"Tim Connolly is healthy and looking forward to a big season. But before he gets things started Friday in Ottawa, the Buffalo Sabres center is hoping for good things for his other team as well. The Syracuse-area native has a keen interest in the American League Division Series. That's because a dinner on an upcoming road trip is hinging on Connolly's bet with former University of Minnesota star Thomas Vanek on the series between his beloved New York Yankees and Vanek's Minnesota Twins. "You can't go wrong with [CC] Sabathia but we'll see otherwise," Connolly said of the Yankees' starting pitching issues. "I'm always going with the Yankees and [Vanek] is certainly a big Twins fan." The Sabres, meanwhile, are betting on Connolly to again be one of their key offensive contributors. Seems reasonable enough as he posted career highs in assists (48) and points (65) last year in 73 games, his highest games total since 2002-03. Then came the postseason. Connolly tried to play with a broken foot and things didn't go well, to say the least. He didn't score a goal, the Sabres' power play went 0 for 19 and most everyone outside the locker room wanted Connolly banished to the first bus out of town after the six-game loss to Boston. "Not being able to do anything for two weeks [before the series] I lost a tremendous amount of conditioning," Connolly said. Connolly said he understood the criticism but appreciated the fact that, after the series, General Manager Darcy Regier referred to him and fellow scoreless pivot Derek Roy as two of the NHL's top 20 centers." Read more: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article212836.ece
