DiPietro Stifles Sabres Forwards For Game 2

Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro played last night for the first time in nearly three weeks. DiPietro, right, didn't miss a darned beat. He made 32 saves, and I'd say stole the game from Buffalo. Buffalo did not play well for most of the game, but still, DiPietro made some excellent saves to keep the Islanders in it.

Buffalo did not attack the Islanders as they did in game 1. I did not see players throwing their body in the boards at players. I also did not see players taking the hit along the boards to make the play. Both of these things are incredibly important in playoff hockey. If Buffalo expects to win game three at the Nassau Coliseum, they must carry the puck better and be willing to use their bodies.

Physicality in hockey is a huge part of the game and is much larger part in playoff hockey. The Sabres need to both skate hard for 60 minutes and play physical hockey. I know that the Sabres aren't a physical team like the Maple Leafs, but they really, really need to take hits and give them out a few times. It's not like we lack size; just overall size. Kotalik, Mair, Hecht, Zubrus, and even Vanek are big enough to send a few checks, along with every single one of the Sabres defensemen.

The Islanders took a lot of liberties in Game 2. If I were Lindy Ruff, I'd change the lines to:

Hecht/Briere/Pominville
Zubrus/Drury/Kotalik-(MAYBE Afinogenov)
Vanek/Roy/Stafford
Mair/Kotalik(or Connolly)/Kaleta

Afinogenov has been off his game. Connolly hasn't been spectacular, and after so long out, he's going to need a rest soon. I think splitting Stafford from Roy and Vanek was silly. He's a rookie, not proven to produce, and was producing well with Roy and Vanek. Afinogenov will do the same thing with any line he's on- he's just Max. I think Connolly feeding him would be excellent and Mair would be there to protect, if necessary. Kaleta skates more than fast enough to keep up with Connolly and Afinogenov if we would rather sit Mair in his place, making the lines look more like this:

Hecht/Briere/Pominville
Vanek/Roy/Stafford
Zubrus/Drury/Kotalik
Afinogenov/Connolly/Kaleta

Lastly, Daniel Briere needs to step us his game. He does have 2 assists, but both have really had nothing to do with the play. He's disappeared in the last 5 games and really needs to pick it up a notch. If not to win the Cup, then he needs to do it to increase his UFA value this summer.