The Little Things

by Ryan



What do you mean we can't move our lockers back?!? But... but... but... IT'S NOT FAIR!!

Happy Winter Classic Day

by Ryan

So I guess the Sabres play tonight or something. Probably the Leafs from what I've heard. It's not that I don't care about the game tonight, but any hockey game played tonight is going to be second fiddle to something, especially something like this:



I was going to talk about the Winter Classic, but I think we've said pretty much all there is to say about the events of last year. It was an amazing experience and probably the best sporting event I've ever been to. The fact that it took place in Buffalo is incredible. You saw where the second one took place, so when is the next time a small market holds an event like that?



Today proved a few things to me. First, the Winter Classic certainly translates well on television. Being at last year's Classic didn't give me the chance to see how it plays out on television, but it's safe to say the game was watchable. Camera angles were solid, the broadcast was well done, and if I was just flicking channels on New Year's Day I would stop and watch for a bit.

We won't know the numbers for some time, but I'd guess that this year's Winter Classic is just as big a hit as the inaugural event. What makes last year better, of course, is the fact that we all were a part of it. As years go on and more and more of these take place, what happened last January 1st will only feel more special.

---

Tonight the Sabres do play in Toronto, and from what we've heard some things will be different. You've heard all the talk, all the big words, and all the locker and line shuffling. We've all heard these things, but what matters is what we see. If this team is going to turn the corner it won't be words but rather actions that accomplish this. Tonight is the game they have to show up and take action in, and that can't be the end of it.

It takes a lot of games to slide down the standings, and it will take a lot more to climb back up. If this team wants more than 8th place they need to win a lot of games, and every game against a team below you is a must win. The Leafs are three points behind the Sabres.

Will it be actions tonight, or more big words and another two points down the drain?

They Scare Easily?

By Chris

Remember back in elementary school where if you acted up, the teacher would move you to the front of the classroom?

You'd be shamed into behaving better because no one wanted their seat moved.

Looks like Lindy Ruff is playing teacher to his team of prepubescent pansies.

Lindy Ruff warned there would be some changes in the locker room. The players just didn’t think their head coach was being so literal.

Following Buffalo’s dismal 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night, Ruff revamped the dressing room moving the majority of players’ stalls.

“We put some different voices next to different guys,” Ruff said.

The defensemen were all placed next to each other, displacing forwards Adam Mair, Jason Pominville and Tim Connolly.

Connolly’s stall was moved between two centermen in Matt Ellis and Derek Roy while Mair and Pominville were moved between Thomas Vanek and Jochen Hecht.

Paul Gaustad sat between Clarke MacArthur and Vanek while Drew Stafford was placed next to fellow Rochester American teammates Nathan Paetsch and Dan Paille.

“It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time and a decision we made as coaches,” Ruff said. “That might not be the end of the changes. There may be some other stalls moved.”

“I like the change,” Pominville said. “The defense are one one side and the forwards on the other. That’s the way it should be.”

The Sabres need more than a few seat changes. And Matt Ellis as the No. 2 center doesn't answer any of the troubling questions surrounding this team (does Connolly even use his stall anymore?).

Faceoff against Toronto from the Air Canada Center is set for 7 p.m.

It's a new year, let's see if anything changes.

Smoke and Turnovers

by Ryan

That was... kind of predictable. You outplay a team for two periods and suddenly it's a tie game going into the third. If you've been following this Sabres team for the past few seasons you could sort of feel it coming. At the time I said that if they didn't score during the four minute power play coming out of the intermission they would lose. Think about the way momentum shifted at the end of the second period, a four minute penalty kill is only going to add to surge. The Sabres weren't capitalizing on their chances, and sooner or later those chances would run out and the Leafs would get a lucky one.



Game.

It was one of those games you hope they are better than, but the more this season progresses the more it seems like this is exactly how the team is going to play. They will surprise you and win a few games they probably don't deserve, only to drop the games they absolutely should win. The Sabres play frustrating hockey, both for their opponents and themselves. Tonight they were on the losing end of that frustration, and there's not much anyone can say to fix things. Until something major changes this is exactly what we are going to see.

Oh, and on back to back games the Sabres have yet to win the second game. Aren't you pumped for tonight? A few other things about Sabres/Leafs:

- I love going to hockey games with an involved crowd, but I'm glad I didn't take out a second loan to attend last night. I'm telling you, if I ever sit next to people in the 100s that stand up and wave to the camera during the game, I will stab them. I will stab them and I seriously doubt anyone else can blame me. Crowds like that are so frustrating.

- Attendance was listed as 18,211, or 97.4% full. On a Friday. So... have they out priced everyone yet? Can we have a double-secret probation game next year?



- I've been really surprised by Gerbe's physical play. He isn't afraid to take a hit and certainly hits back. He still hasn't made the score sheet just yet, but I've liked his game. We still have another four games or so left with him, so enjoy it while you can.

- Sometimes I watch Maxim Afinogenov play and I wonder what a $3.5 firework display would look like. I bet it's pretty excellent. Maybe Darcy could buy that for us next year to replace Max's contract. It's about the same, right? All flash and you're left with nothing of consequence. Just smoke and turnovers bright colors.

- Paul Gaustad has been playing excellent hockey the past few games. It doesn't show up in a box score, but his line has been everywhere and he's the reason for it. He's played physical, stood up for teammates, and the forecheck has been excellent with him leading the way.

- Vanek was quiet tonight, but so was everyone else really. It's a rough game when Lydman is the only Sabre on the scoresheet.

- I'm looking for a proper way to describe what Drew Stafford couldn't hit with various objects in certain situations. Right now it's between a white person at a Beck concert and oxygen anywhere. Stafford has missed soooooooo many open nets this year. What a disappointment he's turned out to be. He's an RFA at the end of this season, and I'm not sure I'd mind if we somehow couldn't keep him around. That's a pretty big departure from what we saw in his rookie season. Sad.

- Sekera was balls tonight.

No Time For Previews

by Ryan

A Friday night in Buffalo just doesn't get any better than Sabres/Leafs. No matter what record the teams have, or who's in the lineup, Sabres/Leafs is always the best ticket in town. It's just that the ticket happens to be twice as much as normal.

Sabres Gameday

by Ryan



Well, behind that is where you want to be, but you get the idea.

This is just something to look over while you prepare for your fantasy hockey draft. We have a few spots open in our league, so send us an email if you are interested. Draft is this Wednesday, so get it out fast and we will get back to you with the info.

In any event, Leafs TV is supposed to have video of the game live, so try that if you really want to watch. The portal may not work if you are in the U.S (TSN's online feed for the playoffs had similar restrictions), but I suppose we won't know that until we try.

I would try to preview this game, but I honestly have no idea what is going to happen. Last time we played the Leafs in preseason Derek Roy exploded for like 18 points. Maybe Adam Mair will be a preseason force again. Who knows.

Nathan Gerbe watch starts now.

If you aren't doing anything and would like to kill some time tonight, stop by Dr. Mirtle's site for a live blog, which I suddenly will be taking part in. Should be some fun.

Looking for Maple Love

by Ryan

Tonight the Sabres open the preseason in Toronto. Exciting, I know. A few days ago I was looking through some things on the Leafs' website and came across this strange ad:


(click to enlarge)

Apparently, Leafs fans love Asian women. This was something I hadn't realized, and I was pretty surprised at the audacity of the ads. I know Toronto is a very diverse place, but to have that kind of ad allowed on an NHL website seems very unlikely. Maybe because it was later at night they are allowed to run that kind of thing. Who knows?

Then again, the team hasn't satisfied fans in years, so it should probably start now.



Oh. Oh no. I take it back.

They Should Call it the Mats-o-tron

by Ryan



The first new thing hanging in the rafters in years.

We've talked about it here before, but there are some big changes going on at the ACC over the next few years, and this is just the start of it. Jokes about mediocrity (check the comments) aside, the board itself is fantastic, and it certainly does improve the building with regards to other events.

The thing that many sports fans forget is that most owners are concerned about making money and not about actual team performance. Where fans see a $126 million atrium project as money not spent on players, an owner sees it as maintaining a state of the art arena to match his state of the art high-rise apartment complex/television station/offices going up next door.

For Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment the goal seems to be making a profit first and foremost, as all smart businesses should. In a market like Toronto the goal will always be bigger and better no matter how the team below the fireworks plays. It isn't always the right way to build a team, but an owner not concerned with profits is a very, very charitable man.

The grand scale the Leafs are aiming for is downright fascinating: $7.8 million for a really nice, 17-sided TV. Just the price tag for the video board alone is enough to blow your mind, let alone the cost for a few doors and windows. A $126 million "project" shows you just how much money is thrown around in a city like Toronto. It really is no wonder the Bills didn't look into tapping that market sooner, and puts to rest any questions in my mind about the viability of a second hockey team surviving in the GTA.

The Buffalo News' John Vogl had a great point about the atrium project: the entire HSBC Arena construction cost just $1.5 million more than their "expansion". Even with inflation that's a shocking number, one that can be taken one of two ways.

On one hand, for a ten year old building to still be considered state of the art is pretty impressive, especially if that building is sitting in downtown Buffalo. Larry Quinn may not get enough credit for the work he did with the Crossroads Arena Project, but as time goes on he looks better and better for it.

On the other hand, just how far out of our league are we when it comes to keeping pro franchises? If MLSE can throw a few million at a glorified hallway, what chance do we have of keeping a team here once the for sale sign is on the front lawn at One Bills Drive or South Park? Sooner or later Ralph will die or Tom will get tired, and what happens if the highest bidder doesn't have a soft spot for struggling to stay in the green in a quaint little rust belt city?

Buildings like the ACC and Jerryworld are meant to be the pinnacle of venues, but when the time comes, can we even reach the median? If we can't, I'm sure there is a better building somewhere with a vacancy.

Mediocre Coach Supports Mediocre General Manager

by Ryan

I had to whip out my thesaurus, because saying "Gretzky thinks Leafs are on the right track" seemed a bit generic. Here's the all important paragraph:

Fletcher spent nearly six years as an executive with Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes before making his return to the Maple Leafs.

Ah, that makes sense. It's not like there is a conflict of interest there or anything. No personal bias or pressure to say the right things at all. Nope.

In other news, Matt Millen thinks the Raiders looked great last week.

A Novel Idea

by Ryan

Today is the big day: the NHL's full schedule is released to the public.

However, the Sabres weren't the only team that had a "soft release" of the schedule on Wednesday. The Toronto Maple Leafs made an announcement that certainly involved the Sabres, and you may not know anything about it.

It may only be preseason, but on September 22nd the Sabres will take on the Leafs at the ACC. It will be a fifth preseason game for the Leafs, which I guess is something special, but there is a larger catch attached:

Admission is free.

The Leafs and Coca Cola have teamed up to give away free tickets to the game in an effort to get a different kind of crowd at Leafs games. It's an interesting way to say "thank you" to the fans that simply can't pay $300 bucks a seat but still splurged on that Kyle Wellwood replica. Git R Done, boys.

All Leafs bashing aside, it is a pretty nice gesture. A free ticket to a hockey game is hard to come by, and reaching out to your fans after a frustrating playoff drought always bodes well with the public.

I hadn't heard about this until checking the Leafs' site, so I tried to apply for the drawing. Heck, who wouldn't road trip it to Toronto if the tickets were free?

Oh wait, you have to be a resident of Ontario. Within a fifty mile radius of Toronto, to be exact. Well isn't that unique? An exclusive event for Leafs fans that only they are invited to attend. Who actually tries to keep events local like that?



Carlton you greedy bastard.

Kyle Wellwood is Busted, Earth Remains on Axis

by Ryan

Let's just say that Tim Connolly is flat out impressed with Kyle Wellwood's ability to unjure himself.

"I was playing indoor soccer and it (my foot) sort of cracked," Wellwood told the Windsor Star.

Thing is, things don't "sort of crack" with Wellwood, they shatter. He is probably the most injury prone person on the planet, with that kid born without skin ranking a distant second.

I think it's safe to say he won't be a target in the RFA market this summer. Then again, Kevin Lowe has been itching to overpay someone all spring. Expect him to sign a huge offer sheet from Edmonton, subsequently needing Tommy John surgery to repair the torn ligimants.

Let's Recap that Shootout, Shall We?

by Ryan


Let's forget about that first goal.


The backhand, what else was he going to do? It should be trademarked as "The Move" by now.


Yikes.

(Pominville 40 feet high and wide)


Wow. We can win it.

(Derek Roy hit by sniper fire)


Honestly I didn't watch this.

(Stafford post)


Post.

(Vanek Post-acular)


Twitching at this point.

Holy crap Max, just end it.



Wooooooooooooow. Thank God.

Somehow, even if that game took 19 months off my life, we are still alive.

Your turn, Brodeur.

Going up North

I'm pretty sure they chartered a flight, but let's keep up the banana slug jokes for the moment.

The Sabres need to win the last three games for any playoff scenario to work. It's as simple as that. Whether I believe it will happen or not, at least tonight there is a reason to watch. One thing we do know, however, is that the Leafs will not make the playoffs once again. In all seriousness, it really is sad to see one of the best hockey markets and most storied hockey franchises suck so badly over the last few years. Well... kind of. Still, you can't hope to see it last very long. In the mean time...



Also, tonight there will be an interesting game in the Southeast division, with the Whalers Hurricanes taking on the Capitals. Currently the Caps sit two points back of the division lead and two points ahead of us in the standings. A win against Carolina would put them in a deadlock for the division lead, but Washington would have to finish higher in points because of the tiebreak advantage (total wins) the Hurricanes have.

So here's the deal: in the span of two games the Capitals could go from 9th to 3rd place, something I would certainly like to see. However, if Washington does indeed make that push, the Sabres would almost certainly be eliminated from the playoffs, unless Carolina loses out. Which one is more likely to happen? Of course, it would seem like Washington going 1-2 is more likely then an 0-3 Canes finish. Still, it makes for an interesting time watching the scoreboard tonight.

For the record, I would love to see AO in the postseason, especially if it means Carolina doesn't make it. However, would I sacrifice that need for a Sabres postseason spot? Absolutely. If you are a utilitarian, now is the time to tell me what to think.

A Good Day to Die

by Ryan


Good Friday is supposed to be a somber day of remembrance for most Christians. Instead, it's one of the best, most exciting sports days of the year.

Right now I'm eating tuna and watching Western Kentucky try to hang on against Davidson in overtime. Later I'll flip between a Georgetown blowout and a few other closer games, then get ready for Sabres/Leafs downtown. Toss in that scoreboard watching with Philly and Washington playing tonight and, well, it sounds like a good day to die to me.

Awful Jesus joke aside, tonight is a very, very big night for the Sabres. With the Godless Killing Machines Bruins losing in regulation to the Habs last night, suddenly we have two teams we can realistically catch. Yes, it is stupid to suddenly say something is possible after just one game, but when you are within two points of two playoff spots you are allowed to get excited about it.

The Leafs have everyone hurt and need to win out to have any chance at the playoffs. In short, it's a big game for both teams, and what Sabres/Leafs game doesn't have an excited crowd?

I really don't have anything to say about tonight because we simply have to win. We can, we should, and we have to...

Holy crap! Western Kentucky just knocked off Drake with an NBA three pointer at the buzzer in overtime. I... I have to go.

Enjoy today, everybody. This is what being a sports fan is all about.

"Go Bills"

by Ryan

I can handle insults, I really can.

Living in Buffalo, you get used to the usual arguments about why you suck. The four Super Bowls, the Sabres in '75, '99, and their most recent stretch of post lockout hockey. Then you get into the weather, the economy, and, if they get there, the government.

Like I said, I've gotten used to it.

So when you go to a Sabres game with a few thousand Leafs fans in the building, you know what you are going up against. Still, you have your own ammunition. Someone has a "Losers Since '67" jersey ready to go, and you can mock them about their 14th place standing in the East. Hey, remember when we beat them in the East finals in '99? That was sweet.

Hey, it's all in good fun, right? As long as no one ends up fighting and it remains just words all is well. Rivals are supposed to dislike each other, otherwise you would be best friends and laugh after each goal.

I know what you're thinking: why bring it up? The Sabres won, Miller didn't give all those Leafs fans a chance to cheer, and all is right with the world. Yeah, but on the way out I heard it:

"Go Bills!"

Usually that's something I'd enjoy hearing. Support the hometown teams, right? Wrong. The guy who said it was wearing a Leafs jersey.

Can you feel it? That rage building inside you? I did, because I knew exactly what he was talking about: he had us. The Bills are playing games in Toronto, and the team is anything but ours anymore. Just another example of their superiority over us, just like they want to think. A new toy in this never ending game of "can you top this?" Suddenly Bill Barilko or 1967 don't matter because Toronto stole the Bills.

Is this how it's going to be for the next five years? Anytime we beat Toronto, preseason, home and home, even playoffs, the comeback will be this: we have the Bills. Man, if that doesn't just freaking piss you off I don't know what will.

I've been thinking about this a lot, and I've really tried to take in all sides of the move. I've been told it's to save the team and that we need to suck it up and quit whining, I've also been reassured that someone will swoop in and save us from Skydome's greener FieldTurf. Then I take a look at the reality of all those dollar signs awaiting the league's owners up north and I just can't see the Bills on American soil in a decade.

Still, all that is for a future no one can decipher. At present, that phrase uttered by a Leafs fan is nothing more than a sharp wit denying the immediate loss to the Sabres.

"Happy Birthday, Mats. Score some goals next time there, cupcake."

"Oh yeah? Go Bills."

Ooooh, what a derisive way to get your point across. "We may not have won a Cup in my lifetime, but we have the Bills now, too." It's nothing more than another way to bruise the ego of a Buffalo Sports Fan. I only wish I had the chance to deliver a blow like that to a rival fan. What a coup for a city like ours to suddenly have the edge over another.

You know what? I may not have it in me, I've been kicked too many times before.

Sometimes you just can't remember how to get up.

You Might Be a Leafs Fan If...

Can you see that? Here, let me show you what was in front of me last night:



Good God, I feel ashamed just typing that in.

To be fair, he may not have gotten the Authentic EDGE, so he only wasted about $200 bucks.

A View From the Lonely End of the Rink

What a view.

People always seem to hate the nosebleeds, but the top row in the corner of the building was just fine tonight. Far enough away from the section of Leafs fans screaming a chant I never understood, and right by the restrooms and concessions. I even got to stand up for most of the game, and no "Be My Valentine Pominville LOLZ!" signs in sight. What's not to love about a seat like that?

The Sabres played a tough road game at home, and I'm okay with that. All game I was waiting for that other shoe to drop and for Miller to let a softie in, but it just didn't happen. What a game for players like Mike Ryan and Pratt, who has suddenly crept up onto the second PK pair. What a value he's been over the past few games.

Then we get to Goose.



What a pass from Straw Paille, who was forechecking out of his mind tonight. He really deserved that star, even though it was kind of crazy not to give Goose a spot with the game winner.

Still, you cannot say enough about Miller, who has stepped up in every aspect of the game. Leadership, play, responsibility with the media, everything has been working for him over this run. Even the few times he has let a big goal go by (see "Kessel, Shootout") he takes full blame for his play and demands better of his teammates as well. I made the joke that TBO's numbers were "garbage but I hope they don't change" at 2-4-2, but now I really don't want to give him the chance to make those better.

What the heck are we going to do with two days off?

Oh, and that hat I was so high on must be fitted for leprechauns and toddlers, because that thing didn't fit my giant head. The good news is that I found a sick shirt that was actually a few bucks cheaper.



Oh, and some Leafs fan had a jersey on that will change your life. More on that tomorrow.

The Letdown Game

by Ryan

It's pretty easy to get excited after a game like this:



Still, playing your best hockey of the year against the top team in the East spells one thing, especially when you play the next night.

Letdown game.

It happens all the time, and tonight could be the perfect example. Toronto is a garbage team slowly slipping into the basement of the East, and after a big road win the Sabres return home for an easy game against as weak team.

Not so fast there, skippy. Toronto has won two straight and is desperate for points to look competitive. The better they look over the next two weeks the less likely they trade their captain away. I'd say that's something worth playing for. Not to mention the couple thousand Leafs fans who will be ferrying themselves across the border to sing the praises of their 41 year old Stanley Cup win.

I've always said Leafs games are overpriced and not attractive, but on Sunday I reconsidered. Guess what StubHub sent me yesterday?



Yup, after all that talk about a letdown game and how annoying those Teacher's Pension Plan loonies will be, I'm going anyways. Call it an experiment in fandom, or maybe I just couldn't turn down $37 a seat.

Pray for a Sabres win and that the Scientologists don't get me on the way out.

Dear Toronto,

You SUCK.

Eight goals on 26 shots. At home. Against the Panthers.

Wow.

When my team is in 10th and fighting for a playoff spot it gets trying sometimes. Then I take a look at your box scores and cheer right up. Glad to see you guys outright quit in front of the home crowd.

Isn't it sad that the other 29 teams are glad they aren't the biggest hockey market in the league right now? Pathetic.

Hey, I just checked TSN, they updated their Tradecentre:



I wonder why?

Same old, same old

By Chris


Forget last night. Tonight, the Sabres showed that they couldn't get the job done, which is what we've seen from them for most of the year.

They got down 3-0 early and fought to get back into the game. Late in the third period, down a goal, the defense pushed too hard, gave up an odd-man rush and gave up the put-away goal. Nothing new.

And it was against Toronto, arguably the worst team in the league, with their captain on the proverbial trading block and with fans calling for the heads of everyone in the front office. Thank God we beat Atlanta.

They just weren't good enough tonight. They just haven't been good enough all season. The flashes of greatness haven't been greater than the mental lapses and metal posts.

There are just over 37 days until the trade deadline. At this pace, the Sabres should be major sellers, but does anyone else get the feeling that Darcy will play the "Wait till we're completely healthy, then you'll see what kind of team we really are" card? I know I can't wait for that.