Coach Lindy Ruff spoke softly on the day after one of the most difficult losses in Buffalo Sabres history. He was ruffled still, maybe, but optimistic nonetheless.
?The game was right there. We have to finish,? Ruff said yesterday while the Sabres practiced at HSBC Arena. ?Our key players are going to have to make a difference, and they haven?t yet. We know with our goaltender we can crawl back.?
The Sabres suffered a crushing defeat Wednesday night at the Garden, losing 3-2 in double overtime to the Bruins on a power-play goal by former Sabres star Miroslav Satan to fall behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. What made the loss so tough was that the Bruins got the decisive power play in the second extra period when the Sabres were caught with too many men on the ice.
Buffalo enters Game 5 at home tonight on the brink of elimination despite having trailed for less than 20 minutes in the first four games. The Sabres were 31-6-4 in the regular season when scoring first and are 1-3 in this series, and they were 30-0-0 when entering the third period with a lead during the season and are 1-2 against the Bruins after squandering a 2-0 lead in their latest setback.
?It?s a little bit frustrating. In two of the four games we?ve been up by two goals,? Sabres captain Craig Rivet said. ?We?ve been a real, real solid team all season long playing with the lead, playing with confidence. We?ve hit a bit of adversity right now.
?We just feel that if we continue to play like we did last game we?re going to give ourselves a chance to win the next game. We?re dealing with it. We can?t turn back time and hope for something different. We have to go out and change it, and it?s going to start with the next game.?
Injured winger Thomas Vanek, the Sabres? leading scorer, skated for about 45 minutes yesterday and said his left foot was feeling better. Still, Vanek was favoring the leg when he walked into the locker room after the workout. He said he?d skate again today and make a decision before Game 5.
?It?s frustrating,? Vanek said. ?Obviously, you?d like to be out there and help. But we?re a good enough team, even if I?m not out there. I don?t think that makes the difference.?
It might. The Sabres have not scored a power-play goal in 14 tries and Vanek has a real knack with the advantage. He led the NHL with 20 power-play goals in 2008-09.
?The game was right there. We have to finish,? Ruff said yesterday while the Sabres practiced at HSBC Arena. ?Our key players are going to have to make a difference, and they haven?t yet. We know with our goaltender we can crawl back.?
The Sabres suffered a crushing defeat Wednesday night at the Garden, losing 3-2 in double overtime to the Bruins on a power-play goal by former Sabres star Miroslav Satan to fall behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. What made the loss so tough was that the Bruins got the decisive power play in the second extra period when the Sabres were caught with too many men on the ice.
Buffalo enters Game 5 at home tonight on the brink of elimination despite having trailed for less than 20 minutes in the first four games. The Sabres were 31-6-4 in the regular season when scoring first and are 1-3 in this series, and they were 30-0-0 when entering the third period with a lead during the season and are 1-2 against the Bruins after squandering a 2-0 lead in their latest setback.
?It?s a little bit frustrating. In two of the four games we?ve been up by two goals,? Sabres captain Craig Rivet said. ?We?ve been a real, real solid team all season long playing with the lead, playing with confidence. We?ve hit a bit of adversity right now.
?We just feel that if we continue to play like we did last game we?re going to give ourselves a chance to win the next game. We?re dealing with it. We can?t turn back time and hope for something different. We have to go out and change it, and it?s going to start with the next game.?
Injured winger Thomas Vanek, the Sabres? leading scorer, skated for about 45 minutes yesterday and said his left foot was feeling better. Still, Vanek was favoring the leg when he walked into the locker room after the workout. He said he?d skate again today and make a decision before Game 5.
?It?s frustrating,? Vanek said. ?Obviously, you?d like to be out there and help. But we?re a good enough team, even if I?m not out there. I don?t think that makes the difference.?
It might. The Sabres have not scored a power-play goal in 14 tries and Vanek has a real knack with the advantage. He led the NHL with 20 power-play goals in 2008-09.
