Game Night

by Ryan

"We have to play hard every night and we can't sit back. We have to play every game like it's a playoff game." -- Paul Gaustad

Tonight the Sabres have a chance to move into a tie for the final playoff spot. The opponent? Boston. The team we have the chance to tie? Boston.

To put it mildly, this game us huge.

I'm not one to throw the "big game" label on often, but tonight really feels like the "playoff game" Goose was talking about above. This is the chance to beat Boston twice in one week, a four point swing that puts Buffalo in the heart of the playoff race. It feels like a game the teams should put on the throwback sweaters for and just go at it.



What a logo.

We have struggled against Boston for sure. Marc Savard still averages over a point per game against us in his career and Phil Kessel will be a threat once again. Tuesday's win was a hard fought game with a deceiving 4-2 final. Buffalo relied on a strong game from Ryan Miller and the clutch performance of players like Dan Paille and Thomas Vanek.

Someone has to step it up again, and hopefully this crowd will help. If you are heading to the game, think for a second how much this game means to the playoff push. A win puts us a point behind the idle Rangers, and just a few points out of 6th place in the conference. Do you know what 6th place will get you? A first round match up with the Southeast division winner.

Oh. My. God. I would kill for the chance to finish in 6th place. It's almost like getting a first round bye for God's sake.

The point is this: we need every point we can get, and the home-ice advantage we had last year just hasn't been there so far this season. So get loud, and get up for this game. C'mon guys, it's the playoff push. If they get down a goal you come back roaring, the team will respond.

So downtown or otherwise get ready, folks. Order a pizza, call your friends, throw on that jersey and get settled in around 7:30.

It's a Friday night in Buffalo, what better than a hockey game?



Let's go boys.