Archives for May 2006

'It's been pretty sad to hear some of the stories of fan behavior coming from the Sabres side. I give them great credit for drifting south in droves for Saturday's game 1 but buying a ticket, no matter what team you pull for, is not a license to act like an idiot. I can only go by the stories I've heard and I'm glad I didn't have to witness any of … [Read more...] about Greetings From Buffalo

'It's a ride to take pride in. McKee led the NHL in blocks with 241 during the regular season. The only other player with more than 200 was Colorado defenseman Karlis Skrastins (207). On the Sabres, defenseman Toni Lydman was second at 174.' … [Read more...] about Sabres shot blocker McKee plays with heart of a goalie

'Before the series Ruff said the Hurricanes had played the no-respect card first, trumping any chance for the Sabres to do so. But when it comes to the they-dive, we-don't game, the aces and wild cards have yet to be dealt. "This is the time of year, as a coach, you play whatever card you can play," Ruff said.' … [Read more...] about Coaches accuse each other of ‘diving’

'"I've got it bad," Mitchell said. "We're going to win it all. I don't know how you describe it, but I can sit around and talk about the Sabres all day."' … [Read more...] about Stanley Cup excitement grips area’s hockey faithful

'“He can handle it. He’s a good player,” Campbell said of Janik, who saw just seven shifts. “Just because Teppo’s not playing or Dmitri, we’ve never used that as an excuse all year long. This is a chance for guys to step up and we have to step up, individually, and play better as a team. We’re not going to be the ones using excuses. … [Read more...] about Sabres D gets defensive before Game 3

'“I think what we tried to do is take a page from them. We found a couple of their players, especially early in the game, if you touch them, down they’d go,” Ruff said. “You’ve got to fight fire with fire. (Laviolette) ought to be worried about his players. I got that from Hitchcock.”' … [Read more...] about Ruff says Buffalo took diving lessons in Carolina

'Last fall, he barely had an NHL job, let alone a chance at having his name on the Stanley Cup. The Sabres placed him on waivers before the season.' … [Read more...] about Sabres’ rookie stands out in playoffs

'As is the case with every other team still alive at this stage of the season, the Sabres possess an extremely effective transition game. That's another reason for the Hurricanes to make sure they put the puck deep. No matter how quick you are, you can't create a neutral-zone turnover in your defensive zone.' … [Read more...] about Buffalo D is the key

'The system is called the Playing-Card Five. It could also be called a Dice Five because it alludes to the positioning of the five defensive players -- like the spots on a playing card. But the playing card analogy is a bit more apt because if you consider the card laid horizontally, it makes a flatter pattern, and that's what the coaches like.' … [Read more...] about Playing-Card Five keeping hopes alive

'If Ruff, who feuded with Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock in the first round, was expecting his spat with Laviolette to escalate, the Carolina coach likely disappointed him. "That game's over with," Laviolette said. "You walk into a press conference three minutes after a buzzer blows and I was upset, I was mad ... Here, let me put it this way -- if our guys are diving, I hope … [Read more...] about Ruff up to his old tricks but Carolina’s Laviolette refuses to escalate fight

'The Sabres have been a little off-key without their No. 1 defenceman, who is troubled with a groin injury. They have lost three of four games when Numminen has been forced out of the lineup, including Monday night when the Carolina Hurricanes evened the Eastern Conference final 1-1.' … [Read more...] about Sabres cope with life without Numminen

'"I don't think anyone wants to get into that game with Lindy," said Carolina defenceman Glen Wesley. "I believe we're honest players and guys who are going to get caught diving are going to pay a penalty from the league ..."' … [Read more...] about Hurricanes grow tired of Ruff’s old tricks

'"Our game was grinding to a halt with all the hooking and holding. You look back at old tapes and wonder why we didn't fix it sooner."' … [Read more...] about Speed and skill suits Sabres

'They excel not only at finishing 2-on-1 rushes but, more importantly, at manufacturing them in the first place. However, the Sabres aren't a good hockey team because they create 2-on-1s. Rather, they create 2-on-1s because the team plays good hockey. Conversely, when the Sabres aren't piling up the odd-man rushes, it's because they aren't playing their best game or aren't … [Read more...] about Sabres take blame for 2-on-1s drought

'Hamilton's rugged Adam Mair, who would give the Sabres a huge lift against a larger team like Carolina, visited doctors in Pittsburgh yesterday for final clearance to play, after suffering a concussion late in the season. "If he's cleared, he's available," Lindy Ruff said yesterday. When contacted Mair at dinnertime last night, he was just returning from the two-hour battery … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook