Rex Ryan Disses French Connection (Sabres Canucks Eichel Boeser Lehner 3 stars)

Sabres Canucks Eichel Boeser Lehner 3 stars

Rex Ryan Disses French Connection

By GARTH'S CORNER

Jan 29, 2018 • 7:48 pm

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Rex Ryan has proven himself to be a politician and a used car salesman, all rolled up into one.

Rex has mastered the art of telling people what they want to hear.

Remember back to January 2015 when Terry and Kim Pegula hired Ryan? The city of Buffalo rolled out the red , white and blue carpet for him.

Ryan was a shameless self promoter who promised #BillsMafia that his "Buddy Ryan Defense" would lead the Bills to a Superbowl championship. Typical Rex. Writing checks with his mouth that his posterior could not cash.

On the day he was introduced to the NFL and NHL addicted Buffalo fan base, Ryan sucked up to Bills and Sabres fans when he pronounced that he was no longer a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. Ryan said he had seen the errors of his ways. He wisely switched his allegiance to the Buffalo Sabres before #BillsMafia egged his cheesy Bills-themed pick up truck.

“I’m a (Buffalo) Sabre all the way right now,… Ryan said at his introductory presser.

Wise move, Rex.

Rex and former Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma used to compare coaching methods.

Terry and Kim Pegula would have definitely thought less of Rex had he continued to cheer for the hated Toronto Maple Leafs while under their employment.

On many a night, Rex and his brother Rob were often seen at Sabres home games. Hall of Famer Ed Reed also accompanied the Ryan Brothers to Sabres home games. The arena videographers fell in love with the Ryans and Reed. during TV timeouts, the trio were plastered all over the Jumbotron as they kissed babies, crushed beers, and woofed down nachos. All the while decked out in their vintage Buffalo Sabres sweaters. In fact, Rex and Rob wore Sabres sweaters with the name "Ryan" sewn on the back.

It seemed too good to be true.

I remember seeing the Ryans and Reed in the Sabres dressing room after games. The fans ate it up. Sabres supporters loved that Rex was a man of the Buffalo people.

Or so they thought.

The honeymoon ended quickly for Rex. The Pegulas fired Ryan just 23 months and 31 games into a five-year contract, in December 2016. Today, Terry and Kim Pegula are paying Rex Ryan to NOT come to work for Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Ryan was owed three years at $5 million per season. Parting should be painless, right?

On Monday, John Kryk of the Toronto Sun caught up with Rex Ryan by phone. Ryan finally made it to the Superbowl---- as an ESPN analyst. Rex was asked if he is still rocking his Sabres sweaters while cheering for his "beloved" Sabres.

“Oh no, I got rid of every one of them – every damn one of them,… Ryan said.

“As soon as I got fired by the Pegulas, I was like, no chance. I got rid of all my Sabres stuff. I had the (Roger) Crozier jersey, the French Connection jerseys … I got rid of every damn one of them.…

Hell hath no fury like a Sabres fan scorned, Rex. Sabres fans didn't do you dirty. Tossing the sweaters of Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin, Rene Robert and Roger Crozier in teh trash can?

Thems fightin' words, Rex.

In typical and predictable Ryan fashion, he has flip flopped back to being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

The Ryan boys and their parents lived in Toronto in the '70s. Rex continues to jump on and off the Leafs bandwagon.

“That’s what’s so funny,… Ryan said. “Obviously I’m still a huge Leafs fan, but I live here in Nashville, where the Predators play. So I have to root for the Preds. And I love the Preds. Watching them last year was great. They have a heck of a team.

“My dream scenario is I want to see those two teams meet in the final.…

Rex would have a decision to make: Fraudulently cheer for the Preds or stay true blue to his beloved Maple Leafs?

“I can’t say – I can’t say who I would root for,… Ryan said. “I guess I’d wear my Predators sweater in Nashville, and my Maple Leafs sweater in Toronto.…

Rex now has a man crush on Auston Matthews.

“I think so, yeah. Clark was really good – Wendel Clark. But this guy … The NHL has got a bunch of young guys that are great.

“Last year I went to a Leafs playoff game, when they were playing the Washington Capitals. That was a helluva series. But the biggest party of all time is gonna be when the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup. That would be the biggest dang party.…

Preds fans. Do me a favor. Next time you see Rex and Rob Ryan in your building rocking their Preds sweaters, mugging for the Jumbotron, smear some ketchup, relish and mustard on those hot dogs for me.

Be careful. Rex and Rob have been known to get physical with the fans.

Thanks.

___________________________________________________________________________

Stop me if you have heard this one before:

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathon Quick is banged up and has been placed on the injured list.

Quick has been placed on injured reserve by the Kings retroactive to January 24th.

It is not known if Quick will miss one game, two games,or three games.

In his last start on January 23 versus Vancouver, Quick was pulled after playing only 24:21 TOI. Quick allowed 5 goals against on just 19 shot attempts. That's a .737 save percentage. On January 21 versus NY Rangers, he played teh whole game allowing just 2 goals against on 21 shot attempts faced (.913 SV%).

For how long will Quick remain on IR? That remains to be seen. Suffice to say, Kings management is very concerned about Quick's latest trip to the injured list.

The Kings are currently tied for 8th place in the wild West and are not guaranteed a playoff berth. The Kings trail the Pacific Division leading Vegas Golden Knights by 11 points. Good luck making up 11 points on the gratuitously talented Golden Knights. The struggle is real for all division opponents of the Golden Knights. The San Jose Sharks (59 points), Calgary Flames (58 points), Kings (57 points) and Anaheim Ducks (57 points) are in the fight for their respective playoff lives. The Kings limped into the NHL All Star Game weekend with a wonky 3-7 record. The Kings have been struggling while Quick has been tending the bars.

When the All Star break ends on Tuesday, the Kings will be doing their dead level best hold their heads above water playing in front of their back up goalie>

How long will Quick be missing? What if he tries to come back to soon and re-aggraivates his chronic injury?

The Kings have recalled journeyman Jack Campbell from the AHL Ontario Reign to be the drummer in the rock-n-roll band while Quick recovers from what ails him.

A “nagging injury… forced Quick to opt out of the NHL All-Star game held this pst weekend in Tampa. To add insult to injury, Quick forefeited his share of the $1 million prize money that team Pacific won when they defeated Team Atlantic.

Quick, 32, has suffered a few serious injuries in the recent past. Quick played in just 17 games last season. He played in 68 games in 2015-16. The two time Stanley Cup champion has had a difficult time staying healthy. Age, plus wear and tear equals nagging injuries for Quick, who has started 39 games this season and is 20-17-2. He has a .921 save percentage and 2.44 GAA.

Veteran Darcy Keumper is 6-1 this season with a 2.07 GAA and .934 save percentage.

If Keumper fails to impress in quick’s absence, the Kings can opt to lean in Campbell.

After failing to live up to huge expectations, Campbell was traded to Los Angeles.

Campbell, 26, is a the 11th-overall pick in 2010 by the Dallas Stars. This season has been a revelation for Campbell who has led the Ontario Reign with a .920 save percentage in 22 games played.

The Kings also have an ace in the hole in the event their goaltending takes a nose dive in the absence of Quick.

Buffalo sabres fans remember Cal Petersen, their former 5th round draft choice. The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star opted to become an unrestricted free agent last summer rather than sign an entry level contract with the Sabres. Petersen selected the Kings as his team of choice. Petersen represented the Reign at the AHL All Star Game in Utica. In his first pro season, Petersen is 11-9 with a .913 save percentage and 2.60 GAA.

Petersen shared the Top Goaltender award with the Providence Bruins goalie Jordan Binnington, as each turned aside 16 of 18 shots in other The All Star Game. Petersen made history in the AHL Live Rapid Fire, becoming the fifth goaltender ever to stop all 10 attempts.

The Kings also recalled Jonny Brodzinski and Paul LaDue as expected. The Kings take on the Dallas Stars tomorrow night, before heading to Nashville for a game against the Predators.

**

Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser, Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel and Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending January 28.

First Star- Brick Boeser, Vancouver Canucks

Boeser earned MVP honors at the NHL All-Star Game. Boeser also won Saturday's NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and also scored two goals in two contests earlier in the week with the Canucks (19-24-6, 44 points). Participating as the only rookie in the weekend All Star festivities in Tampa. Boeser scored the winning goal in the Pacific Division's semifinal victory against the Central Division and added A goal and an assist in their win over the Atlantic Division in the final. Boeser became the second rookie to win NHL All-Star Game MVP honors, following Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux in 1985. Prior to that, Boeser won Saturday's Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and $25,000 by hitting all five targets in 11.136 seconds. Earlier in the week, he scored two goals in Vancouver's 6-2 victory against the LA Kings before being held off the scoresheet in a 4-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The 20-year-old North Dakota University product leads all NHL rookies and shares seventh overall with 24 goals in 46 games this season (24-19-43).

Second Star- Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres

Eichel led the NHL with 2G,3A in three games to push the Sabres (14-26-9, 37 points) to their best week of hockey oftheir disappointing season. Eichel scored his third career OT goal in a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames last Monday. Eichel then scored a goal and three assists in his third career four-point performance, in a 5-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers Last Tuesday before being held without a point in a 4 0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks last Thursday. The 21-year-old North Chelmsford, Mass., native - who added 1-2-3 (2 GP) Sunday in his NHL All-Star Game debut - paces Buffalo with 20G,20A in 49 games this season. Eichel is the fourth player in Sabres history to reach the 20-goal milestone in each of his first three seasons, joining Gilbert Perreault, Richard Martin and Thomas Vanek.

Third Star- Buffalo Sabres

Lehner registered shutouts in each of his two appearances, stopping all 63 shots he faced to help the Sabres complete their first three-game winning streak since February 14-18, 2017 (3-0-0). Lehner made 33 saves in earning his seventh career shutout in a 5-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Lehner then denied all 30 shots against in a 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks. In doing so, Lehner became the first Buffalo tendy to post consecutive shutouts since Ryan Miller did it February 29 - March 1, 2012. The 26-year-old Gothenburg, Sweden, native owns an 11-18-6 record with a 2.87 GAA, .912 save percentage and three shutouts in 37 outings this season.

Thanks, NHL PR

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