Archives for May 27, 2006

'The Sabres may be touted as a team without stars, but that does not mean they are a team without leaders – and those leaders failed to step up on Friday.'

'This is where Regier comes in. His failure to land an experienced NHL defenceman at the league's trading deadline in March is now haunting the Sabres. What makes it worse is that Regier had the ammunition to pull off a deal but chose not to use it.'

'I spoke with a fellow media member at Saturday's practice that agreed with the "Regier screwed up" sentiment, and it's laughable.'

'Numminen said he's felt better each day, but did seem to be grimacing in pain during the 20 minutes or so he was on the ice this morning. Numminen told reporters that was just "his game face" and that "he has it all the time."'

'"No, with this kind of injury either you can go or you can't. There's no halfway," he said before boarding a flight to Raleigh, N.C. "Last night's game can't really make the decision for tomorrow."'

‘”It’s the first time the leg feels strong, I could kick with it. Yeah, it feels better,” Numminen said.’

‘The Buffalo Sabres didn’t look like the same overwhelming team that won so convincingly two days earlier. They resembled the Rochester Americans too much.’

‘”We played such a solid road game tonight,” said Hurricanes winger Cory Stillman. “We didn’t make too many mistakes, didn’t turn the puck over. When we do that, the best of our team comes out.”‘

‘”He’s had opportunities,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “He hasn’t capitalized on some real good opportunities. . . . I thought he skated well in the game. I just thought we didn’t make a lot of things happen. Max had a couple of opportunities, but there wasn’t anything that really jumped out at you.”‘

‘Miracles do happen, but there was a sense Friday night as HSBC Arena quietly emptied after a 4-0 loss that the Carolina Hurricanes were too deep, too fast, too skilled and too healthy for this to continue for much longer.’