No Help

by Ryan

The Flyers wanted to choke, they really did. Outplaying the Thrashers for a full 59 minutes they almost screwed the pootch when they started letting Kovalchuk sit alone in the slot. With thirty seconds left he got his 50th. You could see the wheels cascading off the bus, shrapnel flying everywhere. As the puck dropped and Philly got it deep, you thought maybe this thing was over after all.

Then it happened. Someone gets the puck behind the net, and Ilya somehow slides back into the slot. The puck just seemed to follow him around in that last minute. The Philly D suddenly turned into raw sewage and there's Kovy all alone with the puck drifting to him with less then ten to go....

BOOM.



It looks like he was hit with a sniper rifle, but it was only the right pad of Antero Niittymaki. So, so close. I wasn't exactly impressed with Philly in the win (Hotlanta only mustered 19 shots and are playing for the first pick overall) but whatever, two points are two points.


The Pens let us down last night as well, dropping a 5-2 decision to the Rangers. I didn't see that game, but I do know one thing: Sean Avery is freaking annoying. What the hell is that little thing he does when he scores goals? Is he doing "jazz hands" or high fiving all those mimes he keeps in a box above his head?



I'm almost positive that Alex Ovechkin is Zeus. Seriously, if Vanek is Atlas (sometimes) then AO is the ruler of all the universe. Another three point night, putting him at 57 goals on the year. He was also seen tossing thunderbolts at J.P Dumont and reportedly chained Scott Nichol to a rock for giving Cristobol Huet a match after the game. Rumor has it the flesh eating eagle is on backorder.

Oh, a 4-1 final means the Caps are still only two points out of a playoff spot.

How does it feel to wake up in 10th place?

Ten Games Later

by Ryan

Anyone else curious how Soupy has been doing? Well, let's take a quick look at some of his recent pictures.




I'm sure they are just talking about yoga or something.

In the ten games since Soup has been shipped out he has registered 11 points (2+9) and is listed as a +6. All of a sudden the Sharks are 9-0-1 in that span and have moved into second in the conference. That... that's a pretty good run.

Let's not forget about his soft "amazing" goal against Montreal.

I know looking at this from a Sabres fan's perspective sucks, but you have to be realistic about it. Remember a few weeks ago when Campbell was a wreck and we were all wondering where our best defenseman went? (You know, before the our next three "best defensemen" got hurt) As soon as that Brian Campbell was traded he lost all the pressure the fans, team, and media was putting on him.

After that Devils game when people were starting to boo him Chris sent me a text saying, "All this shows me is that Soup's mentally weak." As sad as it is I agree with him, Campbell showed that when put under pressure he cracks. It was an unfair situation and I sympathized with him, but it was just another reason not to pay him $7 million a year. To anyone who was watched his first 50 games in Buffalo, the whole spectacle he's making in San Jose is quite ridiculous.

What we are seeing now is that pressure gone, with Campbell officially acting like he is in a contract year. Flashy moves, the spin-o-rama no one in the West has seen, and people clamouring for him to be signed at whatever the cost. As great as some Sharks fans are, they just don't put the kind of pressure a city like Buffalo can put on a player. (See Kalinin, Dimitri)

Just like coming to Buffalo was seen as a positive to Bernier because of our passionate fans, it was a positive for Soup to go west because the expectations and pressures to sign just aren't there. Because there is no "hometown discount" or "he likes it here" argument, his failure to sign with San Jose this summer will be viewed as the GM's fault, not his own.

The fact of the matter is this: Brian Campbell is a good hockey player that needed to be traded for the good of the team. He is going to prosper and make a long playoff run. You will see him make good plays while watching this April and May and wish he was on your team. However, there was no way we were going to have him, and because Darcy ignored him this summer the market took him out of our hands.

There is plenty of blame to toss around if you choose to do so, but I don't think Campbell would be playing as well as he is if he was still on this team. Even after the trade deadline that pressure would still be there. And while the players were visibly shaken by Campbell being dealt, we will be a better team in the long run for it.

Sometimes, that's just how you have to look at it.

I'm Sorry, Jason Pominville

by Ryan

When we last left Jason Pominville he looked a little something like this:



Now while the resemblance may be uncanny, he probably wouldn't ask if we wanted extreme fajitas at 10am on a Monday.

Looking back, I've been quite skeptical about the whole idea of "Captain by Committee", but especially with the reign of terror Jason Pominville has instituted this month. Here are some thoughts:

- Is that how we are assigning letters now? “He’s a great guy, everyone likes him, and he’s pretty consistent.” Apparently the Sabres captain needs to have the same qualities you look for in a mechanic. When’s the last time you thought an oil change showed leadership ability? Red Wing Ramblings, 3/3/08

Hey, and in that same post:

- What the heck was with the gong show on Pomminville’s goal? For once Jason’s nancyboy ways paid off.

Okay, that was a bit harsh. The truth of the matter is that looking back on the first 17 days of this month I've been pretty impressed with how Jason has handled the C. He has become accountable with the media, always one of the first players to talk to reporters and even posting his thoughts regularly on his Sabres.com blog.

People always look to on ice play to gauge how well things are going, but I've been much more impressed with the way he has handled all this outside of the rink. He has played quite well recently and the team is suddenly on the upswing, but I still think a lot of that upswing has to do with the coaching suddenly kicking in.

His entire demeanor has changed, and he's a different form of captain then most people are used to around here. He's not going to be the voice of experience, but leadership in his case may only have to be acting properly when faced with problems. He may not be the fiercest of players, but he has displayed a surprising amount of responsibility, both good and bad, for this team's actions. It may not be what we are expecting, but it is certainly a form of leadership.

The point of all this is that I should lay off of Jason, and I mean it enough to apologize for most some of the jobbing I've done. He's done a good job so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the team reacts to him down the stretch.



I still mean that, though.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

The Green Slug: A Drinking Mascot with a Hockey Problem.

Malkin, Semin Help the Cause

by Ryan

In case you come here for actual news, here's what happened today that matters:



A tap in for Pittsburgh, 7-1. Flyers looked craptacular.



2-1 shootout win for the Caps. Boston gains their 692nd overtime point of the season.

What it means for us? The Sabres are one point out of a playoff spot for real now, with no "games in hand" for either team. Boston's salvaging a point today gives them a 4 point cushion along with the Rangers, but NYR has one of those mythical game coupons to be redeemed later.

I would show the standings in the post but they will be outdated by the time someone finds this page searching "Emperor's Club Coupons" in google. Peep the sidebar for the real story. One point out. Washington is also only two points out, something I would have welcomed with open arms if Boston didn't take that third point.

A lot of people have been talking about how much three point games suck, but Buffalo has 11 points due to OTLs, most in the conference. I know it is soul-crushing to come home to box scores and see that little "F/OT" or "F/SO" icon, but we've been doing it all year. Still, with the remaining schedules focused heavily on inter-division and conference play, I know we'd all like to see it stop.

With nothing to watch from the boys until Wednesday we need to really focus on the other teams ahead of us. Here are the games over the next few days that will really matter to Buffalo:

Monday
- Nothing, unless you want to catch the Western playoff push with Colorado/Minnesota on Versus. (7pm)

Tuesday
- Penguins/Rangers (7 pm): This is the "game in hand" NYR currently has. Big if they lose because we officially have three teams we could "catch."

- Atlanta/Philadelphia (7 pm, Versus): If you care at all you will watch this game. If the Flyers win we must keep pace with them on Wednesday. If they lose...

- Washington/Nashville (8 pm): This is big because Washington is making that final push as well. As much as their beating Boston today helps us it hurts because a slip up puts them in front of us. I don't know about you but I don't like the number ten this time of year.

---

So how do we watch these games? Scoreboard watching in the traditional sense is following the "out of town scores" while actually at the game, but since none of us will have that chance we will re-apply the term here. Since the Philly game is on Versus the majority of us are covered. The other two are a bit trickier.

For the record, NHL's Center Ice package is only $59 for the rest of the year. However, if you can't afford that or simply don't want to pay, you may be able to find some help here. Maybe. If you need any help getting that to work, you may be able to email us and we will help you as much as we can. Maybe, but you didn't hear it from us.

Another option is NHL Radio, something I used last year to follow the Isles gain the 8th seed when in Ohio for Easter. It's a bit delayed but a much better experience then hitting "refresh" 4,000 times. Otherwise watching an internet page update will be your best bet. Box scores are an okay go of it but our voice of experience (Chris) says NHl.com's Live Gametracker (Found on the scores page) is a nice option.

All this rooting against Boston, Philly, and the Rangers is fun and all, but let's not forget that the prerequisite to all this is that the Sabres win their games as well. Still, we're close once again and there is reason to hope based on this weekend. With March Madness coming and this little situation we have here, this could make for an interesting couple of weeks.

I'd get some sleep tonight, the next week is going to take it out of you.

While You Watch...

Tell me what Bryan McCabe is saying here.

After the dust settles today we'll be back to break down the results and I'll give a well deserved apology to a special someone. We'll also show you how to break the law, but for now give me a caption for Goose's favourite Leaf.

In the Mix

by Ryan


It was one of those nights that just started well and didn't go all to hell. You kept waiting for it to happen, bracing yourself when Toronto would make a push, but the goaltender was there when you expected it and the team came through.

A win like this in November is just a good road game, but when you go in and blow the doors off a team suddenly breathing down your neck it is a great, spiritually uplifting win. The last 48 hours could have broken us all, squashed the last possible hopes of making even a peep in this conference full of big talkers. It may have taken a while, but 13 goals in two games is more than enough to prove that this team can roar when it wants to.



The question remains, is this a fluke or the final, oft-delayed push to the playoffs? One of my major problems with this team has been a lack of consistency and motivation, something I have blamed on coaching. Whether it is the case or not, Lindy made a statement to this team before Friday's game and the change is evident. If it will continue is up to those same players, but they won't have anything to say about it until Wednesday.

Standings will change and all we can hope is that their attitude will remain the same. Know this, tonight we are closer then we've been to the 8th spot in quite some time. No matter what those standings look like come Wednesday, remember this feeling. If the attitude stays the same we will be this close again. Hope is a powerful thing, and as close as those numbers have been we haven't had a reason for hope in some time.

It's not often we get a chance to root for Malkin and Ovechkin on the same day, but tomorrow we have that chance. Pens/Flyers at noon on NBC and Caps/Bruins at 3. We shall master the art of scoreboard viewing together, my friends.

One game at a time.

Some Fight in Them Yet

One of the best things about Adam Mair is that when he scores he puts on this face that says "Yeah, I do this all the time." Thing is he doesn't, but he deserved that star tonight. Gordie Howe hat trick and a huge effort to keep this team afloat. Tonight he showed the fight that this team can and should have all the time.



His wasn't the only face that showed he was giving it all, but you could sure tell he's not going to let up anytime soon.

All In

by Ryan



Down to the last few chips, Darcy calls in a ringer just down the 90. If you're a fan of intro music, get out some Rage Against the Machine and put on "Renegades of Funk"

No matter what way you look at this it is a white flag, it just depends on your perspective. Either this is a white flag in the form of surrender or the NASCAR equivalent of the final lap. If you believe the NASCAR analogy we are pulling out all the stops, if you see it in military terms we are putting our weapons down. Your choice.

A quick side note on intro music:

For the majority of the season the team came out to practice playing U2's "City of Blinding Lights." It's kind of an interesting pick but one that seemed to work. However, last Wednesday I noticed they used a new song, "3s and 7s" by Queens of the Stone Age. I thought it was a great pick and hope they keep doing it. QOTSA is much more of a "pump up" band, and that's important during warmups.

Another thing I noticed is that they started to play "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who just before faceoff. That was a nice touch, especially against teams like Ottawa and New York. However, it tends to lose it's touch when we continue to get fooled over and over again...

On Wafers and Chocolate

by Ryan

It feels like it's over, huh? Here we are, just 11 games from the close of the regular season and we already are putting it to rest. I've done it at least a dozen times since Monday's shootout loss. It just feels like too much to overcome for a team that isn't showing signs of fight. There is no fire, no passion left in this team. Too many injuries, too much inconsistency, and not enough time left to mount an improbable comeback to seize position #8.

Wait, take a look at that sidebar, aren't we in exactly the same position we were on Wednesday? Isn't that crazy? All this negativity and we still have the same four points to overcome with only one less game to do it. Heck, even Boston lost last night, we are still five back of them.

Yeah, we have three usable players rotating on the blueline at the moment. Yeah, most club hockey teams have more depth than that. Yeah, there is nothing in the last 180 minutes of hockey that says we will make that final push, but you have to look at the glass as half full, don't you?

Sure, that glass is teetering on uneven ground with cats circling and a strong crosswind threatening to spill it's contents all through the city of Buffalo, but that glass is still half full, isn't it?

(Brief aside: I found this picture a few days ago:


When did Lindy start using an O Stick?)

Anyway, the better half of me has been trying to convince my gloomy side that the glass is indeed half full. This is an underachieving team capable of much better with a goaltender that called them out after last game. As much as I think the building will be dead tonight, maybe the crowd shows a desperation that the players can't help but follow and the unlikely finish we'd like to see so badly will begin. I'm not going to stop watching these games so why not hope for the best, right?

When things go badly I resort to biting sarcasm, which explains the last two posts. The truth is that this team has been a monstrous letdown and I've been taking it hard. It is no longer the team we sold ourselves on last year, and I had made peace with that. However, the group we've watched play out this season can't even be described as a "shell of its former self." This team isn't even in the same class of candy coated chocolate confections as far as I'm concerned.

If the first two post-lockout teams were M&Ms, this year's Sabres are Necco Wafers. Sure, they have their moments, but sometimes you just can't stand some flavors and most of them are broken anyways. While M&Ms may defy the ads and leave some chocolate behind on your hands, it's a much more satisfying letdown then all that freaking powder left by those freaking wafers.

Readers that have been around a while may have seen this before: "I have no idea what to think about this team." I've typed that verbatim at least a half dozen times this year, and at least another half dozen I've implied it. Well guess what? Same story today. I have no idea what to think about this team. I have no idea what to expect tonight.

I've watched every game this year, some more than once, all in the hopes of figuring out what is going on with this team. After tonight you can count games remaining on your fingers and I still have no freaking clue. This team is an enigma. A conundrum. A complete mystery to even the educated observer.



Let's hope it's not another licorice one tonight.

I Got the Call

by Ryan

We usually don't break news stories here, but I just felt the need to tell you all something very important:

I got the call.

Yep, with Nathan concussed and out indefinitely we are once again one defenseman short. With Rochester depleted already and Darcy in a pinch he called the best option available: me.

Now don't get all excited just yet, I haven't even been fitted for a jersey. I think I'm a size 46, but if they need to give me a replica I'll take a large, number 81 if you will. If you haven't figured it out, I'm a cocky Slovikian winger at heart, but I'll do whatever it takes to put us in the playoffs. Of course, I'll still pretend to make that phone call when I light the lamp.

Please don't worry, I'm more than qualified. Not only can I skate backwards, but I've even played a bit of D during pickup. I'm a natural. Not only that, but I have my own equipment and can drive myself after 9pm, something most of our players in Rochester can't do. I know Michael Funk can get a hold of his Mom's minivan for tomorrow night, but do you really want to wait around for his older brother to pick him up afterwards? Me either.

Hrm... I just checked my recent calls log and Darcy's office number didn't come up. Must have just been a dream. Well, I'll just sit by the phone for a while and wait for the inevitable. It's only a matter of time until I'm the best option left.


God help us all.

The Source of the Problem

by Ryan

That "something special" just isn't there anymore, Ryan Miller said it himself. Over the past 71 games we've seen a team struggle and falter to a 32-28-11 record, light years away from last year's Presidents Trophy finish. The two teams have relatively similar rosters, the same starting goaltender, head coach, front office, and owner. The building still sells out. So what is the difference between the two teams? What explains the complete collapse of this franchise over the span of the last year?



Jiri Novotny isn't here anymore.

Stay with me here. Everyone remembers Marty Biron moving at the trade deadline last year, but the real story was that Jiri Novotny was dealt as well. The perennial two goal scorer was traded to Washington in exchange for Dainius Zubrus, destroying the chemistry and magic this team had created with Jiri's aid and subsequently extinguishing the "something special" Miller talked about tonight. The team's playoff failure was not only inevitable, it was deserved.

The defeat at the hands of Ottawa just a few months later was something that should have been expected and certainly could have been prevented. The age old advice of "you ain't 'aposta fix what ain't broken" was ignored by our brain trust in an attempt to bring in a hired gun. That hired gun turned out a cold, heartless mercenary whose icy demeanor scared Danny Briere's playoff beard into permanent hiding.



Jiri don't scare no beards.

Losing in May was only the first of disastrous results stemming from Jiri's departure. The floundering, leaderless team is a direct result of Novotny not being in the lineup. Just look at how he has improved his new team, the Colombus Blue Jackets. His 8 goals, 12 assists, and -9 rating has helped the Jackets achieve a 31-28-11 record, just two points worse than Buffalo with a game in hand. That, my friends, is "poetic justice" (No? Still wrong? Darn!)

Heck, just today they picked a captain, something this team still can't do since Jiri left. Does anyone else think he was the heir to the throne? Hrm...



Look at that strength.

I know I'm not the only one that thinks we threw a former first round pick under the bus by trading Novotny away so soon. He was the heart and soul of this team, plain and simple. If Briere and Drury were the real "winners" on this team why didn't they finish the job after he left?

July 1st was viewed as the day that Danny and Chris left, but to me it will always be the day that we failed to get Jiri back. Instead Columbus won his services and will reap the benefits for years to come. Rat bastards.

Now you know the truth. Over the next 11 games you are going to see things go wrong and say "I wish Jiri was here". Don't worry, you won't be alone. The course of our franchise has forever been altered by the hubris of Darcy Regier. You can all thank him for the performance you saw tonight.

Shoulda Been Twelve Games...

by Ryan

Maybe threatening to set him on fire was too much, but Colin Campbell seems to know the appropriate punishment. Honestly, he should have gotten at least two.



Hey, at least he can't screw up tonight...

The Miseducation of Mike Weber

by Ryan

With half of our defensive core exploding on Monday, some replacements seem to be pretty obvious. Here is the latest on Spacek and Kalinin, but what we know for now is that neither are playing tonight. So what's left of our D? Sounds like list time to me...

- Teppo Numminen- Yeah, right.

- Nathan Paetsch- "Banged up." Awesome.

- Toni Lydman- played 29:27 on Monday, looks like an extra from "Spinal Tap."

- Andrej Sekera- Played 25:42 on Monday, still nicknamed "Balls."

- Nolan Pratt- unemployed Hannah Montana fan until November.

- Hank "the Tank" Tallinder- most likely coming back from injury tonight. (PRAISE JESUS!)

Okay, I count five serviceable there. Who's the 6th option? Drew Schiestel? Michael Funk? Me? Nope, Mike Weber.

To be honest I'm pretty high on Mike Weber. He and Sekera were the Amerks' top D pair this year and judging from what we've seen out of Sekera lately the pair has gotten much better. As much as we rag on him, Andrej has played some outstanding hockey for a rookie thrown into the mix and I feel much better about him in the starting six come October.

Both Chris and I have seen Weber play in Rochester since he was sent back down earlier in the year. Here's what I thought of him:

The Amerks D was downright awful collectively, but Weber certainly stood out to me. He was aggressive and tough, and was rarely out of position. That tentative look he has in Buffalo was nowhere to be seen. In the second period, he took a hit at the blue line, then looked to get kicked in the head while down. Weber flips out, throws his gloves off before he even gets up, and starts to go after whoever kicked him. A Bulldog (Ryan O'Byrne) jumps in from behind, and Weber beats the tar out of him, slamming him to the ice while continuing to wrestle as the linesman pull him off. If this is how the kid will play when comfortable, then I feel much better about our future blueline.

"A Visit to "The Hammer"", 11/12/07

And Chris:

Andrej Sekera and Mike Weber showed why they are Rochester's top defensive pairing. Sekera looks great, but not quite ready to handle the NHL full-time. Weber is big and mean. I personally liked what I saw from him in his brief stint with the Sabres and he can only get better. Both players should make strong cases as to why they should be in the NHL out of training camp next fall.

A Trip to the Farm, 12/29/07

Sounds about the same, doesn't it? He's not going to be a guy making that crisp clean breakaway pass but he can be serviceable in a pinch. This is a pretty good example of a pinch, so I think he should be able to do the job. As the top prospect in the system, he is expected to step up to the task. We shall see.

Time to break out the mustard, this time with a side of desperation.

Consistent Mediocrity

by Ryan

Ottawa did us a favor and beat Boston in regulation for once. Philly squeaked out a point and got back that lead. As of right now, that's all that matters anymore. We can't catch anyone else, let alone dream of getting higher than 7th place. That cushy 6th place finish we've been eyeing is impossible, and right now we are looking at missing the top eight all together.

To be honest, I said and still believe that this season was lost a week ago after the Washington game. It was just too much of the same old same old, too much consistent mediocrity. The numbers were still there to do it, but that spark just didn't seem to be coming anytime soon.

The last two games have proven to be the collective efforts of a team hanging on by a thread. Two points in two games, yes, but still missing out on huge opportunities. When will the final push over the edge come? To be honest, tonight may be that final push; a game against a hungry team vying for the top seed in the East. With an injury plagued roster, a team teetering on the brink of the postseason has one last chance to beat a team they just can't seem to beat. Wow, sounds a lot like Monday.

As negative as the above sounds, this game and the run needed isn't impossible. Pittsburgh and a few other teams have had their share of injuries as well and who knows what can happen if a team above us gets cold. Just a few weeks ago the Flyers were leading the Atlantic, today they are objective #1 for any team outside of the playoff picture. Who knows what the next two weeks will bring.

So what do we need? Well, to play better then 3-4-3 in our last ten for sure. Realistically we need to win at least 9 of 12, a win percentage of +.750. Anyone remember the last time we had that going for us? Last year, even?

The point is this: it's going to take a whole lot of things to work at once to get this team into the 8th seed. Philly/Boston have to lose a lot of games, we need to win a lot of games, and we need to get/stay healthy. Oh, and no more overtime games. Bonus points are the Devil from here on out. Those are a whole lot of needs and very little time to get them taken care of.

Twelve games. Four points to gain back. No matter how depressing it looks this is an exciting time. This is what you live for as a sports fan, the dead heat to the finish line. Their players against ours. City against city. That sidebar is going to be moving nightly and we'll be here to keep you in the loop with scoreboard watching, but tonight the most important game for us is in the Igloo.

Let's go, boys.

One Bright Spot

by Ryan

I really, really dislike almost everything about a Versus broadcast. Their announcers are awful, their camera angles for shootouts are bizarre, and I really don't like the phrase "poetic justice" anymore. However, they did manage to do something last night that almost redeems them. They showed this after Pominville's shootout goal:



Look at Lindy all business while Goose tries to get his attention:



A closer view of the rally helmet:




Goose in a rally cap is just classic. It's too bad Gomez scored no more than 20 seconds later or I would have really enjoyed that...

Dear Andrew Peters,

Sometimes it hurts my head to think you were a second round draft pick. I guess the same thing happens to you because you seem to be easily confused. Remember when you challenged the entire Anaheim Ducks team to a fight a few months back? Good times.

Still, there are times when your downright stupidity is not only detrimental to your team but, quite frankly, to my health. Tonight was a perfect example of this. Andrew, you are lucky they gave out matching misconducts only, because if we lost on the PK again I would have found you and set you on fire. Engulfed in flames. Set ablaze. You heard me right, friend, the boomstick would be you.

The point is this, Petey: stop throwing punches when you're on the bench, you f--king window licker.

Pay the Kid

Everyone knows who's up next, and once again we are all saying Darcy won't let it happen again. The fact of the matter is that Ryan Miller is the real deal. He is, he's a starting goaltender that is finally carrying this team down the stretch, keeping them in games that they simply do not deserve. On Saturday night the Sabres stole a point from Carolina, but the real story was that Miller kept this team's playoff hopes alive.

No matter what numbers you have in your mind right now, know this: Miikka Kiprusoff will make $8 million in 09/10. If you think some other GM won't pay Miller that you're out of your mind.

Once again, you're move, Darcy.

Captain by Committee: Act III, Scene II: Chotchkies

by Ryan


---



Lindy: Paul, can I talk to you for a moment?

Paul: Yeah coach?

Lindy: You asked about the captaincy?

Paul: Yeah coach. I've been working really hard all season trying to get us in the playoffs. I know I haven't been on the scoresheet a lot but I've been working on my faceoffs, trying to be better in front and really sticking up for the guys when there's trouble. I know I'm young, but I thought maybe I could get a shot at a letter one of these months...

Lindy: Okay, but we need to talk about your flair.



Lindy: You see, you have on 15 pieces of flair. Look, we want you to express yourself, ok? If you think the bare minimum is enough, then ok. But some people choose to wear more and we encourage that, ok? You do want to express yourself, don't you?



Paul: Yeah, yeah coach.

Lindy: Okay, so maybe next time you're out there try being a bit less... aggressive. It's about being consistent, well liked, and mostly being adorable. And wearing cute buttons. Oh, and take off the one that says "Mike Grier was right."

Paul: Okay.

Lindy: Now, it's up to you whether or not you want to just do the bare minimum. Well, like Jason, for example, has 37 pieces of flair. And a terrific smile.



Lindy: You do want to express yourself, don't you?

Paul: Yeah. Yeah. Here, coach.



Lindy: Great. Great. That's all I ask.

One point but not enough

Remember 2003-04? The last season the Sabres tried this rotating captaincy thing? The Sabres just missed the playoffs and it wouldn't be until after the lockout when everything came together. You all know the rest of the story.

Tonight the Sabres stole a point, sure. They probably should have walked out of Carolina down five points to Philadelphia for that last place spot. Instead they're down four points with 13 games left to play.

Eighteen points should put them in a very good place. The playoffs.

Monday against the Rangers, Wednesday at Pittsburgh, Friday against Carolina, Saturday against the Leafs. Three of those four games should be very winnable, but we never know what team is going to show up every night.

Will it be team that looks like it cares (Nashville game) or the team that coasts through 48 minutes and hopes they can do enough in the other 12 to take two points (Washington last Wednesday)? We just don't know.

They've been a streaky team all year, winning four losing three, winning eight, losing 12...on and on and on. The 2007-08 Sabres have been inconsistent and mediocre. That's why they're going to be fighting for their lives to earn that eighth seed.

Fighting for their lives. Bold statement. It's what we all want to see from them, but do we even know they're capable of doing that? We're almost 70 games into the season and all we know is that we don't know what we're going to get from this team night in and night out.

Just looking at tonight's game, the defense was atrocious and, for the most part, the offense wasn't much better. Dmitri Kalinin has been mostly an embarrassment. He's supposed to be able to step up and be a top four defender and he hasn't been able to do that. When Brian Campbell was traded and no one else was brought in, you could look at that as a message from the front office to Kalinin to step up and play for a contract. He's failed miserably at that and the whole team is suffering from that backfire. Nathan Paetsch hasn't been much better and with Tallinder out and both of those guys in the lineup, you're going to see this team give up three, four goals a game.

I liked Afinogenov's game a lot tonight. Personally, I'm not the biggest supporter of Max but he's been one of the Sabres best players in the last three games. It's only a matter of time before he slips into "Old Max" and starts putting his teammates offsides again, so enjoy this stretch while it lasts.

Having Hecht back in the line up helped too. He played a strong game tonight which can't be said for many of his teammates. He played a huge part in Lydman's goal, winning the faceoff and being a presence in front of the net, where it's usually Vanek causing a disturbance.

And speaking of Vanek, where was he? Tonight was one of the few games during this latest stretch where he was noticeably invisible. Not a good sign for Atlas if he wants to live up to that promise.

Four points out with no games in hand. Which Sabres will show up on Monday?

Protein Shakes and Power Bars

by Ryan

There are times during the season where things just get tiring. Game after game, day after day, the season seems to stretch out and losing games seems inevitable. For me, we've been in one of those stretches the past few weeks, something that can't be good for our playoff hopes. So the question is, what do you do to break this funk up? What can you do to change the ambiance, or the decor if you will?

Well, I got a haircut. This is a big deal for me, you see, as I don't get many haircuts. In fact, shaving is overrated. For the majority of the year I look a little something like the Orca a few posts down. (With some scalp hair to match the beard...) Today I look a lot like Derek Roy, faux-hawk and all.

It's the equivalent of going from a homeless man one day to that British exchange student in your Communication Theory class the next. It's enough of a change to make people think you are a completely different person, and in some aspects I need to be. No more screwing around, this is crunch time for both the Sabres and myself, and so hopefully the physical change will carry over into the psychological aspect of things. Assuming, of course, the Sabres play based on how nice my haircut looks. (Hey, it worked for Vanek...)

Now that we've gone into "over share" territory, let's bring it back and talk about the Hurricanes. Despite what most think, the Hurricanes will make the playoffs even if they don't win their division. They also aren't terrible, and haven't sunk since Captain Fugly-Face's injury. (I only call him that because I can't spell Brind'Amour...) Recovering from their captain's absence is something the Sabres still can't seem to get right, so I respect them for that.

The last time we met Carolina it looked something like this but I doubt that's happening again. The Hurricanes need these points to keep that lead over Washington in tact, and although neither of them will go higher than 3rd in the conference, a drop of six positions by losing the Southeast is enough to make you play hard.

The "new look" Canes have moved Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman and added Joe Corvo, Patrick Eaves, and Tuomo Ruutu, someone I've always liked myself. The loss of Stillman and Commodore seems to be minimal as of yet, but I've always thought of Patrick Eaves as a less talented Timmy Connolly as far as health is concerned. I guess time will tell.

Jochen's back tonight, and Sparky goes back down the 90. Safe driving there, Clarke.

7PM start from the college basketball court-turned hockey rink that is the RBC Centre. (Hey, it should be spelled like that...)

Go 'Cuse. Go Sabres.

Staring You in the Face

Sometime today I will actually do something with these, but you are going to see a lot of this chart for the next few weeks. Study it, know it well, and yes, the Whalers are leading the Southeast at the moment.

The Devious Temptress

Ah Stormy, you seductive little pig. Look at you trying to woo me with that risque pose, peering deep into my longing eyes. But I've told you before that I will not follow you into your love van, no matter how much bacon you offer. The price of my affection cannot be measured in your sizzling flesh, no matter how delicious.

Besides, my tastes prefer a rarer, more unique delicacy.


Mmnn... nothing says home cookin' quite like Irish orca.

I Told You...

...that his hair would match perfectly with the orange accents on the jerseys. See? The two were just made for each other...

The next chant at that Shark Tank should be "Sign him for aesthetic purposes! Sign him for aesthetic purposes!"

Things You May Have Wondered That I Wonder as Well

by Ryan

Doesn't it feel like we should be playing a hockey game tonight?

Instead it's an open Friday night with hunting shows on Versus even if you wanted to catch a game. Jesus guys, you have nothing else worth watching, why not run a game on Friday as well? Heck, if you don't want to run a studio crew just simulcast a TSN feed. There isn't a game on tonight, but for the love of god this is the stretch run. Enough of the bull riding, show me some jockeying for playoff position.

In any event, since we don't play until tomorrow I'll save any actual preview until then. In the meantime, let's update you on some things as well as take you around the Conference.

What Vanek Said Part Two- Since "The Garuantee" on February 17th the Sabres have played nine games. In that span Vanek has done the following: 5G, 6A, 11P, +1, 32 SOG. Not bad at all. Although he has gone pointless the past three games I would still be willing to say he has played well. Lots of Sabres have gone cold so far this month and Vanek still has the ability to go Atlas on us.

Officiating has been a major part of the last two games, and I haven't said much about it either way. I really hate jumping on officials because over the course of the season you get calls that go both ways. Booth reviews are still a mystery to us all, especially now that the call goes directly to Toronto. Who knows what kind of shenanigans go on up there. However, I thought this article by Adam Proteau was nicely done.

Goose has been quiet lately, but he quietly crept past his career high in points (currently 27) and is on the cusp of tying a career high in goals (9). It's not really a big deal and won't affect his RFA status much (STAND DOWN, Kevin Lowe!) but since he is the Namesake I thought it was worth bringing up.

Steve Christie actually did retire with the Bills, giving us one last chance to post this:


Does anyone else miss Mike Ryan? I know I said before that I was "done with the Mike Ryan experiment", but I think we miss that occasional burst we would see from him. Even though he seems to only be capable of straight lines at that speed, it was nice to have the option on the forecheck or just streaking down the wing while lines were changing.

About those playoff hopes...

While it seemed like Boston was the team that refused to lose, the Rangers have been the team that doesn't stop earning points. They are 7-0-3 in their last ten, good for 17 points in 10 games. Over that same stretch we are 5-4-1. I'd imagine you can see the problem here.

The somewhat good news is that Boston and Ottawa lost. The bad news is that the Rangers, Flyers, and Hurricanes all won, leaving us three points out of a playoff spot with no games in hand. Sometime this weekend I will make a fancy standings board out of Microsoft Paint, so stay tuned for that.

I don't feel like doing the actual math for this, but if Ottawa never wins again we are in the playoffs. Looking good so far, boys...



It's a whole different view from down here, isn't it?

Hide Your Coolers

Papelbon is back, and for some reason it struck me today that baseball is coming very, very soon.

Now I know it's a completely different system, but is it odd to anyone else that he will make less money ($775,000) than Nathan Paetsch ($850,000) this year?

March 25th in Japan at 6:05 am. Hey, I may need a distraction by then...

AVFTR: That Reflexive Cry

So take eight minutes and divide
by ninety million lonely miles,
and watch a shadow cross the floor.
We don't live here anymore.
-The Weakerthans, "Sun in an Empty Room"

A sad song it is. Ten games this year in Section 304, Row 9. Starting on October 5th against the Islanders when emotions were high and a feeling of unfinished business loomed heavy in the air. Bagpipes played and banners unfurled as cheers went up to celebrate the season that was.

But when that Presidents Trophy hit the ice, no one went near it. There was no picture, no ceremonial handshake, nothing. It really felt like a special moment. Their prize was sitting right at center ice and no one wanted it, there were larger things at stake. And as a powerful "Let's Go Buffalo" rose up from the crowd you couldn't help but get caught in the feeling that it wasn't the end, that great ride wasn't over just yet. One more year.

Alas, here we sit.

Five months later I left that same arena tonight with the bitter chill of defeat slowly numbing that last bit of hope I had. There it was once again, just a bounce or two away from the points we so badly needed. Right in front of my eyes, like so often before, the game slips away.

Blame what you will. Focus, smarts, officiating, the Hockey Gods, roster moves or even blind luck. We've seen too many games stolen away and not enough stolen back. Eventually you just knew it was going to catch up to us, and tonight may finally be the dagger.

Yeah, there are plenty of games left for something to happen. Maybe we go on a tear and wind up in the 6th seed, the sweet spot of the Conference. Maybe we go into Carolina on Saturday and blow them out of the water, we've done it once this year. Still, I'm a believer in consistency and base my expectations on such.

There are some that see only the next game and that next two points. I think back to the last ten and beyond, a blurry look back into the history this team has left in box scores and blog posts. What I remember are too many close calls, too many excuses, and too many lost points. How many games slipped away with no warning? What teams stole points? Montreal, St. Louis, Ottawa, Boston, Philadelphia; all of those games are slowly creeping to the forefront. No matter where the blame may be shifted, the reality is the same: it hasn't been enough.

You are going to hear it over the next few days. "They suck" or "They shoulda done ____" or "they're terrible." No, they aren't. This Sabres team is not awful but mediocre, and mediocre teams don't make the magic we have grown used to. This newest incarnation? This is reality rushing back into our lives. This is the window sliding to a close. This is the decline after the apex, the second half of the parabola. This is the free fall back to earth.

Who knew it would come so quickly?

Boo This

I doubt he cares one bit.

Breaking it all Down

by Ryan



Let's look at the opposition left to tackle:

Washington
Carolina (x2)
New York Rangers
Pittsburgh
Toronto (x3)
Tampa Bay
Ottawa (x2)
Montreal (x2)
Boston (x2)

Out of those nine teams, only two of them (Tampa and Toronto) are no longer in the playoff race. That sounds like quite a stretch to me. Considering that they must obtain another 19 points to "make" Mirtle's 92 points playoff benchmark, the final games will certianly be a struggle.

The Sabres next major struggle happens tonight against Washington. Hrm... what's there to mention about the Caps? Well, mostly this guy:



What more can you say about Alex Ovechkin at this point? 52 goals, a hat trick Monday against Boston, and an absolute joy to watch play the game. I know I'm supposed to hate him for that whole Briere hit thing last year but Danny got his spear(s) in and I just can't make myself boo Ovie for that anymore. You guys can do what you want, but at least take the time to enjoy just how good he really is.

His goal celebrations, his enthusiasm, toughness, it's something you'd love to have in a guy on your team. Because he is not, I'll be absolutely terrified every time he is on the ice. The best game I've seen all year was when he squared off against Malkin on Versus a few months back. The NHL would collectively give it's left testicle to somehow get the Caps into the playoffs to show that talent off. Could you imagine the intensity of a (1)Pens/(8)Caps series?

Taking a look up at the standings above they are certianly in a position to make that happen, just four points back of Philly. They took a hit on Saturday night by losing to Toronto but came out flying and destroyed Boston 10-2 on Monday. That win helped us but could make for a rough start to tonight if the Caps come out flying and the Sabres start flat after last night.

Tallinder will not play, meaning Kalinin and MacArthur are back in tonight. Let's hope Clarke thought he was recalled and plays like a fresh spring chicken. Also, could someone please show Dimitri his contract and mention that it expires in June? As a general rule players perform better when they know their paycheck is on the line, but Kalinin is playing like he wants league minimum next fall.

One final note, a big screw you to Nicklas Backstrom. After a slow start he has picked it up down the stretch and just recently took the rookie points lead with 56. Of course, all this is after I dropped him from my fantasy team and soemone else picked him up as an IR replacement. Thanks for being there for me, Nick. The good news is that I did pick him as my ROY, so I'm at least half right.

Slugs vs. Evil "W" Birds
7:30 from HSBC Arena

Last home game of the year for me. Let's hope I won't be quoting sad songs tonight...

So...

Any news on Brett Favre?



Good God, should we be in mourning?

I hope someone gives me their take on this.

And pictures.

Jesus, did anything else happen yesterday?

Return of Max Boobs

by Ryan



Well isn't that the most unlikely pair of joyful celebrators you've seen in some time.

Max was great tonight and I'm really happy to say that. He looked awful on Friday but he has slowly returned to relative form. If he morphs into the Max of last year this thing is far from over. Can you imagine if we could realistically keep a point-per-game Max on our 3rd line? Yikes.

--

Bernier showed up tonight, and I think pairing him with Goose and Max is a good call. Initial impressions are nice, but I just don't think Steve is going to be a top line player at the moment. Also he seemed to play much better on the road. Maybe Lindy should monitor the activities at his hotel room in the city...

--

Sekera was surprisingly solid at 24:47 of TOI. As much as I rag on Balls Sekera, I really hope he becomes the D we drafted him to be. His first few trips up in November he showed flashes of that great passing and consistency in the zone, but tonight he was all business. If he keeps it up I have no problem with him in the top six. Actually we may have no choice thanks to Scottie Updouche over here:



What a ridiculous non-call on the boarding penalty.

Also, did anyone else see John Stevens' complaints about Roy's goal?

“I may have left the bench a little early, but it wasn’t intentional,” Roy said. “I saw our guy coming to the bench and I looked away and I just jumped on the ice … and I left early. I’ll take it. I think we outplayed them in the third period, anyway.”

Neither Stevens nor anyone else on Philadelphia’s bench caught the mistake immediately.

“I saw it after the fact,” Stevens said. “It’s a totally blown call. There’s no excuse after that, but that third goal is a killer and it’s a totally blown call.”

Both were terrible calls but I'm not going to get into which one is bigger here. Both should have been called and it's Stevens' job to lobby for calls for his team just as much as Lindy lobbied for that boarding penalty on Hank. As much as I'd like to knock Stevens for arguing from hindsight, I just can't complain about him doing his job. (Thanks to Jon for talking some sense into me on that one...)

--

For now let's just be thankful that they showed up for 60 minutes, came away with two points, and gained at least a point on three teams ahead of us in the standings. What's going tonight? Why, another big, big game.


Some talk about the Caps in a bit.

Balls!

by Ryan

Guess who's back?



I'm not so sure about the logic here, but I guess shaking things up is good. We'll have to see if replacing one crappy D for another, less experienced crappy D will change anything.

I'm not even going to address Andrew Peters.

Also, the numbers we all need to know according to Mirtle M.D...

10-5-1

Let's hope that first number starts going down some.

Jinx Jinx Jinx

Last time these teams met it didn't go so well. Let's see what that picture does for the karma...

Nolan <3s Miley

by Ryan

As hard as it may be to believe I am not a music snob. I've quoted Ryan Adams, The Weakerthans, Radiohead, and quite a few other bands out there. Most of them are just as available for criticism as any band I could mention in some lame joke about Casey Kasem.

So when I take a look at the Sabres' musical selections it is a mere curiosity. I'm not going to make fun of anyone's love for Nickelback or something like that. Still, after every game I check the iTunes selections on the off chance something absolutely amazing is selected.

Today is that day.

Nolan went the simple route and picked from three artists. One of them is Seether. Another is Chevelle. What's that last pick?



Wow. Bravo Nolan Pratt. Not only did you pick Hannah Montana, you picked her twice.

There are two possible scenarios here. The first is that he did it for his daughter. According to this blog post from the lockout he has a daughter, so there's that. (Just top notch journalism around here...)

The other possibility, which I find much more appealing, is that Nolan Pratt is downright hysterical. He got the chance to pick songs to be played in front of 18,790 people that show off his unique musical tastes and he picked the stylings of an imaginary child of Billy Ray Cyrus. Outstanding.

What's that? Maybe he actually likes her? Nah, then he'd be a huuuuuge loser. Psh.

Red Wing Ramblings

by Ryan


Can anyone else feel this thing slipping away? A 4-2 final tonight, and I'm too tired to actually formulate paragraphs. Let's go with some fancy dashes:

- Is that how we are assigning letters now? “He’s a great guy, everyone likes him, and he’s pretty consistent.” Apparently the Sabres captain needs to have the same qualities you look for in a mechanic. When’s the last time you thought an oil change showed leadership ability?

- Our D is awful. Absolutely zero footspeed, no sense of direction in their own zone. Kalinin was a train wreck and Pratt is still woefully slow. Do either of them realize they are in a contract year too? What a joke this “core group” is. The forwards didn’t help either, getting beat to everything loose in the zone.

- We may have to call the Zoo because I think we may have a Big Bear missing. I sure didn’t see him on the ice tonight.

- I think this year’s deadline will once again show Darcy’s inability to make a distinct decision. Weakening the team with Campbell’s deal but not completely retooling is not advantageous in the long run. We would have been better off if Darcy decided to make another move, one that shows either this season is a lost cause or that we are going to make a playoff push. Doing neither is not doing both. Even moving one of the forwards we will lose eventually (Max, Ales, Timmy) would show a decision made either way. This managment is famous for admiting that “we will be less competitive” so why not make a solid roster move that says “we won’t make it this year, but we’re ready for October”?

- I think it’s ironic that people yell “shoot!” when we have the man advantage, then boo when the shot they demanded gets blocked.

- Detroit can flat out pass the puck. Jesus, we’re supposed to be the offensive juggernaut and Detroit just skated right around us. Miller didn’t have a chance on the first three goals.

- Speaking of Miller he was lights out tonight, 4 goals against or otherwise. Give the kid his money now or someone else will.

- I think Roy got tossed from the faceoff circle at least 159 times.

- What the heck was with the gong show on Pomminville’s goal? For once Jason’s nancyboy ways paid off.

- All negativity aside, this team was still a bounce or two away from at least a point. The reason I’m so upset is that they just can’t lose games like these. I can barely count the number of games that played out just like this one on both hands. Tonight, twice againt the Rangers, the opening series against the Isles, pretty much every time we play Boston. At some point those missing points are going to add up, and the way it’s going it will be a two digit number in the conference standings.

Of course when the two teams ahead of us in the standings play they go to a shootout. Balls.

They Start at 6 So God Gets Confused and Doesn't See the Game

by Ryan

The title is Jon's rationale as to the start time. It's as good a guess as any.

Take a look at the payroll for the best team in the League. Wow, what a freaking magician that GM is. Hudler and Cleary at less than $1 million, Zetterberg at $2.7? Jesus, that's almost illegal. Don't get me started on their goaltending situation. As a fan of a small market team that needs young players to come up big, that's the kind of payroll I can only dream of having.

Needless to say, I hate playing the Red Wings. They are always good, always contenders, and they have Hasek in net for them. It's envy as much as it is respect for a solid team and nice work done by the front office. I really like Dan Cleary and Tomas Holmstrom, guys that like working the front of the net but still have a scoring touch.

Maybe I like them because they are the best team in the League, but they have been struggling as of late. 1-7-2 in their last 10, the skeptic in me says they are due and we will follow their lead just like we did with Philly on Monday. I guess we shall see.

---

Do you even remember the last time we played Detroit?

Of course you do. Everyone remembers that "Lake Storm Aphid", and if you don't you certainly remember the next night when Drury dropped a hat trick on the Rangers and the Arena was rocking. That weekend was a strange one, with lots of stories of how you saw or heard both games.

I'll never forget leaving the city at drive time on Thursday and noticing how bad things were getting, thinking I may not be making it in the next day. Only later did I realize how lucky I was to get out in time. I watched that Red Wings game at home while so many never had the chance to see it.

Now while that Rangers game on Saturday was the catharsis this city needed, the Wings game was the first time I realized how close the Sabres were getting to this city that year. Stories of players bringing generators back and calling loved ones to see if they had power really hit home and I think this city benefited so much from the roll that team was on at the time. A comeback on Friday and a blowout on Saturday were the positives this region needed to get through a tough time and I think over time that's going to mean something.

So on a slow Sunday in the sports world, think back to the last time these two teams played. What's your story? Maybe you didn't miss a second, or maybe you scrambled to find a radio. Either way, we're all ears.

Sure we have two big points up for grabs tonight, but tell me a story until we get there.