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Ryan Miller participated in a chat with fans on Mar. 28.
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Ryan Miller
Chat Transcript
Mar. 28, 2006
Moderator
Ryan Miller has arrived. He'll be answering your questions now.
KoolKid
Who is the toughest player to face in a shootout?
Ryan Miller
Tough call... toughest I've seen so far is Peter Forsberg. Fortunately, we scored some goals to win that shootout vs. Philly. Watching the highlights, Jussi Jokinen has a couple of good, quick moves and would be a challenge.
09flamesfan
How far do you think Buffalo can go in the playoffs? What are your realistic goals for the team?
Ryan Miller
Realistic goal was to chase first place in our division. That's what we can control. Getting a playoff berth and then winning a Stanley Cup is your goal. The way we've played this season we've shown we can play with anybody. We know what we can accomplish and we're capable of competing for the Stanley Cup. Right now we're in a little bit of a funk, but I know we'll bounce back.
kapulkc82
How hard was it to leave MSU to sign with Buffalo as a starter for the Amerks?
Ryan Miller
I passed up my senior year with a great group of guys. It was tough and they showed a lot of support for me. It was a decision I had to make to keep my hockey career moving forward. My career has advanced since then and there's no looking back. I'm happy I made the move, although it was a tough choice.
james3160
Ryan, who are the funniest guys on your team?
Ryan Miller
Don't know if I want to give this guy credit, but Andrew Peters always likes to keep it light. Whether it's jokes or movie lines, Peters sticks out as one of the guys who goes out of his way to make sure everybody is having fun.
canadiansabresfan
Do you think the current winless streak is due to the young age and inexperience of many of the players on the team?
Ryan Miller
I don't know. It's a combination of things influencing our team. We have gotten away from a few things that we were doing well most of the season. Our discipline can be better. We've been taking a lot of penalties recently. There is frustration setting in and players have to do a better job of keeping their composure.
tclotier
Can you talk about your goalie mask and its design and also how the mask is the only piece of equipment in pro sports where an athlete can express himself and reveal a bit of his personality?
Ryan Miller
I've been working with a painter Ray Bishop out of Michigan for many years. We bounce ideas around over the phone. Sometimes I send him sketches. He puts his ideas into it and what we came up with was representative of the team and my personality. There are things in that mask that are personal and sort of hidden. I have a new mask coming that has the same artwork, but with a couple of new added designs. Also some play on words, like "Miller Time", which I have on my current mask in the back. I have an English Bulldog from the Tom & Jerry cartoon -- Spike the Bulldog -- on my new mask with a Michigan St. jersey on him as a tribute to my cousin who is battling leukemia.
nyr25
Ryan, tough game at the garden last night. I'm a Ranger fan but I have a lot of respect for you and the rest of your Sabre teammates. Can you describe the emotions going through the locker room last night as this could be a possible first round playoff match-up for you guys?
Ryan Miller
It's definitely something that could happen. I think we wanted to come out just for ourselves and re-establish our game. We came out hard and in the second period we started taking penalties. You have to stay disciplined if you're going to beat those guys. They are skilled and it's tough to face their power play 10 times in a game.
screaminweasel
Stats aside, what do YOU think was your best performance this season?
Ryan Miller
One of the games we were as a team and myself were happiest with was beating Ottawa in a shootout at home in Buffalo. They're a tough team and we hadn't beaten them up until that point.
ddaavvee
Is there, aside Joe Sakic maybe, any player that you think has a better wrist shot than Alex Kovalev?
Ryan Miller
I'm guessing you're a Habs fan. Kovalev has a tremendous wrist shot and certainly Joe Sakic. Jaromir Jagr's shot is up there. He shoots a lot and always gets the puck to the net, though not always under the most ideal of circumstances.
esabre
Ryan, who do you think is going to have the worst playoff beard on the team?
Ryan Miller
Besides me, let's see... probably Jochen Hecht will have the worst one for sure. I don't really get a good goatee, but I kind of get a good chin-strap thing going. I look ratty. I can only grow good sideburns. I can't get a good Jean-Sebastien Giguere French Canadian thing going.
hattrick12488
How do you get yourself emotionally ready for each game? Any special pregame rituals?
Ryan Miller
Yeah, I have a routine. I try and get some rest during the day. An afternoon nap -- usually about 1 1/2 hours, then I recharge and get to the rink. I'll tape a stick once I'm there, ride the bike and get the energy level up. Then I get mentally ready and focus on what I need to do on the ice with my defense to be an effective goaltender.
rachael
Since you are or were in a band... what's your favorite kind of music to play and listen to?
Ryan Miller
Love Rock and Roll. It's a broad term, I know. I love modern rock... Audioslave particularly. My younger brother and sister have gotten me into some new music. It's fun to share the same taste they do in music. As for playing, I'm not going to fire up the amp where I live now, so I stick to acoustic. Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews are my favorites. I had tickets to U2, but it was right after my thumb injury, so I had to miss the concert because I was assigned to Rochester for a conditioning stint.
lokisamsanov
Outside of hockey, what athletes do you enjoy watching or admire?
Ryan Miller
I play a lot of golf in the summer. I'm a big Tiger Woods fan. His approach to the sport is great, with his training, commitment and overall play. There are a lot of athletes I appreciate, but I like following Tiger Woods.
sabres5589
Who do you have a hard time stopping in practice?
Ryan Miller
Three guys: Daniel Briere, Chris Drury and Jochen Hecht. They love to battle it out and go at me. It's a bragging rights thing, but every opportunity we get, we like to have fun. They try new moves on me and I have to be patient because they are such great players.
senatorsfan11
How's the thumb?
Ryan Miller
Thumb is good. Don't feel it for hockey other than letting my teammates know when a penalty is ending and a guy is coming on the ice. It will affect my golf game but I won't be playing much of that anyways.
PattyLa16
Who was your hockey idol growing up?
Ryan Miller
My three cousins: Kelly, Kevin and Kip Miller. They all played at Michigan State and made it to the pros. They opened up the NHL to me. I was able to experience a lot through them and meet some players. Other than that, Curtis Joseph was my favorite goalie growing up.
phoenixcoyotes91
Can you give your impressions on Crosby and Ovechkin?
Ryan Miller
They are both extremely talented players. They play the game with a lot of intensity and they can open it up on offense. They are both very creative and spirited players. It's perfect for them and the league right now with their style of play. For being so young and showing poise, they've been great. Crosby's been criticized, but he's learning on the fly at the NHL level, which not many young players get to do. He'll get better over time controlling his emotions, learning how to talk to referees, opponents, teammates, etc.
Ryan Miller
Thanks for supporting hockey and sticking with us. Your patience is appreciated by everyone. I had fun with you today.
Moderator
Ryan has get going now. Thanks for joining us. Please visit NHL.com to find out who will be chatting next week.
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