Wed, 14 May 2008 09:49:25 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/ PostNuke Powered Site en-us http://www.sabresinsider.com/images/logo.gif http://www.sabresinsider.com/ sydwhunte@aol.com http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article585.html And so Canada beat Finland on Monday. Don't you love the world hockey championship? For most Canadians, this is how deep the affinity is for the hockey worlds. When we win, they're great. Way to go, boys. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:49:25 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article584.html Canada gets the early quarter-final game today against Norway, but the best game might well be the late one: the United States against Finland. It is a rematch of Sunday's wild 202-penalty-minute Finnish come-from-behind 3-2 win. Both teams see themselves as legitimate threats for the world championship gold medal that will be handed out in Quebec City on Sunday. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:43:05 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article583.html When Team USA plays Finland in the quarterfinals of the world championships Wednesday, the working conditions are probably going to be more like the Americans expect in their regular jobs. "It's going to be real gritty game, more like an NHL-style game," said USA Hockey assistant executive director Jim Johannson. "There wasn't a lot of space out there in the last game." Wed, 14 May 2008 09:37:48 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article582.html Being down 3-0 in the Western Conference finals isn’t even the worst part for the Dallas Stars. This is: Dallas has yet to lead the Detroit Red Wings for a single second in any game this series. How can the Stars fathom winning four straight games under those circumstances? Wed, 14 May 2008 09:34:06 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article581.html Ryan Whitney’s wide smile told several stories. He and the Pittsburgh Penguins are one win away from the Stanley Cup finals, and the path was paved by his goal that was three months in the making. Quick strikes by Whitney and Marian Hossa raised the Penguins to heights not reached since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr donned the black and gold. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:31:08 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article580.html I have a confession to make: I lived in Philadelphia for four happy years. Yes, it’s true. I know and love many Philadelphians, and I think Philly is a wonderful city. I have, in the past, cheered for the Eagles, and if I were to choose a National League baseball team to cheer for, I might choose the Phillies. While I lived in Philly, I cared not one whit about the Sixers or the Flyers. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:27:57 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article579.html A 6-3 Canadian victory against Finland Monday at the 2008 World Championship in Halifax sealed Canada's place atop Group F. The Canadians pulled away from the Finns in the second period when they extended their 2-1 lead with goals from Dany Heatley and Patrick Sharp. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:22:58 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article578.html While 4 teams are still vying for this years prize, the Buffalo Sabres are focusing on getting themselves set up for the future. Last week, GM Darcy Regier announced the signing of prospect Nathan Gerbe out of Boston College. Gerbe, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, had an outstanding year in leading the BC Eagles to the NCAA Division I Championship. Gerbe tallied 35 goals and 33 assists, good for 68 points. In his collegiate career, Gerbe had 133 points on 71 goals and 62 assists. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:19:28 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article577.html At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Niagara IceDogs defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has the size of a Chris Pronger. The question scouts have asked is can Pietrangelo match Pronger's ability to use his size in a successfully nasty way. The answer could decide where Pietrangelo is chosen when the 30 NHL teams meet in Ottawa for the 2008 Entry Draft, June 20-21. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:11:50 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article576.html Brandon Dubinsky (Anchorage, Alaska/New York Rangers) scored three times to help the U.S. Men's National Team to a 9-1 victory over Norway in the final qualifying-round game for both teams at the 72nd annual International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship. "I was certainly pleased with the way we came back and played after a very tough game yesterday," said John Tortorella, head coach of Team USA. "We'll look forward to a good practice tomorrow and get ready for the quarterfinal game on Wednesday." Tue, 13 May 2008 07:36:34 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article575.html This is how ridiculously good the Detroit Red Wings are playing: They lose the NHL's top scorer this postseason and their regular-season scoring leader steps up with the first hat trick of his entire career while one of his linemates scores a demoralizing short-handed goal. Pavel Datsyuk scored twice in the first period and again with 2:41 left, and Henrik Zetterberg added two assists and the short-hander, sending Detroit past the Dallas Stars 5-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. Tue, 13 May 2008 03:33:32 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article573.html Maxime Talbot's pre-game nap Sunday afternoon included a wishful thought. The Pittsburgh Penguins checker was back in the lineup after missing three games with a foot injury and wanted to return with a splash. "I was in bed this afternoon thinking, `It would be nice to score a goal and make a big comeback,"' Talbot said. "You think about stuff like that and sometimes it happens. It's a great feeling." Mon, 12 May 2008 07:16:07 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article572.html When Tim Thomas [stats] headed home from Halifax, Nova Scotia, last week after suffering a minor knee sprain that ended his stay at the world championships, you might imagine the Bruins [team stats] goalie was relieved to call it a season and start his vacation after eight months of intense hockey. Wrong. Mon, 12 May 2008 07:06:38 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article571.html A controversial goal by Ville Koistinen sparked a huge comeback as Team Finland rallied with three unanswered goals in the third period to edge the United States 3-2 in the qualifying round at the 2008 IIHF World Championship. Mon, 12 May 2008 06:59:36 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article570.html Really, it’s hard to imagine that Chris Osgood is completely correct in his assessment. “Just a little altercation that’s over with now,” the Detroit goalie insisted Sunday, a day after the Red Wings’ 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars was marred by an ugly ending. Mon, 12 May 2008 06:55:37 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article569.html Sabres winger Ales Kotalik scored two goals including the shootout winner to lead the Czech Republic past Belarus, 3-2 at the World Championships. It was the second day in a row Belarus lost out on a huge upset in a shootout. Mon, 12 May 2008 06:50:28 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article568.html Putting two goals into the Flyers’ net in less than five minutes was hardly exceptional for Evgeni Malkin. When he put them on their backsides, well, that was embarrassing for a team with a reputation for being bullies. The Flyers are learning there are two sides to these fast-flying Penguins, either of which can take an opponent out of a game—something Pittsburgh has done consistently while winning nine of its first 10 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Sun, 11 May 2008 17:42:02 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article567.html Eric Staal scored four goals to help Canada rout Germany, 10-1, for its fifth straight win at the hockey world championships Saturday. Canada will face Finland on Monday with the top seed in the single-elimination quarterfinals at stake. Sun, 11 May 2008 15:07:10 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article566.html It was only a telephone call, one rich guy calling another to see how things were going and wondering if he wanted to do business. Jim Balsillie was just poking around, kicking the tires and seeing if a deal fell on his lap during a December conversation with Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano. Rumors have percolated for several months that Golisano would be open to selling the franchise under the right conditions. Managing partner Larry Quinn issued a statement that basically said inquiries were common. He made it clear they’re not interested in selling to anybody who might relocate the franchise. Sun, 11 May 2008 08:47:16 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article565.html Walking into the office of Brian Petrovek, managing owner and chief executive officer of the Portland Pirates, a few things stand out. There are team pictures from his time at USA Hockey. There are comfortable director’s chairs, which allow visitors to see the passers-by on Free Street. And there on his computer screen, in all its Blue and Gold glory, blazes the Buffalo Sabres’ Web site. No one is ready to confirm the Sabres are moving their minor league affiliate to Portland, but Petrovek’s interest in whether the Sabres are signing their college prospects for next season is a really big clue. Sun, 11 May 2008 08:45:18 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article564.html Sabres winger Maxim Afinogenov fired home two third period goals to help Russia to a 4-3 shoot out victory over Belarus at the World Championships. Alexander Ovechkin of the Caps set up the second goal and scored one of his own. The Russians trailed 2-0 in the third period. Sat, 10 May 2008 16:08:50 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article563.html With Evgeni Malkin doing his best Mario Lemieux impression, even a healthy Kimmo Timonen might not have made a difference. The Flyers probably needed an in-his-prime Bobby Clarke, and maybe more, to stop this. Sat, 10 May 2008 15:48:48 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article562.html Rolling, not rusty. The Detroit Red Wings looked as sharp as they have throughout the playoffs — and perhaps in any postseason — jumping out to a big lead and beating the Dallas Stars, 4-1, Thursday night in Game One of the Western Conference finals. Detroit played for the first time since sweeping the Colorado Avalanche a week earlier. Fri, 09 May 2008 08:24:47 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article561.html Rob Ray has dropped the gloves once again, this time for a second legal bout with the NHL Players’ Association. The longtime Buffalo Sabres enforcer has filed suit in New York State Supreme Court in an attempt to secure payment from the union’s lockout funds from the canceled 2004-05 season. Fri, 09 May 2008 08:21:42 -0400 http://www.sabresinsider.com/Article560.html Olaz Kolzig told the Washington Post that he has played his final game for the Capitals, the franchise that drafted him in 1989. Fri, 09 May 2008 08:18:40 -0400