GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Hawerchuk]

I think it's safe to say that the book on Lalime is to shoot high, glove side. All four went in over his glove. Other than that the dude stood on his head and is the only reason Buffalo was able to come back and tie it for the point.

 

I swear, I was going to post the exact same thing, word for word. You know the book is out on Lalime, glove side high. But overall, good game by Lalime, he made some excellent saves. He kept this team in the game all night long. Happy to get the point, hate to lose it to Slava F#*%ing Kozlov, that $hithead in the SO. But the Sabres were badly beaten in the 1st. Got the point on to the next one.

 

PS. it was great seeing Pommer get that goal while beating Bolton. Freaking rock head Bolton!! I think there were more Sabres fans there than the hometown fans. You could hear the chant, "Lets Go Buffalo!" Vanek's goal was a F&$ing lazer!! Awesome shot.

[scottnc]

Tonight we looked like a team that was playing its 4th game in 6 days. We didn't give up at the end and fought back to win a point and I'm very happy with that. These are the seemingly meaningless points that come back to mean everything at the end of the season. Just look at last year.

[McJeff215]

I swear, I was going to post the exact same thing, word for word. You know the book is out on Lalime, glove side high. But overall, good game by Lalime, he made some excellent saves. He kept this team in the game all night long. Happy to get the point, hate to lose it to Slava F#*%ing Kozlov, that $hithead in the SO. But the Sabres were badly beaten in the 1st. Got the point on to the next one.

 

PS. it was great seeing Pommer get that goal while beating Bolton. Freaking rock head Bolton!! I think there were more Sabres fans there than the hometown fans. You could hear the chant, "Lets Go Buffalo!" Vanek's goal was a F&$ing lazer!! Awesome shot.

 

 

It's usually a good mix when I get to go. Same holds true for any team, really. The Rangers had a big contingent last time I saw them at Phillips.

[wjag]

Missed the game. Was at "Body of Lies" tonight... Was periodically checking the score. Glad to see we snuck a point out. Can't be too upset with 9 out of 10 possible points..

[SarasotaSabre]

I was at the game and got lucky w/ a seat three rows behind the Sabes bench, directly behind Lindy. We came out a half-step slow, definitely sluggish - props to Lalime for keeping us in the game. You could tell in the 2nd the guys responded and rallied around him. Vanek's goal was an absolute laser. Poms goal was huge - the arena was way louder in favor of BUFF.

 

As for the Atlanta hockey market thing, I have lived here 18 years and it still is a damn crappy pro sports town, period. The Trash fans are lame - their favorite is calling out a Sabres' player's name with a "you suck" chant. I think they know their team sucks and they are outnumbered by BUFF fans, so they are blatantly insecure.

 

Good road comeback, great to get one point when they could have packed it in after being down 2-0, esp. coming out tired and flat. No quit at all.

 

GO BILLS TOMORROW !!

[BuffalOhio]

Any of you guys notice the GREAT RACK right behind Atlanta's coach? Good God man!

[carpandean]

Any of you guys notice the GREAT RACK right behind Atlanta's coach? Good God man!

They were hard to miss. :worthy:

 

 

 

Tonight's game was a mix of emotion. Terrible start, but a nice comeback. Lalime stood on his head, but glove-side high was open. Got a point on the road in the second half of a back-to-back, but lost to the previously 1-3-0 Thrashers. Vanek scored another strong individual goal, but shot wide on the SO.

 

Overall, a strong start to the season, but they are mortals after all.

[carpandean]

How wrong can one site be about a single player in a shootout:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=253074&lid...s=headlines_nhl

 

In the text:

Kovalchuk, Atlanta's second shooter in the tiebreaker, beat Patrick Lalime for the first goal. Buffalo tied it with its second skater, Ales Kotalik, who scored on Lehtonen.

 

In the video (on the right):

Leaving up to Ales Kotalik, the powerplay specialist, not a shootout specialist ... at least not there.

 

Ales Kotalik shot FIRST! Drew Stafford shot second and was the one that scored on Lehtonen. Ales Kotalik is also a shootout specialist, but Thomas Vanek (shown shooting wide during the above quote) is not. I realize the text came from the Canadian Press and I have no idea where the video came from, but man were they wrong. At least they didn't say that it was Tim Connolly. :wallbash:

[McJeff215]

Any of you guys notice the GREAT RACK right behind Atlanta's coach? Good God man!

 

Yup, and I believe I pointed it out to my fellow male (or lesbian) SS patrons as a public service during the 1st period. Consider my social debt paid. :thumbsup:

[nfreeman]

Well, overall I'm disappointed and a bit concerned. That game just reminded me far too much of last year. We got completely dominated in the 1st period by one of the worst 3-4 teams in the NHL. We acted like we just didn't care that much. A team that is going to contend in the Eastern conference needs to come out and put its foot on the throat of an inferior opponent, not just show up and act like it's entitled to the win.

 

Having said that, I am encouraged by Lalime's play, which was generally outstanding, and by the fact that Vanek is just a force of nature right now. He's the best player on the ice whenever he's out there. And it's not just the goals -- he made a great play on the backcheck last night too, hustling back to break up a 3-on-2, and then staying in the play and blocking a shot. He also doesn't seem fast, yet seems to be able to blow by whoever the defender is to get into the offensive zone.

 

I'm frankly having a hard time remembering when a Sabre was this much of a dominant force. (And I was not that high on Vanek before the season started).

 

Even so, I want to see much more fire in the belly vs. the Bruins.

[Guest Sloth]

I think it's safe to say that the book on Lalime is to shoot high, glove side. All four went in over his glove. Other than that the dude stood on his head and is the only reason Buffalo was able to come back and tie it for the point.

 

Lalime was by far the BIGGEST reason the Sabres came back, but not the only reason. In the 2nd and 3rd period Buffalo played decent, not great, hockey. The othere significant reasons the Sabres got the point consisted of the PK staying at 100%, Sabres D pulling it together, Vanek scoring ANOTHER goal, and Pomminstein stepping up to the plate.

[tom webster]

Well, overall I'm disappointed and a bit concerned. That game just reminded me far too much of last year. We got completely dominated in the 1st period by one of the worst 3-4 teams in the NHL. We acted like we just didn't care that much. A team that is going to contend in the Eastern conference needs to come out and put its foot on the throat of an inferior opponent, not just show up and act like it's entitled to the win.

 

Having said that, I am encouraged by Lalime's play, which was generally outstanding, and by the fact that Vanek is just a force of nature right now. He's the best player on the ice whenever he's out there. And it's not just the goals -- he made a great play on the backcheck last night too, hustling back to break up a 3-on-2, and then staying in the play and blocking a shot. He also doesn't seem fast, yet seems to be able to blow by whoever the defender is to get into the offensive zone.

 

I'm frankly having a hard time remembering when a Sabre was this much of a dominant force. (And I was not that high on Vanek before the season started).

 

Even so, I want to see much more fire in the belly vs. the Bruins.

 

As much as we would like to believe they should be at their best 82 games per year, it is unreasonable. There are so many variables that go into the outcome of each game including, believe it or not, the fact that the other team are highly paid professionals that in at least some cases want to win as well. Remember, also, that this was not only a back to back game but the fourth in six days. Its also why it really is quite ridiculous to put so much stock in one game or even a stretch of games. The schedule plays a huge factor in the outcome of certain games but in the end, it usually balances out. It might be a cliche, but the season is a marathon and not a sprint. Putting too much stock in beating Joey MacDonald or Curtis Sanford is just as foolhardy as putting too much concern in losing to Kovalchuk and the Thrashers.

All that being said, Vanek is playing at a level that if he can continue it will put him in the Malikin, Crosby, Ovechkin debate and Darcy and Larry will be sending Kevin Lowe Christmas cards. On the down side, I will want to kill some poster that will try and tell me that is was all part of some master plan by DR, LQ and TG.

[SwampD]

As much as we would like to believe they should be at their best 82 games per year, it is unreasonable. There are so many variables that go into the outcome of each game including, believe it or not, the fact that the other team are highly paid professionals that in at least some cases want to win as well. Remember, also, that this was not only a back to back game but the fourth in six days. Its also why it really is quite ridiculous to put so much stock in one game or even a stretch of games. The schedule plays a huge factor in the outcome of certain games but in the end, it usually balances out. It might be a cliche, but the season is a marathon and not a sprint. Putting too much stock in beating Joey MacDonald or Curtis Sanford is just as foolhardy as putting too much concern in losing to Kovalchuk and the Thrashers.

All that being said, Vanek is playing at a level that if he can continue it will put him in the Malikin, Crosby, Ovechkin debate and Darcy and Larry will be sending Kevin Lowe Christmas cards. On the down side, I will want to kill some poster that will try and tell me that is was all part of some master plan by DR, LQ and TG.

Let us all give the FO some props on this day. They had the foresight to lock up Vanek with what looked liked a crazy contract but now looks pretty good, knowing his true potential and being patient with him to see it through. They also knew that the loss of CD and DB would be a distant memory soon enough. Way to go guys and keep up the good work.

[R_Dudley]

As much as we would like to believe they should be at their best 82 games per year, it is unreasonable. There are so many variables that go into the outcome of each game including, believe it or not, the fact that the other team are highly paid professionals that in at least some cases want to win as well. Remember, also, that this was not only a back to back game but the fourth in six days. Its also why it really is quite ridiculous to put so much stock in one game or even a stretch of games. The schedule plays a huge factor in the outcome of certain games but in the end, it usually balances out. It might be a cliche, but the season is a marathon and not a sprint. Putting too much stock in beating Joey MacDonald or Curtis Sanford is just as foolhardy as putting too much concern in losing to Kovalchuk and the Thrashers.

All that being said, Vanek is playing at a level that if he can continue it will put him in the Malikin, Crosby, Ovechkin debate and Darcy and Larry will be sending Kevin Lowe Christmas cards. On the down side, I will want to kill some poster that will try and tell me that is was all part of some master plan by DR, LQ and TG.

 

:ph34r: Well I heard from a guy I work with that his mother's freind knows KLowes brother's, cousins, sisters wife is related to Darcy's mothers, sisters, nephews, brother and that Darcy suggested via the family connection that KLowe make a ridiculous offer for Vanek so he could justify keeping TV but didn't expect to pay him that much after losing out on CD and DB.. Okay bring it :death:

[carpandean]

A team that is going to contend in the Eastern conference needs to come out and put its foot on the throat of an inferior opponent, not just show up and act like it's entitled to the win.

Like Detroit did against Toronto opening night? Like the 4-0 Sharks did against the 0-4 Ducks? I know that these are WC teams, but they are two of the best and both had bad games against bad teams. It happens. At least they got one point out of it. If you see that same team and effort on Tuesday, then be concerned, but one bad game does not a weak-hearted team make.

[X. Benedict]

Well, overall I'm disappointed and a bit concerned. That game just reminded me far too much of last year. We got completely dominated in the 1st period by one of the worst 3-4 teams in the NHL. We acted like we just didn't care that much. A team that is going to contend in the Eastern conference needs to come out and put its foot on the throat of an inferior opponent, not just show up and act like it's entitled to the win.

 

Having said that, I am encouraged by Lalime's play, which was generally outstanding, and by the fact that Vanek is just a force of nature right now. He's the best player on the ice whenever he's out there. And it's not just the goals -- he made a great play on the backcheck last night too, hustling back to break up a 3-on-2, and then staying in the play and blocking a shot. He also doesn't seem fast, yet seems to be able to blow by whoever the defender is to get into the offensive zone.

 

I'm frankly having a hard time remembering when a Sabre was this much of a dominant force. (And I was not that high on Vanek before the season started).

 

Even so, I want to see much more fire in the belly vs. the Bruins.

 

They played a terrible team and played a terrible game and managed a point.

If anything I'm encouraged.

Agree on Vanek...........Little Tommy is looking all Growed Up.

And he has developed a knack for spotting a defender standing still.

[SarasotaSabre]

Any of you guys notice the GREAT RACK right behind Atlanta's coach? Good God man!

 

I hate to break it to you guys - I was sitting in the same row as her as I was sitting directly behind the Sabres bench. Let's just say she was good from far from good - nothing to look at, rather chubby. The rack was deceptive, I'll just leave it at that.

[Guest Sloth]

I hate to break it to you guys - I was sitting in the same row as her as I was sitting directly behind the Sabres bench. Let's just say she was good from far from good - nothing to look at, rather chubby. The rack was deceptive, I'll just leave it at that.

 

More cushion for the pushin'!! :lol:

[inkman]

On the down side, I will want to kill some poster that will try and tell me that is was all part of some master plan by DR, LQ and TG.

Let us all give the FO some props on this day. They had the foresight to lock up Vanek with what looked liked a crazy contract but now looks pretty good, knowing his true potential and being patient with him to see it through. They also knew that the loss of CD and DB would be a distant memory soon enough. Way to go guys and keep up the good work.

:lol: