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Tim Schmitt is the sports editor of the Niagara Gazette
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SCHMITT: Points finally come for Roy
TORONTO — Derek Roy was weaving magic. No other way to put it. With crafty passes and those little legs churning, Roy’s first period against the New York Islanders last Saturday was something to marvel. Maybe the center’s best period of the season.
Heck, he took it a step further while reminiscing Thursday in the Air Canada Centre’s visiting locker room after the Sabres knocked off Toronto, 4-1.
“(Saturday) might have been the best game of my career,” he said shaking his head.
But for Roy’s efforts, he finished with one assist in that 4-3 shootout squeaker. Hardly the stat line an accomplished offensive force puts atop his resume. And he certainly didn’t feel like celebrating after the Sabres gave up a two-goal lead in the final two minutes of regulation and needed breakaways to wrestle two points from the league’s worst team.
So when he got singled out by Lindy Ruff just a few days later in the team’s ugly 4-2 loss to Washington, it wasn’t a huge surprise. Life in the National Hockey League can turn that quickly. Best game of your career one night, called out by the coach the next.
Not what have you done for me lately; what did you do for me tonight?
If we’re judging by his most recent body of work, Roy’s done plenty. With a pair of goals and an assist against the lackluster Leafs on Thursday, Roy had more points in his last start than the previous five combined.
So now’s the time to get out the leftover New Year’s streamers and party, right?
“To be honest, they were both lucky,” Roy said of his two goals. “The first one I batted backward off their defenseman.”
The second one wasn’t much better. Roy was trying an ill-advised pass across the goalmouth to Thomas Vanek, but the puck caromed off a defenseman and past senior citizen Curtis Joseph.
Two goofs. Two goals. In fact, his best shot of the night was good for nothing. He drilled a post in the third with the Sabres already in command.
Still, Roy understands this is how it goes being one of the guys a franchise targeted as a cornerstone. When the Sabres play poorly — and they were downright dreadful against the Caps on Tuesday — it’s up to him and a select few others to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
And like a quarterback, he’ll get the glory if his team wins. Roy didn’t play poorly on Thursday, but he didn’t have a game like he did Saturday.
Yet with three points he was named the game’s first star.
While he’s happy with the honor, he’s more excited with the effort Buffalo put forth two nights after one of their worst showings of the season.
“We had a closed door meeting after the game and decided it doesn’t matter if you’re 5-foot-6 or 6-foot-5, everyone had to battle hard,” he said.
They did just that. The Sabres came out and threw five shots on net before the Leafs hit Ryan Miller. And although Roy wasn’t masterful, he trudged along in his own zone, keeping his end clean before worrying about the opposite end.
The rest will come. And it finally did Thursday.
“He’s so talented, he’s such a good skater and he’s been handling the puck so well,” said Jason Pominville, who scored off a Roy feed. “He’s been giving the type of effort we need from an elite player like he is.
“I haven’t been worried about him at all. He’s a great offensive player, but for a guy who’s that good, he’s a great player on defense, too.”
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.
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