Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:11 pm
steamroller Buffalo does it again last night: 4-1 over Carolina...
(hate the hurricanes, so good!)
(hate the hurricanes, so good!)
Kevin's Watch
Official Discussion Forum for the works of Stephen R. Donaldson
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Let the NHL season Begin!!!!!
Page 5 of 11
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:31 pm
why couldn't sweep Carolina in the playoffs last year.
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:19 pm
Buffalo 4, Atlanta 1
Ottawa 3, Toronto 2, OT
a good night.
Ottawa 3, Toronto 2, OT
a good night.
Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:16 am
NY Islanders 1
Buffalo 3
Boston 1
Toronto 5
Buffalo 3
Boston 1
Toronto 5
Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:22 pm
yah, TO goes from 10th in the east to 7th in one victory. That's how crazy the east is right now. Of course Buffalo is laughing ....
Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:15 pm
avoid injuries, keep playing hard. keep the special teams going well. that is my new year's wish for the Sabres.
Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 4:44 am
Buffalo 4, Toronto 3
TORONTO (AP) -- The Buffalo Sabres ended their rare losing skid and regained the top spot in the NHL. Daniel Briere, Ales Kotalik and Chris Drury had a goal and assist each, and Sabres held on for a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Dmitri Kalinin also scored for the Sabres, who avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season. Buffalo leads the NHL with 63 points, one more than idle Anaheim and 19 ahead of Northeast Division-rival Toronto. Buffalo has lost consecutive games only twice this season. "We're not use to losing," Briere said. "Two games for us felt like a long time. Now we'll be able to relax and get back to the same game plan." Carlo Colaiacovo, Alex Steen and Pavel Kubina scored for the Maple Leafs, who won 10-2 over Boston on Thursday. Toronto is 0-4 this season in games following victories with at least a four-goal margin. Kubina -- who signed a four-year, $20 million contract in the offseason -- scored his first goal with Toronto on the power play at 15:28 of the third to cut the Maple Leafs' deficit to 4-3. The horn to signify a goal went off in the final seconds, but Toronto's John Pohl hit the side of the net despite shooting at a wide-open goal. "I can't tell you what I said because you wouldn't be able to print it," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "Somewhere along the lines of holy chaos." Steen, who had a hat trick on Thursday, trimmed Buffalo's lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal at 12:32 of the second. But Kotalik's wrist shot from the top of the circle made it 4-2 at 18:17. Fans jeered Toronto goalie Andrew Raycroft when he made his next save. Raycroft replaced Ed Belfour in the offseason as the Leafs' No. 1 goalie and played well at the start of the season. He has struggled lately. "They are definitely one of the two, three, or four teams skill wise," Raycroft said. "They have four lines that they can roll at you." Kalinin's one-timer from the top of the circle beat Raycroft at 4:18 of the first. Just 39 seconds later, Drury put a weak wrist shot in traffic past Raycroft.
Colaiacovo's wrist shot cut it to 2-1 at 17:49 of the first, but Briere faked a shot before scoring past a sprawled Raycroft at 3:47 of the second.
TORONTO (AP) -- The Buffalo Sabres ended their rare losing skid and regained the top spot in the NHL. Daniel Briere, Ales Kotalik and Chris Drury had a goal and assist each, and Sabres held on for a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Dmitri Kalinin also scored for the Sabres, who avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season. Buffalo leads the NHL with 63 points, one more than idle Anaheim and 19 ahead of Northeast Division-rival Toronto. Buffalo has lost consecutive games only twice this season. "We're not use to losing," Briere said. "Two games for us felt like a long time. Now we'll be able to relax and get back to the same game plan." Carlo Colaiacovo, Alex Steen and Pavel Kubina scored for the Maple Leafs, who won 10-2 over Boston on Thursday. Toronto is 0-4 this season in games following victories with at least a four-goal margin. Kubina -- who signed a four-year, $20 million contract in the offseason -- scored his first goal with Toronto on the power play at 15:28 of the third to cut the Maple Leafs' deficit to 4-3. The horn to signify a goal went off in the final seconds, but Toronto's John Pohl hit the side of the net despite shooting at a wide-open goal. "I can't tell you what I said because you wouldn't be able to print it," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "Somewhere along the lines of holy chaos." Steen, who had a hat trick on Thursday, trimmed Buffalo's lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal at 12:32 of the second. But Kotalik's wrist shot from the top of the circle made it 4-2 at 18:17. Fans jeered Toronto goalie Andrew Raycroft when he made his next save. Raycroft replaced Ed Belfour in the offseason as the Leafs' No. 1 goalie and played well at the start of the season. He has struggled lately. "They are definitely one of the two, three, or four teams skill wise," Raycroft said. "They have four lines that they can roll at you." Kalinin's one-timer from the top of the circle beat Raycroft at 4:18 of the first. Just 39 seconds later, Drury put a weak wrist shot in traffic past Raycroft.
Colaiacovo's wrist shot cut it to 2-1 at 17:49 of the first, but Briere faked a shot before scoring past a sprawled Raycroft at 3:47 of the second.
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:14 am
Sabres come flying out of the gate, but the Leafs made it exciting.
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:25 am
a bit too exciting. i still have yet to see the Sabres on tv this year. curse this Texas!
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:51 am
Buffalo 2, Chicago 1
CHI-- The high-scoring Buffalo Sabres can win when their offense has a slow night. Their defense and goaltending is pretty good, too. Ryan Miller made 34 saves and Jochen Hecht and Maxim Afinogenov scored to lead the Sabres to a 2-1 victory over the slumping Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Miller wasn't heavily tested by sputtering Chicago, which lost its fourth straight. He lost a bid for his second shutout of the season when Denis Arkhipov scored a short-handed goal with 49.1 seconds left in the game. With Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on the bench for an extra attacker, Arkhipov's shot clanked off the right post. It then hit the pads of Miller, who had sprawled forward on the ice, and deflected across the goal line. "I'm saving them for later," Miller said of the lost shutout, "but it was a little frustrating with them scoring late in the game. It was a 2-0 game and gave them life. "They had a few opportunities, but we did a good job of making them do the things they didn't want to do," he added. "We did play a good defensive game and played a frustrating style against them and it paid off." The Sabres, who lead the NHL with 166 goals, improved to 7-2-1 in their last 10 with their second straight win. They have 65 points, tied with Anaheim for the league lead. "We had a lot of power plays in the first period and weren't able to get a lead on any of those," Hecht said. "But we didn't give up any odd-man rushes and that's what we want to do." Chicago is 1-6-0 in its last seven games following a 9-3-3 stretch immediately after Denis Savard took over as coach on Nov. 27. The Blackhawks are struggling offensively, especially without their top forward. Martin Havlat, who missed 19 games earlier this season with a sprained ankle, sat out his third straight game Wednesday due to a groin pull. Chicago is 11-9-1 with Havlat in the lineup. Without him, the Blackhawks are 6-12-4 "We need more traffic in front of the goalie," Savard said. "That's an everyday thing we talk about. You have to play in the tough areas. "You can't be beside the net," he added. "You've got to be right in front of the goalie." Buffalo center Chris Drury was able to return to the game midway through the second period after hobbling off the ice early in the first. Drury suffered what seemed like a potentially serious injury at 7:54 of the first when he was struck in the foot by a shot from teammate Jaroslav Spacek and then cross-checked by Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith. Drury, who has 22 goals and 19 assists in 41 games, was helped off the ice by two teammates and went directly to the Sabres' dressing room. "It says a lot about him that he could come back and play," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "He had an X-ray and they looked negative. The good sign is he finished the game." Hecht scored the only goal of the first period, at 4:47. Khabibulin, making his 16th straight start, stopped Jason Pominville's shot from the slot and followed with a pad save on Hecht's first rebound attempt from the left edge of the crease. Hecht, who was left unchecked, then jammed in a second rebound. Afinogenov made it 2-0 at 2:56 of the third with his 20th goal. After skating down right wing, he slid a shot between Khabibulin's pads from a sharp angle. Miller made one of his few tough saves -- point blank on Chicago's Craig MacDonald -- with just over 2 minutes left.
CHI-- The high-scoring Buffalo Sabres can win when their offense has a slow night. Their defense and goaltending is pretty good, too. Ryan Miller made 34 saves and Jochen Hecht and Maxim Afinogenov scored to lead the Sabres to a 2-1 victory over the slumping Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Miller wasn't heavily tested by sputtering Chicago, which lost its fourth straight. He lost a bid for his second shutout of the season when Denis Arkhipov scored a short-handed goal with 49.1 seconds left in the game. With Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on the bench for an extra attacker, Arkhipov's shot clanked off the right post. It then hit the pads of Miller, who had sprawled forward on the ice, and deflected across the goal line. "I'm saving them for later," Miller said of the lost shutout, "but it was a little frustrating with them scoring late in the game. It was a 2-0 game and gave them life. "They had a few opportunities, but we did a good job of making them do the things they didn't want to do," he added. "We did play a good defensive game and played a frustrating style against them and it paid off." The Sabres, who lead the NHL with 166 goals, improved to 7-2-1 in their last 10 with their second straight win. They have 65 points, tied with Anaheim for the league lead. "We had a lot of power plays in the first period and weren't able to get a lead on any of those," Hecht said. "But we didn't give up any odd-man rushes and that's what we want to do." Chicago is 1-6-0 in its last seven games following a 9-3-3 stretch immediately after Denis Savard took over as coach on Nov. 27. The Blackhawks are struggling offensively, especially without their top forward. Martin Havlat, who missed 19 games earlier this season with a sprained ankle, sat out his third straight game Wednesday due to a groin pull. Chicago is 11-9-1 with Havlat in the lineup. Without him, the Blackhawks are 6-12-4 "We need more traffic in front of the goalie," Savard said. "That's an everyday thing we talk about. You have to play in the tough areas. "You can't be beside the net," he added. "You've got to be right in front of the goalie." Buffalo center Chris Drury was able to return to the game midway through the second period after hobbling off the ice early in the first. Drury suffered what seemed like a potentially serious injury at 7:54 of the first when he was struck in the foot by a shot from teammate Jaroslav Spacek and then cross-checked by Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith. Drury, who has 22 goals and 19 assists in 41 games, was helped off the ice by two teammates and went directly to the Sabres' dressing room. "It says a lot about him that he could come back and play," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "He had an X-ray and they looked negative. The good sign is he finished the game." Hecht scored the only goal of the first period, at 4:47. Khabibulin, making his 16th straight start, stopped Jason Pominville's shot from the slot and followed with a pad save on Hecht's first rebound attempt from the left edge of the crease. Hecht, who was left unchecked, then jammed in a second rebound. Afinogenov made it 2-0 at 2:56 of the third with his 20th goal. After skating down right wing, he slid a shot between Khabibulin's pads from a sharp angle. Miller made one of his few tough saves -- point blank on Chicago's Craig MacDonald -- with just over 2 minutes left.
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:05 am
N.Y. (AP) -- The banged-up Buffalo Sabres can count on at least left wing Jochen Hecht's return now that the NHL All-Star break is over.
Hecht said Thursday he expects to play at Columbus on Friday after he practiced fully in the team's first session back after a four-day break. Hecht, who missed three games with what the Sabres referred to as a lower body injury, ranks ninth on the team with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) and plays alongside co-captain and scoring leader Daniel Briere.
The Eastern Conference-leading Sabres (33-12-4) are still uncertain of the status of defenseman Henrik Tallinder (high right ankle sprain) and forward Jiri Novotny (left ankle). Tallinder practiced but isn't sure he's ready to return during Buffalo's two-game road trip, which concludes at the New York Islanders on Saturday. It doesn't feel great but it doesn't feel bad," Tallinder said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow, but it was a step forward today." Novotny did not practice and has missed one game since being hurt in the first period of a 4-3 shootout win over Vancouver on Jan. 19. Assistant Brian McCutcheon said the team will wait until Friday to decide whether Tallinder or Novotny can play. McCutcheon ran practice while coach Lindy Ruff and the team's three All-Star players -- Briere, defenseman Brian Campbell and goalie Ryan Miller -- traveled directly to Columbus after the All-Star game at Dallas on Wednesday.
Hecht said Thursday he expects to play at Columbus on Friday after he practiced fully in the team's first session back after a four-day break. Hecht, who missed three games with what the Sabres referred to as a lower body injury, ranks ninth on the team with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) and plays alongside co-captain and scoring leader Daniel Briere.
The Eastern Conference-leading Sabres (33-12-4) are still uncertain of the status of defenseman Henrik Tallinder (high right ankle sprain) and forward Jiri Novotny (left ankle). Tallinder practiced but isn't sure he's ready to return during Buffalo's two-game road trip, which concludes at the New York Islanders on Saturday. It doesn't feel great but it doesn't feel bad," Tallinder said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow, but it was a step forward today." Novotny did not practice and has missed one game since being hurt in the first period of a 4-3 shootout win over Vancouver on Jan. 19. Assistant Brian McCutcheon said the team will wait until Friday to decide whether Tallinder or Novotny can play. McCutcheon ran practice while coach Lindy Ruff and the team's three All-Star players -- Briere, defenseman Brian Campbell and goalie Ryan Miller -- traveled directly to Columbus after the All-Star game at Dallas on Wednesday.
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:30 pm
hey! an nhl post!sweeeet.
Well, thank goodness the all-star game is over... now for some real hockey to begin again....
Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:57 pm
Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:48 pm
oh, please! I use to be a fan of the Sabres! I know about them. heheheh. The French Connection was a sweet line to watch. Me and my friend use to go outside and make up plays as if we were Perreault and Martin...
But, poor Sabres are tanking right now.
Leafs come off the all-star break with a win over the 'hated' Habs! Woo hoo!
But, poor Sabres are tanking right now.
Leafs come off the all-star break with a win over the 'hated' Habs! Woo hoo!
Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:04 pm
enjoy it, for now. trade deadline is coming up.
Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 5:24 pm
good one.
Actually I always get nervous around this time. I really hope Tucker doesn't get traded. He becomes and unrestricted free-agent in July but so far the Leafs have made no offer. And Calgary and Edmonton are sniffing....
And what could Buffalo possibly want right now?....
I would really like the Leafs to get a reliable goaly. Raycroft is decent, but he doesn't seem to make the clutch saves when needed, or lets in a soft goal and turn momentum...
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:19 am
Buffalo will most likely pick up some veteran depth, a center I hope, with some playoff experience. someone that doesn't cost a whole lot. they also could move Marty Biron.
Buffalo 7, Boston 1
N.Y. - Daniel Briere's hat trick and a visit from the slumping Boston Bruins were more than enough to bring the Buffalo Sabres out of their funk. Briere netted his second career three-goal game, and Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek added a goal and an assist each to give the Sabres a 7-1 victory over the Bruins on Tuesday night. The win, Buffalo's sixth straight at home against Boston, snapped the Sabres' season-high, three-game regulation-losing streak. "It's a step in the right direction," said Briere, who played his first home game since earning All-Star MVP honors last Wednesday in Dallas. "We don't want to get too confident because it's just one game, but we needed this to realize that we're OK here." Briere has been better than that lately. The co-captain is on a six-game point streak (5 goals, 6 assists), and had five points in the All-Star game. "He's a heck of a player," Pominville said. "He's still proving what he is capable of." The Sabres squandered third-period leads in consecutive losses to Columbus and the New York Islanders last weekend. "We were struggling with the one-goal leads, so tonight we made sure we didn't stop," Briere said. "We just kept scoring goals." Chris Drury and Paul Gaustad also scored, and Maxim Afinogenov posted three assists for Buffalo, which went 6-7-1 in January. It was the Sabres' worst month since December 2003. "We did the little things better, and that's what made the difference," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "There was desperation in a lot of areas." The Sabres scored two power-play goals, including Vanek's 25th tally just 2:15 in while Buffalo had a two-man advantage. They also had a short-handed goal when Pominville wristed a shot past goalie Hannu Toivonen at 15:11 of the second, pushing the lead to 5-1. Buffalo broke the game open with four goals in the second, including two by Briere. Briere and Gaustad scored 79 seconds apart 6 minutes in, and Briere capped the big period with a goal at 17:24. He scored his third with 8 minutes left in the game, lifting the puck over sprawling goalie Tim Thomas, and became the fifth Buffalo player to record 20 goals this season. The Sabres are the only NHL team with five 20-goal scorers. Thomas replaced Toivonen to start the third period and finished with 11 saves. Toivonen stopped 17 shots in his third start in five games. Glen Murray scored for the Bruins, who lost their seventh straight road game. Boston has been outscored 19-3 during a four-game losing streak overall. "It's a struggle," Bruins coach Dave Lewis said. "It's a situation nobody likes to go through, but hopefully we'll come out stronger." Buffalo backup Martin Biron, inserted into the nets to give Ryan Miller a break, made 25 saves in winning for the first time since Jan. 6. Murray cut Boston's deficit to 2-1 with his team-leading 24th. He scored while the Bruins had a two-man advantage. The Sabres then scored five unanswered goals to secure their third win in nine games. "We've been struggling lately," Pominville said. "It's only one game, but I think we're back on track." Boston, meanwhile, has been outscored 34-9 during its road skid. "So many things are not going our way right now," defenseman Zdeno Chara said. "We need that spark, that break. Sometimes that's all you need."
Buffalo 7, Boston 1
N.Y. - Daniel Briere's hat trick and a visit from the slumping Boston Bruins were more than enough to bring the Buffalo Sabres out of their funk. Briere netted his second career three-goal game, and Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek added a goal and an assist each to give the Sabres a 7-1 victory over the Bruins on Tuesday night. The win, Buffalo's sixth straight at home against Boston, snapped the Sabres' season-high, three-game regulation-losing streak. "It's a step in the right direction," said Briere, who played his first home game since earning All-Star MVP honors last Wednesday in Dallas. "We don't want to get too confident because it's just one game, but we needed this to realize that we're OK here." Briere has been better than that lately. The co-captain is on a six-game point streak (5 goals, 6 assists), and had five points in the All-Star game. "He's a heck of a player," Pominville said. "He's still proving what he is capable of." The Sabres squandered third-period leads in consecutive losses to Columbus and the New York Islanders last weekend. "We were struggling with the one-goal leads, so tonight we made sure we didn't stop," Briere said. "We just kept scoring goals." Chris Drury and Paul Gaustad also scored, and Maxim Afinogenov posted three assists for Buffalo, which went 6-7-1 in January. It was the Sabres' worst month since December 2003. "We did the little things better, and that's what made the difference," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "There was desperation in a lot of areas." The Sabres scored two power-play goals, including Vanek's 25th tally just 2:15 in while Buffalo had a two-man advantage. They also had a short-handed goal when Pominville wristed a shot past goalie Hannu Toivonen at 15:11 of the second, pushing the lead to 5-1. Buffalo broke the game open with four goals in the second, including two by Briere. Briere and Gaustad scored 79 seconds apart 6 minutes in, and Briere capped the big period with a goal at 17:24. He scored his third with 8 minutes left in the game, lifting the puck over sprawling goalie Tim Thomas, and became the fifth Buffalo player to record 20 goals this season. The Sabres are the only NHL team with five 20-goal scorers. Thomas replaced Toivonen to start the third period and finished with 11 saves. Toivonen stopped 17 shots in his third start in five games. Glen Murray scored for the Bruins, who lost their seventh straight road game. Boston has been outscored 19-3 during a four-game losing streak overall. "It's a struggle," Bruins coach Dave Lewis said. "It's a situation nobody likes to go through, but hopefully we'll come out stronger." Buffalo backup Martin Biron, inserted into the nets to give Ryan Miller a break, made 25 saves in winning for the first time since Jan. 6. Murray cut Boston's deficit to 2-1 with his team-leading 24th. He scored while the Bruins had a two-man advantage. The Sabres then scored five unanswered goals to secure their third win in nine games. "We've been struggling lately," Pominville said. "It's only one game, but I think we're back on track." Boston, meanwhile, has been outscored 34-9 during its road skid. "So many things are not going our way right now," defenseman Zdeno Chara said. "We need that spark, that break. Sometimes that's all you need."
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:22 pm
pah! beating Boston is not a victory but an exersise...
nah, TO beat Carolina last night 4-1 ... heheheh.
Undefeated since the all-star break... (OK, it's only 2 games, but sounds impressive...)
Oh, sh!t , I just jinxed it, didn't I?....
nah, TO beat Carolina last night 4-1 ... heheheh.
Undefeated since the all-star break... (OK, it's only 2 games, but sounds impressive...)
Oh, sh!t , I just jinxed it, didn't I?....
Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:26 am
yes you are doomed. what are you looking to do at the trade deadline. got any veteran centers you'd like to give away?
Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:47 am
well, Peca is injured, but I really like him. And Sundin is ours! You can't have him!I have been poo-pooing Raycroft as not being THE MAN when it comes to making big saves. But the game agianst carolina and so far tonight against the Rangers (wow what a fast game!) he is proving my whining is but anal gas....
