Archives for February 7, 2012

‘”Right when I hit the deck, I knew there was no way I was getting up, and I was yelling, ‘Heads [up], heads, heads,'” Leopold said. “I knew he had his back turned to me and that ended up happening. … I think we’re lucky it wasn’t worse than it really is.”‘

‘“I lost my breath,” Leopold said. “I was looking back right when it happened. I kind of yelled, ‘You all right, you all right?’ Right away, ‘No.’ So that wasn’t a good thing. I know Lindy’s a tough guy. He played a lot of years in the NHL and played through a lot of injuries.”’

‘“We are glad that MSG has found a way to offer this Sabres game to our fans on local television,” Buffalo Sabres president Ted Black said in a news release. “We realize that fans have been in a tough spot since Jan. 1 and we are hopeful that Time Warner Cable will engage in meaningful negotiations with MSG so that a deal can be reached to bring MSG’s networks and our games back to Time Warner Cable customers.”’

‘The Sabres had no update on Ruff’s status, except to say the coach was not available to address reporters as he usually does after practice.’

‘Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff had to be helped off the ice during Monday’s practice after colliding with Jordan Leopold.’

‘During Monday’s practice, Lindy Ruff was skating backwards towards an area where Jordan Leopold had been taken down and was sliding across the ice. Ruff was accidentally leg-swept by Leopold approximately 30-feet from the goal and hit the playing surface with a huge thud.’

‘Ruff fell backward and landed on his right arm with a heavy thud, and was fortunate not to hit his head. Witnesses said they heard Ruff yell out in pain.’

‘Unlike their NHL brethren in Buffalo, they have established a very real identity as a tough hard-nosed hockey club.’