Month: April 2024

Subsequent Captains since the Seventies

Who has worn the honored “C”

In the 1970/71 NHL Season our initial standard bearer of the leadership letter was eventual Head Coach, Floyd Smith, four more Sabres led Buffalo in the 1970s.

-Gerry Meehan

-Jim Schoenfeld (Sept 1974 became youngest NHL Captain at 22)

-Don Luce

-Danny Gare

A Captain should be someone you would follow over the boards against any team because of your confidence in their leadership.

Buffalo once endured a particularly distressing head coach who felt it was necessary to make the team have a new Captain each month of the regular season (Oct – Mar) until he felt someone stepped up to undertake the responsibility.

Recently our Captain was traded to a playoff Cup contender leaving the Alternate Captains to lead the way down the stretch this season.

Sabres General Manager Adams has explained although there are a number of players able to accept the position now, as a team we are going to wait to the end of the regular season before making a selection.

First half of first period an aberration

Buffalo 1 – Detroit 3  Two unfortunate breakaways early with one benefiting from a slow line change contributed to the first period’s imbalanced scoring.

From the second half of the first period until the end of the game, Buffalo barraged Detroit’s goaltender with a plethora of shots but to no avail as the Red Wings’ goalie played arguably one of his best games to date.

The Sabres outstanding 18 years old Left Wing Zach Benson continues to impress, last night on the power play he took possession of the puck from two Detroit defenders and their goaltender right on the front step.

Mister Benson proceeded to turn the Red Wings inside out and discombobulate them so thoroughly that he was able to calmly and precisely pass out from behind the goal line to an unmolested Mr. Thompson for the power play tally.

Buffalo visits Texas tomorrow for an eight o’clock start with the Stars.

Buffalo beats floundering flyers

Buffalo 4 – Philadelphia 2  The Sabres treated their fans attending the second last home game to a well-earned victory.

UPL posted a save percentage of over 900 and allowed only two goals as well as playing the last four minutes of the game 6 on 5 after HC Tortorella pulled his rookie goaltender.

Mr. Dahlin becomes only the second Sabres defenseman to score 19 goals, and recently back from injury Mr. Quinn scores twice along with Mr. Thompson earning a goal and an assist.

Buffalo scored first and kept most of Philadelphia’s misleading high shots on goal total to the outside as Mr. Luukkonen posted a .941 save percentage.

When Philadelphia scored to get within one, HC Granato during a “TV” timeout stormed up and down the bench with less than seven minutes remaining telling the boys what they are not doing and what they should be doing.

The team responded quickly with Mr. Quinn’s second tally of the night to take back the two goal lead and the eventual win.

Jeff Skinner sets milestone in Buffalo

Buffalo 6 – Washington 2  The Buffalo Sabres treated one of their own with a tribute night as they recognized Mr. Skinner and his accomplishment of 1,000 NHL games during last night’s brawny black & red sweater home game.

The game itself was enjoyably exciting as the Sabres staked the Capitals to an early 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the first period before score twice in 68 seconds to take the 2-1 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the period.

In the second period the teams traded goals that kept Washington within one but that was all she wrote for the Capitals as the Sabres scored three times in approximately two and half minutes early in the third period for the 6-2 victory.

Before puck drop Mr. Skinner with his girlfriend, his parents, siblings, along with two of his best friends were present at center ice as the Sabres paid tribute to an outstanding player who was about to participate in his 1,000^th NHL game.