SHUTOUT
Nov 2, 2008 NHL
I can’t jinx it now, Ryan Miller stopped 29 shots as the Buffalo Sabres blew past the Ovechkin-less Capitals 5-0. Thomas Vanek stayed hot, scoring the first goal just over a minute into the game. Vanek got a fantastic breakout pass from Andrej Sekera that sent him in behind Mike Green, and Jose Theodore was overmatched. Tim Connolly played a solid first game back, picking up an assist and drawing a penalty to help put Buffalo on a 5 on 3 power play in the first period, leading to a Derek Roy goal off the back of Theodore. It didn’t get any better for the Caps from there, as there were several shifts (including one from the Gaustad/Kaleta/Paille line) where it almost looked as if the Sabres were on the power play, despite no one occupying the box. Pominville rounds out the scoring in the first, Clarke MacArthur gloved down a high ricochet and sent it over to Pominville, who deked Theodore down and out. 3-0 after one.
The second period saw a bit of a rally by the Capitals, getting some power play time (including a 5 on 3) but Miller was great. His team (and the post) helped a bit, with guys like Pominville and Kaleta throwing their bodies in front of shots. Those are situations when Buffalo would normally lose the shutout for Miller, but not this time. Vanek stuck the dagger in with 3 seconds left in the second period, scoring his 11th goal of the year on a breakaway pass from Ales Kotalik (who had just missed doing the same thing for TV 30 seconds before).
The third period saw a sweet give-and-go between Paille and Kaleta for Key Lime’s second goal of the year. What I loved: Lindy Ruff told his team that for the last seven minutes of the game, they were playing for their goaltender. They kept Miller’s shutout intact, and it ends 5-0.
Additional recognition goes to…Patrick Kaleta. Not for his agitation, or the huge hits that sometimes take him out of the play, but he showed some offensive skill tonight. He had that great play on Paille’s goal, but I also noticed some nice passes in the first. Good job, kid. That’s why you’re in the lineup and Peters is in street clothes.
Next game is Monday, 7pm against the Devils in New Jersey. Brodeur left with an elbow injury tonight, so we’ll have to see who the goaltender will be. Obviously a big dropoff from number one to number two there.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, buffalo, capitals, connolly, gaustad, green, Hockey, kaleta, kotalik, macarthur, NHL, paille, pominville, ruff, Ryan Miller, sabres, sekera, the kaleta, theodore, Thomas Vanek, washington
Road Trip!
Aug 12, 2008 NHL
Drew from Illegal Curve found out the sad truth of Carolina hockey, and it was at a Durham Bulls game:
I sauntered over to find, unmanned and unmonitored I remind you, a table filled with “Buy one ticket, get one ticket free coupons” for Carolina Hurricanes hockey games.
Normally, a little cross-promotion for some of those early season stinkers wouldn’t be so bad, except that’s not what this was:
via Getty Images
Limit 8 tickets per person.
The kicker: No one monitoring the table where these are being distributed. An individual could have picked up hundreds of these coupons.
…
The majority of the arena applies to this promo. Only exceptions are the “Champion’s Club”, “V.I.P. Ledge”, and “Upper Goal Zone”.
I’d worry about a “V.I.P. Ledge” to be honest, wouldn’t your drunker fans fall off? But seriously, as I mentioned, these tickets were for games against the Blue Jackets or Kings, with opponents including the Washington Ovechkins, Anaheim and New Jersey. I think I’m honored that none of the Sabres games were included. Guess they know what fans will REALLY fill the seats. H/T to Puck Daddy.
.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, anaheim, buffalo, capitals, Carolina, devils, ducks, Hockey, Hurricanes, new jersey, NHL, ovechkin, sabres, washington
Tim Kennedy Signed
Jun 2, 2008 NHL
Tim Kennedy signed a two year entry-level deal with the Sabres, adding yet another talent to the new potential AHL team, with a shot to make the big show. The Buffalo native was a 6th round pick of the Caps that the Sabres acquired in a draft day trade.
Tags: buffalo, capitals, Hockey, kennedy, NHL, sabres, signing, washington
Teams are not cooperating…
Apr 18, 2008 NHL
Come on Boston, just roll over already! Why are you trying so hard, Philly, don’t you know the league wants Ovechkin to advance? Why did Brian Campbell suddenly become competent again? UGH.
Tags: boston, bruins, campbell, capitals, Hockey, NHL, ovechkin, washington
19:32 WSH - Backstrom (OWN)
Mar 9, 2008 NHL
That’s how the box score SHOULD read anyway, as Nicklas Backstrom backhanded defeat from the jaws of (potential) victory in the Capitals’ game against the Penguins. Backstrom’s backhand of a loose puck went into his own net with 28 seconds to go, possibly bouncing off Sidney Crosby’s skate. The goal broke a 2-2 tie, and was followed shortly thereafter by an empty net tally for the Staal that plays for the Pens. Of the ways there are to lose, that has to be one of the worst.
Tags: capitals, crosby, Hockey, NHL, Nicklas Backstrom, own goal, penguins, pittsburgh, staal, washington
You Win One, You Lose One
Mar 6, 2008 NHL, They Said It
That, at least, seems to be what the Sabres are all about right now. A night after pulling away from Philly in the third (on a missed ‘Too many men’ penalty) to win 5-2, the Sabres dropped one to the Capitals 3-1. Miller was tested early in the game, and though he only faced 23 shots officially, it seemed like half of them were on breakaways. He maybe could’ve had one of them, but the defense minus an injured Henrik Tallinder has to get better if the Sabres truly believe themselves to be a playoff team.
Although it ain’t the officials’ fault, I can’t help but think that officiating in any of the games I’ve seen recently (not just Buffalo games) seems to be on the slide. Here’s hoping it improves for the playoffs, I hate it when the Zebras are a factor in deciding playoff matchups. If it’s in your team’s favor, you never hear the end of it from the fans on the losing side.
edit: just saw this: Ruff tells Flyers to stop whining about no-call:
If we’re going to go back and whine about [how] the play changed the game, I can whine about the officiating. I can find something to whine about every night. … I thought we outplayed them in the third period and deserved to win. Did we get a break? Yeah.
Makes things a little better to get a shot in at the Flyers, even with the Caps loss.
Tags: capitals, flyers, Hockey, NHL, ovechkin, philadelphia, Ryan Miller, sabres, tallinder, washington
Ovechkin! /Crosby
Jan 11, 2008 NHL
There was a rumor a few days ago that Alexander Ovechkin was going to sign a 6 year, 54 million dollar deal with the Capitals. Well, he’s signed, but for more than DOUBLE THAT. 13 years, $124 million. It’s not the longest deal ever, thanks to Garth Snow signing DiPietro to that 15 year deal, but it IS the only deal to guarantee 100+ million smackers.
Ovie has been a superstar pretty much from the word go. He has goal totals of 52 and 46 in his first two seasons, and 32 already this year. There are few players who I would gamble on for a deal that long, but Ovechkin is one of them. It seems crazy to think that the Caps will now have the services of AO until my son would be graduating high school. WOW.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, capitals, Hockey, huge contract, NHL, ovechkin, signing, washington
Sabres Take Two More; Patrick Kane Scores
Dec 18, 2007 NHL
The Sabres took care of Washington 5-3 and native son Patrick Kane’s Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 this weekend. I’m still catching up on the Chicago game but the boys are playing fantastic right now. Timmy took a puck off the face, but like a true hockey player came back in the game at the Caps to score the game winner. Kolzig was shaky in that one, misplaying a few pucks that lead to goals. Roy, Max, Stafford and Hecht also scored.
The game everyone was waiting for, though was on Saturday. Patrick Kane (who grew up minutes from the Aud and HSBC Arena) came back to Buffalo for the first time. He scored Chicago’s first and only goal of the night with 500 of his family and friends present. It was all Buffalo after that, as Thomas Vanek scored on the power play, and Stafford picked up the gamewinner. Pominville got an empty netter (good karma returned, as he passed on one against the caps to Hecht).
Very solid play all around for the Sabres, who have some much needed time off before playing the Isles on Wednesday.
Tags: aud, B-Lo Sports, capitals, connolly, Drew Stafford, hecht, Hockey, kane, kolzig, Maxim Afinogenov, NHL, patrick kane, pominville, roy, sabres, Thomas Vanek, washington
The Hecht and Paille Show
Nov 27, 2007 NHL
Jochen Hecht led the Sabres to victory on the road last night with 2 goals and an assist against the Washington Capitals. Dan Paille’s hard work helped set up the game-winner and Jason Pominville scored late to keep the game out of reach. Ovechkin had the Caps’ only goal, cleaning up his own rebound. Ryan Miller was amazing yet again, stopping 30 of 31 shots on goal. There was even an Andrew Peters sighting, fighting John Erskine to a spirited draw. Peters also provided comic relief as he constantly pestered Brashear to fight any other time they were on the ice together.
It was a good road win for the Sabres, a lunchpail type effort that didn’t have a lot of beautiful plays but had the right result. Buffalo is home for the Blues tomorrow night, who are playing much better now than last year this time.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, capitals, Donald Brashear, erskine, hecht, Hockey, NHL, paille, peters, pominville, Ryan Miller, sabres, washington
Sabres roll over the Caps 7-3
Oct 14, 2007 NHL
After losing the first two, the Sabres have won two straight in convincing fashion. Brian Campbell and Jaroslav Spacek continue their hot streaks, with Soupy picking up 4 assists (thought he had a goal but looks like they gave it to Roy) and Spacek scoring twice on the power play. Ovechkin and the Caps made it a two goal game twice, but the Sabres scored shortly after each time to extend the lead back to 3+.
Special recognition for the night goes to Jaro Spacek. This is what he was brought in for last year, and he met with Coach Ruff in the off-season to get back on the PP and in the scoring column, and it’s working big-time. Maxim Afinogenov gets on the board with a beautiful feed from behind the net from Vanek, who had 2 assists and was +3.
Next up for the Sabre-guys is a tilt with the hated Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, capitals, Hockey, NHL, sabres, washington
