps. The tandem of Lehner/Nilsson hadn't been playing particularly bad this season. Through November Buffalo was 10th in the league with a team goals-against average of 2.45 and they're 15th right now as their team GAA rose to 2.67. But sometimes it takes the hook of a goalie and some slamming of equipment to wake a team up.
Buffalo has won two in a row since that game and we'll see just how much it resonates longer-term.
*****
With those two wins and an extremely crowded middle of the division who had teams that lost, the Sabres moved from the basement into sixth place but have since dropped to seventh. Only five points separates the third-place Boston Bruins from the Sabres and the NY Islanders and Buffalo has games in hand on all of those teams except for the Leafs.
The Sabres hit the road for two Western Conference games against the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, and those two games may give us a better idea as to where Buffalo stands in the playoff race and in turn it will eventually help them decide whether they'll be buyers or sellers at the March 1 trade deadline.
Sabres GM Tim Murray's major overhaul is anything but complete right now but because of the number of big trades he's made, along with the amount of assets he used in the process, one shouldn't expect anything big at or before the trade deadline either as a buyer or a seller.
Adding a top-four d-man might prove to be too costly in assets and/or cap-room for Murray and while adding a bona fide top-six might cost a little less, one would think that Bylsma pretty much has the roster he'll be working with for the rest of the season.
But that doesn't mean the Sabres won't be involved at the deadline as it's reasonable to think that at least two or three players might be available dependent upon where Buffalo is in the standing and what's coming back. Defensemen Cody Franson and Dmitry Kulikov could be made available as teams (like the Sabres right now) are always looking for defense at the deadline. And although Tyler Ennis might pique the interest of teams in the playoff race, a player like veteran Brian Gionta seems to always be wanted by playoff teams looking to make a deep run.
Gionta is a 38 yr. old veteran who's producing well for Buffalo. He's a captain with a Stanley Cup on his resume and is presently on a pace for a 20-goal season while playing on the third line. Kind of sounds like the type of player a team like Buffalo would like to have. No?
In interview with the Buffalo News, Gionta seems as if he wants to stay in Buffalo, despite the struggles they've had this season. "I want to continue what’s here,” he told John Vogl of the News. “I want to continue the job I thought I’d be a part of.”
The job he walked into nearly three years ago was that of helping the team make it through a bottoming out period and then coming out the other side guiding the new players. He's done that well, despite the obstacles Buffalo has faced.
Gionta is having a very successful season which could prompt a playoff team to offer a significant amount for his services. If the Sabres are clearly out of the playoff picture it could be enough of an offer for Gionta to be moved. If Buffalo's in the playoff hunt, then it's highly unlikely he'd be moved.
Either way, most in Buffalo, and I'd assume Gionta himself, would like to continue playing hockey in Buffalo next season. And the Sabres should welcome him back.
*****
Buffalo is seventh in the division right now with 47 points in 46 games on a 19-18-9 record. The goal for the season, as laid out by Bylsma's mention in the off season, is 95 points, a total that would almost assure a playoff spot. They're a tad less than half-way to their goal four games into the second half of the season.
The Sabres finished with 81 points last season and are ahead of that pace at this juncture. After 46 games last season Buffalo was 19-23-4 good for only 42 points.
Buffalo has a 6-3-1 record for the month of January so far as opposed to the 5-7-0 record they finished the month with last year and in February, 2016 the Sabres went 5-5-3. It wasn't a very good start to the 2016 calendar year for Buffalo but the came on pretty strong with a combined record of 10-5-4 in March and April to finish the season.
With the way this season has gone so far, it's anyone's guess as to whether or not they'll be able to finish with a 14 point gain over last season, but with the way things are unfolding in the Atlantic, they may not need 95 points to land a playoff spot. They're five points ahead of last year and have ample opportunity to finish with a better January/February record than they did in 2016.
Just some food for thought.
Showing posts with label Brian Gionta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Gionta. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Monday, January 23, 2017
Lehner, Bogosian star in Revenge of the Whipping Boys
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 1-22-2017
Perhaps only Robin Lehner knew what to expect from himself heading into last night's game against the Montreal Canadiens. Lehner was pulled in his last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday after giving up three goals on 16 shots and wasn't happy about it. As he left the Air Canada Center ice in favor of backup Anders Nilsson, he said something to his coach then proceeded to take out his frustrations on his equipment, most notably his goalie mask, and unleash his death stare.
All the right words were said the next two days between games with Lehner saying he was upset because he's a competitor and Bylsma in turn stating that a pulled goalie should be upset. Lehner was on the bench for Friday's home game against the Detroit Red Wings as Bylsma went with Nilsson's 5-1-1 home record with a sparkling 1.84 goals-against average and .948 save percentage. It worked. Not without drama, however, as the Sabres came from behind to win the game with :26 seconds left in overtime.
Lehner faced the unenviable task of starting against the top team in the division after getting pulled his previous start. Not only were the Canadiens comfortably ahead by 10 points in the division, but 200' from Lehner stood one of the best goalies in the league in Montreal's Carey Price. Add in that the Sabres already weakened defense-corps sustained another blow with the loss of No. 2 d-man Jake McCabe in the Detroit game of Friday, and their top d-man, Rasmus Ristolainen, was coming off of a 35 minute game the previous night, and odds weren't in Buffalo's favor.
Everything was set for Lehner and the Sabres to fail, but he didn't fail his team and his team came through.
Lehner looked calm, cool and collected in net for Buffalo early on and after the Sabres fell behind 2-1, he made numerous saves to keep it close until defenseman Cody Franson tied the score 11:53 into the third period. And then there was this "Save of the Year" candidate in overtime (via sabres.com):
That was huge and he actually managed to outshine Price who had received a standing ovation for completely robbing Ristolainen with 6.3 seconds left in regulation with this stop (via HabsTV):
Of all the whipping boys on this team, Lehner has consistently gotten the most grief. No matter what he does, someone will find something wrong with his play or how he ended up in Buffalo. It's either he's not good enough despite his solid numbers or he just doesn't look like a true No. 1 goalie and if all else fails the fall-back barb comes in the form of the first round pick GM Tim Murray gave up for him.
He's in a no win situation for a lot of fans, similar to what Ryan Miller went through when he was in Buffalo, but for one night at least, the hecklers and negative Nancy's were kept at bay as he without a doubt stole this one for the Sabres.
*****
Also on the list of top whipping boys these days is defenseman Zach Bogosian who came to Buffalo in Evander Kane/Tyler Myers blockbuster trade in February, 2014.
Bogosian plays a big, heavy game who's flaws include giving up a scoring opportunity after missing on a big check. With the game hitting another gear over the past two seasons, Bogosian has struggled to match that gear despite his wheels and at times he looks more like a muscle car in a Formula-1 race. It's not his fault for that, nor is it his fault that his time in Buffalo has been plagued by injuries and with every injury it seems like it takes him weeks to get up to speed.
But what's been forgotten and/or lost in his inconsistent play on an inconsistent team is one of the attributes that made him the fourth-overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft--his shot--and he uncorked one last night that just blew by one of the best goalies in the league (via sabres.com):
Ping! In off the post, blocker side for his first of the season. Bogosian finished with the goal and was a plus-1 in 25:12 of work last night. Perhaps this will get
*****
At on time Kane was the preeminent whipping boy on the Sabres as injuries, sketchy production and off-ice issues made him reviled and a rumored trade-bait candidate for anyone who had a bag of pucks to offer.
Kane was injured in the season opener against these same Canadiens and came back from four broken ribs to an 11-game goal-less drought. One would think he wasn't fully healed as he wasn't playing his powerforward game then beginning December 3, Kane started heating up. He has 12 goals in his last 23 games, 11 of them at even strength which places him near the top of the league in that category during that stretch.
Although he didn't score last night, he and linemate Zemgus Girgensons did the dirty work on Brian Gionta's goal.
Girgensons and Gionta are two other players who've been on the crap list for Buffalo fans. It was rather easy to hate on Girgensons as the former first-rounder has struggled mightily with Bylsma's system, but the hate on 38 yr. old captain Gionta is very curious. In addition to his 10 goals (tied for third on the team) he makes his linemates better. Just ask Johan Larsson who was having his best season as a Sabre before being lost for the season, and Marcus Foligno who played so well on Gionta's line that he now skates alongside Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, two second-overall draft picks.
Kane finished with two assists last night and if you noticed in the Lehner video above, he was the player putting his body in front of Alex Galchenyuk's overtime shot.
****
Franson is another player that's been whipped about in Sabreland. Analytics fans go a bit easier on him while the eye-test often reveals a defenseman with a propensity for a brain fart that ends up in the back of the Sabres net. One thing both sides heartily agree upon is that Franson is slow. Very slow.
Yet last night he sent a seeing-eye shot through four players and past Price blocker side to tie the game at 2-2. It was Franson's second goal of the season and there was a little poetic justice involved.
Early in the third period Galchenyuk worked his way into the Buffalo zone with a head of steam. As he was trying to get around Franson, Galchenyuk got his stick up and butt-ended Franson in the face. Neither ref saw it and play went on with Franson obviously in pain with no penalty called.
Franson scored six minutes later and Galchenyuk was robbed in overtime by Lehner.
Touche', Monsieur.
*****
And finally, we can't forget Bylsma.
Bylsma has been vilified left and right for his tactics, especially late in the game when he "parks the bus" while trying to hold the lead. After Franson tied the game last night he put the Ryan O'Reilly-Tyler Ennis-Kyle Okposo line on the ice and had the Sabres playing on their toes which lead to a delay of game penalty less than two minutes later.
Although I still don't understand why Jack Eichel is on the point on the powerplay, especially on the right side when a goalie like Price has such a wicked glove, Bylsma's team has now won two games in a row, in overtime with a severely depleted defense-corps.
Playing Nilsson against the Wings at home and Lehner in Montreal after pulling him worked to perfection and the four points Buffalo earned got them out of the basement of the Atlantic Division.
Today the team has a day off before they get ready for Tuesday's tilt at Nashville against the Predators. Buffalo then heads to Dallas to take on the Stars in their last game before the All-Star break.
After the big win against Montreal, what will they do for an encore?
Perhaps only Robin Lehner knew what to expect from himself heading into last night's game against the Montreal Canadiens. Lehner was pulled in his last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday after giving up three goals on 16 shots and wasn't happy about it. As he left the Air Canada Center ice in favor of backup Anders Nilsson, he said something to his coach then proceeded to take out his frustrations on his equipment, most notably his goalie mask, and unleash his death stare.
All the right words were said the next two days between games with Lehner saying he was upset because he's a competitor and Bylsma in turn stating that a pulled goalie should be upset. Lehner was on the bench for Friday's home game against the Detroit Red Wings as Bylsma went with Nilsson's 5-1-1 home record with a sparkling 1.84 goals-against average and .948 save percentage. It worked. Not without drama, however, as the Sabres came from behind to win the game with :26 seconds left in overtime.
Lehner faced the unenviable task of starting against the top team in the division after getting pulled his previous start. Not only were the Canadiens comfortably ahead by 10 points in the division, but 200' from Lehner stood one of the best goalies in the league in Montreal's Carey Price. Add in that the Sabres already weakened defense-corps sustained another blow with the loss of No. 2 d-man Jake McCabe in the Detroit game of Friday, and their top d-man, Rasmus Ristolainen, was coming off of a 35 minute game the previous night, and odds weren't in Buffalo's favor.
Everything was set for Lehner and the Sabres to fail, but he didn't fail his team and his team came through.
Lehner looked calm, cool and collected in net for Buffalo early on and after the Sabres fell behind 2-1, he made numerous saves to keep it close until defenseman Cody Franson tied the score 11:53 into the third period. And then there was this "Save of the Year" candidate in overtime (via sabres.com):
That was huge and he actually managed to outshine Price who had received a standing ovation for completely robbing Ristolainen with 6.3 seconds left in regulation with this stop (via HabsTV):
Of all the whipping boys on this team, Lehner has consistently gotten the most grief. No matter what he does, someone will find something wrong with his play or how he ended up in Buffalo. It's either he's not good enough despite his solid numbers or he just doesn't look like a true No. 1 goalie and if all else fails the fall-back barb comes in the form of the first round pick GM Tim Murray gave up for him.
He's in a no win situation for a lot of fans, similar to what Ryan Miller went through when he was in Buffalo, but for one night at least, the hecklers and negative Nancy's were kept at bay as he without a doubt stole this one for the Sabres.
*****
Also on the list of top whipping boys these days is defenseman Zach Bogosian who came to Buffalo in Evander Kane/Tyler Myers blockbuster trade in February, 2014.
Bogosian plays a big, heavy game who's flaws include giving up a scoring opportunity after missing on a big check. With the game hitting another gear over the past two seasons, Bogosian has struggled to match that gear despite his wheels and at times he looks more like a muscle car in a Formula-1 race. It's not his fault for that, nor is it his fault that his time in Buffalo has been plagued by injuries and with every injury it seems like it takes him weeks to get up to speed.
But what's been forgotten and/or lost in his inconsistent play on an inconsistent team is one of the attributes that made him the fourth-overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft--his shot--and he uncorked one last night that just blew by one of the best goalies in the league (via sabres.com):
Ping! In off the post, blocker side for his first of the season. Bogosian finished with the goal and was a plus-1 in 25:12 of work last night. Perhaps this will get
*****
At on time Kane was the preeminent whipping boy on the Sabres as injuries, sketchy production and off-ice issues made him reviled and a rumored trade-bait candidate for anyone who had a bag of pucks to offer.
Kane was injured in the season opener against these same Canadiens and came back from four broken ribs to an 11-game goal-less drought. One would think he wasn't fully healed as he wasn't playing his powerforward game then beginning December 3, Kane started heating up. He has 12 goals in his last 23 games, 11 of them at even strength which places him near the top of the league in that category during that stretch.
Although he didn't score last night, he and linemate Zemgus Girgensons did the dirty work on Brian Gionta's goal.
Girgensons and Gionta are two other players who've been on the crap list for Buffalo fans. It was rather easy to hate on Girgensons as the former first-rounder has struggled mightily with Bylsma's system, but the hate on 38 yr. old captain Gionta is very curious. In addition to his 10 goals (tied for third on the team) he makes his linemates better. Just ask Johan Larsson who was having his best season as a Sabre before being lost for the season, and Marcus Foligno who played so well on Gionta's line that he now skates alongside Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, two second-overall draft picks.
Kane finished with two assists last night and if you noticed in the Lehner video above, he was the player putting his body in front of Alex Galchenyuk's overtime shot.
****
Franson is another player that's been whipped about in Sabreland. Analytics fans go a bit easier on him while the eye-test often reveals a defenseman with a propensity for a brain fart that ends up in the back of the Sabres net. One thing both sides heartily agree upon is that Franson is slow. Very slow.
Yet last night he sent a seeing-eye shot through four players and past Price blocker side to tie the game at 2-2. It was Franson's second goal of the season and there was a little poetic justice involved.
Early in the third period Galchenyuk worked his way into the Buffalo zone with a head of steam. As he was trying to get around Franson, Galchenyuk got his stick up and butt-ended Franson in the face. Neither ref saw it and play went on with Franson obviously in pain with no penalty called.
Franson scored six minutes later and Galchenyuk was robbed in overtime by Lehner.
Touche', Monsieur.
*****
And finally, we can't forget Bylsma.
Bylsma has been vilified left and right for his tactics, especially late in the game when he "parks the bus" while trying to hold the lead. After Franson tied the game last night he put the Ryan O'Reilly-Tyler Ennis-Kyle Okposo line on the ice and had the Sabres playing on their toes which lead to a delay of game penalty less than two minutes later.
Although I still don't understand why Jack Eichel is on the point on the powerplay, especially on the right side when a goalie like Price has such a wicked glove, Bylsma's team has now won two games in a row, in overtime with a severely depleted defense-corps.
Playing Nilsson against the Wings at home and Lehner in Montreal after pulling him worked to perfection and the four points Buffalo earned got them out of the basement of the Atlantic Division.
Today the team has a day off before they get ready for Tuesday's tilt at Nashville against the Predators. Buffalo then heads to Dallas to take on the Stars in their last game before the All-Star break.
After the big win against Montreal, what will they do for an encore?
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Latest Sabres injuries may prove to be a blessing
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 1-4-2017
Let me preface this by saying the Buffalo Sabres have been maddeningly inconsistent this season and although their 4-1 win at Madison Square Garden vs. the NY Rangers on national TV was impressive in many ways, one game won't be indicative of future results. Buffalo has an incredibly tough matchup on Thursday as they travel to the Madhouse on Madison to take on the Chicago Blackhawks, a team that's about as close to a dynasty as on can get in the cap-era.
Injuries have been the main contributor to the Sabres inconsistencies this season as they've not only been injury riddled, but the IR for Buffalo has been filled with significant injuries to some of their top players. Most recently, their top two-way center in Ryan O'Reilly was sidelined due to an emergency appendectomy on Christmas day while third-line center Johan Larsson went heavily into the boards against the Boston Bruins on Saturday dislocating both his elbow and wrist and is out for the season.
The Larsson injury compelled head coach Dan Bylsma to revamp his forward group and move another forward back to his natural center position as Zemgus Girgensons joined Sam Reinhart in the middle. Both players were drafted as centers but with Buffalo's depth their ended up on the wing. Reinhart took O'Reilly's spot as No. 2 center while Girgensons was moved into Larsson's spot as the team's No. 3.
Both Reinhart and Girgensons had been on the same line for much of the three games post Christmas break, with not much happening. Larsson had been centering a pretty successful trio Evander Kane and Brian Gionta on his wing but his injury would open the door for Girgensons to move back to center. Last night Reinhart was between Kane and rookie Justin Bailey who'd been called up for the Boston game on Saturday to replace injured rookie Will Carrier. Bylsma put Reinhart between the bookend powerforwards and formed a line of Girgensons centering Carrier and Gionta.
It proved to be very successful on the scoresheet for the Sabres. Girgensons (from Carrier and Gionta) put the team on the board just under eight minutes into the first period and the Sabres went up 2-0 on as Kane buried a rebound off of a Reinhart shot very late in the period. In all every player from both lines would hit the scoresheet with Bailey scoring the first goal of his NHL career just over a minute into the second period to put the Sabres up 3-0. Of note, it was officially an unassisted goal but both Reinhart and Kane got unofficial assists as shown in this from NHL.
Just as important for the Sabres, however, is that this group as constructed held the Rangers without a shot for almost a full 10 minutes to begin the game and held them without a shot through almost 15 minutes to begin the third period. The Rangers had one good period where they produced 15 shots but had very few premium opportunites. This was by far the most complete game of Girgensons season as his strong skating and two-way acumen were on display all game while every player on the team skated hard and this time, unlike the Boston game on December 29, they didn't blow a 2-0 lead.
The big thing for Buffalo, of course, is consistency and playing the same game against the Blackhawks would be a huge step in that direction. One game does not make a season nor does it mean they'll go on any kind of run, but every run begins with one game and often times it can begin with the lines clicking.
They sure did so last night.
***
O'Reilly was expected to miss at least two to three weeks after the appendectomy and it looks as if he'll be missing at least the next three Sabres games. After the Chicago game on Thursday Buffalo heads back home for to face Winnipeg on Saturday and Philadelphia on Tuesday next week. After that they travel for a quick southern sojourn for a back-to-back against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes beginning next Thursday.
Buffalo will have three to five more games to see if the lineup Bylsma constructed is one that he'll move forward with.
The make-up of a playmaker in Reinhart between two fast powerforwards with skill is very intriguing. With his two assists last night Reinhart upped his total to 15 on the season and only trails Rasmus Ristolainen (22) on the team. Kane has been hot lately with six goals in his last 10 games and looks every bit the player GM Tim Murray traded for nearly two years ago. Bailey had 20 goals in his first pro season in Rochester and he finally broke through in his 12th NHL game. He'd have had two last night but the rocket he beat Henrik Lundqvist with in the third period chimed off of the post.
Girgensons at third-line center brings the same two-way traits as Larsson did but with much more speed and a bit more skill. Couple that with the extremely fast Carrier and the veteran saavy of Gionta and the trio showed they could both create and find open spaces.
While watching last night, I couldn't help but wonder what this team might be like if O'Reilly was moved to the wing on the Eichel/Kyle Okposo line.
I get that a lot of the hub-bub in Colorado came from O'Reilly playing on the wing as he prefers to play center, but O'Reilly/Eichel/Okposo would be a formidable trio. Nothing against Marcus Foligno who's played admirably in the top-six this season, but he's not a top-line winger.
There are plenty of games between the Ranger game and O'Reilly's return to find out if last night's game was an aberration or something to build upon, but that's an intriguing line if Bylsma ever decides to give it a whirl.
***
It seems as if Gionta gets a lot of grief from many on these boards, but much of it is unwarranted. Sure, at 37 yrs. old he's not the same speedy goal-scorer he was in New Jersey and the early part of his Montreal tenure, but the dude has some serious veteran savvy that he doesn't get credit for.
Last season with the Sabres struggling, Bylsma formed the line of Larsson with Foligno and Gionta. Both Larsson and Foligno proceeded to have strong finishes to the season. This season Bylsma moved Kane out of the top-six and onto a line with Larsson and Gionta. Kane proceeded to come out of his post-injury funk and now has six goals in his last 10 games and is second on the team with nine goals overall. His eight goals at full strength is by far the most on the team.
Last night Girgensons lit the lamp and Carrier got on of the assists with Gionta the other on some real nice work on the forecheck. It was the first time this trio had skated on the same line.
It remains to be seen how long the present forward make-up lasts, but it doesn't seem to matter who is on Gionta's line, he just quietly gets them in the proper place on the ice playing the proper game to create opportunities.
***
Eichel's frustrations after the back-to-back Bruins losses is well documented and he may have needed to find some new equipment after slammed it around in Boston. As they said on the NBCSN telecast last night, Eichel is a proud guy. Having the team and himself lay an egg in his hometown didn't sit well with the feisty 20 yr. old and he wasn't afraid to let it out after the game.
As mentioned before, I wish the whole team had his passion and hatred for losing.
After scoring Buffalo's fourth goal last night Eichel skated towards the corner not with his usual one-leg up goal scoring celebration, but with fists in front of him and a fierce look of resolution. It was redemption for him and the Sabres as he was on the ice for the Rangers late second period goal that narrowed Buffalo's lead to 3-1.
The Rangers goal came on a delayed penalty to Cody Franson as he tripped up a Rangers player in their own zone. Franson immediately put his arms up proclaiming innocence as the play continued and you could see a frustration in Eichel as he pouted on the play. The Rangers whipped around the puck and defenseman Nick Holden blasted on past Buffalo goalie Anders Nilsson while Eichel provided a screen.
It was the type of sequence we've seen all to often as harbinger of things to come in a Buffalo loss.
Not unlike the Boston games, Eichel had a personal connection to this game against the Rangers as he was playing against his off-season workout buddy, Jimmy Vesey. If you'll recall , the Sabres traded for Vesey's rights after the college player decided he wouldn't be playing for the team that drafted him, the Nashville Predators. Buffalo made it's case over the summer but Vesey signed with the NY Rangers.
Most assuredly Eichel did not want to lose this game and that late second period goal by the Rangers could've been a disaster. Fortunately for Eichel and the Sabres, Vesey went off for hooking only :18 seconds into the third period and Eichel would score less than a minute later.
Yeah, there was definitely some added incentive in Eichel's goal as his buddy's penalty and the resulting goal pretty much sealed the Rangers fate. To add injury to insult, Buffalo's Derek Grant caught Vesey looking at the puck in his skates and flattened him with a bone-jarring check. One would think Eichel had a bit of a smile watching that one.
***
Interesting stats.
Nilsson is 2-0 against the Rangers this season allowing four goals on 50 shots against for a .920 save percentage.
His countryman counterpart Lundqvist is 0-2 against Buffalo giving up eight goals on 53 shots for a .849 Sv%.
The teams meet one more time at Buffalo on February 2.
Wonder who'll get the start for the Sabres?
Let me preface this by saying the Buffalo Sabres have been maddeningly inconsistent this season and although their 4-1 win at Madison Square Garden vs. the NY Rangers on national TV was impressive in many ways, one game won't be indicative of future results. Buffalo has an incredibly tough matchup on Thursday as they travel to the Madhouse on Madison to take on the Chicago Blackhawks, a team that's about as close to a dynasty as on can get in the cap-era.
Injuries have been the main contributor to the Sabres inconsistencies this season as they've not only been injury riddled, but the IR for Buffalo has been filled with significant injuries to some of their top players. Most recently, their top two-way center in Ryan O'Reilly was sidelined due to an emergency appendectomy on Christmas day while third-line center Johan Larsson went heavily into the boards against the Boston Bruins on Saturday dislocating both his elbow and wrist and is out for the season.
The Larsson injury compelled head coach Dan Bylsma to revamp his forward group and move another forward back to his natural center position as Zemgus Girgensons joined Sam Reinhart in the middle. Both players were drafted as centers but with Buffalo's depth their ended up on the wing. Reinhart took O'Reilly's spot as No. 2 center while Girgensons was moved into Larsson's spot as the team's No. 3.
Both Reinhart and Girgensons had been on the same line for much of the three games post Christmas break, with not much happening. Larsson had been centering a pretty successful trio Evander Kane and Brian Gionta on his wing but his injury would open the door for Girgensons to move back to center. Last night Reinhart was between Kane and rookie Justin Bailey who'd been called up for the Boston game on Saturday to replace injured rookie Will Carrier. Bylsma put Reinhart between the bookend powerforwards and formed a line of Girgensons centering Carrier and Gionta.
It proved to be very successful on the scoresheet for the Sabres. Girgensons (from Carrier and Gionta) put the team on the board just under eight minutes into the first period and the Sabres went up 2-0 on as Kane buried a rebound off of a Reinhart shot very late in the period. In all every player from both lines would hit the scoresheet with Bailey scoring the first goal of his NHL career just over a minute into the second period to put the Sabres up 3-0. Of note, it was officially an unassisted goal but both Reinhart and Kane got unofficial assists as shown in this from NHL.
Just as important for the Sabres, however, is that this group as constructed held the Rangers without a shot for almost a full 10 minutes to begin the game and held them without a shot through almost 15 minutes to begin the third period. The Rangers had one good period where they produced 15 shots but had very few premium opportunites. This was by far the most complete game of Girgensons season as his strong skating and two-way acumen were on display all game while every player on the team skated hard and this time, unlike the Boston game on December 29, they didn't blow a 2-0 lead.
The big thing for Buffalo, of course, is consistency and playing the same game against the Blackhawks would be a huge step in that direction. One game does not make a season nor does it mean they'll go on any kind of run, but every run begins with one game and often times it can begin with the lines clicking.
They sure did so last night.
***
O'Reilly was expected to miss at least two to three weeks after the appendectomy and it looks as if he'll be missing at least the next three Sabres games. After the Chicago game on Thursday Buffalo heads back home for to face Winnipeg on Saturday and Philadelphia on Tuesday next week. After that they travel for a quick southern sojourn for a back-to-back against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes beginning next Thursday.
Buffalo will have three to five more games to see if the lineup Bylsma constructed is one that he'll move forward with.
The make-up of a playmaker in Reinhart between two fast powerforwards with skill is very intriguing. With his two assists last night Reinhart upped his total to 15 on the season and only trails Rasmus Ristolainen (22) on the team. Kane has been hot lately with six goals in his last 10 games and looks every bit the player GM Tim Murray traded for nearly two years ago. Bailey had 20 goals in his first pro season in Rochester and he finally broke through in his 12th NHL game. He'd have had two last night but the rocket he beat Henrik Lundqvist with in the third period chimed off of the post.
Girgensons at third-line center brings the same two-way traits as Larsson did but with much more speed and a bit more skill. Couple that with the extremely fast Carrier and the veteran saavy of Gionta and the trio showed they could both create and find open spaces.
While watching last night, I couldn't help but wonder what this team might be like if O'Reilly was moved to the wing on the Eichel/Kyle Okposo line.
I get that a lot of the hub-bub in Colorado came from O'Reilly playing on the wing as he prefers to play center, but O'Reilly/Eichel/Okposo would be a formidable trio. Nothing against Marcus Foligno who's played admirably in the top-six this season, but he's not a top-line winger.
There are plenty of games between the Ranger game and O'Reilly's return to find out if last night's game was an aberration or something to build upon, but that's an intriguing line if Bylsma ever decides to give it a whirl.
***
It seems as if Gionta gets a lot of grief from many on these boards, but much of it is unwarranted. Sure, at 37 yrs. old he's not the same speedy goal-scorer he was in New Jersey and the early part of his Montreal tenure, but the dude has some serious veteran savvy that he doesn't get credit for.
Last season with the Sabres struggling, Bylsma formed the line of Larsson with Foligno and Gionta. Both Larsson and Foligno proceeded to have strong finishes to the season. This season Bylsma moved Kane out of the top-six and onto a line with Larsson and Gionta. Kane proceeded to come out of his post-injury funk and now has six goals in his last 10 games and is second on the team with nine goals overall. His eight goals at full strength is by far the most on the team.
Last night Girgensons lit the lamp and Carrier got on of the assists with Gionta the other on some real nice work on the forecheck. It was the first time this trio had skated on the same line.
It remains to be seen how long the present forward make-up lasts, but it doesn't seem to matter who is on Gionta's line, he just quietly gets them in the proper place on the ice playing the proper game to create opportunities.
***
Eichel's frustrations after the back-to-back Bruins losses is well documented and he may have needed to find some new equipment after slammed it around in Boston. As they said on the NBCSN telecast last night, Eichel is a proud guy. Having the team and himself lay an egg in his hometown didn't sit well with the feisty 20 yr. old and he wasn't afraid to let it out after the game.
As mentioned before, I wish the whole team had his passion and hatred for losing.
After scoring Buffalo's fourth goal last night Eichel skated towards the corner not with his usual one-leg up goal scoring celebration, but with fists in front of him and a fierce look of resolution. It was redemption for him and the Sabres as he was on the ice for the Rangers late second period goal that narrowed Buffalo's lead to 3-1.
The Rangers goal came on a delayed penalty to Cody Franson as he tripped up a Rangers player in their own zone. Franson immediately put his arms up proclaiming innocence as the play continued and you could see a frustration in Eichel as he pouted on the play. The Rangers whipped around the puck and defenseman Nick Holden blasted on past Buffalo goalie Anders Nilsson while Eichel provided a screen.
It was the type of sequence we've seen all to often as harbinger of things to come in a Buffalo loss.
Not unlike the Boston games, Eichel had a personal connection to this game against the Rangers as he was playing against his off-season workout buddy, Jimmy Vesey. If you'll recall , the Sabres traded for Vesey's rights after the college player decided he wouldn't be playing for the team that drafted him, the Nashville Predators. Buffalo made it's case over the summer but Vesey signed with the NY Rangers.
Most assuredly Eichel did not want to lose this game and that late second period goal by the Rangers could've been a disaster. Fortunately for Eichel and the Sabres, Vesey went off for hooking only :18 seconds into the third period and Eichel would score less than a minute later.
Yeah, there was definitely some added incentive in Eichel's goal as his buddy's penalty and the resulting goal pretty much sealed the Rangers fate. To add injury to insult, Buffalo's Derek Grant caught Vesey looking at the puck in his skates and flattened him with a bone-jarring check. One would think Eichel had a bit of a smile watching that one.
***
Interesting stats.
Nilsson is 2-0 against the Rangers this season allowing four goals on 50 shots against for a .920 save percentage.
His countryman counterpart Lundqvist is 0-2 against Buffalo giving up eight goals on 53 shots for a .849 Sv%.
The teams meet one more time at Buffalo on February 2.
Wonder who'll get the start for the Sabres?
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster--RW, Brian Gionta
As of this moment, Brian Gionta is the captain of the Buffalo Sabres. The 14 yr. veteran with a Stanley Cup to his resume' was signed by the Sabres as a free agent in 2014 to help guide this team through the dire straights of a bottoming out period. Gionta had spent five seasons in Montreal, wht last four as captain of the Canadiens and although he wasn't the first American-born player to hold that distinction, he's the only American-born player to wear the lone 'C' for the legendary Habitants.
While the Canadiens were coming off a an Eastern Conference Finals appearance with Gionta as their captain, the Sabres were hitting the off season in 2014 with a purged roster that netted them second-overall pick, Sam Reinhart. With all the salary GM Tim Murray unloaded that season there were questions as to whether the team would even make it to the salary cap floor. Murray was the voice of reason in the matter saying that it's rather easy to add salary, but he didn't want to add just any salary, he wanted quality players to help stabilize the club during a tough period of transition.
Here's how Murray put it after landing Gionta and defensemen Josh Gorges, among others, for his last place team back in July, 2014: "We've got a lot of character now. We have leadership now. That's important to me when you're adding young players every year. There's a short term and a long term. The long-term is that your young players get better. Your young players become pros. They're not just good players, they're good NHL players, and I think that this group of people that we've added today can help in that regard."
At the heart of that group was Gionta who was signed to a three-year, $12.75M free agent contract.
While the Canadiens were coming off a an Eastern Conference Finals appearance with Gionta as their captain, the Sabres were hitting the off season in 2014 with a purged roster that netted them second-overall pick, Sam Reinhart. With all the salary GM Tim Murray unloaded that season there were questions as to whether the team would even make it to the salary cap floor. Murray was the voice of reason in the matter saying that it's rather easy to add salary, but he didn't want to add just any salary, he wanted quality players to help stabilize the club during a tough period of transition.
Here's how Murray put it after landing Gionta and defensemen Josh Gorges, among others, for his last place team back in July, 2014: "We've got a lot of character now. We have leadership now. That's important to me when you're adding young players every year. There's a short term and a long term. The long-term is that your young players get better. Your young players become pros. They're not just good players, they're good NHL players, and I think that this group of people that we've added today can help in that regard."
At the heart of that group was Gionta who was signed to a three-year, $12.75M free agent contract.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Impressions of, and questions concerning--RW, Brian Gionta
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Right Wing--Brian Gionta
DOB: January 18, 1979 (age, 37)
Draft: 1998, 3rd round (82nd-overall,) NJD
How acquired: Free agent signee (MTL), 2014
Last contract signed: 2014--3yr./$12.75M
Final year of contract: 2016-17
2015-16 Stats: 79 games, 12 goals, 21 assists, 33 points, -5
What we wrote preseason: "Gionta headlined a trio coming to Buffalo making the Sabres the surprise of the 2014 off-season. The Greece, NY native (a suburb just outside of Rochester) knew what he was signing up for when he signed a 3 yr. contract with the Sabres. [He] was brought in mainly to provide leadership on a rebuilding team that would be seeing a large group of prospects making their way to Buffalo beginning this season.
"At the top of that leadership group is the 36 yr. old Gionta who will be integral in trying to build a winning attitude off of the disaster that was last season. The vets all have their roles in that regard, which is to pass on their experiences to the youngins. While on the ice they'll be taking the pressure off of the kids but off the ice Gionta says they'll be 'showing them how to be professionals, showing them what it's like to be in the NHL day-in, day-out.'"
What we wrote mid-season: "Started the year off real strong but has fallen back a bit. At 36 yrs. old shows bursts of speed that had him keeping up with the big dogs on the top lines. But that was earlier in the season. May have found a home on the third line with Girgensons. Has been the best, most consistent line three games running."
Impressions on his play this year: Gionta missed the first three games of the season with an injury and upon returning to the ice, Sabres bench boss "Dancing Dan" Bylsma proceeded to use him up and down the lineup. Oft-times, much to the consternation of the fan-base, one would witness Gionta logging big, top-six minutes and while miscast on a skill-level, his skating ability kept him in the play.
His skating ability and vast experience would serve him and his linemates well as he fell down the depth chart to his proper third-line role on the Sabres. Gionta, Johan Larsson and Marcus Foligno would form the Sabres most consistent line through the final 20-25 games of the season and the captain played a big role in helping those two find their games. Leadership, especially one that totes a Stanley Cup ring like Gionta has, is invaluable on a young team. Although the Sabres as a team made great strides, having a captain being disappointed with the participation trophy, as he often said during locker cleanout day, will keep this team on the right track.
Questions moving forward: At age 37 and in top shape, how much will he have to offer the team heading into his final year of his contract? Who will he have a positive impact on next season? And peeking a little bit beyond, could he and the Sabres find a match for one, maybe two more years in a limited role at a reduced cap-hit?
Right Wing--Brian Gionta
DOB: January 18, 1979 (age, 37)
Draft: 1998, 3rd round (82nd-overall,) NJD
How acquired: Free agent signee (MTL), 2014
Last contract signed: 2014--3yr./$12.75M
Final year of contract: 2016-17
2015-16 Stats: 79 games, 12 goals, 21 assists, 33 points, -5
What we wrote preseason: "Gionta headlined a trio coming to Buffalo making the Sabres the surprise of the 2014 off-season. The Greece, NY native (a suburb just outside of Rochester) knew what he was signing up for when he signed a 3 yr. contract with the Sabres. [He] was brought in mainly to provide leadership on a rebuilding team that would be seeing a large group of prospects making their way to Buffalo beginning this season.
"At the top of that leadership group is the 36 yr. old Gionta who will be integral in trying to build a winning attitude off of the disaster that was last season. The vets all have their roles in that regard, which is to pass on their experiences to the youngins. While on the ice they'll be taking the pressure off of the kids but off the ice Gionta says they'll be 'showing them how to be professionals, showing them what it's like to be in the NHL day-in, day-out.'"
What we wrote mid-season: "Started the year off real strong but has fallen back a bit. At 36 yrs. old shows bursts of speed that had him keeping up with the big dogs on the top lines. But that was earlier in the season. May have found a home on the third line with Girgensons. Has been the best, most consistent line three games running."
Impressions on his play this year: Gionta missed the first three games of the season with an injury and upon returning to the ice, Sabres bench boss "Dancing Dan" Bylsma proceeded to use him up and down the lineup. Oft-times, much to the consternation of the fan-base, one would witness Gionta logging big, top-six minutes and while miscast on a skill-level, his skating ability kept him in the play.
His skating ability and vast experience would serve him and his linemates well as he fell down the depth chart to his proper third-line role on the Sabres. Gionta, Johan Larsson and Marcus Foligno would form the Sabres most consistent line through the final 20-25 games of the season and the captain played a big role in helping those two find their games. Leadership, especially one that totes a Stanley Cup ring like Gionta has, is invaluable on a young team. Although the Sabres as a team made great strides, having a captain being disappointed with the participation trophy, as he often said during locker cleanout day, will keep this team on the right track.
Questions moving forward: At age 37 and in top shape, how much will he have to offer the team heading into his final year of his contract? Who will he have a positive impact on next season? And peeking a little bit beyond, could he and the Sabres find a match for one, maybe two more years in a limited role at a reduced cap-hit?
Sunday, April 3, 2016
2015-16 Individual Stats--March
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
In going over individual Buffalo Sabre stats for a rather successful month of March, aside from the usual suspects hitting the top three in most scoring categories, there are some notables that made their presence known.
Sam Reinhart has been consistently hitting the scoresheet all season long and joins the ranks of "usual suspects" like Ryan O'Reilly, fellow rookie Jack Eichel and Evander Kane after yet another strong month. Reinhart was his usual quite self while amassing a total of 12 points in 15 games for the Sabres in March. He scored four goals and added eight assists (five of them primary) with only one goal and one assist coming on the powerplay. In the past two months Reinhart has double his production and now has 40 points on the season.
O'Reilly still leads the team in points (58) even though he only played eight games in March because of an injury. He augmented his team-leading assist total (38) by adding six of them last month and chipped in his first goal in 24 games as well. Eichel, who leads the team in goals (23) and is second in points (51) had another strong month registering 10 points last month on the power of six goals and four assists. And before his injury, Kane continued his late-season push with three goals and six assists in 13 games. He's been shelved for the rest of the season.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has cooled off considerably since the first part of the year, remained in the top-five in scoring despite a sub-par month. O'Reilly, Eichel, Ristolainen, Reinhart and Kane lead the team in points so far this season.
In going over individual Buffalo Sabre stats for a rather successful month of March, aside from the usual suspects hitting the top three in most scoring categories, there are some notables that made their presence known.
Sam Reinhart has been consistently hitting the scoresheet all season long and joins the ranks of "usual suspects" like Ryan O'Reilly, fellow rookie Jack Eichel and Evander Kane after yet another strong month. Reinhart was his usual quite self while amassing a total of 12 points in 15 games for the Sabres in March. He scored four goals and added eight assists (five of them primary) with only one goal and one assist coming on the powerplay. In the past two months Reinhart has double his production and now has 40 points on the season.
O'Reilly still leads the team in points (58) even though he only played eight games in March because of an injury. He augmented his team-leading assist total (38) by adding six of them last month and chipped in his first goal in 24 games as well. Eichel, who leads the team in goals (23) and is second in points (51) had another strong month registering 10 points last month on the power of six goals and four assists. And before his injury, Kane continued his late-season push with three goals and six assists in 13 games. He's been shelved for the rest of the season.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has cooled off considerably since the first part of the year, remained in the top-five in scoring despite a sub-par month. O'Reilly, Eichel, Ristolainen, Reinhart and Kane lead the team in points so far this season.
Monday, February 15, 2016
The value of goaltending. Plus Evander Kane, Justin Bailey and more...
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Tell me that goaltending doesn't matter to most teams outside the city of Chicago.
The Buffalo Sabres, or as some would say, "the lowly Buffalo Sabres," have now beaten Montreal Canadiens twice this month by a combined 10-6 score. In their only other meeting which occurred in late October, Les Habitants soundly beat Buffalo 7-2. The difference?
Carey Price, of course.
Since Price went down with an injury in late November and if "speculation" is correct, may be out the rest of the season. Last year he took home a boatload of hardware including the Hart and Vezina Trophies while almost single-handedly advancing the Canadiens to the Conference Semifinals. Price had a remarkable 44-16-6 regular season record in 2014-15 with an incredibly stingy 1.96 goals-against average and a strong .933 save percentage. And he followed that up with an equally strong beginning to this season: 10-2-0; 2.06 gaa; .934 sv%.
Everything was clicking for Montreal to begin this season which included a 9-game win streak in regulation to start the season (one shy of tying the record of 10 straight held by Buffalo.) The small but fast Canadiens looked a little bit bigger and were a little bit quicker as well while backup goalie Mike Condon looked very strong in net. But confidence is a funny thing. When you take away your security blanket, things get messy.
Montreal is now 10-21-2 without price after their 6-4 loss in Buffalo last night. As a whole they still play fast, they don't look bigger than they actually are. Granted, they rang plenty of iron last night and carried the play for most of the third period when down by only a goal, plus they're still dominant against Buffalo on the powerplay (2 for 3 last night, 5 for 8 this season,) but their goaltenders (yes, plural as starter Ben Scrivens was yanked early in the second) didn't get the job done.
Tell me that goaltending doesn't matter to most teams outside the city of Chicago.
The Buffalo Sabres, or as some would say, "the lowly Buffalo Sabres," have now beaten Montreal Canadiens twice this month by a combined 10-6 score. In their only other meeting which occurred in late October, Les Habitants soundly beat Buffalo 7-2. The difference?
Carey Price, of course.
Since Price went down with an injury in late November and if "speculation" is correct, may be out the rest of the season. Last year he took home a boatload of hardware including the Hart and Vezina Trophies while almost single-handedly advancing the Canadiens to the Conference Semifinals. Price had a remarkable 44-16-6 regular season record in 2014-15 with an incredibly stingy 1.96 goals-against average and a strong .933 save percentage. And he followed that up with an equally strong beginning to this season: 10-2-0; 2.06 gaa; .934 sv%.
Everything was clicking for Montreal to begin this season which included a 9-game win streak in regulation to start the season (one shy of tying the record of 10 straight held by Buffalo.) The small but fast Canadiens looked a little bit bigger and were a little bit quicker as well while backup goalie Mike Condon looked very strong in net. But confidence is a funny thing. When you take away your security blanket, things get messy.
Montreal is now 10-21-2 without price after their 6-4 loss in Buffalo last night. As a whole they still play fast, they don't look bigger than they actually are. Granted, they rang plenty of iron last night and carried the play for most of the third period when down by only a goal, plus they're still dominant against Buffalo on the powerplay (2 for 3 last night, 5 for 8 this season,) but their goaltenders (yes, plural as starter Ben Scrivens was yanked early in the second) didn't get the job done.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Watching the Wild last night vs. Buffalo reminiscent of watching "The Core"
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
For any newbies who are just beginning to watch the Buffalo Sabres with interest, you should be happy with the fact that you didn't have to sit through the post Chris Drury/Daniel Briere years. From the 2007-08 through the 2012-13 season Buffalo was a middling team with a plenty of talent that always seemed to leave you wanting more.
Last night I saw that in the Minnesota Wild.
This is not a shot at certain Wild players like Ryan Suter, Mikko Koivu or Zach Parise, all of whom are top-notch NHL'ers. Nor is it a shot at the Wild organization who've drafted future studs like Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund, augmented the roster with some quality vets and brought in a real good coaching staff lead by head coach Mike Yeo.
Unlike the post-Drury/Briere Sabres, the group of players they've assembled in St. Paul has reached the playoffs the last three seasons. Unfortunately Minnesota has had to face the juggernaut that is the Chicago Blackhawks early on in the playoffs all three times. The Wild lost to the Hawks in the first round of the 2013 playoffs, then in the second round in 2014 and 2015. Chicago won the Cup in 2013 and 2015.
But watching last night's game seemed eerily familiar to this Sabres fan.
Dig.
For any newbies who are just beginning to watch the Buffalo Sabres with interest, you should be happy with the fact that you didn't have to sit through the post Chris Drury/Daniel Briere years. From the 2007-08 through the 2012-13 season Buffalo was a middling team with a plenty of talent that always seemed to leave you wanting more.
Last night I saw that in the Minnesota Wild.
This is not a shot at certain Wild players like Ryan Suter, Mikko Koivu or Zach Parise, all of whom are top-notch NHL'ers. Nor is it a shot at the Wild organization who've drafted future studs like Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund, augmented the roster with some quality vets and brought in a real good coaching staff lead by head coach Mike Yeo.
Unlike the post-Drury/Briere Sabres, the group of players they've assembled in St. Paul has reached the playoffs the last three seasons. Unfortunately Minnesota has had to face the juggernaut that is the Chicago Blackhawks early on in the playoffs all three times. The Wild lost to the Hawks in the first round of the 2013 playoffs, then in the second round in 2014 and 2015. Chicago won the Cup in 2013 and 2015.
But watching last night's game seemed eerily familiar to this Sabres fan.
Dig.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Chad Johnson holds the fort as special teams seize the moment
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres goalie Chad Johnson has been on the winning end of identical 4-1 scores two consecutive nights. On Friday the Sabres snapped a six-game winless streak as Johnson stopped 27 of 28 shots in a home win vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Last night the Sabres took their show to Music City where Johnson stopped 28 of 29 as they defeated the Nashville Predators.
"Johnny," as he's known in the locker room, held the fort in both games and the offense finally came through for him. It's something he's done throughout an excellent month of November. In seven appearances (two in relief of Linus Ullmark) he went 3-1-1, and gave up only eight goals on 174 shots for a .954 save percentage. After last night's game he told the gathered media that the team is beginning to come together. Johnson noted that he felt good from the beginning of the season but that the team was struggling with rust and to gel as a team. "You don't get the results when maybe you should," he told the gathered media. "I'm getting the results the team deserves, and I think I deserve."
Buffalo has seized the moment the last two games on specific turning points in the game and they both happened because of special teams.
Buffalo Sabres goalie Chad Johnson has been on the winning end of identical 4-1 scores two consecutive nights. On Friday the Sabres snapped a six-game winless streak as Johnson stopped 27 of 28 shots in a home win vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Last night the Sabres took their show to Music City where Johnson stopped 28 of 29 as they defeated the Nashville Predators.
"Johnny," as he's known in the locker room, held the fort in both games and the offense finally came through for him. It's something he's done throughout an excellent month of November. In seven appearances (two in relief of Linus Ullmark) he went 3-1-1, and gave up only eight goals on 174 shots for a .954 save percentage. After last night's game he told the gathered media that the team is beginning to come together. Johnson noted that he felt good from the beginning of the season but that the team was struggling with rust and to gel as a team. "You don't get the results when maybe you should," he told the gathered media. "I'm getting the results the team deserves, and I think I deserve."
Buffalo has seized the moment the last two games on specific turning points in the game and they both happened because of special teams.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Not there yet.
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
For the second time in three weeks both the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres played on the same night and after a Buffalo sweep on November 12th both teams lost last night. The Bills had a primetime spot on Monday Night Football and lost a heavyweight bout against a perennial Super Bowl contender in the New England Patriots while the Sabres began a three-game homestand with a loss to the St. Louis Blues, a team they haven't beaten since December, 2009.
The Bills were on the road in Foxborough, and were much more composed against the Patriots this time around, but the end result was the same--a 20-13 loss. The Patriots have now beaten the Bills 28 of the last 31 meetings. Despite definite signs of progress on defense and with a running game that has improved as RB Lesean McCoy has gotten healthier, when matched up against a championship caliber team like the Patriots, they're not there yet.
Over at First Niagara Center the Sabres were hosting the Blues for the second time in four nights to finish their series. Buffalo is in the midst of a rough stretch where they're playing some of the big dogs of the Western Conference in an two week span. They lost to the San Jose Sharks in overtime November 14th then finished 0-2 vs. the West leading Dallas Stars and 0-1-1 against the Blues in their next four-game stretch. They'll bid adieu to November with two games against the Nashville Predators, who are fourth in the West right now, sandwiching a home game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
For the second time in three weeks both the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres played on the same night and after a Buffalo sweep on November 12th both teams lost last night. The Bills had a primetime spot on Monday Night Football and lost a heavyweight bout against a perennial Super Bowl contender in the New England Patriots while the Sabres began a three-game homestand with a loss to the St. Louis Blues, a team they haven't beaten since December, 2009.
The Bills were on the road in Foxborough, and were much more composed against the Patriots this time around, but the end result was the same--a 20-13 loss. The Patriots have now beaten the Bills 28 of the last 31 meetings. Despite definite signs of progress on defense and with a running game that has improved as RB Lesean McCoy has gotten healthier, when matched up against a championship caliber team like the Patriots, they're not there yet.
Over at First Niagara Center the Sabres were hosting the Blues for the second time in four nights to finish their series. Buffalo is in the midst of a rough stretch where they're playing some of the big dogs of the Western Conference in an two week span. They lost to the San Jose Sharks in overtime November 14th then finished 0-2 vs. the West leading Dallas Stars and 0-1-1 against the Blues in their next four-game stretch. They'll bid adieu to November with two games against the Nashville Predators, who are fourth in the West right now, sandwiching a home game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Building the 2015-16 Buffalo Sabres roster--RW, Brian Gionta
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres RW, Brian Gionta is a veteran of 13 NHL seasons. The former 3rd round pick (82nd overall,) who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1998, won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2003, just his second season in the NHL. He also captained the most storied franchise in the league--the Montreal Canadiens--to a birth in the eastern conference finals the season before he came to Buffalo as a free agent in 2014. Gionta has the distinction of being the only full-fledged American-born team captain in the Canadiens 106-year history.
Gionta headlined a trio that included Matt Moulson and Josh Gorges coming to Buffalo that off season making the Sabres of the 2014 off season. With Buffalo intent upon fully bottoming out most had thought that the Sabres would have very little opportunity to land players of significance. But GM Tim Murray pulled a bit of a coup landing what turned out to be his three captains for the 2014-15 season. Although many had visions of the team improving greatly with those additions, the team once again sank to the bottom of the league. And for a player like Gionta who had known plenty of success throughout his NHL career, it was tough.
"Last year was one of the most frustrating years if not the most frustrating year of my professional career," said Gionta at training camp last week. "It was hard to get through." But being the true professional that he is, he spent the season controlling what he could control, his play. "At the same time you find things to grow off of and you find ways to improve yourself. You take that experience from last year and try to make it what it is."
"When teams are winning, things are easy," Gionta said to long-time Rochester Americans broadcaster Don Stevens while speaking at a youth camp this summer. "But when you're losing, you have to try and find answers and solutions and stay positive. You lose all the time, you don't want that feeling to set in and become the new normal. So that was the hardest thing, showing up at the rink and being positive each day and finding something to draw on to help the situation.''
Buffalo Sabres RW, Brian Gionta is a veteran of 13 NHL seasons. The former 3rd round pick (82nd overall,) who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1998, won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2003, just his second season in the NHL. He also captained the most storied franchise in the league--the Montreal Canadiens--to a birth in the eastern conference finals the season before he came to Buffalo as a free agent in 2014. Gionta has the distinction of being the only full-fledged American-born team captain in the Canadiens 106-year history.
Gionta headlined a trio that included Matt Moulson and Josh Gorges coming to Buffalo that off season making the Sabres of the 2014 off season. With Buffalo intent upon fully bottoming out most had thought that the Sabres would have very little opportunity to land players of significance. But GM Tim Murray pulled a bit of a coup landing what turned out to be his three captains for the 2014-15 season. Although many had visions of the team improving greatly with those additions, the team once again sank to the bottom of the league. And for a player like Gionta who had known plenty of success throughout his NHL career, it was tough.
"Last year was one of the most frustrating years if not the most frustrating year of my professional career," said Gionta at training camp last week. "It was hard to get through." But being the true professional that he is, he spent the season controlling what he could control, his play. "At the same time you find things to grow off of and you find ways to improve yourself. You take that experience from last year and try to make it what it is."
"When teams are winning, things are easy," Gionta said to long-time Rochester Americans broadcaster Don Stevens while speaking at a youth camp this summer. "But when you're losing, you have to try and find answers and solutions and stay positive. You lose all the time, you don't want that feeling to set in and become the new normal. So that was the hardest thing, showing up at the rink and being positive each day and finding something to draw on to help the situation.''
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
2014-15 Individual Stats--Final
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The 2014-15 season is in the books and Sabreland is much better for it.
It was a season of flux, one that was filled with a wide range of emotions that captured what will be noted as the most divisive season in the history of the franchise. From the demotion of Mikhail Grigorenko to start the season, to the streak in late November/early December, to the franchise-long 14 game losing streak, to the 0-fer in January, to the quest for McEichel and the Arizona Coyotes, to Chris Stewart, Nikita Zadorov, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers, Anders Lindback and Mike Weber emotions ran the full gamut. In the end, the only thing left was a 30th place finish and the departure of head coach Ted Nolan and nearly all of his coaching staff with the emotions directed at him this season were more divisive and far-reaching than everything else combined.
A total of 34 skaters and five goalies laced 'em up for Buffalo this season. Nicholas Deslauriers was the only one to play in every game while the departed Joel Armia and goalie Andrey Makarov were the only players to play one game. And if you thought having 39 players play in at least one game was a lot, in 2013-14, there were 39 skaters and six goaltenders who laced 'em up for at least one game.
The 2014-15 season is in the books and Sabreland is much better for it.
It was a season of flux, one that was filled with a wide range of emotions that captured what will be noted as the most divisive season in the history of the franchise. From the demotion of Mikhail Grigorenko to start the season, to the streak in late November/early December, to the franchise-long 14 game losing streak, to the 0-fer in January, to the quest for McEichel and the Arizona Coyotes, to Chris Stewart, Nikita Zadorov, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers, Anders Lindback and Mike Weber emotions ran the full gamut. In the end, the only thing left was a 30th place finish and the departure of head coach Ted Nolan and nearly all of his coaching staff with the emotions directed at him this season were more divisive and far-reaching than everything else combined.
A total of 34 skaters and five goalies laced 'em up for Buffalo this season. Nicholas Deslauriers was the only one to play in every game while the departed Joel Armia and goalie Andrey Makarov were the only players to play one game. And if you thought having 39 players play in at least one game was a lot, in 2013-14, there were 39 skaters and six goaltenders who laced 'em up for at least one game.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
2014-15 Individual Stats--March
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Normally we do team stats before individual stats, but with the Sabres finishing up their month yesterday and a game kicking off April on the 1st, individual stats for the month are complete, so we'll begin with them.
Sometimes it takes a while for the older folk to get themselves going. Two of the elder statesman on the Sabres, Brian Gionta (35 yrs. old) and Matt Moulson (31) are really beginning to roll.
Moulson started picking it up last month as he lead the team in assists (7) and and points (9.) He followed that up with another seven assists and 10 more points in the month of march. Joining him in the scoring department was Gionta. The veteran winger had four goals and totaled nine points for the month which represents about a third of his point total for the entire season.
Normally we do team stats before individual stats, but with the Sabres finishing up their month yesterday and a game kicking off April on the 1st, individual stats for the month are complete, so we'll begin with them.
Sometimes it takes a while for the older folk to get themselves going. Two of the elder statesman on the Sabres, Brian Gionta (35 yrs. old) and Matt Moulson (31) are really beginning to roll.
Moulson started picking it up last month as he lead the team in assists (7) and and points (9.) He followed that up with another seven assists and 10 more points in the month of march. Joining him in the scoring department was Gionta. The veteran winger had four goals and totaled nine points for the month which represents about a third of his point total for the entire season.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Tim Murray defines a "changing" core for his team
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The word "core" can be a four-letter word from the point of view of a Sabres fan in 2015. It's a word that conjures up visions of a talented group of individual players who's underachieving, passive play inevitably lead to years of mediocrity as a team. "Core" can be a good word, like in Los Angeles with the Kings or with the Blackhawks in Chicago. Or it can touch a nerve, like in Buffalo.
When Sabres' broadcaster Brian Duff asked Buffalo GM Tim Murray to "define the core," yesterday before the game at Washington, it caused a mild twitch, albeit much milder than in recent years past. And that's a good thing as the past is slowly giving way to the future.
So how many players represent Murray's core right now?
"It changes depending on the circumstances," Murray told Duff. "Certainly today when you have Brian Gionta, Matty Moulson and Josh Gorges (the Sabres' three captains) and [Zemgus] Girgensons and [Mike] Weber and the two kids on the blue line (Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov.)
"They're here. They're all NHL players."
The word "core" can be a four-letter word from the point of view of a Sabres fan in 2015. It's a word that conjures up visions of a talented group of individual players who's underachieving, passive play inevitably lead to years of mediocrity as a team. "Core" can be a good word, like in Los Angeles with the Kings or with the Blackhawks in Chicago. Or it can touch a nerve, like in Buffalo.
When Sabres' broadcaster Brian Duff asked Buffalo GM Tim Murray to "define the core," yesterday before the game at Washington, it caused a mild twitch, albeit much milder than in recent years past. And that's a good thing as the past is slowly giving way to the future.
So how many players represent Murray's core right now?
"It changes depending on the circumstances," Murray told Duff. "Certainly today when you have Brian Gionta, Matty Moulson and Josh Gorges (the Sabres' three captains) and [Zemgus] Girgensons and [Mike] Weber and the two kids on the blue line (Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov.)
"They're here. They're all NHL players."
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Oh what a relief it is. Plus other notes.
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
N-ole' for you, Les Habitants. And thanks for doing your little part in allowing the Buffalo Sabres a reprieve from a franchise low-point.
For posterity's sake, the Sabres were on a 14-game losing streak, obliterating the previous losing streak of eight games set in the 2002-03 season as they hit Bell Centre Ice in Montreal. On the road they'd lost 10 in a row before the win last night and were winless in 14 road games (0-13-1.) Their last road victory occurred on November 29, 2014 when they beat the Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout.
One final note on that bout with futility, the 3-2 win in Montreal was their first regulation win since a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames at the First Niagara Center on December 11, 2014. A span of 21 games.
N-ole' for you, Les Habitants. And thanks for doing your little part in allowing the Buffalo Sabres a reprieve from a franchise low-point.
For posterity's sake, the Sabres were on a 14-game losing streak, obliterating the previous losing streak of eight games set in the 2002-03 season as they hit Bell Centre Ice in Montreal. On the road they'd lost 10 in a row before the win last night and were winless in 14 road games (0-13-1.) Their last road victory occurred on November 29, 2014 when they beat the Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout.
One final note on that bout with futility, the 3-2 win in Montreal was their first regulation win since a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames at the First Niagara Center on December 11, 2014. A span of 21 games.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Larsson and Schaller net first career goals. Plus, the Bartkowski cheapshot
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Kudos to Sabres forwards Johan Larsson and Tim Schaller, both of whom scored their first NHL goals over the weekend.
Larsson's goal came against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night as he drove to the net to bury the puck as it slid across the crease:
(Thx, Sabres Hockey Central)
The goal came in his fifth game this season, 34th of his career.
Kudos to Sabres forwards Johan Larsson and Tim Schaller, both of whom scored their first NHL goals over the weekend.
Larsson's goal came against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night as he drove to the net to bury the puck as it slid across the crease:
(Thx, Sabres Hockey Central)
The goal came in his fifth game this season, 34th of his career.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Another game, another cheapshot, but Sabres down Habs
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
For the second game in a row a supposedly superior team was rankled by the Sabres to the point where one of their players delivered a cheapshot to a Buffalo player.
Unlike the last game where Winnipeg Jets Adam Lowry smoked noted pest Patrick Kaleta with a match penalty boarding call (for which Lowry was suspended one game,) Sabres captain Brian Gionta was laid out by a head shot from the Habs Alexander Emelin.
With the game tied 1-1 and less than two minutes left in the third period Emelin uncorked an elbow to the head of an unsuspecting Gionta which sent him to the ice. The Sabres captain would get up from the hit and go full-bore into the ensuing scrum to get at Emelin.
For the second game in a row a supposedly superior team was rankled by the Sabres to the point where one of their players delivered a cheapshot to a Buffalo player.
Unlike the last game where Winnipeg Jets Adam Lowry smoked noted pest Patrick Kaleta with a match penalty boarding call (for which Lowry was suspended one game,) Sabres captain Brian Gionta was laid out by a head shot from the Habs Alexander Emelin.
With the game tied 1-1 and less than two minutes left in the third period Emelin uncorked an elbow to the head of an unsuspecting Gionta which sent him to the ice. The Sabres captain would get up from the hit and go full-bore into the ensuing scrum to get at Emelin.
(thx to SomeHockeyVideos)
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, October 8, 2014
One cut needed, one-eye on the waiver-wire, plus--the captains
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Sabres have finally named their captains: Brian Gionta will wear the "C" while Josh Gorges and Matt Moulson will be alternates.
Yesterday forwards Mikhail Grigorenko and Zac Dalpe (pending waivers) were sent to Rochester. Those moves brought the Buffalo Sabres roster down to 24 active players. Three players--forwards Johan Larsson and Patrick Kaleta and defenseman Mark Pysyk--are on the injured list. In addition, goalie Matt Hackett, who would need to clear waivers, is also injured.
Both Kaleta and Hackett will be out for at least another month or two. Pysyk is close to returning from an upper body injury, but will probably miss the opener while Larsson has been on the ice skating in a non-contact jersey. He is recovering from what's believed to have been a concussion.
Because of those injuries, Sabres GM Tim Murray has plenty of roster flexibility and will only need to make one cut today.
The Sabres have finally named their captains: Brian Gionta will wear the "C" while Josh Gorges and Matt Moulson will be alternates.
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| New Buffalo Sabres captain Brian Gionta is flanked byalternate captains Josh Gorges (l) and Matt Moulson (r) (photo courtesy, sabrespr.) |
Both Kaleta and Hackett will be out for at least another month or two. Pysyk is close to returning from an upper body injury, but will probably miss the opener while Larsson has been on the ice skating in a non-contact jersey. He is recovering from what's believed to have been a concussion.
Because of those injuries, Sabres GM Tim Murray has plenty of roster flexibility and will only need to make one cut today.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Let's play--Name the Captains
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
On Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres start their 2014-15 season with a home opener vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets and despite head coach Ted Nolan's proclamations that he'd name a captain earlier, it hasn't happened yet.
That will probably happen today as the team took the weekend off an will begin preparations for Thursday's game with a practice today. It should be a busy day as the team needs to make some moves to get to the final 23-man roster tomorrow.
One of the decisions will involve 18 yr. old Sam Reinhart, their 2014 2nd-round pick and whether or not they'll give him a look of up to nine games before he heads back to junior. Personally, others deserve the spot more than him, most notably, Mikhail Grigorenko.
"Grigo" is a 2012 first-rounder who came into camp ready to prove he wasn't a prima donna. Mission accomplished. Although he really needs to spend the entire year in Rochester, Grigorenko should be rewarded for his work with a few games while the Sabres get healthier upfront.
Another tough decision is who will land a spot on defense while Mark Pysyk recovers from his upper-body injury. Rookie Jake McCabe is going to be a stud and really looks as if he's ready to make the jump to the NHL as a soon to be 21-yr. old.
It's either McCabe or Tyson Strachan, a journeyman 29 yr. old defenseman with 138 games of NHL experience including 18 games last season with Washington. Originally when Strachan was signed on July 3 to a one-year contract, it was thought to be a depth-move. But he really impressed at camp and in preseason games. He's also someone who should get rewarded for his work. He'll be down in Rochester soon enough, should he clear waivers.
On Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres start their 2014-15 season with a home opener vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets and despite head coach Ted Nolan's proclamations that he'd name a captain earlier, it hasn't happened yet.
That will probably happen today as the team took the weekend off an will begin preparations for Thursday's game with a practice today. It should be a busy day as the team needs to make some moves to get to the final 23-man roster tomorrow.
One of the decisions will involve 18 yr. old Sam Reinhart, their 2014 2nd-round pick and whether or not they'll give him a look of up to nine games before he heads back to junior. Personally, others deserve the spot more than him, most notably, Mikhail Grigorenko.
"Grigo" is a 2012 first-rounder who came into camp ready to prove he wasn't a prima donna. Mission accomplished. Although he really needs to spend the entire year in Rochester, Grigorenko should be rewarded for his work with a few games while the Sabres get healthier upfront.
Another tough decision is who will land a spot on defense while Mark Pysyk recovers from his upper-body injury. Rookie Jake McCabe is going to be a stud and really looks as if he's ready to make the jump to the NHL as a soon to be 21-yr. old.
It's either McCabe or Tyson Strachan, a journeyman 29 yr. old defenseman with 138 games of NHL experience including 18 games last season with Washington. Originally when Strachan was signed on July 3 to a one-year contract, it was thought to be a depth-move. But he really impressed at camp and in preseason games. He's also someone who should get rewarded for his work. He'll be down in Rochester soon enough, should he clear waivers.
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