Let the NHL season Begin!!!!!
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sgt.null
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well I am from New Hampshire. growing up I liked the Red Sox and the Patriots. but really didn't like the Bruins. but my sister did like the Bruins and one day she was watching them play the Sabres, so I started rooting for Buffalo.
and of course any New Hampshire player I root for, regardless the team.
and of course any New Hampshire player I root for, regardless the team.
Lenin, Marx
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
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sgt.null
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Thrashers end Sabres' winning streak
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Kari Lehtonen and the upstart Atlanta Thrashers put an end to the Buffalo Sabres' bid for an NHL record start. Barely. Lehtonen denied all three Sabres shootout attempts and stopped 32 shots overall in a 5-4 win Saturday night, ending Buffalo's season-opening winning streak at 10. The Sabres will settle for sharing the league record for best start to a season set by Toronto in 1993.
Former Sabres player, Vyachelsav Kozlov, scored the only shootout goal the Thrashers needed, beating Ryan Miller with a snap shot inside the left post.
The loss — the Sabres' first in the regular season since a 4-2 defeat to Philadelphia on April 7 — also ended their 15-game winning streak over two seasons, two short of the NHL record set by Pittsburgh in 1993.
It wasn't for a lack of trying. Buffalo rallied four times from one-goal deficits, with Jochen Hecht tying the game with 1:44 left in regulation.
The Sabres got a standing ovation immediately following the game, and the team responded by skating out to center ice to acknowledge the supporters.
Didn't mean the Sabres players weren't disappointed.
"I haven't felt like this in a while," Miller said. "It would have been fun to be on our own, a little piece of history. Every night's not going to go your way."
Buffalo's comeback certainly wasn't a surprise, except that it fell short. The Sabres had already won five games in which they trailed this season, including three times rallying back from two-goal deficits.
Atlanta's Bobby Holik and Scott Mellanby had a goal and assist each, while Ilya Kovalchuk and Niko Kapanen also scored in a game in which the Thrashers never trailed.
Jason Pominville led Buffalo with a goal and two assists, followed by Daniel Briere who had a goal and assist. Thomas Vanek also scored for the Sabres in a game between the Eastern Conference's two best teams.
clearly, these aren't the familiar pushover Thrashers of old. Improving to 8-1-3, they're off to the best start in franchise history and their 19 points are one behind Buffalo. By comparison, Atlanta didn't register its eight win last season until its 19th game.
"We're not here to make statements. We're here to win hockey games," Holik said. "We won tonight playing a good game. We matched their game. And we're just moving on."
Thrashers coach Bob Hartley was certainly pleased.
"We're resilient," Hartley said. "Like tonight when they scored with a minute-and-a-half left, that was playoff atmosphere out there. They had the momentum on their side and we managed to keep our composure."
Lehtonen was the difference, the second-year starter was particularly sharp in overtime, when he got his left pad out to prevent Derek Roy's shot from in close from dribbling in with 71 seconds left.
The game had a playoff-type atmosphere, featuring a raucous capacity crowd anticipating a record. One fan even brought a sign that read: "82-0: Why not?"
The electric mood was doused when the Thrashers opened a 2-1 lead on Mellanby's goal 10 minutes in. But the crowd was certainly into it after Hecht tied the game, spending the final 2 minutes of regulation on its feet.
The Thrashers were particularly effective in blocking Buffalo shots with defenseman Greg de Vries credited with 10 of Atlanta's 27.
Atlanta was particularly resilient, responding each time the Sabres scored.
Mellanby made it 2-1 a mere 44 seconds after Briere tied the game in the first period. Kapanen then made it 3-2, backhanding in a carom off the end board into the open side, less than two minutes after Vanek scored with 6 minutes left in the second period.
The Sabres were sloppy in opening the game, a habit they've been unable to shake this season, having allowed 10 first-period goals, the most of any period.
Jim Slater set up Holik's game-opening goal when he shed Dmitri Kalinin's check and fed his teammate wide open in the slot. Mellanby's goal came on the transition after Buffalo's Maxim Afinogenov, with a weak drop pass, turned the puck over at the Atlanta blue line.
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Kari Lehtonen and the upstart Atlanta Thrashers put an end to the Buffalo Sabres' bid for an NHL record start. Barely. Lehtonen denied all three Sabres shootout attempts and stopped 32 shots overall in a 5-4 win Saturday night, ending Buffalo's season-opening winning streak at 10. The Sabres will settle for sharing the league record for best start to a season set by Toronto in 1993.
Former Sabres player, Vyachelsav Kozlov, scored the only shootout goal the Thrashers needed, beating Ryan Miller with a snap shot inside the left post.
The loss — the Sabres' first in the regular season since a 4-2 defeat to Philadelphia on April 7 — also ended their 15-game winning streak over two seasons, two short of the NHL record set by Pittsburgh in 1993.
It wasn't for a lack of trying. Buffalo rallied four times from one-goal deficits, with Jochen Hecht tying the game with 1:44 left in regulation.
The Sabres got a standing ovation immediately following the game, and the team responded by skating out to center ice to acknowledge the supporters.
Didn't mean the Sabres players weren't disappointed.
"I haven't felt like this in a while," Miller said. "It would have been fun to be on our own, a little piece of history. Every night's not going to go your way."
Buffalo's comeback certainly wasn't a surprise, except that it fell short. The Sabres had already won five games in which they trailed this season, including three times rallying back from two-goal deficits.
Atlanta's Bobby Holik and Scott Mellanby had a goal and assist each, while Ilya Kovalchuk and Niko Kapanen also scored in a game in which the Thrashers never trailed.
Jason Pominville led Buffalo with a goal and two assists, followed by Daniel Briere who had a goal and assist. Thomas Vanek also scored for the Sabres in a game between the Eastern Conference's two best teams.
clearly, these aren't the familiar pushover Thrashers of old. Improving to 8-1-3, they're off to the best start in franchise history and their 19 points are one behind Buffalo. By comparison, Atlanta didn't register its eight win last season until its 19th game.
"We're not here to make statements. We're here to win hockey games," Holik said. "We won tonight playing a good game. We matched their game. And we're just moving on."
Thrashers coach Bob Hartley was certainly pleased.
"We're resilient," Hartley said. "Like tonight when they scored with a minute-and-a-half left, that was playoff atmosphere out there. They had the momentum on their side and we managed to keep our composure."
Lehtonen was the difference, the second-year starter was particularly sharp in overtime, when he got his left pad out to prevent Derek Roy's shot from in close from dribbling in with 71 seconds left.
The game had a playoff-type atmosphere, featuring a raucous capacity crowd anticipating a record. One fan even brought a sign that read: "82-0: Why not?"
The electric mood was doused when the Thrashers opened a 2-1 lead on Mellanby's goal 10 minutes in. But the crowd was certainly into it after Hecht tied the game, spending the final 2 minutes of regulation on its feet.
The Thrashers were particularly effective in blocking Buffalo shots with defenseman Greg de Vries credited with 10 of Atlanta's 27.
Atlanta was particularly resilient, responding each time the Sabres scored.
Mellanby made it 2-1 a mere 44 seconds after Briere tied the game in the first period. Kapanen then made it 3-2, backhanding in a carom off the end board into the open side, less than two minutes after Vanek scored with 6 minutes left in the second period.
The Sabres were sloppy in opening the game, a habit they've been unable to shake this season, having allowed 10 first-period goals, the most of any period.
Jim Slater set up Holik's game-opening goal when he shed Dmitri Kalinin's check and fed his teammate wide open in the slot. Mellanby's goal came on the transition after Buffalo's Maxim Afinogenov, with a weak drop pass, turned the puck over at the Atlanta blue line.
Lenin, Marx
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Oh yah .... they are a scary team right now. I am impressed with their defence... now, sarge, you pay more attention to them than I ... is it goaltending or defence carrying them? I know they have lots of offence, but the low GA average is pretty impressive too...
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
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sgt.null
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a combination. Miller is outstanding, but everyone is playing there roles. the have focused on the defense and spread the scoring around. in the past they have had one got to scorer like Satan, and struggled when that scorer struggled. now they get offense from different players. they have all bought into Lindy Ruff's scheme.
and as for injuries.
Sabres D Tallinder out with broken arm
October 28, 2006
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Buffalo defenseman Henrik Tallinder has a broken left arm and the Sabres said he will miss up to two months. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Sunday.
Tallinder was hurt in Buffalo's 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday night, and missed Buffalo's 5-4 shootout loss to Atlanta on Saturday, the Sabres' first of the season.
is the same arm he broke in a collision along the boards in Game 3 of last season's Eastern Conference finals against Carolina.
"It's tough," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "I'm disappointed for him because he was playing real well for us, and now the same thing happened. I know how frustrating it is."
Tallinder has two goals and two assists in 10 games this season, and ranks second on the team in averaging 20:45 of ice time per game.
Rookie defenseman Nathan Paetsch, who has been a healthy scratch since the start of the season, replaced Tallinder in the lineup in Buffalo's loss to Atlanta that stopped the Sabres' record-tying 10-game winning streak.
"For his first game, and for the type of game he got thrown in, I thought he did a real nice job for us," Ruff said. "He's worked extremely hard in staying ready."
Paetsch made his pro debut appearing in two games last season, including Buffalo's loss to Carolina in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
and as for injuries.
Sabres D Tallinder out with broken arm
October 28, 2006
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Buffalo defenseman Henrik Tallinder has a broken left arm and the Sabres said he will miss up to two months. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Sunday.
Tallinder was hurt in Buffalo's 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday night, and missed Buffalo's 5-4 shootout loss to Atlanta on Saturday, the Sabres' first of the season.
is the same arm he broke in a collision along the boards in Game 3 of last season's Eastern Conference finals against Carolina.
"It's tough," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "I'm disappointed for him because he was playing real well for us, and now the same thing happened. I know how frustrating it is."
Tallinder has two goals and two assists in 10 games this season, and ranks second on the team in averaging 20:45 of ice time per game.
Rookie defenseman Nathan Paetsch, who has been a healthy scratch since the start of the season, replaced Tallinder in the lineup in Buffalo's loss to Atlanta that stopped the Sabres' record-tying 10-game winning streak.
"For his first game, and for the type of game he got thrown in, I thought he did a real nice job for us," Ruff said. "He's worked extremely hard in staying ready."
Paetsch made his pro debut appearing in two games last season, including Buffalo's loss to Carolina in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Lenin, Marx
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
yah, injuries are a b!tch.
The Leafs are once agin plagued by early season injuries. Last year it was Sundin in the eye and a few others, this year it is nearly 50% of the defence...
Ah well, slug along...
I actually like the Sabres line-up. I hated it back in the days of Hasek and Barnaby ... despised them.
This Sabres line-up reminds me of the glory French Connection days..
(are you old enough to remember them playing?...
)
The Leafs are once agin plagued by early season injuries. Last year it was Sundin in the eye and a few others, this year it is nearly 50% of the defence...
Ah well, slug along...
I actually like the Sabres line-up. I hated it back in the days of Hasek and Barnaby ... despised them.
This Sabres line-up reminds me of the glory French Connection days..
(are you old enough to remember them playing?...
)~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
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sgt.null
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I know of them. and Perrault was still playing when I first started watching the Sabres. Robert and Martin had already retired.
i had no idea that the Maple Leafs had won so many Cups.
1917-18, 1921-22, 1931-32, 1941-42, 1944-45, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1948-49, 1950-51, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1966-67
i had no idea that the Maple Leafs had won so many Cups.
1917-18, 1921-22, 1931-32, 1941-42, 1944-45, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1948-49, 1950-51, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1966-67
Lenin, Marx
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Oh, yah, the Leafs and the Habs were THE teams back in the days... But 40 years now without a cup?... sheesh ...
Hey! I turn 40 this year .. maybe ..
Oh, yah, I was watching the Sabres during the great French Connection days... I was young and impressionable and regularily saw Leafs and Sabres games. I fell in love with the Sabres and their style of play... It died soon after.
Now I have a reason to cheer for Buffalo again. For years I have loved the western style of speedy/skill hockey (Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary). Now the east is just catching up ...
Oh, and sarge ...
Leafs over Buffalo Saturday 4-1.
Woo hoo!
tee hee....
Hey! I turn 40 this year .. maybe ..
Oh, yah, I was watching the Sabres during the great French Connection days... I was young and impressionable and regularily saw Leafs and Sabres games. I fell in love with the Sabres and their style of play... It died soon after.
Now I have a reason to cheer for Buffalo again. For years I have loved the western style of speedy/skill hockey (Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary). Now the east is just catching up ...
Oh, and sarge ...
Leafs over Buffalo Saturday 4-1.
Woo hoo!
tee hee....
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
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sgt.null
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oh yeah. about the only game we weren't even in this year. congrats. 
:)
beat the Rangers in ot. another close game.
M. Afinogenov RW Nov 4, 2006 Day-to-Day Left Game - Upper Body
H. Tallinder D Oct 28, 2006 Injured Reserve Broken Left Arm
T. Connolly C Sep 14, 2006 Injured Reserve Post-concussion Syndrome
:)beat the Rangers in ot. another close game.
M. Afinogenov RW Nov 4, 2006 Day-to-Day Left Game - Upper Body
H. Tallinder D Oct 28, 2006 Injured Reserve Broken Left Arm
T. Connolly C Sep 14, 2006 Injured Reserve Post-concussion Syndrome
Lenin, Marx
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
what impresses me the most about Buffalo, more than any other team right now is their ability to come back from seemingly any deficeit ... they are scary that way. teams get nervous, not knowing if they will suddenly break out ...
it's a great stat they have going for them.
I think at least half of thier wins are come-from-behind-3rd-period wins/ties.
No?...
it's a great stat they have going for them.
I think at least half of thier wins are come-from-behind-3rd-period wins/ties.
No?...
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
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sgt.null
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Anaheim 3, Pittsburgh 2, OT
Cali. -- The season is more than a month old and no team has beaten the Ducks in regulation yet, which makes their 1 ot loss and 3 shootout defeats sting even more. Teemu Selanne scored 44 secs into ot on a pp after drawing a trip pen from Noah Welch, and the Ducks beat the Penguins 3-2 Mon. night. Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry also scored for the Ducks, who outshot Pit. 40-17 while improving to a league-best 11-0-4. By earning at least 1pt in each of their first 15 gms, Anaheim tied the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers for the most consecutive gms w/o a L in reg to start a season. "The games that we lost in ot or a shootout, they feel like Ls," Selanne said. "I mean, we got the 1pt out of those games, but we weren't really happy about it because we knew there were 2pts available. And I think that maybe the reason for this streak is that we really considered those games as Ls, and then we bounced back. That's a good sign." Dominic Moore and Chris Thorburn scored first-period goals for the Penguins, who concluded a 4 gm road trip with their 2nd straight L following a 5 gm W streak. Sidney Crosby, who scored 39 goals last season as a rookie and became the youngest player in NHL history to record at least 100 pts, did not have a shot on net for the 3rd consecutive game. "I'd definitely like to get more pucks to the net, but I'm not going to sit here and worry about it too much," Crosby said. "Obviously, you want to get shots, but I think I've passed up a couple to try to make a play and I don't regret that. When I think it's time to shoot, I'm going to shoot. But there's no doubt that there's guys pretty much within a stick-length of me all the time. So if I want to get shots, it's going to have to be around the net and it'll have to be a clear chance." Selanne had plenty of open ice to maneuver with the teams skating 4-on-3 in ot, and he got in perfect position to redirect Scott Niedermayer's centering pass from the right circle. It was Selanne's 44th game-winning goal with the Ducks, tying Paul Kariya's franchise record. The Pens played without D Mark Eaton, who dislocated his left wrist just 63 secs into Sat. 3-2 L at San Jose and is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tue in Pit. Eaton, who leads the team with 36 blocks and is a key member of the penalty-killing unit, was injured when Jonathan Cheechoo of the Sharks rode him into the corner boards and landed on top of him. Jocelyn Thibault made 16 of his 37 saves during the second period in his first start of the season. The 13yr vet was 1-9-0 with a 4.46 goals-against average in 16 appearances last season before missing the final 40 games because of a hip injury that required surgery. Thibault's previous start was Jan. 6 in Atlanta, when he gave up three goals on nine shots and was benched 10 1/2 minutes into a 6-4 loss to the Thrashers. "I've been training real hard this summer and practicing real hard to get to my first game, and this was a good game to build on," Thibault said. "I wasn't that nervous. It took me a few minutes to kind of get into a groove, but I expected that. I'm pretty happy about the game I played, but I'm disappointed that we didn't win." Anaheim had seven of the game's first eight power plays. The Ducks capitalized on Moore's holding penalty to tie the score at 13:13 of the second period when Perry banged home a rebound of Niedermayer's one-timer. "It's hard to get any momentum going when you get penalties all the time," Crosby said. "It wasn't like we just had one period of penalties. It was consistent throughout. We just couldn't stay out of the box. Against a team like that, you need to get in a flow."
Thorburn, playing in his 12th NHL game and 10th with Pittsburgh, put the Penguins ahead 2-1 at 10:49 of the first period when he pounced on a rebound of Evgeni Malkin's one-timer and backhanded it past Jean-Sebastien Giguere for his first NHL goal.
Cali. -- The season is more than a month old and no team has beaten the Ducks in regulation yet, which makes their 1 ot loss and 3 shootout defeats sting even more. Teemu Selanne scored 44 secs into ot on a pp after drawing a trip pen from Noah Welch, and the Ducks beat the Penguins 3-2 Mon. night. Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry also scored for the Ducks, who outshot Pit. 40-17 while improving to a league-best 11-0-4. By earning at least 1pt in each of their first 15 gms, Anaheim tied the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers for the most consecutive gms w/o a L in reg to start a season. "The games that we lost in ot or a shootout, they feel like Ls," Selanne said. "I mean, we got the 1pt out of those games, but we weren't really happy about it because we knew there were 2pts available. And I think that maybe the reason for this streak is that we really considered those games as Ls, and then we bounced back. That's a good sign." Dominic Moore and Chris Thorburn scored first-period goals for the Penguins, who concluded a 4 gm road trip with their 2nd straight L following a 5 gm W streak. Sidney Crosby, who scored 39 goals last season as a rookie and became the youngest player in NHL history to record at least 100 pts, did not have a shot on net for the 3rd consecutive game. "I'd definitely like to get more pucks to the net, but I'm not going to sit here and worry about it too much," Crosby said. "Obviously, you want to get shots, but I think I've passed up a couple to try to make a play and I don't regret that. When I think it's time to shoot, I'm going to shoot. But there's no doubt that there's guys pretty much within a stick-length of me all the time. So if I want to get shots, it's going to have to be around the net and it'll have to be a clear chance." Selanne had plenty of open ice to maneuver with the teams skating 4-on-3 in ot, and he got in perfect position to redirect Scott Niedermayer's centering pass from the right circle. It was Selanne's 44th game-winning goal with the Ducks, tying Paul Kariya's franchise record. The Pens played without D Mark Eaton, who dislocated his left wrist just 63 secs into Sat. 3-2 L at San Jose and is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tue in Pit. Eaton, who leads the team with 36 blocks and is a key member of the penalty-killing unit, was injured when Jonathan Cheechoo of the Sharks rode him into the corner boards and landed on top of him. Jocelyn Thibault made 16 of his 37 saves during the second period in his first start of the season. The 13yr vet was 1-9-0 with a 4.46 goals-against average in 16 appearances last season before missing the final 40 games because of a hip injury that required surgery. Thibault's previous start was Jan. 6 in Atlanta, when he gave up three goals on nine shots and was benched 10 1/2 minutes into a 6-4 loss to the Thrashers. "I've been training real hard this summer and practicing real hard to get to my first game, and this was a good game to build on," Thibault said. "I wasn't that nervous. It took me a few minutes to kind of get into a groove, but I expected that. I'm pretty happy about the game I played, but I'm disappointed that we didn't win." Anaheim had seven of the game's first eight power plays. The Ducks capitalized on Moore's holding penalty to tie the score at 13:13 of the second period when Perry banged home a rebound of Niedermayer's one-timer. "It's hard to get any momentum going when you get penalties all the time," Crosby said. "It wasn't like we just had one period of penalties. It was consistent throughout. We just couldn't stay out of the box. Against a team like that, you need to get in a flow."
Thorburn, playing in his 12th NHL game and 10th with Pittsburgh, put the Penguins ahead 2-1 at 10:49 of the first period when he pounced on a rebound of Evgeni Malkin's one-timer and backhanded it past Jean-Sebastien Giguere for his first NHL goal.
Lenin, Marx
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
Marx, Lennon
Good Dog...
GAH!!! Mats Sundin (cpt. of the Leafs) is out 3-4 weeks with torn elbow ligaments.
Crap!
But, what is intriguingly interesting is that Kyle Wellwood (a smallish speedy fancy stick handler) is taking his place at centre on the first line ...
Should be an 'interesting' game tonight against the lowly Bruins...
Crap!
But, what is intriguingly interesting is that Kyle Wellwood (a smallish speedy fancy stick handler) is taking his place at centre on the first line ...
Should be an 'interesting' game tonight against the lowly Bruins...
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
grrrr!