Archives for January 14, 2009

‘“We’ve been a pretty good team on the road and we want to keep it that way,” Sabres winger Jason Pominville said. “We’re taking it as a challenge. We’re playing good teams out west (and) we don’t have a chance to see that often.”’

‘“It’s a lot like Buffalo was right out of the lockout,” Campbell said Tuesday. “The only difference is this started right at the start of the year, while Buffalo took about 10 games before it just was blowing up. There’s so many similarities that I see in my head about these guys that it’s unbelievable. It’s nice to relive it again that way.”’

‘Roy has four years and $17.5 million remaining on his contract after this season, a bargain in a league facing a decrease in the salary cap and trickle-down effects of economic instability. Henrik Zetterberg is the only player in the league currently giving his team more bang for its buck, and that comes with an asterisk.’

‘“I looked at the schedule and Chicago is added incentive for him. He used to play there so it’s a good place to drop him in,” coach Lindy Ruff said after practice Tuesday in HSBC Arena. “If you look at the schedule we’ve got some tough travel, with a tough turnover coming back from Dallas [late Thursday night]. We’re going into part of the schedule where we need Patty to play us some games.”’

”’It’s going to be weird,” he said after practice Tuesday. ”I spent a lot of time growing up with their guys. I have a lot of respect for them, but you want to show them you’re fitting in nicely with another team. It’s going to be fun.”’

Matchup: Buffalo Sabres at Chicago Blackhawks (Chicago Tribune)

Sabre day no holiday for Campbell, Kane (Chicago Sun Times)

Kane ready to dazzle (Arlington Heights Daily Herald)

Buffalo (21-16-5) at Chicago (23-10-7) (AP)

Blackhawks seek more success at home vs. Sabres (Sportsticker)

Buffalo Sabres (21-16-5) at Chicago Blackhawks (23-10-7) (The Sports Network)

Pirates Announce Forecaster Poster Series (PortlandPirates.com)

Gritty’s Introduces Salty Pete Porter (PortlandPirates.com)

Meet Gerbe, Kennedy at Shaw’s Wednesday (PortlandPirates.com)

‘The Sabres’ 2-1 shoot-out victory over the New York Rangers marked the half way point of the season. Following the contest the Sabres sat 7th in the East Conference with a 21-15-5 record and are fighting for one of the last playoff spots as predicted. While the current placement is probably not a surprise, the journey to this point has been a rollercoaster.’

‘On defense the most disappointing player this season has been Hank Tallinder. A few years ago, Hank was arguably the Sabres best defender. However, a series of leg injuries over the last few seasons seems to have robbed Tallinder of some of his quickness. Although he has played inspired hockey at some points to this year, he was recently benched in favor of rookie Chris Butler against Detroit.’

‘With 40 games remaining in the season, the Sabres must do more then play Ruff’s style. For the team to truly succeed the roster needs some significant adjustment. A lack of playmakers in the middle and a physical presence on D has plagued the Sabres the entire season. Long-term injuries to Timmy Connolly and Craig Rivet are only partially responsible for the problem in these two areas.’