Can they keep it up?

TORONTO -- The Sabres team that is heading out of the weekend looks nothing the team that entered the weekend. In other words, they look like a playoff team.

Almost overnight, the Sabres have fixed most of their problems. They are showing up from the opening faceoff. They are responding to adversity. They are closing out games. They are taking care of the puck.

"It seems like we're putting more work in," center Ales Kotalik said. "We've been mentally ready for those games. The results are coming."

Will it continue? This team has teased all season, looking unbeatable one day and terrible the next. Right now they look unbeatable. Will they keep that up during the final nine games? If they can, they certainly will catch either Philadelphia or Boston.

---John Vogl

Comments

[Brian]

REALITY CHECK:

Fixed most of their problems? You cannot be serious?

Toronto, a crappy team already, lost their TOP2 scorers. Let's not give ourselves the cup just yet, shall we.

This team is not likely to win 6-7 of the next 9. That's the reality of this.

Giving false hope is cruel, especially in THIS town.

[Count Rugen]

.
Good Heavens. Are you still trying to win? You've got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance. It's going to get you into trouble someday.
.

[Inigo Montoya]

Hello. My name is Lindy Ruff. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

[W]

Actually, I see this team winning all but 3 of their remaining 9. Look at the schedule. They have pretty much owned Toronto, and Boston is sliding hard. This is setting up to be an exciting finish. I am happily looking forward to it, win or lose.

[Bster]

Funk, Weber and Sekera all looked solid. But it was the Leafs without Sundin. The Laffs are where they are for real reasons. Without their leader, wow, they suck worse than I thought possible. They were more listless than heartless but that line is real thin.

Still, Funk had moments where he moved the puck well but wasn't really pressured much so as to expose any reactionary weaknesses. He looked a bit weak in the physical area. If he looks as calm as he did tonight when clearing the puck then his physical side is not of concern. I have my doubts but the early returns are better than most expected.

Weber, on the other hand, had wonderful moments of physical play. He looked a bit awkward in positioning and in puck control but seemed settled much more as the Sabres took the lead. Weber excited me. I especially enjoyed how he attacked at the blue line....Nice. Still, it is a bit early too tell.

Sekera is small and not physical at all. He carries the puck well enough and will probably become pretty solid on the PP someday. I just hope he develops a backbone as time passes. Zhitnik, the much mocked Zhitnik, had a chippy side that Sekera could consider tapping into.

In all of that, and with a clear mind about how crappy the Loafs played, I still must mention that Henrik Tallinder played wonderful hockey and was there when the Sabres needed someone to ride. He is often my star and was this match as well.

I cautiously look forward to the next test for the new lines and Henry and the kids on D. Enjoy the excitement, even if for only a little while. The worst ending isn't not making the playoffs, though that will hurt, regardless how hard u try and guard against it. No, the worst ending is failure with no signs of hope. And THAT, my friends, is hardly the case.

[Brian]

SHOCKER!

You heard it here first:

Tampa, who apparently has a chip on it's shoulder, is going to BLOW OUT the Sabres on Wednesday--which will all but dash any playoff fantasies.

WHY? Because the Sabres are famous for resting on their laurels and this 4-day rest will afford them the opportunity to: A) lose that Fri-Sat momentum, and B) start feeling complascent, as they have done habitually this season.

Mark my words.

Tamps 4, Sabres 1.

[Dave]

Rather than be a gloomy Gus, I'm going to try to be optimistic, and say the Sabres can and will keep this up. Go Sabres!!! Wooooo!!!

[JCATONI]

They can pull this off, they have the capability. As a fan you have to be optimistic. Lindy Ruff is a great coach and if anyone can motivate a team, it's him. They are a better team than Philadelphia and Boston and if they play like the can, especially with two games against the Bruins, they should get in.

[Rock]

True fans of hockey - not fairweather fans of the local team only when its rolling along - can really appreciate the job that Lindy Ruff and his staff have done with this group of players.

I don't know if this team is going to be in the final eight - but to even have this group in contention is remarkable. It is a long season and there are nights that your message gets lost - ESPECIALLY with a young team light on proven leadership. But at the most crucial moments this year - the right buttons have been pushed. These last line shake-ups have been masterful.

The negative "know-it-alls" can whine about who we beat all they want. The facts remain. This is a youthful team of complimentary players that lost it's top two centers AND captains without replacement, a declared "franchise goalie" who has struggled for long stretches all season, it's most veteran player suspended with a medical ailment and traded away it's most respected and talented remaining leader at the deadline. Not to mention the fact that he was traded for another winger NOT THE DESPERATELY NEEDED CENTER POSITION.

You win in this league with excellent goaltending and strength up the middle. Are there really people out there who thought we would be anywhere else but fighting for the last spot? If you did - watch more hockey! I love the Sabres and always will but as a fan of the game one must be realistic.

Let's hope Lindy doesn't get too realistic about the ownerships direction in on ice matters and bolts for greener pastures. He would be welcomed by just about team in the league in a heartbeat.

[Tricky Dick]

Even if they do sneak in, they'll get slaughtered by the Devils in the 1st round.

[Bster]

Brian,

Mark my words. Any loss, but especially one to a team out of the playoff chase (TB), will not be the end to any team in the race. Even the awful defeat the Leafs took last night does not absolutely preclude them from the chase. Nothing a 5-6 game win streak can't cure.

The Sabres, in better shape now, do not need to win every game left. In fact, there was some thought (less than a week ago...((EEEEK!))) that 6th place was home and cooled. As we scan the standings now, we see that the Strangers are not quite there, never have been, and may never be. They are well paid..........they beat the Sabres........uh............uh.....they are 4 points above going home and playing with their money. Cheer loud for them. They might need it.

Again (..and again and again and again), the teams in 8th, 7th and 6th are not that good folks. In fact, they are merely a couple of shootouts better than the team folks 'round here love to bash. THAT is the reality. The rest is garbage. Take it out with you.

Those who STILL claim some sort of knowledge over others with their doomsday predictions are squirming ungracefully around right now. The team they used to cheer FOR is now beating them up for cheering against them...I've been there. I wised up to such ugly. The next step is to say, uh, well exactly as Trick DICK did below me:

"Even if they do sneak in, they'll get slaughtered by the Devils in the 1st round."

Another squirmer who still doesn't understand the three other teams he so desperately needs to beat the team he used to cheer for just aint that good. It may be time for the negative to take up the Capital cause. Now that is a team to love.

But I already got mine, come hell or high waters......Go Sabres!

[John from North Arlington]

Just put me out of my misery already.

[David, Amherst]

Rob Ray came out after the win and said it will be Buffalo and Washington replacing Boston and Philadelphia in the 7 and 8 slots. Of course Razor will take a hit and keep on coming. Others said it here. Lindy is doing a remarkable job with the "system". Remember John Cameron Swayze and Times? It takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Flyers and Bruins have advantage of ten games for points to the Sabres nine remaining. Nothing is settled, every game counts. Tampa Bay will be two more points for Buffalo, right Razor?

[Rick]

One thing I believe we have in our favor is strenth of schedule. I think Boston has the worst schedule. Hope Wash beats them today. Philly is down 2-0 as I type. Good news. If the Sabres win the games they should win they should make it. And then who would you rather get between NJ, Ottawa or Montreal? I would pick Montreal as the kid (goalie) has no playoff experience.

[Brian]

The "kid" as you call him on Montreal certainly doesn't have the choking experience so familiar to all Sabres players. I think that's actually a positive.

Also, Many teams around Buffalo have a game in hand over Buffalo, so let's stop acting like the Rangers et al are about to crumble because the mighty Sabres managed to do the unthinkable----actually win 2 in a row!

How the mighty have fallen.

Get your tickets and jerseys here! Get your tickets and jerseys here!

Tom G. definitely has Sabres fan's number.

[Larry Penna]

The Sabres just had two big wins this week-end!!! BUT, can they STAY CONSISTENT????? Can they really go ALL THE WAY??? We'll see, that's all I want to say for now, besides, GO SABRES!!!!

[Hambone Johnson]

Brian - its your opinion and that is fine, but why are you so defensive? Why even bother watching if its such a guarantee we'll miss the playoffs? Seems more like you're afraid that your prediction of a non playoff year may not come true. And you're also the type of fan that hopes it doesn't.

In general I just don't understand how we're terrible and teams like Philly and Boston aren't. Anyone watch the flyers lose 7-1 today? That team is a mess.

[tim]

Just Win Baby! Go Sabres! If they give the effort they gave on Friday and Saturday they will be fun to watch and root for in the last weeks of the season. Thats what makes it fun, when every game actually means something. If they get to the playoffs and beyond GREAT, I just wnat them to go out there and want it more than the other team. That way, win or lose, they will be fun to watch!

[Dominic S]

I think Lindy has got these guys settled down and believing again. I think that the combination of injuries and Campbell leaving, and some tough losses got the this young team rattled. Just how metally tought they are will be tested in the next couple weeks. Let's see what happens when some team beats them badly, or they just can't hit the net. How will they respond the next game? I think that is what will determine if they make the playoffs or not.

Boston is the team for us to catch. We play them twice. Beat them twice, and I think we are in (unless we collapse). Based on the energy and effort the last two games, I am optimistic.

Spare me the arguments about how beating the Leafs without Sundin shouldn't count... They can only beat the hell out of the team in front of them. Besides, the Sabres did that to Toronto and Carolina with two of their top four D men out.

[Rick]

You say Boston is the team to catch. And catch them I belive we shall. But Philly is going down too. They are lucky they have Atlanta tonight who I cosider the worse team in the league along with LA. If they lose to Atlanta they are really done. But I think they beat Atlanta and then fall apart again.

[Don F]

*
My goodness gracious that would hurt.

[Chet Zeshonski]

Congratulations to Brian, whose "Tamps 4, Sabres 1" pick was the winner in our "Guess the Score at the End of the Second Period" contest!

Wait, what's that? Brian said that was going to be the score at the end of the game? Oh. Sorry, then. We'll have to pull another winner.