GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[rickshaw]

And on a happier note, the Canes will once again not be attending the Prom. Go Caps Go

[bob_sauve28]

Two things with regard to the bolded comments I noticed tonight. First, the Bruins were not even trying and it was obvious. Second, my God, what a difference Teppo makes. Did you notice he was never out of position? Did you notice that he blocked a few shots tonight? Did you notice that he didn't turn the puck over in the defensive zone that directly led to a goal? Did you notice no mistakes from Teppo? Consequently, did you also notice a stronger game played by Tallinder because of it with few mistakes? I thought Lydman and Weber played well together as well. Teppo makes a big difference and it's so noticeable. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I really wish Teppo had played most of this season. I think this team is a playoff team if Teppo is there, but that's just my opinion.

Yes!

[Doohicksie]

Did you see that hit on Weber...

 

How's he not hurt???

 

Boy if that was me, I'd be broken or dead... He went in to the boards chin first...

 

I did something similar a month and a half ago; I went over the handlebars of my bicycle and did a face plant. Landed mostly on my chin, and then the forehead. If I hadn't been wearing a helmet, I'd still be learning my ABCs.

 

Roy is just good!!!! All class!!

 

I my book, Roy just earned the C for next year. I was saying that all this team needs is a Drury-like center to make it to the big time. I was wrong, we also need Teppo, be we have him. But back to centers... I think Roy IS that center. Right now.

 

I am so ready for next year. A good team that suffered some adversity and paid for it by not making the playoffs. What next year- their slogan will be "THE BUFFALO SABRES: EVERY GAME COUNTS!" And they will mean it!

[LabattBlue]

Hate him if you want, still wasn't his fault they didn't make it.

When you are making twice as much this season than the 2nd highest paid player and you come up pretty empty in March and April, a lot of the blame has to fall in his lap whether you want to admit it or not.

[Bmwolf21]

Two things with regard to the bolded comments I noticed tonight. First, the Bruins were not even trying and it was obvious. Second, my God, what a difference Teppo makes. Did you notice he was never out of position? Did you notice that he blocked a few shots tonight? Did you notice that he didn't turn the puck over in the defensive zone that directly led to a goal? Did you notice no mistakes from Teppo? Consequently, did you also notice a stronger game played by Tallinder because of it with few mistakes? I thought Lydman and Weber played well together as well. Teppo makes a big difference and it's so noticeable. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I really wish Teppo had played most of this season. I think this team is a playoff team if Teppo is there, but that's just my opinion.

Good points again. I hardly noticed anything from Teppo, because from what I could see he was in position all night long and made a bunch of small, simple plays that the rest of our D seems to have forgotten about.

 

I also didn't see any glaring turnovers tonight - not even from Lydman or Max.

[bob_sauve28]

When you are making twice as much this season than the 2nd highest paid player and you come up pretty empty in March and April, a lot of the blame has to fall in his lap whether you want to admit it or not.

I would have turned the money down too :rolleyes:

[Doohicksie]

-Mike Ryan with a nice effort after a long layoff.

I thought that Ryan was the best Sabre in the first period. His speed is impressive, especially since he tends to go North and South, not East and West like Fenny. That said, I said it a couple days ago, but I'll say it again. Afenigenov is a great fourth-line player. Put him on a line with two bruisers and tell him his only job is to disrupt. Take the pressure to score off him, and up him up against the fourth lines from the other teams, and he will be a steady 20-goal scorer. Just you watch...

[LabattBlue]

...goes to the corners

I hope Vanek can turn it around next year, but don't make crap up. Vanek, despite his size, is a along the boards and in the corners.

[Corp000085]

That was a great game to end the season. Glad to see numminen back, and playing his normal role: i.e. i barely remember him playing. That's the mark of a great defensive defenseman. as for TBO? He had a great game too. If the coaching staff had more confidence in him throughout the season, who knows what would have happened. By the way, i was totally shocked to see that he recorded his 39th career shutout. That seems like a lot for a journeyman guy like thibeault. My philosophy is this: if you know you're going to ride miller for like 70 games, then bring up a prospect to practice and learn. If you want to lighten miller's workload, have more confidence in a backup veteran like TBO and play him. I guarantee he wouldn't have sucked so bad this year if he'd started 15-20 games. Vanek? Way to show up when it matters the least. Very Miroslav like. However, with that said, he's no Satan. Vanek is still young, developing, and quite frankly, wasn't ready for his contract. Edmonton really buried him this year. He stayed with the sabres and was expected to perform up to his numbers... Had he gone to Edmonton, he'd have had the numbers and he'd have been the franchise player. I am pretty sure he would have sucked even worse over there. With that said, he ended up with 35 or 36 goals. That's not too far off from last year's numbers.

 

 

As for the end of the season, it's dissapointing, but the last 2 years have been such an emotional toll on me personally that i'm almost relieved that I won't put myself through what i did the last two years. This young team probably needs to feel dissapointment and failure too. Like Obi-Wan said: "You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." Next year is going to be special again.

[LabattBlue]

I would have turned the money down too :rolleyes:

What does that have to do with my statement. He is being paid 10 mil ans sucked down the homestretch. I could not care less that he had no choice with the contract, blah, blah, blah. nobody held a gun to his head and said "sign here".

[LabattBlue]

I thought that Ryan was the best Sabre in the first period. His speed is impressive, especially since he tends to go North and South, not East and West like Fenny. That said, I said it a couple days ago, but I'll say it again. Afenigenov is a great fourth-line player. Put him on a line with two bruisers and tell him his only job is to disrupt. Take the pressure to score off him, and up him up against the fourth lines from the other teams, and he will be a steady 20-goal scorer. Just you watch...

Sorry....I'm not paying Max 3 mil a year to play on the 4th line. See ya Max.

[Doohicksie]

I also didn't see any glaring turnovers tonight - not even from Lydman or Max.

Lydman and Tallinder are through as a tandem; that much was clear tonight. But.... what I saw tonight was three pairs of Top-4 defensemen. Each pair was great in its own way. Spacek + Sekera > Spacek + Campbell in my opinion, Weber and Lydman are a great physical presence, and Tallinder and Teppo suddenly become a great shutdown pair. Who'da thunk?

 

Granted it was only one game, but think about how things may have been different with Teppo there for even 10 games.

 

AND... that's three good pairs with Paetsch and Pratt waiting in the wings. Suddenly we could be very deep at D. Add a better-than-average center and we're good to go.

[Doohicksie]

Sorry....I'm not paying Max 3 mil a year to play on the 4th line. See ya Max.

If you put him on the 4th line and he starts producing.... you'll change your tune.

[SabresFan526]

Sorry....I'm not paying Max 3 mil a year to play on the 4th line. See ya Max.

I agree 100%. Can we trade him and get some value? Can we trade Max and San Jose's pick to get a really solid 2nd line centerman to play with Hecht and Pominville? We do that, and I think this team is back in position. Maybe a full year of Teppo or maybe another PP QB and we're back in it.

[Doohicksie]

Next year is going to be special again.

And the people said,

 

AMEN

[LabattBlue]

If you put him on the 4th line and he starts producing.... you'll change your tune.

There is no way Max is producing at a 3 mil per year level playing with Mair/Kaleta/Ryan/Peters. Send him packing Darcy!

[bob_sauve28]

And the people said,

 

AMEN

:)

 

yes!

[SwampD]

I gotta say that it's a pretty good day when we talk about a 35/36(?) goal scorer and say he sucks and had a bad year. Can't wait until he has a good year. I think it was our TEAM defense and PP that killed us this year, not Vanek.

[SabresFan526]

There is no way Max is producing at a 3 mil per year level playing with Mair/Kaleta/Ryan/Peters. Send him packing Darcy!

Actually, he looked awful on the fourth line tonight. His play was incredibly selfish and that's because he has no faith in the skills of Mair and Peters, but I can't blame him for that. But, he's so selfish even when he's playing with Roy and Vanek. It was even more so tonight because he was with Mair and Peters. It's time to trade Max to the Western Conference and have some other coach turn around his career. He's too selfish and while he's exciting at times to watch he's maddeningly frustrating, turns the puck over to the other team, and is a very selfish player. We need some return, and move on.

[bob_sauve28]

Actually, he looked awful on the fourth line tonight. His play was incredibly selfish and that's because he has no faith in the skills of Mair and Peters, but I can't blame him for that. But, he's so selfish even when he's playing with Roy and Vanek. It was even more so tonight because he was with Mair and Peters. It's time to trade Max to the Western Conference and have some other coach turn around his career. He's too selfish and while he's exciting at times to watch he's maddeningly frustrating, turns the puck over to the other team, and is a very selfish player. We need some return, and move on.

Max played his last game for the Sabres tonight if you ask me

[Doohicksie]

We'll see.

[carpandean]

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I really wish Teppo had played most of this season. I think this team is a playoff team if Teppo is there, but that's just my opinion.

You are probably right. I don't thinks he would have been enough to make them a serious contender, but definitely in a few spots higher than we are now. He may very well be a Sabre next year and that's not necessarily a bad thing, especially with a rookie pairing likely playing.

 

I my book, Roy just earned the C for next year. I was saying that all this team needs is a Drury-like center to make it to the big time. I was wrong, we also need Teppo, be we have him. But back to centers... I think Roy IS that center. Right now.

I've said since last summer that, despite the size similarity to Danny, Derek is far more like Drury than he is like Briere. Connolly was more the replacement for Danny, but was too injury prone.

 

I thought that Ryan was the best Sabre in the first period. His speed is impressive, especially since he tends to go North and South, not East and West like Fenny. That said, I said it a couple days ago, but I'll say it again. Afenigenov is a great fourth-line player. Put him on a line with two bruisers and tell him his only job is to disrupt. Take the pressure to score off him, and up him up against the fourth lines from the other teams, and he will be a steady 20-goal scorer. Just you watch...

I was definitely calling for them to drop Ryan before the season, but I must admit that I was very impressed with him on the fourth line before his injury. He will never have good hands, but he has the speed to disrupt and is far more defensively responsible than Max. He also plays quite well on the PK, which is a great thing for a fourth liner as it takes pressure/load off of guys like Derek and Pommer. I'm not sure either will be on this team next season, but if we need a fourth liner, then I'd much rather have Ryan at near the league minimum than Max at $3.3 million.

[Hawerchuk]

TBO, two shutouts in like 9 games, lol.

Sums up the season don't it?

[mrjsbu96]

my three take-aways from the night:

 

No CAR in the playoffs.....YES!

 

nice showing by the Sabre faithful in BOS. there are not fans of many teams in the this league that not only show up on the road like Sabre fans, but get the "let's go buffalo" chant going in a game that absolutely means nothing...

 

and, i'm looking forward to seeing ovechekin in the playoffs and hopefully against OTT as they matched up well against them all year. i'ld love to see them knocked out in the first round.

[carpandean]

Roy total points ( guessing 2A tonight and a 1 goal) But Vanek in total goals (guess scores 2 goals because pressure is off) as he finally clicks on his chances..... Pominville also gets in act with 1 assist

Almost! Shift Roy's goal to Vanek (kinda symbolic of what really happened*) and you are spot on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Yes, I know that if Roy had scored the empty netter, then he would have only had one assist. I meant shift the goal in R_D's prediction.