SABRES DROP BACK TWO SPOTS IN NHL DRAFT LOTTERY
The lottery balls did not bounce Buffalo’s way on Monday night, as the NHL Draft Lottery resulted in the Sabres sliding down to the ninth overall pick.
It was the New York Islanders who won the drawing for the first overall selection, moving up from tenth to first. The Islanders have drafted a player first overall four times in their franchise’s history. For the history buffs, I’ll give you a chance to think of those four players before the end of this segment. The second lottery drawing saw another long-shot win, with the Utah Hockey Club moving up to the fourth overall pick, jumping ten spots.
In a draft year with a relatively wide open first round group of prospects, the top four players are fairly solidified before a drop-off. Erie Otters’ Matthew Schaefer is the lone defenseman in that group of four, surrounded by forwards Porter Martone, Michael Misa, and James Hagens. The latter-most forward, Hagens, is the most intriguing prospect since the lottery. The Boston College freshman grew up in Suffolk County on Long Island, and even played for the Long Island Royals travel team before going on to represent Team USA at the World Juniors and on the US National Team Development Program.
The Islanders will have the chance to bring Hagens home to New York if they choose to select him with the first overall for the fifth time in franchise history. The list of four previous first overall selections for the Islanders were John Tavares (2009), Rick DiPietro (2000), Denis Potvin (1973), and Billy Harris (1972).
New York is on the clock, but still, a Stanley Cup Champion must be crowned before the draft is held in Los Angeles on June 27th and 28th.
MAPLE LEAFS EDGE PANTHERS IN FIESTY GAME ONE
There was certainly no lack of offense or love lost between Toronto and Florida in the Eastern Conference Semifinal series opener Monday night, as the Maple Leafs prevailed over the Panthers 5-4.
William Nylander, who had two goals in the first round series-clinching game for Toronto, didn’t let up at all, opening the second round with a goal just thirty-three seconds into game one. Less than thirteen minutes later, Nylander notched another, capitalizing on a juicy rebound kicked to the slot by Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky. Nylander’s fifth of the playoffs gave the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead. As the first period wound down, Toronto took a penalty for too many men on the ice. The Panthers were stifled for three-quarters of their man advantage, until Matthew Tkachuk set up behind the Maple Leaf net, rocketed a pass to the blue line, where Seth Jones collected the puck and quickly whipped it on goal. Through the screen of Samson Reinhart, Anthony Stolarz had no chance to see it, as Jones found the back of the cage for Florida’s first goal of the series, cutting the deficit down to 2-1. Just a few shifts later, Panther defenseman Dmitry Kulikov got caught up in the Leafs’ zone, leading to a 2-on-1 for Toronto. Morgan Reilly looked off Tavares and ripped a shot past Bobrovsky’s blocker, reigniting the hometown crowd by regaining the two-goal lead before the end of the first period.
The second frame is where the tempers began to flare, when a Florida power play wound down, under eight minutes into the period. Down 3-1, Panther forward Sam Bennett received a pass at the Toronto goal line, turned toward the goalie Stolarz, and drove right into him, hitting the side of Stolarz’ head with his elbow while ramming the puck into his pads on the ice. After remaining on the ice for a few more minutes of playing time, Storlarz was clearly shaken up, as he got sick on the Toronto bench during the next media timeout. The Leafs’ starter was then taken out of the game and eventually taken to the hospital, but there has been no diagnosis released since. As of this morning, Stolarz has not been officially ruled out for tonight’s game two.
Once Joseph Woll came in to claim the Maple Leafs’ crease, with no penalty called on Bennett, mind you, Toronto won an offensive zone draw, setting up in the Panther’s end. Defenseman Chris Tanev threw a shot toward the net from the point, past the screening Matthew Knies. Despite the puck not getting deflected, Tanev’s shot found its way to twine, extending Toronto’s lead up to 4-1, just before the halfway mark of the game. That was the lone goal of the second period, which saw twenty-one hits recorded between the two teams. Florida would end the game with a mindblowing fifty-one total hits to Toronto’s twenty-four.
Joseph Woll was shaky in the third period, allowing two Panther goals in the first five minutes of the final frame. Toronto was unable to add onto their 4-3 lead, despite two power plays thereafter. Finally, with six minutes left in the game, Matthew Knies, who has emerged as an elite offensive talent, burst free behind the Florida defense. The twenty-two year-old winger lifted a backhander over the glove of Bobrovsky, adding to Toronto’s lead, up 5-3. Despite a late goal from Sam Bennett for Florida, the Leafs held on for the 5-4 victory.
Game two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal is tonight, in Toronto, with puck drop set for 7PM.
BILLS SIGN ELIJAH MOORE, ADD TO WIDE RECEIVER ROOM
The Buffalo Bills have officially signed another wide receiver, adding to their offensive weapons for the upcoming NFL season, with Elijah Moore coming to WNY on a one year contract.
Moore had originally posted about his joy to join Bills Mafia with a social media post last week Monday, but the details on his contract were still unofficial.
The 25 year-old wide-out just wrapped up his rookie deal, which was spent with two different franchises. Originally drafted by the New York Jets, Moore played in 27 games for the green and white, hauling in six touchdowns and just under 1,000 yards in total.
After his second year in the NFL, Moore was traded to the Cleveland Browns as the Jets moved up in the 2023 Draft. With the Browns, the Ole Miss alum saw an increase in opportunity, with over 100 targets in each of the last two seasons, but his production fell off. Moore caught just three touchdown passes over the last two seasons, and just under 1,200 total receiving yards with Cleveland.
Moore joins a wide receiver room in Buffalo that features Khalil Shakir, Josh Palmer, and Keon Coleman entering the 2025 training camp season. The Bills turn their attention to rookie minicamp that will be held this Friday and Saturday in Orchard Park.
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