Sabres Beat Penguins For Second Straight Win
Nov 29, 2008 NHL
It was a high-energy affair at HSBC Arena tonight as the Buffalo Sabres get past the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Drew Stafford and Paul Gaustad had 2 goals each, with Tyler Kennedy scoring one and Sidney Crosby getting the other 2 for the Pens. Buffalo came out hitting and carried that through the entire game, hearkening back to their play in the first half-dozen games of the season. I would like to point out Toni Lydman tonight, who is credited with 6 hits and 7 blocked shots to lead all skaters in both categories. Thomas Vanek did end up playing, and manned up with 19:30 of ice time in all phases.
As for the Penguins, their backup/callup goalie John Curry played as well as you might hope for a guy in only his second NHL game and first start. He robbed a few guys, but was playing with Sabres in front of the net all night. Sounds like what Buffalo was dealing with during their recent skid. Every Penguins rush or chance was covered, and it seemed like Buffalo went hard to the puck all night and worked. A great regulation win for the boys, who turn it around and play again on Saturday against Montreal.
edit: Fixed who they play next as the holiday has me all screwed up. Also, I’d like to give Maxim Afinogenov some love, as he was a beast with the puck tonight, AND he actually had dangerous chances after possessing it. That’s the point-per-game Max we all remember from a few years ago.
Tags: buffalo, crosby, Drew Stafford, gaustad, Hockey, John Curry, kennedy, lydman, Maxim Afinogenov, NHL, penguins, pittsburgh, sabres, sidney crosby, Thomas Vanek
Gameday - Penguins at Sabres
Nov 28, 2008 NHL
Crosby was head over heels for Thomas Vanek
Gamenight tonight at HSBC Arena, as the Pittsburgh Penguins cruise in to face the Buffalo Sabres at 7:30pm. News from practice today was not good, however, as Thomas Vanek sat out most of it after taking a wicked hit against the Bruins. He came back in the third to finish that game and gave a non-answer about tonight (”I came back and finished the game, so there’s no reason I shouldn’t play tomorrow”). Thanks to John Vogl at the Buffalo News for that. Mike Harrington reports that Paille is feeling better, Patches is still one scratch but the other is not known (although he alludes to the fact that Max did extra on-ice work at practice as a hint that he may sit again).
The Penguins got down 3-0 but Crosby and Malkin helped them storm back to win 5-3 in the last game (against the Isles). Dany Sabourin got pulled (he was starting in place of the injured Marc-Andre Fleury), and some guy named John Curry stoned the Islanders the rest of the way. Curry has the start tonight, against Miller unless I hear different later. A game against the likes of Geno and Bing (as the Pensblog would put it) will be a good (if scary) way to tell if the Sabres defensive play/Miller’s goaltending prowess is back or if the past 2 games were an aberration. Go Sabres!
Tags: buffalo, crosby, Dany Sabourin, fleury, Hockey, John Curry, malkin, Maxim Afinogenov, NHL, paetsch, paille, penguins, pittsburgh, Ryan Miller, sabres, sidney crosby, Thomas Vanek
It’s Finally Here!
Oct 9, 2008 NHL
The ‘North American portion’ of the NHL schedule gets underway tonight, with four games. Your only 7pm option is the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Detroit Red Wings, a game which will be seen on Versus or CBC depending on where you are. The Wings are raising their Stanley Cup banner, but I doubt Versus viewers will see it, as there is a special 3 hour Sidney Crosby interview they need to get through (I kid, I kid!). The schedule is rounded out with three late games: Boston at Colorado (VS), Calgary at Vancouver (CBC) and Anaheim at San Jose (local coverage as far as I can tell). I wish all teams a good season, and may no superstars get Tom Brady’d on the opening weekend, unless it’s Sean Avery.
Tags: anaheim, avalanche, boston, bruins, calgary, canucks, colorado, crosby, detroit, ducks, flames, Hockey, maple leafs, NHL, red wings, san jose, sharks, stanley cup, toronto, vancouver
Worst Kept Secret - Winter Classic at Wrigley
Jul 16, 2008 NHL
The worst-kept secret in the NHL is now officially out there - the next Winter Classic will be January 1st, 2009 in Chicago. Wrigley Field will host the Original Six Blackhawks and Red Wings. Bettman thanked New York and will keep the new Yankee Stadium in mind in the future. Great. Anyway, the article (which could use a better editor, to be honest) did have this to say about the original Classic:
While it will take a monumental effort for the Chicago game to match the drama and mystique of the Buffalo game, when Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal capped an unforgettable afternoon that included the largest crowd to ever see an NHL game and a gorgeous Western New York snow fall, Wrigley Field has a charm unto its own.
Pat Kane better make fun of Patrick Sharp:
“I remember going to Wrigley with a bunch of teammates in April and thinking how cold it was,” Sharp said. “I can’t imagine what it will be like will be Jan. 1.”
Brian Campbell had this to say, having participated last year:
“The city was all wrapped up in it,” Campbell said. “It was, ‘How do you get tickets?’ ‘What are you doing to get prepared?’ ‘What’s your tailgate going to be like?’ It was mayhem, a lot of fun, and something you take a lot of pride in.”
Besides, Campbell can burn a huge pile of money to keep warm this time.
Tags: blackhawks, campbell, chicago, crosby, detroit, Hockey, NHL, red wings, sharp, winter classic
Penguins Get On the Board
May 29, 2008 NHL
Pittsburgh took the third game of the Stanley Cup Finals last night, blowing away my previous poll by scoring 3 goals. Crosby had two and Adam Hall had the other. The Pens seemed to be the more physical team, with Brooks Orpik dominating a stretch of the game in the third period, hitting anyone that touched the puck. Glad they decided to make a game of it.
Tags: crosby, detroit, hall, orpik, penguins, pittsburgh, red wings, stanley cup
Hey Penguins
May 27, 2008 NHL
Loading ...Another game, another SO for Chris Osgood. The Pens went goon-y at the end, Crosby was whining, and the wagons are being circled. I might get to watch the next couple games, I sure hope they at least are competitive.
Tags: crosby, detroit, Hockey, NHL, osgood, penguins, pittsburgh, red wings, sidney crosby
SCF: Penguins VS Wings
May 22, 2008 NHL
The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals begin this Saturday, pitting the Original Six Detroit Red Wings against the risen from the ashes Pittsburgh Penguins. The young Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, will look to run roughshod over the older, ‘more experienced’ Wings. Still, you have to respect Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Holmstrom (Zetterberg in particular saved my fantasy team on more than one occasion). In goal, both Chris Osgood and Marc-Andre Fleury have been doing excellent work, Osgood especially as he had to step in after Hasek tried to give their opening round series away.
My excitement for Game 1 (8:00pm start time) has waxed and waned, thanks in no small part to the NHL having the teams sit on their hands for days and days so they can start the series on a weekend. I know they are trying to take care of their core market (namely, the millions of people who watch on HNIC) but it’s really hard to stay interested for that long when the Sabre-guys aren’t involved! I’m picking the Penguins in 6, and I hope America tunes in to watch this clash of two US teams whose cities actually know what hockey is when their teams aren’t in the finals.
Tags: crosby, datsyuk, detroit, fleury, hasek, hnic, Hockey, hockey night in canada, malkin, NHL, osgood, penguins, pittsburgh, red wings, zetterberg
Gameday - Sabres at Penguins (updated)
Mar 12, 2008 NHL
The Buffalo Sabres travel to the Igloo to face the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, and they do so without Andrew Peters. Peters was suspended for one game for hitting Colton Orr while he was on the bench. Peters was retaliating for a hit that Orr put on a Sabres player that put him into the bench as regulation time expired. On the injury front, Steve Bernier and Michael Ryan both practiced but at this point their status for tonight is uncertain. Kalinin is out for 1 to 2 weeks, and Spacek longer, so Mike Weber will be on the ice.
Buffalo currently sits 4 points behind Philly in the standings, and Philly plays the Maple Leafs again tonight for the back-end of a home and home. You can just go ahead and fill in al the typical sports cliches about it being ’crunch time’ or ‘must-win’ on your own, don’t need my help with that by now.
Update: No Sidney Crosby tonight, he is sitting with that ankle injury that kept him out the past several weeks. Connolly may sit with the continuing hip soreness, getting The Kaleta back in. Bernier will play.
Tags: connolly, crosby, Hockey, injury, kaleta, kalinin, NHL, orr, penguins, peters, pittsburgh, ryan, sabres, Spacek, Steve Bernier, the kaleta, weber
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
Rough Weekend for the Sabres
Feb 18, 2008 NHL
Buffalo played two games this weekend, losing both. The Rangers game on Saturday afternoon was over almost before it started, with Miller getting pulled after 4 goals in the first, including Avery scoring 10 seconds in. They got a better performance on Sunday, but still could only manage one goal against the Crosby-less Penguins. Thomas Vanek was the lone Sabres goal scorer in both games, and he now has 7 goals in the past 6 games.
The Sabres are currently 9th in the East after this weekend, tied with Boston for that final playoff spot. They are off until Wednesday when the Lightning come to town, followed by a quick jaunt up the QEW to face the Maple Leafs.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, crosby, Hockey, new york, NHL, penguins, pittsburgh, rangers, Ryan Miller, sabres, Sean Avery, Thomas Vanek
