BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 On Friday afternoon, Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm got the Buffalo Sabres\u2019 attention with his comments about their first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n
When discussing the idea of the Sabres having last change and getting the matchups they want with home-ice advantage in the first two games, Sturm took the opportunity to send a message.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t really care,\u201d Sturm said. \u201cWe know how we have to play. We\u2019re ready to go. We\u2019re excited. We are bigger, stronger. We are more physical. We just have to be smart. But we are going to go after them. Whoever comes in, first line, second, I don\u2019t really care. We try to play our game.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that the Bruins are the more physical of the two teams. They were sixth in the NHL in hits, while the Sabres were 21st. That\u2019s partly because the Sabres possess the puck at a much higher rate than the Bruins do. But Boston\u2019s ability to forecheck and clog up the neutral zone will be key in trying to slow down Buffalo\u2019s transition game. It also appears the Bruins are leaning into the idea that their heaviest hitters can intimidate the inexperienced Sabres in a playoff series. Discipline will matter, too. The Bruins were the second-most penalized team in the NHL this season, while the Sabres had the seventh-most penalty minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know a lot of teams are afraid of us,\u201d Sturm said. \u201cI can tell. You can see it. You can hear it. That\u2019s what we have to do in Buffalo. I know they want to outskate us. It should be a fun series.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps these comments are just gamesmanship on Sturm\u2019s part. Maybe he thinks he can draw the Sabres into a more physical game that plays into the Bruins\u2019 strengths or impacts Buffalo\u2019s lineup decisions. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff didn\u2019t take whatever bait Sturm was putting out there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s his take on his team,\u201d Ruff said Saturday. \u201cI have a lot of respect for what our team has done and how we play and the speed we play in the game. They\u2019ve got a good team. They know who they are. We know who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whatever Sturm\u2019s intent, the comments clearly have filtered into Buffalo\u2019s dressing room. Players are aware of the comments but didn\u2019t feel the need for much of a response.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve all seen it,\u201d Sabres forward Josh Doan said. \u201cIt is everywhere right now. At the end of the day, our group trusts what we\u2019re doing here. We\u2019ll just let that play out throughout the series, and we\u2019re going to stick to our game plan. It\u2019s one of those things that you see, but at the end of the day, there\u2019s no real response from us in this room.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s their opinion,\u201d added Logan Stanley, Buffalo\u2019s 6-foot-7 defenseman. \u201cWe\u2019re going to come out and play our game. Every playoff series is physical.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Sabres forward Alex Tuch: \u201cThat\u2019s his analysis of it. When it comes to playoffs, everyone has to play big and strong to be able to win. So I think we have a lot of guys in here that are going to up the physicality. We\u2019re just focused on us and trying to play our game and not listen to any outside noise.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the past, Sturm\u2019s words might have carried more weight. Beyond the fact that the Sabres can match the Bruins in height and weight, they showed this season that they aren\u2019t going to back down to the more physical teams in the NHL. Against the Tampa Bay Lightning in March, the Sabres played a game with more than 100 penalty minutes and five fighting majors on each side. Players up and down the roster were willing to go toe to toe with the Lightning\u2019s toughest players. The Sabres won that game 8-7.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey tried to come in here and bully us,\u201d Ruff said. \u201cIt didn\u2019t work out.\u201d<\/p>\n