NHL: Briere leads Sabre Dance

Like every NHL team, success this season will be contingent on how well the defense plays within the rules and stays out of the penalty box. The Sabres open the '05-6 campaign with tremendous depth on the blueline which should allow them to match up against whatever style of game the opposition offers. Each defender brings a unique element to the table and as a unit they compliment each other impressively.

Here is a brief capsule look at the top five:

Toni Lydman - acquired just before the start of the season and is being counted on to help the powerplay .. known for his powerful skating but looked just average with an ordinary first step in this contest .. capable of making a decent first pass and can rush into the offensive zone .. overplays the puck at times however and is also prone to turnovers as he tends to rush plays .. was stripped a few times during the game and had to rush back to recover .. logged the most minutes on the team at over 22 minutes and was trusted by coach Lindy Ruff in all situations.

Henrik Tallinder - a reliable stay-at-home defender who plays a physical style of game .. makes sound decisions and does not play outside his limitations .. excels in one-on-one coverage down low though did get caught a little flatfooted a few times .. it certainly wasn't the best night for Tallinder who was on the ice for three even-strength goals against.

Teppo Numminen - a savvy NHL veteran who adds important leadership to an otherwise young team .. an extremely smart player who skates well, makes good decisions and rarely if ever gets caught out of position .. also supports the offense effectively as he routinely makes smart dump passes to launch attacks and isn't afraid to shoot .. like James Patrick before him, Numminen's no-nonsense approach to keeping pucks out of his net will be a welcomed asset.

Brian Campbell - a smooth-skating defender with excellent mobility .. his style is best suited for wide-open games as his offensive instincts outweigh his defensive savvy .. excels at rushing the puck and boasts a hard point shot .. however, he is still fairly raw in terms of his defensive decision making .. he wants so badly to contribute offensively that sometimes he overlooks his other duties .. always must be mindful of his positioning to secure a regular spot as he is not overly physical .. there's no doubt he's ready to play in the NHL although his style of play could see him moved out of the lineup depending on how the opposing team matches up.

Jay McKee - after ending a bitter contract dispute prior to the season, McKee continues where he left off as the club's primary defensive defenseman .. constantly throws himself in front of shots and rids the crease of opposing forwards .. often matched up against the opposing team's best players and does an admirable job of containing them .. a highly sought after commodity and a fan favourite who leads by example.

Forward Thinking

It is evident that Lindy Ruff is still evaluating his personnel up front as he mixed and matched lines all game long. The one constant was the unit of Vanek-Briere-Dumont which was a fixture on the first powerplay. A balanced mix of size, speed and smarts, the trio consistently wreaked havoc in the offensive zone. However, the Sabres are by no means a team that will rely solely on one line for scoring.

Daniel Briere - a pint-sized forward whose skating abilities may be his best asset .. strong and fluid on his skates; able to change directions with ease which makes him lethal in PP situations .. a sneaky and elusive player who showcases tremendous creativity with the puck .. also a dangerous scorer as he possesses superb shooting accuracy .. displayed his slick one-on-one abilities on one play when he went inside/outside on rookie defender Tomi Pettinen to set up the first goal .. named first star with two goals including the game winner .. won a majority of his faceoffs as well .. newly-appointed captain appears a comfortable fit as he is well-liked by his teammates and rarely if ever takes a shift off.

Thomas Vanek - the big scoring power forward that the Sabres have lacked in recent years .. brings a natural goalscorer's touch as well as remarkable anticipation in the offensive zone.. his stickhandling abilities are sensational as he has a gift for moving the puck into prime shooting positions .. he looked a little lost without the puck, however he always makes great decisions whenever in possession .. possesses a unique ability to slow the game down in the offensive zone and made a number of picturesque passes all game including one to Afinogenov which resulted in a goal .. certainly didn't look out of place in his NHL debut and should be a serious contender for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.

Tim Connolly - after missing an entire season to post-concussion syndrome, Connolly marked his return with a spirited effort .. he is a real threat with the puck due to his impressive speed and stickhandling abilities .. saw plenty of time on the powerplay and had several chances throughout the game to score .. kept his feet moving and showed good commitment to his defensive duties .. his decision making could still use a little more work however as he didn't always make the right choices .. also needs to learn to get the puck off his stick faster .. based on this performance, Connolly appears ready to be a valuable two-way contributor if he can find a way to stay healthy this time.

Ales Kotalik - one of the Sabres smoothest skaters and biggest forwards .. very soft on his feet and boasts excellent outside speed .. despite also possessing a tremendous skillset, Kotalik somehow seems a bit lost in the shuffle as coach Ruff has yet to find the ideal linemates that would bring out Kotalik's potential .. he has confidence and patience with the puck, often drawing defenseman out of position and finding an open man .. one area that could be upgraded is his physical play as he rarely initiates contact despite being blessed with intimidating size .. unfortunately, Ruff rarely uses him on powerplays which will almost certainly curtail his development and point totals this season.

Maxim Afinogenov - if one player should benefit more from the new rule changes, it would have to be Afinogenov .. a dynamic skater and electrifying playmaker who constantly patrols the line looking for a breakout pass .. should be better able to showcase his speed and explosive first step this season thanks to the increased space ... played with a cast of different players as Ruff attempted to integrate Afinogenov's speed across the forward ranks .. the strategy proved successful as Afinogenov scored twice .. looked quite good on the cycle and seemed to be utilizing his teammates more so than in the past .. still prone to lazy habits in the defensive zone however as he often let his check slip away .. tends to ignore his backchecking duties at times .. will need to contribute more on the scoresheet in order to compensate for his lack of two-way stability.

Jochen Hecht - an incredibly smart hockey player who has a knack for finding and exploiting seams in opposing defenses .. takes full advantage of limited space allotted to him for scoring opportunities .. not a particularly strong skater in terms of speed, however he gets the job done thanks to his sound positioning in all three zones .. offensively, Hecht displays impressive imagination .. he knows what to do with the puck and will not force a play that does not exist .. more of a playmaker than scorer .. always pays close attention to defensive detail and his effective two-way play makes him a comfortable fit playing on any line.

Chris Drury - adds leadership and a winning attitude to the Sabres having captured both the Stanley Cup and the Calder Trophy .. named co-captain this season along with Daniel Briere .. Drury is a workhorse who leads by example .. consistently puts his smallish frame on the line initiating hits .. plays solidly at both ends but has a tendency to look rather ordinary at times . he takes a few shifts off during the game yet has proven capable in the past of elevating his play when needed .. drives to the net with zest and should be a regular contributor again this season.