Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen...Or Have They?

Well, it took 15 games but the Sabres finally managed to score the first goal in their 4-1 win over the Canadiens last night. The streak was broken by recent Rochester call-up Clarke MacArthur. Buffalo is a completely different team playing with the lead as they force teams to open up, which creates space for the playmakers like Max, Vanek, Connolly, and Roy. The Sabres have played well recently although have not been reciprocated for their efforts. They out shot Ottawa in a 3-2 loss that could have gone either way.

Now that the Sabres have garnered a few goals and a much needed win, I expect that players will stop gripping the stick so tightly and get back to what made them successful. With Connolly expected to return shortly, Buffalo will be receiving a much needed offensive spark. The return could not come at a better time for the Sabres. Their next 3 games will be against NE division opponents and if the squad can manage to string a couple of wins together, it will go along way in getting them back into playoff contention.

The Sabres currently sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, although I do not expect that to continue. Look for the Sabres to make a strong push here and show that they are a team to be reckoned with.

On a side note defenseman Teppo Numminen has began skating. No timeframe has been established for his return...yet.

The Sabres will take on the Ottawa Senators Wednesday Night at HSBC.

The Week That Was And Preparing For An Old Foe

Well, after stating that this week would be crucial for the Leafs. They came out... exactly the same. They started 6-6-3 and ended 7-7-4. But this can be viewed as a positive for this inconsistent and mediocre club. After being destroyed by the Sens 5-1 they rallied back with a 3-0 win over the struggling Sabres ( it'll turn around, Max) and salvaged a point against the surging Rangers and one by the name of Sean Avery, we'll get to him later. Let's re-cap the recent turn of events in Leaf-land shall we?

The week began with an important match-up against the Sens, one that would potentially turn this Leafs club around. But what skated the ice... is a different story. A few players were ready, specifically Vesa Toskala, who tried his best to cover up the massive mistakes from the Leafs D. In the end, he just couldn't do it. These mistakes aren't your ordinary gaffes... these are mistakes that the goaltender would have to pull a Jesus-like save from his hat...which is not happening, by any goaltender. Jada, Jada, Jada, score here, score there and we got a 5-1 score for the Sens.

On we go to the Buffalo Sabres, a club that I thought would ignite against their divisional foes and turn their club around, who I still believe, will do so! To the Sabres credit, they played solid. The offense was generating shots but, very surprisingly, our D was good. And Raycroft took advantage by getting the goose egg. A great accomplishment with our D, truly a rare feat. So things were turning around, one team left for the week that was and it ended with the New York Rangers and thug-boy Sean Avery.

Hockey Night in Canada, Saturday night, game against an original six foe. Doesn't get much better right? Well apparently Sean Avery thought it could, and he started by trolling Darcy Tucker and then Jason Blake who came to his defense. Classy move, Avery... you are not surprisingly taking this to far. I await the day you get clocked and pay for your tom-foolery. Excuse my un-classiness, I suppose. The game was a good one, the Rangers showed up, and so did the Leafs. Our D helped Toskala who played a solid game but unfortunately for us... the game went to a shootout. Yup, the shootout. A skills competition that our club can't handle it seems. Our forwards have a tough time scoring, really tough actually, and our goaltenders can't seem to make the save ( Toskala looks horrible in the shootout, maybe his height is in play?) . So we lose 3-2 but garner a point for our efforts and move on to a new week. One that begins with the Montreal Canadiens.

It will be a Tuesday night battle. Leafs vs. Habs. Original-Six showdown with two teams who create the one of the biggest and best in sports today. But this time, a twist! Carey Price will face the Buds rubber rather than Cristobal Huet, a goaltender who clearly struggles against the Blue and White. Although I'd love to see Justin Pogge in the cage facing future superstar Carey Price, we'll see either Toskala or Raycroft. And my guess is Raycroft after a spectacular start against the Sabres. But something to keep in mind is that Toskala has stolen the W for us both times with the Habs so the better choice, IMHO, is Toskala. We'll have to wait and see.

All this and more in the next installment of... Toronto Maple Leafs Mediocricy, starring JFJ and MLSE!

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!

Leafs Lose To Sens, Look Ahead For Hope

After the Leafs looked to start off the week with a bang... they did just the opposite. The defense was sloppy and once again, did not care for goaltender Vesa Toskala. The offense was also lackluster and Toronto did not generate much in terms of anything really. Give Ottawa two points and leave ScotiaBank Place... job well done, boys.

Up next, the Buffalo Sabres. A inner-division rival club who has our number in the recent years, but with the Sabres struggling does this put an end to era that was? Or will the Sabres lay waste of the Buds and use them to break-out of their slump? Well, one thing to definitely count on is Andrew Raycroft starting after Vesa started 9 games in a row. And if memory serves correctly, the Sabres love to play Raycroft....yikes.

Next on the list is original six foe, New York Rangers. Keywords: Lundqvist, two shutouts in a row, Avery, Jagr, Rangers comeback. Watch out, Leafs. The Rangers are indeed a top conference team and they'll be looking to get back up there, the Leafs will have to be on their A-game and playing two nights in a row should help that...seeing on how we need a jump start to actually play a solid game.

So far, the Leafs are losing the games that ultimately led them to their demise last season....lose important games and miss the playoffs by a couple of points. If they want to attain that feat, then smarten the F up and start backing your goaltender Toskala, because he is playing very solid. Frankly, I'm extremely tired of seeing Vesa get ripped apart by laughable defense and lackluster effort by his teammates.

With all this said, I'm gonna try to stay as positive as possible this upcoming weekend, two teams, one on the up rise and one on the verge of breaking-out... play your cards rights, boys.

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.