NHL
Ray Emery next target for Sabres
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

York Rangers. Joining the celebration are Derek Roy, Paul Gaustad, Daniel Briere and Brian Campbell. Photo by David F. Sherman

Just like a fencer, the Buffalo Sabres will have to take careful aim on their attacks when they thrust at Ottawa goalie Ray Emery in the Eastern Conference Finals this week.

And, hopefully, Emery won't have the right parry.

Beginning with Game One Thursday night at HSBC Arena, the Sabres will look to make Emery the next victim of their high-powered, slashing offense, adding him to the scrap heap of Wade Dubielewicz, Rick DiPietro and Henrik Lundqvist.

"He's the guy that is playing extremely well for them," Buffalo winger Jason Pominville said after practice Tuesday. "He's been hot. He's a big guy. We know we've got to throw pucks at the net. It doesn't really change from goalie to goalie. We have to get traffic and get pucks high and try to create those rebounds in front of the net."

Through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Emery has been as strong as any goalie could be. In the quarterfinals, he improved with each game against the young, fast Pittsburgh Penguins. Emery allowed three goals in a 6-3 victory in Game One and gave up four in a 4-3 loss in Game Two, but in Games Three, Four and Five, he allowed two, one and zero scores, respectively.

In Ottawa's semifinal against the favored New Jersey Devils, Emery posted another shutout in Game Three, 2-0, and just two goals in each of the last two games.

Emery's goals-against average of 2.04 was the best of all Eastern Conference goalies in the playoffs, just edging out Buffalo's Ryan Miller (2.07). However, his save percentage of .919 doesn't rank him in the top 10 for playoff goalies.

"I think we can take advantage of him," Buffalo winger Ales Kotalik said. "I think Ryan is a better goalie than him, and we've been facing better goalies than him. We will see. He's got a big body, but we know he can give up pretty easy goals."

Having just come off a series in which they had to deal with Lundqvist (.924 save percentage), the Sabres know how important it is to have bodies standing in front of the crease, blocking the view and looking to bang home a rebound.

"Obviously, Lundqvist was kind of a different situation," Pominville said of the Rangers goalie, who gave Buffalo's offense fits in the semifinals. "He's a goalie that plays a little more deep. I think Emery is like other goalies, standing mid-range. We just have to get pucks to the net, get traffic and create that havoc in front of the net. If we do that, we should have success."

Emery had a .918 save percentage in the regular season, while DiPietro (.919) and Lundqvist (.917) were alright with him.

"It's been three great goalies," Pominville said. "We all know how good DiPietro is. And then it was Lundqvist. And Emery had a tremendous year this year, so he's definitely a great up-and-coming goalie. It's going to be two young goalies going at each other. And they should make it a really exciting series."

On the other side of the ice, Buffalo has all the confidence in the world with their backstop. Miller was easily the best player on the ice in four of the six games against the Rangers and improved his save percentage from .911 in the regular season to .928 in the playoffs.

"You have to draw confidence from your goaltender," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "If you don't have great goaltending in the playoffs, you don't win. We need key plays and big saves at big times and Ryan has been there for us."

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com