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The final four teams are seeded

Here along the Lake It was a long and entertaining regular season for fantasy hockey enthusiasts, but we have arrived, fortunately I have won not only my conference but my league’s top seed as well, remembering nothing is guaranteed and the playoffs are a new season with four teams, four clean slates, and four teams battling it out for an ESPN FHL Championship banner.

The Semi-Finals kick off today and for the next 14 days four teams will endeavor to make the Finals, bi-weekly matchups between the four best teams, two rounds, and one shiny, gleaming, trophy (virtual) at the end of it all.

After dropping my drafted goaltenders as soon as the draft was completed and making over 100 waiver wire moves during the season and with the players I have drafted, aided by the players I constantly and consistently switch in and out of the roster, I have reached the pinnacle of my ESPN FHL’s regular season this year but it will all be for naught if I falter now when it matters most.

As always remember that no matter how strong of a team manager you are if the NHL players on your roster do not perform, well there is nothing you can do about that, all you can do is stick to what brought you to this point, manage your team the best you can ensuring available players are in the lineup and not wasting away on the bench, monitor and maintain your watch list, you do not want to be scrambling to fill a roster spot if one of your major contributors goes DTD/IR/O/SSPD and requiring depth when you do not have it.

I have enjoyed this year’s fantasy hockey regular season and if I do not win in the playoffs that will be fine, I want to win like everyone else, but I can also appreciate a stronger opponent that wins the championship without tearing myself apart for not winning this season and to be able to look forward to next year’s ESPN FHL challenge.

Sabres are now 30-5-1 when scoring first, undefeated in shootouts

Sabres 3 – Maple Leafs 2 (SO) It was a close game because Toronto (G) Woll was a literal wall as the Sabres took 33 SOG compared to the Maple Leafs paltry 18 SOG, and even though Buffalo (G) Lyon posted a sub .900% save percentage he made the stops when we needed him to in the overtime and in the shootout.

Buffalo takes the regular season series versus their division foe Toronto three games to one, and with Buffalo’s win last night coupled with the Lightning loss, the Sabres have earned a 4-point lead in the Atlantic Division over Tampa Bay and the Lightning have two games in hand which would have to be won just to tie the Sabres in the standings.

After watching the Old Neighborhood St. Patrick’s Day parade yesterday morning and then settling into the early evening to watch the Sabres begin their next winning streak I was confident Buffalo would win handily especially after Sabres (D) Power scored the game’s first goal just two minutes into the first period, but that is what one gets when one counts his pucks before they enter the net.

Toronto’s goaltender gave the Maple Leafs an opportunity to win, and Buffalo has shown they can beat any team under any circumstances and last night was no different although when Toronto took the 2-1 lead 53 seconds into the second period, I would be fibbing if I did not admit I was a bit concerned.

The Sabres special teams played well scoring on the power play and killing off two Maple Leafs power plays, up next, a four-game road trip out West beginning this Tuesday night 10 pm EST against former Sabres standout (C) Eichel in Nevada, then to the coast to battle three California teams.

Buffalo Stymied by Capitals Goaltender

Sabres 1 – Capitals 2 Sabres (C) Carrick opened the game’s scoring with his second goal in four games after coming to Buffalo, but Washington (G) Lindgren stopped 29 of 30 Buffalo SOG ensuring the visitors a win.

Now the Sabres can begin their third eight-game winning streak tomorrow, Saturday night 7 pm EST at home versus the Toronto Maple Leafs before embarking on a four-game western road trip through Nevada into California.

8th Consecutive Victory

Sabres 6 – Sharks 3 Sabres Captain (D) Dahlin with (C) McLeod each earning three assists, Sabres (RW) Quinn earned his first NHL hat trick and an assist, as Buffalo increased its division lead to four points over Tampa Bay, this is the first time in Buffalo Sabres history that they have had multiple 8 game winning steaks during one season.

When the Sharks (C) Celebrini scored to cut the score to 2-1 it was his 90th point so far this season, ranking him behind only teenagers Gretzky & Crosby in how fast it took a teenager to reach this plateau.

Then there was the violence, first the newcomer (D) Stanley fought one of his former Western Conference foes five and a half minutes into the first period, then Sabres (LW) Malentsyn pasted Sharks Golden Child (C) Celebrini with a check along the boards that planted the teenager on his keester, of course a fight ensued which is what happens when you flatten your opponent’s superstar.

Four minutes into the second period San Jose (D) Orlov took a cheap shot diving at Sabres (C) Thompson’s legs taken him down causing an uncomfortable flip to the ice which brought Sabres (LW) Benson over and he literally jumped on and put the Sharks player in a head lock removing his helmet, Sabres (C) Thompson got up uninjured and assisted his teammate who stood up for him ultimately giving the Sharks a power play.

A minute after those penalties were handed out Sabres (LW) Malenstyn skated through two San Jose defenders to get in on the Sharks goaltender and scored putting Buffalo up 3-1, four minutes later Sabres (LW) Zucker scored his 20th of the season giving Buffalo the 4-1 lead.

During the third period Sabres (RW) Quinn scored his third goal complements of his linemates (LW) Zucker and (C) McLeod who unselfishly dangled and passed enough during an empty net to ensure their teammate was able to get his first career NHL hat trick and the 6-3 score which Buffalo defended for the game’s final few minutes.

Tomorrow, Thursday night at seven o’clock EST, the Atlantic Division leading Buffalo Sabres (86 points) host the Metropolitan Division’s fifth place Washington Capitals (71 points) a team that is six games over 500% with a positive 12 goal differential but are not even close to being on the playoff bubble.

Goals & Fights

Sabres 8 – Lightning 7 If goal production and pugilism are your thing then last night’s game was tailored specifically for you, and then some.

During the first period Buffalo on the power play scored the game’s first goal, while having to thwart an overly physical and dirty Tampa Bay “Charlestown Chiefs” team, both teams combined for 70 PIMS during the first period of play, 33 Sabres penalties and 37 penalties for the Lightning causing the first period to take nearly an hour to complete.

The second period began with two fights as soon as the puck was dropped one right after another and during the second match Sabres (LW) Malenstyn put Lightning (RW) Perry down to the ice with a “body shot” that was reminiscent of Bruce Lee all the while the sell-out home crowd was on its feet cheering lustily.

Unfortunately, the goon style of play did not end as another Lightning player jumped on our Captain (D) Dahlin punching him in the head multiple times only a couple of minutes after the first two fights, eventually the Sabres took a 4-1 lead the results of Sabres (RW) Tuch scoring shorthanded making Buffalo the number one shorthanded scoring team in the NHL with 10 goals on the season, the period quickly fell into a 4-4 tie before heading into the third period.

The third period was unbelievable as the Lightning scored twice to take the 6-4 lead in the first six minutes but 20 seconds after Tampa Bay scored their sixth goal, Sabres newest addition (C) Carrick who only played 10 shifts for six minutes scored a goal to get Buffalo within one goal 6-5, he also accumulated three shots, three hits, and one take away while having a fight, and winning seven out of nine faceoffs for Buffalo.

The three Lightning goons that should have been ejected earlier in the game combined for Tampa Bay’s seventh goal taking the 7-5 lead but one minute and 15 seconds after that goal Sabres Captain (D) Dahlin scored putting Buffalo back within one goal then a few minutes later (LW) Zucker scored his 16th assisted by a beautiful setup from (C) McLeod to tie the game at seven.

Tampa Bay and former Buffalo (C) Girgensons earned a slashing penalty at the 15:03 mark of the third period affording Sabres (RW) Doan the opportunity to score his second (20th, 21st) goal of the game forty seconds into the power play giving Buffalo the 8-7 lead with four minutes and 17 seconds remaining in the game that the Sabres gloriously killed off.

Currently sitting atop of the Eastern Division, the Sabres will host the San Jose Sharks led by their young standout (C) Macklin Celebrini during game three of this current five-game homestand this Tuesday night 7 pm EST here along the Lake.

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