I love the idea of having a 225 pound battering ram riding shotgun with Roy and Vanek. This guy will bust up the offense zone, like the ice breakers on the Niagara River after the ice boom let go.
When I look at Steve Bernier, I see an apt comparison; a player who is already playing in the National League:
Dustin Brown of the LA Kings.
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/appservice=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8470606&tab=crst
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/appservice=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8470609&tab=crst
Come on, Sabre fan. You remember Brown. You wanted Brown under your Christmas Tree. He was the perfect blend of power, passion, and skill. He out hit and out skated your Sabres on the nightmare Wester roadie back in December.
Bernier plays a similar, in-your-face style.
Tonight, Bernier will get a chance to show you his physicality and soft hands.
I think he'll vibe well with 9 and 26 because he can skate and he can create. He can also finish.
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1ST PERIOD:
The Steve Bernier Era begins with a big bang! Vanek and Roy set up Bernier on his first shot in a Sabres sweater. Pretty 2 on 1. 1-0 Buffalo.
****
Opposing goalies and Dmen will be so preoccupied with 56 in the paint that they will lose gap control on 9 and 26.
You give these two guys time and space and its going to be fun to watch.
*****
Bernier, Bernier, Bernier! 2-0 Buffalo. Vanek and Lydman with the assists.
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18:56-Gotta love Derek Roy's jam in Mason's crease. Roy is playing like he's 10 feet tall tonight-- think his new lineamate Bernier is pumping up Vanek and Roy, and inspring them with his physical play?
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Buffalo will start the second period on the 5 on 3 PP.
14-10 shots on goal Buffalo
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2ND PERIOD:
Buffalo fans like what they see so far of their re-tooled Sabres.
I never thought I'd say this... Dmitri Kalinin looked good in the first period.
Penalty Shot: Scott Nichol was hailed down from behind on a breakaway ... Jaro Spacek drws the penalty shot.... gulp.... Nichols blows through the zone and winds up a 20 foot wrister... Miller makes the the save with his right arm pit and covers the rebound. 2-0 Buffalo.
3-0 Buffalo: Paille scores his 14th of the season. Puck maybe kissed the blade of Ryan Suter's skate/
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Ryan Miller injured: Zidlickly's shot hits Miller in the mask, and the puck sits dead in a pile of skates. Jan Hlavac throws the garbage in the can, as Miller's nose leaks blood on the ice.
Thibault replace Miller, and quickly gives up a rebound goal. Sucks for Thibault that JP Dumont was in TiBo's crease as the Buffalo goalie tried to make the save. 3-2 Buffalo
4-2 Buffalo- Pat Kaleta bombs the nashville with a heavy forecheck.. then36 threaded the tape to tape pass to Andrew Peters in the slot... Petey's 1st of the season and 4th of his career.
****
Four goals in the last 2:12 of the second period.
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4-3 Buffalo: Arnott snipes TiBo with a low pressure shot.
J TiBo should count his lucky stars that he bwas not dealt away on Tuesday. What was he thinkingt on Arnott's PPG? He saw the puck, but did not make the save.
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Jason Pominville five holes Chris Mason. 5-3 Buffalo.
****
Steve Bernier and Derek Roy muscle their way to the Nashville zone.... Bernier throws dead on saucer pass to the streaking Roy... Roys scores his 25th of the season. 6-3 Buffalo.
****
Paetsch takes double minor for drawing bllod on Radulov... Preds will open second period on PP.
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3RD PERIOD:
With Paetsch in the box for cutting Radulov, David Legwand scores the PPG. 6-4 Buffalo.
****
Dancing with the stars:
Two faceoffs, two fights.
Peters drops Hordichuk.
Tootoo jacks up Mair.
***
Sabres kick another field goal, 7-4 Buffalo.
Connolly and Pommer strike fear in Ellis' heart.
Connolly fakes the pass and decides to shoot. Connolly's first goal in 18 games.
****
8-4 Buffalo: Connolly makes a deft pass to Kotalik while falling to the ice. Big Al's 5th goal in his last 4 games.
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Scott Nichol is such a chicken bleep. Coward throws puches at opponents when theay are not looking. Suckerpunch artist!
Nichol's latest victim was Pat Kaleta. PK smoked Martin Erat with a solid bodycheck in the Preds zone, and Kaleta turned up the ice to back check when Nichol threw the sucker on Kaleta .
Good to see Gaustad destroy Nichol in the faceoff circle at 16:52. Both combatants were ejected.
****
Bernier is serving notice that he will not take any crap on the ice.
Jordan Tootoo and Derek Roy slashed one another and Tootoo punched Roy in the face.
Bernier skated to the aid of Roy and laid out Tootoo with a thundering bodycheck.
All Hell broke loose and Bernier was smack dab in the middle of it. The guy made a HUGE difference for his new team.
He scored 2/3 of his Gordie Howe Hat Trick in his first game in Blue and Gold. he would have accomplished the rare feat had it not been for Hamhuis begging Bernier to uncurl his loaded fist.
***
Great game for Bernier. He was the game's first star in his debut in Buffalo.
Great story!
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Sabres now sit alone in the 8th Playoff spot in the East. The Flyers were idle. They have 69 points.
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