The last time the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks hooked up was back in October in Buffalo. It was at that point in time that former Sabres head coach Ron Rolston had one foot on a patch of black ice and the other on a banana peel.
John Tortarella was experiencing the euphoria of coaching a new team in a new conference. The mutual admiration society between Torts and the Couver fans was in full effect. The Nucks pumped the Sabres 3-0.
Roberto Luongo was the winning goalie for the Canucks and Ryan Miller for the Sabres; both have since been traded.
My, so much has changed since October 17.
Both organizations have suffered through some miserable stretches of play on the ice. Off-ice distractions have also been plentiful for both clubs.
There hasn't been a dull moment in Buffalo or Vancouver since these two teams last played on October 17 in Buffalo.
For the Sabres, Rolston was fired, as was Darcy Regier. Pat LaFontaine was hired, and then resigned. Ted Nolan was hired as the interim head coach. Miller, Steve Ott, and Matt Moulson have been traded.
In Vancouver, the love affair with Torts came to an abrupt crossroads right around the time that he tried to fight his way into the Calgary Flames locker room. He was suspended. The team struggled mightily. Roberto Luongo was benched for the Heritage Classic after bringing his second Olympic gold medal back to Vancouver from Sochi. Eddie Lack was given Luongo’s starting job. Ryan Kesler demanded a traded. The Sedin’s have struggled. Daniel was injured, as were several other key contributors. The Canucks had forgotten how to light the lamp.
Jeesh, this is exhausting.
The Sabres killed a seven game losing streak with a 3-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. They have been idle since then. Michal Neuvirth and Jhonas Enroth are injured so Nolan brought started different goalies in each of rookie Nathan Lieuwen and Matt Hackett on the western roadie with the team and both have performed exceptionally well in their Sabres’ debuts. Hackett made 35 saves in the win in Edmonton on Thursday night. Lieuwen was Buffalo’s best player in his first NHL start in Calgary earlier this week. It wasn’t his fault that the forwards and D fell asleep at times in front of him and failed to give him goal support. Abbottsford, BC native Lieuwen will get the net tonight in front of his family and friends in his boyhood backyard. Lieuwen grew up cheering for the Canucks, now its his job to beat them head-to-head. I'm a big fan of Lieuwen's, having seen his progression hrough the past few Sabres Prospects camps. I was really impressed with his overall play at the 2013 Travrse City Tourney, where the Sabres kids lost to the Red Wings' kids last September. Lieuwen is a big, athletic kid with great mobility and a tremendous compete level. I love his humility, persistence and his wide-eyed enthusiasm. Its exactly the tonic that this Sabres team needs right now. Hackett has always impressed me since I first saw him play in the OHL. He's athletic, intense and driven to succeed. The Sabres would be wise to keep Neuvirth on the shelf and play Lieuwen and Hackett for the rest of their games this season. Its a great time to find out how ready Lieuwen and Hackett are to make the next step to the NHL.
"It's incredible. Obviously The past week has been a whirlwind for me but this is just pretty special. [Vancouver] were my team growing up so it will be cool to play in this building." Lieuwen said after Saturday's practice.
Thanks, Sabres.com
Torts and the Canucks need these two points in the worst way as they are in a battle for their playoff lives.
"Vancouver is one of those teams desperate for points so they are going to come at us hard and we have to make sure we come out ready," coach Ted Nolan said.
The Canucks have been dreadful at the center ice position ever since Sedin and Kesler left the lineup with injuries. The scoring has dried up, as have the chances. The Canucks are paper-thin organizationally at the center position and have been playing center-by-committee.
Torts will get a huge shot in the arm when Daniel Sedin will make his return tonight from injury. Ryan Kesler will be a game-time decision. Sedin and Kesler would sure add a lot of juice to the Canucks offense which has been in sleep mode since the two Olympians left the starting lineup. should provide a boost to the Canucks' hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"We've been working extremely hard. You can tell by watching the games," Daniel Sedin said. "If we keep that going, we're going to get our share of wins."
The Canucks are coming off of a 2-0 win against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday and are seeking their second straight win. They haven't won back-to-back games since January 18-21 and have dropped five points behind the Phoenix Coyotes, who own the second wild-card playoff position in the Wild Wild West.
Former Sabres agitator Zack Kassian is preaching patience and points.
"We definitely aren't counting ourselves out. We have a group in here that's not going to give up and we're taking it a game at a time and our next task is against Buffalo," forward Zack Kassian said. "It's a big two points. We can't afford to lose any more hockey games."
Cody Hodgson would love nothing more than harpoon the whale in the city where he started his NHL career.
Thanks, Sabres.com
The Sabres are loosey-goosey and playing with confidence right now. The Canucks are gripping their Vapors so tight that there is composite saw dust all over the ice. They need wins in the worst way, or else they'll be golfing and cleaning out there lockers in the next three weeks.
How great will it be to see the Sabres kick the Canucks and spoil their plans for a postseason bid. Take two points tonight, boys.
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Cory Conacher enters tonight’s game on fire. He scored his first two goals as a Sabres in Edmonton. He also assisted on Drew Stafford’s goal. ***
Props to Nikita Zadorov for his four point night on Saturday night!
Zadorov scored twice and added two helpers in London's 6-3 win over the Windsor Spitfires in the first round of the OHL playoffs.
Zadorov and the Knights now lead the series 2-0.
Nikita scored 11 goals and added 19 helpers in 36 games with the Knights during their regular season. He also had 43 PIMs.
There is nothing stopping this kid from becoming a dominant NHL D-man right now. He's got the size, skill, snarl, and compete level be a top pair D next season in Buffalo.
Its entertaining to watch his game grow and his confidence soar.
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