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If the Buffalo Sabres want to start looking for bright spots on their season so far, they just might have the motivation for today’s game.  The opponent scheduled for tonight is the New York Islanders, and they are one of the few teams that the Sabres have beaten so far this season.

It wasn’t a pretty win, they probably didn’t deserve it, but a win is a win.

This will be game two for Ron Rolston, and he is hoping that the fortunes change for his club, and they start repairing the damage done in the opening portion of the season.  It is time for this team to stop playing sloppy we just locked out for three months hockey, and play like the games mean something. Tonight will be the home debut of interim head coach Ron Rolston.  The last time the Buffalo Sabres were home they were booed off the ice after the game against the Winnipeg Jets – which coupled with his post game remarks probably spelt the end for former coach Lindy Ruff.

It all hasn’t been doom and gloom – although it has felt like it.  Since getting off to a rough start, Ryan Miller has turned his play on – and has only faltered because of the team in front of him.  His last few post game interviews have sounded drastically different than the Ryan Miller of old.  He is one short straw away from calling players out individually by name for the mistakes they have done in a game. Thomas Vanek is still tops on the leader board in the league with points, tied with Sidney Crosby with 25, and goals, tied with James Neal, also of the Pittsburgh Penguins with 12.

If the Buffalo Sabres can take the words of Ron Rolston to heart, and gather the strength to pull a win, they will leap frog the Islanders in the standings, and their position in the conference won’t look as bad as it is – with only the Washington Capitals residing below them.  Buffalo has won one game in their last five, and three of their last ten.  That coupled with the first two of the season are the only times they have put wins up on the board.

Game time tonight is scheduled for 7PM.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD WATCH

If you are hoping for the Buffalo Sabres to make a resurgence in the standings, it will be very difficult for them to gain ground, having played more games then most, and in an interconference compressed schedule.

New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals – The Caps sit just below the Buffalo Sabres in the standings, and with the right fortunes, could give the Sabres the last spot in the conference.

Winnipeg Jets vs Philadelphia Flyers – Both teams sit just above the Buffalo Sabres in the standings, and the Sabres could close the gap on one of them if the game stays in regulation.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators – both teams are in the top eight and are nine points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, a tough game to call, but you have to hope for a Senators tumble given their injuries for the Sabres to have a chance to climb back into the saddle.

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The Buffalo Sabres are back on the ice tonight – and fans have to be wondering which team will show up – and how bad their atrocities will stick out and hinder them against the Ottawa Senators.

Both Buffalo and Ottawa have played 9 games, and their records are almost a mirror image.  Buffalo skates into tonight witha  3-5-1 record, and are looking to avoid their second three game losing streak of the season – as they look to find their offensive spark.  Ottawa comes into tonights game with a 5-3-1 record, and are trying to find their way with a struggling offense.

For Buffalo – the offensive lag comes from the teams inability to put the puck in the net beyond the top line of Cody Hodgson and linemates Jason Pominville and league leading Thomas Vanek.

The Ottawa Senators have lost the usage of Jason Spezza with a herniated disk – and they don’t know when he is coming back.

Buffalo faces a tough home opponent, as Ottawa has outscored their opponents 13-4 on home ice as have gone 3-0-1 while doing it.

Heading into Ottawa the Buffalo Sabres have won six of the last seven at Ottawa, but have seen similar streaks fall against Montreal in recent days.  While the start of the season had Buffalo speaking to the depth of their defense as a strong point, they have, just nine games in reached into the Rochester pool and plucked Adam Pardy.  While Pardy could be just up in the event that something goes wrong, rumors that Christan Erhoff are among the walking wounded on the Buffalo blue line don’t bode well for the blue and gold.

Game time is 7:30 tonight at the ScotiaBank place.  Buffalo is trying to get back on the winning side of things, and Ottawa is looking to extend its current four game point streak.

Secondary scoring has to come into play for Buffalo, last year Thomas Vanek could not score against the Ottawa Senators, and only mustered 2 assists.