Sabres turn back the clock
Florida trip treated like the season opener
See those standings that say the Buffalo Sabres are 11-10-3? Forget about them. Now they read 0-0-0.
That list of goal scorers that has Thomas Vanek tied for the top spot of the NHL heap with 18? Wipe it from your mind.
That ugly list of 18 Sabres who have a minus rating? Gone. Back to even they all go.
After a series of meetings in the morning — including one held by the players themselves — and a surprisingly long practice (80 minutes) Tuesday, coach Lindy Ruff told the media he’s trying a new approach, beginning with the three-game road trip that opens Thursday night at Florida.
Maybe the Sabres aren’t as good as the team that began the season 6-0-2. But no one around Seymour H. Knox III Plaza believes they’re as bad as the group that’s gone 3-8 in its last 11 games either.
“We’ve put this part of the season behind us and we’re starting fresh,” Ruff said. “We told them that everybody’s stats are the same and we need the type of start to this new part of the season the way we started the regular season.”
The philosophy is probably one way to lift the stench from Monday’s 2-0 stinker against Nashville that left a sellout crowd looking for a refund. But it’s really about far more than just one game, even if it was one of the most morose efforts Ruff said he’s seen in his coaching career. That’s because this team has been in the doldrums for a month.
“[Ruff’s words] put a smile on my face,” said captain Craig Rivet, who practiced fully after sitting out the Nashville game with an upper body injury. “I think Thomas Vanek was the only one scratching his head on that one today because he’s got to give up 18 goals and start over again. But he bought right into it, too.
“Guys are excited. We had a real good start to the season and things have really slipped; and they’ve slipped because of only the guys in this dressing room.”
With the fans’ boos fresh in their minds, Rivet said the Sabres are approaching Monday’s game as rock bottom. And now it’s time to start the climb back up.
“The guys playing that game and the fans watching [know] it’s just unacceptable hockey,” he said. “We have so much more to give and it is a bottom point. We have not played our best hockey in the last month, month and a half. Guys came in today with a frustrated look on their face.
“We had some meetings that will give us a fresh start. There was a lot of atmosphere on the ice today. Guys seemed to pick that frown up and put a smile on their face and just work hard. I thought the practice was a good starting point.”
Ruff was still befuddled by what happened Monday in a contest in which neither team scored for 48 minutes. It was the third game in four nights for both clubs and they played like they had nothing to give most of the way.
“It was so off of where we wanted to be,” Ruff said. “Neither team really got on track but they won the battle of attrition. . . . It felt like your last preseason game where nobody wanted to do too much but get ready for the regular season. There didn’t seem to be too much extra effort from either team, whether it was scheduling or whatever. It was a game that was tough to figure out.”
“We’ve got to forget what’s happened and move on,” said winger Jason Pominville. “That was the message and it was a good one. Go out and worry about what’s ahead of us and not behind. Hopefully we can do that. Maybe going on the road is a good way to start it off.”
Rivet did not divulge the nature of his injury except to say it came on a hit in the first period Saturday. He still managed to play 20:48 in his return to Montreal and is likely to return either Thursday or Saturday in Tampa Bay.
“Obviously when adrenaline and emotions are high, it’s easier to play,” Rivet said. “I knew I had an injury but I just tried to play through it. I skated [Monday morning]. Skating’s fine but there’s things I’m limited in doing. I don’t think it would have been a smart idea to play.
“I’m feeling a little better today. I’m just going to keep doing treatment and we’ll see what happens. It’s better than what it was [Monday].”
Derek Roy (back spasms), Toni Lydman (leg) and Andrew Peters (abdominal strain) all sat out practice with ailments that cropped up from Monday’s game but Ruff said he’s only concerned about Peters missing time. Patrick Kaleta (upper body) and Tim Connolly (rib) are not expected to be on the trip, which wraps up Monday in Pittsburgh.
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