The AHL has reviewed the disgusting hit from behind that Syracuse Crunch winger, Richard Panik, used to level Amerks rookie, Zemugus Girgensons with on Saturday night. Panik has been suspended 3 games for his jackassery, which means he will miss this Friday’s revenge game with the Amerks.
Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester D and C
Girgensons was concussed as a result of the hit.
If I was in charge of the AHL, I’d have given the bum 20 games to think about how stupid and dangerous his hit on Girgensons was. There’s no place in the game of hockey for crap like this:
Darcy Regier revealed after the Monday scrimmage that he will have to finalize his final roster by 5pm EDT on Friday. The GM has two Herculean tasks to complete between now and then:
1). What will the Sabres do with Mikhail Grigorenko?
2). Which seven (of nine) NHL D men in camp stay and play? Which two D men will be leaving Buffalo?
More on the blue line schmozzle later.
The team skated for two hours on Wednesday morning inside First Niagara Center. After the skate, Lindy Ruff was asked about Grigorenko and his status heading into Friday’s roster deadline.
“It’s too early to say”, Ruff said as he held his cards close to his chest.
“He (Grigo) had a good scrimmage. He had a good practice. Obviously, you like his hands. So far, his compete inside practice is good. His compete (inside the scrimmage) was good. So, there’s a lot of things to like about what he’s done so far…”
By “good”, don’t you mean “great”?
Ruff sounds like a motivated consumer who is standing on the sales floor at the high-end electronics emporium, gawking at the intoxicating array of the high-tech, ultra expensive home theatre systems . High def, Dolby surround sound, virtual, life-like projection capabilities. This is the whole enchilada. Who cares what it costs, right? Then, the sales goon abruptly interrupts the fantasy to apply two or three sales closing methods on him. He shrugs his shoulders, looks at his shoes and says that he has to think about it.
What’s to think about, Coach?
This is the centre man that you’ve been longing for since Drury and Briere skated away from Buffalo in 2007. It’s been six long, arduous years since you’ve had a dynamic playmaker like this within your grasp.
The kid had a manufactured a hockey bag of high-percentage scoring chances in Monday’s scrimmage. Hell, he beat Miller clean on a rising laser that kissed iron after it flew over the goalie’s glove. He nearly scored on Miller, during the scrimmage, with an out-of-this-world, Datsyukian deke. His passes to lineys Ott and Leino were crisp, precise, and on the tape, many of which came in scoring areas and led to chances for. Hell, Grigo even popped back up to skates, then battled to the front of the net looking for a tip after NHL vet Adam Pardy spackled the rookie to the glass. What’s more he survived a couple of x-checks, and merely skated through a ton of congestion and wall traffic.
Go ahead, Lindy. Buy that amazing Russian-designed flat screen home theatre that has captivated your imagination.
You know you want to.
The Sabres have nine defensemen in training camp right now.
Amerks MVP, T.J. Brennan, must clear waivers this week if the Sabres want to send him back to Rochester.
Darcy Regier knows that gravity of the situation. He knows the risks associated with losing another defender. The Islanders snatched Joe Finley off of waivers on Monday. Regier doesn’t want the same scenario to play out with Brennan. I smell a trade coming. That’s the only way that Regier can insure control over this crowded house scenario. Regier spoke about the subject after the intersquad scrimmage on Monday night. We’ll have to wait and see what transpires today and tomorrow. NHL teams have to set their rosters by 5pm EDT on Friday January 13th. The waiver wire will be active around the NHL on Thursday and Friday.
Here’s how I grade the nine D who played in Monday night’s scrimmage:
Myers: No signs of rust or dust. No hitch in his giddyup from his previous ankle injury. Made smart plays with puck in his end. PP puck movement was good.
Ehrhoff: Looked great. Passing, skating, vision all were sharp. Ready for a productive season.
Leopold: Steady and stabilizing. Looked good.
Regehr: Perhaps the best of Buffalo’s D in the scrimmage. Strong and physical. Cleared the crease.
Sulzer: Skating was good. Played well in all areas.
Weber: My second favorite D of the scrimmage. Closed gaps with feet and stick. Joined the rush. Protected the fort.
Sekera: Honestly, the only time I noticed him was on the Vanek goal. He took the shot from high-slot and HDTV tipped it past Miller. Skating was ok.
Brennan: Got caught on while pinching on the Adam-Flynn two-on-one goal. Other than that was impressive. Missed wide open net with a snap shot. Brennan's deadly, accurate shot from the point makes him a keeper as a power play specialist.
Pardy: Played like a man who want sa job. Smashed Brennan in the face with an elbow. Later, bounced Grigorenko off the glass and knocked him down. Played Lindy’s brand of “heavy hockey”. I liked his game.
My take on alleviating the back-end pressure:
Trade away a veteran and get max return. On Monday, Edmonton reacted to an injury to D Theo Peckham by trading a third round draft pick to Dalls for stay at home D, Mark Fistric. Teams are calling Regier, looking to make a deal. I’d deal Sekera’s $2.75 contract (3 years remain) along with a forward. I’d ask for a centre in return. Leopold and Regehr are soldiers in Lindy’s Legion, and they ain’t goin’ anywhere. Sulzer makes Ehrhoff play at a higher level, and he’s a keeper. Weber has improved his skating and has developed his body to the point where he can be counted on to play a key role. Brennan is a four year investment for the organization and has earned the right to stay and play in Buffalo. If he’s waived later this week to get back to Rochester, he will be claimed in 30 second or less. He’s THAT important a player. Pardy will thrive in Rochester. He’ll get top four minutes and will add leadership to a young group in need of a big, tough blue customer on D.
My top seven D: 57, 10, 3, 24, 52, 6, 33
***
Grigorenko showed very little nerves, nor rookie indecisiveness in his first pro scrimmage on Monday night.
He had a mitt full of scoring chances. He pinged a cross bar. His skating was the thing that struck me. His long, strong strides allow him to cover a lot of ice in all three zones. I'm impressed at how much his power skating and explosion have improved.
He was wiped out by a check into the glass and was dropped by a cross check. Didn't seem to faze the young gun.
I spoke to Grigo about his reaction to the wild ride that Adam Pardy delivered to him with a stiff check into the glass in the third period of the scrimmage:
“It’s part of the game. I’m not a hitter, but I am ready to get a hit. Sometimes that happens to me. I’m always ready for someone to hit me. In that situation (Pardy check) I knew 100% that he would be there, I was kind of ready. I couldn’t stay on my feet, but still I knew where he was, which is important”.**
I remarked to Grigo that his skating appears to me to have improved since he attended Sabres rookie development camp in Buffalo back in July 2012. I marvel at how effortless and economical his skating stride is. He gets up to high end speed so quickly that it doesn’t even look like he’s working that hard to get to that high level. It’s really uncanny to watch live and in person, as I have many times.
“Actually, skating is what I was working on the most over the summer, in Buffalo with the skating coach. I mean, I’m a big guy (6’3 200 lbs.) so I can’t move my feet really fast, but I can do it really powerful so, its working for me. I’m happy to see that people see me work hard on my skating and my game”.** Steve Ott, on his rookie centre, Grigo:
“I thought he played even better as the game went along. The plays he makes with the puck for a guy that age is impressive. For only having been here (in his first pro camp) for two days, I would be very impressed if I was on the management side of things. He’s got that star potential”
Ott has taken the 18 year old rookie under his wing in the early days of his NHL career.
“I came up to him right away and said: “If you have any questions, just jump on it”, you know, just to help him. I was lucky enough to have a guy like Billy Guerin, Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow, and guys like this to help me at a young age. For him (Grigo), he’s very well spoken in English. He’s a very well spoken boy in a man’s body (laughs). Those things will come natural to him now the rest of the way. As we learn more systems and as we learn to play with other guys on the team, I really think’s he’s got a lot of upside.
Zemgus Girgensons would have been on the ice in Buffalo on Monday night, were it not for his concussion. Girgensons was freight-trained from behind by Syracuse dolt, Richard Panik, in Saturday night’s 4-1 Amerks win against the Crunch.
Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester D and C reports that Girgensons is ruled out for the next two Amerks games, against Binghampton tomorrow night, and the revenge match against Syracuse on Friday.
I think it’s safe to say that Nick Tarnasky will be reminding Panik that it’s not cool to clobber a defenseless Amerk player from behind.
Of the Panik punk hit on Girgo, TJ Brennan told me:
“Guys get hit from behind in hockey, it happens. But, the guy (Panik) hit the kid (Girgensons), which tells me that he could have peeled off and not hit him that way”.
Brennan wasted little time jumping panic after the hit. Panic got five for fighting and a game misconduct. Brennan received five for fighting, which parlayed withhis goal and assist, gave him the Gordie Howe hat trick in his final game with the Amerks before he shuffled off to Buffalo for training camp.
The AHL should sit Panik down for 20 games for his idiocy. There’s no place in the game of hockey for that type of disgusting hit. Girgensons is lucky to have only suffered a concussion and vision issues as a result of that car crash. He could have been more seriously injured as a direct result of Panik’s brain cramp.
**
Mikhail Grigorenko flashed played well enough to impress his coach and teammates on Monday night. Grigo's Team White beat Team Blue, 2-1 in the shootout.
He found instant mojo with his line mates Steve Ott and Ville Leino. I really like the 9-25-23 line. They skated extremely well, and the created a bushel basket of scoring chances.
I shot this HD video in the winner's room after the game:
After the scrimmage, the Sabres announced that they have experienced tremendous ticket sales to the tune of only 18.000 tickets remaining for home games this season.
Here's the news:
The Buffalo Sabres today announced that approximately 18,000 tickets remain for the 2012-13 regular season. Four games have sold out and only limited seating is available for the remaining games. The 18,000 tickets that remain will go on sale to the general public tomorrow, Jan. 15, at 10 a.m.
Games that are sold out include the Jan. 20 game against Philadelphia, Feb. 17 vs. Pittsburgh, March 12 vs. the New York Rangers and the game on March 30 vs. Washington.
For the remaining 20 games, only single seats (no two seats together) are available in the 100 and 200 levels. Approximately 18,000 300-level tickets remain and will be available in Tuesday’s general on-sale.
Individual game tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning tomorrow, Jan. 15, at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at Sabres.com and Tickets.com, via telephone at 1-888-223-6000, and in-person at the box office at First Niagara Center.
The box office will be offering extended hours during the team’s training camp this week. From Tuesday, Jan. 15 through Friday, Jan. 18, the box office will be open from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m. On Saturday, Jan. 19, the box office will be open from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m.
Look for Darcy Regier to make a trade before he has to finalize his roster by 5pm on Friday afternoon. The Sabres GM spoke on the subject of having 9 NHL-quality D in training camp.
Regier said after the scrimmage that he is focused on addressing his blue line in the near future. The team lost Joe Finley to the NY Islanders on waivers on Monday.
I look for Regier to trade Reggie Sekera and then send Adam Partdy to Rochester.
HUGE ovation crowd already assembled in Buffalo for the intersquad scrimmage.
Team White: Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville; Ott-Grigo-Leino;Scott-Sundher-Mancari;Regehr-Myers;Leopold-Sekera;Brenna-Biega;Enroth
Team Blue: Foligno-Ennis-Stafford;Ellis-Hecht;Kaleta;Varone-Adam-Flynn;Sulzer-Ehrhoff;Weber-McNabb;Pardy-Pysyk;Miller
***
Grigo wires one of his patented tricky wristers off the crossbar. Miller didn't see it! The crowd groans "OOOOHHHHHHHH"!!!
***
1-0 Blue:
Luke Adam squeezes a packet of special sauce to Flynn to complete the 2-on-1 against Enroth.
1-1:
Moments later, Sekera with the clean shot from the high slot, Vanek tipped it and it eluded Miller.
***
P1 Summary:
I love the Vanek-Hodgson-Pommer line thus far. Great communication. Vanek found CoHo with a McNabb turnover that was almost converted. Miller with nice paddle save.
Leino-Grigorenko-Ott is an intriguing line featuring a velcro strip iun Leino, a chunk of sandpaper in Ott, and a jewel thief in Grigo.
Potential trade bait Sekera and Adam with strong showings in P1.
***
Period Two:
Grigo carried the puck down left wall, got to corner and threw a dart at Leino's tape in the slot. Too hot to handle #fastball
***
Miller stones Pommer as the captain strips McNabb and darts in all alone
***
Brennan looks composed and cool. His D to D passes are on the tape for quick ups to breaking forwards
***
Grigo on first PP, walks off wall and throws a wicked backand wrister at Miller
**
Nice buzz in the rink tonight. Sabres giving away autographed pucks is a nice touch
**
Hodgson joins Vanek on the dancefloor for a goal mouth scramble, Miller busy with 19 and 26 in his greel
**
Regehr hog ties Ellis behind the cage #calgarystampede
**
Grigo fires high off glass on nice drive through neutral zone to Miller's high slot, with Leino trailing #chemistry
**
No hitch in Myers' giddyup. Ankle is fine
***
Pardy with the lumber up in Brennan's face
**
Vanek hit with puck at end of period. Tape a Tylenol to it
**
Period Three:
Both the 100 and 200 levels are full tonight. Looks to be north of 9,000 loyal Sabres in here tonight!
**
Lots of back and forth action.
**
Pardy smoked Grigo on the glass in the offensive zone. Grigo hopped back up and kept working. He found a puck, then Stafford xchecked him to the ice.
The kid acquitted himself well, by adjusting his helmet while fighting to the front of Miller's net.
Thats the type of battle that Lindy wanted to see from Grigo.
**
Take a bow, Hockey Heaven.
10,175 fans in the house tonight.
***
OT
Zilch.
Shootout:
Hodgson wins it with a deft backhander.
White wins 2-1
After the game, both teams huddled at center ice to salute the crowd by raising their sticks!
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