SabreSpace

'Ruff plans to match C Curtis Brown against Penguins C Mario Lemieux. "They've got great team speed," Ruff said. "And we've got to make it tough for them to use that."' … [Read more...] about Penguins Scouting Report

'So, grab yourself an IC Light (or a Genny Cream, as the case might be) and appreciate the fact that these showdowns rarely occur outside of fantasy board games and barroom debates. This is Koufax against McGuire. Rice versus Blount. Shaq against Russell.' … [Read more...] about Dream Matchup: Lemieux and Jagr vs. Hasek

'If the Capitals couldn't bewilder the Penguins, nobody can.' … [Read more...] about Penguins to prevail in six games

'There are more pressing questions facing Jagr. This could be his final playoff season as a Penguins player as well as a teammate of Lemieux's. At various times during these playoffs he has appeared distracted, almost unhappy.' … [Read more...] about Jagr continues his pursuit of happiness

'He's been stellar so far, especially considering his inexperience in the NHL in general and his unfamiliarity with the cauldron of Stanley Cup playoffs pressure in particular. But had Hedberg been left out to dry the way so many Penguins goaltenders have been in so many previous postseasons, the way Hedberg himself had been in his first two starts at Florida and at Tampa Bay, … [Read more...] about ‘Moose’ the story of the playoffs

'"Everybody knows how good he is, but I believe we can still score some goals."' … [Read more...] about Hlinka on Hasek: ‘He’s not God.’

'"They have four good lines, so we're going to have to use four lines if we want to beat these guys," said Mario Lemieux, the Penguins owner and first-line center. "You can't play three lines and get worn down as the series progresses. We're going to need four lines that can go out and do the job."' … [Read more...] about Fourth line still up in the air

'The Sabres translated their regular-season formula for success, hard work, balance and excellent special teams and goaltending, into a six-game triumph over Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.' … [Read more...] about Scouting Report

'The Penguins are approaching their Eastern Conference semifinal series that begins tonight in Buffalo as a kill-or-be-killed proposition.' … [Read more...] about Penguins hard at work on killing power plays

'Mario Lemieux came out of retirement for one more shot at winning a Stanley Cup. Dominik Hasek put off plans to retire for the same reason.' … [Read more...] about Hasek vs. Lemieux: Stanley Cup dreams collide

'"I think we need him to play a little better for us to have a chance to go all the way," Lemieux said during a conference call. "He's got to elevate his game and be a leader."' … [Read more...] about Lemieux challenges Jagr to elevate game

'Rasmussen, one of the Sabres top checkers, will have his shoulder evaluated by team doctors on Thursday morning.' … [Read more...] about Rasmussen doubtful to start against Penguins

'"I'm not the same as I was when I was 25 or even 29," says the now 35-year-old. "I get about 25 minutes a game, not 30 or 35 like when I was younger. That's about right. I play on the penalty killing units now too and that takes a lot out of you, you're moving all the time when you're doing that, but it's a part of the game and I like it."' … [Read more...] about Doing his best in “do-over”

'In all, Pittsburgh's top two lines scored 205 goals this season - nearly as many as the entire Buffalo team.' … [Read more...] about Sabres, Pens in classic NHL matchup

'The series should be a showdown between the NHL's best defense and its second-best offense. But the postseason is hockey's Bizarro World, and Buffalo's Jennings Trophy-winning "D" and Pittsburgh's stable of shooters did not star in the teams' respective six-game, first-round victories. Instead, the Sabres enter Round Two having scored a … [Read more...] about Sabres face huge challenge in Mario & Co.