The Sabres Observer

Sabres Observations: “Moral Victories”, Defending HarborCenter
by @DaveDavisHockey on 10/31/14 at 10:35 AM ET
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Some Sabres observations the day after watching a game in a section of First Niagara Center that was infested with Bruins fans (although I will say they were a friendly and polite group):
- The Sabres can put a spin on it and say they played better last night in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Bruins, but comparing their performance to the Toronto game is setting the bar pretty low. Getting outshot 37-15 against any NHL team, including a Boston club that's fighting it right now and trying to find their game, doesn't entitle Buffalo to play the moral victory card.
- It's a generally accepted truth that Zemgus Girgensons is the epitome of "high compete level", but you get an even greater appreciation for him when you're down at ice level. His intensity is off the charts. Last night, he was irritated at getting the business from David Krejci while trying to set up a screen in front of the Bruins net. The Latvian voiced his displeasure at Krejci and then gave the Bruins forward a few mini-crosscheck jabs into his lower back for good measure. I think there's much more of a mean streak in Girgensons than what we've seen from him, and that it will come out more as he evolves towards having a leadership role on this team.
- Shame on Investigative Post for its tone-deaf piece this week trashing the HarborCenter project. Jim Heaney even went on WGRZ and gave the false impression that taxpayers are helping to pay for the new $172.2 million jewel of Buffalo's waterfront. The Sabres were given an incentive package where they will pay less taxes for 10 years in return for the jobs and economic impact HarborCenter will bring to the area. Whether the Sabres, Carl Paladino or anyone else won development rights to the Webster block, there were going to be subsidies. Someone should tell Heaney and Ellen Kennedy, leader of a coalition that recently whined and complained about incentive deals for Delaware North and Uniland Development, that this is how things get done in thriving cities.
- Don't ask me how, but I got in a sneak peak at (716) Food and Sport before last night's game. Most Sabres fans have probably already seen pictures, and they don't do it justice. The design of the countertops to resemble ice is a really nice touch. Those of you who followed me during the Golisano era may remember my constant "constructive criticism" about the lack of a true sports-themed restaurant and bar inside the arena. I even nagged Ted Black about it at a new media summit. No disrespect intended to the Cobblestone Bar and others, but (716) will be the go-to place before and after Sabres games.
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Filed in: | The Sabres Observer | Permalink
Tags: 716+food+and+sport,
buffalo+sabres,
ellen+kennedy,
harborcenter+subsidies,
jim+heaney
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About The Sabres Observer
Dave Davis has covered the Buffalo Sabres for various NHL accredited websites and newspapers since 2003. He was the senior writer and Sabres correspondent for The Fourth Period, covered hockey for Western New York Sports and Leisure Magazine, and has had articles featured on NHL.com, FOX Sports, Yahoo Sports and in New York Sportscene. Sabres news and notes can be found on his Twitter page.
Email: dd@kuklaskorner.com Twitter: [@DaveDavisHockey]