Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) - The Sabres' next game isn't until Thursday in St. Louis, so they have Monday off, but on Sunday they held their annual Sabres Skills Challenge.
The two teams wore the old 1978 NHL All-Star uniforms from the Wales and Campbell Conferences. Some of the players had their kids with them both on the bench and on the ice. Kyle Okposo's son Odin was in full uniform and was a crowd favorite as he motored around the ice. Okposo loved having him out there with him, "It was pretty cool. He doesn't really understand that a ton of people were watching him, but he had the time of his life. It was a pretty special day for me."
There were a lot of kids in the stands, and you could hear them cheering and see their smiles. Okposo said, "It's just nice for the fans to see us more candid because that's how we are. We just joke around, which is how we are off the ice, so I think it was pretty special for the fans to get a glimpse into that."
Rasmus Ristolainen defended his hardest shot title, ripping one 102.5 mph. The guy I thought would be the favorite, Colin Miller, tied that mark so they went to a one-shot playoff. Miller shot his at 100.7 mph, while Ristolainen blasted the puck 105 mph for the win. Miller broke his stick on his first attempt, "I think he used a different stick. I think he was cheating a little having one with a little more flex. I used my regular one." Miller said with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
Miller enjoyed having the kids in the stands cheering and having a good time. The defenseman said, "I think it puts things in perspective, and it was something when I was a kid I always looked forward to watching the All-Star games and seeing the guys take their hardest shot."
Conor Sheary was perfect in the Accuracy Showdown, hitting four targets in four shots. He's the only guy that was able to do that. He said, "We didn't get much practice. I was a little nervous because I think I only shot one or two times before that, but the targets were pretty big so it made it a little easier."
Three of the injured players, Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Victor Olofsson, all took things in from the bench. Olofsson was, of course, walking with crutches. Of the three, Skinner is probably the closest to coming back.
The Sabres will practice on Tuesday and Wednesday before heading to St. Louis.
