Flanked by Managing General Partner Larry Quinn and General Manager Darcy Regier, an ebullient Ryan Miller met with the media this morning at HSBC Arena to discuss his new contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

Miller is now locked up with the Sabres through the 2013-2014 season.

Quinn pointed out that Miller has been part of the Sabres family for about 10 years, and stated that by signing with the Sabres, he was leaving a significant of money on the table in comparison to the marketplace. “I love the buy-in that he’s giving to the organization.”

“It’s a very good time for the Sabres” added Regier. “When we look at where we are we’re in a good place and we’ll go on from here.” Regier stated that he is now working to lock Jason Pominville to a new contract, and had done some work on this project just earlier this day.

When Miller spoke, he said “I chose Buffalo. It is a bit of a buy-in. I buy into what they are all about. I have a great relationship with everyone in this organization, so it made a lot of sense to stay here… I didn’t want to leave. I like the community I like everything about it.” Miller dismissed any notion that his boyhood team the Detroit Red Wings was ever a really serious consideration. “There was no point where I was thinking to leave. I grew up about an hour and fifteen from Joe Louis Arena, but to be honest I was just a big fan of hockey growing up. But my goal is to be with an organization that backs me up and respects me and I have all that here.”

I asked Miller what his thoughts were about pairing up with new backup goaltender Patrick Lalime. “I haven’t had a chance to meet him but I hear great things. I’ve watched him his entire career. He was an inspiration to me when he was a rookie in Pittsburgh and it was lights out. I look forward to meeting him and having some fun.”

It was a pretty packed house in the media room, which even had Darcy saying “wow” as he entered the room. Quite a difference from a year ago, when “Maybe I know something you don’t” was the signature of the event as the brass tried to explain the Drury and Briere departures.

You’ve gotta get the feeling that the Sabres are back - their valuable assets are getting signed up long term, the pipeline is being restocked with blue chip prospects, season ticket holders are resigning in droves. All good stuff. Bring on training camp!!!

So says the club today, as they announced that 97% of their season ticket base has re-upped for the 2008-09 season.

500 tickets will be made available to the season ticket waiting list, which at this point is at about 1000 names requesting 2500 seats. It will be interesting to see how much of that list the Sabres will burn through to reach their maximum threshold of season tickets.

If the Sabres hold true to their single ticket pricing matrix of the past two years, then Sabres season tickets will remain a big big bargain.

The team also announced that their 2008-09 schedule will be released at 12 noon on Thursday (although we will get a sneak peek at some of the games today.) We are setting our sights on some USRT adventures, so we will be pouncing on the data as soon as it is out!

The Celtics had everything go their way in Game 2. Officiating was somewhat one sided if you believe the free throw shooting stats(38-10). Paul Pierce played on his (allegedly) injured knee and scored 28 points. And a huge off the bench contribution from Leon Powe helped mightily in stretching a late nine point third quarter lead to an early fourth quarter gap of twenty four.

Powe provided for Boston what any club needs to win a title….a big contribution from a player not expected to be in such a situation to assist a club’s big guns(big 3 in Boston’s case) and provide ample rest for them that will keep them fresh as the series goes on. Powe’s burst of 21 points on this night seemed to be the boost that would allow Boston to coast to an easy Game 2 win.

But it didn’t.

It simply set the stage for the best player in the league to stage a Laker comeback which fell just a bucket or so short of becoming lodged in the annals of history. Kobe chipped in eleven points and the Lakers knocked down four three pointers in cutting a twenty four point lead with eight minutes to go down to just two with under fourty seconds left.

Later with the Lake Show down four, the disappointing Sasha Vujacic launched a lame three that missed badly and sealed a 2-0 series lead for Boston as the teams head west for the next three games. (Yep, they change the travel format for the finals only, time to ditch this I say.)

Only three times has a club trailed 2-0 in the Finals and rallied to win, last being the ‘06 Heat(fluke, just sayin’). And that Miami team is the only home club to win the three middle games(3,4,5) since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 format in the early 80’s. Not that I want to crown the Celtics now, but history shows that it’s not looking good for LA right now.

But I will say this now, LA will bring it back to Boston. Time will tell if there will be one or two games there.

Other random thoughts on my mind(hoops related or otherwise)…I really bitched out the Celtics pyrotechnic crew for their lame pre game video. The fine folks of ESPN/ABC are at the opposite end of the spectrum with their goose bump/spine tingling/near tear jerking intro to the Finals. Major goose bump moments when hearing the voices of the late Chick Hearn and Johnny Most.

Dominik Hasek retired??? Should we start a pool to see when he changes his mind? And added bonus for what team he suits up for?

Seriously though, this was the greatest player to wear a Sabres jersey(Note: I didn’t say greatest player that was also very exciting to watch - #11 fans). Only player in franchise history EVER to win an Hart Trophy/MVP, not to mention several Vezina Trophies. The man was the biggest reason that the Sabres were a consistent postseason team and Cup contender.

And the fact that he did this during an era of severe league financial instability in which teams like Buffalo had no real chance to bring in any real assets to assist them in competition only adds to his legacy.

Hopefully the bad blood between Hasek and the Sabres and fans will dissipate soon(It’s. Been. SEVEN. #@$%ing. years.) so that he can have his rightful spot in the HSBC rafters with the French Connection, Patty La La, McAdoo(hey, he’s in MY HSBC rafters) et al.

Bills are over 52K in season ticket sales?? Two thoughts:

1. Yuck Fou Toronto.
2. Nice to see that people picked up on my idea. Just sayin’.

The Belmont - the most predictable two minutes in sports. Boy did we get suckered in to thinking we’d actually see a Triple Crown winner. Frank Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski are probably sipping champagne to celebrate the moment.

-Peter Farrell

The Buffalo Sabres held a press conference this afternoon to introduce the newest addition to their stable of young guns - and it was none other than South Buffalo’s own Tim Kennedy, who signed a two year entry level contract with the team, after completing his junior year with the Michigan State Spartans. The 22 year old Kennedy was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2005, but his rights were then obtained by the Sabres via trade that same day.

Kennedy grew up a Sabres fan, admitting that his favorite player that he wished to emulate was Detroit’s Steve Yzerman. But from the Sabres? “Around here it was hard not to like (Alexander) Mogilny and Pat Lafontaine.”

Ask where he would fit in on the team, Kennedy replied, “I like to think I’m an all around player. I can score if I need to. I can be a 3rd or 4th line player. I will do whatever it takes.” Kennedy can play center or left wing.

Recalling draft day in 2005, Kennedy thought that his friends were playing a practical joke on him when he first learned that his rights were acquired by the Buffalo Sabres. “But then a person who works for the Sabres called me to tell me it really happened. Then a half hour later I get a call from Mr. Regier and he confirmed that I had been traded and I thought it was awesome.”

General Manager Darcy Regier seemed very pleased with the work accomplished in the past month. “We’re very excited. Tim, Nathan Gerbe and Dennis Persson. It’s a nice crew that will fit together very nicely here.” Talking about the upcoming training camp, Regier responded, “I think it will be very interesting. These are good players. They will push our forwards. We have a lot of forwards. So I think that we’ll have some decisions to make and they will be good decisions.”

Regier stated that Persson will remain in the Swedish Elite League this coming season before coming to North America, as will Philippe Gogulla, who participated in last year’s training camp. Regier also revealed that an announcement regarding the Sabres’ American Hockey League affiliate will be forthcoming. “We’re moving closer to announcement. I don’t have an exact date” said Regier. “It won’t be weeks away, it will be days away probably.”

UPDATE

I received a call today from Sabres PR Commish Mike Gilbert, who happened to read this post and wished to clarify a couple points.

Mike informed me that all season ticket holder benefits, including Sabrebucks , advance ticket purchase privileges, etc. that have been extended in the past will remain in effect for the 2008-09 season. He did admit that the team could have done a better job conveying that news, but there was no intention to mask information or withhold anything from the team’s customers.

Existing season ticket holders have until June 20 to commit to next year’s tickets. Judging from feedback so far, Mike says that the Sabres expect few cancellations.

————————–

I am absolutely amazed, and a bit disheartened, being the shill for the team that I often am, at the way the Sabres are executing their season ticket renewals.

In past years, the team heralded their campaign with a detailed chart and grid showing all the various pricing plans and the savings over window prices. Last year, customers who committed to renewing in advance of the playoffs even received round one playoff tickets at regular season prices.

Today we received our renewal letters, and as in the past there are three payment dates staggered throughout the summer, along with info on various ways to make ones payments. But other than a letter from John Sinclair and the total bill (less the credit for unplayed playoff games), nada. Do we still get Sabrebucks? Who knows!

And what are the season ticket prices? Even this info is not divulged, and one has to go to the trusty calculator to figure it all out.So assuming a 41 game schedule with preseason thrown in as a benny, here is what I can tell you…

100 level/II seats go from $42 to $46 each.

100 level/III seats go from $31 to $35 each.

Memo to Sabres: Your season ticket prices are still a screaming bargain in this day and age. Why are you not shouting that fact from the rooftops? All this skullduggery and half spoonfuls of information is not “taking care of your best customers”, in my opinion.

Anyone else get their renewal in sections other than listed above? If so please share your ticket cost. Just a warning - have your calculator handy, the Sabres are not going to figure this out for you.

-Andrew Kulyk

This past week I received a communication from the Sabres regarding our season tickets. Basically, the letter listed the amount on account for moneys sent in for playoff tickets, then offered three options…

Have refund sent by check

Have refund applied as credit to credit card

Apply moneys towards 2008-09 season tickets

If we do not reply, the Sabres will automatically renew the season tickets and apply the credits towards the eventual bill.

Here is the problem… there is absolutely no 2008-09 pricing information with the letter. So if I ask for a credit, will they assume I am no longer interested in season tickets and give my seats to someone on their list? If I do nothing and they renew me, and my $31 tickets get raised to, say, $100, am I locked in and obligated to purchase?

I tried getting these questions answered and called account services, but could not get a live voice on two attempts.

Just for the record, we have been season ticket holders since the ‘93-’94 season and have always received top notch service from John Sinclair and his crew. Still, it would be nice if the Sabres could communicate pricing plans and their marketing push a little better than this.

If anyone else has pondered this same question and can offer some insight, please feel free to comment.

It’s been like forever since there has been anything on the Sabres in this space. I did not attend Thursday’s press conference… it was the one day that I was loaded down with service calls at my business and I could not rearrange my schedule. But I did tune in a bit, caught the whole thing later on, and wish I had been there to fire off a couple of my own questions.

First of all let me say this… I am a Larry Quinn fan, and I am a Tom Golisano fan. Lately that is not a popular position to be carving out around these parts, but hear me out. Quinn is a bright guy when it comes to urban planning and downtown development. When he ran the community development department for the city, he almost singlehandedly brought the Theatre District back to life. If you remember the 600 block of Main back in the 70s, then you should know what total devastation there was in the neighborhood. Later on, he got us our new arena built, on time and within budget, and that was no small feat. When it comes to vision about the Buffalo we all want, he understands it and he gets it.

As for Golisano, I could just imagine how this state would be on its way back from the abyss if he had won as Governor. He rescued this franchise and wrote a check to take it out of bankruptcy, when all other ownership bids were just pretenders.

So now that I got all that out of the way, I was very disappointed by the message delivered, the tone of the whole affair, and some of the concepts and ideas on how this front office is going to return the franchise to its former glory.

Quinn laments the alarming rise in the salary cap, and apparently is digging in his heels in stating that the organization is not going to offer long term contracts to anyone. In doing so, he illustrated Toronto’s problems with their long term contracts and being saddled with players who have outlived their usefulness. To me, however, this whole stance smacked of the former organization mantra “we don’t negotiate contracts during the season”.

Quinn also predicted that the Canadian dollar, now virtually at par with the greenback, will fall in the future, and that should offer some relief to the salary cap issue. Quinn’s prognostication on the future value of the US dollar is just speculation, work better left to currency futures traders.

The team is not going to make a splash in the free agent market, but will continue to develop home grown talent. Oh really? Where? Check out Rochester… the cupboard is bare. The farm system, the scouting system has been decimated in the Golisano era. Right now we don’t even know where our minor league affiliate is going to be housed next year.

The question that wasn’t asked, and that I would have asked, is what sort of damage is this on the ice meltdown and the failings of the front office going to do the season ticket base. The team sold 14,800 season tickets, and has a waiting list for several thousands more, and some of those waiting plunked down $100 a seat to keep their status. Will the customers come back? Will we see sellouts as far as the eye can see, or will those yawning gaps of empty blue seats, the norm at many games during the bankruptcy era, make a comeback?

One could see troubling signs at the last few home games - scattered empty seats in the traditional season ticket areas, tickets selling on eBay for far below face value, and fistfuls of ducats outside the arena, a real deal for buyers. Contrast that to a year ago, when tickets were such hot commodities and demand approached the fervor not seen since the 70s.

The Sabres have not announced any pricing plans or marketing pushes for next season, but Sabres management is deluding itself if they simply send out renewals and expect the people who they refer to as “their best customers” to just accept the garbage being shoveled at them and re-up for next season.

What the Sabres do in the next few months will be crucial in keeping them relevant and viable going into next year, and keeping intact the goodwill in this community that they worked so hard to build in the post lockout era.

Here is my checklist in what needs to be done:

1) Tom Golisano needs to show his face, show he is in charge, communicate his plans with the public, assuage the season ticket holders, in essence do the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce circuit.

2) Sign a marquee free agent. We need a team leader, a voice in the clubhouse, and a visible message to everyone that this franchise is committed to its future.

3) Miller and Pominville - no yackety-yack. 3 years… 6 years… just get it done.

4) Develop a marketing hook for season ticket holders. Perhaps a “playoff guarantee” offering a $3 per ticket rebate if the team fails to qualify next spring.

5) Is this Rochester divorce thing really a done deal? There’s trouble a-brewin in Amerks land. Steve Donner surely has to be joking that he would move one of the flagship AHL franchises out of the city or suspend play, just because it’s all about him. Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but it would be great to see the Sabres swoop in and just buy the team and end this soap opera once and for all, then show the Florida Panthers the door.

We have been season ticket holders since 1993-94, have stuck with the team through the highs and the lows, and have no plans on bailing for next season. But as much as we love the Sabres, what comes to mind is a classic line from the sports chick flick “Fever Pitch”: “Do they love you back?” I guess we will find out, won’t we.

Just a short post to let our readers know that there will be no Sabres morning skate or game night coverage here at USRT for the next two weeks.

We notified the Sabres PR department today that we will not be in attendance at the next four Sabres home games, since we will be hitting the road on an extended Ultimate Sports Road Trip to Florida and back (more on that in the next day or so).

Puck Stop will appear in Artvoice this week as scheduled and we will chime in on the Sabres from time to time. We will both be back at the arena for the March 30 game against Boston and Pete will be covering that game.

Some horrible giveaways. Some unlucky bounces. A shorthanded goal. For a change, the Buffalo Sabres weren’t on the sorry side of this story, as they played a magnificent game, with passion and intensity, at both ends of the ice to throttle the Carolina Hurricanes, 7-1, before another sellout crowd at HSBC Arena.

Buffalo got rockin’ pretty early on in this one, as Daniel Paille began the scoring early in the first, and then Adam Mair made it 2-0 Buffalo just 22 seconds later on a cross ice pass.

Derek Roy scored a short handed goal at the 10:51 mark on a two on one break following yet another bad giveaway from Carolina at the other end. Paul Gaustad then made it 4-0 on a bouncer in the goal mouth. The Sabres penalty kill was solid, facing back to back to back calls which at one point would have made them two men short, had the Hurricane’s Matt Cullen not taken a stupid unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, after arguing being thrown out of the faceoff circle.

The Sabres scored two more goals in the second period to make it 6-0, first by Patrick Kaleta, his 3rd of the season as he crashed the net, then later in the period Derek Roy got his second of the game after Danny Paille worked the puck up to him on a nifty up ice play. Those looking for Kaleta’s trademark “Leap” were left a bit disappointed, however. “Yeah I kinda cut it in half” Kaleta explained after the game. “I wanted to celebrate the goal with my teammates and I was down on my knees when the puck went in.” Kaleta gave assurances that he has not abandoned The Leap.

It could have been worse for Carolina… Maxim Afinogenov was at the end of a tic tac toe move on the power play and had nothing but net, and shot the puck squarely on the post. Roy had a shorthanded breakaway opportunity but could not get the puck past ‘Canes reliever John Grahame.

Frustrations started to boil for the Hurricanes in the 3rd… Goaltender John Grahame earned a penalty for his dumb slash on Daniel Paille, then minutes later Tim Conboy took on Buffalo’s Adam Mair, and for a change it was Mair dishing out most of the punishment. Both earned 5 minute fighting majors, with Conboy earning an extra five minute major for “interference” as well as a well deserved game misconduct. Mair earned the game’s first star, scoring three points and being a force on the ice all night long.

Buffalo promptly went to snooze mode on that man advantage, and surrendered a goal on a two on one break to spoil Ryan Miller’s shutout bid. Ales Kotalik added a late power play goal into an open net, and this game would end 7-1 Buffalo.

The Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers both won tonight to keep pace one point behind the Sabres, while Buffalo pulled to within two points of idle Philadelphia. Think tomorrow’s game in Toronto against the surging Leaves isn’t HUGE? “Absolutely” said Toni Lydman, while Derek Roy said “At this point every game is huge.”

Lindy Ruff said after the game “I said this morning that tomorrow’s headline should read ‘desperate team wins game’. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be by far the more desperate team.”

Faceoff tomorrow night at the Air Canada Centre is 7:00PM, with TV coverage from our boys on MSG and viewers across Canada watching on CBC.

-Still beloved… Tonight’s “Spelling Bee” on the HD board asked fans to spell “Jeanneret”. Took about eight takes before someone got it right, and the fans gave Rick Jeanneret one of the loudest ovations of the night when they gave him an appearance on the screen. So what was up with the moron in the next booth flailing his arms and waving like an idiot? It’s not about you pal!

-Best dancer … The usher in the tunnel at Secs 310-311 was in rare form.

-Take off that shirt!… We got plenty of eye candy tonight on the video board, if your thing is bare chested 12 year old boys. Gotta ask - Is the video crew’s newest hire a member of Catholic clergy?

-Our awesome “D”… Andrej Sekera was a +5 and Mike Weber a +4. The Sabres beleaguered defense played a superb game with few glaring giveaways or mental mistakes. “That Mike Funk fella didn’t do too badly either” joked Toni Lydman, well within earshot of Funk, who occupies the next stall in the clubhouse.

-Sabres outscore Carolina 15-2 in two appearances at the H this season.

One could say that the Sabres stole a point in the ‘Canes games on Saturday night. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around as the Sabres failed to convert on multiple opportunities and lost 3-2 in a shootout to the New York Rangers.

Sure, the Sabres were extremely shorthanded on the blue line as they lost two defensemen to injury during the game, and Nathan Paetsch was shaken up a bit on a hard check from Sean Avery. Yet with the position the Sabres are in right now every point that can be had must be taken, and that didn’t happen.

Not that they didn’t have their cracks at it. To name a few….a five on three power play that went the full two minutes where Buffalo struggled at times to keep in their own end. In all there were six power plays for the Sabres in the first two stanzas with only one conversion on a Vanek deflection of a Pominville blast from the blue line.

In the third period, Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist mishandled a puck behind the net and Drew Stafford tried to sneak it into the empty net, no luck as the puck whizzed harmlessly through the crease. And when the game went to OT, Max found himself on a breakaway and couldn’t convert. It felt like game 5 of the Carolina series all over again.

And with the Sabres having such a hideous shootout record, one couldn’t help but think the Rangers were going to be the team coming away with the two points. They would on Scott Gomez’ shot past the outstretched pad of Ryan Miller near the left post.

So if there is a bright side, it’s that the Sabres did get a point and did close the gap to three on the eighth place Flyers(who do have a game in hand on Buffalo). But with time running out on the season, all that matters is getting the two points and climbing the ladder.

Useless notes:Thomas Vanek scored for the first time in five games(MTL 2/29). The Rangers sweep the Sabres for the season with the win, the complete opposite of last season in which Buffalo took all four contests. The loss was the fourth in a row at home for Buffalo.

Next up - @ Pittsburgh Wednesday, Carolina Friday, and that silly blue and white Canadian team on Saturday.

Time is running out….tick, tick, tick!!

Also: was it a goal or not????

Playing their fourth game in six nights, the Sabres fell to the hard charging Washington Capitals 3-1 and in the process failed to take the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference race.

Leading the way for the Caps was Russian wunderkind and hockey demigod Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin increased his league lead in goals scored to 54 with a first period goal on a breakaway and got the clincher late in the third for the final goal of the game.

Ales Kotalik scored for the Sabres on the power play to even the score at one, but just minutes later superb rookie Niklas Backstrom found himself alone in front of the net and put one past Ryan Miller to make it 2-1, and that score would hold until Ovechkin’s second of the night.

But the game didn’t finish without some controversy, with under three minutes to go Jason Pominville appeared to have put the puck just past the red line amidst a scrum of players in front of the Washington net. After a lengthy review delay the referees determined that there was no goal and the game would end soon after without incident.

After the game the buzz was all about the disputed non-goal. Said Jason Pominville:” “The referee explained that the replay was nonconclusive. I’m not sure if it went in or not, I was just trying to see the replay… the guys on the bench told me it went in.” Chimed in Derek Roy,” “Well I told the ref to check it and he said that it didn’t go over the line. I told him to make sure and check it, then the league called and said the puck had gone in. From my point of view the puck went in before the whistle blew, but we have to trust the league’s decision on that.”

Slanted and biased personal opinion…the puck was in before the whistle blew. What’s the point of replay if they can’t figure this out?????

In the coach’s corner Lindy toed the line and immediately said that “the refs made the right call.” More than anything, Ruff appeared to be somewhat satisfied with the effort of a club that had played its fourth game in six nights. He noted that “I thought we really played solid in our own end……almost rock solid in our own end…. Were we smart at times…no.”

The Sabres remain one point out the eighth spot with the next game coming up on Saturday against Carolina.

The Sabres certainly seem to have a way of bringing a struggling team to life. It would be nice if the team in question would be Buffalo, but that would not be the case on this night.

The Detroit Red Wings came into the game with the league’s best record despite having lost ten of their last eleven contests, and for the Sabres this couldn’t have been a more perfect time to play a team of this caliber.

Unfortunately for Buffalo the Wings chose tonight to be the time to return to form as they dominated the Sabres throughout the first fourty minutes of play on the way to a 4-2 triumph.

“(We were) outraced, outmuscled, and it cost us again.” Said Lindy afterwards.

The Sabres did get the first goal of the game roughly three minutes into the first as Patrick Kaleta got his second career goal as the trailer on an odd man rush. From there the Detroit onslaught began in earnest as they fired eighteen first period shots at Ryan Miller. It would be a borderline miracle that the game would merely be tied at one at the end of the first, as many of the Wings scoring opportunities in that period came in the midst of a two man advantage.

Detroit broke open the game in the second with a pair of goals, the second of the two coming off the stick of Johan Franzen fed oh so nicely from Niklas Kronwall. At that point the momentum of the game made a two goal Wings’ lead seem like five the way the rythym of the game was going.

Hockey is a strange game sometimes, and despite being totally outplayed for virtually the entire game, the Sabres were able to make it a one goal game when Jason Pominville caught everyone off gaurd by racing toward the net with the puck while most others on the ice were involved in a burgeoning scrum near the penalty boxes. Pominville’s shot found the back of the net and how about that, 3-2.

The Wings would kill off any chance of a Sabre rally with their fourth goal with about four minutes left to seal the deal.

Other notes:

Jason Pominville is the latest Sabre to wear the “C” in the monthly rotation…..

A gi-normous game with Philadelphia is up next for Buffalo, safe to say that a loss there puts Buffalo’s postseason hopes in very dire straits….

Patrick Kaleta scored on former Sabre great Dominik Hasek, but the local boy made good didn’t seem too upbeat about it:”Right now I’m not worried about that, I’m more worried about the win.”

To add insult to injury, some loser Detroit fan rubbed salt in the wound by tossing an octopus on the ice during a break in the game’s final minutes.

Lindy Ruff’s quote above just about says it all doesn’t it.

If fans were expecting a continuation of the edge of your seat excitement spilling over from Wednesday night’s game, they would be disappointed. The Buffalo Sabres came out flat tonight against the Montreal Canadiens at HSBC Arena, and ended up taking it on the chin. Final score, Montreal 6, Buffalo 2.

Fans from Montreal Welland, Stevensville and Crystal Beach were in the building tonight, chanting “Go Habs Go” and singing the “Ole, Ole” song. Patrons were treated not only to pictures of soldiers in fatigues waving Sabres flags on top of tanks, but also a real live military guy in the house, getting his own standing O to the strains of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA”. Oil at $103 a barrel, gas heading to four bucks a gallon, the greenback collapsing against world currencies, America heading into recession. Who the f**k cares! Let’s all stand and cheer and sing and spooge to the drumbeat of war war war!

But back to the game…The Sabres were outshot 12-6 in the first period and fell behind 2-0 after one. Tomas Plekanec scored a nifty power play goal on a cross ice pass shot from a bad angle, then Mark Streit added a goal midway through the period.

Buffalo would come back in the second period, when Thomas Vanek scored his 27th goal on the power play. Montreal then padded their lead with two goals, another power play goal by Plekanec on a cross ice pass which looked almost identical to his earlier goal, and then he scored his third of the night on another power play, this time from just across the blue line.

Montreal made it 5-1 in the 3rd period when Andrei Kostitsyn blew in alone on Ryan Miller and put the puck up high. That got the Habs crowd hailing from spitting distance the other side of the Peace Bridge in a real throaty mood, singing “Hey Hey Goodbye” while earning derisive boos from the Sabres faithful. Tim Connolly scored his 7th of the season on the power play in the middle of the frame, and then Sergei Kostitsyn completed the ugly night with Montreal’s 6th tally late.

Coach Ruff spoke about the failure of special teams and all the Montreal power play goals. “We have to dig in. I don’t know if this set up is going to work. All the power play goals that have scored on us in the last few games… we’re not going to win games like that.”

It was anticipated that Ruff would keep his lineup intact from Wednesday despite the health of Drew Stafford and Maxim Afinogenov. Ruff replied “I felt we would put our best lineup out there. They were ready to play. It’s easy to look back and say ‘we shouldn’t have changed’ and if we lost the game we’d say ‘we should have changed the lineup.’” Talking to Stafford, he was told after the morning skate that he would be playing tonight.

The final game of the homestand comes this Sunday at 6PM, when the Detroit Red Wings, the team standing in the way of back to back Sabres Presidents Trophy titles (yes I am being a comedian… thud!), come to town. Dominik Hasek has been out injured but did play tonight in their 3-2 loss to San Jose, so we might just get our chance to boo him come Sunday. Dave in Rocha over at Bfloblog thinks our guys can beat the Red Wings. Check out his takes on tonight’s game.

Side notes –

-Take that Don Cherry! All Montreal scoring tonight courtesy of Euros.

-Where are you Andrew Peters! Lindy Ruff put Maxim Afinogenov on the 4th line with Patrick Kaleta and Adam Mair tonight. Let’s just say that’s a failed experiment. “I thought Max turned the puck over too many times” said Ruff. Nooooooooooooo!

-Did they really announce 18,690??? Those yawning gaps of empty blue seats in the upper corners of the 300s suggest otherwise. Memo to Sabres: Gold game prices are too expensive!

A track meet. Plenty of offense. Penalty shot. Lots of scoring. A few fights. And a big Buffalo win. What more could one ask for in an evening of hockey?

Tonight at HSBC Arena the Buffalo Sabres got their first ever home win over the Nashville Predators by a score of 8-4.Steve Bernier would get his first goal as a Sabre at the 4:33 mark, as he and Derek Roy broke in on a 2 on 1 break. Roy slid the puck across to Bernier, who had nothing but net. Bernier then added his second goal later in the period, a slap shot off the top of the face off circle, scored on a delayed penalty to Nashville.

Early in the second period Predators center Scott Nichol was awarded a penalty shot when Jaro Spacek threw his stick on an apparent breakaway. Nichol’s attempt was stopped by goalie Ryan Miller. Daniel Paille would then make the score 3-0 Buffalo, taking the puck off a giveaway in the corner and putting it past Nashville goaltender Chris Mason.

But Nashville would come back with two quick goals to narrow the lead to 3-2, Ryan Miller would leave the game after the first Nashville goal, suffering a bloody nose from a puck which struck him in the helmet, and was replaced by Jocelyn Thibault between the pipes.

Buffalo got a two goal cushion back quickly, on a nifty goal by Andrew Peters, of all people, Peter’s first goal of the season. Peters was fed a pass from behind the net by Patrick Kaleta and sent a blistering shot into the net. Lindy Ruff mentioned Peter’s goal as a turning point - “That was a big shift for us. A great goal for us. Those guys don’t get mentioned often but the grit they showed is important for our team and sometimes goes unnoticed.”

Peters was ecstatic about scoring his first goal of the season, but was deferential towards his new teammate Steve Bernier. Said Peters, “I can’t say enough about the guy. He came in here this morning and was an instant hit in the locker room. Great guy, great personality and I could tell he was a real team guy. I’m just happy that the monkey is off his back and he went out and had a great game, and hopefully we can keep that line going.” Then Peters joked, “I’m just sorry I had to score and rain on his parade a little bit.”

Nashville cut the lead to 4-3 at the 7:53 mark on Jason Arnott’s second of the game and his 24th of the season. Miller then returned to the net around the 12 minute mark.

Jason Pominville would add to the Sabres lead at the 14:50 mark, on a great feed pass from Ales Kotalik, who waited and waited until his trailing center could get into position to take the shot. That goal chased Mason from the Nashville net in favor of back up goalie Dan Ellis. Derek Roy then made it 6-3, and that is how the period ended. Buffalo scored 4 goals in the second frame on just 6 shots.

In the 3rd period Nashville scored an early power play goal by David Legwand to again cut their deficit to two goals. Midway through the period there were back to back fights – Andrew Peters and Darcy Hordichuk traded blows, with Peters ending up in the bottom of the pile, then right off the faceoff Jordin Tootoo gave an old fashioned beatdown to Buffalo’s Adam Mair.

Shortly thereafter Buffalo got their three goal cushion back, as Tim Connolly took the puck in himself on a 2 on 1, executing the perfect deek. Later on Ales Kotalik would make it 8-4 on his 19th of the season. That would be it for the scoring, but not before Bernier gave Tootoo a nice licking after Tootoo cheapshotted Derek Roy. Peters said “That showed a lot of character on his part.” Ruff also heaped a lot of praise on Bernier’s debut. “It was great to see. He set up a couple great opportunities. He missed a chance when he walked in all alone. But it’s going to get tough for him. He made it look easy tonight.”

While this game had a lot of side stories and elements to it - all four goalies facing action, at least three fights and other scrums, 12 goals, it was Bernier’s night. He earned the game’s first star and when he skated out to take his bow he received a thunderous ovation from the Buffalo faithful who might be starting a love affair with their newest Sabre. Bernier admitted that he didn’t get much sleep since arriving. “I didn’t sleep much last night. When I wake up this morning it was a long time to the seven o’clock start. All day long I was thinking about the game. Then I did not sleep this afternoon. It really went well and this is the way i wanted it to go.”

The Sabres homestand continues on Friday as Marion Hossa and the Montreal Canadiens come to town, and yes there are still tickets available for this gold priced game. Puck drops at 7:35PM.

Side notes -

-On the Sabres DL and listed as day to day is none other than Sabres PR Director Mike Gilbert, who was spotted in the clubhouse wearing a sling as he suffered a slight separated shoulder while playing hockey yesterday. The cast should come off in a couple days. “Will take a lot more than this to knock me out of the lineup” Gilbert quipped.

-About half of tonight’s high school hockey players watching Lindy’s postgame press conference from the back of the room were wearing mohawk hairstyles! I was chomping at the bit to hear what Rob Ray would have to say about all this, but Ray entered the room and was speechless, and that left me feeling empty.

-Soupy gets an assist tonight in the Sharks 4-2 win over Columbus. Wow, probably means his price just went up. Do I hear $50 million?

Everything is the same today at the Sabres morning skate. Or is it?

Gone is Brian Campbell, and all traces of his presence, most notably his locker room nameplate, have disappeared as well. And this means that a fresh opportunity has been created for Nathan Paetsch, who will play as the 6th defenseman and will be teamed up with Nolan Pratt.

So is Paetsch excited? “Well my first thoughts are the loss of Brian who was an excellent player and a good friend, and we all wish him well” Paetsch replied. As for playing with Pratt - “Oh definitely I am excited when we played together earlier this season I thought we had good solid chemistry. He’s a steady guy and likes to give me the puck and let me go.”

Most of the focus today was on the newest Sabre - Steve Bernier, who arrived last night from San Jose and was barely down the BNIA terminal concourse when he was greeted by fans and well wishers who were welcoming him to Buffalo.

The well spoken Bernier, who hails from Quebec City and talks with a distinct French-Canadian accent, was basking in the glow of all the media attention. “I’m already nervous” Bernier admitted after his first morning skate with his new teammates. “I feel good. Very excited.” Bernier was very complimentary towards the fans of Buffalo. “It’s way different here than in San Jose. I love it. It’s a real hockey city and I’m excited to be here.” Continuing, he said “I grew up in Quebec City and followed the Nordiques. Every day on the paper, stories on every player and about Montreal. It’s fun being a part of things like that.”

Bernier will get a chance to show his stuff right from the get go, as Coach Lindy Ruff will place him on the first line with Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek.

Ruff also said that injured forwards Maxim Afinogenov, Drew Stafford and Jochen Hecht are “getting close” to returning. Max and Drew both skated this morning, with Max flying up and down the ice with seeming ease. Drew wore the red “no contact” jersey.

Lastly, got a chance to talk with Pete Weber, Buffalo guy through and through and Voice of the Nashville Predators. When I get face time with Pete, I don’t waste it on hockey talk and instead got into some baseball stuff with him as we chatted.

I asked Pete how things were going with the new downtown baseball stadium for the AAA Nashville Sounds. “It’s not” replied Weber very forlornly, and explained how a corporate funding scheme fell through, and now a $1-million dollar renovation of decaying Greer Stadium will happen instead. “If AAA decided to pull the team out of there I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”

Weber shared this story with me - “Back in 1995 when the Bisons came to town early in the season, (Bison player) Billy Ripken was so disgusted with the filthy conditions in the visitors clubhouse that he taped a symbolic band aid above his locker stall. When the team returned in June, that band aid was still stuck in the spot he had left it in months earlier.”

Puck drops tonight at 7:05PM, with two teams clinging desperately to playoff hopes in their respective conferences. These two teams haven’t met in Buffalo since 2003, and Buffalo is winless at home all time against the Predators in their four meetings here.

I’ve got the AV pressbox chair for this game and will have a postgame report later on tonight.