GAME 1: Sabres 4, Islanders 1

My cool downtown sports day comes to an end, 14 1/2 hours after I left my house this morning...

Tonight at HSBC Arena the Buffalo Sabres dispatched the New York Islanders 4-1 to take game one of the best of seven series.

Buffalo threw wave after wave of attacks early on, while limiting New York's chances and allowing only one shot on goal in the first period. Brian Campbell and Chris Drury each netted a pair for Buffalo. New York's only goal came on a breakdown by Derek Roy, who really should have left the ice for a shift change.

Who's hot? Dainius frikkin' Zubrus played like a house on fire tonight, making smart plays, setting up scoring chances and generally looking like the quality forward that Buffalo was hoping to get. "He's just so happy to be back in the playoffs after a long absence" said Coach Lindy Ruff.

Who's not? New York's Miroslav Satan. You think he'd be chomping at the bit to have his top game going... Buffalo, Lindy, Darcy... instead he was a pile of puss out there.

Dubie! Dubie! Gotta tip the hat to Isles goalie Wade Dubielewicz, who faced 35 shots and did an adequate job, but this is not a Stanley Cup goaltender, not by a longshot.

The bombshell was dropped at the postgame press conferences - Goalie Rick DiPietro has been medically cleared to play and Coach Ted Nolan said he would be inserted in practice on Friday, and a decision will be made then on whether he is fit to start in game 2.

Lastly, the fans had their "A" game on big time - raising the roof with noise, waving yellow pom poms, and the traditional old "Ooh Ahh Sabres on the Warpath" chant got going late. The Sabres pregame montage, done to the song "Better Days" by the Goo Goo Dolls, had me choked up and I'm sure I was not the only one. And by the way - I did not spot a single Islanders fan in the stands. Oh how nice to own our building!

Game 2 goes Saturday at 7:30 PM... Pete will be covering, I'll be in the stands and assisting him with post game... and hopefully our after the game outing over beer and wings will be a festive one!

Torey Lovullo is one happy guy today!

It's 4:30PM... my cool downtown sports day continues...

Bisons 2, Lynx 1 at Dunn Tire Park
After turning a strange 1-5-4 double play in the 6th following by Choo's diving catch in right to end the inning, Manager Torey Lovullo had to be pleased. "After some of the defensive outings we've had here, it was nice to see that kind of performance. The lead out was the key out, and those plays essentially saved the ball game for us." Offensively, solo home runs by Keith Ginter and Ryan Mulhern were the difference in this one.

The team now hits the road for sets in Columbus and Toledo before returning home (to hopefully better weather) on Saturday, April 21.

In between games...
So with the Sabres game not starting until 8PM, this means some time to kill, so I'm going to catch up on some writing and some web surfing until they shut down the pressbox here at the ballpark... then head down to the arena. I think I'm in the mood to check out the team store and buy some souvenirs, and maybe see if the pregame concert is still a go. The rain has started though.

Lotsa cookies, ice cream bars and popcorn...but no wi-fi.
Let me start by saying this... the Sabres media department are the best bunch of guys you would want to meet. Mike Gilbert, Chris Bandura, Kevin Snow and webmaster Brian Wheeler always cooperative, always professional, and a joy to interact and work with.

Unless... you have the temerity to ask them to jump on their wi-fi internet service. That's when the Guardians of the Bandwidth and Lords of the Surf come harshly into play. Bottom line... I'd gladly take a reliable internet connection at the arena over the pressbox junk food buffet any day.

Reporting from the Sabres morning skate

The Islanders were working it at their morning practice at HSBC Arena

Ted Nolan says the story is no longer about him, it's about his guys who fought hard to get to this point.

Calm… businesslike… The Sabres went through a spirited morning skate at HSBC Arena, and the atmosphere on the ice and in the locker room seems to be relaxed and focused leading into the game tonight.

Thomas Vanek seems to be excited to be back at this point, and is not taking the Islanders team lightly. “All 16 teams that are in the playoffs are there because they deserve to be there.” Vanek also called on the fans to help the team out. “Hopefully the crowd will be there doing there thing and we can get an early jump on ‘em” said Vanek.

“Excited” is the word Jason Pominville used to describe the mood of the team. Pominville knows what it’s like to be in this situation, and admits that even with a year of experience, there are still butterflies.
“Sure it does, but we’ve been through this before, and just hitting the ice and the cheering of the fans will be a good feeling, and for now we’re just excited to be getting it going.”

Lindy Ruff was anxious to get the jitters out of the way at the morning skate, but sensed none of that among his team. “I didn’t see none of that. I think the guys are focused and they’re ready to play.”

Some random observations...

-A way of telling what is going on with the team roster is by looking at the stalls in the Sabres locker room. There are only a limited number so if you're on the DL or otherwise indisposed, your stall is forfeited and your name plate removed. So who has a stall and equipment all set up? None other than Paul Gaustad. Might we yet see Gaustad back this season?

-While his guys were stretching at center ice, I watched Islanders coach Ted Nolan just staring at the rafters, his gaze transfixed for about 15 seconds. And what was he looking at? Well, his stare was pointed straight at the 1996-97 division champion banner. Would have loved to know what was going through his head at that very moment.

-In the Islanders locker room... one of those felt tipped marker boards and listed there were the Sabres projected lineups and line pairings. Listed there... Tim Connolly - injured. Dan Paille and Clarke MacArthur, 4th line. WTF???!!! This got more than a few snickers from the Buffalo media.

This week in Artvoice

"An Extraordinary Year"

This week's Puck Stop. And Andrew, Peter, and Artvoice Editor Geoff Kelly make our predictions for all the first round matchups in the Eastern Conference.

Check it out!

NFL Schedule released!

The 48th season of Buffalo Bills football features the return of Monday Night Football to Orchard Park for the first time since '94 with the Dallas Cowboys' visit on Columbus Day weekend.

Personally speaking, I think there could be a record for arrests and ejections at the Ralph that night.....but that's just me....anyhow, schedule:

All games are 1pm starts unless otherwise noted, and of course subject to last minute and seemingly indecisive changing.....

9.9 DENVER
9.16 @Pittsburgh
9.23 @New England
9.30 NY JETS
10.8 DALLAS( 8pm monday night)
10.15 bye week
10.21 BALTIMORE
10.28 @NY Jets(4pm start)
11.4 CINCINNATI
11.11 @Miami
11.18 NEW ENGLAND
11.25 @ Jacksonville
12.2 @Washington
12.9 MIAMI
12.16 @Cleveland
12.23 NY GIANTS
12.30 @Philadelphia

Some thoughts:

Another visit by Miami in the cold weather....

If Cleveland still sucks this year, how big of a presence will Buffalofan have in Cleveland?

Wondering just how negative things will get when McGahee comes back on October 21st..

Anyone notice that the Bills don't leave the Eastern Time Zone at all this year?

Season begins on 9/6 with the Saints visiting the Colts. Will the Saints drag out Archie Manning to make this another silly, overhyped Manning matchup?

But did Roger Dorn get to pinch hit?

Apparently the Cleveland Indians' debut at Miller Park in Milwaukee was a smash hit after all.

The team was forced to move their games to Milwaukee because of the unplayable conditions at Jacobs Field. So with a bunch of games already cancelled, they opted to shift venues and the enclosed ballpark in Milwaukee was the best fit.

So some highlights from the wild affair last night:

- Over 19,000 fans bought tickets, available for $10 each, and filled the first and second decks.

- Tribe mascot "Slider" made the the trip and took over Bernie Brewers house high above left field.

- The Indians e-mailed the video graphics to Milwaukee's scoreboard operator to upload them onto Miller Park's Jumbotron. The Indians' theme song – "Are you ready to rock? Are you ready to scream? It's Tribe time!" played at the intro.

- That drum guy who sits out in left field at the Jake was flown in by the team to...ummm... bang his drum.

- Pitcher Joe Borowski entered the game in the 9th to close, accompanied to the strains of the Troggs "Wild Thing".

- Milwaukeeans got their mojo in the act as well, doing their slow motion version of The Wave as done at University of Wisconsin football games. And yes, the Sausage Race ran in the 6th as scheduled!

And oh yes, Cleveland beat Anaheim 7-6. Wow does this sound like a lot of fun! Wish we had been there to be a part of it all.

More from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Time to bring Sabrefan down to earth here......

"We're gonna walk all over the Islanders!"
Sure about that?

"We're the President's Trophy winners! They just snuck in!!"
Ummm, yea....and??

"We're more talented! There's no way they can match up with us! We have too much depth, we're better in goal! This will be a cakewalk!!"
Sorry pal, history says something totally different. Frankly...

The above quotes seem to be the prevailing sentiment here in town about the upcoming series with the Islanders. The superior talented Sabres will have their way with the injury plagued Islanders filled with enigmatic players such as Miro Satan and Alexei Yashin. Sure they'll play under coach Ted Nolan, but his will will be of little difference in the Sabres eventual walkover of the Long Islanders. I'm here to tell ya that after a little research, that scenario while somewhat possible is not a certainty...not even close.

On a lazy Tuesday night before the playoffs, Taro hit the books to get a looksee at the results of Stanley Cup series pitting #1 vs. #8 seeds. If history holds true to form, yes the Sabres could walk away with a quick series win. That possibility is about as likely as the Islanders walking out of this one on top.

Think I'm joking? Take a look at this:

Since the advent of the current format in 1994 (24 series total):

The number 1 seed has won in 4 or 5 games a total of 8 times. This is one better than the amount of times the 8 seed has won outright (7 times).

Every time a 1/8 series has reached seven games, the 8 seed has won. Not a good thought if this one goes the distance (and you are contemplating that now, aren't you).

The other 9 series' went six games obviously...and while I won't run them all down, there were a few doozies in that group...all involving Detroit. No reason why...

'04: Nashville roughs up the Wings
'02: Wings rally from down 2-0 to stun Canucks. Who remembers the goal from the blue line in game 3???
'96: The White Noise howls one last time in Winnipeg.

Just saying folks, I thinks that a quick and easy series is the last thing that Sabres fans should have on their minds.

Taro Sez...."Simon says: Sabres win in a Dubieous six game set."

This series will make the most arduous of Nolan fans despise him....

We want our HD!

Time Warner acquires rights to broadcast Versus in high definition, according to this news release issued yesterday. Whether Time Warner's WNY systems will add the channel is yet to be determined.

Televised hockey is such a natural for this technology... why the Sabres haven't gone to high definition telecasts on MSG and why games in high definition are an occasional curiosity instead of the broadcast standard is a mystery to me.

Greetings from the pressbox at Dunn Tire Park

Amy Moritz from the Buffalo News and Dave Ricci from Metro Community News are in the saddle today... Outside it's sunny...40 degrees... a little bit better than yesterday.

And memo to Torey Lovullo... Inside its 68 degrees and toasty.

Bisons 5, Lynx 3 (5:00PM report)
No Pete and I are not going to do a game report each game we'll leave the hard core reporting to Buffalobaseballblog, but if we're in the building we will chime in with some takes.

Anyways, the Bisons make it two in a row this afternoon DESPITE three errors on second baseman Hector Luna. He coulda been tagged with a fourth when he turned a double play and the relay skipped into the dirt at first base, but scorer Kevin Lester correctly ruled it a fielder's choice. After the game Torey Lovullo defended his player, saying he really didn't have to talk to Luna on the bench; he is a seasoned pro and if it becomes a pattern then it's time to work on it. Luna did redeem himself with a RBI single in the 6th and later scored.

For the second day in a row, Keith Ginter serves up the heroics - a two run double in the 7th to give Buffalo the lead for good, this after falling behind 3-0 and being no-hit through the first 5.

About 450 in attendance, up from 300 on Opening Day. Can we make it 600 tomorrow?! Just kidding... hey warm spring nights and full houses of happy fans are just a homestand or two away, we promise!

Major League IV?????

No, there's no new sequel coming out....but in real life? Hmmmm.

Anyone who remembers the original movie Major League probably knows that the stadium used for the Cleveland Indians home was actually Milwaukee County Stadium.

Well, thanks to the brutal weather that Cleveland has been experiencing lately it appears that the real life Indians will be playing at least one series as the home team in Miller Park against the Los Angeles Angels.

Considering the short advance notice that baseball fans in Milwaukee will be getting for this impromptu series, one can just see the real life Harry Doyle(longtime Brewer radio play by play man Bob Uecker) stretching his microphone out of the booth straining for the sounds of fan enthusiasm within close earshot.

Then again....considering how the Brewers have been for the past two decades, hasn't there been plenty of opportunities for him to do that anyhow???