| | DALLAS -- When the Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres meet for
the only time this season Wednesday night, they will not be looking
to rekindle a rivalry that began in the Stanley Cup finals.
These are now two teams in a funk, trying to solve their
problems, not settle old scores.
Their six-game championship series, culminating with the
disputed winning goal by Brett Hull, seems a long way off.
"They're struggling, we're struggling," Buffalo coach Lindy
Ruff said. "Both teams are looking for this game to spark a little
emotion and get both teams back to where they were playing."
Stars center Joe Nieuwendyk, the Stanley Cup MVP, is looking for
the same effect.
"Maybe it will spark a little energy," he said. "Let's hope
so."
The Sabres (3-7-2) are off to a poor start, with Dominik Hasek
hardly playing like a two-time NHL MVP. He has aggravated a groin
injury that limited him last year and doctors said Tuesday he'll be
out several months.
The Sabres will turn to Martin Biron, a Hasek lookalike who was
voted the top goalie in the AHL last season, and Dwayne Roloson.
Buffalo defenseman Jason Woolley said the guys playing in front
of the goalie haven't been doing their jobs, either.
"We have just been awful," he said. "It's embarrassing."
Dallas has lost two straight and is in a 2-4-1 tailspin. In
those seven games, the Stars have scored just nine goals, not more
than two in one night.
After a lethargic 2-1 home loss to Tampa Bay, coach Ken
Hitchcock put Nieuwendyk on the top scoring line with Hull and
bumped center Mike Modano to a unit that includes a rookie, Keith
Aldridge, who has played only one NHL game. The new rotation will
make its debut against Buffalo.
"As a group, we've got to hopefully come together," said Mike
Keane, who is playing alongside Nieuwendyk and Hull.
"Unfortunately we're going through a tough time. Everyone is
working hard. It's a matter of working smart."
The Stars and Sabres had little history before June. It didn't
take long to start disliking each other.
The teams split two games in Dallas, then split two in Buffalo.
Along the way, Modano broke his wrist and Sabres captain Michael
Peca called the Stars the dirtiest team in the NHL.
Dallas won Game 5 in Reunion Arena, then Ruff and Hitchcock got
into a shouting match as they left the ice. The Stars clinched
their first championship by winning Game 6 in Buffalo in
triple-overtime on a goal scored with Hull's left skate in the
crease.
Ruff spent all summer stumping against Dallas' title, screaming
"No goal!" whenever he got a chance. His sparring with Hitchcock
and whining about Hull are sure to draw boos Wednesday night.
Dallas fans began fueling their anti-Buffalo spirit Saturday
night by cheering every time the scoreboard showed the Sabres
losing to Boston.
"It'll be good for the fans," Modano said. "They're looking
forward to it more than we are."
For the Sabres, returning to Reunion Arena is certain to make
them wonder what it would have been like had they come back for a
Game 7.
"I expect to get shivers walking into that building," Woolley
said. "But it's more important for us to worry about getting two
points than about what happened last year." | |
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