Normally we do team stats before individual stats, but with the Sabres finishing up their month yesterday and a game kicking off April on the 1st, individual stats for the month are complete, so we'll begin with them.
Sometimes it takes a while for the older folk to get themselves going. Two of the elder statesman on the Sabres, Brian Gionta (35 yrs. old) and Matt Moulson (31) are really beginning to roll.
Moulson started picking it up last month as he lead the team in assists (seven) and and points (nine.) He followed that up with another seven assists and 10 more points in the month of march. Joining him in the scoring department during March was Gionta. The veteran winger had four goals and totaled nine points for the month which represents about a third of his point total for the entire season.
The other big surprise up-front came from a linemate of Moulson's who joined the top line in the middle part of the month but has made a very strong impression. Johan Larsson registered three goals and six assists for nine points in the month and he lead the team in plus/minus with a plus-four. The line of Moulson, Larsson and Ennis have been playing very well since Larsson replaced Phil Varone. The line totaled 10 goals, 18 assists and were a cumulative plus-nine with all of them in the plus column.
Another positive for the team was the play of goalie Anders Lindback. Since Michal Neuvirth was traded at the deadline, Lindback has a 2.62 gaa and a .926 sv% far better than any Sabres goalie this season. Unfortunately for him (and the other goalies as well,) the 30th place Sabres offered no help in the scoring department and Lindback finished with a 2-5-2 record.
On the downside, stats-wise, is a trio of defensemen who had horrible numbers in the plus-minus department. Andre Benoit was a minus-9 and Tyson Strachan was a minus-11. Bringing up the rear was Mike Weber with a minus-12.
The much-maligned Weber has taken criticism for his play and recently has been lambasted by the fanbase for comments of disgust directed at hometown fans who cheered for the Arizona Coyotes in the first "Battle of the Basement." But recognition of what he means to the team came today as he was nominated as the Sabres represented for the Bill Masterson Trophy, awarded to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey" as voted upon by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
From the Buffalo News, "The award is named for Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game in 1968.
"Weber dedicated his life to making the NHL and earned the nomination in part by being a veteran leader on a young team in need of them. The longest-tenured player in the organization mentors teammates such as Ramsus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov. He shows how to be a spokesman during tough times, like when he eloquently represented the Sabres in speaking about the death of former teammate Steve Montador."
Only two Sabres have won the award, Don Luce (1975) and Pat LaFontaine (1995.)
Congratulations to Weber. It's not much in the grand scheme of this season, but it means a helluva lot to a player who came from a family where no one played the game. "I owe everything I have to this game,” Weber said, via the News' article. “I’m not the most talented, the most skilled, but I knew where I wanted to be. I knew where I wanted to end up, and I’ve worked hard to get here. I try to work hard to stay here."
Buffalo Sabres Individual Stats leaders (month by month):
Points
--October: Drew Stafford, 6; Tyler Ennis, 5; Zemgus Girgensons, Marcus Foligno, 3
--November: Ennis, 11; Girgensons, 10; Moulson, 9
--December: Ennis, 8; Girgensons, Stafford, 7
--January: Stewart, 8; Ennis, 6; Girgensons, 4
--February: Moulson, 9; Stewart, 7; Girgensons, Gionta, Mitchell, 6
--March: Moulson, 10; Ennis, Gionta, Larsson, 9
Goals
--October: Ennis, 4; Girgensons, Foligno, 2; Stafford, Cody Hodgson, Torrey Mitchell, Nic Deslauriers, 1
--November: Girgensons, 5; Moulson, 4; Ennis, Stafford, Chris Stewart, Brian Flynn, 3
--December: Girgensons, 4; Moulson, Foligno, 3
--January: Stewart, 4; Ennis, 3; Stafford, Girgensons, Varone, Zadorov, 2
--February: Ennis, Gionta, Mitchell, 3; seven with 2
--March: Ennis, Gionta, Ristolainen, Meszaros, 4
Powerplay Goals
--October: Stafford, 1
--November: Ennis, 2; Stafford, Moulson, 1
--December: Ennis, Ristolainen, 2; Stewart, Zadorov, 1
--January: Stewart, 3; Girgensons, Grigorenko, 1
--February: Ennis, Stewart, Myers, Zadorov, 1
--March: Gionta, Ristolainen, 2; Meszaros, Moulson, Ennis, 1
Assists
--October: Stafford, 5; Moulson, 2; Twelve with 1
--November: Ennis, 8; Moulson, Girgensons, Gionta, 5
--December: Ennis, Stafford, 6; Gorges, 5
--January: Stewart, 4; Ennis, Moulson, Flynn, Zadorov, 3
--February: Moulson, 7; Stewart, 5; Girgensons, Zadorov, 4
--March: Moulson, 7; Larsson, 6; Ennis, Gionta, 5
Primary Assists
--October: Stafford, Moulson 2; Eight with 1
--November: Ennis, 4; Moulson, Stafford, 3
--December: Ennis, 5; Stafford, Stewart, 4
--January: Moulson, Ennis, Stewart, 3; Flynn, 2
--February: Moulson, Girgensons, Stewart, Zadorov, 3
--March: Moulson, Ennis, Foligno, 4
Powerplay Assists
--October: Ennis, Tyler Myers, 1
--November: Moulson, 3; Stafford, 2; Ennis, Myers, Ristolainen, 1
--December: Nine with one each
--January: Ennis, 3; Stewart, Zadorov, 2
--February: Moulson, Stewart, 3; Girgensons, Foligno, Ristolainen, 1
--March: Gionta, 4; Ennis, Larsson 2;
Plus/Minus
--October: Sam Reinhart, Brian Flynn, Tyson Strachan -1; Girgensons, Deslauriers, Mitchell, Myers -2
--November: Girgensons +7, Nikita Zadorov +5, Gionta +4
--December: Myers +2, Kaleta, Schaller +1
--January (eight or more games): Ennis, Meszaros, -3; Moulson, Stafford, -4
--February (eight or more games): Flynn, +7; Weber, +6; Foligno +4
--March (eight or more games): Larsson, 4; Ennis, 3; Moulson, 2
Plus/Minus (Bottom)
--October: Andrej Meszaros -10; Stafford, Andre Benoit -8
--November: Stewart -6, Gorges, Meszazros, Benoit -5
--December: Ristolainen, Zadorov -10; Strachan -9
--January (eight or more games): Stewart, Gorges, -12; Girgensons, 10, Ristolainen, -9
--February (eight or more games): Ennis, Girgensons, Stewart, -4
--March (eight or more games): Weber -12; Strachan -11; Benoit -9
Goalies (YTD)
Jhonas Enroth
--October: 1-5-1 record; 3.11 gaa; .915 save%; 0 shutouts
--November: 5-9-1 record; 3.11 gaa; .914 sv%; 0 shutouts
--December: 11-13-2 record; 3.16 gaa. .908 sv%; 1 shoutout
--January: 11-19-2 record; 3.42 gaa; .899 sv%; 1 shutout
--February (thru the 10th): 13-21-2 record; 3.27 gaa; .903 sv%; 1 shutout
Michal Neuvirth
--October: 1-3-0 record; 3.26 gaa; .910 sv%; 0 shutouts
--November: 3-5-1 record; 2.85 gaa; .920 sv%; 0 shutouts
--December: 3-8-1 record; 3.29 gaa; .909 sv %; 0 shutouts
--January: 3-13-1 record; 3.39 gaa; .907 sv%; 0 shutouts
--February: 6-17-3 record; 2.99 gaa; .918 sv%; 0 shutouts
Matt Hackett
--January: 0-1-0 record; 4.07 gaa; .892 sv%
--March: 0-4-1 record; 4.32 gaa; .884 sv%
Anders Lindback
--March: 2-5-2 record; 2.62 gaa; .926 sv %
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