YardRat
04-16-2007, 05:56 AM
Ruff says Buffalo trying to show off after easy start
(http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1176699270612&call_pageid=1112274690688&col=1112274690734)
It's not complicated, the Buffalo Sabres insist as they brace for Game 3 against New York Islanders tonight on Long Island. They have to keep it simple.
So it's back to basics after an empty first period by the Sabres and Islanders' goalie Rick DiPietro got New York back into the series Saturday night.
"We were trying to put on a bit of a show for our fans," head coach Lindy Ruff said of his team yesterday. And that was after they woke up in the second period.
"We've got to play a more basic game, simplify it."
That means better performance by his forwards in getting pucks to DiPietro's net. Chris Drury, with two in Game 1, is the only forward to score so far.
In practice yesterday, the team worked on putting the puck in places the good puck-handling goalie can't get to.
One drill consisted of soft cross-ice dump-ins to the corners that wingers converged on, spun and then made plays to the front of the goal.
High-scoring Daniel Briere was surprised only Drury had scored among front-end players, and said his team would try to get in DiPietro's face tonight to force rebounds and scoring chances.
As part of the Sabres loss, Ruff reckoned his team may have forgotten the old playoff adage of never getting too high or too low. It was as if it was still admiring a masterful performance in Game 1 when Game 2 started.
(http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1176699270612&call_pageid=1112274690688&col=1112274690734)
It's not complicated, the Buffalo Sabres insist as they brace for Game 3 against New York Islanders tonight on Long Island. They have to keep it simple.
So it's back to basics after an empty first period by the Sabres and Islanders' goalie Rick DiPietro got New York back into the series Saturday night.
"We were trying to put on a bit of a show for our fans," head coach Lindy Ruff said of his team yesterday. And that was after they woke up in the second period.
"We've got to play a more basic game, simplify it."
That means better performance by his forwards in getting pucks to DiPietro's net. Chris Drury, with two in Game 1, is the only forward to score so far.
In practice yesterday, the team worked on putting the puck in places the good puck-handling goalie can't get to.
One drill consisted of soft cross-ice dump-ins to the corners that wingers converged on, spun and then made plays to the front of the goal.
High-scoring Daniel Briere was surprised only Drury had scored among front-end players, and said his team would try to get in DiPietro's face tonight to force rebounds and scoring chances.
As part of the Sabres loss, Ruff reckoned his team may have forgotten the old playoff adage of never getting too high or too low. It was as if it was still admiring a masterful performance in Game 1 when Game 2 started.