Pominville provides captain's cove for Sabres
NHL
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Winger Jason Pominville has led the team in points and assists most of the season, but has put up his best numbers while wearing the captain's C in March. Photo by Patrick McPartland

Jason Pominville took the charge of wearing the C on his jersey very seriously at the beginning of March and has done his best to lead by example.

While Pominville has been a steady hand for the Buffalo Sabres this year, leading the team in assists (46) and points (70), he has saved his best statistical performance for when he was given the most responsibility. So far, the ides of March are smiling on the right winger, and he has answered the charge of coach Lindy Ruff.

Through eight games in March, Pominville has scored five goals and six assists and is a plus-seven on the ice. He scored five goals in 10 games in October and seven goals in 15 games in February. His 1.38 points per game is the best mark of any month this season. He had 1.13 points per game in February and one point per game in both December and October.

"He's making me look like a genius," said Ruff, who also tapped Pominville as an alternate captain in January. Pominville had three goals, eight assists and a plus-one rating that month.

Pominville's best contribution as captain came this past weekend, when he led the team to back-to-back wins over Carolina, 7-1, and Toronto, 6-2. Pominville had one goal and four assists in the weekend set and finished at a plus-five.

Those two wins have reinvigorated a team that slumped its way through the end of February and beginning of March. Buffalo dropped eight of their previous 10 games, but the squad that dished out the defeats this past weekend looks completely different.

"It's something I want to build on," said Pominville, who kept the attention on the team and the playoff race after practice Monday. "We've been working on getting back on track, and we want to get on a roll. That's what we've been talking about for a while now. We've got two wins in a row, and we've got to keep going that way."

A second-round choice in the 2001 draft, Pominville has quickly ascended into a leadership role with the team. He's a voice in the locker room and always addresses the media, no matter how poorly the team may be playing.

And with Buffalo desperately trying to earn a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Sabres need a strong captain, one who will do and say all the right things. Pominville has been filling that roll effectively.

"I think his play has been consistent all year," said winger Paul Gaustad, who broke into the NHL with Pominville in 2005 and has been playing on the same line recently. "It's not like he's just turned it on since he's been captain. He's been good for us all year. His position and his work ethic is always one of the best on the team."

Pominville ranks 17th in the league in assists and 20th in points. He's also set personal bests for himself in both categories.

"He never really has a bad game," Gaustad said. "He's always contributing something. I think its just the way that he plays and comes to the rink every day. He's professional about it. I think he's just a great player."