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About John Chidley-Hill
John Chidley-Hill grew up in Toronto, the son of a third-generation Maple Leafs fan and a die-hard Montreal Canadiens follower. He's still recovering and faces his demons on a regular basis as HockeyPrimetime.com's Northeast Division beat writer.
When not blogging about hockey, other sports, comics and TV he is the junior hockey beat reporter for the Canadian Press. You can read his blog at http://johnchidleyhill.com.
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| Ruff start to the season |
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| Northeast | |
| Written by John Chidley-Hill | |
| Sunday, November 07, 2010 00:00 | |
Buffalo needs to be much better on defense with Ryan Miller out, but some instead are calling for Lindy Ruff's job. Can the Sabres turn their season around in time to keep their head coach around?
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For the last few weeks this space has been focused on the struggle at the top of the Northeast Division. The Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and the surprising Toronto Maple Leafs have been neck and neck since the season began.| AROUND THE NORTHEAST |
“It’s on my shoulders. First and foremost, it’s on mine,” head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after Buffalo’s 5-2 loss to Boston on Wednesday night. “Pick them up, put them back together. Pick them up, get them ready to play. That’s all on my shoulders.”
Ruff’s been with the Sabres for 13 years, the longest tenure of any coach currently in the NHL. Last week he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, joining Bob Lanier, Sal Maglie, Marv Levy, Jack Kemp and O.J. Simpson.
Despite his longevity, speculation persists that it’s time for the coach to leave Buffalo.
Fans and pundits alike are calling for the coach’s head. Ruff’s players, at least, are sticking by him.
“I’ve seen a lot of coaches and he’s the best I’ve ever had,” Buffalo captain Craig Rivet said shortly before Friday night’s 3-2 loss to Montreal.
If he’s going to keep his job, Ruff is going to have to address a few major concerns.
First, the Sabres need to buckle down defensively. Star goaltender Ryan Miller is out day-to-day with a nebulous lower-body injury that’s been nagging him since training camp. Buffalo must rally around backup goaltender Patrick Lalime and try to steal some wins.
Ruff also has to find a way to win at home. The Sabres have lost six games in regulation time, and one in overtime, in the so-called friendly confines of HSBC Arena. Only the lackluster New Jersey Devils have had such a tough time at home this year.
Saturday night's 3-2 shootout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs certainly gives Ruff a stay of execution, but it was hardly a sound victory. The league's longest-tenured head coach will continue to skate on thin ice until his team shows real signs of improvement.
Notes
The Canadiens’ Andrei Kostitsyn has cooled off lately, being held off the scoreboard in Montreal’s last four games. This is after the Belarusian was averaging a point per game through 10 games. ... The Boston Bruins showed their heart even in a 5-3 loss Friday night as they rallied from a 3-0 deficit to the Washington Capitals. “We battled hard in the third, but you can't win too many hockey games in this league by playing 20 minutes out of 60,” head coach Claude Julien said. ... Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza returned to form on Thursday night, notching a goal and four assists.Photos by Getty Images
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