Hockey; fast and intense sports.  Without goaltenders the action would be empty net goals for an entire 60 minutes.  Ryan Miller played in front of the net in the basement of his house he battled against his brother, Drew Miller.  Ryan started pursuing his goaltending career at East Lansing High School in the capital city region of Michigan.  There catching the puck and limiting the rebounds and naturally angling the puck to the boards away from the net-- legendary College Hockey coach Ron Mason offered the prodigy a chance to goaltend at the Michigan State University.  This opportunity is chance of a liftetime to stop the puck for the best program in the Central Collegiate Hockey Assoiciation Ryan Miller was not slow to accept the scholarship.  As Ryan Miller started his maturation for the Spartans the awards were presented and school records were his.  Then the CCHA and NCAA shutout records shattered.  Nominated for the "Hobie" Baker award Ryan Miller won the trophy.  Scouted by the Buffalo Sabres Ryan Miller was heading to HSBC Arena in New York.  Ron Mason said of the goalie " Fans of MSU Hockey are not watching a college goaltender they are watching a phenom." In the Cold War at MSU Spartan football stadium; Gordie Howe was present, Ryan Miller made sure that the game ended tied at 3-3.   After the offer came from Buffalo Ryan Miller left MSU with one more year eligibility.  He had to go Buffalo.  Once the NHL asks you better say yes because it probably will not be offered again.

    During the lockout last year he played for the Rochester Americans; "Amerks" of the AHL and earned the MVP award.  Then in the regular season of the NHL 2005-06 action he was showing Buffalo Sabres fans star puck stopping; something they had not seen since Dominik Hasek.  This takes the team, fans and this writer through round one of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers.  Ryan Miller was in top shape against Peter Forsberg, Mike Knuble, and Simon Gagne.  His anicipation and reflexes were not over compensating; he was not jittery and worried. 

The Ottawa Senators the top seed in the Eastern Confrence of the NHL were tough and in the regular season Ryan Miller had a winning record against at Scotia Bank Place; home of the Senators.  And in round two the Sabres won the two games in Ottawa.  The first is a classic; saturated with lead changes and the some of the best action ever captured for NHL films. Though the score was high fans were  expecting Ryan Miller to play like Grant Fuhr did for the Edmonton Oilers and to make the big stop and sure enough he did ten seconds in to the overtime, that stop set up the winner for Buffalo.  Ryan Miller is captivating the fans and experts; like Bill Clement of OLN.  Ryan Miller at the head of the Sabres charge to the semi-finals is inspiring everyone; to win, and win it all as the current advertisements for the Stanley Cup finals promotes "It is destiny". Ryan Miller destined; it started in the basement of a house in East Lansing, then at Munn Ice Arena, and now HSBC in Buffalo, New York.   -letsgoredwings 16.05.2006

 Photo- Sophomore Goaltender Ryan Miller is hugged by Michigan State University coach Ron Mason.