GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[SabreInFla]

What exactly was said about Kotalik?

[Claude Balls]

Unfortunately, I think it'll be to replace Kotalik instead of Peters. Based on Lindy's press conference it sounds like Al is out for a little bit... he was pretty non-committal, but it didn't sound likely that he'd be on the ice by Tues.

I'm just thinking that Ryan could play his natural position on LW (Peters spot) instead of RW where Kotalik plays. Either way, there's bound to be some shuffling going on.

[Knightrider]

What exactly was said about Kotalik?

 

Lower body, will miss some time. Would not say whether x ray was done. Someone will be called up for Tuesday...

[rickshaw]

Deja vu????

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Anyone listening to the postgame show? They just asked Lydman about his thoughts on the shootout. He said, "I don't know, I didn't shoot." There was silence. This Ozio guy has asked each player the same 3 lame questions and got the same 3 lame answers.

 

Great insight... glad I just wasted 15 min listening.

[SDS]

Disregarding any loss to Boston sucks, this wasn't so bad. On the whole we outskated them and he had oodles of great chances. The puck just didn't bounce our way tonight. It could have been 10-3 with all the missed open nets.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

What scares me is that if this team doesn't start playing better, it's going to be a short playoff season. Remember, there are no shootouts in the playoffs. I would hate to see too many OT games.

 

This team will be ready for the playoffs........... :beer:

[ExiledInIllinois]

And the 1 point helps... :D Of course I am scoreboard watching... :D :D Our "Magic #" (to clinch a playoff spot... Of course, basically the low 90's will get you in)... :D :D :D appears to be 108 point or so...

 

Nashville loses AT HOME for only the 5th time with Forsberg's debut and Philly wins with a goal by Scottie Upshall!

 

I sure hope it backfires in the Music City!

 

:chris: Wise Guy EII :chris:

[Done]

Disregarding any loss to Boston sucks, this wasn't so bad. On the whole we outskated them and he had oodles of great chances. The puck just didn't bounce our way tonight. It could have been 10-3 with all the missed open nets.

 

Or 10-6 with the 3 posts Boston hit :lol:

[LoveAndWarrener]

Just got back from the game. Thoughts:

1) They were really outplayed most of the night. The 5-on-3 was horrid till Drury bailed us out, and even he looked bad for most of that shift.

 

2) Clarke MacArthur looked out of his league. Hopefully he will pick things up quick. I expected more from Rochester's leading scorer. Perhaps chemistry and adjustment was the biggest issue.

 

3) Drew Stafford is a player and will be with the team full-time next year. His effort was a bright spot tonight.

 

4) Nice to see some muscle from Mair as expected, and Hecht, which was not.

 

5) Kotalik's loss was felt in that it messed up the lines and the flow when he left in the second period. Obviously, not having his shot in the shootout sucked.

 

6) Miller continues to let in shots he has a great look at while making some unbelievable stops. Hopefully his head's in shape come playoff time.

 

7) Darcy needs to make a trade. We're hurting. It sucks that the only real saleable commodity we have right now is Biron.

 

8) Roy baffles me. He looks like an awesome two-way player at times, then he's giving the puck away not once but three times on the same shift in his own zone. WTF?

 

9) These injuries are killing me.

 

10) A point is a point. The B's suck but they were the better team tonight. Even so, as others mentioned, one or two more healthy players and this game is ours.

 

11) Our ice might not be helping matters. Guys are falling all over the place.

 

12) The refs were real slow on the uptake tonight. Took forever and a day to call offsides more than a few times. They should have whistled and reviewed that 3rd Sabres goal immediately. I enjoy being the beneficiary but I would be dead-pissed if I were a Bruins fan and that goal came back on me. Still, we're Buffalo and we're 99% of the time on the short end of that stick.

 

13) Chara is a goon. Goon goon goon.

[hopeleslyobvious]

 

6) Miller continues to let in shots he has a great look at while making some unbelievable stops. Hopefully his head's in shape come playoff time.

 

 

Which goal are you referring to?

[inkman]

Before the game started Ruff was asked about the injuries and he was talking and then said about Max something like: "Well, with Stafford we get better goal scoring than Max but not as much speed." Wow I thought! Stafford a better goal scorer? Then he goes out and scores a nice goal. I'd absolutely hate to trade away a talented young player

The Sabres have untouchable prospects and Stafford is among them. As is Paille, Sekera and Persson, IMHO. :)

[LoveAndWarrener]

Which goal are you referring to?

The second shot looked to me like it was in a pretty open lane, from my view in person, opposite angle, I'll admit.

[LabattBlue]

Just got back from the game. Thoughts:

1) They were really outplayed most of the night. The 5-on-3 was horrid till Drury bailed us out, and even he looked bad for most of that shift.

 

2) Clarke MacArthur looked out of his league. Hopefully he will pick things up quick. I expected more from Rochester's leading scorer. Perhaps chemistry and adjustment was the biggest issue.

 

3) Drew Stafford is a player and will be with the team full-time next year. His effort was a bright spot tonight.

 

4) Nice to see some muscle from Mair as expected, and Hecht, which was not.

 

5) Kotalik's loss was felt in that it messed up the lines and the flow when he left in the second period. Obviously, not having his shot in the shootout sucked.

 

6) Miller continues to let in shots he has a great look at while making some unbelievable stops. Hopefully his head's in shape come playoff time.

 

7) Darcy needs to make a trade. We're hurting. It sucks that the only real saleable commodity we have right now is Biron.

 

8) Roy baffles me. He looks like an awesome two-way player at times, then he's giving the puck away not once but three times on the same shift in his own zone. WTF?

 

9) These injuries are killing me.

 

10) A point is a point. The B's suck but they were the better team tonight. Even so, as others mentioned, one or two more healthy players and this game is ours.

 

11) Our ice might not be helping matters. Guys are falling all over the place.

 

12) The refs were real slow on the uptake tonight. Took forever and a day to call offsides more than a few times. They should have whistled and reviewed that 3rd Sabres goal immediately. I enjoy being the beneficiary but I would be dead-pissed if I were a Bruins fan and that goal came back on me. Still, we're Buffalo and we're 99% of the time on the short end of that stick.

 

13) Chara is a goon. Goon goon goon.

1) They were really outplayed most of the night. The 5-on-3 was horrid till Drury bailed us out, and even he looked bad for most of that shift. agreed

 

2) Clarke MacArthur looked out of his league. Hopefully he will pick things up quick. I expected more from Rochester's leading scorer. Perhaps chemistry and adjustment was the biggest issue.

I thought he looked tentative in the first period, but played better in th 2nd and 3rd

 

3) Drew Stafford is a player and will be with the team full-time next year. His effort was a bright spot tonight. Stafford is going to be a very good player, but to me he still seems to need to adjust to the speed of play at the NHL level

 

4) Nice to see some muscle from Mair as expected, and Hecht, which was not. I thought Mair played well. It goes to show you what players can do when they are not saddled with Peters :lol:

 

 

7) Darcy needs to make a trade. We're hurting. It sucks that the only real saleable commodity we have right now is Biron. agreed

 

8) Roy baffles me. He looks like an awesome two-way player at times, then he's giving the puck away not once but three times on the same shift in his own zone. WTF? I thought Roy was going to step it up this year. Instead, for every good game he has, there seem to be 3 or 4 stinkers

 

9) These injuries are killing me. Better now than later :thumbsup:

 

10) A point is a point. The B's suck but they were the better team tonight. Even so, as others mentioned, one or two more healthy players and this game is ours. agreed

 

13) Chara is a goon. Goon goon goon. The B's overpaid for him, but he can be a helluva physical presence.

[BRH]

13) Chara is a goon. Goon goon goon.

I know I shouldn't say this, but after about the fifth time he went down to the ice on the 5-on-3 to block passing lanes, I thought perhaps a well-placed pass to his helmet area might dissuade him from continuing such tactics.

[inkman]

13) Chara is a goon. Goon goon goon. The B's overpaid for him, but he can be a helluva physical presence.

...especially after the whistle.

 

Can someone please explain to me why he (and others) get away with that constant cross-check right after the whistle? If you skate with 5 feet of him after the whistle, look the #%^$#! out because he's goign to deck you. Can they just call it once?

[Stoner]

 

Which goal are you referring to?

 

haha. You kill me hopeles. You really can't agree that Miller should have easily stopped the shot on the second goal? Please. This can be a good debate, but not if you're going to be THAT hard-headed. I like Ryan, too, but let's call a whiff a whiff.

 

What's this guy, like 20th in GAA now?

[SDS]

What's this guy, like 20th in GAA now?

 

there is only 1 comeback you will receive on this...

 

"The Sabres play play an aggressive game that often creates excellent scoring chances going the other way..."

 

However, I rarely see Miller let in a goal from a 2 on 1, etc... The shorty last night may have been, but in general - I don't see these goals going in on odd man breaks.

[RayFinkle]

there is only 1 comeback you will receive on this...

 

"The Sabres play play an aggressive game that often creates excellent scoring chances going the other way..."

 

However, I rarely see Miller let in a goal from a 2 on 1, etc... The shorty last night may have been, but in general - I don't see these goals going in on odd man breaks.

He reminds me of Dom in this sense. If there was a scrum infront of the net or an odd man break, he would always make the big save. For some reason though, whenever somebody would take the crappy wrist shot from the top of the circle, I hold my breath. High to the stick side seems to be his soft spot.

[Stoner]

 

there is only 1 comeback you will receive on this...

 

"The Sabres play play an aggressive game that often creates excellent scoring chances going the other way..."

 

However, I rarely see Miller let in a goal from a 2 on 1, etc... The shorty last night may have been, but in general - I don't see these goals going in on odd man breaks.

 

Thanks for writing that out. Now they can copy and paste it. :)

[hopeleslyobvious]

haha. You kill me hopeles. You really can't agree that Miller should have easily stopped the shot on the second goal? Please. This can be a good debate, but not if you're going to be THAT hard-headed. I like Ryan, too, but let's call a whiff a whiff.

 

What's this guy, like 20th in GAA now?

 

Maybe he should have stopped the second goal, but it was a nice shot too.

 

Actually it's 17th in GAA...but 11th in SV% Considering how many shots and how many quality shots he faces a night that's pretty good.

 

Are you saying that playing in the Sabres system isn't more difficult for a goalie than playing for a NJ or Minnesota? Laugh all you want about my argument that the Sabres system has a negative effect on goalie stats, but there is statistical proof:

 

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&pa...462047&tab=crst

 

Look at Biron's stats when the Sabres played a more defensive system compared to his stats with the current system. That is a significant difference.

[SDS]

Maybe he should have stopped the second goal, but it was a nice shot too.

 

Actually it's 17th in GAA...but 11th in SV% Considering how many shots and how many quality shots he faces a night that's pretty good.

 

Are you saying that playing in the Sabres system isn't more difficult for a goalie than playing for a NJ or Minnesota? Laugh all you want about my argument that the Sabres system has a negative effect on goalie stats, but there is statistical proof:

 

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&pa...462047&tab=crst

 

Look at Biron's stats when the Sabres played a more defensive system compared to his stats with the current system. That is a significant difference.

 

I'm still learning to dissect the game, so I'm probably wrong here, but until convinced otherwise....

 

I guess I'm not buying into the generalities. Most of the goals I see let in are not a direct result of a pinching defensman, etc... They are goals set up in the zone that are not a result of any special type of system that I can tell. If all 5 guys are back on defense and they put one in - I don't see how that is a by-product of the system.

[Stoner]

 

Are you saying that playing in the Sabres system isn't more difficult for a goalie than playing for a NJ or Minnesota?

 

For what it's worth, the Sabres are allowing only about 2.5 shots more per game than NJ and about 1 more per game than Minny. That doesn't account for scoring chances, I know. Still, it doesn't seem to be statistically significant. Maybe, just maybe Martin Brodeur is a better goalie than Ryan Miller.

[Hsoj25]

Are you saying that playing in the Sabres system isn't more difficult for a goalie than playing for a NJ or Minnesota? Laugh all you want about my argument that the Sabres system has a negative effect on goalie stats, but there is statistical proof:

 

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&pa...462047&tab=crst

 

Look at Biron's stats when the Sabres played a more defensive system compared to his stats with the current system. That is a significant difference.

 

statistical proof? that is laughable.

 

While we are at it why dont we just toss on an extra 15 goals to all NJ players to account for the hurdles they have to overcome while playing on a defensive minded team.

 

with each post like this where you seem unwilling to even accept that Ryan Miller could possibly let in a soft goal, you lose more and more credibility

[hopeleslyobvious]

statistical proof? that is laughable.

 

While we are at it why dont we just toss on an extra 15 goals to all NJ players to account for the hurdles they have to overcome while playing on a defensive minded team.

 

with each post like this where you seem unwilling to even accept that Ryan Miller could possibly let in a soft goal, you lose more and more credibility

 

Why is my statistical proof laughable? I would love to compare Miller's stats in the old system compared to the new system, however he didn't play enough in the old system for a good sample. So we're left with Biron. Biron's numbers are significantly different in the Sabres old system compared to the new system.

 

I am not denying that Miller doesn't let in soft goals. Every goalie lets in soft goals from time to time.

 

If my argument is so absurd than how come I have heard members of the national media make the same argument?

 

For what it's worth, the Sabres are allowing only about 2.5 shots more per game than NJ and about 1 more per game than Minny. That doesn't account for scoring chances, I know. Still, it doesn't seem to be statistically significant. Maybe, just maybe Martin Brodeur is a better goalie than Ryan Miller.

 

http://www2.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&p...455710&tab=crst

 

http://www2.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&p...468011&tab=crst

 

Last season Miller put up a .914 SV%, better than Brodeur's .911

 

This season Brodeur is having a better year, but Miller's .913 SV% is about Brodeur's average.

 

Do you watch a lot of Devil's games? If you have I find it hard to believe that you can honestly say that the quality of shots Miller faces are of the same quality that Brodeur faces.