GAME-DAY RESOURCES
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LAST GAME
Sunday, March 10
Buffalo 2 at Philadelphia 3
Goals: Flynn, Hecht
Goalie: Miller (25 saves/ 28 shots)
PP: 0/3; PK: 4/6; Shots: Philadelphia 28 – Buffalo 20
CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 72)
Ville Leino (lower body, Jan. 20; injured reserve) – 26 games
Alexander Sulzer (lower body, Feb. 26; injured reserve) – 7 games
TRANSACTIONS IN PAST 7 DAYS
3/10 Activated D Jordan Leopold from IR; Loaned D Adam Pardy to Rochester (AHL)
UPCOMING GAMES
Saturday, March 16 Ottawa at Buffalo, 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 17 Buffalo at Washington, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19 Buffalo at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 21 Toronto at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 23 Buffalo at Montreal, 7 p.m.
TONIGHT’S GAME
RANGERS at SABRES
-This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and Rangers this season.
-Last meeting: New York defeated Buffalo, 3-2 (SO), in New York on March 3.
-These teams next meet on Friday, April 19 in Buffalo.
-The Sabres are 4-2-4 in their last 10 games vs. the Rangers; 4-4-2 at home.
-This is the 164th game all-time between Buffalo and New York; Buffalo leads the series with a 77-53-33 record. Buffalo is 46-23-13 at home against the Rangers all-time.
THIS DAY IN SABRES HISTORY
- The Sabres are 11-9-2 all-time on March 12, having played on this date in each of the last five seasons.
- March 12, 2008: Mike Weber recorded his first career point (assist) in a 7-3 loss at PIT.
STORYLINES
- Buffalo returns home after a four-game road trip, their longest such stretch this season, looking to win consecutive home games for the first time in 2012-13 after finishing last season 8-1-1 in their last 10 home games.
- Drew Stafford, who scored when these teams met on March 3, has six points (5+1) in his last three games against the Rangers.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Dating back to last season, Thomas Vanek has 40 points (15+25) in his last 33 games.
- Steve Ott has six assists in his last six games.
- Ryan Miller has not allowed an even-strength goal in his last 68:28 time on ice.
- Rookie Brian Flynn has scored in each of the last two games.
HOW THEY STACK UP (Sabres ranked in the top 10 in the NHL before 3/11 games)
Thomas Vanek: 29 points (T-8th), 13 goals (T-8th), 6 power play goals (T-6th), 27 takeaways (5th)
Steve Ott: 115 hits (2nd)
GET SHORTIES
The Sabres have scored shorthanded goals in four of the last five games, a feat the team last accomplished in the 1997-98 season, when Mike Peca and Alexei Zhitnik each scored two shorthanded goals in a three-game span. Peca scored one on March 15, 1998 vs. PIT and the pair combined for three more on March 19, 1998 vs. FLA.
LOGGING BIG MINUTES
Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff has averaged 25:10 TOI per game this season, the highest average of his career and the highest per-game average by a Sabres skater since Alexei Zhitnik skated 26:32 per game in the 2002-03 season. Jason Pominville’s average TOI of 20:52 is the highest by a Sabres forward since Miroslav Satan averaged 21:23 in 2002-03.
MEET THE NEW BOSS
After being named interim head coach of the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 20, Ron Rolston became the 16th head coach in Sabres history. Rolston joins the Sabres after spending the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons as head coach of the Rochester Americans (AHL), compiling a 63-44-17 regular-season record. Prior to joining the Americans, Rolston spent seven seasons as head coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, where he led the United States Under-18 team to three gold medals and a silver medal in four tournaments as head coach at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
The Sabres hired Ron Rolston to serve as interim head coach on Feb. 20 after the Sabres got off to a 6-10-1 (.382) start. It was the first time the Sabres had replaced their head coach mid-season since John Muckler took over for Rick Dudley on Dec. 11, 1991 after a 9-15-4 (.393) start to the season. The 1991-92 team went 22-22-8 under Muckler, ending the season 31-37-12 and finishing third in the Adams Division to clinch a playoff spot.
BUF-NYR CONNECTIONS
NYR G Martin Biron played 297 games for the Buffalo Sabres from 1995-2007, compiling a record of 134-115-29 over that span. The Sabres selected Biron in the first round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft (16th overall).
BUF AC James Patrick spent 10 years as a member of the New York Rangers. Patrick was New York’s first round selection (ninth overall) in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play 11 seasons with the club for a total of 671 regular season contests in which he amassed 467 points (104+363). Patrick also suited up for 63 playoff games, contributing 31 points (5+26).
BUF LW Thomas Vanek and NYR C Brian Boyle were both first-round draft selections in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Vanek was the fifth overall pick, while Boyle was selected 26th overall.
BUF LW Nathan Gerbe and NYR C Brian Boyle played together for two seasons (2005-06, 2006-07) at Boston College.
BUF HC Ron Rolston coached NYR C Brian Boyle for one season (2003-04) at Boston College – Rolston served as an Assistant Coach.
NYR RW Ryan Callahan played for the Buffalo Lightning (OPJHL) during the 2001-02 season.
BUF RW Drew Stafford and NYR RW Ryan Callahan both represented the United States in the 2005 World Junior Championships.
BUF G Ryan Miller and NYR RW Ryan Callahan were teammates for Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
BUF LW John Scott and NYR RW Marian Gaborik were teammates on the Minnesota Wild for the 2008-09 season.
BUF D Andrej Sekera and NYR RW Marian Gaborik both played for Team Slovakia at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
BUF C Steve Ott and NYR RW Marian Gaborik were both first-round draft selections in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Gaborik was selected third overall by Minnesota, while Ott was chosen 25th overall by Dallas.
BUF G Jhonas Enroth and NYR LW Carl Hagelin both represented Team Sweden at the 2008 World Junior Championships.
BUF AC Kevyn Adams and NYR C Jeff Halpern were teammates on the 2005 US World Junior Championship team.
BUF C Steve Ott was teammates with NYR C Brad Richards and C Jeff Halpern with the Dallas Stars. Ott played with Richards for four seasons (2007-08 – 2010-11) and Halpern for two (2006-07, 2007-08).
NYR C J.T. Miller played under BUF HC Ron Rolston for two seasons (2009-10, 2010-11) with the United States National Team Development Program when Rolston was serving as the program’s head coach.
BUF D Robyn Regehr was teammates with NYR LW Rick Nash and C Brad Richards for Team Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.
BUF C Steve Ott and NYR LW Rick Nash both represented Canada in the 2002 World Junior Championships.
NYR LW Taylor Pyatt played 230 games with the Buffalo Sabres from 2001-2006, totaling 80 points (38+42). Buffalo acquired Pyatt via trade from the New York Islanders along with Tim Connolly in exchange for Michael Peca on June 24, 2001.
NYR D Ryan McDonagh played under BUF HC Ron Rolston for Team USA at the 2009 World Junior Championships.
BUF LW Ville Leino was teammates with NYR RW Arron Asham (2009-10 season) and C Darroll Powe (2009-10, 2010-11 seasons) on the Philadelphia Flyers.
SABRES REAL-TIME STATS LEADERS
Hits: Ott (115), Weber (63), Foligno (56)
Blocked Shots: Ehrhoff (48), Sekera (48), Myers/Regehr (34)
Shots: Vanek (80), Pominville (74), Hodgson (70)
SABRES’ RECORD IN 10 GAME SEGMENTS [W-L-OTL (PTS), GF/GA, PP, PK]
1-10: 3-6-1 (7), 30/37, 6/36, 32/40
11-20: 4-6-0 (6), 20/27, 1/36, 35/42
21-30: 2-2-2 (6), 17/19, 3/21, 18/25
OVERTIME RESULTS (0-1; 93-92 all-time)
January 29 vs. Toronto L, 4-3 (GWG-Frattin, 4:58)
SHOOTOUT RESULTS (3-2; 46-39 all-time)
February 7 vs. Montreal W, 5-4 (GDG-Pominville)
February 28 at Florida W, 4-3 (GDG-Vanek)
March 2 vs. New Jersey W, 4-3 (GDG-Pominville)
March 3 at NY Rangers L, 3-2 (GDG-Nash)
March 7 at New Jersey L, 3-2 (GDG-Clarkson)
MILESTONES APPROACHING (Player … Needs … Milestone)
Games Played
Steve Ott … 8 games … 600 career games played
Christian Ehrhoff … 9 games … 600 career games played
Goals
Thomas Vanek … 4 goals … 247 career goals (ties Mike Foligno, 6th in franchise history)
Assists
Jason Pominville … 1 assist … 267 career assists (sole possession, 9th in franchise history)
Points
Jordan Leopold … 2 points … 200 career points
Ville Leino … 2 points … 100 career points
RECENT MILESTONES
Jason Pominville … 265 career assists (sole possession, 10th in franchise history) … 3/6 at CAR
