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Sabres power forward Chris Stewart was in midseason form on Friday night. The medically rehabbed and rejuvenated power forward was Buffalo’s best forward in the 6-4 loss to the hated Toronto Maple Leafs.
What was most to impressive to me us that Stewart dragged his teammates into the battle. They responded with a gritty, spirited 60 minute effort. If Friday night was a preview for the coming attractions, the movie of the 2014-15 season will be a thriller. Stewart will compete for best leading actor.
Stewart played like a man who wants a golden "A" sewn over his heart.
Stewart scored twice, and nearly popped home a rebound for his hat trick late in the third period. He skated 14:02 TOI and was a beast in all three zones. Talk about leadership. The energized and engaged big man was a one man wrecking ball all game long. He hot everything that moved in a white sweater. He pounded young Sam Carrick and put to bed any fears that his ankle injury was healed.
“Yeah, hopping puck there at the end. That’s something I worked on, in the offseason I worked on my speed. I thought I showed it in spurts tonight….
Stewart told me that he’s very encouraged at the effort and enthusiasm that his teammates showed against the Leafs.
“Its only preseason, but its good to get off on the right foot. Its definitely important. You put it (6-4 loss to Leafs) behind you and you come back tomorrow and come to work…
Stewart told me that he liked the way that his team pushed back when they were down by two goals. They refused to be pushed around by the Leafs and answered the bell with four fights in the game.
“I think so, for sure. I was only here a short time last year, but when we’d get down a couple goals it was like a feeling like “here we go again…. I thought tonight we battled for sixty minutes. I was really impressed by Tyler Myers. I like seeing the big man get upset there, showing some emotion and sticking up for himself. That’s great to see.
“It was really great to feel the energy in the building. Nice to see 3 or 4 fights in the game…
“Anytime you play a team that is in your division its going to be a big game, whether its exhibition or whatever. With us (Buffalo and Toronto) being so close, the emotions definitely run high."
If you think the Sabres are going to run from adversity and say "woe is me" when things go wrong, you've got another thing coming.
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Terrible news about former Sabres D-man Hank Tallinder. The 35 year old vet is attending Leafs camp on a camp tryout looking to nail down their seventh D job. Tallinder suffered a dislocated shoulder when he collided with Mike Weber and tumbled headlong into the zamboni door.
He will be lost for some time. No exact timetable was given.
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.@Cstew_80 celebrates one of his two goals tonight. (@BWipp) #SabresLeafs pic.twitter.com/CJwdqqK4U7
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) September 27, 2014Whenever the Leafs blow into Buffalo, there is always a special kind of electricity in the barn. The atmosphere inside First Niagara Center was abuzz on Friday night. The War Of The Queen’s Way resumed with both teams locked, loaded, and ready to scrap for every inch of ice. There were four punch-in-the-face-contests to satisfy the sell out crowd's insatiable thirst for controlled mayhem, and there were a dozen or more bone-crunching body checks.
Oh, by the way, there were 10 goals scored, too.
Chris Stewart opened the scoring at 8:333 with helpers from Marcus Foligno and Tyler Myers. Then, Roman Polak tied the score at 9:58. Later, Tyler Bozak beat Mike Weber to the slot and deposited a beauty behind Michal Neuvirth. At 16:04, moments after a spirited fight with Drew Stafford, Dion Phaneuf gave Toronto a two goal lead at 16:04. Then, Mitchell answered with his second of the game on a nifty play after Torrey Mitchell won the o-zone draw. Stewart beat Reimer five hole to cut the Leafs lead to 3-2 after twenty minutes of play.
At 2:05 of the second period, Leo Komarov restored Toronto’s two goal bulge with a nifty goal. Rookie Jake McCabe cut the lead to 4-3 when he went high cheese on Reimer with a twisted wrister from the left point. At 18:18, Polak sent the Leafs to their room with a 5-3 lead.
In the third period, Josh Leivo's PPG put the game out of reach.
Cody McCormick scored to make it 6-4.
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My takeaways:
• Stewart wasn’t kidding when he proclaimed himself in the best physical shape of his career. The guy was the best player on the ice for both teams. His 6’3 235 lb. frame was flying all over the ice. When he wasn’t scoring he was pounding the snot out of Leafs rookie Sam Carrick.The elder Stewart patted the kid on the back and asked him if he was ok after the fight. The sign of a true pro. To me, Stewart looks like a man on a mission to prove to the NHL, and his former head coack Ken Hitchcock that he belongs in the conversation as one of the best power forwards in the NHL.
• Jake McCabe is only 20 years old, however, he plays with the polish and poise of a 25 year old veteran. The Wisconsin Badger is playing like a man who wants a top 6 D job in Buffalo this season. He skates like the wind, pays strict attention to his end of the rink, supports the offense, blocks shots and is always in his correct position in his own end. He has an NHL slapper and wrister. He and Rasmaus Ristolainen look to me to be keepers in Buffalo, which means that Nikita Zadorov is destined for OHL London. The Sabres sent Chad Ruhwedel back to Rochester before Friday night’s game.
• Marcus Foligno’s surgically repaired shoulder appeared to be none worse for the wear as he buried a few Leafs with thundering checks on the walls. Marcus played the majority of last season with an injured shoulder which dramatically impacted his offensive and defensive dexterity.
• Cody McCormick is back where he belongs in Buffalo. The burley winger/center landed ttwo heavy shots to the temple of David Clarkson in the third period. Cody hold opponents accounbtable and doesn’t shy away from the heavy game. Like Stewart, he’s a Ted Nolan type of player. Cody won't toe drag and dangle. That's not his game. However, he will stick up for teammates, finish checks, create energy, block shots and provide solid penalty killing.
• Michal Neuvirth allowed the first 4 Toronto goals on just 8 shots against. He allowed 5 goals on 12 shots through two periods of play. Only two of the goals could be blamed on his teammates. Neuvirth looked shaky from the get go and wasn’t prepared to compete from the very beginning of the game. Frankly, I'm not impressed.
• Mike Weber was minus 30 last season, and was on the ice for all three Leafs goals in the first period, all even strength markers. How can Weber dig himself out of the hole that he is trapped in with McCabe and Ristolainen playing inspired, supremely confident hockey ahead of him on the Buffalo depth chart? Weber may find himself the seventh D if he doesn’t get his confidence back, and soon.
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The Sabres are getting serious about their lineup. Tim Murray has made 11 cuts in advance of tonight's tilt with the Maple Leafs. 38 players: 21 forwards, 12 defensemen and five goaltenders.
Forwards Justin Bailey (Kitchener, OHL) and Brendan Lemieux (Barrie, OHL) were returned to juniors. Each player will be better for having competed hard at Sabres rookie camp and at Traverse City's prospects tourney.
The following players have been assigned to the Amerks:
Forwards:
Luke Adam (pending waivers) William Carrier Daniel Catenacci Colin Jacobs Justin Kea Jordan Samuels-Thomas Kevin Sundher Philip Varone
Defensemen:
Brady Austin Jerome Leduc Chad Ruhwedel.
None of these moves surprise me, especially Luke Adam. I'm thinking that the former AHL Rookie of The Year has seen Buffalo for the last time. He failed to impress Tim Murray and Ted Nolan as a center. He's best suited to play the AHL game right now. One wonders if he'll be claimed off waivers by Edmonton, Calgary, or Carolina. With Jordan Staal's surgically repaired broken ankle at the top of Ron Francis' mind, the Canes GM may want to claim Adam for a veteran, two-way center.
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