The season doesn't officially start until 4pm Sunday when the Bills season ends but I'll get a jump on it. The Buffalo Sabres, down 3-0 at home to one of the best teams in the league pulled their star goaltender and replaced him with Patrick "mediocre at best" Lalime and came back to win in regulation 4-3.
Games like this will remind me to not count out the Buffalo Sabres in 09/10. Stafford was beyond struggling after getting benched earlier in the week, Pominville is one of the more over paid players in the league and the back up goaltender has the been the major question mark of the team. All three had stellar performances to steal two points from the defending Cup champs the Pittsburgh Penguins.
True it is only one game, but the effort the team put forth once Miller was yanked was nothing short of spectacular. Two goals from Stafford (one on a penalty shot) a goal by Gaustad set up by Stafford and a power play snipe by Pominville in
on the power play in the 3rd were all the 'bres needed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.Maybe it was the spark of Lalime coming in, or an abysmal Penguins powerplay but the Sabres looked like two different teams tonight. They are such an enigma I can never get to high on this team, but no one should get too low either.
If any combination of Pommers, Staf, Vanek and Connolly can really play to their full potential this team will compete in the post season. They still miss Kaleta what with the previously cut Mair, invisible Ellis and Paetsch being non factors as per usual. Those three need to be replaced or held back on ice time big time. True everyone needs role players but this team has two or three too many of those type.
Hopefully Miller bounces back from a weak performance and it is full steam ahead towards the playoffs.
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