BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Teppo Numminen is eight wins away from raising the hallowed mug over his head.
Numminen is back in the Eastern Conference final for a second consecutive season with the Buffalo Sabres and as a guy who never made it past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs until last year, the Finnish defenceman has a knack for keeping things in perspective.
"It's always been the goal and when you have a good team, it's always exciting and fun," Numminen said after the Sabres dropped the series opener 5-2 on Thursday night.
The series resumes today at HSBC Arena (7:05 p.m., CBC).
Numminen has been a steadying force on the Sabres blue-line since joining the club as an unrestricted free agent in August of 2005.
The 38-year-old logged more than 15 minutes of ice time on Thursday and though he turned over the puck that led to the game-winning goal from Oleg Saprykin, he also started the play that led to the Sabres first goal to finish the night even on the plus/minus ledger.
Although playoff success was non-existent, Numminen fondly recalled his early days with the Winnipeg Jets.
"The White-Out there was really special and the playoffs are the best time of the year," said Numminen, who broke in with the Jets in 1988-89 and played eight seasons there before moving with the team to Phoenix. "It was a great city to break in. The city wasn't too big and hockey was the main thing there. For me, it was a perfect situation. I got to play right away and it was easy to make it as your home. People were so nice.
"You feel the whole town is behind you all the time and everyone was behind the team. Those were exciting years."
Moose head coach Scott Arniel, who played with Numminen in Winnipeg and was an assistant coach with the Sabres last season, understands how much it means for the Finnish blue-liner to get back to the final four.
"I remember the look on his face in Philadelphia when we won Game 6 because he had never won a round in the playoffs," said Arniel, referring to the Sabres opening-round victory in the playoffs last season. "I remember getting a big hug from him, he was really excited. He had that ear-to-ear grin and he was jumping around the room. It was such a weight off his shoulders. In the next series against Ottawa, he seemed so much more relaxed and I'm seeing it again now.
BEST TIME OF YEAR
"Now, he realizes he's been around for a while and recognizes how good that hockey club is and the chance they have of maybe winning the whole thing."
Arniel was quick to point out the contribution Numminen has made to the Sabres, but noted a few things haven't changed since those early days in Winnipeg.
"Teppo's body composition, his style of play, his speed, nothing has changed in however long that he has played," said Arniel. "He's still the same player. He may say he was faster back when he was younger, but he wasn't. He has such poise when he goes back to get pucks that he never gets hit. He has such good vision and he uses his feet so well."
