BUFFALO — After failing to score in the team’s first 11 games, Derek Roy didn’t seem to have any weight lifted off his shoulders after his goal proved the game winner in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders at HSBC Arena.
But for Roy, a slow start is nothing new. Aside from a four-goal October in 2007-08, Roy has typically struggled to light the lamp early each season. He scored just once in his first month of 2005-06, just twice in 11 October games the following year, and just once in 10 games during the season’s opening month last year.
The centerman started the scoring on the power-play 8:27 into the first period when he snapped a shot from the half-wall that beat former Sabre goalie Martin Biron high on the stick side. Thomas Vanek was screening Biron on the play.
“I just let it go,” said Roy, who entered the game as one of just five players in the league with eight or more assists and no goals. “We moved it around really well (on the power play). Marty made some great saves, but we still got two. We still missed a couple opportunities, too.”
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Patrick Kaleta got a bear hug from a former teammate midway through the first period when Biron jumped on him after an altercation in front of the Islanders’ net.
Kaleta had gotten flipped up ice and took a shot at Frans Nielsen as he circled back in front of Biron.
As Kaleta skated away, Biron jumped on his back and the two wrestled for a while.
“That was a stupid play,” Biron said. “He hits our guy into me just to try to hurt somebody and it’s a stupid play, so sometimes you have to act stupid when those things happen. We got the power play out of it and that’s what we wanted.”
Biron got two minutes from roughing, but Kaleta took two for interference and two for roughing.
•••
Tyler Myers limped off the ice in the second period after a Mark Streit shot caught him on the ankle.
Myers laid on the ice in front of the crease with the puck underneath him for a bit, taking a few stabs from Islander forwards. After gingerly leaving, however, he didn’t miss a single shift.
“It was just a stinger and after a couple minutes it settled down,” said Myers, who logged 21 minutes and 23 seconds of ice time, second only to Chris Butler.
Myers has certainly been comfortable in the Sabres lineup, and he’s hoping to get more comfortable when he has family in town this weekend.
“I’m still in a hotel,” the rookie defenseman said. “I’m in there through the end of November. But we’re going to look for a place.”
•••
The Sabres have stayed true to their mantra of throwing as many pucks on the net as possible.
Coming into Wednesday’s action, Buffalo led the NHL with an average of over 35 shots per game. They finished above that average against the Islanders, hitting Biron with a total of 39 shots, just three shy of their season high.
Surprisingly, the team’s only two losses have come when they outshot their opponent. Buffalo is 4-0-0 when getting outshot.
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.
Sabres
SABRES NOTEBOOK: Roy finally lights the lamp
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Ruff stuff
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