10 games in 17 nights is enough to cripple any NHL team.
The hotels, charter flights, late-ins and late-outs are enough to exhaust a team.
The Buffalo Sabres have been living like rockstars this month, and they are no worse for the wear. Tonight, they invade Broadway-- a place that has been kind to them this season. Remember Drew Stafford setting up Danny Briere's top shelf OT game winner, earlier this month?
Seems like yesterday, doesn't it?
The cold hard truth is that when you are the NHL Hunted,you have an indellible bullseye painted on your back. You must do the serpentine: its always to hit a moving target on the battlefield.
Lindy Ruff and his Sabres have to keep on moving. They must stay ahead of the angry mobs that are chasing you and you can't stand still.
The Buffalo Sabres can see the finish line.
Their legs are on fire, their lungs are burining, however, they have one more leg to go before their mini-marathon is over.
Ten games in seventeen days in November, is enough to make any team scratch its head and as "was it something we said to the schedule makers" ?
The team has learned a lot about itself in the month of November.
The Sabres training room has resembles the triage unit at ECMC at times in the month of November, however, they've mainained continuity and consistency on the ice. They've suffered key injuries to:
Ryan Miller, Derek Roy, Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman, Max Afinogenov, Jochen Hecht, and the kids have more than earned their keep.
Where would the Sabres be right now, were it not for the derth of young, NHL-ready talent that they have marinading in the team culture down in Rochester?
The Sabres are a lustrous 18-3-2 after 23 games played.
The story inside the standings is that the Sabres continue to win with new faces in the lineup every night. Young and old have melded together to form the NHL's best team.
Remarkable!
Lesser NHL teams would have fallen from the penthouse to the outhouse by now,with all the drama. And understandably so.
How does a team lose a Vezina-candidate goalie, a Norris-candidate Dman, your other RoboCop Dman, Your Art Ross-candidate Russian Rocket, Your Selke-style Winger, and your topl lines' scrappy winger?
How do they not only remain competitive, but continue to dominate the Eastern Conference ?
This present streak for the Sabres has been a case study in drafting well, and then, cultivating the talent you have in your system.
Randy Cunneyworth and Mo Mantha should be commended for coaching their asses of in Rochester ! Without their hard work and dedication to the microscopic details, this Sabres squad would be in a ton of trouble right now.
Injuries notwithstanding, Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff know full well that when they reach into Rochester for help, they can expect a great result from the youngsters that are dispatched to the big team.
There has been no dip in play.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT !!
Drew Stafford, Danny Paille, Mike Ryan, Adam Dennis, Mike Funk, and Mike Card have been promoted to the Sabres squad, and they've all looked and played like they belong on the big club.
The Sabres are presently 6-3 on this present run.
They beat the Florida Panthers at home, 5-4 in OT on 11/10.
The next night, they beat the Flyers on the road,5-4 in OT.
Two nights later, they stormed into the RBC, and handed the Canes a 7-4 loss.
Two nights later, The Senators clipped their wings, 4-2 at home.
Two nights later, they handed Sid and Gino a 4-2 loss, on home ice.
The next night, on the road, they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Senators.
Two nights later, they tatooed Tampa, 7-2, at HSBC Arena.
Two nights later they lambasted the Leafs, 7-4 on home ice.
This past Friday night, Montreal tore their hearts out, and skated home with a 2-1 OT win.
The I-90 Express has been in full effect in the month November.
The Young Guns from Rochester are now on a first name basis with the toll takers and the sassy Starbuck's Baristas on at the Clarence rest stop on the NYS Thruway.
Take a look at the roster moves/call-ups since November 5th.
November 22 - Michael Ryan recalled from Rochester.
November 20 - Daniel Paille recalled from Rochester.
November 17 - Michael Funk recalled from Rochester; Card returned to Rochester.
November 16 - Dennis returned to Rochester.
November 15 - Stafford, Card and Dennis recalled from Rochester.
November 13 - Stafford, Card and Dennis returned to Rochester.
November 11 - Mike Card recalled from Rochester.
November 10 - Drew Stafford and Adam Dennis recalled from Rochester.
November 6 - Paille and Stafford returned to Rochester.
November 5 - Daniel Paille and Drew Stafford recalled from Rochester.
You want to be thankful for something?
Be thankful that your GM and coach have a symbiotic relationship with the coaches in Rochester. The Sabres and Ameks are the class of Pro hockey, and its only going to get better when the injuries get healthy.
*****
Jochen Hecht and Toni Lydman will miss tonight's game.
Look for their return, along with Derek Roy, against the Rangers at home on Friday night.
****
More later......
Garth
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