GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Samson's Flow]

well that theoretically clinches the eastern conference title for the sabes.

...unless of course we forget how to play hockey, come down with the plague or something drastic like that.

 

cheers to that! :beer:

[BrightLights]

Hopefully they can take this victory and start too role as people come back. Just in time for the playoffs!

[Corp000085]

Wow, what a victory for the sabres tonight. They played 60 minutes. Miller shined. Zubrus finally looks like he belongs... There was a lot of talk here about how kaleta, macarthur, and ryan are just awesome, etc. etc. etc... however, paille and kotalik are far better and it showed tonight. The defense looked good... they'll be looking better when lydman comes back.

 

the sabres BEAT THE TRAP! They beat marty brodeur... They didn't fall into "play not to make a mistake" hockey. There were many doubters, but tonight they all should shut the f**k up and appreciate that the sabres are within one or two games of clinching the top spot in the conference. I'm not going to whip out my magic number calculator, but tonight basically won the conference for the sabres, thanks to the bruins last night too! Great great game.

[SabresFan526]

Overall, a very good win for the Sabres. This is the type of game I think we will see in the playoffs. It was good to see them win against the Devils and even the head-to-head series. I know we've gone through a down stretch in terms of play, but I've been saying this for a while, this is a completely different team when healthy. The fact is, we're still not completely healthy, but look how good this team is when Kotalik and Paille are back. I absolutely loved the play of the Kotalik-Drury-Zubrus line. I think this is a line to really watch out for in the playoffs. This will be the line that will shutdown other teams' top lines and will generate quite a bit of offense as seen by Kotalik's nice one-timer goal. I think we might be seeing a few of those with Zubrus feeding them to Kotalik. Overall, a very good game from a healthier Sabres team. I fault Briere for the first goal, but I think the other 2 goals Miller could have saved, but in the end he was good enough to win, and that's all that matters.

[Stoner]

I have that feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it's not the poo-poo platter I had for lunch.

 

And that feeling means tonight is a virtual playoff game.

 

And that means we roll, we savage them, we split their breastbones like a Thanksgiving turkey, we scream like Banshees, knock the Devils into Queersville, 4-2, the second goal coming late and meaning little.

 

There you go. Write down the date. I am predicting a win!

 

I meant 4-3!

[wjag]

I meant 4-3!

We knew what you meant. Good call..

[Samson's Flow]

I meant 4-3!

 

you were close enough...

[connee]

Wow, what a victory for the sabres tonight. They played 60 minutes. Miller shined. Zubrus finally looks like he belongs... There was a lot of talk here about how kaleta, macarthur, and ryan are just awesome, etc. etc. etc... however, paille and kotalik are far better and it showed tonight. The defense looked good... they'll be looking better when lydman comes back.

 

the sabres BEAT THE TRAP! They beat marty brodeur... They didn't fall into "play not to make a mistake" hockey. There were many doubters, but tonight they all should shut the f**k up and appreciate that the sabres are within one or two games of clinching the top spot in the conference. I'm not going to whip out my magic number calculator, but tonight basically won the conference for the sabres, thanks to the bruins last night too! Great great game.

2 wins by the Sabres or 2 losses by NJ/OTT or any combination will win it

[rickshaw]

SOLID WIN.

 

Not happy with the goals Miller gave up, but he made enough to win so I'll take it.

[wjag]

2 wins by the Sabres or 2 losses by NJ/OTT or any combination will win it

and don't forget NJ vs Ottawa on 3 Apr.

 

Time to set our sights on the President's Trophy. We are now tied in points and wins with Nashville but have one extra game to play...

 

Nashville has games with Detroit, Dallas, Blues, Bhawks and Avs.... Tough...

 

Buffalo has games with NYI, Habs, Pitt, Bruins, Caps, Flyers...

[carpandean]

2 wins by the Sabres or 2 losses by NJ/OTT or any combination will win it

 

Or, we could go 0-2-4 and still take the number 1 spot :thumbsup:

[connee]

and don't forget NJ vs Ottawa on 3 Apr.

 

Time to set our sights on the President's Trophy. We are now tied in points and wins with Nashville but have one extra game to play...

 

Nashville has games with Detroit, Dallas, Blues, Bhawks and Avs.... Tough...

 

Buffalo has games with NYI, Habs, Pitt, Bruins, Caps, Flyers...

and we own the tiebreaker against both Detroit and Nashville

[JujuFish]

and we own the tiebreaker against both Detroit and Nashville

We own the second tiebreaker. The first is wins. That gives us an edge against Detroit, meaning the magic number is 10 against them instead of the 11 it is for Nashville.

[Bmwolf21]

SOLID WIN.

 

Not happy with the goals Miller gave up, but he made enough to win so I'll take it.

Miller was solid tonight. Some big saves in the first and third, and he earned another win.

 

As for the specific goals - I am not happy with the second goal - whether it was deflected off Kalinin or not, he looked totally surprised by it - I think a backhander from that far out, which is deflected almost immediately, should be stopped 9 times out of 10. The 1st goal - I am already on record as not being happy with Danny's traffic cone defense (which is similar to, but not to be confused with, some of the Bills' O-Line's patented "Lookout" blocking technique) and the last goal was a garbage goal in garbage time - meaningless. Half the guys were already celebrating when the puck came to the front of the net.

[Doohicksie]

...this is a completely different team when healthy. The fact is, we're still not completely healthy, but look how good this team is when Kotalik and Paille are back.

Think back to early in the season... Paille was in Rochester and everyone was talking about whether to trade Kotalik or whether he even belonged on this team. Now, think ahead... to getting Max back, Connolly back, Lydman back..... Scary Good.

 

Face it, the Sabres dominated early in the season, had a mid-season lull, got bit by the injury bug, and yet.... they lead the NHL. If they can just hang together a bit and not take too many injuries, they will win it. If Connolly can give them enough minutes to turn the power play around, they win it all. Period. Even without him, they have to be the odds-on favorite.

[Rock DJ]

How did Zubrus NOT get a star tonite. He was a horse. His best game as a Sabre so far. :beer:

[ExiledInIllinois]

He did NOTHING! breire stood in the middle of our zone and watched the devil skate right past him to pick up the easy goal on a great save by miller. If i was ryan i would be pissed at danny.

 

If thats the type of effort the sabres get from Briere i want nothing to do with him, thats not how to play hockey there little guy. Can't wait to get rid of you in the offseason. We'll use your money to sign Zubrus who is a monster and plays in both ends.

 

Good Riddance!!!

 

Sorry LG... This post has been sticking in my craw since I was here for the early part of the game... I just knew some how Danny would turn this game around EVEN after making the mistake above... He really did... In matter of fact, he turned Rafalski around, inside out, upside down on the feed to Hecht and the third goal.

 

I had to leave the house to pick up my wife at work and caught the last period in the car on Sirius... RJ was calling the game.

 

Reports have it Brian Rafalski is still wandering around downtown BFLO looking for his jock!

 

Danny knew he effed up and atoned for his prior transgression!

 

I was gonna comment earlier... But, I was in a hurry and I figured I'd wait and hang you out to dry... ;) ;)

 

:nana: :D :nana: :D :nana: :D :nana:

[Samson's Flow]

Sorry LG... This post has been sticking in my craw since I was here for the early part of the game... I just knew some how Danny would turn this game around EVEN after making the mistake above... He really did... In matter of fact, he turned Rafalski around, inside out, upside down on the feed to Hecht and the third goal.

 

I had to leave the house to pick up my wife at work and caught the last period in the car on Sirius... RJ was calling the game.

 

Reports have it Brian Rafalski is still wandering around downtown BFLO looking for his jock!

 

Danny knew he effed up and atoned for his prior transgression!

 

I was gonna comment earlier... But, I was in a hurry and I figured I'd wait and hang you out to dry... ;) ;)

 

:nana: :D :nana: :D :nana: :D :nana:

 

i was suprised nobody jumped on that post sooner - i was just trying to make the point that he isnt worth the 7 mil that he will get offered if he allows goals like that (which i blame solely on him). even though he made up for it later in the game with a remarkable offensive play. imagine if he had made that play on Rafalski AND gave half an effort on defense to at least tie up the open man in front of the net.

 

I guess ive just never been a fan of the "one trick pony" of an offensive player (as shown by my two favorite players on the sabres being two way players in gaustad and zubrus). Im not questioning Briere's scoring and stickhandling skill, some of the things ive seen him do i still dont believe happened, but i think we can replace him in the offseason with players in the system who will work hard and at least attempt to play defense, and not have the "diving" tag as well.

 

Thats all im saying. I just said it with a bit of an attitude :nana:

[ExiledInIllinois]

You sure said it with an attitude! ;)

 

You almost had throwing a piston through my hood! :D :D

 

I started a long, hard novena for Danny during the 2nd intermisson!

 

7 mil is a huge chunk of change though... And I can't say I don't agree if he DOES IN FACT garner that much...

 

But... I am still gonna hate to see him go...

 

What was that stat?... He is the first BFLO player in 11 years... 11 YEARS!... To reach 90 points... Last one was Pat LaFa... :beer:

 

I understand you were pissed at his boneheaded play on the easy Gomez goal... Now say 10 Hail Mary's and 5 Acts of Contrition and go in peace! :nana: :nana:

 

:D

[Samson's Flow]

Now say 10 Hail Mary's and 5 Acts of Contrition and go in peace! :nana: :nana:

 

:D

 

what is this sunday school?? :unsure:

 

nice stat on the 90 point and patty lala reference. while i cant argue with cold hard stats, i can offer this rebuttal - the sabres arent built on the basis of one star carrying the team with outrageous production, but instead relies on production from numerous players. following this mindset, we could afford to lose briere and replace him and his offense with two players combined to those numbers (for the same pricetag) and maintain a balanced attack.

 

again my only objection to keeping briere is his high pricetag that he will covet this offseason.

 

besides, i dont like arguing. i might lose... :bag:

[wjag]

Summing up the game, goal-by-goal:

 

:) -> <_< -> :beer: -> :w00t: -> :doh: -> :worthy: -> :oops:

 

Favorite line from the Devil's GDT:

 

"Wow, Briere just abused our top defensive pairing. That sound you hear is Clown digging into his pocket for spare change to contribute to Darcy Regier's 'Keep Briere fund' "

[blugold43]

what is this sunday school?? :unsure:

 

nice stat on the 90 point and patty lala reference. while i cant argue with cold hard stats, i can offer this rebuttal - the sabres arent built on the basis of one star carrying the team with outrageous production, but instead relies on production from numerous players. following this mindset, we could afford to lose briere and replace him and his offense with two players combined to those numbers (for the same pricetag) and maintain a balanced attack.

 

again my only objection to keeping briere is his high pricetag that he will covet this offseason.

 

besides, i dont like arguing. i might lose... :bag:

when i think back to the 99 team, and how a guy like briere would have put us over the top, i never want to be without one. i want the guy back in the worst way.

 

when he's not there to create plays for other guys, i think you'll find out that some of our other offensive talent isn't as spectacular as some people think.

 

and regarding zubrus...i know you're just exaggerating to make a point, but COME ON. he's been giving us a nice effort lately, but he is nothing more than the NHL version of that guy in your beer league who skates circles around everybody looking fancy and making pretty passes...but is rarely involved in a play that produces a goal. he's a nice player, but not with sacrificing the guy who started the renaissance of this franchise.

[Rock DJ]

You notice how after he got around Rafalski, he got a stick in his skates, got a little tripped up, but STAYED ON HIS FEET to finish the play!!!!!! No dives from him or Roy last night, though Roy again fell a couple times on his own.

 

To an earlier post, would have been nicer if Briere made BOTh plays (off and def) instead of one.

[nfreeman]

when i think back to the 99 team, and how a guy like briere would have put us over the top, i never want to be without one. i want the guy back in the worst way.

 

when he's not there to create plays for other guys, i think you'll find out that some of our other offensive talent isn't as spectacular as some people think.

 

and regarding zubrus...i know you're just exaggerating to make a point, but COME ON. he's been giving us a nice effort lately, but he is nothing more than the NHL version of that guy in your beer league who skates circles around everybody looking fancy and making pretty passes...but is rarely involved in a play that produces a goal. he's a nice player, but not with sacrificing the guy who started the renaissance of this franchise.

 

Yes. We really could have used him in '99. And I really like Drury, but this is the main reason to prioritize Briere over Drury (not saying that's my preference, just that this is a key factor in the decision).

 

The problem is I don't want either of them (or anyone else in the NHL) back bad enough to start cutting other regulars. That would screw everything up, both on the ice and in the locker room. I think we're going to try to keep Briere, but our limit is going to be $6 million per year. Anything over that and we're in the cutting-other-guys-to-keep-him zone.