How things can change from one summer to the next

From Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News:

The contract extension was critical on many fronts. For once, it didn’t take the Sabres an hour to make minute rice. The deal was done 18 days after they were eligible to begin negotiations.

There were no lowball offers, no botching of tentative agreements, no animosity, no jerking around a star player, no distractions. It was a grand departure from business practices that led to Chris Drury and Daniel Briere bolting, Brian Campbell getting traded and the franchise landing on its ear. By golly, maybe they’ve finally learned their lesson.

Miller wanted to remain here. The Sabres showed they were committed to keeping him. Everybody’s satisfied.

Read the entire story here.

Gleason is right, the Sabres have their core locked up for the foreseeable future and are now a more attractive option to players. As Gleason says, it appears the days of "pinching pennies" are over, and that has to sit well with Sabres fans.

ROY LETS IT GO, VANEK TAPS IT HOME!

Last week the Buffalo Sabres had an amazing comeback vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. They scored 6 goals in the third period to secure a 7 - 4 win, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Thomas Vanek was the star of the game scoring three goals, here is his third goal of the game. In this goal Vanek casually taps the puck out of the air into the net. Usually on goals where the puck is tapped out of the air there is more a baseball bat swing but Vanek kept himself under control and was just trying to make contact. Very nice!

The fantastic play-by-play here is done by Rick Jeanneret. Rick has been providing Sabres play-by-play since 1971 and still has the same excitement and enthusiasm for the game as when he started. From watching it, you really get the sense that he is that excited about hockey.