It’s now 6PM and I have been at Ralph Wilson Stadium for almost six hours. I listened in to Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien and star forward Sidney Crosby address the media after the Penguins practice, and they both echoed the same sentiments that their Buffalo counterparts had said earlier in the afternoon.

Asked about savoring the experience, Crosby replied “Yeah, definitely. I think that’s natural. We’ve all played outside at some point and had a great time doing it. I think it brings you back a bit when you’re out there. You know, someone said before, it is a big stage. You know, it’s a big game. It’s a regular season game. But at the same time, you don’t get this chance very often, so you want to enjoy it.” Coach Therrien commented on what he expects out of the game. “The only thing probably our shifts should be shorter, but not the way you’re supposed to play. It’s so tough to try to sell one system. So you come in the day of the game like this and you try to change the way you’re supposed to play and you could end up to be in trouble pretty quickly. We’re going to concentrate on doing the things that we’ve been preaching since day one: Playing our system. We got to make sure we’ve got to be disciplined. We got to play to win the hockey game. I know there’s a lot of attention to that game, but on our standpoint we got to win this game.”

Therrien indicated that former Sabres netminder Ty Conklin will most likely get the start in net.

So I am going to wrap it here for tonight and head home, and I got to say I had a blast here doing this. Being a part of the media experience and being able to report on the day’s events and be a part of the “go go” professional environment is something that most people would dream of having a chance to do, and here I am doing it. This is my RWS pressbox debut and I got to say it is cool just being here. YaY for me!

Tomorrow’s plans… going to hook up with The Bfloblog crew for their tailgate, then head over to get set up in the pressbox around 10:30 AM and I plan to liveblog during the event. The puck should drop around 1:20 PM if the elements don’t throw a twist. Pete and his dad will be sitting in sec 135 directly below the pressbox, and after the game we will be heading out for a postgame meal.

Happy New Year to all our readers and supporters. Hope you have enjoyed the Winter Classic coverage here at USRT and on WNYMedia. Tune in tomorrow!

What is your last-minute evaluation of the ice conditions?
Because of the snow last night, it took us about an hour to clean the surface up, dress it up really well. The surface temperature is right at 23-1/2, 24 degrees and we are moving forward. 

So you are within two degrees of ideal?
Yes. The weather changed from this morning, and within the hour it changed again. So now we are really learning what our machinery can do to react — and how quickly it reacts. 

What about the forecast for additional snow and possible significant winds, How does that affect your preparation for tomorrow?
The winds aren’t really going to affect us because we have taken precautions on the boards and glass. There is cable up on the tall glass, so everything is going to be held in place very securely. As to the snow, we will come back in tomorrow morning and we will do what we did today, and just stay on top of it. The machines are ready to go. Every hour is what the game plan is right now. 

If there is snow, and it does accumulate, what is the procedure for removing it? Is it shoveling? Is it Zamboni-ing? How do you deal with that over the night?
Well over the night, it’s just going out there with the Zams and going back out there. With the wind, it (the snow) goes right along the wall. So it’s really easy to take one pass with the machine along the outside wall and we pick up ninety percent of it. 

What happens when snow hits the ice?
Well, if we are resurfacing at the time, it will freeze back on top of what we have already done. But once it (the ice) is frozen, it (the snow) will just blow straight across, just like it blows the snow across the highway. 

If it snows during the game tomorrow, how will you evaluate things?
We have eight people here on the ice crew. We will probably have four people on skates, and I will be on skates, and we will make sure everything is taken care of all around the rink. 

Is it conceivable that the crews will be dispatched to clear snow even when it’s not a TV stoppage?
I will be talking to the officials constantly and keeping in eye contact with them, and the on-ice officials will make the call to myself to see if it is something that we can come out and do quickly, like in thirty seconds. I know that if there is a little issue we will be able to take care of it.

4:00PM update - The Sabres had their afternoon practice and now it’s the Penguins turn to check out the digs here at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The team spent well over an hour on the ice today, and by the end of the practice it was like a pond hockey match, with the players just taking turns shooting the puck and having fun out there.Newly named captain Jaroslav Spacek had fun out on the ice. “It was great to be out there. The ice was fine. It is going to be great fun for the people here tomorrow and we are looking forward to it.” Spacek admitted that the wind could be the biggest problem tomorrow and provide the most uncertainty.

Forwards Nathan Paesch and Daniel Paille both agreed that while the team enjoyed the experience of an outdoor practice, tomorrow it is going to be all business out on the ice. Said Paetsch “Let’s keep in mind that there are a lot of team bunched in closely and there are two important points at stake.” Paille added, “We have to get back on the winning track.”Andrew Peters is always good for a great comment and he did not disappoint - “I don’t know if I’m going to fight out there, but it’s a heck of a way to warm up now eh?” Peters said. Like most players, Peters felt in awe walking out of the tunnel and seeing the entire set up for the first time. “I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like tomorrow with the stadium packed with hockey fans. It’s going to be an awesome sight.”

Coach Lindy Ruff had a sparkle in his eye and an excitement in his voice as he addressed the packed media throng following the skate. “It was really awesome it really was; It kind of brings you back to your roots. It really felt like you could stay out there a couple hours, one of those days where you could scrimmage all day long.”

Ruff stated that the bench area is more than warm and comfortable. “I did go on the bench and sat out there, and it actually felt too hot…. If the players are going to complain, they can stand behind the bench and I’ll sit down for a while. We’ll see how that works out.”

Ruff gave props to the engineers who created the ice surface. “I thought the ice was very good. I’ve got no complaints. You know with a little bit of snow that was flying, there got to be quite a bit of snow on it, but that’s just normal.”

Goaltender Ryan Miller also said “The ice was good. The weather cooperated. A little bit overcast is actually a lot better than a sunny sky for us out there.” Miller also stressed the importance of putting on a good show for the national audiences. “It makes a lot better memory, knowing that you did the best you could to win the game. You’re representing the National Hickey League in a lot of homes that normally don’t pay attention. So we want to be our best, not only for the sport, but for team reputation.”

One thing that came across from the entire room of players - these guys are geeked for this event and are very much getting caught up in the excitement of the event, yet still recognizing that there is a game to be played with two important points at stake.

1:35PM… With a mix of sun and clouds and the temperature around 33 degrees, the Buffalo Sabres have taken to the ice for their outdoor practice in preparation for tomorrow’s Winter Classic. Defenseman Brian Campbell led the team on the ice, all the players wearing their classic Sabres blue and gold jerseys. After several minutes giving the surface a feel, the players switched to their practice jerseys and commenced their paces.

Here’s an interesting factoid … the goaltenders for both teams have experience playing in large scale outdoor hockey games.Ryan Miller played for the Michigan State Spartans in the 2001 “Cold War” at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. Miller started in goal that day, allowing three goals on 22 shots in 64:43 of playing time. He also earned an assist. Said Miller, “I think that cold does a lot more to you than you thin. Get one ofn those survival books, figure out what guys do to stay alive in the wild, I guess. You can get dehydrated very quickly in the wind and the cold, just the same way you can if it’s hot out. So you have to be aware of that, try and stay as warm as possible, get the core temperature up.”

Penguins goaltender Ty Conklin was the starting goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers in the 2003 Heritage Classic, allowing 4 goals on 23 shots in the 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Conklin added “Normally, I just wear long underwear underneath, but I had a full-body neoprene suit. It was an eighth inch, maybe three-sixteenth, thick like a diving suit. It did the trick. I wasn’t nearly as cold as I thought I was going to be.”

(Player quotes courtesy NHL Media)

Cold cuts, pasta salad, desserts and beverages.

12:15 PM… I am at the stadium; the Sabres will take the ice at 1:30 for practice. I will be posting photos and updates throughout the day.

Checking out the progress of work at Ralph Wilson Stadium this afternoon, there on the ice was Dan Craig, NHL Facilities Operations Manager and the guy in charge of this entire affair. But he wasn’t just on the ice - he laced up a pair of skates and was giving the surface he had built a whirl. “It felt good. We’re almost at the point we were in Edmonton four years ago at this time.”

The place is really taking shape. Walking into the stadium today, I was absolutely amazed at how they got this place tidied up, a far contrast from the dreck and mess in the concourses, ramps and seating bowl the other day. Crews are still dashing around the building getting ready for the big event. Down on the field, the ice has been painted, the glass is up, the zamboni is applying water and smoothing the ice. And now they’re actually trucking IN snow to give the field a neat cosmetic appearance.

Today’s 2PM daily briefing was a more crowded affair - media from national outlets and from other cities were in attendance, and joining Craig and Don Renzulli was NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, who was piped in to the briefing via teleconference from New York City.

Daly stated that this event can already be deemed a success, just for the buzz and enthusiasm that it has created across the USA and Canada. “Looking at the weather reports, I am confident that we will able to get this game in and on schedule” Daly reported.

I asked Daly who would be the ultimate arbiter of stopping the game in the event that the weather deteriorates in mid stream. “The final decision will be with the Commissioner (NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman), but this would be in consultation with the on ice officials, Dan (Craig) and the Players Association” Daly replied. Daly also stated that if the game encounters perfect weather conditions, the idea of a mid period stoppage to change sides might be scrapped, but that is not likely. He also stated that the 10 minute stoppage in the third will be a hard whistle at exactly the 10 minute mark, not the first break in play.

NHL Senior Veep Don Renzulli reported that today’s activity will entail bringing in snow and grooming the field to give a nice look. “They say we’re expecting 1-2 inches overnight and as far as I’m concerned that would be perfect.” The stage outside for the pregame concert is also under construction, and the events crew was loading music and graphics for the main video board and ribbon boards, and doing tests and dry runs.

Tomorrow the Sabres will practice at 1:30PM on the ice, followed by the Penguins later in the afternoon. So was any thought given to opening the practices to the public? “We considered it” Renzulli replied, but we estimated anywhere from 1000-20,000 fans might show up, and with everything else going on, felt that this might become too unwieldy.”

The stadium parking lots open roughly 40 hours from now, and while Commissioner Daly states that the league is considering doing such an event again, everyone involved can agree on one thing - in two days we will be taking part in an event that will be very special, very historic and something we will remember for the rest of our lives. Dan Craig is right - “We’re ready to play. Let’s go.” Let’s go indeed!

The ice is painted and looks like they’re about ready to play

Yes they did tarp over a few seats in each corner, in the areas behind the network and concert platforms

Doing a double take, seeing Sabres graphics on the RWS scoreboard

They are trucking in snow to spread around the rest of the field

The concourses and public areas are looking spiffy, a contrast from the mess three days ago

Things are really starting to take shape at Ralph Wilson Stadium as the Winter Classic is just four days away, and the excitement is being felt all around town.

This afternoon, Outdoor Rink Wizard Dan Craig and Senior Veep Don Renzulli gave their daily update, which was also broadcast via NHL.com to media across the continent. Things are running smoothly, the men reported, and they are within 6 hours of their timetable to have everything up and running and completed, time which they should easily make up.

Craig stated that 42 tractor trailer loads of equipment had been brought in thusfar, and there is now a half inch coating of ice, and the playing surface has been painted white. While all the boards and benches are now in place, Craig indicated that the painting of the lines and logos won;t take place until Sunday, and the glass should be installed by Sunday night. Another interesting thing - they might actually “make snow” on Monday night to cover over some of the tarped areas on the field and give the entire floor a clean look.

I asked where they plan to place the cameras and platforms, and they replied that the main camera towers will be placed at center ice, while broadcast platforms for NBC and CBC will be erected in the corners in the tunnel end zone. Just for the record, about 2000 “obstructed view” seats were not sold and will be tarped over, in the areas which would have been blocked by the platforms.

After the briefing, I took a walk around the entire seating bowl to take some more snaps and also to get a viewing perspective from several angles. Those obstructed view seats (rows 1-14) really aren’t all that bad once you get above row 4. From row 5 on up you have a view of just about the entire playing surface. Row 1, however, is brutal, as you can not see even a smidgen of ice. The only thing that fans will be able to see from that angle is waist high player movements.

Next, the end zone seats are really really far from the action. I would say that the best view of the action will be from the upper deck, those first few rows between the blue lines.

Lastly, I asked Mike Gilbert about parking and tailgating, and he informed me that the lots will open at 8 AM and will be priced the same as for Bills games, $25 per vehicle. He also told me that all this as well as do’s, don’t and allowed and prohibited items are posted on the Sabres web site. Call me a knucklehead, but I searched and could not locate this info.

By Sunday we should have some great shots of what the whole set up will look like in its final form. Till then!

I got home around 9PM tonight and I’m just now watching the Sabs/Devils game on DVR delay from the new Prudential Center. The USRT visit to that arena takes place when the Sabres return there in 11 days.

I open my email box, and our friend and colleague Mike Harrington from the Buffalo News, who is in Newark tonight covering the game, already has some of the poop about the building and what we can expect when we make our visit.

I won’t share the details of his report to us, but he did post a story on Sabres Edge to give you a taste.

Loved the smack at the end of his email though…

“Pretty cool for me. I beat all the News NHL beat writers here — and the USRT mavens!!! Yeah me!”

Heh heh. Hope you’re having fun Mike… see you at The Ralph!

Official Winter Classic merchandise is now on sale at a portable kiosk outside the stadium

A half inch of ice is now down and the playing surface is painted white

The NHL’s Dan Craig and Don Renzulli give their daily briefing to the media

Decorations and banners going up around the seating bowl

Both CBC and NBC will have on field platforms in the corners as part of their telecasts

Note to SabreNation: The 07-8 version of our guys are not Stanley Cup contenders. Tonight was just another example of this truth. A solid team, yep. A playoff team - at the moment. Elite NHL team….forgetaboutit.

The Sabs came into tonight’s game playing the best stretch of hockey of the season having won six in a row and thirteen of their last seventeen. With the run putting them into the postseason hunt, tonight’s game was expected to be a game to show exactly where they stood against the conference’s best team.

Pffffffft…..nope. Not there, that’s for certain as Buffalo drops a 5-3 decision to the Sens in front of another boisterous packed house downtown. The Sabres outshot the Sens 32-24 and got three markers from Jochen Hecht, Brian Campbell and Adam Mair. But a shaky outing from Ryan Miller doomed the Sabres, putting them into a hole three goals deep in the third period that they weren’t able to rally from.

The game was iced when Ottawa’s Dany Heatley added an empty netter in the game’s final tick of the clock.

The game’s opening period went by without much incident, save for Tim Connolly’s “welcome back” moment where he tagged Sens goaltender Martin Gerber with a slapshot off the head. Gerber was shaken but able to continue.

In period two things began to heat up with the two clubs trading goals early in the period, then the Sabres had a wild stretch for about a minute or so where Ottawa consistently turned the puck over in their own zone giving Buffalo multiple glorious opportunties without success. So of course shourtly thereafter Wade Redden finds an open net on the power play to give the Sens the lead.

Towards the end of the period the Sens began to take over the play and sure enough Mike Fisher would clean up a mess in front of the net with a rebound into it for a 3-1 lead with less than two to go in the period.

With the third period beginning it seemed that Buffalo scoring first would be imperative, didn’t happen as Alfredsson put one past Miller in the first minute of play. And while the Sabres would rally to within a goal, they weren’t able to convert a critical power play opportunity in the game’s final minutes and the Sens would hang on for the W.

Afterward the frustration seemed centered on the inability to play a complete game tonight. Quipped Pominville about the third period: “We got our legs moving, we got pucks deep, and when we do that we can play with anyone.” Tim Connolly added that “we match up well with them, they played well at times and we played well at times. We’ve just got to put it together for a full sixty minutes……”

Lindy seemed very matter of fact about things. When asked about the goaltending: “You’re going to need great goaltending to beat that team.” And may have hinted at the Christmas break being a factor for some, noting that “some players react differently” to the time off.

Sabres now face a thirteen point gap between them and the Sens and now head off to Jersey Friday night. The next Sabres home game….do I really need to discuss that one????

2007 In Sports.

Our annual look back on some of our favorite sports stories of the year that was. Check it out!

Today was the first day that the media could access Ralph Wilson Stadium to observe the progress on transforming a football stadium into a hockey venue.

The last scenes we saw were on television Sunday night, dramatic images of workers struggling to lay a tarp on the field in the teeth of horrific winds and precipitation which followed the Bills/Giants game that afternoon. But considering the crummy conditions that night and through Christmas, things are actually moving along quite well.

The National Hockey League has set up its operations in a trailer adjacent to the Bills Fieldhouse, and they are conducting daily briefings at 2PM in the press box, open to the media. This afternoon Dan Craig, NHL Facilities Operations Manager, and Don Renzulli, Senior VP for Events and Entertainment, made a presentation to outline the work that has been performed so far.

“We’ve compressed about 72 hours work into 48 hours” said Craig, who admitted that the weather was an impediment on Sunday night but the work that needed to get done got done. Craig bears a great deal of experience in managing and orchestrating an event of this magnitude, with the experience of running the outdoor games at Michigan State and at Edmonton.

On Monday they leveled off the field’s 9 inch crown with styrofoam, then a 3/4″ layer of plywood, and finally a layer of plastic, all to make the playing surface flat. This work took roughly 10 hours to complete. The next task involved laying the piping from the refrigeration units down the stadium tunnel to the playing surface, and then connecting them to ice mats which cover the plastic tarp.

As the two men were speaking, workers were pouring a warm sand mixture onto the surface, and this will form the base on which an ice sheet will be laid. In addition, work on erecting the dasher boards at the west end of the stadium had also begun.

I asked Craig what the ideal weather conditions are to do such work. “Yesterday and today have been absolutely perfect” Craig replied, referring to the sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 30s. “In fact, this would be the perfect condition to play the game in. Let’s drop the puck now. Let’s go.”

Craig, Renzulli and their crew are aided by the presence of a “weather station” located at the 50 yard line, a device which measures temperature, wind speed, dew points and can also give hour by hour weather predictions so that work can be adjusted accordingly. “Having this at our disposal is absolutely invaluable” said Renzulli.

As I walked around the stadium to take photos, I could see that there was plenty of work to be done in the public areas and the seating bowl as well. Three days after Sunday’s game, crews were just today beginning to clear debris from the stands and haul garbage from the concourses. (Memo to The Ralph operations staff from me, a professional exterminator - leaving giant bags of garbage and disposed excess food and popcorn is rodent heaven. You people must be idiots allowing to leave this sitting for days on end and I don’t care that it was a holiday.) Much of the stadium seats and aisles are not only covered with snow, but tamped down ice frozen over from Sunday’s storm, making the walk around the building treacherous and scary. They will need a massive amount of work and salt and chisels and some above freezing temps to make the building game ready.

The NHL will be holding daily briefings at 2PM, leading up to credential distribution on Sunday. Both teams will practice outdoors on Monday and by then the entire ice set up and press set up should be in full swing.

The center ice view from the pressbox

Managing Partner Larry Quinn checks out the progress along with Sabres PR Director Mike Gilbert and Jamie Horan from the NHL media department

The “weather station” positioned at the 50 yard line gives up to the minute climate information

Another view of the playing surface from just above the end zone tunnel

Some of the piping and refrigeration equipment

The Buffalo Sabres skated for almost 50 minutes this morning, in preparation for tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators. About 600 fans were also in the stands during this Holiday vacation season to watch the practice.

Appearing on the ice today were both Drew Stafford and Tim Connolly, both who have been dealing with injury issues and lost ice time. Stafford said “I feel fine, good to go” while not wanting to discuss too much about the specifics of his upper body injury. He said that the few days off and a chance to rest up and enjoy the holidays did wonders to get him back to 100%.

As for Connolly, Coach Lindy Ruff first stated that “both are ready to go”, but later in his comments admitted that stamina and fatigue might be an issue for Connolly, and will most likely not give him the usual ice time.

One of the concerns brought up during Ruff’s comments was all of the hype surrounding the Winter Classic/Ice Bowl. One can already feel the excitement and talk building around the arena and locker room about the event, but before this game takes place, the Sabres have to play three games, two on the road after tonight. “We’ll spend some time between games going through some stuff, but we won’t be dealing with that game until we get to that game” Ruff replied.

Ruff was also asked of this current streak of games bears any similarity to last season’s opening run of ten straight wins. “When we get closer to ten then it will remind me of that” Ruff joked, prompting a chorus of laughs.

Other news and notes…

-Ryan Miller was showing off a specially commissioned goalie helmet which he will be wearing for the Winter Classic. It is primarily powder blue in color and looks awesome. I would have taken a snap but my frikkin’ camera was down the hall in my satchel in the interview room. Oops!

-Memo to media: DON’T be blocking Andrew Peter’s stall interviewing someone else or he’ll let you hear it. Peter’s neighbor is Ryan Miller, and he let the crowd around Miller have it as they were doing their interviews and blocking access to Peter’s stuff. Sorry Andrew, I like ya and all, but my violin is about the size of my thumb on the pity meter. Score your first NHL hat trick tonight, and YOU will have the crowd blocking Miller’s stall!

-Teppo Numminen on the ice today wearing the no contact jersey. Even though he is not ready to play, do ya think just having him around the clubhouse and the Sabres resurgence is mere coincidence? Don’t think so.

Faceoff tonight is 7:05PM and this game is VERY much a sellout with huge demand for tickets. Peter will have the AV chair and will be covering tonight, and he will have the post game wrap up.