Updated 7:45pm EDT:
Patrick Kaleta's road to redemption has been a smooth and eventful ride thus far.
He's only three games in to his back to the future tour with the Rochester Amerks, however, the early returns suggest that he's changing his game for the better. He's playing a regular shift and is contributing on the scorer's sheet, with a goal and an assist in 3 games played.
Kaleta scored his first goal of the season to give the Amerks a 1-0 lead. The goal was Kaleta’s first as an Amerk since December 13, 2007.
His ferocious penalty killing skills came in handy on Monday afternoon when in trademark PK mode, he correctly anticipated a Lake Erie D's breakout pass at the high slot, jumped it and then took it to the house. Kaleta put a move on Monsters goalie Calvin Pickard and scored into the yawning net.
Thank, Amerks.com
Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester D and C reported that Sabres GM Darcy Regier and head coach Ron Rolston were on attendance to watch The Amerks vs. Monsters Veterans Day matinee.
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Former Sabres netminder Martin Biron traded in his blocker and catching glove for an MSG microphone.
MSG Network announced Monday that the former Rangers goaltender will join Rangers broadcasts as an analyst. His first assignment comes Tuesday night when the Rangers play Devils.
Biron told the NY Daily News:
"
I'm going to try to keep it short, because I know it's been a challenge for me in locker rooms and in interviews, but when I'm on TV I'm going to try to get right to the point," the normally verbose Biron said on a conference call. "I'm very excited to join this group of professionals. Obviously being in New York over the past few years and being able to watch on TV, the work they do is some of the best, not only in the NHL, but across all sports. I'm really excited to be a part of it. To get started tomorrow night, you couldn't ask for any better than a Devils-Rangers matchup."
Biron will join former NHLers Anson Carter and Ron Duguay, as well as veteran hockey talkers Al Trautwig and Bill Pidto on the MSG Network's Rangers studio team and will make select appearances on the network's "Hockey Night Live."
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Updated 5:50 pm:
Terrible news for Steven Stamkos. He suffered a broken tibia and is now out indefinitely.
The all star will have surgery in Tuesday.
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Updated 2:40pm:
A truly frightening scene in Boston as Bolts’ super center Steven Stamkos left the arena on a stretcher with an unspecified injury.
The incident happened at with 7:11 remaining in the second period in the Veteran’s Day matinee between the Lightning and Bruins.
Stamkos rammed the near post after colliding with Bs D Dougie Hamilton.
Thanks, NHL.com
The Bolts are 12-4 and lead the Eastern Conference with 24 points. They have won 4 straight games. Losing Stamkos to a long term injury would be detrimental to the team's current success. He is their #1 center amd leading scorer. He leads the NHL in scoring with 14 goals and 9 assists.
The Lightning reported that Stamkos was taken to a local hospital for X-rays.
More news when it becomes available.
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Former Sabres D
Jordan Leopold will have surgery this week to repair an injury to his hands, and will be lost to the St. Louis Blues for two months, or more. Leopold hurt his hand in a 3-2 Blues victory over the Calgary Flames last Thursday.
Leopold suffered ligament damage in the knuckle on the pointing finger of his right hand. The Blues have said that he will be sidelined a minimum of two months. It is not known whether the injury was the result of a blocked shot or some sort of contact from a check in the defensive zone.
"He's going to be operated on this week, and we'll reevaluate him in two months and see how he goes," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after practice Monday.
"In eight weeks we'll take a reevaluation of the hand and go from there.
"He has a ligament issue, need to get it solved right now so that he's back playing during the season. We'll get him looked at here and have that operation done as quickly as possible, and then he'll get back playing in hopefully two months."
Thanks, Blues.com
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Suffice to say, Ron Rolston saw far too much of elite #1 and center ice men taking liberties and having their way with his to line. Tough times demand tough talk and tough actions. That’s why Rolston took drastic measures in Friday night’s bludgeoning at the hands of the Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks. Getzlaf torched the Sabres for 7 points in the two 6 goal explosions against the Sabres in the past four games. Getzlaf scored his first NHL career hat trick against Buffalo’s top line in the first period on Friday night. Rolston didn’t say so directly after today’s practice, however, he hinted that he’s tired of seeing his #1center Cody Hodgson and #1 left winger Matt Moulson and his former #1 right winger Tyler Ennis get tossed off pucks. That’s why Rolston Gorilla Glued the 26-19-63 line to the bench for the final 26:11 seconds of the bet-down in Anaheim. Blame Getzlaf for being so big, strong and skilled. Rolston doesn’t have player equal to Getzlaf, nor Perry, nor Penner, nor Kopitar, Richards, Thornton, Pavelski, or Couture on his current roster. Rolston and the Sabres got a full frontal view of some of the best centers in the NHl in their past four games, tree of which resulted in brutalizing losses.
On Friday night, Roslton threw in the proverbial white towel. He wanted his top line to push back and play heavy hockey against their behemoth Ducks to unit of Penner-Getzlaf-Perry. When it didn’t happen, Rolston rolled three lines the rest of the way after he benched Moulson-Hodgson-Ennis. Moulson spoke after today’s skate and said that he had a chat with Rolston about the benching.
Moulson told Buffalo Hockey Beat:
“Just to make sure we’re working,” Moulson said. “I think when you’re relied upon to produce in this league on a top line, obviously, you have to be the best line out there each game. Obviously, the staff didn’t feel like we were last game. I didn’t think we were. So move on.”
At Monday’s practice, Rolston scrambled his lines, and demoted Ennis back to second line center from first line RW. In his place, Roslton skated Ott with Hodgson and Moulson. Rolston wants sandpaper and jam to augment the skill of Moulson and Hodgson, so he promoted human sand blaster Ott to their wing.
Thanks, Sabres.com
Rolston’s frustration has been felt by the entire Sabres fandom for the past six months. The Sabres need a true #1 center to combat the skill and size of Stamkos, Tavares, Pavelski, Crosby, Makin, Bergeron, Sedin, Kesler, Giroux, Spezza, Toews, Couture, Bergeron, Getzlaf, Thornton, Krejci, Staal, O’Reilly, Stastny, MacKinnon, Richards and difference-making pivots of their ilk. The Sabres simply do not have a player of that stature, and have not had one in years.
Rolston should ask Regier to get him a hulking behemoth, true #1. Only problem is that all the good ones are spoken for.
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The Buffalo Sabres went back to work Monday morning after losing badly to Anaheim and Los Angeles, and, beating San Jose in the shootout on the three games Western roadie.
The Montrea Canadiens have the “EGG Line” (Eller, Galchenyuk, Gallagher).
Today, Ron Rolston debuted his “scrambled egg lines”.
Trios:
Moulson-Hodgson-Ott
Leino-Ennis-Stafford
Girgensons-Foligno-Flynn
Grigorenko-McCormick-Tropp
* Larsson and Scott were extras
Duos:
Ehrhoff-Pysyk
Tallinder-Myers
Zadorov-McBain
Weber-Ristolainen
News du jour:
· According to reports, Mike Weber’s broken thumb is healing and its possible that he can return to the Buffalo lineup for the home-and-home series with Toronto this weekend.
· Christian Ehrhoff is said to be ready to return to the lineup Tuesday night vs. Los Angeles.
· Curious move that the Sabres tweeted a pic of Joel Armia’s new locker stall and name plate. The rookie has been recovering from a broken finger. Is he ready to make his NHL debut this week?
More to come....
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