Daily Links for Friday, March 12

by Andy Boron on Mar 12, 2010 6:00 AM EST in Daily Links

Happy Friday everyone! We've got a boatload of reading material today, just in time for a back-to-back homestand against some Western Conference foes - tonight it's the Minnesota Wild at 7:30. Hope ya'll have a great weekend.

NOTEBOOK: THE STRETCH - Buffalo Sabres
Head Coach Lindy Ruff is officially entering playoff mode.

Tuneup day puts Vanek back in synch - The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan might go in for a maintenance day himself after the good it did for Thomas Vanek (personally, I wouldn't mind if he did that during Bills season - say for four months or so)

Miller And Lalime To Split The Weekend - WGR 550 SportsRadio
Hear about the goalies, Gaustad, and what Lindy learned from his Olympic experience.

Fans rise to the challenge issued by Kaleta - The Buffalo News
Totally agree with Mike Harrington that Patty Kaleta's fight and subsequent waving/wooing was a vintage Rob Ray type of play. Kaleta is asking the fans to get more into the game, and doing his best to help them.

Sabres Extend Affiliation Agreement with Pirates - Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have extended their partnership with the Portland Pirates for an unknown amount of time.

Washington Capitals clinch Southeast Division - NHL.com
Wow do they have a boatload of points.

Contender questions opens door for Cinderellas - The Hockey News
The NHL playoffs are never hard to get excited about, but when you inject the fallibility factor into this year’s pending series of best-of-seven showdowns, the layers of intrigue multiply like San Jose springtime failures.

Babcock's success rooted in hard work - CBC
Mike Babcock is both business-like and lucky, which is why he is the first hockey coach to win an Olympic gold medal, a world championship and a Stanley Cup.

ESPN: wrong and bad with small sample sizes, too - Behind The Net
A nice read for anyone who's read Outliers by the (fantastic) Malcolm Gladwell.

Video: Minnesota high school player wipes out in opening intros - Puck Daddy
There are a lot of eyes on the MSHSL Tourney ... which means plenty of puckheads witnessed Alexandria defenseman Zach Van Orsdel stumble into one of the most memorable pregame intros we've seen.

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Yes. Ottawa lost in regulation. Didnt see it til this morning because it was a West Coast game. But we need to pounce on that tonight now. Big win boys!! Ride this streak, hopefully Lalime is in net tonight. I want to see Miller vs Detroit. I like seeing how we stack up against the Wests bests (they are a better team than an 8 seed IMO, and if they end up in the 8th spot… WATCH OUT SJ – another 1st round exit?)

"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST

by bflo on Mar 12, 2010 9:10 AM EST reply actions

We now have 3 games-in-hand on Ottawa, so the 2 point lead could be as much as an 8 point lead in reality. By that logic we could also be tied with Pittsburgh for 2nd place in the conference.

by lassathrax on Mar 12, 2010 10:22 AM EST up reply actions

Good point. 2 to 8 would be awesome. Hopefully its 4 after tonight.

"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST

by bflo on Mar 12, 2010 10:25 AM EST up reply actions

Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched. (That’s a saying, right?)

"The horse jumped over the f#@king fence."
- KV

by TEMSON on Mar 12, 2010 10:48 AM EST up reply actions

right, key words were “could be” and “as much as”
we’re talking buffalo sports here, why would anyone ever expect to win a game?

by lassathrax on Mar 12, 2010 11:07 AM EST up reply actions

Kaleta

Love how Patty calls out the fans to be more enthusiastic and energetic. Fans attending need to help get players motivated to get into the playoffs and through the playoffs.

Get rid of the ugly slug.

by North Java Sabra on Mar 12, 2010 10:54 AM EST reply actions

Kaleta has been one of my top 3 favorite current Sabres ever since his first game (the Ottawa brawl). He really brings some things to the team that are painfully absent when he is out with injury (hitting, pestering, drawing penalties, forechecking, intimidation, even some scoring). Its good to see that he can drop the gloves and hold his own from time to time – he didn’t even turtle this time! Fighting Steve Ott and winning (IMO) is pretty damned good by Kaleta’s standards. If Kaleta’s style of play can’t excite the fans, I’d check their pulses to make sure they’re alive.

by lassathrax on Mar 12, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions