Archives for December 20, 2003

'We could continue to pick apart the carnage, but why bother?'

'"I think we talk about a lot of things," Ruff replied. "When you lose seven in a row, obviously, there's areas you're not good enough in."'

'But Gionta was voted the game's first star with about 100 friends and family members making the hour's drive up to see him play. The 5-foot-7 right wing had not scored a goal in his three previous visits to Buffalo.'

'Goaltender Martin Brodeur briefly went after Curtis Brown after the Sabres' center plowed into him with six seconds remaining, knocking him on his back and knocking his mask off when his head hit the ice. "I wasn't really happy," Brodeur said. "I don't think it was really necessary. He got pushed, but he really laid the shoulder on me."'

'The backbreaker came when 1) New Jersey killed off four minutes of a Buffalo 5-on-4 chance and, 2) Gionta followed the penalty kill with his second goal. "Huge," Gionta said. "That was the game."'

'Lindy Ruff and Gregg Williams live just a few houses apart in the same Buffalo neighbourhood. And they may soon also be walking together to the unemployment line, if their respective Sabres and Bills don't soon straighten out.'

'Buffalo outshot the Devils, 33-18.'

'The Sabres (12-18-2-1), meanwhile, have lost seven straight, all in regulation. Gone is the optimism that seemed to surround the team when it tied the Devils in that off-site game six weeks ago.'

'"He played like a big guy again," Pat Burns said of his winger listed at 5-7. "He's been our most consistent player for the last while."'

'The crowd, which appeared to be less than the announced 13,112, taunted Biron with mock cheers as the game neared its conclusion.'