BUFFALO — Thumbing through the coaches handbook for the quintessential example of a bad turnover?
Toronto’s Niklas Hagman had just the thing for you Friday night.
Hagman’s incredible momentum-swinging pass midway through the second period was the kind of play bad teams suffer through on a nightly basis, and was perfectly representative of the National Hockey League’s richest — and worst — franchise.
Hagman had a teammate driving to the net and another trailing the play with the score tied at 1-1. The safe play was to hit the net, hoping the commotion in front of Sabres goalie Ryan Miller would be enough to create a rebound.
Instead, Hagman looked back, and made what proved to be an errant pass, right on the stick of Jason Pominville. In what seemed like a second, Pominville found Tim Connolly breaking down the middle.
What seemed like another second passed, and Connolly calmly deposited the puck behind Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavsson to give Buffalo the lead.
It’s indicative of a team that garners the most fan support — and has the fewest points through 11 games.
The Leafs keep looking for the big play, keep throwing dollars at a problem that could have long ago been solved by adhering to a simple plan of building young talent and being critical of their development.
Hagman’s nine points in 10 games nearly justify his $3 million salary, but combing through the rest of the Leafs’ payroll, you wonder what the team’s braintrust has been sipping.
Mike Komisarek — still scoreless in 11 starts and a minus-6 — was the team’s big free-agent signing, and is Toronto’s highest paid player. Vesa Toskala, who rakes in a cool $4 million, is nailed to the bench with a 5.57 goals against average. Jeff Finger and his nearly $4 million salary spent Friday in the press box, a healthy scratch for the third straight contest.
Truth be told, the Sabres weren’t the better team on Friday. Tyler Myers had his worst game as a Sabre, showing nerves and freshman mistakes we expected to see weeks ago. Another young defenseman, Chris Butler, wasn’t his silky smooth self.
But give the Sabres credit — they haven’t wavered from their mantra of finding good young players and letting them develop. When fans clamored for high-priced free agents over the summer, Darcy Regier stood firm, believing his young team was ready to ripen.
Although Friday’s 3-2 overtime win wasn’t much of an indication, it looks like he was right.
Good teams beat bad teams, even on their off-nights.
Friday was clearly one of those. The Leafs controlled the play late, outshooting the hosts 16-5 in the third, often skating circles around a team that looked surprisingly tired despite a light schedule.
Toronto even got the equalizer, getting a well-deserved point.
But two years into the Brian Burke regime, the same problems seem prevalent. The Leafs keep snubbing mid-level free agents and hoping that July 1 splashes will make the difference.
So far, they haven’t.
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.
Sabres
TIM'S TAKE: Leafs keep swinging big — and missing
- Sabres
-
-
Miller, Sabres blank the Bruins
With Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff nursing three broken ribs and watching from the press box, goalie Ryan Miller made 36 saves to earn his second shutout in three games in a 6-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.
-
Ruff stuff
As if the Buffalo Sabres haven't endured enough injuries already this season. Add coach Lindy Ruff to the list.
-
Rangers top Sabres in a shootout
Henrik Lundqvist came out on top in a duel of goalies, stopping 34 shots through overtime and four of five in a shootout in the New York Rangers’ 1-0 win over Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
-
Gaustad leads visiting Sabres to 3-1 win over Canadiens
Paul Gaustad had a goal and two assists to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
-
Chara opens All-Star draft by picking Datsyuk
Daniel Alfredsson stuck close to home — both his native Sweden and his adopted home of Ottawa — in making his selections in the NHL All-Star draft on Thursday night.
-
Sabres snap 12-game road skid
Jason Pominvile and Nathan Gerbe scored in a shootout and Ryan Miller made 27 saves as the Buffalo Sabres snapped a 12-game losing streak on the road with a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
-
Losipeg
Ondrej Pavelec made 25 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat Buffalo 4-1 on Thursday night, extending the Sabres’ franchise-record road losing streak to 11 games.
-
Blackhawks blow out Sabres, 6-2
Jonathan Toews had two goals, rookies Andrew Shaw and Jimmy Hayes also scored, and the Chicago Blackhawks handed the Buffalo Sabres their 10th straight road loss, 6-2 on Wednesday night.
-
Rough Road
Home ice has never been more of an advantage to the Red Wings than it has over the last 2 1-2 months.
-
Leafs overturned
Jason Pominville scored the go-ahead goal with 5:47 left in the second period, and the Buffalo Sabres held on for a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.
- More Sabres Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
