SABRES LOSE IN SHOOTOUT TO RANGERS....CLOSE TO WITHIN 3 POINTS OF A PLAYOFF SPOT!!

The Bufffalo Sabres came close but no cigar to the Rangers Tuesday night at the arena, where they lost to the Blueshirts 3-2 in a shootout. And in doing so they earned a point, and closed to within 3 points of a playoff spot. Jasen Pomenville scored 16 seconds into the contest, and scored the only goal for the Sabres in the shootout. But Ryan Miller allowed goals to Brendon Shanahan and Scott Gomez in the shootout, as the Sabres dropped to 0-4 against the Rangers this season. Adding injury to the insult of the loss were injuries to defensemen Dimitri Kalinen and Jaro Spacheck, who joined Henrik Talinder as injured blue liners. Despite the loss, the Sabres closed to within 3 points of the 8th place Flyers, with Buffalo next in action tomorrow night in Pittsburgh against the Penquins.

LOCKPORT WOMAN KILLED WHEN CAR FLIPS INTO DITCH!!

A 33 year old Lockport woman was killed Thursday night when the vehicle she was driving left Goodrich road in Clarence, stuck a culvert and flipped over onto its roof in a water-filled ditch, according to State Police in Clarence.

WINTER STORM WARNING SAYS A FOOT OF SNOW COULD FALL THIS WEEKEND!!

If you like snow, then you'll love this weekend. A winter storm warning has been issued by the National Weather Service, beginning at 4 Friday afternoon and continuing until Sunday morning at 8. With the snow to come in 2 shifts, with wet snow on Friday afternoon, 1-2 inches worth, and then more overnight, 2-3 more inches, and 3-5 more inches on Saturday. Storm totals could reach 8 to 12 inches or more by Sunday Morning. It was just last Monday when we reached 63 degrees, before an ice storm hit on Wednesday.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIMES STARTS THIS WEEKEND!!

Most people will trade an hour's sleep this weekend for more sunlight in the evenings. Daylight Saving time begins Sunday morning at 2am, your official notice to "spring forward" this year, earlier than any other. But most folks will reset their clocks and watches before going to bed. The shift to daylight saving time also serves as a reminder to install new batteries in warning devices like smoke detectors and carbon dioxide detectors. In areas that observe Daylight time, standard time will return on November 2nd. Some parts of the country don't observe daylight time. Those include Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.

TEMPORARY LAYOFFS TO AFFECT ABOUT 190 WORKERS AT DELPHI!!

About 190 workers at Delphi in Lockport will be on temporary layoff starting this week, as a result of the American Axle strike that began on Feb. 26th. Lindsey Williams, the senior manager of corporate affairs for Delphi, said the local Delphi layoffs will certainly take place this week, and may have already begun as of Monday. "There will be a temporary layoff of approximately 190 workers because of reduced volumn at our customer locations," Williams said. He said the customer locations that Delphi supplies primarily involve G.M.

VICTIM OF LEWISTON CRASH IDENTIFIED!!

State police are continuing to investigate the cause of a crash that claimed the life of a 70 year old Village of Lewiston woman on Lewiston Road Monday afternoon. Mary Louise Demarchi of Ridge Road was killed when her 2008 Toyota Matrix was hit by a 2000 Pontiac driven by Debbra Romanelli, 25, of Cain Road in Youngstown. State police investigator Chris Puckett said that just before 2pm, Romanelli was driving west on Lewiston Road when her vehicle went over the center line and into the eastbound lane, striking Demarchi's car. A hydraulic device was used to remove Demarchi from her car and she was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC, where she died at 4:57pm. Puckett said it's still unknown why Romanelli crossed the road. "It was a gorgeous day and it's a straight road," he said.

SABRES FRY FLYERS 5-2....MOVE ONE POINT WITHIN A PLAYOFF BERTH!!

The Buffalo Sabres won a game they just had to have Tuesday night in Philly, icing the Flyers 5-2, and moving to within one point of a playoff berth. With Maxim Afinogenov leading the Sabres with 2 goals and an assist, and Jason Pomenville also scoring twice, while Derek Roy filled out the scoresheet with his 26th goal of the season. Ryan Miller upstaged former Sabres goalie Martin Biron between the pipes with 19 saves, while Biron was driven from the nets by allowing 5 goals on just 13 shots. Biron was pulled early in the 3rd after allowing 3 goals, as the Sabres pulled away from a 2-tie heading into the final frame. The win gives the Sabres 73 points, just 1 point behind the 8th place Flyers. With Buffalo back home Wednesday night to face off against the red hot Washington Capitols.

FBI PROBE COULD THREATEN REYNOLDS RE-ELECTION BID!!

An FBI investigation of financial irregularities and possible fraud at the National Republican Congressional Committee is becoming an issue in Congressman Tom Reynold's bid for re-election to a 6th term. A campaign spokesman for democrat Jon Powers, a candidate for Reynold's seat, accused Reynolds of "poor leadership" Tuesday, because the problems may have occured at least partly while Reynolds was chairman of the Congressional Committee from January 2003 through December of 2006. Powers' campaign points out that the NRCC apparently has not had an independent audit of its financial records since the summer of 2003, the first year Reynolds was chairman. Audits are not required by federal law, but they are routinely conducted by the major campaign committee. Powers' campaign manager says "Western New Yorker's deserve better than this", and that real leadership and accountability in Washington is needed, not a congressman embroiled in a scandel. But Reynolds says that if any irregularities did occur, he was an unknowing victim. He adds that he believed that audits had been done.

BRIAN CAMPBELL TRADED BY SABRES TO SHARKS!!

Brian Campbell is a Sabre no more, afterbeing traded on Tuesday to the San Jose Sharks along with a 7th round pick, in return for forward Steve Bernier and a 1st round draft pick. Campbell is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and the Sabres were unable to sign him to a new contract before the NHL trading deadline of 3pm. He wanted a long term contract, and had rejected the Sabres offer of 3 years at $5.7 million a season. Bernier was the number one pick of the Sharks in 2003, and is 22 years old and weighs 225 pounds. He had 13 goals and 10 assists in 59 games with San Jose this year. Bernier flew into Buffalo Tuesday night, and will be in uniform tonight when the Sabres host the Nashville Predators. Campbell said he'll miss being a Sabre, but was exited about the new opportunities in San Jose. The Sharks are well below the salary cap, and should have no problem signing Campbell to a mega-buck long-term contract.

WILSON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DIES IN WRECK!!

Tuesday's nasty weather was a factor in two early morning accidents. The first happened after 7 o'clock, and took the life of a Wilson High School student. 18 year old Timothy Kelahan of Lake Street in Wilson was declared dead at the scene by the county coroner. Deputies say he lost control of his 99 Escort on Lake Road and slid into oncoming traffic. His vehicle waa t-boned. Students at Wilson were informed of his death after they arrived for class. Grief counselors were on campus to help those affected by the tragedy, and will be again Wednesday. The driver of the other vehicle, 33 year old Robert Mucha of Lewiston was taken to ECNC by ambulance with minor injuries. Meantime, about a half an hour later, a head-on collision on Saunders Settlement Road and Campbell sent 4 people to the hospital. 36 year old Maxine Varkonda of Lockport was stuck by the pick-up after it veered into her lane. The Jaws of life were needed to take her out of her car. She was taken to ECMC by amulance with severe leg injuries.