Ryan Miller Named NHL’s First Star

As Ryan Miller goes, so goes the Buffalo Sabres. A team commitment to defense, namely locking down back door plays, has helped Ryan Miller return to form and with 2 shutouts this week, earning him the NHL's First Star of the Week. Miller's noticeably challenging shooters, buoyed by the fact that his defenders aren't letting shooters get behind him and as a result the goaltender's goals against average is plummeting and save percentage is skyrocketing. The resurgence couldn't come at a better time for the Sabres, who will need a defense first mentality heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And the Sabres offense... not too shabby either. Since January the team is averaging 3.19 goals per game, better than the league leading Vancouver Canucks. The Sabres playoff aspirations are in their own hands with games against Toronto and New York this week. More wins this week could lock down a position quickly and I wouldn't want to be the team in the East that draws the Buffalo Sabres the way they are playing right now.

[via Buffalo News]