Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Fourth line carries Flyers to win over Sabres

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November 7

Philadelphia Daily News

"Waking up yesterday in Buffalo, Flyers coach John Stevens must have picked up the local newspaper and read the Sabres report. The Buffalo News touted the Sabres as one of the deepest teams in the NHL with their scattered scoring threat. A highly statistical approach, the report said that the Flyers' first two lines accounted for 86 percent of the team's points. That meant that the Flyers' other two lines contributed to only 14 percent of their 72 points. Last night, the Flyers showed why they - and not Buffalo - are one of the deepest teams in the Eastern Conference with a comprehensive 5-2 beating of the Sabres at a sold-out HSBC Arena. Dan Carcillo notched two goals, including an ..."

Sabres fall flat, Flyers take advantage

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November 7

Buffalo News

"It's something that hasn't been said often this season, but there was no debate this time. From the crease on out, the Buffalo Sabres were the inferior team. The Philadelphia Flyers halted the feel-good vibe sweeping Sabreland by delivering a one-sided performance Friday night. They were better at every position and skated out of HSBC Arena with a 5-2 victory. "They executed better. They competed harder. They were the better team," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "I can't find any argument against that. They made better plays, had better support. "It's disappointing. ... I'm not going to try to mask it at all. It wasn't a good night for us. It wasn't a good night for most of the team." The ..."

Sabres left behind in trying to step up

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November 7

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"Lindy Ruff didn't bother addressing his team after this one. The Sabres were outplayed, outworked and outclassed in Friday night's 5-2 loss to the Flyers. Ruff let them talk it out among themselves. Evidently, Mike Grier did most of the talking. "It's a little disappointing," Grier said. "Good thing we have a game [tonight] to bounce back. I told the guys we've got a good record and everyone knows it. The league is going to watch how we do in these games. Teams are going to try to push us out of games. We've got to show we won't back down." Translation: When you're on top, expect to get teams' best shot. If you're going to pose as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, you ought to act like ..."

Centers hope to stay quick on the draw

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November 6

Buffalo News

"The Buffalo Sabres absolutely dominated one of the NHL's best faceoff teams. It should be interesting to see what they do against one of the worst. The Sabres trounced the New York Islanders on draws Wednesday, winning 39 and losing eight. Despite the lopsided defeat, the Isles still ranked sixth in the league Thursday with a 51.9 percent success rate. Tonight, the Sabres host the Philadelphia Flyers, who were tied for 20th at 48.2 percent. It seems like a chance for the Sabres to improve their fourth-place ranking and 52.6 percent success rate. "Let me tell you, it's a lot easier game when you don't have to chase down the puck all night," captain Craig Rivet said Thursday. The Sabres' ..."

Sabres bounce back, shut out Islanders

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November 6

Buffalo News

"There might be something to this whole "don't lose two games in a row" thing. During the Buffalo Sabres' previous two seasons, the motto rang hollow. They couldn't stop losing streaks from happening. Judging by their lack of conviction when invoking the catchphrase, it sounded like they knew it. This season is different. They seem to sincerely believe they can win every night if they play their game. So far, some of their best games have come after losses. The Sabres responded to a 5-0 shutout against the New York Islanders with a shutout of their own. Ryan Miller made 24 saves and Derek Roy scored his first goal of the season to help Buffalo to a 3-0 victory over New York. "That's what ..."

Sabres continue their balancing act

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November 6

Buffalo News

"The 12 forwards who will play for the Buffalo Sabres tonight have 73 points. The 12 forwards expected to dress for the Philadelphia Flyers have 72. Sounds like two similar groups, right? Not even close. In fact, it would be tough to find teams with more wildly different philosophies. The Sabres will take the HSBC Arena ice intent on using all four lines equally. Offensive depth has been an early trademark, with each three-man unit capable of doing enough offensively to win the game. The Flyers, meanwhile, are extremely top-heavy. If their forwards are going to score, it's usually two lines that are going to do it. "Over time, I think absolutely it's going to benefit us," Sabres captain ..."

Isles' win streak snapped

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November 5

New York Post

"The Islanders can't win them all. Ryan Miller made 24 saves for his second shutout of the season and 14th overall, and Thomas Vanek had a goal and assist in the Sabres' 3-0 victory over the Islanders last night. The Islanders were attempting to win five in a row for the first time since a six-game run in February 2008. Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad also scored to help the Sabres (9-2-1) rebound from a 5-0 loss to the Islanders on Saturday on Long Island."

Roy's line letting chances go by the boards

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November 5

Buffalo News

"Every game, often more than once, the glorious scoring opportunity arises. Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek create a two-on-one, or Drew Stafford joins them for an even better odd-man rush. And every game, often more than once, the chance fades without a goal. The Buffalo Sabres' most potent scoring line is creating anxious moments for goaltenders on a nightly basis. The goalies, though, get to exhale in relief when no shots come their way. The trio has eight goals this season on, oh, about 200 opportunities. OK, so it's not that many. But they've come away empty way more than they've celebrated. "We could have had eight the other night," Roy said Monday in HSBC Arena. "We hit two posts, missed ..."

Pominville's population rises

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November 5

Buffalo News

"Jason Pominville smiled every time. While sitting in the hospital, overjoyed with the birth of his first child, Pominville would hear the same line whenever a nurse came to visit. "So, the population of Pominville went up, huh?" The Buffalo Sabres' alternate captain relished the comment each time it was repeated. He and his wife, Kim, had just welcomed Jayden John into the world Monday, so anyone could have said anything over and over and Pominville would have grinned. "We're all excited," Pominville said Tuesday. "It was probably one of the best days of my life. It's awesome. It's tough to describe what it really is." The newest numbers in Pominville's life are 6 pounds, 13 ounces, the ..."

Enroth to possibly get a start

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November 5

Buffalo News

"Jhonas Enroth may be days away from his NHL debut. Enroth, the Buffalo Sabres' top goaltending prospect, joined the team for Wednesday's 3-0 victory against the New York Islanders because of an injury to Patrick Lalime. The veteran backup suffered a groin strain during practice Monday, and there is no time table for his return. "You never know with groins," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We hope it's not long. It depends on how it responds." The Sabres are on a run in which the schedule forces them to play three games in four nights for five straight weeks. Ruff used starter Ryan Miller in all three games last week. It doesn't sound as if that is the coach's plan for this four-day run. The ..."

Sabres bounce back, shut out Islanders

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November 5

Buffalo News

"There might be something to this whole "don't lose two games in a row" thing. During the Buffalo Sabres' previous two seasons, the motto rang hollow. They couldn't stop losing streaks from happening. Judging by their lack of conviction when invoking the catchphrase, it sounded like they knew it. This season is different. They seem to sincerely believe they can win every night if they play their game. So far, some of their best games have come after losses. The Sabres responded to a 5-0 shutout against the New York Islanders with a shutout of their own. Ryan Miller made 24 saves and Derek Roy scored his first goal of the season to help Buffalo to a 3-0 victory over New York. "That's what ..."

Biron-Sabres reunion would fit like a glove

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November 5

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"Last July, after Martin Biron became a free agent, he drove his wife, Anne Marie, and three children from Philadelphia to Buffalo. Biron got off Interstate 90 at the Pembroke exit so he could take a nice, leisurely drive through the country roads. "We drove down Main Street and got to our house in Clarence," Biron said Wednesday before the Islanders lost to the Sabres, 3-0, at HSBC Arena. Biron made 36 saves. "We told each other it felt like we were coming home." Biron has never really left Buffalo, not in his heart. Maybe that's why the former Sabres goalie got that standing ovation here last month. Fans know he's one of them, a Buffalo guy, an NHL player who came of age here and grew to ..."

Roy's line letting chances go by the boards

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November 3

Buffalo News

"Every game, often more than once, the glorious scoring opportunity arises. Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek create a two-on-one, or Drew Stafford joins them for an even better odd-man rush. And every game, often more than once, the chance fades without a goal. The Buffalo Sabres' most potent scoring line is creating anxious moments for goaltenders on a nightly basis. The goalies, though, get to exhale in relief when no shots come their way. The trio has eight goals this season on, oh, about 200 opportunities. OK, so it's not that many. But they've come away empty way more than they've celebrated. "We could have had eight the other night," Roy said Monday in HSBC Arena. "We hit two posts, missed ..."

Upstart Isles three & easy

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November 1

New York Post

"Two weeks ago, the Islanders had lost their first six games of the season and Jeff Tambellini couldn't crack the lineup. How quickly things change. The Isles won their third straight game last night, a 5-0 victory over the Sabres that was their most convincing of the year, and Tambellini notched his first NHL hat trick. "With the way the month started, to finish .500, with three big wins against teams at the top of the conference, demonstrates that guys want it," said Martin Biron, who made 38 saves for his first win as an Islander in front of a Coliseum crowd announced at 8,889, many of whom apparently chose to dress as empty seats for Halloween. "We found the way we want to play." ..."

Sabres stay cool during sizzling start

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November 1

Buffalo News

"Ryan Miller doesn't want people to get the wrong idea. He's having fun. So are the rest of the Buffalo Sabres. Just because they aren't patting each other on the back as they win night after night, don't think for one second they aren't enjoying themselves. "We're happy," the Sabres' goaltender said. "I don't want to give people the impression we're not happy." It seems they could be happier. The Sabres have every right to puff their chests out a little farther each day. They've won three straight games and seven of their past eight. They head into tonight's game against Toronto in HSBC Arena as one of the NHL's biggest success stories, one of the major surprises of the opening month of ..."

Kennedy tries to be quicker on draw

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November 1

Buffalo News

"Tim Kennedy's daily beatings have temporarily stopped. The Buffalo Sabres' rookie center has been undergoing a barrage of poundings in the faceoff circle at the end of every practice or morning skate. The former left winger needs to learn how to compete in the dot at the NHL level, and the Sabres have Paul Gaustad teaching him. Gaustad isn't just good. He's the best in the league. He's won 69.1 percent of his draws this season, a full 5 percent better than second-place Scott Nichol of San Jose. Kennedy, who was at 36.5 percent entering Saturday's game against the New York Islanders, obviously has trouble keeping up. "It's a real hard skill," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "Tim is finding it ..."

Sabres draw a blank against Biron, Isles

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November 1

Buffalo News

"The streaks and hot starts had to end sometime. This sure was one rough way for it to happen. The Buffalo Sabres had a frightful Halloween on Long Island, the kind of slasher flick that makes folks cringe. The New York Islanders cut them down without mercy, earning a 5-0 victory in Nassau Coliseum. "The only thing you can be disappointed with is we didn't take advantage of the offense," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We did a lot of good things. We just didn't score." The loss was the Sabres' first on the road, dropping them to 4-1 away from home this season. The defeat also halted a four-game winning streak and brought a sudden end to Ryan Miller's sizzling start. He suffered his first ..."

In a bumpy road to win, Miller is rock solid

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November 1

Buffalo News

columnist Bucky Gleason

"Ryan Miller knew long before the season began that not all of them would be pretty. The Sabres would have nights when their legs would become heavy and their game would flat-line for reasons not entirely clear. It's bound to happen over the course of an 82-game schedule in the NHL. For most of Friday night, the Sabres weren't the Sabres. They were the Sabres from last season. Their effort was satisfactory but not particularly overwhelming like it had been during their 7-1-1 start. It was if they lost their mojo after two victories in Florida and another in New Jersey. Maybe it was the flu bug that infiltrated their team. Gone was their crisp passing and steady defense, replaced by sloppy ..."

Leafs' Stempniak opens up his wallet

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October 31

Buffalo News

"Being a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs brings Lee Stempniak home a lot more. It costs him a lot more, too. Stempniak, the West Seneca native traded from St. Louis to Toronto last spring, used to visit Buffalo once every other season or so with the Blues. Because the Leafs are a Northeast Division rival, he'll be coming to town three times a year. The first trip Friday taught him a lesson about the Sabres' variable pricing plan. Stempniak purchases tickets for his immediate family when he visits HSBC Arena, and his game with the Blues last season was a value game. The appearances by the Leafs fall in the gold or platinum range, which costs the 26-year-old two or three times as much per ..."

Sabres grind out win over Maple Leafs

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October 31

Buffalo News

"Tim Connolly called it the best win of the year. Why? Because the Buffalo Sabres probably should have lost. The first-place Sabres admitted this week they won't be the best team every night. There will be stretches in which the opponent takes control and dominates. What matters most is who's ahead at the end. The Sabres certainly were not the best team Friday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs were. But when the crowd of 18,300 filtered out of HSBC Arena, all that mattered was the Sabres had secured a 3-2 overtime win. Connolly had two goals and three points, including the game-winner 1:04 into overtime to drop a hard-charging Leafs squad. "That's a huge win for us," Connolly said. "We've been ..."

Leafs go unrewarded again

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October 31

Toronto Star

"Call them the Toronto Maple Beliefs. At least that's all the Leafs were left with – belief in themselves – after their third overtime loss of the season, a 3-2 set back to the Sabres on Friday night. The Leafs worked hard and, despite another bout of ill-advised penalties and poor decision-making, the club scrambled to tie the game 2-2 with 37 seconds remaining in regulation time. That goal demonstrated the character the Leafs feel they've shown on this five-game road trip, which concludes Saturday night in Montreal. Mikhail Grabovski tipped in a Tomas Kaberle wrist shot from the point to earn a point, and a measure of success, against Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, the league leader in ..."

Goalies rule the roost

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October 31

Toronto Sun

"The Maple Leafs have the Monster on Halloween and, after a month of frustration, a bit of a pulse. The Leafs' inability to finish last night in an overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres likely haunted them during their flight to Montreal. But when they clash with the Canadiens tonight at the Bell Centre, they will do so with a sense of confidence. Though Toronto fell to 1-7-3 when Tim Connolly ripped a shot over the shoulder of rookie netminder Jonas Gustavsson at 1:04 of overtime for a 3-2 Sabres victory at HSBC Arena, the Leafs weren't completely discouraged. "Nobody can say we are not playing well and not giving 100%," coach Ron Wilson said. "We've got points in the last three games, ..."

Sabres stay cool during sizzling start

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October 30

Buffalo News

"Ryan Miller doesn't want people to get the wrong idea. He's having fun. So are the rest of the Buffalo Sabres. Just because they aren't patting each other on the back as they win night after night, don't think for one second they aren't enjoying themselves. "We're happy," the Sabres' goaltender said. "I don't want to give people the impression we're not happy." It seems they could be happier. The Sabres have every right to puff their chests out a little farther each day. They've won three straight games and seven of their past eight. They head into tonight's game against Toronto in HSBC Arena as one of the NHL's biggest success stories, one of the major surprises of the opening month of ..."

Schenn's former roomie catches full-time gig with Sabres

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October 30

Toronto Sun

"Maple Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn remembers the day during the 2005-06 season that a gangly kid showed up to play for the Kelowna Rockets. The scrawny kid, defenceman Tyler Myers, has grown to be a 6-foot-8 rookie stud for the Buffalo Sabres and yesterday was told by general manager Darcy Regier he can move out of a downtown hotel and find a place to live. Myers won't be returned to the Rockets of the Western Hockey League. "The first time he was called up, he lived with me when he was 15 and I was 16," Schenn said. "He was probably 6-foot-6 at the time, but he had troubles with the overall speed of the game. To see how far he has come, it's pretty amazing how he has put it all ..."

Sabres blueliner Myers takes giant rookie strides

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October 30

Toronto Star

"Luke Schenn could see it all along. Tyler Myers, even as a gangly 15-year-old, had everyone around him expecting big things in his hockey future. Those "big things" became official Thursday as the Buffalo Sabres kept the now 18-year-old blueliner in the NHL beyond his nine-game tryout limit."

Myers to stay with Sabres

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October 29

Buffalo News

"Rookie defenseman Tyler Myers will stay with the Buffalo Sabres for the foreseeable future, General Manager Darcy Regier announced today in a statement released by the team. The 6-foot-8 Myers is still eligible to be returned to his junior team, the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League, but this will count as the first year of his pro contract as soon as he plays Friday against Toronto."

Tweaks go a long way for Sabres

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October 29

Buffalo News

"The Bufalo Sabres would be quick to say that it's a tad too early for anyone to start preparing Delaware Avenue for its first Stanley Cup parade. No matter how impressive they have looked over the first eight games, they haven't lost sight of the fact that another 74 remain between now and April. Coach Lindy Ruff has continued to emphasize the positive. He reiterated after another crisp practice Monday how his players are buying into the system. Their workouts have been more upbeat and productive. For reasons not entirely clear, their 6-1-1 record this year seems stronger than the 6-0-2 start last season, when they sprinted from the gate and stumbled down the stretch. The big difference? ..."

Paetsch helps Sabres dig deep on defense

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October 29

Buffalo News

"The Buffalo Sabres' blue line has been as fluid as they come. One guy gets healthier, another gets sore, a third gets to finally play. The run of ailments and substitutions prohibits coach Lindy Ruff from even imagining who his top six would be if all his defensemen were available. "We'll cross that bridge when it comes," Ruff said Tuesday. "It seems we haven't had them all healthy." They won't tonight, either. The Sabres will visit the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center without Toni Lydman (groin) and Andrej Sekera (rib). No one in Blue and Gold is worried. Nathan Paetsch filled in for Lydman during Saturday's 3-2 shootout victory over Tampa Bay, and he'll be back alongside Steve ..."

Sabres notebook: Peters thrilled to be a Devil

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October 29

Buffalo News

"Andrew Peters spent most of the summer waiting for a team to call. The role of enforcer is an occupation with fewer and fewer NHL employers, and for a while it looked as if the 29-year-old might have to look to a different league or profession. The New Jersey Devils finally rang, inviting the longtime Buffalo Sabres forward to training camp on a tryout. They didn't make any promises, just agreed to give the big guy a shot. They ended up giving him a blast that floored him. Peters went from being unwanted to proud owner of a two-year, $1 million contract. "Words can't even describe how happy I was when [Devils President] Lou [Lamoriello] brought me into his office and said, "Here's your ..."

Kennedy gets on the board in Sabres' victory

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October 29

Buffalo News

"Martin Brodeur was named Rookie of the Year when Tim Kennedy was 7 years old. In the 16 years since, the New Jersey Devils' goaltender has amassed more victories than any netminder in history. During those same 16 years, Kennedy had repeatedly dreamed of scoring his first NHL goal. He worked his way from the streets of South Buffalo to the campus of Michigan State and onto the Buffalo Sabres' roster. Kennedy's first goal finally came Wednesday. It came against possibly the best goalie ever to stand in the crease. The Buffalo Sabres' rookie center scored six minutes into the teams' meeting in Prudential Center, helping the Sabres earn a 4-1 victory. It was their third straight win, all ..."

Paetsch helps Sabres dig deep on defense

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October 28

Buffalo News

"The Buffalo Sabres' blue line has been as fluid as they come. One guy gets healthier, another gets sore, a third gets to finally play. The run of ailments and substitutions prohibits coach Lindy Ruff from even imagining who his top six would be if all his defensemen were available. "We'll cross that bridge when it comes," Ruff said Tuesday. "It seems we haven't had them all healthy." They won't tonight, either. The Sabres will visit the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center without Toni Lydman (groin) and Andrej Sekera (rib). No one in Blue and Gold is worried. Nathan Paetsch filled in for Lydman during Saturday's 3-2 shootout victory over Tampa Bay, and he'll be back alongside Steve ..."

Tweaks go a long way for Sabres

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October 27

Buffalo News

"The Bufalo Sabres would be quick to say that it's a tad too early for anyone to start preparing Delaware Avenue for its first Stanley Cup parade. No matter how impressive they have looked over the first eight games, they haven't lost sight of the fact that another 74 remain between now and April. Coach Lindy Ruff has continued to emphasize the positive. He reiterated after another crisp practice Monday how his players are buying into the system. Their workouts have been more upbeat and productive. For reasons not entirely clear, their 6-1-1 record this year seems stronger than the 6-0-2 start last season, when they sprinted from the gate and stumbled down the stretch. The big difference? ..."

Sabres rally for shootout victory over Lightning

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October 26

Buffalo News

"At one end of the rink, Ryan Miller went down to one pad and pumped a fist. At the other, Tyler Myers raised his arms and was tackled by his teammates. Eventually, the two stars of the shootout converged to celebrate the Buffalo Sabres' stunning victory. The Sabres, down by a goal in the final seconds of regulation Saturday, rallied to send the game to a shootout then rode their hot goaltender and hot-shot rookie to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Myers was the only player out of 12 to find the net in the extra session, while Miller gave him the opportunity by stopping all six Lightning breakaways. "We've spent time at length talking about the extra points you can gain in ..."

Sabres GM Regier taking time with Myers decision

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October 26

Buffalo News

"There's a question coming this week that only Darcy Regier can answer. But since it's about Tyler Myers, he can take a crack at it, too. So, Tyler, is there anything left for you to learn down in junior hockey? "I'm going to say no," Myers answered with a laugh, "but I'm obviously biased." Biased, yes. But more than a shade truthful, too. The Buffalo Sabres' rookie defenseman continues to provide evidence that the NHL is the correct league for him. He scored the only shootout goal in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay, the third time he's found the net in eight games. It came at a crucial time because he's guaranteed only one game more. The nine-game teenage tryout period elapses after ..."

Lightning building with early picks

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October 25

Buffalo News

"Steven Stamkos knows he's not in Sidney Crosby's class, at least not yet. And while Victor Hedman is as good as advertised, he's got a long way to go to be on the level of Evgeni Malkin. But the Pittsburgh Penguins' blueprint is one the Tampa Bay Lightning would like to follow. The Penguins, defending Stanley Cup champions, built their foundation at the top of the draft. Crosby went first overall in 2005, while Malkin was the second overall selection the year before. The Lightning has been in the top two the last two drafts, picking Stamkos first overall in 2008 and Hedman second back in June. "You don't want to compare yourself to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They've got some world- class ..."

Sabres rally for shootout victory over Lightning

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October 25

Buffalo News

"At one end of the rink, Ryan Miller went down to one pad and pumped a fist. At the other, Tyler Myers raised his arms and was tackled by his teammates. Eventually, the two stars of the shootout converged to celebrate the Buffalo Sabres' stunning victory. The Sabres, down by a goal in the final seconds of regulation Saturday, rallied to send the game to a shootout then rode their hot goaltender and hot-shot rookie to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Myers was the only player out of 12 to find the net in the extra session, while Miller gave him the opportunity by stopping all six Lightning breakaways. "We've spent time at length talking about the extra points you can gain in ..."

Tampa Bay Lightning loses to Buffalo Sabres

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October 25

St. Petersburg Times

"Give Lightning coach Rick Tocchet credit for being philosophical after Saturday night's excruciating 3-2 shootout loss to the Sabres at the St. Pete Times Forum. No blame, no excuses, just this bare fact: "The team is still learning how to win," he said. "That's a tough loss, but you learn from your mistakes and move on. That's what winners do. We have to learn how to win." What the team has to learn is to tighten up in the last minute of a period. It also has to figure out shootouts, as it fell to 0-3 in them this season and 3-13 including last season. Of greater concern, though, were two late-period gifts Tampa Bay gave Buffalo. There was Drew Stafford's sharp-angle goal with 16.1 ..."

Sabres' Miller has his opponents' number

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October 24

Buffalo News

"The numbers suggest Ryan Miller might be the hottest goaltender in the NHL. He doesn't quite think so. "I'm not going to be disillusioned into thinking I'm on some sort of a huge roll here," the Buffalo Sabres goalie said Friday. "It's just me playing the way I need to play with these guys to be a top team." Miller, expected to start tonight when the Sabres face the Tampa Bay Lightning in St. Pete Times Forum, is swatting away individual praise as if it were a soft wrist shot from the red line. Sure, he knows his numbers are near the top of the league, but he insists it's merely a byproduct of a team that's giving him plenty of help. "There's been times where, yeah, I have felt good and ..."

Brothers Drew Miller of Tampa Bay Lightning and Ryan Miller of Buffalo Sabres face off Saturday

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October 24

St. Petersburg Times

"If Teresa Miller had had more time this week, she would have sewn up a storm. The jersey would have had the family name across the back, half in Lightning lettering, half in the Sabres' style. Underneath would have been numbers worn by sons Drew, who plays for Tampa Bay, and Ryan, who plays for Buffalo. But this is a busy time in the state of Michigan's department of community health. Overtime is required, which means no sewing for Teresa, an accountant, and no way for her and husband Dean to attend tonight's game at the St. Pete Times Forum that pits brother against brother. "It's nerve-racking around the house," Dean said. "It's hard to know who to pull for." "Oh, God, I told Drew to ..."

Miller brothers will battle it out on the ice

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October 24

Tampa Tribune

"The odds of left wing Drew Miller scoring on his brother, goalie Ryan Miller, tonight when the Lightning host the Buffalo Sabres aren't great. But if he does? "I'll be one up on him," Drew Miller said with a smile Friday. "It's exciting to play against him. I've done it once already, and no big chances in that game - just a couple of rebounds and jamming at him with my stick. "Hopefully, (tonight) will change and I'll get a couple of good shots on him and try to get one by him." Drew Miller, whom Tampa Bay acquired from Anaheim in August, doesn't have a point through eight games. Ryan Miller, on the other hand, ranked second in the NHL among No. 1 goalies with a 1.65 goals-against average ..."

Sabres deliver show of force in 5-2 win

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October 23

Buffalo News

"Darth Vader should have brought goalie pads. The Florida Panthers could have used him. Of course, his lightsaber might have been useless against the Buffalo Sabres. The force was strong with them. The Sabres exposed the dark side of the Panthers on Wednesday night, scoring five times in the first period to storm to a 5-2 victory in BankAtlantic Center. The early barrage was the highest one-period output for Buffalo since it scored six times against Tampa Bay on March 19, 2008. This one had a surreal feel from the get-go. Vader, the legendary "Star Wars" movie character, conducted the ceremonial puck drop to promote an upcoming concert in South Florida. Mere seconds after he was off the ..."

Ex-Sabres are given the business

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October 23

Buffalo News

"Martin Biron is a confident guy, but doubts started to invade his brain. He had 59 wins over the previous two seasons, plus solid playoff performances. At 32 years old, he was still in his prime for an NHL goalie. Yet week after week this summer, he waited for a team to call and say it wanted him. He kept waiting, from July 1 until July 22, when the New York Islanders finally rang him up. "Middle of July you're starting to think that you're basically no good anymore, and that's a tough part," Biron said. "In a month you go from thinking you're going to be one of the top free agents to thinking, "Man, what's going on?' " Biron received a sobering introduction to free agency in the ..."

MacArthur looks to cure all ills

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October 22

Buffalo News

"Clarke MacArthur missed Monday's practice in the Amherst Pepsi Center with an illness, but he made the trip with his teammates to South Florida. The Sabres are so paranoid about the flu bug racing through their team that coach Lindy Ruff asked the winger to wear a surgical mask during the flight. Dr. Clarke MacArthur? "More like Dr. Hook McCracken," MacArthur said by telephone before boarding the team charter. Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken was a goon Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) targeted in the movie "Slap Shot." MacArthur is no thug. The statistics these days show that he's has found a new role with the Sabres, that of a leading man. He has four goals and six points and was atop their scoring ..."

Misses as good as a mile for Sabres

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October 22

Buffalo News

"It's really a simple play. One guy has the puck with a teammate 10 feet away. All he has to do is slide a pass to him, and the offensive charge has begun. That simple play is where the Buffalo Sabres have run into trouble. They were masters of execution in their opening four games, stringing tape-to-tape passes from puck drop to final whistle. It's why the opponents were bewildered and the Sabres were winning. The last two games, in particular Saturday's 4-2 loss to Atlanta, the Sabres were off. Those play-starting passes missed. The miscues immediately turned into offensive breaks for the opponent. The Sabres hope to connect again tonight when they face the Florida Panthers in ..."

Sabres deliver show of force in 5-2 win

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October 22

Buffalo News

"Darth Vader should have brought goalie pads. The Florida Panthers could have used him. Of course, his lightsaber might have been useless against the Buffalo Sabres. The force was strong with them. The Sabres exposed the dark side of the Panthers on Wednesday night, scoring five times in the first period to storm to a 5-2 victory in BankAtlantic Center. The early barrage was the highest one-period output for Buffalo since it scored six times against Tampa Bay on March 19, 2008. This one had a surreal feel from the get-go. Vader, the legendary "Star Wars" movie character, conducted the ceremonial puck drop to promote an upcoming concert in South Florida. Mere seconds after he was off the ..."

A healthy Moore finds home with Panthers

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October 22

Buffalo News

"Dominic Moore didn't want to seem soft right off the bat. He'd just been traded to the Buffalo Sabres. His wrist wasn't feeling great, but what NHL player is in peak condition in March? Turns out, he and the Sabres should have looked deeper into the ailment. Moore fractured his wrist shortly after being acquired at the trade deadline last season. "We didn't really realize it. I don't know if he realized it," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "For Dominic, I think that obviously hindered him when he was with us." Moore is healthy again, and the newest member of the Florida Panthers faced his former team Wednesday night in Bank- Atlantic Center. The game was Moore's second for Florida since ..."

Young defenseman Kulikov making strong case to stay

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October 22

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"The closer it gets to the cutoff, the more rookie defenseman Dmitry Kulikov seems to be persuading the Panthers they should keep him for the entire season. "This kid, he's the real deal," coach Pete DeBoer said. "He's done everything we've asked." The Panthers' power play could use him. Kulikov entered Wednesday's game with an assist in three consecutive games. They came on the only power-play goals the team scored in 24 chances the first six games. "He gives us a dimension on our power play that we don't really have back there, a guy that really sees the ice and can distribute the puck very well, which is pretty incredible for a young kid," DeBoer said. Kulikov can play two more games — ..."

Quick strike can't be overcome

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October 22

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"It was over for the Panthers less than five minutes into Wednesday's game. They trailed by three goals by that point and the Sabres still weren't done in an absolutely awful first period for the Panthers. The Sabres scored all their goals in the opening period as the Panthers fell 5-2 at BankAtlantic Center. "It's frustrating because we talked in our pregame meeting about Buffalo was going to have a good first period," coach Pete DeBoer said. "We went in eyes wide open and we weren't ready. That's inexcusable." It was a rough night from the start. Scott Clemmensen lasted less than two minutes in goal. And Tomas Vokoun didn't fare any better in relief. The Sabres scored three times on ..."

Moore's lasting impression of Buffalo: Sting of missing playoffs

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October 22

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"There won't be any significance for Dominic Moore about playing against Buffalo on Wednesday night. The Sabres may have been the last team the center played for before signing with the Panthers, but he spent less time with them than any of the five teams whose sweater he wore the past four seasons. What Moore remembers about his month with the Sabres was the disappointment of missing the playoffs by two points and the pain of playing with a broken wrist -- suffered just days after his arrival. Moore didn't reveal his injury until after the season. "When you're in a playoff race, you just have to do the best you can regardless of the circumstances," he said. "There wasn't much you could do ..."

Sabres News