Archives for 2006

'Miracles do happen, but there was a sense Friday night as HSBC Arena quietly emptied after a 4-0 loss that the Carolina Hurricanes were too deep, too fast, too skilled and too healthy for this to continue for much longer.' … [Read more...] about March inaction exposes Sabres in May

'Gerber was brilliant when he had to be, which was early, but not often.' … [Read more...] about Gerber gives Hurricanes needed boost

'The Sabres went 0 for 4 with the man advantage Friday, mustering just one shot. They had zero shots on two power plays late in the first period while facing a 2-0 deficit.' … [Read more...] about Ruff points to power play

'At the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, where patrons stood three and four deep at the bar, fans fearing the dampness huddled together over beers and wings. "There's no atmosphere at home other than me screaming at the TV," said Roy Reid of Albion.' … [Read more...] about Fans in it together

'He wouldn't disclose specific figures but said sales at the Sabres Store through the first two rounds exceeded those during even the 1999 Stanley Cup finals against Dallas. He expects traffic to increase even more against Carolina. Gilbert said jerseys and playoff T-shirts and hats remain the most popular items.' … [Read more...] about Fans give ’em the business at Sabres Store

'The 31 rating was the highest in the country and translated into about 200,000 households (18 percent of 1.1 million nationally) tuning in. Incredibly, Raleigh was No. 2 with a 4.4 rating and 43,000 households. And you might have thought that 43,000 people have left Buffalo for North Carolina.' … [Read more...] about WNY corners the market in NHL ratings

'Some might view my relationship with the Sabres as an unhealthy obsession. I prefer to look at this playoff run as a learning experience.' … [Read more...] about Sabres fans need to take a gigantic leap of faith

'But in reality, three of Buffalo's top six defensemen were out with injuries - Henrik Tallinder (broken arm), Teppo Numminen (groin) and Dmitri Kalinin (broken ankle). The rest performed as if they were helpless without their banged-up teammates, while Carolina focused on exposing a vulnerable unit.' … [Read more...] about Sabres stall on home ice

'"I thought we sat back too much," Sabres center Daniel Briere said. "We were a little worried and wanted to give our new defensemen a chance to get in the game. We let them come at us."' … [Read more...] about Weakened defense caves in to pressure

'Buffalo entered the game as the highest-scoring team in the postseason with 53 goals, but since goalie Martin Gerber replaced rookie Cam Ward midway through Wednesday's game, the Sabres haven't scored.' … [Read more...] about Hurricanes start at the top with Sabres

'It's an eerie feeling that by chasing one goalie from the net, the Sabres are staring at a better one for the duration of this series. Wouldn't that just be the luck of a snake-bitten franchise still in search of its first Cup well into its fourth decade?' … [Read more...] about ‘Canes made correct call in goal

'The Sabres ran into the most certain roadblock to a Stanley Cup -- a hot opposing goaltender.' … [Read more...] about Sabres fall flat in 4-0 loss

'“You never want to see guys get hurt, that’s for sure, especially in the game,” Stillman said after Hurricanes rolled to a convincing 4-0 victory at HSBC Arena on Friday. “It’s unfortunate they’ve run into some injuries. Now it’s for us to take advantage of. We have to play in their zone and tire out their top four guys. And hopefully … [Read more...] about Sabres newcomers thrown in the mix

'The biggest play of Game 4 came with the Sabres up big in Game 3. When Martin Gerber stepped in for Cam Ward and stoned Mike Grier seconds later on a breakaway, he laid the foundation for a wall the Sabres have yet to crack, and he’s given the Hurricanes confidence they hadn’t shown with Cam Ward in net.' … [Read more...] about Gerber&#8217s presence slows Sabres to a crawl

'“Me and my neighbor were on the computer,” he said of the snap decision to make the trip. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We just decided why not? It’s the Buffalo Sabres, so who really cares about money?"' … [Read more...] about Fans blow into Raleigh for Sabres