Military Appreciation Night

Updated:

The Buffalo Sabres will celebrate Military Appreciation night tonight.

The players will warm up in these camouflage sweaters, which will be auctioned off.

Here's @MMoulson's camo warmup jersey for tonight's game. #MilitaryAppreciation #PITvsBUF pic.twitter.com/UHe9pD8HZd

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 8, 2014

I'm inspired to share with you the heroic story of a Western New York native who risked his own life to save the lives of others during the Fort Hood shooting last Spring.

Army Major Patrick Miller is a Western New York native and a lifelong Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills fan.

He is a hero in the truest sense of the word.

Were it not for his selfless, heroic actions, many lives would have been lost on that day.

Major Miller was sitting in an office last April at Fort Hood when he heard gunfire and ran toward the danger. Major Miller was shot two inches below his heart, but somehow he was able to put pressure on his own serious wound and he kept moving the soldiers behind a door. He fought to survive. Major Miller did everything in his power to keep the shooter out of the office and he protected those around him.

Major Miller spoke with CNN's Poppy Harlow and described the moment he first confronted the shooter saying "when you see someone in the same uniform as you, the same American flag again on the right shoulder, my thought was to protect them."

Thanks, CNN

I'm proud to say that that Major Miller is one of my followers on Twitter. I look forward to the day that I finally get to meet him when I'll look him in the eye, shake his hand and thank him for defending the freedoms that my family, friends, neighbors, and community members hold near and dear to our hearts.

@RuffBuff81 Thank you for your service, sir.

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 8, 2014

To Major Miller and all other veterans, I say Thank You for your service.

***

The Buffalo Sabres blew a third period lead on Friday night. Frustration was the order of the day in the dying moments of the game.

Sabres center Tyler Ennis was frustrated and he crossed the line. Now, he may be disciplined by the NHL for it.

Ennis was cited for abuse of an official after the final horn had sounded on Buffalo's 3-2 loss to Edmonton on Friday night. He tapped the linesman with his stick as if to say "way to go, ref" while questioning an offiside call. That's a no-no, and Ennis knows it. Now he may be facing league discipline.

Ennis skated past Derek Nansen after an offside call and applied a stick tap to his hand.

Ennis was assessed a game misconduct, which is an automatic response for a player who deliberately applies physical force that could cause injury.

Rule 40.2 states:

Abuses of officials are reviewed by the NHL's Hockey Operations department rather than the Department of Player Safety.

A sub set of Rule 40 is Rule 40.4 Category III, which carries a minimum suspension of three games:

Rule 40 - Physical Abuse of Officials

40.1 Game Misconduct - Any player who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official, in any manner attempts to injure an official, physically demeans, or deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall receive a game misconduct penalty. In addition, the following (40.2, 40.3, 40.4) disciplinary penalties shall apply.

40.2 Automatic Suspension – Category I - Any player who deliberately strikes an official and causes injury or who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official with intent to injure, or who in any manner attempts to injure an official shall be automatically suspended for not less than twenty (20) games. (For the purpose of the rule, “intent to injure… shall mean any physical force which a player or goalkeeper knew or should have known could reasonably be expected to cause injury.)

40.3 Automatic Suspension – Category II - Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official in any manner (excluding actions as set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intent to injure, or who spits on an official,shall be automatically suspended for not less than ten (10) games.

40.4 Automatic Suspension – Category III - Any player who, by his actions, physically demeans an official or physically threatens an official by (but not limited to) throwing a stick or any other piece of equipment or object at or in the general direction of an official, shooting the puck at or in the general direction of an official, spitting at or in the general direction of an official, or who deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall be suspended for not less than three (3) games.

40.5 Automatic Suspension – Process - Immediately after the game in which such game misconduct penalty is imposed, the Referees shall, in consultation with the Linesmen, decide the category of the offense. They shall make a verbal report to the League’s Director of Hockey Operations and advise of the category and of the offense. In addition, they shall file a written report to the Director of Hockey Operations in which they may request a review as to the adequacy of the suspension. The NHLPA, the player and the Club involved shall be notified of the decision of the Referees on the morning following the game. The League will then hold a conference call with the NHLPA to review the Referees application of this rule, and will refrain from issuing public comment affirming the Referees application of Rule 40 until that call is complete.

The player or the officials may request the Commissioner to review, subject to the provisions of this rule, the penalty imposed by the Referees. Such request must be filed with the Commissioner in writing not later than seventy-two (72) hours following notification of the penalty.

If a review of the incident is requested by either the player, goalkeeper or by the officials, a hearing will be conducted by the Commissioner on an expedited basis, and best efforts will be used to provide a hearing before the second game missed by the player due to the automatic suspension imposed under this rule. The player’s suspension shall continue pending the outcome of the hearing by the Commissioner.

For Category III offenses only, the Commissioner may conduct the hearing by telephone. For Category I and II offenses, the hearing shall be conducted in person.

After any review as called for hereby, the Commissioner shall issue an order that:

(i) sustaining the minimum suspension, or

(ii) increasing the number of games within the category, or

(iii) changing to a lower category, or

(iv) changing to a lower category and increasing the number of games within this category, or

(v) in the case of a Category III suspension only, reducing the number of games of the suspension.

The penalties imposed under this rule shall not be deemed to limit the right of the Commissioner with respect to any action that he might otherwise take pursuant to Article 18 of the CBA

Source: The Score

***

If Ennis and a still unidentified Sabre are suspended, there will be a couple of Amerks heading to Buffalo.

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 8, 2014

***

Andrej Meszaros’ looked like a house hockey player on Boyd Gordon's GWG on Friday night. For the umpteenth time this season, the dazed and confused D couldn’t clear the puck, which allowed Teddy Purcell to hit Gordon for the dagger through the heart.

The Sabres held a 2-1 lead in the third period yet found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Nolan was annoyed and agitated about the Meszaros gaffe.

“Their last puck was a perfect example of how the whole game went,… Nolan said. “You stop and you chip it out at the blue line. It’s one foot away. You don’t try to backpedal and try to flick it out skating away from it like you’re afraid to get hit.…

The Edmonton Oilers attempted 85 shots on Michal Neuvirth on Friday night. Of those shots, 52 of them found their way to Neuvirth, and three of them made it to the back of the net. Sorry folks, the Oilers should not be taking 85 shots on a Buffalo goalie. No way. The Sabres are better than that, right? Not on Friday night they weren’t. Angry Sabres assistant captain Josh Gorges told me after the 3-2 loss that his team has to play better against a desperate opponent like the Oilers, who gave up three third period goals in Boston on Thursday night.

“They shot from the blue line. The goal line, the corner. They sent guys through traffic. To be honest, we should take a page from their (Oilers) book. You never know when you throw pucks to the net. Good things can happen. With the shots against, we’ve got to do a better job with the team that we’re playing and the situation that we are in…

Gorges praised the continued heroics of Michal Neuvirth and Jhonas Enroth for their net contributions. The proud NHL veteran placed all of the blame on the D and forwards for allowing the Oilers to tee-off on Neuvirth at will.

“Our goalie has been outstanding. Both of them. Its about time we start proving that we are better. We’ve got to lighten the work load for these guys. We’ve got to find a way to start playing more time down in the offensive zone…

I asked Gorges if it would help his team to practice their shooting and d-zone coverage. He took exception to my recommendation. Gorges doesn't buy it.

“Its not about practice. It’s a mindset. It’s a mentality. I don’t believe in two games in two nights “That’s a tired team…. I just don’t believe that anymore. Guys are in shape, they’re well-conditioned. You know, for us to think that was going to be a tired group. That’s an excuse on our part. It should never happen. We’re not coming in with the mindset tomorrow that “we played tonight so we’re tired…. That’s an excus. I think, like I said earlier, we’ve got to understand that each shift is important. Each battle on the boards is important. You are not gonna win all of them. You are not going to play a perfect game Its impossible. But, the mindset of “I’m gonna win every battle….. that’s your mindset. I’m gonna make every play. When something breaks down, I’m there to recover. These are the things that we have to change. Like I said, its not about practice. You don’t practice your mindset and your willingness that just comes from within. This is a game of mistakes and the team that makes the least of them usually ends up on top. But at the same time, the team that supports each other on those mistakes is usually the teams that ends up giving itself the chance to win. I’m going to make my fair share of mistakes, probably more than the next guy. I have to trust that Tyler Myers is there to help me and we have ti go in there to grind it out….

The Pittsburgh Penguins watched the Sabres-Oilers game from their hotel rooms on Friday night.

Think about this:

If Edmonton can throw 85 punches and land 52 of them, what will the Penguins do to the Sabres on Saturday night?

“When you don’t want to compete and you don’t want to fight for the puck, that’s what’s going to happen,… Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. “We went through this same song a number of times. The worst thing about it, we had a 2-1 lead. We made the biggest mistakes to give them the two goals to go ahead.…

Neuvirth nailed it in his postgame remarks:

“We got outworked, and they wanted to win more than us. Good for them, but we got to wake up. This can’t be happening, especially on home ice.…

Look for Jhonas Enroth to start on Saturday night.

If Nolan is wise, he will bench Meszaros and play Mike Weber or Tyson Strachan in his place.

As for the forwards, maybe its time for Cody Hodgson to watch a game from the press box.

***

More bad news for the Anaheim Ducks.

They have lost another D-man. They lost Ben Lovejoy, Mark Fistric and Bryan Allen in recent weeks.

This time, its their best defenseman Cam Fowler who was injured on Friday night. Fowler has a goal and 8 assists in 15 games played. He averages 20 minutes TOI per game. He kills penalties and is an integral part of the PP.

Fowler did not return to the game and his status will be updated today.

The Ducks have been scouting the Buffalo Sabres frequently in recent weeks and if the Fowler injury is one of a serious nature, look for the Tyler Myers trade rumors to intensify.

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