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6 DIFFERENT PLAYERS SCORE IN 6-3 WIN |
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7pm: Pearl Jam's "The Fixxer" is pulsating through the joint. time for warm-ups.
7:06pm: There's Marty. Chewing the poutine with buddy Patty Lalime on the wall during warm-ups. "Hey, Patty.. how you doin? what doid you have for dinner tonight? I ate spaghetti parm at Chef's. Do you like Chef's?
7:09pm: John Tavares just put on a grotesque stick handling, puck control clinic. He scooped up a loose puck with the blade of his twig, flipped it up in the air, caught it on the curve side of the blade, then, proceeded to cradle it left to right, left to right, like a lacrosse ball. All the while, the puck never hit the ice! This kid has filthy hand eye coordination that has to be seen to be believed!
7:23pm: Jim Schoenfield just implored me via the Jumbotron that I should support the Sabres Alumni 50/50 drawing. Sir, yes sir. Thats one tough hombre. I better listen to him, or else!
****
1st Period:
37-28-36 start for Buffalo.
:55 second mark Miller makes nice save on tavares on his goalmouth.
55-13-25 next line for sabres.
Hillen and Sim go two on one down low. hillen hits post.
1-0 Buffalo:
@ 2:37 mark, Goose blows up the Islander D with an aggressive forecheck. He feeds Tyler Myers in the slot for his first NHL goal. Stafford and Goose with assists.
Before the game, Atlanta AGM, Rick Dudley, gushed to me about how much Myers is proving him right. Duds has been an unabashed Myers fan since he saw the 189 year old play in Kelowna. "The kid is impressive, always has been. he has the whole package: he can skate, he defends well, and he's physical. I'm not surprised at all by his success so far". In Myers' draft year, Chicago took Kyle Beach with their first pick.
Myers is now a +5. should he not be considered for NHL Rookie of The month for October?
***
@ 10:37, sabres go to PP. Some pressure, nothing noteworth.
Back to 5 on 5.
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The Sabres F are all over Brendan Witt, Andy Sutton and the Isalnder dmen here in the first period. This is almost like watching period four of the Detroit game. The forwards are chipping, chasing, recovering and making plays.
Grier just missed Hecht on a pretty drive and re-direct in front of Roloson.
****
2-0 Buffalo
@ 14:42, The General, Clarke MacArthur is hauled down after he recieved the stretch bomb. penalty shot. Mac drops Roloson's jock with two sweet stick fakes and he deposits the pcuk in the back of the net.
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@ 15:13, Jackman makes a poor decision by cannon balling Ryan Miller in his crease. Paul gaustad immediately skated after then grabbbed jackman by the scruff of his neck. goose drops Jackman with four uppercuts to the grille, which Jackman never saw due to his blouse being over his head. Goose just violated Jackman's civill rights.
Jackman gets 2 and 5. Sabres PP.
***
2nd Period:
9-9 shots on goal. don't be fooled, Buffalo dominated the first period.
Butler leads team with 8:14 and Lydman earns 8:10 of ice in the first frame.
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Sabres pick up right where they left off in the first period. They are keeping it simple: Pucks deep and create zone time.
Ellis just misses a re-direct on Roloson's stick side.
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@ 4:16, "The Wrecker" takes a dopey penalty on Pommer. Duh! 29's head fake sucked the rookie in.
Sabres PP
@ 4:46, former Islander, Tim Connolly's pass squirts through roloson and into the net. TC's second of the season.
Rivet and MacArthur with assists. Mac has 1G and 1A.
3-0 Buffalo.
***
Moments later, Matt Moulson throws a puck at Miller's feet and it eludes him.
Looked like Tavares touched it, but he did not. Okposo with assist.
4-1 Buffalo:
Here comes Marty!
Hecht blows a bomb past Roloson from outside the right dot.
STANDING O FOR MARTY! CLASSY BUFFALO! CLASSY!
***
Scott Gordon should've listened to me and started Marty. Roloson should be starting against San Jose becauuse he knows their shooters.
Some young coaches think they know everything.
***
4-2 Buffalo:
John Tavares turns a sloppy dump in recovery into his second goal of the season.
The guy has the hands of a jewel thief. A BANDIT if you will.
He just missed the open net at 1:17 of period.
Marty definitely settled his team down. He made a great stop, on his butt in his crease, on a Tyler Myers bomb. He made a nice blocker stop on Paille at the end of the period. he'll keep his team in it in the third period. Buffalo have to tighten up in their end.
****
3rd Period:
@ 2;57, Hank Tallinder is called for holding. The Islanders are showing signs of life on their PP. Miller makes outstanding right pad save on Okposo on a shot that had eyes for the back of the net.
This, in my opinion, is Jochen's best game in over a year. Great jump, excellent with and without the puck. Nice goal, eh? Lets hope that he can bring it like this every night.
***
Moments later, Mike Grier steps in a shot lane while Pking, and he and Jochen Hecht take off 2 on 1. 25 makes clean cross ice pass to Hecht in the slot, however, marty thwarts Hechts's attempt. That may well be the save of the game. roloson would not have made that save tonight.
***
This, in my opinion, is Jochen's best game in over a year. Great jump, excellent with and without the puck. Nice goal, eh? Lets hope that he can bring it like this every night.
@ 9:52 Paille and Kaleta swarm Marty's blue..... PK gets rewarded. His second of the season.
5-2 Buffalo.
***
5-3 Buffalo
Comeau beats Miller 5 hole
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The Sabres are running around in their end. its going to coast them if they don't knowck it off. tavares just missed his second open net of the period.
@ 10:56, Miller is shaken up. He hops to his feet after a minute on all fours. He appears to be ok.
***
@ 11:32, Sabres go back to the PP..... timeout Buffalo.
Pommer beats Marty with a frozen rope.
6-3 SABRES WIN
Bring on Atlanta.
****
Postgame:
Dan Paille was all smiles in the room after his first game of the season. "Feels good to win a game like that. They played well and did not back down."
Paille started the night riding shotgun for Roy and Stafford. He ended the night on the wing for Goose and Kaleta.
"I hope I cab stay in tomorrow night".
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Marty and his teammates were clearly dejected after the 6-3 loss.
"This one stings. The guys really wanted to win this one".
Marty loved the standing ovation that was bestowed upon him by the Buffalo faithful. "I was nervous when I first heard it when I was getting my equipment on. These people have always been great to me. I will remember this for a long time"
Biron will start against the Sharks in Uniondale on Saturday night.
****
Pregame:
No Marty tonight. Roloson gets the cage for NYI. Marty will play at home vs. San Jose Saturday night.
Marty told me today that he will chirping at Hank, Chainsaw, and roysie all night long.
"I'm going to miss Petey. He used to skate around like hee was all big and bad, and I'd make jokes about him as he'd skate by me".
Wonder why #43s my man crush?
***
Marty told me that his parents are in town this week from Quebec. The family celebrated Thanksgiving. Mrs. Biron is expecting their fourth child in the near future. Hence the insignia painted on the back of his new islander mask. "We are wearing the pink ribbon for Breast cancer awareness month for the first month of the season. I told the artist to make up something that included the names off my kids. So, he made a stork with a sling holding a baby for the new baby, and he painted the names of my kids on their. Its really nice".
Marty told me that his father told him this morning when he left the house to "get your snow tires on becausse its going to snow today". Marty's Dad is a stickler for the details. "We have a law back home in Quebec that you have to have your snow tires on your car by Noveber 15, or else you get a fine. No all season tires. You need to have legal snow tires or else".
****
Vanek and Mair will sit. Paille draws in on HDTV's wing.
Lets go, Danny Boy!
**
The Islanders have recalled their young brawler, Rechlicz, from Bridgeport for tonight and Saturday night vs. San Jose. The guy does on thing: eats rights and lefts. Mr. Kaleta be ready. His teammates call him "Wrecker".
"He's part of our group of forwards and we want him for the next two games," Gordon said."He's an energy guy. Both teams know he's on the ice and on the bench. He provides a calming influence".
***
The NY Islanders have yet to win a game this season. They’ve been close, however, they cannot earn themselves a “W”. Its not from the lack of trying. They have not been blown of any of their games. They are a pesky team that scratches, claws and bites until the final horn blows. Their roster is comprised of more diamonds than dust. They have a wealth of young and gifted finishers and playmakers----Okposo, Comeau, Bailey, Schremp, and some kid named Tavares. Veterans like Marty Biron, Dwayne Roloson, Andy Sutton, Doug Weight and Brendan Witt provide knowledge and leadership to the young guns.
“I think the fans and the community see the great progression with our club. I think we’re going to prove a lot of people wrong. I think once we get that first one, it’ll get us moving in the right direction and it will give us some confidence”, Tavares said after the morning skate in Buffalo.
Tavares played for the OHL London Knights. He broke into the OHL after gaining "exceptional player" status at the age of 14, allowing the Oshawa Generals to select him in the OHL Priority Draft as an underage player in 2005. Tavares was named the CHL Rookie Of The Year in 2006 and CHL Player Of the Year in 2007, a year in which he broke Wayne Gretzky’s OHL record of 70 goals in one season. In 2009, he finished the season with a career total of 215 goals.
Tavares’ team is knocking at the door of success. They are getting solid goaltending and steady D. They’ve allowed 13 goals in four games, however, they’ve only scored 9 in those game. JT likes his team’s chances of filling enemy nets with vulcanized rubber.
When your team finishes at or near the bottom of the NHL standings every season, your blue chip draft choices pile up quickly, and they don’t spend much time in the AHL, if any. In the new, post-lockout NHL, teams like the Islanders have to trust their scouts. The Islanders could have selected the Victor Hedman, the 6’6” Swedish skyscraper with their first pick in the ’09 draft, however, they opted for the big Canadian kid with the hands of a jewel thief. Tavares is everything these Islanders need. He’s big. He’s difficult to move off the puck. He has a high compete level. He’s got a sweet shot, and, a mean streak a mile wide as evidenced in the WJC match against James Van Riemsdyk and the USA. His only knock is that he’s not the fastest guy in the world. No worries. If the kid can play and compete at the same level as his famous uncle, John Tavares of the Buffalo Bandits, he’s got it made in the shade.
To understand where young Tavares is going, we should look back at his family tree to find the inspirational role model and mentor.
Buffalonians know all too well what type of beast Uncle Johnny can be. The guy is the Babe Ruth of the National Lacrosse League, for crying out loud. Two seasons ago, he passes Gary Gait as the all time leading goal scorer in indoor lacrosse history. He’s captained four championships for the City of Buffalo. The Bills and Sabres have not been able to lift the mood of the Queen city the way that Uncle Johnny has. Young John wants to follow in his famous uncle’s huge footsteps.
Who’s the best lacrosse player in the Tavares family?
“My uncle”, “Youngblood” one-times back to me.
I tell him that Uncle Johnny has told me that nephew Johnny is the best lacrosse player in the clan “by a mile”.
Like the famous uncle, John is a modest and humble guy. Who’s telling the truth?
“Him. Look at the numbers he’s put up “.
Uncle Johhny is a sick human being! In 226 regular season games, he’s scored 671 goals and assisted on 749 others. 1420 points in 226 games is STUPID! He’s snarfed up 1,884 loose balls to boot. In 30 Playoff games, he’s added 72 more goals and assists (171 points). 220 more loose balls.
The elder Tavares told me at a sabres game last season that despite his own impressive offensive prowess, he feels like young John is the better lacrosse player and athlete in the family. High praise from the best man ever to play the indoor lax game.
Ever take the old man out back and school him?
“We’ve competed for sure. We always compete. He’s better, but I think he’s using the age difference. We communicate quite a bit and we have a great relationship. For sure, he’s got a lot of “stuff’ that’s rubbed off on me from watching him over the years and being around him”, Tavares says with a smirk.
The Tavares brand name is synonymous with Buffalo. It’s the short guy who has to work harder and smarter than the other guy. Its the underdog with the huge heart and the blue collar work ethic. As Uncle Johnny has proven since he arrived in Buffalo in 1992: it ain’t the size of the dog in the fight. it’s the size of the fight in the dog.
“I think anytime you become a World Champion in a professional sport and are consistent, and to be with one organization for as long he’s done, its definitely not easy, but as he’s shown, its pretty remarkable and you should always strive for that, and make those your goals. For sure, he’s been a big inspiration for me in those ways and being here (at HSBC Arena) when they (the Bandits) won their last championship--- he’s definitely been a big role model for me in my career.”
Its only a matter of time until Scott Gordon’s team breaks on through to the other side. Tavares says that its just a matter of time until the first win begets the second, third, fourth, and so on. Tavares’s stall was stacked deep after the morning skate, and understandably so. He was the #1 pick in this past June’s NHL draft, and he starred for team Canada in Ottawa at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. Tavares is the boy who would be king, and he is wearing his crown with poise and confidence.
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