Stamkos Feels Sabres Fury (sabres)

sabres

Stamkos Feels Sabres Fury

By GARTH'S CORNER

Dec 6, 2014 • 11:40 am

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Updated:

Lose the game. Win the fights.

The Buffalo Sabres partied like it was 1996 all over again when they played Ted Nolan Strong in Tampa on Thursday night.

Steven Stamkos smashed a hostile hornets nest with his sniping stick and was swarmed as a result.

The Sabres entered the game owners of six wins in their last seven games. They were feeling good about themselves. Then, Stamkos and his Bolts came to play.

Life is all about making the right decisions. The goal is to eliminate making dumb decisions.

With his team winning 4-0 with 12:07 remaining in a one-sided laugher of a game between division opponents, Stamkos brain cramped on Thursday night when he took a two handed swipe at Sabres D Mike Weber in front of the Buffalo net.

Weber and his Sabres teammates took exception to the disrespectful stick swipe and rightfully retaliated with knuckles galore.

What the hell was Stamkos thinking? Leading 4-0 in a ho-hum third period, handle your business and get to the locker room with a "W".

Not Stamkos and his teammates Ryan Callahan and Victor Hedman. Perhaps they were still pissed off that the Sabres beat them 2-1 in the shootout on Tuesday night.

Moments after the gloves were picked up off the ice after the Stamkos stick swining incident, the Swedish D-man felt the need to crush Zemgus Girgensons with a way late, low brigge body check; Bad idea, Vic. Girgensons unleashed his Latvian Locomotive fury on the face and cranium of Bolts tough guy Cedric Paquette, who landed a one early, then later ate a full diet of Girgensons bombs.

Take a look at the 3rd period penalty sheet:

***

Per the Oilers' website:

Oilers General Manager Craig MacTavish will address the media on Friday morning to take questions from the media.

From the team's media release:

Edmonton Oilers General Manager Craig MacTavish will host a media availability tomorrow, December 5th at 9:00 a.m. at Rexall Place.

MacTavish will address the Oilers performance through 26 games and take questions from the media.

Eakins out?

Yakupov traded?

Eberle traded?

RNH traded?

Hall traded?

We will know more on Friday at Noon EDT.

Can't wait!

***

Uncle. Enough.

The Edmonton Oilers the NHLs most scrutinized, most criticized team right now. There have been tremors eminating from Oil Country for the past six weeks and it appears as though a seismic shift is destined to occur in Edmonton.

Oilers captain Andrew Ference blasted his teammates on Monday night. He likened the Oilers and their perpetual losing to the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result can be maddening.

A change has to occur. TSN’s Darren Dreger says that a culture change is looming.

Don’t count on head coach Dallas Eakins getting turfed, nor GM Craig McTavish, nor President Kevin Lowe.

MacTavish has been exploring the trade market for the past two months. He has assets in the form of young stars. At this point, no player, including Taylor Hall or Ryan Nugent Hopkins should be off limits to a trade.

The Oilers need to overhaul their pathetic blue line. They are also looking to add a top-two centerman, as well as a grinding bottom-six forward, and a new starting goaltender. Oiler trade bait includes: Jordan Eberle, David Perron, Nail Yakupov, Jeff Petry, Justin Schultz and Teddy Purcell.

Oilers trade chatter has featured the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers.

Its time for MacTavish to break out the shock paddles and scream "CLEAR!" at the top of his lungs. His Oilers are limp and lifeless. They need an electrical jolt of 220 volts to their collective heart in order to kick start it. If that means trading Hall, Eberle, or RNH who cares? They must be sick and tired of the anxiety, depression and stress that is by product of the constant losing that they have had to endure the past few seasons.

***

TSN's Pierre LeBrun is reporting that the Anaheim Ducks will be sending their super sophomore back to play the rest of his season iin the minors.

John Gibson is expected to play out the rest of the season with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League. Ilya Bryzgalov has been invited to Ducks camp on a PTO. Thus, Gibson has become the odd man out. I though Bryz was the "odd man", no?

Gibson and Frederik Andersen were battling for the #1 job when a groin injury sidelined the former Kitchener Ranger and Team USA star last month.

Gibson's future is bright. Right now, it appears as though the Ducks are concerned more about the present and past than the future. Hence, the Bryzgalov invitation, ala Marty Brodeur in st. Louis.

Bryz met with Anaheim media on Thursday and said that he hasn't skated in two months. He's been living in New Jersey, near Philadelphia.

"I hope it’s going be within 10 days. That’s the plan; as soon as possible. You never know how you’re going to feel the next day. I had a great workout today. There is lots of excitement. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow. I need to catch up because the team has already played lots of hockey. I don’t think it should take more than 10 days".

Bryz spent the first six and a half years of his career in Anaheim. He has great relationships with the guys that he won a Stanley Cup with in 2007.

"The last time I skated was during Minnesota’s training camp in October, so two months ago"

" I was driving home from Philly to New Jersey with my son, coming from a hockey tournament. My agent called me and asked what I was doing. He said maybe I should stop coaching if I still have a desire to play hockey. He told me Anaheim offered me a tryout contract and if I wanted to take it. I said That’s great. Let’s try because it’s a great opportunity. California is one of the best places on Earth."

**

The Anaheim Ducks aren't the only NHL team reeling from injuries to a thin blue line.

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that Zach Bogosian will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury. To make matters worse, oft-injured D Grant Clitsome is hurt again and will miss two weeks.

Bogosian's loss is a huge blow to Paul Maurice's blue line because he's their best defender. He has been skating 22:47 TOI per game. He has delivered 54 hits this season while chipping in 8 points. The Peg don't have another D of Bogosian's stature to plug into the gaping hole on its beat up defense.

Clitsome, when healthy this season, has skated 13+ minutes TOI per game.

Youngster Jacob Trouba will be counted on to play a bigger role and to absorb some of the minutes left behind by Bogosian. Toby Enstrom will see his minutes increase, too.

Adam Pardy, Paul Postma, Mark Stuart and Ben Chiarot make up the other 66% of the Jets' D corps, which is a huge concern.

If I'm Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, I may want to call his GM counterparts looking for a trade partner. The Jets enter tonight's action 8th in the Western Conference and 5-3-2 in their past 10 games with Bogosian in their lineup. The huge concern is their -3 goal differential. The Jets have scored 55 goals for while allowing 58 goals against, and that with Bogosian in their lineup. Without their best, most consistent D for the next six weeks, the odds are in favor of the Jets slipping in the standings.

Might the Jets be willing to Jets give up Evander Kane and a prospect in exchange for Tyler Myers?

**

The Anaheim Ducks made a minor trade today to add desperately needed D depth to their destroyed D corps.

They have acquired Colby Robak from Florida for Jesse Blacker and a conditional pick.

In 42 career NHL games, Robak has 25 PIMs and 3 assists.

Robak will join his new team in Minneapolis.

I'm told that the Ducks are still searching high and low for a top four D.

Got one?

***

Yesterday I wrote:

There is yet ANOTHER blue line crisis brewing in SoCal as recently acquired Eric Brewer will be lost for the next 4-6 weeks.

Brewer broke his foot in Anaheim's Monday night win over Boston.

Last Friday, the Ducks learned that Francois Beauchemon would be lost long term with a broken finger. Upon learning of the Beauchemin injury, Bob Murray shipped a third round pick to Tampa for the 34 year old Brewer.

So much for that austerity plan.

Bob Murray's blood pressure must be through the roof right now as he is stressing out about his back end.

The Ducks are desperate for good health with a capital "D".

Beauchemin is gone with his upper body deal. Clayton Stoner (mumps: might return tonight vs. Philly), Ben Lovejoy (broken finger) Mark Fistric (back/lower body), and now Brewer are all watching games from the press box and will be for some time to come.

Tonight in Philly, Bruce Boudreau will ice a D corps that consists of more young bloods than vets. Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Josh Manson, Mat Clark and, Stoner.

***

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