WolfEagle1499's blog: "NHLFA_Sabres"

The hardest part is not the waiting, it is the hoping. There were times when Tim Connolly was recovering from his two concussions that his spirits hurt worse than his head. It was tough getting through the days when he felt better, then worse, then better. It was difficult believing, as he was sitting out nearly a full season on two occasions, that there would be a night like tonight, when he finally appears in a playoff game at Nassau Coliseum. Nor could the Sabres center ever have believed, when he didn’t miss a single game because of injury through his first four years in the NHL, that he would be in the position of sympathizing with the other team’s goalie. But sure enough, Connolly and Rick DiPietro — back-toback Islanders first-round draft picks in 1999 and 2000 — said almost the exact thing about the stretch of hard road they share. “It’s not something you want to see anybody go through,” said Connolly, 25, whose concussion last May 8 kept him out until the final two regular-season games and the first two games of the Islanders series. “It’s definitely an injury I wouldn’t wish on anybody,” said DiPietro, 25, who had two concussions in March and returned to spark the Islanders to a seriestying 3-2 win in Buffalo on Saturday, his first appearance since March 25. The goalie knows how lucky he is to be back so soon. He called missing a few weeks “torture.” He doesn’t have the words to describe what Connolly went through, having also missed a season after his first concussion in 2003. “I can’t imagine,” DiPietro said after practice at Ice- Works in Syosset yesterday (Sunday). “It’s such a scary injury. Everyone’s timetable is different, everyone’s recovery time is different. You see a guy like him, he’s been out three-quarters of a season with post-concussion syndrome. It’s something you think will never end, and all of a sudden, you wake up one day and you feel good.” By the same token, Connolly was the only other player on the ice who really knew the joy DiPietro felt in just being out there Saturday. “I haven’t talked to him and I don’t know exactly what the situation is,” the forward said. “Obviously, they’re going to keep that pretty tightly watched. You don’t want to see anybody in the league go through something like that.” If discouragement doesn’t get a concussion sufferer, the tedium will. Connolly was so desperate that he resorted to reading. “I never really read any books at all up until this year,” he said. “I read about 40 books this year.” He is partial to suspense novels and he still reads every night. The point is, Connolly would have done anything to get him through a second long, dry year. He benefited from an innovative program at the University at Buffalo that prescribes physical activity instead of prolonged rest. He began to believe again. “You’ve just got to know that you’ll eventually get through it and get back on track,” he said. Getting back on track was dear because getting on track in the first place was no bargain. He made the Islanders as an 18-year-old, but it just didn’t work out. No hard feelings. “It was a great experience. We were a really young team so I got to play a lot at a really young age and it was a great group of guys,” Connolly said, “but most of them are gone.” DiPietro and Jason Blake are the only current Islanders who were on the team when Connolly was included in the 2001 deal for Michael Peca, whom the Islanders envisioned as the kind of cornerstone that Di- Pietro is now. Peca, a Maple Leaf, made the short hop from Toronto on Saturday to see his old buddies and was impressed, Blake said. But Connolly was impressive in his own right, gaining steam in 17 shifts Saturday. “There’s no question about it,” Blake said. “If he can stay healthy, he’s going to be a big-time player in this league for a long time to come.” “We know he’s been through a lot,” Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell said. “There’s just a feeling, watching him back on the ice. It’s kind of uplifting for all of us.” Connolly just feels natural. He is making plays, not looking backward, which is healthy for a concussion veteran in more ways than one. “Honestly,” he said, “your mind-set goes right back into what you were usually thinking.” Playing is the easy part. Reference: http://www.buffalonews.com/214/story/54944.html

Thomas ready to run to daylight with Sabres Thurman Thomas was a regular at Sabres' games during his tenure with the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Back in late March, Thurman Thomas was in Buffalo visiting his father-in-law, Bob Mariacher, who was recovering nicely after a bout with encephalitis. While in town the newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame decided to take in a Sabres game. The Sabres honored Thomas at the game by presenting him with a Sabres jersey with Thomas’s name as well as his No. 34 that he made famous with the Buffalo Bills. Going to a Sabres game is nothing new to the former running back, considering he was a regular at their hockey games while a member of the Bills for 12 seasons (1988-1999). In fact, Thomas is one of the Sabres’ biggest fans, even to this day while residing outside of his home in Orlando, Florida. Interestingly enough, Thomas’ hockey roots go back to his days growing up outside of Houston. “It was back in Houston when they had the Aeros of the old World Hockey Association,” recalled Thomas, a five-time Pro Bowl selection as well as rushing for over 1,000 yards for eight consecutive seasons (1989-96). “That is when I actually heard about hockey for the first time. “People don’t think of Houston as being a hockey town because it is hot and all. But the hockey fans were great there with the Aeros. And that’s where I first heard the name of Gordie Howe. He was the first player I really followed as a fan of the game. And that name has really stuck with me for the rest of my life.” Ironically, the night Thomas was at the Sabres game, Mark Howe, the son of Gordie who also played with his father with the Aeros, was in the HSBC Press Box. For almost 20 minutes Thomas and Howe talked about Houston and hockey. “I couldn’t believe it when I was introduced to him,” said Thomas, originally drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. “We talked a lot about Houston, the Aeros and hockey today.” Throughout the years Thomas has been friends with many of the Sabres. “I’ve known a lot of them including guys like Pat Lafontaine, Dominik Hasek, Michael Peca and Dale Hawerchuk,” said Thomas, who was the NFL’s MVP in 1991 when he rushed for 1,407 yards, had 62 receptions for 631 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. “In fact, Dixon Ward was one of my best friends while I lived and played in Buffalo.” What makes hockey so interesting to Thomas? “I just enjoy the game,” answered Thomas. “In a way hockey is a lot like football. It’s a very physical game. You have to be skilled out there on the field of play to know what you’re doing.” Thomas is a very big fan of the Sabres today. He very rarely missed a game. He tries to catch them when they travel to Florida and he also has the Center Ice TV package. And he also gets on his computer and checks out the Sabres on NHL.com. “The Sabres are the only reason I have the NHL package,” laughed Thomas. “If I didn’t have that, I would probably be living up here and be a Sabres season-ticket holder.” Like many Sabres fans, Thomas has been enjoying the success Buffalo has been experiencing for the past two seasons. And he has his favorite player as well. “I love Chris Drury,” said Thomas, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 5. “Just with what I see of his leadership ability. His ability to lead a hockey team is great. He and Danny Briere (the other Sabres co-captain) have done a great job. “When Chris got his a couple of weeks ago in their game against the Ottawa Senators, I almost jumped through the TV. I just wanted to go after the guy that hit him. With Chris Drury, he has been a winner every place he has played. He even won a Stanley Cup with Colorado. “I think this is the year for Buffalo. The Sabres had a lot of injuries and they had guys come up from Rochester and fill in very nicely and have done an excellent job.” Thomas is very impressed with the job Sabres head coach, Lindy Ruff has done. “Everybody knows what Lindy wants,” Thomas said. “He just wants you to go out there and play his game, play tough, be physical and work really hard. That is what the Sabres organization has been built around since Lindy became the head coach. He is a lot like Marv Levy was when he was coaching the Bills. He pulled us together and had everybody on the same page like Lindy has done with the Sabres. “And the Sabres fans in Buffalo are going as crazy over their team just like Bills fans did with us back in the 1990s.” Following the Sabres game that night, Thomas made his way down to the team’s dressing room and talked to a lot of the players. The one thing that impressed Thomas about this year’s Sabres team is how close-knit they are. It reminds him a great deal of the closeness the Bills team’s he played for had back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That is when the Bills were at their peak, going to four straight Super Bowls from 1991 to 1994 with players like Thomas, Jim Kelly, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith on the roster. “I can sense the team chemistry in this room,” Thomas said. “It seems like everybody came together, especially after the injuries started happening. Every player that came up from Rochester seemed to fit right in. The team didn’t seem to miss a beat. And watching them the way I have, they just seem to pull together and play well together like a well-oiled machine. It is a team game with this team. Stats don’t matter. “The Sabres have only one goal in mind and that’s to win the Stanley Cup. It would be great for Buffalo and the Western New York area. And I think they will do it.” Reference: http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=298756

By Tim Graham and John Vogl NEWS SPORTS REPORTERS Updated: 04/08/07 9:50 AM WASHINGTON — It’s down to Teddy or Toronto. The Buffalo Sabres, who were the first team to clinch an NHL playoff spot, have to wait until today — the final day of the regular season — to find out who they will meet in the first round. The candidates are the New York Islanders and coach Ted Nolan, who must beat the New Jersey Devils this afternoon to earn the spot, or the archrival Maple Leafs. Toronto’s third-period comeback Saturday night against Montreal capped a gunslinging, 6-5 affair. The victory eliminated the Canadiens and gave possession of the final playoff spot to the Leafs, whose regular season is over. They will hold onto the No. 8 seed if the Devils beat the Islanders; New Jersey is locked into the second spot, so it has little incentive to win. “We knew it was probably going to come down to the last day or the night before, so there’s not a lot of difference,” said Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, who went out to dinner rather than watch the crucial Leafs-Habs tilt. “I wasn’t that keen on watching. Originally, I was. Then I thought, it’s going to be who it’s going to be. “As it turned out, now it’s out of both those teams’ hands.” The Islanders appeared to be out two weeks ago when franchise goaltender Rick DiPietro was sidelined with a concussion. But they have won three straight, and a fourth will put them in the playoffs. “They’ve made a strong comeback,” said Ruff, whose team won the season series with New York, 3-1. “They needed some help tonight, they got the help they needed. They’ve won the games to put themselves in position to get a little help, and now they control their own destiny.” A Buffalo-Toronto series would put the area’s playoff intensity level at its peak. The Sabres won the series against their longtime enemies, 5-3, but Toronto has controlled five of the last six periods. “The atmosphere is going to be crazy [either way],” Ruff said. The Sabres on Saturday afternoon clinched the Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the team that finishes with the best regular-season mark, and broke the club record for most wins in a season by defeating the Washington Capitals, 2-0, in the Verizon Center. They also tied the 1974-75 club for most points in a season. “It’s something we’ve never had before,” Buffalo defenseman Dmitri Kalinin said. “It’s a good group of guys, and we’re proud of what we’ve done. But, at the same time, we have to concentrate in the playoffs.” With only this afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Wachovia Center (1 p.m., Ch. 2, Radio 550 AM) left to play, the Sabres are 53-27 with seven overtime or shootout losses. They have 113 points, the same number as Detroit, but won the tiebreaker with more victories. “There’s bigger things on our mind, starting Thursday,” Sabres cocaptain Chris Drury said, referring to the probable day for Game One of the first round. “But it’s a long, long year. To come out on top of 30 teams, I think you’ve got to be happy with the effort and with our focus and dealing with injuries. I don’t think it’s something you set out to do, but when it’s all said and done, it’s a nice feeling.” The owner of the Presidents’ Trophy holds the home-ice hammer throughout the playoffs. Drury has won one before, and it paid dividends. After back-to-back seasons getting eliminated on the road in Game Seven of the Western Conference finals, the Colorado Avalanche finished the 2000-01 regular season on top, then enjoyed Game Seven home ice to advance from the conference semifinals and again to hoist the Stanley Cup. “Each day, each week, you just take it two points at a time,” Drury said. “The biggest thing is not giving them away and not taking nights off, learning the value along the way of how valuable every point is.” The Sabres locked down the NHL regular-season crown with a stellar, all-around performance. They scored 1:36 in and never looked back. Maxim Afinogenov, playing only his second game after missing 21 with a broken wrist, created mayhem with a speedy rush around defenseman Steve Eminger in the right circle. Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig stopped the shot, but Derek Roy zipped in to clean up the rebound for his 20th goal. Tim Connolly made his comeback much more memorable 9:51 into the game. His pass from the top of the right circle was intended for Daniel Paille at the left post, and it would have been a gimme goal. But the puck glanced off a Washington defender’s stick and past Kolzig. Ryan Miller played an effective game from the start, but he made a few sensational saves late to earn the shutout and help Buffalo win for the fifth time in its past six games. “I’m not a real big fan of saying you’re on a roll,” Miller said, “but when you consistently play your game night-to-night, you’re going to be successful more often than not. “You can’t flick a switch. There’s no such thing as a playoff switch. It’s just what we do. We have to play the same exact way.” Sabres 2, Capitals 0 Buffalo 2 - 0 - 0 — 2 Washington 0 - 0 - 0 — 0 First Period— 1, Buffalo, Roy 20 ( Afinogenov, Tallinder), 1: 36. 2, Buffalo, Connolly 1 ( Paille), 9: 51. Penalties— Paille, Buf, double minor ( high- sticking), 16: 23; Jurcina, Was ( tripping), 18: 15. Second Period— None. Penalties— Buffalo bench, served by Vanek ( too many men), : 55; Eminger, Was ( holding), 12: 51. Third Period— None. Penalties— Morrisonn, Was ( holding), 5: 04; Briere, Buf, major- misconductgame misconduct ( spearing), 5: 48; Pominville, Buf ( roughing), 5: 48; Muir, Was ( roughing), 5: 48; Clark, Was ( roughing), 5: 48; Kotalik, Buf ( holding), 13: 14. Shots on Goal— Buffalo 9- 10- 5— 24. Washington 7- 7- 12— 26. Power- play opportunities— Buffalo 0 of 2; Washington 0 of 5. Goalies— Buffalo, Miller 40- 16- 6 ( 26 shots- 26 saves). Washington, Kolzig 22- 24- 6 ( 24- 22). Attendance— 18,277 ( 18,277). Time— 2: 22. Reference: http://www.buffalonews.com/111/story/49254.html

Buffalo Sabres Capture 2006-07 Presidents' Trophy NEW YORK (April 7, 2007) -- The Buffalo Sabres have captured the 2006-07 Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the club finishing the regular season with the League's best record. The Sabres (53-21-7, 113 points) clinched the trophy today for the first time in franchise history following their 2-0 victory over the Washington Capitals. The Presidents' Trophy winner is guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout its participation in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With the victory, the Sabres established a franchise record for wins in a season, surpassing the previous mark of 52 set last season. Buffalo also tied the franchise record for points in a season, matching the 113 in 1974-75, and can set a new mark with at least one point in its final game of the season, tomorrow at Philadelphia. With Tuesday's 4-1 win at Pittsburgh, the Sabres clinched their first division title since 1996-97 and the fifth division crown in franchise history. The win also clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference -- the last time Buffalo entered the postseason as a number one seed was in 1979-80. Today's win capped an outstanding campaign that began with the club tying a National Hockey League record for consecutive victories to start the season (10), matching the mark set by the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sabres did not go more than three consecutive games without collecting a point. The Sabres are the NHL's highest-scoring team with 305 goals and feature a League-leading four 30-goal scorers (Thomas Vanek, Chris Drury, Jason Pominville, Daniel Briere) and seven 20-goal scorers (Vanek, Drury, Pominville, Briere, Dainius Zubrus, Maxim Afinogenov, Derek Roy). Buffalo will face the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning next week. Reference: http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=298676&page=NewsPage&service=page
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Daniel Briere and the Buffalo Sabres look to end the season on a high note against the Philadelphia Flyers this Sunday on NBC. The Buffalo Sabres have been so good this season it seems almost like they clinched a playoff berth months ago. They’ve already clinched the Eastern Conference crown and the Northeast Division title, but there is still one more order of business the Sabres want to take care of before the Stanley Cup Playoffs start. They are still in the hunt for the top position in the entire NHL, jockeying with the Detroit Red Wings atop the league standings with a Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs still up for grabs. “Well, I think it's a great goal,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff has said of winning the Presidents’ Trophy. “Is it important? In the big scheme of things, it's not what we're after. I think we're on our way to try to win the Cup. If the Presidents' Trophy gets in the way, I'm OK with that. It's not something that we focus on. Really we focus on some of the areas that are going to allow us to be better, be effective in the playoffs. If we get there, we get there. It's really not our ultimate goal.” The Sabres will conclude the regular season Sunday afternoon on the NHL on NBC (1 p.m., ET) against the Philadelphia Flyers in an important final step before the playoffs begin. While the Flyers are playing for pride, the Sabres are trying to secure the luxury of winning home-ice. “If I were the Sabres, I would pull out all the stops to get as high a seed as possible,” NBC analyst Ed Olczyk says. “I lived through two Game 7s with the Rangers where having home ice advantage was of the utmost importance. I wouldn't risk playing injured players, but I would play this game like any other, to win.” All season long, Ruff and the Sabres have tried to find a balance between the importance of winning the regular season and their ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup. Last season, Buffalo was eliminated in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual champs, the Carolina Hurricanes. That decisive game was played in Raleigh, thanks to the Hurricanes owning home-ice advantage. Playing in their own building was a huge benefit, just as sleeping in their own beds, dressing in their own locker room and playing in front of their own fans were. Same thing when the Canes won the Cup on home ice in Game 7 of the Final against Edmonton. Same thing when the Devils won it all in 2003 behind a Game 7 victory against Anaheim in New Jersey. Every year in the playoffs the teams may be different and the players aren’t always the same. But a tournament constant is that it always helps to own home-ice, like when the Tampa Bay Lightning finished the 2003-04 season the top seed in the Eastern Conference en route to winning that year’s championship. With the top seed in the Eastern Conference already secured, the Sabres shoot for the NHL's Presidents' Trophy. “We started off the first round against the Islanders and we won in five and we had eight days off after that while other teams were battling and playing seven games,” Vincent Lecavalier told NHL.com. “After that we played Montreal and we beat them in four, they were the seven seed. And after that, we had another 10 days off. You get these little advantages. Once we got to the third round, we were playing against Philly in Game 7 and it was at home. “To play at home in Game 7 is pretty important,” he said. “It was two series in a row like that. Calgary was the same thing. It’s got these little advantages that you definitely need and it definitely helps when you have them.” The Lightning won the Cup that spring in their own building. They won it with loads of hard work in the tournament, and they helped themselves with the hard work they also did in the regular season when they were vying for position in the standings. This season, the field seems even more competitive and the work the Sabres are doing now will likely come back to help them down the road in the playoffs. Also on NBC Sunday, the playoff-bound Dallas Stars will close out their regular season against the Chicago Blackhawks. Mike Emrick (play-by-play), Ed Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (inside-the-glass reporter) will call Buffalo-Philadelphia, while Chris Cuthbert (play-by-play), Peter McNab (analyst) and Joe Micheletti (inside-the-glass) will work the game in Dallas. Reference: http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=298627
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http://www.buffalonews.com/102/story/41499.html Sabre alumni, police renew heated rivalry Everyone’s promoting it as a benefit for wounded Buffalo Police Officer Patty Parete, but there’s an interesting subplot to Thursday night’s hockey game between the Buffalo Sabres Alumni and the Buffalo Police Department in HSBC Arena. A few years ago, in a 3-on-3 Corporate Challenge game between the Sabres organization and the Buffalo Police Department, the game got a little physical, with Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and Lt. Paul R. Delano both using their sticks for more than stickhandling and shooting. “Paul started it, and Lindy responded in kind,” Detective William C. Donovan said. “That’s the way it is in hockey.” “Lindy joked afterwards that he was afraid of driving around Buffalo, that he would get a ticket,” Sabres public relations director Michael M. Gilbert said. “The Buffalo police guys certainly haven’t forgotten that.” But the competition will all be in fun Thursday night, when the two teams come together for a larger cause, to raise funds for Police Officer Patricia A. Parete, who suffered a severe wound to the spine when she was shot in the neck by a suspect Dec. 5. This could be called Patty Parete Week in Buffalo, with two major events. Saturday night, the major fundraiser will be held for Parete in the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. Tickets are $25 for the event, which goes from 7 p.m. to midnight. The contributions, the notes, the outpouring of best wishes keep on coming for Parete, who was wounded along with Officer Carl E. Andolina. Chief Donna M. Berry gulped back tears Tuesday as she shared a note attached to a donation, one of hundreds, that have poured into the Central District over the last three months for Parete. “Dear Sir,” Berry read. “Here is a money order from my grandson Eric. He wishes to send a money order of $20.” Berry, who is Parete’s and Andolina’s boss and is on the fundraising committee, said she had a stack of unopened mail from other generous strangers eager to do what they can for the wounded cop. Berry said she finds herself nothing short of awestruck by the public’s outpouring of support. Among the recent developments: • Over the weekend, New Era Cap Co. ran out of $15 custom- made hats, designed in consultation with Parete, that were on sale in Walden Galleria. • Hundreds of $50 raffle tickets already have been snatched up for a chance at a 2007 Harley-Davidson XL 883L Sportster motorcycle, donated and autographed by “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno. • Thursday night, just as the police and Sabres alumni hockey game gets under way, a multidenominational service will be held at 7 p.m. in Temple Sinai on Alberta Drive in Amherst. • For Saturday’s gala benefit, dozens of volunteers and businesses already are chipping in to help. They are hoping that between 7 p.m. and midnight, more than 20,000 people will attend the festivities. Tickets are available at Tops and Wegmans supermarkets and at the door. Local supermarkets, top-ofthe- line restaurants and other Western New York companies are participating in the event — donating their food and work to the party. Several local bars are sending their bartenders to pour drinks. And a chocolate company, Choco-Logo, has created “Patty’s Nutcorn” and “Patty’s Candy Bars,” which will be on sale Saturday night. “This is truly an amazing display of community,” Andolina said in a statement. “We hear it a lot and we say it a lot, but Buffalo really is the City of Good Neighbors. I know Patty is absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern and support for her well-being. We’re looking forward to a tremendous event on Saturday, and I urge the residents of Western New York to come out and have a great time honoring Patty.” Meanwhile, Thursday’s game will start at 7 p.m., with an autograph session featuring Sabres alumni and injured Sabres players Paul Gaustad and Maxim Afinogenov starting at 6. Tickets are $10, and every dollar of ticket sales will help pay for Parete’s rehabilitation and medical costs. Tickets are available at Buffalo Police Headquarters, the HSBC Arena box office and the Amherst Pepsi Center. Since last week, the Sabres have been promoting the game heavily on their telecasts. “We’ve had a great response,” Gilbert said. “We’ve already sold about 4,000 tickets. We expect to sell more in the next couple days, and we expect a big walk-up crowd.” Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano and managing partner Lawrence Quinn offered to waive the normal $12,000 rental fee for the arena. “It’s another example of the community’s been great to the Sabres, and we can give something back to the community,” Gilbert said. Unfortunately, for those who would like to see Ruff and Delano back on the ice together, the lieutenant who has pushed so hard for a BPD-Sabres alumni game won’t be playing Thursday. He’s currently an Air Force captain serving in Iraq. That led to some good-natured razzing from Donovan: “Lindy only decided he would play after he heard Paul was in Iraq.” Let the game begin.
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http://www.buffalonews.com/111/story/47879.html Buffalo Sabres center Tim Connolly has proclaimed to the coaching staff he’s ready to play. It’s foreseeable doctors will clear him to return for Saturday’s road game against the Washington Capitals. That doesn’t mean Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will feel comfortable enough to use the itchy triggerman. “A doctor can clear him to play, but let’s be realistic,” Ruff said Thursday before the Sabres played the Boston Bruins in HSBC Arena. “The conditioning part could be an issue.” Everybody knows Connolly’s medical history by now. He hasn’t played for 11 months, his status vacillating between encouraging to demoralizing sometimes on a daily basis. Now that the Baldwinsville native is tantalizingly close to making his long-awaited return, the Sabres indicated they would be cautious in re-inserting him. “The overall question still is conditioning,” Ruff said. “There’s nothing else. He hasn’t played in [11 months]. You can try to simulate some game situations, but the reality is you could get in the game and that pace could be too quick. “If we’re in a situation where we’re playing him on special teams and he gets in a footrace on a turnover, can he match the pace of the guy he’s going against or will it cost us? Those are the little things we’re trying to evaluate.” Connolly went through an office workout Thursday. Ruff’s plan today is to put Connolly through a physical practice with game-like conditions. • • • Connolly’s return this weekend — on the heels of winger Maxim Afinogenov playing Thursday night for the first time in 22 games — would put the Sabres over the salary cap and forced them to demote rookie wingers Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur to the minors. But Stafford wouldn’t be gone for long. There is no salary cap in the postseason, meaning the Sabres could recall him Monday. He has been skating with center Derek Roy and leading goal scorer Thomas Vanek on a line that also serves as the second power-play unit. • • • Although the NHL won’t set the playoff schedule until the matchups have been decided, the logical layout would have the Sabres staging Game One of their first-round series next Thursday and Game Two the following Saturday. HSBC Arena already is spoken for next Friday with a Buffalo Bandits game. That setup also would allow the Sabres to host Game Five on April 20, which is a Friday. A John Mayer concert will take place in HSBC Arena on April 21. • • • The NHL standings suggest the Sabres have scored more than 300 goals for the 10th time in franchise history, but in actuality their players have netted only 293. Their total listed in the standings includes 10 “team goals” awarded for each shootout victory. • • • There’s more reward than home-ice advantage for the winner of the President’s Trophy, which goes to the team that finishes the regular season with the best record. Of the $6.5 million prize pool the NHL sets aside for the season, $250,000 goes to the players who win the President’s Trophy. The figure is based on 25 shares at $10,000 apiece. • • • The Sabres will bring back their Party in the Plaza events for the playoffs. The festivities, held near the HSBC Arena parking ramp under the large team photo, were popular last spring. Parties begin 2z hours before each game. They’re free, and fans don’t need a game ticket. They feature live music, special appearances and a large monitor for those not attending the game to stick around and watch with other fans.
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No place like home Sabres vs. Bruins: Buffalo adds to its pile of team records while rallying to beat Boston By Tim Graham Updated: 04/06/07 7:47 AM The Buffalo Sabres piled out of the bench amid jubilation. They skated over to goalie Ryan Miller and congratulated him on breaking a record. They lauded Thomas Vanek for his big goals. They let Maxim Afinogenov know they were glad to see him blurring about the ice again. Then the Sabres skated to center ice and raised their sticks to salute the HSBC Arena faithful to close out one of the most memorable home seasons in Buffalo history. The Sabres concluded their regular- season home schedule Thursday night, beating the Boston Bruins, 4-2. The Sabres won after trailing by two or more goals for the 10th time this season, two such comebacks short of the modern-day NHL record. The Sabres also solidified their chances of clinching the President’s Trophy. With two games to play against the Eastern Conference’s two worst teams, the Sabres are tied with the Detroit Red Wings, who lost in a shootout to the Chicago Blackhawks and have just one game remaining. The Sabres will finish the regular season with afternoon road games Saturday against the Washington Capitals and Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers. Buffalo tied the franchise mark it set last year by winning its 52nd game and did so in front of another packed house. HSBC Arena sold out its entire, 41-game home schedule for the first time since 1979-80, coach Lindy Ruff’s rookie season. “You feel it everywhere,” Ruff said of the love. “You feel it at Tim Hortons. You feel it at the gas station. You feel it everywhere you go. Part of it is you look at the building tonight and 41 straight sellouts; our support has been tremendous. “The fever is everywhere. You feel it. We’re living it.” Miller made 20 saves to win his 39th game, eclipsing the record Don Edwards set in 1977-78. Dominik Hasek twice won 37 games with Buffalo. “It’ll mean more once the season’s over,” Miller said of the record. “We need 16 more in the playoffs. That’s really what it comes down to.” Vanek helped make sure the 18,690 fans got to see a Sabres victory. He scored two goals, including the eventual winner off a short-handed rush 4:26 into the third period, and set up another. Ales Kotalik and Derek Roy also scored for Buffalo. “You can’t get back in games unless you can score,” Ruff said. “We’ve been able to put together some shifts that get us back in games, and it can be one shift after another, where the other team really can’t back us off.” Roy sprung Vanek for a breakaway that concluded with a backhander from tight range on helpless goalie Hannu Toivonen one second after Boston’s power play expired. The goal gave Vanek a team-high 42 on the season and extended his goal streak to four games. Roy added a power-play insurance goal with 4:16 to play, finishing a tictac- toe passing display with Vanek and Afinogenov, who returned after missing 21 games with a broken left wrist and seemed to lift the fans out of their seats every time he touched the puck. “The fans really were into that,” Sabres defenseman Toni Lydman said. “That guy can do amazing stuff with the puck. There’s a reason he’s so popular. It’s unbelievable that skill on the ice.” Afinogenov received a loud ovation 3:37 into the game, when he climbed over the boards for his first shift. Last season’s points leader was about to skate four-against-four with this season’s top scorer, Daniel Briere. The Bruins welcomed Afinogenov back with a quick goal. Defenseman Andrew Ference potted an up-close Phil Kessel rebound at 4:01. The Bruins took a 2-0 advantage on a powerplay goal with 5:56 left in the first period after a review showed Patrice Bergeron’s shot struck the back pipe. “Definitely after my first shift, when we got down, 1-0, and then, 2-0,” Afinogenov said when asked if he was nervous about his first game since Feb. 15. “When the guys tied the game I got some relief after that.” Buffalo evened the score before the intermission. Eighteen seconds after Bergeron’s goal, Kotalik fended off Boston defenseman Aaron Ward in the right circle to get off a shot that beat Toivonen for his 16th goal. Vanek tied it with 1:22 remaining in the period. Toivonen stopped Brian Campbell’s one-timer and Drew Stafford’s follow-up shot, but lost track of Vanek behind the cage. Vanek tucked the puck inside the left post for his 41st goal, the most by a Sabre since 1992-93, when Alexander Mogilny scored 76 and Pat LaFontaine had 53. “He’s scored timely goals for us. He’s scored big goals recently,” Ruff said of Vanek. “If he maintains this pace of play, he’ll be fine in the playoffs.” Sabres 4, Bruins 2 Boston 2 - 0 - 0 — 2 Buffalo 2 - 0 - 2 — 4 First Period— 1, Boston, Ference 3 ( Kessel, Kalus), 4: 01. 2, Boston, Bergeron 22 ( Chara, Savard), 14: 01 ( pp). 3, Buffalo, Kotalik 16 ( Zubrus, Drury), 14: 22. 4, Buffalo, Vanek 41 ( Stafford, Campbell), 18: 38. Penalties— York, Bos ( tripping), 2: 44; Vanek, Buf ( holding), 3: 37; Kotalik, Buf ( interference), 4: 28; Bochenski, Bos ( hooking), 5: 52; Alberts, Bos ( hooking), 10: 08; Mair, Buf ( elbowing), 13: 24. Second Period— None. Penalties— Kalus, Bos ( hooking), 2: 45; Briere, Buf ( holding stick), 8: 04; Ward, Bos ( slashing), 10: 28; Kotalik, Buf ( broken stick), 12: 25. Third Period— 5, Buffalo, Vanek 42 ( Roy), 4: 26. 6, Buffalo, Roy 19 ( Vanek, Afinogenov), 15: 46 ( pp). Penalties— Spacek, Buf ( holding), 2: 25; Chara, Bos ( roughing), 14: 11. Shots on Goal— Boston 12- 5- 5— 22. Buffalo 8- 8- 17— 33. Power- play opportunities— Boston 1 of 6; Buffalo 1 of 6. Goalies— Boston, Toivonen 3- 9- 1 ( 33 shots- 29 saves). Buffalo, Miller 39- 16- 6 ( 22- 20). Attendance— 18,690 ( 18,690). Time— 2: 22. Referees— Rob Martell, Bill McCreary. Linesmen— Steve Miller, Derek Nansen.
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I'm forwarding this from my MYSPACE ACCOUNT. Hopefully some of us can make it there & meet in Person!
Click to join NHLFA_Sabres This is BLOGGED on both the Yahoo Groups and Cherry Tap here: http://cherrytap.com/blog/68533 Please Stop by & leave me some comments and Thoughts. Take Care & Have a Happy Easter, David Hello Sabres fans, The Myspace Sabres are hosting a party in conjunction with AdbTees.com on Saturday April 21st, at Club W, 199 Deleware Ave. at 7pm to benefit the Buffalo Sabres Foundation. Entry to The Sabres Celebration Event will be a $5 donation to the Buffalo Sabres Foundation and will get you raffle tickets for some great door prizes including, but not limited to, local merchant gift certificates, "God Bless Playoff Beard" shrts, themed gift baskets, autographed music DVD's, swag form the local outfitter Zumiez, and much more. There will also be a GRAND PRIZE DRAWING for a framed and signed Ryan Miller jersey, and signed Sabres sticks. Tickets for this drawing will cost $10. Winners DO NOT need to be present to win. So if you can't attend but would like to purchase a ticket for the grand prizes, please email MyspaceSabres@hotmail.com. If you purchase a ticket for the grand prize at the event, you will also be given more door prize tickets free of charge (all ticket sales and cover charge benefit the Buffalo Sabres Foundation) The event will also include drink specials, a live DJ, DJ Ross The Boss, and a whole lot fo fun. You never know who may show up for the festivities. "God Bless Playoff Beard" shirts will also be available for purchase on-site with AdbTees.com generously donating a portion of the proceeds to the Buffalo Sabres Foundation. Please come out and enjoy one heck of a night! The event runs form 7pm to 2am, with all invited to stay until 4am. Thank you, The Buffalo Sabres
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