Buffalo Sabres heading into game 4 @ MSG

By Steve

Rumors flying about a change in the line up for the Buffalo Sabres with today's interview of coach Lindy saying Paul Gaustad will be ready to play friday and barring a set back will be in the line up. Furthermore, Dan Paille will be dressed for the pre-game skate tonight. Will Max be benched, or hopefully Briere who knows.

The great coach needs to figure out how to fix the powerplay either way cause 1 for 9 last game was a travesty. Yes the Sabres still have a strangle hold on the series holding a 2-1 lead in the series and 2 games left in the bank arena but nervousness is creeping into Sabre Nation.

Making a knee jerk reaction benching someone and putting Paille in tonight would be a mistake. The Sabres played a team fighting for their lives on Sunday and ended up losing in double OT. The road team is at a disadvantage in over time in the playoffs and moreover players like Briere and Drury didn't get the job done and they can't be taken out. The shitty ice was also a factor although both teams do have to deal with it.

The Sabres are used to fighting threw the weak goal Miller lets in every game and until now it hasn't effected this team. Now that they have run into a superior goalie they need to do something different to puck the puck in the net and perhaps giving Tin Can more time on the ice or limit a player like Hecht's .

Tonight is huge, if the Sabres win the Rangers will have an extremely difficult uphill fight to win the series but if they win they are right back in it heading back to Buffalo. The key for the Sabres to win tonight is actually scoring on the powerplay more than 10% of the time, creaing odd man rushes and getting in Jagr and Avery's grill.

Hot:
Jaromir Jagr
Hendrik Lundquist
Dimitri Kalinen
Rangers Penalty Kill

Cold:
Chris Drury
Lindy Ruff
Jochen Hecht