Stafford on Keith

by Ryan

Here's the video of Stafford's hit on Duncan Keith: (Update: shorter with a reverse angle)



Legal? Yeah, I think so. Stafford's not exactly a dirty player, and there was a little elbow there but he wasn't fully extended and certainly wasn't trying to take him out. This was a forward getting back into a play and trying to backcheck, which is exactly what you want to see our of a guy like Stafford. If anything he would have tied up one of the other two Blackhawks, but Keith slid into the slot and right into Drew's path. This wasn't Stafford headhunting, but rather Drew seeing Keith move to the middle and realize he had the best chance to make a play on him. To be honest, I'd rather see any of our forwards hit a guy like that rather than let him go.

Here's what Stafford had to say about the hit:

“I hope he’s OK. I’m not trying to hurt anybody,” Stafford said. “At the same time, you have to keep your head up if you’re going to make a play over the blue line like that.”

I imagine he said that with a "toldja so" attached somewhere, but he seems sincere enough. So why am I even talking about this if it's a clean hit and there's no bad blood between the teams? Well, Ben Eager mostly. Here's what he had to say about it:

"I thought it was a completely dirty hit," Eager said. "That team has been through it. They have seen their fair share of head shots, and that guy doesn't have many hits all year. He's a skilled guy, so I'm sure [the league] won't do anything to him. I'm sure if I was the one who hit him I probably would be sitting out for a while."

Well, I'm sure someone out there will say "that's the same as the Drury hit!", which is completely false. You see, Chris Drury wears his helmet too loose, which is the only reason that hit was so bad. Yeah, that's about the only difference I see, really...

Blowin' in the Wind

by Ryan

No matter how glaring a mistake, there is never one moment that loses a hockey game. Whether a bad goal, a giveaway, or just a missed opportunity; no matter what the situation there is somewhere else that can shoulder the load as well. Even late in a game or in overtime, there are reasons a game gets to that point to look back on. In the hour of hockey played each game, there is never just one mistake or reason for anything.

In tonight's game there were two major reasons for failure. It was a game of two acts, two different periods each with a distinct reason for the loss. This wasn't one of those zero effort Sabres losses, which are frustrating in their own way. This was a game where two different problems killed any momentum the Sabres had and eventually cost them two points.



The game began with the Sabres playing almost perfect hockey. Ruff's gospel of hard work from the forwards was well read, and the forecheck was pretty outstanding. Everyone was hitting and giving the Chicago defenseman a tough time, disrupting their ability to get the puck up ice and capitalize on the speed of their forwards. The first goal was a result of good work on the forecheck and a timely turnover. Teppo keeps it in the zone and gets it to Mair, who makes a nice pass in front to Kotalik. Ales puts a great shot past a diving Huet, and it's 1-0. It's exactly the kind of goal this team can create, especially with the third and fourth lines checking hard.

The rest of the first period saw the Sabres continue to work like this, with chances developed off of a good forecheck and aggressive play. Everyone hit, including Pominville and even Hecht, who avoided a Seabrook check and almost put him into the Sabres bench. Things were going good, and then we remembered that the backup goaltender was in net.



It wasn't a complete disaster, but Sharp's goal is certainly stoppable. The initial save is something you need to get with a team like Chicago, and even then the Sharp shot was a trickle. Goals like this destroy momentum, much like the second goal absolutely freaking obliterated anything the Sabres had going for them. I'm not even going to talk about because I still have no idea what happened. Either way, something like that should not be the cost of playing your backup, no matter how much your defenseman back off. Toews shot should never hit the back of the net.

Still, the game wasn't over there. The Sabres carried the same play into the second period, getting chances and disrupting Chicago's puck moving defenseman. Lydman and Rivet both played well, and the defense kept the Blackhawks scorers in check for the majority of the period. The exception was at the 5:53 mark, when Martin Havlat led a 3 on 1 down the ice and scored high on Lalime. Should it have been stopped? Maybe, but it should have never happened. Sekera made a bad pinch and couldn't get back in time, and Havlat did the rest himself.



The effort still wasn't completely awful. The forwards even backchecked hard, with Stafford knocking Duncan Keith out of the game when he cut across the middle. We'll talk more about the hit later, but Ben Eager didn't like it very much and gets himself six minutes in the box. This is the chance Buffalo needs to get back into the game, and you need at least one goal on three straight power plays, right?

Well, you all know what happens next. One shot in six minutes. If Patrick Lalime gave the game away, the power play unit gave away any chance for a comeback. There was no flow to the play, and even getting into the Chicago zone was an issue. If there was ever a time to use a timeout in the second period, this was the time to do it. Only a Tim Connolly shot sometime in the third penalty got through to Huet, who honestly didn't have to do much tonight.

What's amazing about this stretch is that it never felt like the Sabres had a chance to set anything up. There were some cycles at times, but there was no Vanek tip shot, no backdoor pass to Roy. Nothing. The defenseman couldn't get into open shooting lanes, and shot after shot was blocked by Chicago. The best scoring chance of the entire sequence was when Lalime misplayed the puck and Chicago missed the empty net on a wrap around. It was an absolute disaster, a clusterf*ck of epic proportions, and the Sabres never recovered. I've never seen a worse six minute power play, and that's not a statement based on the rarity of the situation. Suddenly Chicago had a two goal lead and all the momentum in the world to boot.

Sabres fans spent the intermission writhing in pain on the floor while Jason Pominville scratched his face on camera, and 17 seconds into the third Wisniewski puts it in. It was over. A 4-1 deficit against a team that has lost twice at home in regulation all year. The Sabres continued to play aggressive hockey, but it didn't matter. After another wasted power play, the Sabres took the last three penalties of the game and the horn sounded as Seabrook tried to pile on.



This wasn't exactly a wasted effort, but the term "waste" should still be used somewhere. The Sabres played a good period of hockey but still came away from it trailing 2-1. From there everything fell apart, and they never recovered from a few bad bounces and a misplayed shot. Brian Campbell didn't exact vengeance on his former squad, and Patrick Kane didn't put on a show for his hometown team. It wasn't a great team pulling away like against Detroit; this was two evenly matched teams playing a game where one team made a ton of mistakes. Lalime needs to be better, the defense still needs work, and a top ten power play unit needs to score on a six minute power play. It wasn't just one thing, but a deadly combination that gave away another two points on the road.

Tonight's game wasn't lost in just one place, it was lost everywhere.

Crosswinds in Chitown

by Ryan

The best thing to happen to the Chicago Blackhawks in the last five years? Their owner died.



Bill Wirtz passed away last September, and since then Chicago has risen from the ashes of a stagnant franchise to become a real factor in the league once again. Their young players have blossomed, fans can watch home games on television, and big name free agents were brought in to make what was once a sad team finally compete in the New "NHL".

This year a lot has happened in Chicago, with head coach Denis Savard fired four games into the 2008-09 season. Many saw the move as unfair given the time table, but he will always be remembered for the brilliant-but-borderline-racist rallying cry "Commit to the Indian". Expectations where high with the arrival of Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet, the Winter Classic held at Wrigley Field, and a spike in attendance figures; and so perhaps the move was somewhat panic-fueled. However, Joel "It's only buzzed driving" Quenneville has helped the team turn the corner and managed the goaltending situation very nicely so far.

As a Sabres fan looking at the Blackhawks roster, it's hard to talk about anything but Patrick Kane and Brian Campbell. Kane leads the team in points and has been fantastic in his sophomore season, and Campbell has produced on the blueline as well. He has the occasional issue on the back end, but he was brought in to produce points and that's exactly what he's done.

In fact, his play with the man advantage is a big reason Chicago has improved so much. Of his 29 points, 15 have come on the power play, and he continues to play relatively penalty-free hockey, with only 6 PIM all season. This season Chicago's power play has seen the second largest improvement in the league, currently running at a very good %22.8.

Chicago is much more than just two players, with a lot of guys stepping up on a young team. Duncan Keith has been great on the blueline, and would have made the All Star team if not for Campbell being voted in by the fans. The Hawks have nine players with at least 24 points on the season, and you know a team has secondary scoring when Ben Eager has 8 goals on the year. Forgotten in all the Kane hype is Martin Havlat (who has stayed healthy), Patrick Sharp, rookie Chris Versteeg, and captain Jonathan Toews. All four players have over 30 points and have helped bring a ton of depth to a very young roster.

The Blackhawks are playing very good hockey, but there is still a lot of growing left to do. The Winter Classic was a good example of a great team showing a young team exactly how it's supposed to be done. It's not a knock on Chicago as much as it is a compliment to Detroit, but it only shows what the Blackhawks are capable of if things go well. Their roster is full of RFAs likely to get an increase in salary, but this is a team ready to make a run right now.

Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how they come together down the stretch, and how they stack up against the Sabres tonight.

Sweating Bullets

The Savior of San Jose takes on the Sabres for the first time in a Blackhawks uniform tonight. If he's got any problems, the All-Star defenseman can always call (716) 839-3638.

Here's lookin' at you kid:

Strange

I don't think I've ever seen Scotty Bowman in anything other than a suit. Ever. Considering he's been coaching since his early 20s, that's not too much of a stretch.

Do you think the Blackhawks give you a jersey if you get hired as, like, a beer vendor or something? What if you are an intern? Either way, Chicago has been making some good moves recently.

Left out in the Warm

by Ryan

Last year when the Sabres schedule was released there was so much to look for. When was the first time Briere and Drury would be back in town? Who do we open against to raise the banners? What about Ottawa? Most important of all, what about that game on New Year's Day?

It would take an extra few months to get official word about the Winter Classic, but once everything fell into place it went down as one of the greatest events in Buffalo sports history. Finally something unique was given to this town, and we as fans savored every moment of it.

However, this year's schedule release brings a different feeling. Namely, a feeling of being left out. Kevin at Bfloblog fleshed it out nicely by saying "big deal", and that's kind of what I'm feeling as well. The lack of excitement isn't my problem, as much as the reality that something is no longer ours.



Hang a "9" over it and consider that logo to be stalking Brian Campbell. The Winter Classic is officially an annual showcase, and Elwood Blues' parole address gets hosting duties this year.

Keep in mind where I'm coming from on this. This was certainly inevitable and something you can't possibly get upset about. The fact of the matter is that the Winter Classic was profitable and great for the league, and so it will be repeated until ran into the ground. However, you can't help but get taken aback when you hear Brian Campbell talking about another Winter Classic. See for yourself:

Colder than it is in April, but so what? It was cold in Buffalo, too, but Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell, who played for the Sabres in last season's Classic, remembers the intoxicating buzz around the city leading up to game day.

"The city was all wrapped up in it," Campbell said. "It was, 'How do you get tickets?' 'What are you doing to get prepared?' 'What's your tailgate going to be like?' It was mayhem, a lot of fun, and something you take a lot of pride in."

Campbell also recalled how difficult it was to adjust to the conditions.

"I was on the ice for a goal against (21 seconds into the game) in because my defensive partner tried to pass it and there was too much snow on the ice and it wasn't going anywhere," he said. "I personally did not like the game at that point. Then I scored and the game was the best thing ever."

Somehow the term "intoxicating" is completely appropriate. The entire section reads a far cry from the "f$%king stupid Ice Bowl" we've seen for ourselves, but you can't help but laugh at the little ginger's enthusiasm. Deep down he knew he would love it, it was the beer lying to him all along.

Again, it's nothing to get upset about, but it is a strange feeling. This year I glanced over the schedule with little to look forward to. Who even knows if mini packs are still around come October? With all the fun things happening for other teams, it's just tough to look at a bunch of dates and get excited. Not just yet, at least.

Hey, at least it won't be at Yankee Stadium. That mock-up just never looked right, did it?

Commit to the Crest

by Ryan

Maybe that's how Denis Savard should have said it, but I guess it's what he said that is important.

"Commit to the Indian" was the quote that got everybody worked up this week, and obviously some fans have really taken to the idea.



Still, some people have been anything but excited by Savard's frank comments and desire for team unity, and the shirt above is no longer purchasable. (Probably copyright reasons, but still...)

Of course to some this comes down to a race issue, but I really feel like those that make it such are missing the point of what Savard said. He is the coach of a struggling team that has loads of young talent. As witness to a similar problem at times in Buffalo, you cannot help but sympathize with his call for commitment.

Take out the "Indian" and replace it with "crest" or "team" and you have the rallying call of the season. Play for the logo on the front, not the name on the back. It's what every coach and fan wants to see out of their players, a dedication to a team effort without regard for personal results.

There are still many issues with race in this country, especially with sports teams. The Washington Redskins name itself is a slur to many, and Cleveland Indians fans wear red face to playoff games. Still, the Blackhawk is arguably one of the most noble of these logos, and far from the caricature Chief Wahoo has been for decades.

While what Savard said was most likely in poor taste, I really do feel you have to admire his gumption in calling the team out. The worst thing Lindy Ruff has done to his team was say there are a lot of "selfish" or "stupid" plays being made by young players. Instead, Savard called his entire team out and demanded through the media and fans that the crest they play under be put first and foremost.

I only wish we had a logo that could be used so effectively. (Somehow "Commit to the Swoopy Buffalo Thingy" just doesn't flow...)



(Full disclosure: My girlfriend is a registered Native American and I wouldn't post about this without her blessing because she would scalp kill me.)

My "I Was There" Post

By Chris

Not exactly a View from the Roost, but I was at the game tonight and here are just some quick thoughts on the Sabres 3-1 victory over the Blackhawks, overshadowed by Pat Kane's homecoming. And rightfully so.

-It was my first look at the HD scoreboard in person, and all I have to say is "Wow."

-As I was walking back to my seat from overpaying for French fries (turns out it's a better deal to spend an extra three bucks and get four surprisingly-good chicken fingers with the fries), I was distracted for just a second from the ginormoustron by a call from Ryan. The Faux Roost sign was up over Section 309. Those bastards.

-I was really impressed by the reception Kane got. Everyone was waiting for him to get out onto the ice for warm ups and not even there did he disappoint, roofing a wrister on his first practice shot.



The ceremonial puck drop was also a very sentimental moment. Kane and Brian Campbell were met at center ice by Pa Soupy, Pa Kane and Grandpa Kane and received a standing O from the crowd. It was nice to see, not only for the Kane family, but for the entire Western New York hockey scene.

-And then it didn't take long for me to stop liking Kane. The Pride of Buffalo snapped home a shot just two minutes into the game. I didn't cheer for that, but there were plenty who did. Yeah it was nice to see, but as soon as the clock started ticking, the kid was the enemy.

-Miller saves. The Sabres netminder played exceptionally well tonight and is one of the main reasons the Sabres were able to pull out the W. The save on Ruutu late in the third was one of the stops that made my jaw drop.



-The Vanek-Roy-Stafford line was very good tonight. The moved the puck well and showed the kind of swagger you need from your top line.

-Overall I thought the effort from the Sabres was very good. They had a few mental lapses here and there, especially early, but they actually worked hard, especially along the boards, and got through the night. A few nights off should bode well. Hopefully.

-I was kind of disappointed in Tallinder. He's been out of the game for awhile now so I'd like to think it's just a matter of getting the rust off.

-Why Sekera is in over Pratt I will never understand, unless Pratt has some sort of injury I don't know about. Sekera will be a pretty good defenseman, don't get me wrong, I'd just like to see him get a little more seasoning on the farm before he's starting over veterans. Especially veterans that I suddenly like.

-I've been hard on Campbell the last few games, especially. I haven't posted my thoughts here, but I just didn't like what I was seeing out of him in the defensive zone. He was watching plays develop instead of being more proactive and has been caught eying the puck into the net. Tonight, I thought he played pretty well. His offensive talent has never really been a question, but I thought he was much more responsible in his own end tonight. Maybe it's because of the "C" he's wearing on his chest that makes me extra-critical of him, and I haven't been a huge fan of his over the past few seasons, but I did like his game tonight. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come.

-If the C was to stop rotating tonight, I'd leave it with Jochen Hecht. He's been a leader all year and his play in the last month or so has been nothing short of excellent. I'd give a letter to Goose, based just on work ethic and then leave a letter with Lydman on the defensive end.

-I think Chicago is about a year and two good players away from being serious contenders. They've got a real good core of young talent and pretty good goaltending. They have the building blocks to be an elite to for many years to come, which is good, because it'll be fun to cheer for Chicago then.


-Arena hosts are unnecessary. The PA announcer did everything tonight and I was absolutely fine with it. If not for the Pickleass disaster last spring and the stupid contest this summer, I probably wouldn't even make a point of this.

-Afinogenov played a good game. I actually saw him pass it to a teammate as he crossed the blue line and everyone was actually onsides! It could just be a good stretch for him, but I still think the Sabres would be better off moving him.

Then again, Darcy Regier has made only four trades in-season during his ten-year tenure that weren't around the trade deadline. For the record, these are the four in-season non-deadline deals:

11/12/97: Andrei Trefilov to Chicago for a draft pick
12/18/98: 1999 2nd round pick (Milan Bartovic) to LA for Donald Audette; Claimed Roman Ndur off waivers (Darcy was busy this day)
1/23/00: 2000 8th round pick to LA for Vladimir Tsyplakov
11/6/02: Jason Woolley to Detroit for future considerations

If history is any indication, there's a a good chance we won't see anyone on the move until late February.

The Pat Kane Game

By Chris

When I was sifting through games for my mini pack, this one caught my eye. December 19. Chicago Blackhawks. The 'Hawks only come to Buffalo once every eight years (that will change starting next season) and they have an up-and-coming team. Plus there was the potential Patrick Kane, the 2007 #1 overall pick and Buffalo native, might be on the team at that point.



Turns out, Kane's been with the team all year and is the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. He currently leads all first-year players in points. The dude's good to say the least.

So now that the game is here, and there are rumored to be about 500 of Pat Kane's friends and family cheering him on, it should be a great game to be at.

It's my first of five games, and no, I won't be putting up the official Roost sign. Or the faux sign for that matter. I don't have those kinds of perks.

Puck drops at 7 p.m. The more shots the better.

Obligitory "Holy Crap What a Goal" Post

Wow. If you had any doubts about that December 15th game being a silver, you have your answer.