There is a real sense of concern in Buffalo. Well there should be.
Ryan Miller hit the nail on the head:
The defensive zone faceoff loss with 35 ticks left on the clock in the second period was a foreshadow of things to come for Buffalo in the third period. Goose was waived, MacArthur lost the draw, and the bad vibes reverberated.
You had to know that Toronto would tighten up their D and play a solid trap in the third. They did.
Buffalo had two glorious PP opps in the third. They were all Swedish...
NO FINISH!
Sabrs are shutout for the third time in its first 15 games this season.
Whats more galling about this loss is the fact that the Leafs had allowed goals going into this game-- four per night.
"Thats a frustrating kind of game. To give up a faceoff goal is inexcusable. We have to know our assignments and get on them there. It started things off in a bad direction", Miller dejectedly told the horde of US and Toronto media up in his grille after the game.
Inexcusable? A harsh assessment?
No. Miller has been demanding more from his team in recent games, namely scoring first and playing better team D.
His team is regressing in the fundamentals, and it is a concern.
"We had some breakdowns---- I don't even want to talk about the system. We played better. But, there's moments that we just don't and thats not good".
It isn't as if the Sabres did not compete tonight. They had shots on Raycroft, however, the Toronto D and forwards blockd 20 pucks from getting threw. I personally counted four posts and to crossbars hit by Buffalo. They had their chances, per usual. They just can't bury them. THATS what's eating Ryan Miller.
" Raycroft made a lot of great save.How many post did we hit? Thats just the way things are going. Eventually, they are going to go our way. Right now, its hard not to be pissed off!"
Buffalo cannot buy a goal these days-- Nathan Paetsch missed an oen net in the first, and fired a close-in shot of Raycroft's inside blocker. Are the Sabres scorers cursed?
"Seems to be trending that way the last three games', Miller said.
"We got two the other night-- in a tight game-- and it took overtime to get it. Really, one goal in regulation-- you can argue that we played better dfensively, but, we have to find the medium where we're better on offense and we're responsible on defence. Thats all we ever wanted was us to be responsible of defence. We'll find the right mix eventually. But, its a tough time to be finding yourself when you've got six more divsion games in a row....."
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Toronto Coach Paul Maurice was impressed by his team's performance in Buffalo. They earned a rare road win in a building that they cannot win in.
" I liked, believe it or not, our start, until the two powerplays. The shots got blown out of proprion (in Buffalo's favour on the two PPs). There was about a seven minute stretch there in the second period, when there wasn't a whistle, and it was just up and down, so the game opened up. i really liked our third. We had to huge (penalty) kills. Our golatender was spectacular when he needed to be. We rolled four lines right to the four minute mark of the thrid period. It was a game where everybody played. Our first unit powerplay wasn't fantastic, but, our second unit got as good a look as we've gotten in a long time-- from Antropov to Blake. And, we blocked alot of shots (20 to be exact) when we needed to. I feel like we did a far better job in our neutral zone than we did in the offensive zone. We did go in with a mindset to this game, based on the last one when we came in here, I think they had 30 chances to score and I think when you take out their powerplays and some of the rush, we were there. They put a lot of pucks to our net, and Andrew was good with some in-tight deflections for us".
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Tomas Kaberle was all smiles as he finished off his La Nova pizza slice in the Leafs room after the game.I asked what the difference was tonight.
" For sure, we played better that last time in here! We know they have a fast team, so it was important for us to stay in inside positionall the time. They had chances, but so did we, I thought we were a solid team tonight and thats why we won."
Kaberle praised the play of Andrew Raycroft.
" We just had to make sure that he could see all the shots. As defensive guys, its our job to get pucks to the corners and out. We did a great job on PK also".
I asked TK, to candidly assess for me whether or not he could sense the loss of Chris Drury and Danny Briere from the Buffalo lineup this season.
" Obviously, they are missing those two guys for sure. Thise guys can score 40-50 goals apiece every year, and they are the leaders. They've played games in this league, those guys, so there's no doubt about it that they are missing them. The rest of their young guys are playing well too. I'm sure they 'll play better soon."
******
Darcy Tucker looked the cat who ate the canary after the game. 16 was all smiles as he rehashed his first game back after injurying his knee.
"The knee felt good actually. Its always tough when you've been off the ice. You have to get your timing back. I thought as the game went on, it was easier to play".
Tucker did not hesitate when he was asked to comment on the play of his golatender.
" Andrew was great tonight. That was one of our better third periods that I've seen us play".
The secret to Toronto's success was all about the forwards helping out the D.
" We wanted to get back and help out. We know their a fast team and they were making plays through the neutral zone. Rayzor playe dgreat in the first period, and made sure that we got out of there tied. We got a greta goal from Kaber there to give us a little bit of a kickstart and a jump. We talked about it between the second and third periods that we needed to be hungry for a win tonight. I thought we had some really good shifts in the third period."
Tucker was fitted with a custom knee brace toprpotect his knee from impact. Was the brace a pain in the ass?
"No. Once I started skating it felt good. As the game wore on, I started to feel more comfortable. No mattr what you do in practice, the speed of a game is what gts you going, and as the game wore on it got a little bit better."
Tucker has a ton of beef on his line, with Chad Kilger and Mark Bell. He likes what he see already from his new buds:
"My line has to be physical and we're going to create our share of chances playing in their end, so we'll get better as we go as a line. Beller hasn't played in a long time, this is his second game. Hopefully as we move along here, we'll get up to speed."
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On an up note, Darcy Regier and the agent from Soupy Campbell have exchanged proposals. There has been a positive discussions and it appears likely that a multi-year contract extension will be announced in the coming weeks.
GAME NOTES:
Buffalo came out skating well on their first three shifts. Toronto want to push the puck and create on the rush.
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@ 5:54 of the first, with Buffalo controlling play I the Toronto end, Goose goes strong to the blue ice,. Toronto D Andy Wozniewski checked Gaustad into Raycroft. The puck went in the Toronto net, to no avail. No goal. Goose gets two for goaler intereference.
Mark Bell, on his first shift of the season, smoked Sekera on the half wall. Bell is a big boy and he can skate. Bell, Tucker and Kilger are Toronto’s new third line.
Vanek and Max posterized Kubina on a pretty two on one. Perahps a bit too nice. With Toronto making a sloppy line change in their end, TV blew down the left wing wall; he undressed Kubina with a sick inside- out- five- hole deke, only to lose the handle and not get a shot on Raycroft.
The Buffalo D are very active and they are getting good down low pressure in the Toronto end. Tallinder, Campbell, Spacek, Paetsch and Sekera were involved early and often. Buffalo D are also doing a good job of keeping pucks in at the points.
@ 15:08, Kubina gets the gate for cross checking. 12-28-21-51-6 are the first PP unit. Spacek’s prescence is making a noticeable difference as the passes are quicker, crisper, and on the tape. Buffalo get good pressure and two nice chances. 26-9-61-38-29 next group out. Slower pace. Max takes a lazer from the point that fooled Raycroft—the shot hit Raycroft’s catching glove and traveled over his shoulder to the cross bar.
@ 17:43, Kaberele gets two for roughing…..the Gaustad unit moved the puck early, no threat though. Paetsch jumped in from the point on a Pominville shot, only to have Raycroft make a nice blocker save. The net was wide ass open! The Vanek unit woke up and applied serious pressure to Raycroft. No goal.
No score end of the first.
Washington, Calgary and Nashville have scouts in the building tonight.
FIRST PERIOD STATS:
Derek Roy logged seven 7:30 and Vanek 7 minutes, to lead all Buffalo forwards. Nice to see Lindy Ruff telling TV to get on the and git r’ dun.
Soupy skated a team-high 8:06, while Hank tanked in with 7:30. Spach added 7:28.
For the Leafs, Hal Gill led all skaters with 9:26 of ice time.Kubina ate 8:03.
Buffalo led shots on goal, 15-4.
Gaustad won all 3 of his faceoffs; Roy was 4-2 against Wellwood; Hecht 1-4.
Sundin is beating Hecht in the dot. Why not move Hecht to the wall and let Mac take some draws to give Sundin something new to think about?
3 minutes in with Peters on to neutralize Mark Bell, Jaro Spach collided with Chad Kilger from behind. Kilger limped off and Peters barked at the Toronto bench. Looked like incidental contact to me. Spacek would miss 8 games as a result of the Antropov snow board.
* Bell took a shot off the hoof midway through the second, and went in to the Toronto room for repairs. To that point in the game, Bell had been Toronto’s best forward tonight. He’s got soft hands and fast feet for a gobbin 6’4” 220 guy.
@ 9:21, Funky Cold Kubina gets the hook for delay of game….. no luck for Sabres.
@ 8:28, Kubina walked out of the box and received an early Christmas present—a fat puck on his tape in the Buffalo zone---- he broke in on Miller, all alone, and rushed a high shot up and over Miller’s glove hand. Nice field goal, Pavel!
The “Go Leafs Go” chants were louder than ever in between TV timeouts in the second. From my vantage point above Section 326, Leafs fans won the battle in the second period.
This game is taking on the same appearance as the Sabres vs. Capitals game in October. Buffalo were controlling every aspect of the game that night, however, had nothing to show for it. They were rewarded with their first goal that night on their 31st shot on Brent Johnson—right now, they have 24 SOG.... Keep firing the biscuit!
Toni Lydman is has gone back to the visor. He dumped the full cage off his CCM to improve his vision on the ice.
Go figure. For a wide open game, that has featured a quick pace, an up tempo, and several high percentage scoring chances for both teams, McCabe scores off of a Sundin faceoff win with 35 seconds left in the second period. Sundin beat MacArthur, (after Goose was waved from the dot) clean on the key D zone draw. Miller prepared to have made the correct shot lane read. Looks like Goose deflected the puck before it found its way behind Miller.
1-0 LEAFS AFTER 2 PERIODS OF PLAY
Buffalo leads shots on goal, 24-15, however, trail 1-0.
Brian Campbell and Jaro Spacek lead all Sabres skaters with 16:33 and 15:44 of ice time, respectively.
Up front, Vanek and Roy lead the way with 14:13 and 14:08, respectively.
Gaustad is 5-2 in the dot; Roy is 7-4; Hecht is a woeful 2-8. Hecht lost the key defensive zone faceoff to Sundin with 35 seconds left in the second period. Drury would have won that draw and killed the clock, right?
If I were Lindy Ruff, I’d take 61 away from 9 and 26. 61 wants to go east and west while the other two are going north and south. They are easy to defend right now.
Ruff double shifted 61 early in the second.
Sundin beats Miller glove low @ 2:54. MacArthur stopped skating and did not pick up Sundin, and 13 and 55 blew threw the Buffalo zone 2 on 1.
* Another Critical defensive zone breakdown for Buffalo. Sundin will bury that shot every time. No defensive support for Miller.
Section 324 starts the “Miller” chant. Leaf fan is feeling no pain at this point. Will they keep their lead?
Hecht skated in on Raycroft and had enough time to eat a chicken finger sub while doing so… he dangled and deked one on one with Raycroft--- no dice! Raycroft was not buying what Hecht was selling! Stop ragging the puck and fire it on net, Jochen!
@ 6:49, Buffalo assessed a bench minor for Too many Men. Vanek served it. Miller robs Blake on a one timer beneath the right faceoff circle. Sabres PKers kill it.
@ 9:20, Toronto assessed a bench minor for Too Many Men… Buffalo need a goal here on the PP…
Lindy calls a timeout with :47 seconds left in the penalty. 6-51-28-21-12 on for Buffalo after the scrum at the bench. Buffalo PP ohfer tonight.
@ 11:54, Kaberle takes a two minute breather for tripping how many chances can Toronto give to Buffalo? The Leafs are holding on to a 2-0 third period lead.
Lindy throws out 5 forwards on the PP. 12-29 at the points, 26-9-61. Kotalik fires a bomb that just misses the left post. It hopped off the dasher and onto the stick of a Leaf defender. Lucky bounce for Raycroft and the Toronto PK.
51-55-28-21-6 come on. Sloppy passing and predictable puck plays are picked off by the Leaf PKers.
Successful kill
Deveraux scores. Buffalo done.
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SABRES / LEAFS ONE TIMERS:
* This is the second of eight meetings between these two bitter rivals this season.
* Its Buffalo’s third of nine straight divisional games.
* The Sabres and Leafs don’t meet again until January 19 in Toronto.
* Buffalo is the 11th most penalized team in the NHL with an average of 13.1 PIMs per game; Toronto is 21st with 15.6.
* Toronto has allowed an NHL high 5 shorthanded goals against this season.
* Buffalo have allowed the first goal in 12 of their first 15 games this season.
Sabres all-time record vs. Toronto:
78 Games Played in Buffalo: 50-21-6-1
75 Games Played in Toronto: 32-28-12-3
Riddle me this:
The Sabres have outshot their opponents in the last four games, and have a record of 1-2-1. During the four games, the Sabres have outshot the opposition in 9 of 13 periods (including OT). For the season, The Sabres are 4-3-1 when they outshoot an opponent; 2-3 when they are outshot, and 0-1-0 when shots are even.
Five Sabres have been named to the NHL All-Star Fan Balloting, which opens Tiesday 11/13. This year’s Sabres nominees are: Rayn Miller, Brian Campbell, Hank Tallinder, Thomas Vanek, and Max Afinogenov.
Per last season, the entire voting process will be entirely digital, meaning, you have to vote online from 11/13 until 1/2/08.
Home Cooked Goodness:
10 of the 22 players on Buffalo’s current roster were First or Second round selections:
Drew Stafford – 2004, 1st
Thomas Vanek- 2003, 1st
Dan Paille- 2002, 1st
Derek Roy- 2001, 2nd
Jason Pominville- 2001, 2nd
Tim Connolly- 1999, 1st
Dmitri Kalinin- 1998, 1st
Andrew Peters- 1998, 2nd
Henrik Tallinder-1997, 2nd
Jocelyn Thibault- 1993, 1st
Teppo Numminen- 1986, 2nd
Leafs Captain Mats Sundin entered the game tied for fifth in NHL scoring. Sundin has 8 G and 8 A in 16 games.
Sundin, Tomas Kaberle, Bryan McCabe and Jason Blake have been named to the NHL All-Star Fan Ballot.
Maligned Toronto Dman, Pavel Kubina, leads all Leafs Dmen with 24:58 of ice time per game. Largely due to the fact that McCabe had been missing due to injury.
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