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Goodbye, goalie? Hasek, Sabres appear ready to part company
With Buffalo trailing Pittsburgh 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Dominik Hasek might be making his Sabres' farewell this week. Hasek is undecided on his future. But even if he wants to play another NHL season, he might be too expensive for Buffalo, which has a $9 million option on him for next year. The Sabres' identity, not to mention their marketing, has been tied up in Hasek, but the capable Martin Biron is ready to be a No. 1 goalie and Mika Noronen and Hobey Baker winner Ryan Miller give Buffalo depth in goal. Hasek is still first-rate, as evidenced by his work in Buffalo's 4-1 win Monday, but his Slinky style is not quite as intimidating as it was three years ago. In Dallas, it's hockey on the rocksThere has been widespread talk of home-ice disadvantage, in the context of the extraordinary number of wins by road teams in the first round-and-a-half of the playoffs. But home-ice disadvantage literally belongs to Dallas, playing in the dying days of Reunion Arena. The horrible ice, which actually needed a scrape during the third period of Game 2 against St. Louis, might have cost the Stars the game. In the first period defenseman Darryl Sydor fell while lugging the puck out of the zone, allowing Keith Tkachuk to skate in and set up a goal. Later Brett Hull tripped on the blue line, aborting a breakaway. Dallas moves to a new arena next fall, presumably one with better ice than the slurpee that teams try to navigate at Reunion. Sundin is shining in TorontoMats Sundin's image as a playoff bust was formed in 1993 when Quebec coach Pierre Page delivered a bulging-eyed rant at his best player as the Nordiques fell to Montreal in Game 6 of the first round. Well, burn that old, infamous footage. The Toronto captain is playing the best, and most passionate, playoff hockey of his career. He is winning battles against New Jersey's Bobby Holik, and carrying linemates Gary Roberts and Steve Thomas. Through two games Toronto's first line had 13 points - 13 more than the Devils' A line of Jason Arnott, Petr Sykora and Patrick Elias. Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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