|
Miller Thriving. Howard Struggling |
|
|
|
|
|
Drew Miller feels for his brother Ryan.
Its easy to salute and to praise Ryan Miller’s resolve and his competitive spirit. Despite all odds being stacked against he and his young, re-grouping Sabres team, Ryan is playing at the top of his game. Its not lost on Drew.
“I thought he played well. I don’t watch every one of his games, but, I watch a lot of his highlights in the morning and he’s making great saves. Fifty shots a night? Its tough to win or not give up a goal. He’s doing well. Its unfortunate, the situation, but, I think that he’s trying to make the most of it”
Dean Miller, Ryan and Drew’s father, coached his two sons to compete until the bitter end. No matter what the scores is or the consequences. Drew says Ryan is doing just that in this, the most challenging, emotional season of his professional career.
“You’ve got to work hard and have to do what got you in the situation. Myself especially. But I think when you watch Ryan, and the way he is off the ice, on the ice during practice. He works hard off the ice and he finds success.”
Drew told me that he admires how Ryan continues to battle for his teammates.
“For sure. He’s been making big saves and making hard saves look routine. He did it again tonight. That’s what you ask of your goalie. Night in and night out to give yourself the chance to win. Its big for him to be able to do that”.
In the early stages of the first period, Drew nearly broke in all alone on his bro. A Detroit D lobbed a high knuckler in the air to a streaking Drew Miller at the Buffalo blue line. Drew grabbed the pass while rushing headlong at Ryan. The ref tooted his whistle to kill the breakaway. Offsides. Whisteled dead.
“It was hard for me to play the puck out of the air and stay onsides at the same time. I think it looked closer than it really was. It would have been fun to get a chance on him. There was a little more chatter between us tonight than usual when we play against one another. Its all in good fun”.
The Miller Brothers are as close as two siblings can be. Its nice to hear that Drew has had and will continue to have Ryan’s back during these dark days in Buffalo.
After the game, Ryan and his wife Noureen Dewulf had a nice reunion in the hallway outside the home and visiting team locker rooms. The Miller Brothers shared time together. They smiled., shared good natured ribbing of one another.
Empathy. Compassion. Respect. Brotherly Love.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks, sabres.com
_______________________________________________________________________
Ted Nolan's team is getting off to better starts than theyhad been in the Ron Rolston era. For the second game in a row, the Sabres scored first and took a lead into the room after the first period. Problem being, they cannot find a way to tack-on insurance goals. The Sabres are having a tough time manufacturing goals.
Darren Helm tied the game in the second period. Johan Franzen scored the GWPPG with six and change remaining in the third period. Daniel Alfredsson added the ENG to seal the deal.
Nolan likes the effort, and says that he has to work on his team's "mindset" as it pertains to scoring insurance goals, and lighting the lamp more than one timel per game.
Thanks, sabres.com
_______________________________________________________________________
There are scouts from 13 different teams in the press box tonight.
St. Louis, Los Angeles, Winnipeg, Boston, Columbus, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Chicago, Colorado, Philadelphia, and Detroit are represented.
I'm guessing that the Blues and Kings are keeping tabs on Ryan Miller.
***
Team Finland's U-20 head coach Karri Kivi is also taking in the game. He watched Joel Armia and Rasmus Ristolainen play in Rochester this weekend.
Team Russia's Nicolai Borochevsky is also watching tonight's game. Presumable, he's taking notes on Mikhail Grigorenko for Russia's IIHF World Junior Championships team.
_______________________________________________________________________
Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock wants to see more consistency and wins from his starting goalie Jimmy Howard, who’s record is 5-7-6 with a 2.72 GAA and a .908 save %. These are decent number by some NHL standards. Babcock demands more from Howard.
The Red Wings lost in Ottawa on Saturday night with Howard in the cage. On Sunday, Babcock parked Howard in lieu of backup Jonas Gustavsson, who after the 3-1 win in Buffalo, is now 5-0-1 with a 2.35 GAA and a .926 save %.
Sunday night’s result was more to Babcock’s liking.
Before the 3-1 win in Buffalo, Babcock tweaked Howard when he said:
“We haven’t been good enough. Even last night (Saturday in Ottawa). I thought we had the puck the whole first period, and we find a way to be down 2-1. The bottom line is the puck can’t continue to go in our net.”
Before Sunday’s game, Babcock was asked if Gustavsson was always the go-to guy against Buffalo. Babcock confirmed it. Then added:
“But, I mean, bottom line is somebody’s gotta grab it. You gotta grab it and get yourself on a roll.”
“We expect Howie to be a star,” Babcock said. “We expect that each and every night. All you gotta do is look at our team record. It hasn’t gone as good for him, but I think we’re in that all together. When you’re real organized in your own zone, it’s way easier for your goaltender to play real well. But I also think when you start pressing as an athlete and worrying about things you shouldn’t worry about, things don’t go your way.”
Sounds like Babcock is sending Howard a message: Get better, quickly. Or else.
After the 3-1 win in Buffalo, Babcock likened the current situation in the Wings’ net to that of the time when Howard used to spell Chris Osgood. When he was too inconsistent for Babcock.
“Let’s be honest, “Howie” (Howard) is one of the best goalies in the world. It hasn’t gone the way he’s wanted here a bit for him. Probably pressing a bit. Give him another day breather. As “Howie” goes, we go. Let’s not kid ourselves. We need him going, but if “Gus” can buy time. I remember in the old days when “Howie” bought (Chris Osgood) almost half a winter one year.”
Howard better pick his game up, and soon. Not only does Babcock want more consistency out of him, Team USA also wants to see more out of him.
Pressure. The great motivator.
Thanks, Freep.com
______________________________________________________________________
Join the Discussion:
»