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Buff’s got the Stuff

Written by: Tyler Bodman on 18th May 2010

PHOTO BY DAVE CHANTIGNY

Dustin Byfuglien left, Scott Vankoughnett center and Jonathan Filewich at the '07 AHL All-Star game in Toronto. Byfuglien had the hardest shot in the skills comp. | read this item

The San Jose Sharks quickly found out what all the hype about “Buffy the Vancouver Slayer” was in game one of the Western Conference finals after he blasted the game winner.

“He’s got a tremendous shot,” said Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville. “It’s heavy.”

That shot coupled with Byfuglien’s size makes him almost impossible to stop in the offensive zone. Ever since he’s been moved back to the forward position he’s been lethal with the puck.

“When he got back up front, he really made an impact in the Vancouver series”, added Quenneville. “He’s one of those guys with size, his offensive ability, his position can be a factor.

He’s one of those guys I’m sure you don’t like playing against because he’s big, strong and powerful.”

Byfuglien’s first game back up front was a memorable one for him as he notched a hat-trick in a 5-2 victory over the Canucks. Byfuglien now has five goals and two helpers in his five games as a forward. In his previous eight games he failed to record a single point.

San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan knows his guys won’t be able to fully stop Byfuglien but he’s confident that they can reduce his chances.

“I believe we can find a way to handle it,” said McLellan. “We’re not going to eliminate it. He’s a very big man, he’s a very good player. You have to give him that.”

Evgeni Nabokov is no stranger to having people in his face. Afterall the Sharks faced the Detroit Red Wings in the last round.

“We just faced a team full of players that were happy to go and stand in the blue paint, drive the goalie bananas,” continued McLellan. “We found a way to fight through it.”

The Sharks are content to leave Byfuglien in front of the net. They don’t want to add the extra body in front of Nabokov. That suits Quenneville just fine.

“I think we’re better on the second and third opportunities,” said Quenneville. “I think that’s our mindset, be it Byfuglien or all our other forwards that go to net and try to find traffic, try to find him or look around the screen.”

Byfgulien couldn’t be happier about where his game is right now.

“I feel like I’m at the top of my game right now,” he said. “I think there’s improvements to be made. You know, just got to keep working and just getting in front, you know, getting dirty.”

In the Vancouver series Byfuglien scored the majority of his goals within 15 feet of the goal. In game one against the Sharks it was a clapper from just inside the blueline that beat Nabokov. It doesn’t matter where he is, when he’s playing on a line with Jonanthon Toews and Patrick Kane, he’s going to have plenty of opportuinties to score more goals. It’s just a matter of where he’s going to score them from.

Buffy the Vancouver Slayer may have to change his name by the time this series is over.

Topics: Chicago Blackhawks, Dustin Byfuglien, Joel Quenneville, San Jose Sharks, Todd McLellan

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