Buffalo Sabres

[Bomm Bastic]

• Miller was sharp. Sabres need to buy him dinner for that period.
• Sabres had a couple of opportunities (see Lundqvist stoning Stafford) but really they allowed Rangers too much time in their own end. Need to sustain more pressure on Lindy.
• I f-in hate the apathetic, head down staring at the ice passing by Buff. Absolutely hate that shit like nails on a chalk board....or Newt Gingrich talking.
• Hodgson Vanek Tropp
• Roy Leino Pommer
• Ennis Foligno Tropp
• Myer w/ Ehrhoff
• That's all I caught w/regard to d-pairings
• Sabres doing good on the back check and staying in passing lanes

...that's all 'till the second.

[Bomm Bastic]

• Turnbull GOAL!! Trade Vaneks now!
• Sabres more shots/pressure on Lundqvist. Discussed between periods???
• Turnbull's goal may hold. Won't be a high scoring game
• ....and Boyle scores. Ironically, Turnbull's man and he leaves him alone in fron of Miller w/ a ton of property unto himself
• Sabres can NOT play this to "not lose"..or they will.
• Take away by Foligno...feed to Ennis...give to Stafford and GOAL! Very nice.
• Troop great feed to Hodgson and even better save by Lundqvist.
• This game has OT written allllll over it.

[Bomm Bastic]

Crazy third period...

Dubinsky but for his helmet would have about 100 stitches in his head. Myers wrestling a Ranger down to the ice (Callahan?) skate flies head-high by Dubs ear. Coulda been real damn ugly.

Sabres shit their pants at the six min mark. Foligno plays goal, Miller standing backwards in net in desperation...and then Ennis skates down the ice and scores.

Wow Stafford scores. That line is something. Ennis is sooooo awesome.

Great win! 17-5-5 and two points back of the Sens in 7th.

[Ballsakic]

I just picked up Ennis . I hope he helps. He'll replace Roy.

[Bomm Bastic]

Great game vs Wild. Second much better than the first for Buff. Good to see Vanek pit one.

[Bomm Bastic]

• Sabres doing a lot of winning lately. And necessarily so...absolutely no room for error
• That said.....they finally have their own destiny in their own hands. There's somthing to be said for that, considering their start to the season (pre-January)
• Connolly gone. Gaustad gone. Foligno up. Guys back from injury...this team has been tweaked quite a bit. Maybe not yet enough, but the psyche of this team is different - in a good way.
• Ted Black insists this org will not become complacent, and will continue to make moves IFF it improves the team. With salary coming off the books this off season looks to be an exciting one.
• Ennis certaining making a statement for his contract negotiations. Not only is he excelling, but he's excelling at a position that is relatively new to him - at the request of Ruff. That has to count for some bonus cred...no??
• I like what a first round match-up vs. NYR would bing. That would be a fun one. Wouldn't bet on the outcome, but I'm sure it would make for some great hockey.
• Great to see Miller sharp again. Limit shots against to <30 and he's capable of stealing any game. Defense is really helping his cause too. Love the Sabres D right now.
• HUGE game vs the Caps tomorrow night. Is it possible to overstate how much this game is worth?
• Fantasy GMs must me breathing easier knowing they can start Miller, Ennis, Myers and crew with confidence.
• You do have Foligno on your farm...right?!?

[Bomm Bastic]

• Question for Gerbe owners: Does the success of Foligno and Tropp ultimately make Gerbe (and perhaps Kaleta) expendable or, at least, find him a permamnet home on the third line?
• Again not to knock him, he deserves respect, but i just don't believe Gerbe's body can handle the contact he invites due to style of play. Resulting penalties and injuries will be his downfall. Look at it this way....management moved Kassian (a top prospect) because of Foligno's growth and development. Why not Gerbe? (certainly Kaleta)
• Gerbe and Kaleta both cleared to play tonight. Per Ruff: Kaleta is ahead of Gerbe in terms of being ready to play. Gerbe only one practice so doubtful for tonight (my assumption).
• But all this (above) leads to inevitable roster decisions for Ruff. Turnbull obviously goes back down. My guess....Tropp would be sacrificed to get Gerbe back in. No way they send Foligno back and I imagine they want Tropp to stick but Gerbe has obviously earned his spot.
• This guy has no problem whatsoever in losing Kaleta. I don't think he brings anything Tropp can't bring - and Tropp more talented.
• Hodgson 6pts in last 4 games
• Foligno 8pts in last 7 games
• Double check but I think Millers GAA since February is 1.65?!? damn....
• Battle for sole possession of the eighth and final spot TONIGHT!!
• Two months ago...whouda thunkit?

[Bomm Bastic]

Yo, Ovi! I got yo eighth seed swinging right here....bizzz-ATCH!!!
-Jason Pominville (post game interview)

What can I say? Sabres completely out played the Caps...if not out coached. Ruff's minions did a great job of keeping Ovi out along the perimeter, disabling him from cutting cross-ice. And Ovi was pulling double shifts so it wasn't just one line facing him.

Did i mention Pommer's undressing of #8 to score a SH goal???

And blocked shots?!? Holy jeebus....25 blocked shots. That's HUGE! (multi-cat GMs..wink-wink). That's f-ing sacrifice right there. Kaleta took one to the hand pretty hard.

Foligno/Ennis/Staff line is still rolling. That line is kick ass, no doubt. Foligno no points but really played a hell of a game with regard to hits (4) blocked shots (2) and overall puck control - enabling Ennis and Staff to do their thing. This line really compliments each other well. And Foligno is just a kid, remember [cue the sound of a window closing]

Hodgson records an assist and five SOG - kid's all around that net. relentless
Vanek records a goal + 6 shots
Pommer records a goal + 6 shots
Staff 2 goals + 5 shots
Ennis two assist
Myers assist + 2 hits

At one point they had three d-men out (Ehrhoff and Sekera hurt and Regehr in the sin bin), and the remaining corp really pulled together. Sulzer filled in great. Myers and regehr played great...Leopold too (six blocked shots). His name gets overlooked imo. Look for McNabb to get the call up.

Ehrhoff tweaked his knee. Kaleta injured his hand on a blocked shot. Sekera got hurt bad and was unable to get to the bench for another two mins at the whistle. He did return but that may have been out of necessity dunno....

Miller is in beast mode - 45 shots/1 goal allowed.

Last four games have been really great hockey to watch. Even when the team managed to eek out a win, back in Dec/Jan it was very painful to watch. this hockey they're playing now is lights-out, all around, fantastic.

Props where deserved. Keep it up!!

[Bomm Bastic]

• Does Miller get MVP consideration?
• Before you scoff...look at his stats since Jan and then look at the record of the team for that time frame.
• Leafs and Sabres swap goalies...what's their respective record then?
• Just sayin....
• Why are we (Sabres fans) so afraid of the Bruins? Yes Miller...I know, thanks. But seriously, if our power play is on that's how you beat Bruins. That alone neutralizes their aggression and when ya do that, they become human all of a sudden. Certainly not an easy win by any means, but not to be feared either.
• 24 points in 29 games. Not to shabby.
• I'm just rambling hear. Not very coherent, I know. But it's all I got
• I'm going home to watch this Pens game!

[Bomm Bastic]

Saturday's are "Honey Do" list days - especially in the spring/summer months. So i really enjoy the evening hours since it's usually the first opportunity to wash up, crack open a cold one and chill. And when that happens to coincide w/ playoff hockey...BONUS!

You probably think I'm all riled up after last night's loss to the Pens. If so, you assume incorrectly, my friend.

Tough loss to be sure, but for a few miscues, it was a great game to watch as a fan. Hell, I was compiling notes on the first period to post but gave up cuz I was so wrapped in the game I couldn't pull away to put pen to paper. I haven't launched f-bombs at the tv like that since Dub-ya was president.

The Sabres played a hell of a first period, converging three players at a time whenever Malkin or Crosby touched the puck. All three Sabres making contact afforded either elite player very little option for puck movement. Yet they still managed to find the score sheet. Just a testament to their rightuous ability.

The second and third period thouugh very exciting to watch...seemed as if the Sabres were giving the Pens duo too much respect and consequently too much space to move. And that's the last thing you want to gift Crosby and Malkin - more properrty on which to maneuver. The same could be said for the refs but I'll skip any commentary on that, lest I whine. Beside they're not why the Sabres lost so what's the point?

Fact is, I love the way this team is playing right now. Physical w/out being carless, great puck pursuit/protection, and they look like they have a plan out there. A variable that seemed lacking in the first half of this season. They really are close to being one hell of a formidible team. Another season/off season of training for Foligno, McNabb, Tropp and Hodgson not to mention the seasoning of Ennis, Myers, Ehrhoff et al, and this team will be a force. With one caveat....I'm still not sold on Ruff. Love what Regier is doing but despite their current plaoff push...to me....Ruff is just a coach fighting yet again for the eighth seed due to consistency issues. Not a high bar to hurdle if ya dig.

So they lost to the Pens...sucks but what a team to lose to and what an effort on the part of the Sabres. Now they have to beat a desparate Leafs team...scratch that...now they have to beat a desparate Leafs team twice, then the Flyers and close out versus the Bruins. Wouldn't that be a game if the Miller needed to beat the Bruins in order to get in??? Oh yeah!

Sabres are down one and are w/out Myers and Weber (not to mention Ehrhoff) so they recalled TJ Brennan and McNabb. Forwards will have to get back fast to help out on the back end. Nothing worth having ever comes easy, eh boys?

I'm going for sushi w/the lady.

[Bomm Bastic]

• Roy, Roy, Roy....
• Nothing in the last...4 or 5...streaky (a/k/a inconsistent). Who knew?!? So he's expendable ala packaged with a first rounder could get some nice return, but difficult to gauge value league-wide.
• Team blew a big game Saturday night vs Leafs. This guy was very concerned about that game going into it. i blame Ruff overall. This isn't about one game or individual plays w/in a game. Let's focus on the forest rather than the tree, if you prefer. Ruff is responsible for the team-wide inconsistent play. Ruff is responsiblefor his whimsical line follies. Ruff is responsible for bailing on Enroth. Ruff is responsible for riding Miller into the ground.Ruff is yet again desperately chasing the eighth seed. Ruff is responsible for the forest that is the Sabres team.
• Speaking of Enroth....what a wasted talent and asset. Why have him at all? Regier would be best served to move Enroth (assuming demand) and get Ruff some has-been mouth breather amputee journeyman goalie. Not like he'll use him.
• This wasn't supposed to be a Ruff rant...sorry.
• Washington loses, and Sabres fans across Buffalo buy Stamkos a gold watch (hockey themed, of course)
• Would it be cliche to say tonight's game versus the Leafs is a must win?

[Bomm Bastic]

Foligno and McNabb setting the physical tone early in this game. Rosehill no instigator??? Bullocks.

EDIT: Well that period sucked.

[STONE.]

Thoughts on McNabb as a point-producer? Dobber has him with a pretty high upside and he raked in juniors.

Not getting much PP yet, but I gotta think he'll earn more going forward.
Full-timer next year?

[Bomm Bastic]

Thoughts on McNabb as a point-producer? Dobber has him with a pretty high upside and he raked in juniors.

Not getting much PP yet, but I gotta think he'll earn more going forward.
Full-timer next year?

Yes, full time is his to have. Multi-cat beast-to-be (much like Foligno). Not sure about the PP time, eventual second unit certainly but Myers and Ehrhoff would consume most of it. He's top-four certainly, w/45pt upside (if he can get PP time)

[Bomm Bastic]

This just in (for those still in the playoff hunt)

When asked if Myers would be able to return for the playoffs if they make it, Ruff said, "What part of the playoffs? Tyler's out. It'd be a period of time. It's more than just this week."

EDIT: Ehrhoff out for the final two, as well.