Briere To Be a Big Target In The Playoffs

How many of you are shaking your heads? "UH, DUH!"
Of course he's going to be a target for the other team. But the target he is now isn't the same one you were thinking of.

Daniel Briere, the Co-Captain of our own Buffalo Sabres, has been called for Diving twice this year.

Diving is a new penalty instituted in the NHL rulebook after the 2004-05 season strike. It was one of the penalties that was supposed to help open up the game to create more revenue. Scoring brings fans and fans bring money.

Anyways, the stipulations of the Diving call are as follows, per NHL.com:

Rule 52 Diving (NEW for 2005-06)

A minor penalty shall be imposed on a player who attempts to draw a penalty by his actions ("diving"). Regardless if a minor penalty for diving is called, Hockey Operations will review game videos and assess fines to players who dive or embellish a fall or a reaction, or who feign injury. (See also Rule 33A -- Supplementary Discipline.) The first such incident will result in a warning letter being sent to the player, the second such incident will result in a $1,000 fine, the third such incident will result in a $2,000 fine and the fourth such incident will result in a one-game suspension. (See also Rule 33A -- Supplementary Discipline.)

Briere was called for his second Diving offense in the second Toronto game last Saturday.

Obviously, Briere with his small stature is more prone to fall than others. Players have turned diving into an art form- they use it to help their team gain momentum by getting on a powerplay.

But Briere is now going to be agitated and poked and pushed and anything else that may get him to fall.

Think of the effect on the Buffalo Sabres organization if one of the Buffalo Captains was suspended for an offense such as diving. The psychological effect of the Captain taking the easy way out- and not even just the Captain, the Buffalo points leader.

Teams will be doing everything they can throughout the entire Stanley Cup playoffs to try and take Buffalo's biggest scoring threat out for game or so. This could also prove to be a two way swing- what team wouldn't get a lift knowing the other's number one guy wasn't playing?

The Captains Respond The Goalies' Frustration

"Hopefully, it's the last one," co-captain Chris Drury [right] said. "I think the overall theme was, 'You're not going to win them all, but you certainly can control your effort, your focus and competitiveness.' We lacked that for a big chunk of six periods this weekend."

The Captain speaks. Now the second person on the Sabres has spoken what a handful of us were thinking. He knows they were wrong, and maybe it only took Ryan Miller to get him to go public with it. Hopefully, a leader like Dru repeating what was said not three days ago may kick his linemates, the injured, and the healthy in the seat of the pants so they'll get into 'hero' mode. Nothing is better than watching these boys play with heart.

"This isn't a situation where we should be letting each other off the hook," goalie Ryan Miller said. "I think there were some situations where we weren't competing hard enough. I was a little ticked off after the game," Miller said. "Maybe I went a little too far, but I think everybody would say that we didn't compete hard enough to a man. And sometimes you've got to voice your opinion."

Miller seems to be saying his statements may have been too harsh. I know he knows they weren't but I think he is softening them up a bit so the Captains look like they feel the same thing beforehand. I'm sure they did, but they didn't voice it to the press first. He's also stating everyone is to blame, and no one is off the hook for not trying. Very admirable for a sophomore. Probably couldn't say it better or at a better time than he did. Kudos.

"He was right," co-captain Daniel Briere [right] said, referring to Miller. "We didn't play very well in front of him those two games."

Both Captains decided to say something, and I think that's excellent. I've never been prouder than now. The team is recognizing the problem and the three most important people on the roster are trying to fix that. I wouldn't be surprised if the playoffs do start tomorrow night and they play like they did in last year's playoffs.

Ruff said he wasn't aware of Miller's outburst. But he didn't disagree with his goalie. "It's OK to be angry," Ruff said. "As long as the player takes care of his area before speaking out, I'm OK with that. ... Everybody should be upset with what went on in those two games. And he should be one of them."

Nothing like a team banding together and the Coach right there behind him.

The last time we saw that was February 22nd. The Ottawa Brawl. And if we play that way all the time, we'd be unbeatable. I want to win 23 games in the remaining schedule.

We, the seventh man, have the power to make that happen. Stick with your team. Will them to work hard. The city of Buffalo is known for being hard working, blue collared good citizens. (Really, it is). Nothing would make us more happy for our team if they used the same elbow grease on the ice that we use at our desks, in our houses, outside in the lawn, what have you.

So here's to 23 more wins...and 16 of them starting April 11th.

Let's go, Sabres. Play with the same amount of heart that we watch you with.

Ryan Miller Calls Out Defense; Injured Limp Back On Ice

"If we wanna be the big, bad team we THINK we are, we're gonna have to show a little more effort, that's for sure. Earlier in the games, at least. We KNOW we have the capability to score, but we gotta start playing complete hockey. You know, we better start learning some lessons, because we can't come back every night. It's not the way we wanna play hockey. It's nice to have that capability, but you can't get outshot two nights in a row, and look at it like we're happy with our game....We just have to be hungrier. There's no excuse.

(Asked about how Toronto has been playing with such desperation....) We should use it, too, you know, that was a team we couldn't match up against. You've gotta play your best hockey every night, and not give the other team any kind of confidence..... You know...... we're gonna find soon that WE'RE gonna be the desperate team if we don't start playing good hockey."

- Ryan Miller after the loss at Toronto, Saturday, March 24th

While grit, determination, and flat-out hard work may be the three most cliche elements of victory in sports, they are only outperformed by the two most cliche elements of sports- heart and hustle.

Unfortunately, very few members of the Sabres have been playing with any of the five aforementioned characteristics. And those are the things that win championships.

I've been argued with countless times that when our injured heal we need a checking line. I don't think rolling four scoring lines will help our plight. We need guys on the ice that can scare the other team. Force them to think twice about hitting our star players hard or cheap.

Buffalo's lackluster play has largely been at fault for the funk we've been in. 6-4-2 in the last 12. With our high-octane, five man up five man down attack, there is no room for slow, lazy play, or we give up odd man rushes and gift wrap scoring chances like it's Christmas.

And we have been. Ryan Miller was the first person to stand up and say it, and hopefully that will light a fire under the Sabres' butts. Maybe they will remember digging out those first ten victories of the season and how accomplished they felt, especially after winning a couple in a shootout, after sixty-five minutes of pure dogfight.

Or maybe Ottawa and New Jersey sneaking up on us is something that is frightening them. I would be scared- Ottawa has been playing some excellent hockey as of late, led by Dany Heatley.

Either way, Buffalo needs to turn it on now- and hopefully get 23 more wins. As long as 16 of them come after April 8th, I'll be happy. But if they don't, SABRES NATION, don't be surprised if you don't get to see Chris Drury and Daniel Briere pick the Stanley Cup over their heads in their alternate jerseys.

Injury Update

Ales Kotalik will be back Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils.
Toni Lydman and Daniel Paille expect to return to action this weekend.
Don't be surprised if Paille goes back down to Rochester to get back into the swing of things. It wouldn't be a bad idea because Ryan, MacArthur and Stafford are used to the speed and still carry the conditioning.
Maxim Afinogenov has had no change, still the last game or two is possible.
And finally, Tim Connolly is on pace to be back for the last couple games of the season. If he gets his wind back quickly, he could be back as early as this weekend as well.


Season Scenarios- Seven games left

The Magic Numbers are now reflective of the games on 3/27.

-For Buffalo to win the Northeast division, any combination of Buffalo points and opponents squandered points that equals
a) Ottawa Senators- 8

-For Buffalo to win the Eastern Conference, any combination of Buffalo points and opponents squandered points that equals
a) New Jersey Devils- 8
b) Pittsburgh Penguins- 6
c) Ottawa Senators- 8

-For Buffalo to win the President's Trophy, any combination of Buffalo points and opponents squandered points that equals
a) Nashville Predators- 13
b) Detroit Red Wings- 13
c) Anaheim Ducks- 12
d) New Jersey Devils- 8
e) Vancouver Canucks- 10
f) Dallas Stars- 8
g) Pittsburgh Penguins- 6
h) Ottawa Senators- 8
i) San Jose Sharks- 8
j) Minnesota Wild- 7