Buffalo Sabres Out Of Playoffs Again

Los Angeles, Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Carolina.  It makes me sick when I go down the list of teams that have won the Stanley Cup in non-traditional hockey towns.  And then when I think about the teams that have won the Cup - name a city in the Northeast - Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Toronto, Montreal, Detroit.  All of them have won the Cup.  The only city that hasn't is Buffalo.  And they won't win it this year either.

For the second year in a row and for the fourth time in the last six years the Sabres won't even have a chance to compete for the Cup.  They're officially out of contention for a playoff spot thanks to some tough breaks and lousy goaltending.

All it took was a horrendous stretch at the end of the first period and the beginning of the second when the New York Rangers built a 4-0 lead.  That put Ryan Miller on the bench and in came Jonas Enroth and he promptly gave up a goal on the first shot he faced.

It was 6-0 before the Sabres finally found the net for the first time but it was too late.  The Sabres end up getting kicked in the teeth in front of the home fans 8-4.

Thomas Vanek says it certainly wasn't due to a lack of effort.

Defenseman Mike Weber says there's just no excuse for them to be in the position they are.

Saturday's Sabres game at Pittsburgh has been moved to Tuesday because the Penguins game against the Bruins was postponed Friday night because of the manhunt in Boston.  Instead Pittsburgh plays in Boston Saturday afternoon.

The Sabres are back home against Winnipeg on Monday.