The Buffalo Sabres, early cup favourites rated by some of the league now face a tough challenge from the Boston Bruins. This will be a game filled with great matchups.
There is some bad blood between the Sabres and new General Manager Evans, with Evans upset after failing to sign Martin St Louis to a contract he decided to revenge himself on the agent. Evans stated "dang that player agent.... once i find out who he is i'm going to cream his team." After an inside source who would not be named for fear of retribution named Jay Fisher as the agent in question. Evans was gleeful to see Buffalo pop up as their first game of the season.
The following lays out the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams in tomorrow's game.
GOALTENDING
Buffalo: Ryan Miller and Alex Auld
Ryan Miller and Alex Auld are two starting goaltenders with their respective clubs in the NHL, however it's expected that Ryan Miller will take most of the burden this season and is expected to start against the Bruins.
Boston: Miikka Kiprusoff and Ty Conklin
Miikka Kiprusoff is one of the best goaltenders in the OTHL, and is expected to shoulder the maximum games or close to it, Ty Conklin is no joke as a backup as well. Signed cheaply for three years, Conklin will be more than adequate to face the opposition. Miikka Kiprusoff is expected to start against the Sabres.
Edge: Boston: Although Miller and Auld are two great goalies for their age, they still need at least one more year to become stars. Kiprusoff is a star now.
DEFENSE
Buffalo: Notable names - Chris Pronger, Joni Pitkanen and Jay McKee
The Sabres defense is one of the best all-round in the league. 7 guys that average 77OV on the blueline is deadly, If the Bruins are to win, they have to find a way past that defense. Chris Pronger, somewhat surprisingly landing on a team that was already defensively strong has boosted the defense into a dangerous weapon.
Boston: Notable names - Eric Brewer, Phillipe Boucher and Brad Stuart
The Bruins moved Sergei Gonchar in a salary cutting move, something they didn't want to do but had no choice due to the cap cutback. Now their blueline is weaker, although Brewer, Boucher and Stuart do possess key areas of strength. Boucher and Witt are strong defensively while Stuart and Brewer can move the puck.
Edge: Buffalo: The Sabres depth on defense easily outweighs the top four defensemen in Boston.
FORWARDS
Buffalo: Notable names - Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Gaborik and Chris Drury
The Sabres offense has it's stars, Kovalchuk, Gaborik and Drury. Their depth is not that bad either, with Briere, Vanek and Hecht. However, they have to risk playing their stars on the penalty kill as some of their team lack decent defensive stats.
Boston: Notable names - Pavel Datsyuk, Keith Tkachuk and Olli Jokinen
The Bruins can boast one of the best offenses in the league, however due to being snubbed by Martin St Louis, the right side of the Boston offense is a little weaker than the other positions. However, the Bruins have Recchi, Lehtinen, Kozlov and Handzus on their 2nd and 3rd lines. And unlike Buffalo, the Bruins can play Gratton, Handzus, Lehtinen and Blake on their penalty kill while saving their stars for the powerplay.
Edge: Boston: The Sabres have their stars, but beyond their top three, it will be another couple of years before the Sabres become a two to three line threat. Boston possess two and two-thirds of star quality lines.
If Buffalo are to win, they must shut down the potent Boston offense and their stars must find a way past Kiprusoff. In Boston's case, they must find a way through the blueline of the Sabres, and still face Ryan Miller in net. Given the grudge between Jay and Gareth, this will be an interesting series to watch.