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Sabres' Bernier, Buffalo: Love at first sight

Newest Sabre happy to be in a hockey city

By Bucky Gleason -- News Sports Reporter
Updated: 02/29/08 8:40 AM

The first thing that struck Steve Bernier after he stepped off the plane and began making his way through Buffalo Niagara International Airport was the people. It wasn’t how many there were, but how warm they were. He hadn’t even reached baggage claim when he was stopped by fans offering encouragement and wishing him luck.

Yes, his new home was a long way from San Jose.

Bernier quickly learned that Buffalo is a true hockey city, a drastic change from his two-plus seasons in the Silicon Valley. The right winger could have gone a decade in San Jose without anyone greeting him in public. Here he was, a new face in a foreign place, recognizable and enjoying his first taste of Buffalo.

"Oh, my God," Bernier said Thursday. "I don’t think I could explain it. I was in shock. When I was in the plane, I was nervous. It was a big trade and I knew Buffalo lost a very good player. I didn’t know how the fans were going to respond to that. It made me feel so good when I saw that. It took a lot of weight away from me."

Bernier, who grew up in Quebec City and was an avid Nordiques fan, received a Buffalo-style welcome after the trade that sent defenseman Brian Campbell to the Sharks. In return, he wasted no time Wednesday making a strong impression on his teammates and the fans.

He scored twice on his first five shifts, set up another goal and didn’t hesitate when coming to Derek Roy’s defense in an 8-4 win over Nashville. Not bad for a guy who supposedly was a nervous wreck going into the game.

All told, it was love at first sight. "He’s more in the spotlight now than he was in San Jose," Roy said. "He’s coming to a town, which is a big hockey town. He’s from Quebec City, which is a hockey town, also. He told me he liked it. He told me he liked the way people were passionate about the game and the team."

Lust advances to a second date tonight when the Sabres play the Montreal Canadiens in HSBC Arena. Buffalo is tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 18 games remaining, keeping the Sabres very much in a tight race as they continue down the stretch.

No matter Buffalo’s reputation for lousy weather or lagging economy, many players over the years have agreed that it’s a terrific place when the Sabres are winning. The Sabres spent two seasons going to the Eastern Conference finals, became the darlings of Buffalo and were among the more popular teams in the NHL.

"Every player relishes the fact that you’re coming to a really good hockey town," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "I guarantee, if our guys stepped off a plane in San Jose or San Francisco, there isn’t going to be anybody standing there. It’s nothing against them. They have great hockey fans up there, but we have better ones."

Of course, enthusiasm has its flip side. In other towns that are less excited about hockey, a poor season means getting kicked off the front pages and dismissed on the 6 o’clock news. In Buffalo, especially if the Sabres aren’t giving an honest effort, players can become the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. And at times it can be difficult.

"It’s tough to be in public when it’s going bad," Ruff said. "There’s no place to hide. [Fans are] great both ways. They’re great at analyzing, and they’re great at rewarding you for your good play."

Bernier is expected to get every opportunity to succeed. Ruff already was thrilled with the winger’s positioning and commitment to defense in his Sabres debut. Bernier should have plenty of scoring chances while playing on the top line with Roy and Thomas Vanek, giving the Sabres a combination of speed, size and skill.

The move has its advantages on a personal level, too.

Bernier was playing in the Western Conference, which made it difficult for his family to travel across North America to see him in person. If they wanted to watch on television, it often meant staying up late. Now, it’s a nine-hour drive from Quebec City with plenty of opportunities to see him in Montreal and Ottawa.

A few days ago, Bernier knew as much about Buffalo as most Buffalonians knew about Quebec City. In no time, the winger and his new hometown grew fond of one another.

"I had never been to Buffalo before," he said. "I knew it was close to Niagara Falls. I knew it was on the water, and I knew about football and hockey. I knew the basics. It’s a big city. I didn’t think it would be that big. I know the fans are unbelievable. I didn’t know that, too, because I never played here before. I’m impressed."

bgleason@buffnews.com