Sabres Team Report

INSIDE SHOTS

The Sabres, in the midst of a four-game winless skid, needed an emotional boost. They got it. Now they just have to turn it into a win.

The team invited all the players’ fathers to join them on this week’s holiday road trip to Washington and Philadelphia. There were 16 dads who were able to make it.

“It gives the fathers a little taste of the NHL,” center Derek Roy(notes) said. “As much as we explain what happens in our lives and what we do, they obviously don’t get to see it.

“They’re going to see two good teams with Washington and Philly, two good cities, and just hanging out with their sons should be a good time. All in all, just seeing your dad after a game, that’s something you don’t experience often.”

The Sabres hadn’t turned a road trip into a family vacation in more than a decade because of a team bankruptcy and ownership changes.

“I’ve missed doing this for the past number of years,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “To get it back and do it again, I think it’s going to be great.

“You look at this trip as a springboard,” Ruff said, “and that’s what we hope it will end up being.”

Capitals 2, Sabres 0:   The Sabres took 25 shots at Semyon Varlamov(notes) but couldn’t find the net on any, falling for the fourth straight game. They are on an 0-3-1 skid. Alex Ovechkin(notes) beat Ryan Miller(notes) (22 saves) early in the first period with the game-winner.

NOTES, QUOTES

• The Sabres’ four-game winless streak (0-3-1) is their longest of the season. They are just 4-6-1 in the past 11 games after an 8-1-1 start.

• The Sabres are just 1-for-10 on the power play in the past two games.

Quote To Note:   “We didn’t get a lot of bounces with the puck. We did a lot of good things but didn’t get rewarded for it.”—Sabres coach Lindy Ruff.

ROSTER REPORT

Goaltenders:   Ryan Miller, Patrick Lalime(notes).

Defensemen:   Craig Rivet(notes), Chris Butler(notes), Toni Lydman(notes), Steve Montador(notes), Henrik Tallinder(notes), Tyler Myers(notes).

First Line:   Thomas Vanek(notes), Derek Roy, Jason Pominville(notes).

Second Line:   Clarke MacArthur(notes), Tim Connolly(notes), Drew Stafford(notes).

Third Line:   Jochen Hecht(notes), Tim Kennedy(notes), Mike Grier(notes).

Fourth Line:   Matt Ellis(notes), Paul Gaustad(notes), Patrick Kaleta(notes).

Player Notes:  

• C Derek Roy has just one goal in the past seven games. He has four goals and 16 points after getting 28 goals and 70 points last season.

• LW Thomas Vanek, who averaged 40 goals over the past three seasons, has just seven in 19 games. He has three goals in the past 14 games.

• RW Jason Pominville had a two-game points streak snapped but recorded four shots and had another five blocked.

• RW Mike Grier returned after missing five games with a groin injury.