Sabres notebook
Players rein in postgame celebration
BOSTON — The Buffalo Sabres cranked the tunes, gave one another ample pats on the back and celebrated their biggest victory of the season Saturday. It lasted all of about five minutes before turning their attention toward the Ottawa Senators. After all, it was just another win, right?
Well, not exactly.
The Sabres seemed more concerned with keeping their victory in perspective rather than getting swept away by their 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Of course, there was no getting around the fact that the Sabres beat the best team in the league, ending the Bruins’ 10-game winning streak and 14-game home winning streak.
“It’s one win,” winger Thomas Vanek said. “It’s a real good win for us, but it’s more important that we show up for the next game.”
The Bruins’ 10-game winning streak was their longest since March 1973. Their 14- game home winning streak was their longest since Jan. 10-March 25, 1976. They were 24-2-1 in their last 27 games before falling to Buffalo. The Sabres were reeling last week after a loss to Washington in which they looked disheveled and disinterested.
“It helps our confidence, but we have to build off of it,” center Paul Gaustad said. “We can’t be satisfied with this. We’ve won two games in a row. We have to focus on Ottawa on Tuesday. We can pat each other on the back and get back to work. We’ve won two, lost two all season. We need to continue [winning].”
The Sabres won their first four games of the season, but since have had only one three-game winning streak. They have had four three-game losing streaks if you count defeats suffered in overtime. However, they have won three of the past four games and, combined with the 4-0 win over Toronto, put together their best pair of games all season.
“It’s time for us to start playing with a little smack,” goaltender Ryan Miller said. “We played well, we competed, we battled. It was the most complete team game we’ve had in a while. It’s something we can enjoy tonight before we get moving forward.”
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Right wing Maxim Afinogenov suffered a groin injury in the first period and did not return. Afinogenov was playing on the fourth line and had just 1:34 of ice time before heading into the dressing room after getting drilled by Zdeno Chara near the corner.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff did not say how long Afinogenov would be sidelined or whether he would make another roster move before playing the Senators. The Sabres are expected to get center Tim Connolly (ribs) back sometime this week, which would likely mean shuffling around their forwards.
If Connolly is not available next week, they could promote Mark Mancari, Tim Kennedy or Nathan Gerbe from Portland. Mancari seems the likely candidate because he plays mostly on the right side.
Defenseman Craig Rivet also is expected to return. He watched the game in the press box with healthy scratches Andrew Peters and Nathan Paetsch.
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Sabres coach Lindy Ruff made a point to praise Vanek and Derek Roy for playing with more bite against the Bruins. Vanek took a beating around the net for much of the game and scored off a deflection. The 5-foot-9 Roy cross-checked 6-9 Chara in the opening period during a scrum in front of the Boston net.
“It’s a win where we had a lot of guys locked right in,” Ruff said. “Thomas Vanek, the work he put into the game, the physicality, that makes a difference. Derek Roy, what he did in the first period, responding, that puts a smile on your face.”
