What is it about playing inside HSBC Arena as a Flyer that brings out the best in former Sabres?
Last season, Danny Briere tazered the Buffalo crowd with his now famous Shootout winner in his second trip back to Buffalo following his departure to Philadelphia the previous July. Who can forget the time that Jaro Spacek blistered Danny on the halfwall in his first trip back?
Friday night was Marty's turn. It was Marty's Party. The crowd cheered him loudly from the warm-ups to the final horn. Marty etched an indellible smile on the collective heart of the his loyalists from Western New York straight up the QEW. Marty is a hard act to follow, he's the clsoest thing to former Buffalo Bill QB Frank Reich that Buffalo will ever come to know.
All due respect to Danny, but Biron's Buffalo roots run deeper having played in Buffalo for more seasons. As a young man, he endured the best of times, and the worst of times. Through it all, he always had a smile on his face.
Thats Marty. Thats why we love the guy.
On to the game.
I will not hammer on the Sabre forwards for not burying chances into yawning nets. I will not indict two veteran Dmen for allowing Hartnell to exit the box, pick up a pass and streak in on Miller for the game winning goal. I will not lambaste the Sabres for being 9-10 on the season, good for 8th place in the East. Sure, they've lost 4 straight, but who cares.
You can try to bait me. It ain't gonna work. On some nights, I might toss the mitts and have at it. Not now. I refuse to bury the lead.
I choose to take the high road. I will accentuate the positives.
Don't hate. Congratulate.
This is Marty's Party. He earned it.
After his 3-0 shutout, I caught up to him in the Philly room. Per usual, he was unwrapping the 36 rolls of clear tape that he wraps his legs with before each game. This is Marty's ritual. He has a plastic fetish. Doesn't matter where he plays, he has to have his plastic security blankets around each leg. It sure worked to his advantage in Buffalo. He stopped all 40 Bufflo shots. You get dizzy watching him unfurl the super highway of unidirection bonding strip from his legs. Heaven forbid you roll your tape recorder. In playback mode, the best Marty interviews I've ever conducted have been distorted by the noise and racket. Its like a damn Jimi Hendrix concert. You learn to appreciate the noise. I know better than that now. Tonight, the recorder went on when Marty stood up in his stall, There he stood, surrounded by all his old friends.
Smile beaming like the Big Dipper, the philosopher kings spoke:
"There is always going to be something special about coming back and playing here. I walk in, see the security guy, the maintenance guy, the TV guys, the reporters and people like that. Its always fun. these people have been my friends for many years and I like coming back so that I can see them again. You know, I wish we came back more often. We're here twice this season and this was one of those times".
Most jocks say things they don't mean. Not Marty Biron. He's a thinking man's hockey player. He's honest, compassionate, and genuinely interested in people besides himself. He's in touch with the guys in his room. He has time for everyone in the building, whether its an intern, the mailman, the zamboni driver-- matters not to Marty. If you have time, he'll stop and talk. Thats his blessing.
The room becomes a better place when Marty Biron is in it.
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I asked Marty if Danny Briere has to stay home on future roadies to Buffalko, seeing as how Philly shutout the Sabres with #48 on the shelf.
After the laugher died down, he quipped: " I'd like to have him on the team, you know we'd like to have Danny back definitely. When the team is going the way it is, it gives him the chance to takes his time and make sure he's 100%. "
Will there be any phone calls being exchanged between Marty and Danny to talk about the shutout at HSBC Arena?
"He may call me, but I'm not going to answer.... (laughter)......I'm might call him when we get on the bus".
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I had forgotten that Marty is an avid hockeybuzz.com reader. I love that he loves this site.
"I come on all the time to see what you are saying about the Buffalo guys. Its how I keep up with them"
Alright "Mr. 3-0 Shutout". Prove it.
"When you call Vanek "HDTV" its true. He is high definition!"
This season, I've gotten in the habit of referring to Thomas Vanek as "HDTV", as in. "High Definition Thomas Vanek". This because I've seen his maturation and I'm impressed with the way that he is defining and applying his NHL skills.
Marty agrees. He's seen the kid since he arrived in Buffalo from the U of Minnesota.
"He's a smart player. I mean, he ahd a lot of chances tonight. He made some smart plays, some great passes... he's got great vision, great hands, he's tough in front of the net on 5 on 3's--- he's standing there and he's blocking your view. He's a good player. He's the leading goal scorer in the NHL and there's a reason for it. He'll dominate the NHl in goal scoring for many many years".
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Vanek is not the only guy that Marty still admires in the Buffalo room:
"They have so many smart players. Van, Pommer, Jochen, Roysie, Staff, ya know... those guys.. Pie-sie, MacArthur. They are smart players. "
Who stood out to Marty in Buffalo?
"Manacari. That kid played really well and he created scoring chances on the 5 on 3. He's got a bullet for a shot, a little bit like Kotalik when he's set up outside there. I think it wa sa challenge to have a guy taht nobody really knew , with what he was able to bring to the game. There was not a scouting report on him really, just what you see is what you get."
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Did Marty ever envision a road shutout against his former team?
" Offensively they create da lot, but we were allowed to limit the amount of great chances, especially early on, which is a key part of our game to get our legs underneath us. We were able to do that .
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