The Portland Pirates extended their Atlantic Division lead to six points with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Lowell Devils on Tuesday night in front of 3,904 fans at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
“That was a good hockey game by us,” said Portland Pirates Head Coach Kevin Dineen. “It wasn’t an offense blizzard by any stretch, but I thought we played a very strong game even when we made a big mistake in the second period to give up a goal.”
With the Pirates down 2-1 with five minutes to play in the game, Tyler Ennis notched his 21st goal of the season past Devils goalie Mike McKenna to force the game into overtime.
The roller coaster that has been the Buffalo Sabres season since the calendar flipped to 2010 has been crashing down recently. Buffalo has dropped three straight games and earned just a single point in the process, the overtime loss at Detroit last Saturday. They’re 4-4-2 in their last 10 and stand at 82 points with 14 games left to play.
Fortunately for the Sabres, Ottawa has been even worse of late.
Not long ago when the Sabres were struggling and the Senators were world-beaters it looked like Ottawa would run away with the Northeast Division. But the Senators are starting to show signs of collapsing, losing their last three and going just 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.
On March 6, 2010, University at Buffalo wrestler Danny Bishop suffered a major spinal injury while competing at the Mid-American Conference Championships at Central Michigan University.
He underwent emergency surgery at St. Marys Hospital in Saginaw, MI that night to relieve the inflammation on his spinal cord after it was determined that a fracture had occurred between his C5 and C6 vertebrae and that damage to one of his major arteries had also occurred. Doctors performed successful surgery that included fusing the two vertebrae back together and installing a metal plate and permanent screws to support the spine. At the time of the surgery, Bishop had lost feeling to all of his extremities.
I’m perceived by most as having a rather negative perception of the Buffalo Bills and I’m fine with it. In fact, I think it’s mostly well deserved- but that’s another discussion for another time.
One thing I’ll give myself some credit for is not being afraid to admit when I’m wrong. And after the events that took place at One Bills Drive on Tuesday, I now confess to being wrong about Buddy Nix—and this new front office.
The names of the two latest Bills acquisitions may never appear on a billboard on the thruway but make no mistake about it; the team became a much better defensively in a mere 24 hours.
The Buffalo lost their third consecutive games, falling in Atlanta 4-3 in front of a crowd that literally had more Sabres fans than for the home team.
Jim Slater broke a 3-3 tie at 13:16 of the third period on a shot by Niclas Bergfors that was directed off Slater’s leg past Patrick Lalime.
Buffalo played a horrible first period, particularly in the first period as they fell behind 3-1. Ryan Miller was pulled after allowing three goals on Atlanta’s first five shots.
National Football Post reporter Aaron Wilson reported on his twitter late Tuesday night that free agent defensive end Dwan Edwards will sign a contract to join the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday.
According to Wilson the contract will be for four years and $18 million.
“It looks like I’m going to be a Buffalo Bill.” Edwards told Wilson Tuesday night. “It would have been nice to stay in Baltimore, but it’s a business.”
So hopefully by the time you’re on your first or second cup of coffee at the office, the ink will be drying on Edwards’ new contract.
I just got the chance to ask Adam Schefter directly about Dwan Edwards and according to the ESPN Insider, he reported that Edwards has reached an agreement with the Bills but has not signed a contract. Given how often he breaks transactions in the league it’s not far-fetched for some reporters and websites to misuse his words, so Schefter was gracious enough to make them crystal clear with me.
“He hasn’t signed, Patrick. I reported he reached agreement.” Schefter told me directly in an email.
“Only way he doesn’t play for Bills this season is if something unexpected happens at the last minute. But I’m fully expecting Edwards to be a Bill.”
Davis had 90 tackles and 3.5 sacks with the Denver Broncos last year.
Many consider Davis’ release from Denver last week one of the league’s more surprising off season moves to this point. Davis was productive in Denver last year with 90 tackles and 3.5 sacks. His addition to Buffalo would solidify the inside linebacker position along with Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell, though there’s a chance the addition of Davis could also mean the departure of the oft-injured Mitchell.
The Buffalo Bills may have begun free agency with barely a whimper, but in the third week of shopping the team is starting to pick up the pace.
Linebacker Andra Davis is already in Orchard Park meeting with the team and now the Bills official website announced via twitter that defensive end Kwan Edwards is also in town for a visit.
Edwards is widely regarded as the best remaining unrestricted free agent on the market.
When the Buffalo Sabres take to the ice in Atlanta tonight to take on the Thrashers they’ll see an old friend in the opposing uniform. After nine seasons of playing for the Buffalo organization, the team finally decided to cut ties with Max Afinogenov.
In many ways they’re paying for that decision.
Darcy Regier, Lindy Ruff and the entire Sabres brass showed endless patience with the extremely talented but oft-injured and maddening inconsistent winger. While he’d show flashes of the brilliance that’s made him one of the game’s most exciting players, far too often he’d disappear.
In an effort to sell more tickets for their next home game Thursday at Canisius College, the Buffalo Stampede are rolling out an irresistible price tag on tickets.
Stampede owner Vincent Lesh reports that thanks to sponsor Joe Galvin from Home Restoration Painting, tickets for Thursday’s 7:30pm game against defending league champion Rochester will cost just two dollars for general admission seating instead of the regular seven.
According to Lesh, for every ticket sold Galvin will pay the difference to the team.
ESPN AFC East blogger Tim Graham had an excellent post Monday regarding what type of 3-4 defense the Buffalo Bills may attempt to run in 2010. In the column Graham cited several reasons, including public tweets by cornerback Drayton Florence that the Bills may try to emulate the style of defense the University of Alabama runs under their coach, Nick Saban.
I don’t want to give the column away as it’s well worth investing your time to give it a full read (you can read it by clicking here), but it seems that strong safety, inside linebacker and defensive tackle will be the critical positions to make the defense work.
The New York Mets today announced that they have optioned C JOSH THOLE, RHP EDDIE KUNZ and RHP CLINT EVERTS to the Bisons. In addition, the Mets also announced that they have reassigned 13 players to minor league camp, including INF MIKE HESSMAN, INF MIKE CERVENAK and OF JESUS FELICIANO.
Also being reassigned to minor league camp today are RHP R.A. Dickey, RHP Jack Egbert, RHP Josh Fogg, LHP Travis Blackley, LHP Arturo Lopez, LHP Eric Niesen, LHP Bobby Livingston, INF Andy Green, INF Luis Hernandez and OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The Mets now have 46 players in camp.
The Bisons will play their first spring exhibition game on Friday, March 19 against the New Orleans Zephyrs at Port St. Lucie, FL. The Bisons 2010 Home Opener is just 30 days away: Wednesday, April 14 against the Pawtucket Red Sox.
Senior Josh Heidinger earned Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week honors after leading the Canisius College hockey team to the conference semifinals for the first time since the 2004 season.
Heidinger led the Griffs with six points during the weekend sweep against Mercyhurst, scoring two goals and adding four assists. In Canisius’ 5-1 victory in game one, Heidinger matched the Griffs’ postseason record with two goals and added an assist. He then recorded three helpers in game two as Canisius swept the best-of-three series with a 5-4 double overtime victory.
Tickets are now on sale for St. Bonaventure’s Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) first round game against Robert Morris to be played Thursday, March 18 at the Reilly Center at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for SBU students and children between the ages of 7-15 and free for all children age six and under. All seating will be general admission.
Tickets can be purchased through the St. Bonaventure Ticket Office either in person or by phone at (716) 375-2500. The Ticket Office will be open on Tuesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
Freshman Ben Parker scored seven minutes into the second overtime as Canisius defeated Mercyhurst, 5-4, in the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals. With the win, Canisius completes the sweep of the Lakers and advances to the Atlantic Hockey semifinals for the first time since 2004.
On the game-winning score, junior Cory Conacher chipped the puck to Parker on the blue line. Two Mercyhurst defenders then hit the ice attempting to block the shot but Parker went high and beat the Laker goalie glove-side for the game-winning score. Junior Vincent Scarsella also registered an assist on the series-clinching goal.
As first reported by Josina Anderson of Fox 31 in Denver, recently released linebacker Andra Davis is in Buffalo to visit the Bills today and according to her report is schedule to take a physical on Tuesday.
Many consider Davis’ release from Denver last week one of the league’s more surprising off season moves to this point. Davis was productive in Denver last year with 90 tackles and 3.5 sacks. His addition to Buffalo would solidify the inside linebacker position along with Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell, though there’s a chance the addition of Davis could also mean the departure of the oft-injured Mitchell.
Davis was originally a fifth round draft choice by Cleveland in 2002. He spent last year with Denver after spending seven seasons with Cleveland.
Davis is the second defensive player the Bills have brought in over the last week. They failed to sign Jimmy Kennedy over the weekend when the defensive tackle decided to re-sign with Minnesota.
Former Buffalo Sabres defensemen Brian Campbell became the latest victim of Alex Ovechkin Sunday, suffering a broken collarbone that will force him to miss at least the rest of the regular season. Ovechkin was ejected from the game for the “push” into the boards.
The University at Buffalo softball team wrapped up the weekend against UNLV today, falling to the Rebels, 2-0, as the Bulls finish the weekend 1-5 and 7-12 overall.
Sophomore Kristin Waldron opened the game with a triple as she led off the Buffalo batting order. The triple was her third of the season and eighth of her career, which breaks the all-time record for triples in a career. The previous record was seven, set in 2004. Despite Waldron’s triple, the Bulls could not score in the inning. UNLV scored a run in the first and second innings and it was all they needed to secure the win. Buffalo tallied five hits in the game, compared to UNLV’s six hits, but couldn’t put up the score. Waldron and Alex Bejarano had two hits each while Taylor Franich added the fifth.
The Niagara men’s hockey team (12-20-4, 6-10-2 CHA) was able to force Saturday night’s CHA Championship game against the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers (12-17-3, 6-10-2 CHA) into overtime on a goal by Marc Zanette, but an overtime goal by Keenan Desmet ended Niagara’s chances of an NCAA bid at Dwyer Arena.
After Jim Burichin gets sent to the penalty box 68 seconds into overtime, Desmet only needed about 30 more seconds to score the game-winning goal, a rebound past Purple Eagle netminder Chris Noonan.
He hasn’t made mistakes often during his exceptional rookie season, but Tyler Myer’s gaffe near the end of regulation proved to be costly to his team. With Myers in the penalty box to begin overtime, Brian Rafalski scored on a slap shot 31 seconds into the extra session to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Myers accidently flipped a puck over the glass with 1:13 left in regulation to draw a delay of game penalty.
“You hate to see those but it happens.” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said during his post game press conference.
Two of the five boy’s high school basketball teams from Western New York will be advancing to Glen Falls to play for a state title after a long day of Far West Regionals at Buffalo State College.
Maple Grove defeated Section V Houghton 52-36 to advance in Class D. All-WNY selection Randall Secky scored a game-high 24 points for Maple Grove and went over 2,000 career points in the process.
Middle College also advanced locally in Class C action, dominating Mynderse Academy from Rochester, 96-50. Sean Muhlhern was dominant for Middle College inside, scoring 20 points while Devon Alexander scored a game-high 23 points and Darale Young added 21.
The Buffalo Bandits are keeping their playoff hopes alive and thrilling fans after defeating the Boston Blazers 9-8 in overtime.
The Bandits would strike first on a goal by Mark Steenhuis. Assisted by John Tavares and Kevin Dostie, the goal marked Steenhuis’ 24th of the season. John Harasym would also net a goal on a breakaway pass from Clay Hill to put the Bandits up 2-1 after the first quarter.
The game would remain tight in the second after the Blazers’ Brenden Thenhaus would tie the game with just 4:30 left. However, John Tavares would respond to regain the lead just 1:47 later to put the Bandits up 4-3 at the half.
The Buffalo Bills had Jimmy Kennedy in for a visit over the past few days. They hoped to sign the Minnesota Vikings reserve defensive tackle but were spurned on Saturday afternoon when Kennedy decided to resign with the Vikings.
It’s being reported the deal was for $6 million over two years.
Reports are saying Kennedy was looking to start for Buffalo but wasn’t promised anything by Buddy Nix. At that point he decided Minnesota would be a better fit for him to return.
This is the second time in a week Buffalo has hosted a key reserve linemen and been unable to close the deal. Last week the Bills tried recruiting Wade Smith, but he ended up signing a four-year deal with Houston.
There’s no confirmed players coming in for a visit to Buffalo on Sunday or Monday at this point.
Paul Hamilton of WGR 550 is reporting that Buffalo Sabres forward Mark Mancari has been sent back down to Portland.
Mancari has spent the past three games with Buffalo, amassing a goal and an assist in the Sabres 5-3 victory over Dallas last Wednesday. He’s a plus-three in four games with the team this year.
The move comes as a mild surprise. Tim Kennedy was a candidate to be demoted. The rookie from South Buffalo has struggled of late; he’s a minus nine over his last 11 games and hasn’t scored a point.
Buffalo is in Detroit tonight to take on the Red Wings.
The Portland Pirates extended their Atlantic Division lead to six points with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Lowell Devils on Tuesday night in front of 3,904 fans at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
The roller coaster that has been the Buffalo Sabres season since the calendar flipped to 2010 has been crashing down recently. Buffalo has dropped three straight games and earned just a single point in the process, the overtime loss at Detroit last Saturday. They’re 4-4-2 in their last 10 and stand at 82 points with 14 games left to play.
I’m perceived by most as having a rather negative perception of the Buffalo Bills and I’m fine with it. In fact, I think it’s mostly well deserved- but that’s another discussion for another time.
The Buffalo lost their third consecutive games, falling in Atlanta 4-3 in front of a crowd that literally had more Sabres fans than for the home team.
The Buffalo Bills have attempted to upgrade their inside linebacking unit by signing free agent Andra Davis to a two year deal.
When the Buffalo Sabres take to the ice in Atlanta tonight to take on the Thrashers they’ll see an old friend in the opposing uniform. After nine seasons of playing for the Buffalo organization, the team finally decided to cut ties with Max Afinogenov.
In an effort to sell more tickets for their next home game Thursday at Canisius College, the Buffalo Stampede are rolling out an irresistible price tag on tickets.
ESPN AFC East blogger Tim Graham had an excellent post Monday regarding what type of 3-4 defense the Buffalo Bills may attempt to run in 2010. In the column Graham cited several reasons, including public tweets by cornerback Drayton Florence that the Bills may try to emulate the style of defense the University of Alabama runs under their coach, Nick Saban.
The New York Mets today announced that they have optioned C JOSH THOLE, RHP EDDIE KUNZ and RHP CLINT EVERTS to the Bisons. In addition, the Mets also announced that they have reassigned 13 players to minor league camp, including INF MIKE HESSMAN, INF MIKE CERVENAK and OF JESUS FELICIANO.
Senior Josh Heidinger earned Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week honors after leading the Canisius College hockey team to the conference semifinals for the first time since the 2004 season.
Tickets are now on sale for St. Bonaventure’s Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) first round game against Robert Morris to be played Thursday, March 18 at the Reilly Center at 7 p.m.
Freshman Ben Parker scored seven minutes into the second overtime as Canisius defeated Mercyhurst, 5-4, in the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals. With the win, Canisius completes the sweep of the Lakers and advances to the Atlantic Hockey semifinals for the first time since 2004.
As first reported by Josina Anderson of Fox 31 in Denver, recently released linebacker Andra Davis is in Buffalo to visit the Bills today and according to her report is schedule to take a physical on Tuesday.
The University at Buffalo softball team wrapped up the weekend against UNLV today, falling to the Rebels, 2-0, as the Bulls finish the weekend 1-5 and 7-12 overall.
He hasn’t made mistakes often during his exceptional rookie season, but Tyler Myer’s gaffe near the end of regulation proved to be costly to his team. With Myers in the penalty box to begin overtime, Brian Rafalski scored on a slap shot 31 seconds into the extra session to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Two of the five boy’s high school basketball teams from Western New York will be advancing to Glen Falls to play for a state title after a long day of Far West Regionals at Buffalo State College.
The Buffalo Bandits are keeping their playoff hopes alive and thrilling fans after defeating the Boston Blazers 9-8 in overtime.
