Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens [Game Thread]
by D.O.
on Oct 10, 2008 5:00 PM EDT
93 comments
Montreal Canadiens @ Buffalo Sabres
Game #1
Buffalo Sabres (0-0-0, 0PTS) vs. Montreal Canadiens (0-0-0, 0PTS)
7:30 PM EST, HSBC Arena
TV: MSG-B (Buffalo),
Radio: WGR 550 (Buffalo), XM 208 (National)
In yesterday's post I talked about it being a long six months for the players and a feeling they don't want again next year. It's been just as long for us fans. Sure we have had the Bills to help us through the painful off-season but tonight it begins for real. You have read all the previews and now it's about you the fan. Make sure to stop by during the game and chat with other Sabres fans.
It's Hockey Time!!!
Don't forget to sign up for the SPG Game
Buffalo Sabres
Players to Watch
- Derek Roy (78GP, 32G-49-81P, 6 power play goals, 3 short-handed goals)
- Jason Pominville (82GP, 27G-53A-80P)
- Thomas Vanek (82GP, 36G-28A-64P, 19 power play goals, 9 game-winning goals)
- Ales Kotalik (79GP, 23G-20A-43P, 12 power play goals)
- Jaro Spacek (60GP, 9G-23A-32P, 7 power play goals)
- Daniel Paille (77GP, 19G-16A-35P, 3 short-handed goals)
Notes
- Lost last years home opener 6-4 to the NY Islanders
- Fourth in the league in goals scored last season with 251
- finished in 10th place last season, missing the playoffs
- named Craig Rivet Captain, first time the Sabres have had only one captain since Stu Barnes wore the "C" from 2001-2003
- finished Pre-Season 2-4-1
Montreal Canadiens
Players to Watch
- Alex Kovalev (82GP, 35G-49A-84P, 17 power play goals)
- Tomas Plekanec (81GP, 29G-40A-69P, 12 power play goals)
- Andrei Kostitsyn (78GP, 26G-27A-53P, 12 power play goals)
- Christopher Higgins (82GP, 27G-25A-52P, 12 power play goals)
- Andrei Markov (82GP, 16G-42A-58P, 10 power play goals)
- Carey Price (41GP, 2.56 GAA, .920 sv%)
Notes
- second in the league in goals scored last season with 257
- led the league with 90 power play goals last season converting 24.1%
- Finished last season in 1st place in the Eastern Conference
- led the league with 130 goals scored on the road
07-08 Meetings
Season Series: 3-4-1
Buffalo Outshot: 1-2-1
Montreal Outshot: 1-0-0
Even shots: 1-2-0
Buffalo PP: 7-32 - 21.88%
Montreal PP: 8-28 - 28.57%
| Date | O/S | Vis | Home | W/ Goalie | W/T Goal | Vis PP | Home PP |
| Oct 20 | Buf 2 | Mon 4 | C.Huet | R. Hamrlik | 1-6 | 2-6 | |
| Nov 5 | Buf 0 | Mon 2 | C. Huet | T. Plekanec | 0-2 | 0-2 | |
| Nov 16 | Mon 1 | Buf 4 | R. Miller | D. Paille | 0-2 | 0-1 | |
| Nov 23 | Mon 2 | Buf 4 | R. Miller | T. Vanek | 1-6 | 2-3 | |
| Nov 24 | Buf 3 | Mon 0 | J. Thibault | J. Spacek | 1-4 | 0-3 | |
| Feb 29 | Mon 6 | Buf 2 | C. Price | T. Plekanec | 3-3 | 2-6 | |
| Mar 28 | O | Mon 4 | Buf 3 | C. Price | C. Higgins | 1-2 | 0-5 |
| Apr 3 | Buf 1 | Mon 3 | C. Price | B. Smolinski | 1-5 | 1-4 |
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93 comments
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I can’t believe the season is finally here.
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:30 PM EDT
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Connolly a scratch already.
I don’t care how well he performs this year, this has to be his last year, right?
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:31 PM EDT
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Friggin Connolly
Thank God it’s the last year with him. So much talent going to waste.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 7:33 PM EDT
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Is Lydman gong to come on the ice?
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:34 PM EDT
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There we go.
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:34 PM EDT
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I like Mair and all
But how much do you expect out of a line with Mair at Center? If I was Kotalik and Afinogenov…I would be pissed.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 7:34 PM EDT
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No Gaustad, no TC. One of those young guys better develop soon.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:36 PM EDT
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Good thing we picked up Ellis
So we can play Peters
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 7:38 PM EDT
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FYI guys – NHL Gamecenter on NHL.com has a free preview this weekend. It’s pretty cool. Real-time stats and you can watch up to four games at a time,.
FrankD from Pensburgh.com
by FrankD on
Oct 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT
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I seen that Frank
But I’m still not paying for it
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 7:42 PM EDT
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Oh yeah, I’m with ya. Just nice to give it a look and see what it’s all about. Personally it’s all hype to me because the Carolina game has an infinite echo on it right now…
FrankD from Pensburgh.com
by FrankD on
Oct 10, 2008 7:43 PM EDT
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Also, free preview for NHL Center Ice.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT
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yeah, I buy that every year. This is just something new that has my attention.
FrankD from Pensburgh.com
by FrankD on
Oct 10, 2008 7:42 PM EDT
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My first yell of the year, I’m sure the neighbors are happy.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
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My neighbor is clinically deaf :-)
FrankD from Pensburgh.com
by FrankD on
Oct 10, 2008 7:46 PM EDT
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So . . . .
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:47 PM EDT
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Dammit
Miller on his knees again for that one…what the hell was he doing all alone in front
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 7:47 PM EDT
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Bad bounce.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:49 PM EDT
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Niiiiice Key Lime!
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:51 PM EDT
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How many times have we seen Vanek do that?
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 7:57 PM EDT
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Derek Roy
Takes dumb penalty…although a really weak call
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:02 PM EDT
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Is there really not going to be a power play clock all game?
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:05 PM EDT
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Weak call
They are calling everything in this game
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:06 PM EDT
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Agree. Kind of ticky tack. All in all, a pretty good first period, though.
by Brian Galliford on
Oct 10, 2008 8:21 PM EDT
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Pretty Good
could have been very good if they would have put the puck behind Price at least one more time.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:23 PM EDT
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Opportunities
A couple of great opportunities and nothing…we need to get a couple behind Price…rattle the kid a bit. I’m not really sure you can rattle him but hey, have to try.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:09 PM EDT
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Nice effort from the Mair-Kotalik-Max line.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:16 PM EDT
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Yeah...I liked that
I was ready to eat my words from earlier but they still didn’t put the puck into the net.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:17 PM EDT
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Roy
made two terrible plays in that sequence. First the give away and second he allowed the forward behind him.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:16 PM EDT
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Sabres better through one
I certainly thought the Sabres were the better team but the score is still 1-1. I’m not sure how Lang was left all alone but once again Miller laying on the ice when the goal was scored.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:22 PM EDT
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I’m really happy they brought Teppo back. Seems like a decent dude, of course the sad background melody certainly helps his case.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:29 PM EDT
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Me too, but lots of risk there too.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:39 PM EDT
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Definitely agree
That’s a disaster waiting to happen
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:40 PM EDT
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We can’t keep giving them power play opportunities…they will make us pay for it.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:39 PM EDT
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Damn
I thought Paille was going to have one there…nice save by Paille
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:41 PM EDT
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Haven’t seen the stats, but seems like Peters has been on the ice a bit more than normal.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:46 PM EDT
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I stand corrected. It just seems longer because I don’t want to see him on the ice at all.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:51 PM EDT
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That is a lot for him
he normally doesn’t play that much.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 8:54 PM EDT
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Phew, Thanks Toni.
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 8:49 PM EDT
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Didn't need that
It wasn’t even a hold though
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 9:05 PM EDT
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Not as good
I didn’t like the way they played that period
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 9:07 PM EDT
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Well 20 minutes left
20 minutes to get this game in the bag…they need to play like they did in the first period.
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 9:23 PM EDT
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Game 1 and I’m already biting my nails.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 9:45 PM EDT
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Roy having a pretty up and down game tonight.
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 9:54 PM EDT
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Just a bit too out of control.
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 9:56 PM EDT
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Got a point
It’s not enough…we have been the better team, we need two
by D.O. on
Oct 10, 2008 10:00 PM EDT
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WHAT A SAVE
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by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 10:06 PM EDT
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Big face-off here.
http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/
by BeastMode on
Oct 10, 2008 10:08 PM EDT
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