The Sabres will conclude an otherwise successful preseason segment this afternoon at 1:30 at SAP Arena in Mannheim.
Jhonas Enroth will get the net for the full game. Jochen Hecht will sit this one out with his bad bean. Hecht has been suffering from concussion symptoms and his status is being evaluated day to day. Hecht was hit in the head by Shaone Morrisonn in a Sabres practice in late August. Hecht has skated in a non-contact capacity the past four days.
Lindy Ruff and his coaching staff are pleased with the 4-1-1 preseason record of the Sabres.
Ruff has found success while rolling his four lines and rotating his seven D in this training camp. He's done so by mixing and matching vets with kids his his forward trios and D pairings.
The Sabres have gotten balanced scoring through the first five games. The new acquisitions, Ehrhoff, Leino, and Regehr, have looked rock solid. Ehrhoff leads the team in preseason scoring with 5 points in his 4 games. The vets--- Vanek, Pominville, Gaustad, Kaleta, Stafford, Myers, Leopold--- have contributed nicely at both ends of the rink. The kids have been great. Adam, Gerbe, and Ennis all have played well.
Special teams have been imnpressive. The PP (16.6%) and PK (86.4%) have been outstanding.
Miller and Enroth have been outstanding in the four by six, allowing 12 goals in six games. The team have scored 15. +3 goal differential.
Add it all up and it appears as though the Sabres are about to dart out of the starting gate with good health, excellent work habits, and a wealth of depth in talent. The one variable that thye Sabres bring to the table that most other teams lack is the braintrust behind the bench when you consider how Ruff, Patrick, and Adams positively reinforce the fundamentals. Having Teppo's eyes in the sky have been beneficial for the D corps.
Luke Adam is still in Buffalo camp and its looking like he will be staying put in Buffalo.
The Sabres have 14 forwards left in camp, including Adam, Matt Ellis, Brad Boyes, and Jochen Hecht. The injury to Hecht gives creates an opportunity for Adam as Buffalo only one extra body in camp, however, it looks like Hecht will not be available to play in the immediate future. Boyes returns to the lineup tonight after sitting out the last two exhibition games for the suspension he was handed for the head hit on Toronto's Joe Colborne.
The Sabres can opt to send Ellis to Rochester and keep Adam in Buffalo, or, they can send Adam to the Amerks and keep Ellis in Buffalo. Adam has earned the right to stick and stay in Buffalo. He thrives 5 on 5, plays PK, and is a playmaker on the PP. He has over-delivered in terms of his on ice and off ice development this Summer. The kid busted his ass and made a strong impression in rookie camp at Niagara University. He stuck around Buffalo, lifted weights and worked out in July and August. He wore the "C" and led histroops to the championship at the Traverse City Rookie Tourney.
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