Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-29-2018
The QEW rivalry between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs takes center stage in downtown Buffalo beginning at 4:00 ET this afternoon. As per usual with our neighbors to the north and their rabid Southern Ontario fanbase, one should expect a huge influx of Leafs fans decked out in blue and white invading KeyBank Center for the first of four games between the two clubs.
We all know the story when Toronto comes to town. Maple Leaf home games are so high-priced that the average fan finds it rather difficult to afford a game at Scotiabank Arena and those fans who are on the outside looking in are forced to find an alternative. Luckily for them Buffalo is a short, 1 hr. drive down the QEW and Sabres ticket holders are more than happy to sell their tickets, at a nice premium, to Leafs Fans. What inevitably happens is that half of KeyBank Center ends up being Leafs fans and dependent upon the score, the roars for Toronto sound like they're playing a home game.
It's unfortunate for the players on the ice as they would like more of a BillsMafia-type support for a home game, but one can't really blame the fans if they treat their season tickets, or mini-pack tickets, or even single-game tickets as a business proposition.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Friday, November 29, 2019
Calgary in town, Johansson back, Krueger's blender, plus Dahlin/Sobotka
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-27-2019
The Calgary Flames have been struggling as much as the Buffalo Sabres this season. After taking the Western Conference crown last season with 107 points, Calgary is off to a rather pedestrian start to 2019-20 and finds themselves off the pace out west. They're 11-12-4 record is good for 26 points which places them in the middle of the pack just outside a playoff spot but they've played more games than anyone else in the conference and if you take a peek at their points-percentage, you'll find they're third-last.
Buffalo is very similar in the standings as they took a dive after a fast start. The Sabres are 11-10-3 on the season with their 25 points placing them 11th in the Eastern Conference and are only a little better than the Flames with a .521 point-percentage as opposed to Calgary's .481.
The Calgary Flames have been struggling as much as the Buffalo Sabres this season. After taking the Western Conference crown last season with 107 points, Calgary is off to a rather pedestrian start to 2019-20 and finds themselves off the pace out west. They're 11-12-4 record is good for 26 points which places them in the middle of the pack just outside a playoff spot but they've played more games than anyone else in the conference and if you take a peek at their points-percentage, you'll find they're third-last.
Buffalo is very similar in the standings as they took a dive after a fast start. The Sabres are 11-10-3 on the season with their 25 points placing them 11th in the Eastern Conference and are only a little better than the Flames with a .521 point-percentage as opposed to Calgary's .481.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Sabres getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment, again, in game at TBL
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-26-2019
First off, anyone who thinks some celluloid hero-type tough guy is gonna descend from the clouds and save the "damsel in distress" that is the Buffalo Sabres right now is sadly mistaken. It ain't gonna happen. If this team wants to move forward, they'll need to do so as constructed (at least near-term) with the players whose temperament fits the ideals of management and ultimately, ownership.
As we started to see last season when the Sabres 10-game win streak was stopped by the Tampa Bay Lightning, there's a rivalry brewing between the two clubs. Sure, right now it's like an uptown highbrow versus some riff raff from the projects, but the fact that the Lightning need to resort to dirty tactics against Buffalo at least that they feel somewhat threatened by the Sabres. Then again Tampa Bay just might have some highfalutin contemptuousness directed towards a Buffalo team, organization and city that couldn't be more of a polar-opposite from them.
First off, anyone who thinks some celluloid hero-type tough guy is gonna descend from the clouds and save the "damsel in distress" that is the Buffalo Sabres right now is sadly mistaken. It ain't gonna happen. If this team wants to move forward, they'll need to do so as constructed (at least near-term) with the players whose temperament fits the ideals of management and ultimately, ownership.
As we started to see last season when the Sabres 10-game win streak was stopped by the Tampa Bay Lightning, there's a rivalry brewing between the two clubs. Sure, right now it's like an uptown highbrow versus some riff raff from the projects, but the fact that the Lightning need to resort to dirty tactics against Buffalo at least that they feel somewhat threatened by the Sabres. Then again Tampa Bay just might have some highfalutin contemptuousness directed towards a Buffalo team, organization and city that couldn't be more of a polar-opposite from them.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
That was...interesting. Krueger is mad scientist in win over FLA
Publised by hockeybuzz.com, 11-25-2019
The lineup to begin last night's game in Florida against the Panthers was somewhat of an eyebrow-raiser to begin with as it featured 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Yes, we've seen it before and other teams have used it before, including the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, as mentioned by Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger post-game, but still, that set-up is a little difficult to wrap your hands around. Especially when you're accustomed to Krueger religiously sticking to his lines and pairings this season.
Last night, however, the hockey coach became a mad scientist after forward Evan Rodrigues went down with an injury during his first shift on the ice. Krueger did some juggling on the blueline to start the game as he tried to work in seven defensemen while double-shifting able bodies up front. But after Rodrigues went down he let it all hang out and rolled with various concoctions up front that were full of surprises, including defenseman Brandon Montour taking a regular shift at left wing.
"The way we play," said Krueger to the media after their 5-2 win, "it's about finding your role in the group. Sometimes d-men will be up in the front, forwards will be back and vice-versa. I think it's an easy style of play that you can step into that."
The lineup to begin last night's game in Florida against the Panthers was somewhat of an eyebrow-raiser to begin with as it featured 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Yes, we've seen it before and other teams have used it before, including the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, as mentioned by Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger post-game, but still, that set-up is a little difficult to wrap your hands around. Especially when you're accustomed to Krueger religiously sticking to his lines and pairings this season.
Last night, however, the hockey coach became a mad scientist after forward Evan Rodrigues went down with an injury during his first shift on the ice. Krueger did some juggling on the blueline to start the game as he tried to work in seven defensemen while double-shifting able bodies up front. But after Rodrigues went down he let it all hang out and rolled with various concoctions up front that were full of surprises, including defenseman Brandon Montour taking a regular shift at left wing.
"The way we play," said Krueger to the media after their 5-2 win, "it's about finding your role in the group. Sometimes d-men will be up in the front, forwards will be back and vice-versa. I think it's an easy style of play that you can step into that."
Monday, November 25, 2019
There's been no fun in the Florida Sun for the Sabres
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-24-2019
Let's get this out of the way right now.
Since the 2013-14 season, the Buffalo Sabres have a combined 5-15-2 record against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning in a two-game, Florida road trip and they've been swept out of the state in seven of those 11 duals.
If that isn't enough of a downer for Sabres fans, heading into this evening's matchup at the Panthers, Buffalo is 1-7-2 in their last 10 games while Florida is 7-2-1.
Most of the focus in Sabreland for today's matchup with Florida centers around the defense and which NHL-caliber defensemen will be in the press box. The order of pairings as relayed by those at Buffalo's practice yesterday are:
Ristolainen - McCabe
Dahlin - Bogosian
Miller - Montour
Scandella - Jokiharju
Let's get this out of the way right now.
Since the 2013-14 season, the Buffalo Sabres have a combined 5-15-2 record against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning in a two-game, Florida road trip and they've been swept out of the state in seven of those 11 duals.
If that isn't enough of a downer for Sabres fans, heading into this evening's matchup at the Panthers, Buffalo is 1-7-2 in their last 10 games while Florida is 7-2-1.
Most of the focus in Sabreland for today's matchup with Florida centers around the defense and which NHL-caliber defensemen will be in the press box. The order of pairings as relayed by those at Buffalo's practice yesterday are:
Ristolainen - McCabe
Dahlin - Bogosian
Miller - Montour
Scandella - Jokiharju
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Sabres Notes
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-23-2019
There's not a Sabres writer out there who enjoys writing something akin to the following: The Buffalo Sabres played an excellent game against the Boston Bruins and did everything but win. Buffalo outshot Boston 38-27 at TD Garden on Thursday night including a first period where they pumped 14 shots on goal before the Bruins registered their first shot (to a Bronx cheer from the home crowd) 12:11 into the game. The Sabres boasted a very robust 62.22% CF percentage with no individual player below 50% and totaled 69 shots directed at Boston goalie Tukka Rask (38 on-goal, 17 blocked, 14 missed) compared to the 44 shots (27+11+6) sent Linus Ullmark's way.
There's not a Sabres writer out there who enjoys writing something akin to the following: The Buffalo Sabres played an excellent game against the Boston Bruins and did everything but win. Buffalo outshot Boston 38-27 at TD Garden on Thursday night including a first period where they pumped 14 shots on goal before the Bruins registered their first shot (to a Bronx cheer from the home crowd) 12:11 into the game. The Sabres boasted a very robust 62.22% CF percentage with no individual player below 50% and totaled 69 shots directed at Boston goalie Tukka Rask (38 on-goal, 17 blocked, 14 missed) compared to the 44 shots (27+11+6) sent Linus Ullmark's way.
This was a game they should have won and would have won except for...Rask. The Boston netminder, and the game's deserved first star, stole one for the Bruins and the Sabres were left with this from defenseman Brandon Montour, "We played a little better," he said to the gathered media post game, "but in the end, it's another loss.
"We have to start winning some hockey games."
True dat.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
How to beat the Buffalo Sabres. Plus...
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-21-2019
In practices and meetings heading up to a game against the Buffalo Sabres, it isn't to far-fetched to believe that coaches across the league will have the same talking points on how to play against them. First and foremost attention must be paid to the Jack Eichel and there needs to be a focus on Jeff Skinner.
With Eichel disrupt him in the neutral zone so he can't use his speed and do your best to inhibit his shot. If he's on he'll force the issue and he might not be contained. If he's not feeling it he'll try to set-up team mates, in which case do your best to disrupt his passes. If he's frustrated Eichel will try to do too much and dangle, which is much more easily defended. When it comes to Skinner get on him and try to keep him away from open ice. There should be concern at times for his linemates, as they could heat up and do some damage, but odds are if you shut down Skinner, the entire line is basically shut down.
Those are the two guys who at any given moment can get them rolling and like with most (if not all team,) when they get rolling, confidence builds and it runs through every player. However, if you can stifle them, and get them doubting themselves, it's a breeze.
In practices and meetings heading up to a game against the Buffalo Sabres, it isn't to far-fetched to believe that coaches across the league will have the same talking points on how to play against them. First and foremost attention must be paid to the Jack Eichel and there needs to be a focus on Jeff Skinner.
With Eichel disrupt him in the neutral zone so he can't use his speed and do your best to inhibit his shot. If he's on he'll force the issue and he might not be contained. If he's not feeling it he'll try to set-up team mates, in which case do your best to disrupt his passes. If he's frustrated Eichel will try to do too much and dangle, which is much more easily defended. When it comes to Skinner get on him and try to keep him away from open ice. There should be concern at times for his linemates, as they could heat up and do some damage, but odds are if you shut down Skinner, the entire line is basically shut down.
Those are the two guys who at any given moment can get them rolling and like with most (if not all team,) when they get rolling, confidence builds and it runs through every player. However, if you can stifle them, and get them doubting themselves, it's a breeze.
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