Ailing Sabres Come Away with Win!

The Buffalo Sabres were fortunate to walk out of HSBC Arena with a victory last night because for the majority of the game they played uninspired hockey. The Sabes were without star play maker Tim Connolly and gritty forward Adam Mair. The absences were apparent last night as the PP lacked puck possession and scoring chances, something that Connolly can provide in a flash. Buffalo earned the two points with a 2-1 OT victory over the division rival Boston Bruins last night, compliments of recent Rochester call up Clarke MacArthur. MacArthur buried home a pass from Drew Stafford 3:16 into the extra frame. You have to commend Lindy for giving his young guys a shot in crucial situations. MacArthur has been great in Rochester this season and hopefully he can provide a much needed spark and help this team turn things around and get back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Without a doubt the best Sabre on the ice yesterday was Paul Gaustad. He was determined to walk out with two points and let his game speak for itself. Paul was instrumental on shutting down the B's PP and creating havoc for Chara and the other Bruin defenders. If you are unsure as to whom the captain should be, look no further than "Goose". The fans know it, let's just hope the coaches take notice and make it happen. Lydman and Hecht are solid players, yet lack the ability to speak up and get the most out of each individual player. Plain and simple, Paul will do whatever it takes to win.

Ryan Miller was good in goal tonight earning his fifth win of the season by turning away 25 shots. Due to the Sabres adopting a 1-3-1 system scoring chances were kept to a minimal and while it did not make for the most entertaining game, they came away with the points so I expect to see more of this moving forward.

The Sabres will look to continue their success on Friday night when they face their rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs. Expect the building to be rocking, especially considering that both teams need these points desperately. It will be interesting to see how the Leafs bounce back from the performance against Ottawa the other night. I expect an inspired effort from the Leafs and it will take everything Buffalo has in the tank to earn another victory. It is unknown if Spacek, Pratt, and Connolly will be available for the game. Mair will be out so you can expect to see Clarke MacArthur again for Buffalo. Should be a great game, get your popcorn ready!

It's Always Miller Time in Buffalo

Ryan Miller has become a household name these past two seasons, mainly due to the success of the Sabres. Miller is already a great goalie, and will continue to get better, but he was not the main reason for Buffalo's success. Their potent offense and rock solid defense has definitely helped him earn this success. His stats slipped a little in his second season, but that doesn't have Sabres fans worried, and they shouldn't be, because Miller will only get better from here on, and they were able to keep their main defense core together, which helps. Although he is quite thin, Miller still barely weighs 170 lbs soaking wet, he has shown the NHL, and the fans in Buffalo, that his quickness and agility more than make up for it. The Sabres improved their backup position by letting Ty Conklin go, and by signing Jocelyn Thibault, who is nearing the end of his career. He has "bionic hips" and nobody is sure how long they will last, but until they do give out, expect him to be a solid option as backup to Miller.

Adam Dennis got his first taste of professional hockey after coming from the London Knights of the OHL, and lets just say it was a shaky, yet eye-opening experience for him. His lackluster GAA of 3.34 in Rochester of the AHL will probably mean that he stays in Rochester for at least one or two more years. He has potential and is still fairly young, and I expect him at sometime in his career to make the NHL. It's all up to him how fast he gets there. The Sabres also have a young Swedish prospect by the name of Jhonas Enroth, who played for Sodertalje of the Swedish Elite League last season. He is a fine young prospect, and should be a solid puckstopper in the future, but he is still very raw, and won't be in North America for some time.