SabreSpace

'"We don't want to look at it like that, but it's a big game for us," forward John LeClair said after Friday's practice. "We want to even it up."' … [Read more...] about Flyers face a must-win early in series

Enter Mike Peca. The captain scored 4:32 into Game 1, backhanding one past Tugnutt to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead. Dominik Hasek made 40 saves, including a brilliant stick stop on Alexei Yashin to keep the Senators from tying the game, and the Sabres held on for a 2-1 road win that wrested home ice from Ottawa. If you don't see the striking similarities between the first … [Read more...] about Gratton's goal brings reminders of Cup run

'Twice the Sabres inadvertently put themselves in position to hand the momentum to Philadelphia, and twice Buffalo's defense - once in the form of Hasek, and once in the form of virtually everyone but Hasek - crushed the Flyers by slamming the door.' … [Read more...] about Dom, penalty killers gave Sabres big lift

'"We've got to get ugly," Mark Recchi, Philly's veteran right wing, said after practice Thursday. "We need to get some traffic and find the net and do some things that make it difficult for their defense."' … [Read more...] about Flyers threaten some 'ugliness' in goal quest

'Philadelphia Flyers winger Mark Recchi claims the Sabres still don't need Peca. "They got enough. They got enough," Recchi said. "They got a lot of good players on their hockey club."' … [Read more...] about Absence of holdout Peca not felt so far

'Because the home team has the benefit of countering the visitor's lines on faceoffs, the Flyers held the upper hand in dictating matchups most favorable to them. But Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff negated that edge by masterfully switching lines during play. The Sabres almost always seemed to have the matchups they wanted rather than vice versa, and never really got caught … [Read more...] about Ruff gets big payoff with early line changes

'It's no coincidence that when Keith Primeau went out of the Flyers' starting lineup on March 26 with a knee injury, Mark Recchi's offensive game sank noticeably. In seven regular-season games plus one Eastern Conference playoff game since he lost his partner, Recchi hasn't scored a goal and has just two assists.' … [Read more...] about Clipped Winger

'"I think the coaching staff did a good job building up our confidence," veteran winger Dave Andreychuk said. "Once we got that first goal, it was key because we were going into a series against a guy who had played well against us. But we have to put this behind us and not be satisfied. We're looking at a long series here."' … [Read more...] about Sabres seem better equipped to crush Roman's empire

'"I'm very frustrated right now with myself," Gagne, a soft-spoken French Canadian, admitted. "I'm not very happy with the way I play right now."' … [Read more...] about Fear of a new injury limiting Gagne's game

'Not that you should get your hopes up, but Keith Primeau skated for about 15 minutes yesterday wearing his knee brace. The Flyers' top center is sidelined with a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.' … [Read more...] about An optimistic Primeau says he's making progress

'Because this is Barber's first playoff go-round as an NHL head coach, and this is when the heat really gets turned up, and this is when you find out if the guy who was such a compulsive truth-teller to the Flyers' players this season can be the same guy when the stakes get raised. Can he?' … [Read more...] about Barber not one to panic

'Primeau suffered a Grade II sprain of his left medial collateral ligament March 26 in Ottawa. "I personally feel I'm ahead of schedule," he said.' … [Read more...] about Primeau skating; Flyers hoping

'The 21-year-old left wing hasn't scored since coming off the injury list on March 26. That's nine games to be exact.' … [Read more...] about Gagne must step up for Flyers

'Keith Primeau, 17 days into rehabilitation from a Grade II sprain of the left knee and wearing a brace, wheeled around the Skate Zone for about 15 minutes yesterday. While he can't do anything with significant meaning until doctors evaluate him on Monday, it's clear Primeau is chomping at the bit to get back into action.' … [Read more...] about Primeau anxious to get back into action

'When asked by reporters yesterday if a passing grade on the re-evaluation would mean he could return at some point during a first-round series the Flyers already trail Buffalo in, Primeau said, "I don't want to speculate." Just several minutes later, he did. "I know I'm actually going to see the doctor on Saturday," Primeau told the Daily Times.' … [Read more...] about Primeau pushing quicker return