GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[R_Dudley]

All righty then looks like I'm outta here after that ugly giveaway WTF is wrong with these guys tonight, standing around watching, backing up no friggin passion or tenacity out there tonight... Fugly and I was in a bad mood before I started watching this crap, now I just done

[ROC Sabres]

BS Call they have let NJ get away with that all game...

Yup, the refs are letting them win. Nothing is going to get us back up other than scoring goals but we don't look like we are gonna do that either.

[Strow]

Nice of Miller not to show up tonight and for that matter most of the team. The refs didn't give the game to the sabres they just have been out hit and out worked most of the night.

[darksabre]

how is running over miller in the crease not a penalty?

[Strow]

how is running over miller in the crease not a penalty?

Didn't hit miller he hit the Sabre that was standing there watching clarkson move in on Miller.

[Hawerchuk]

Another bull$hit stinker at home. I don't see the playoffs in this teams future this season. Too many of these games are getting away. Fu$kin hate NJ and I'm pissed off to the highest of pisstivity! F$^K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[carpandean]

Ugh.

 

 

I wished the rest of the team cared as much as Gaustad. He may not have the skill of some of the other guys, but he plays hard and, perhaps more to my point, he plays harder at the end of the game when they are down.

[darksabre]

Our 3rd and 4th lines were the only ones trying tonight.

[PASabreFan]

Ugh.

 

 

I wished the rest of the team cared as much as Gaustad. He may not have the skill of some of the other guys, but he plays hard and, perhaps more to my point, he plays harder at the end of the game when they are down.

 

Why wait? I love the scrap with 3 seconds left. 59:57 too late.

 

Sabres needed a big save from Miller on the fourth goal and didn't get it. Miller seems to be putting himself in some weird positions. Looks very awkward.

[SDS]

Sabres needed a big save from Miller on the fourth goal and didn't get it. Miller seems to be putting himself in some weird positions. Looks very awkward.

 

For as optimistic as I usually am - I have no confidence in Miller making these saves. I always expect the worst when they have the puck in our zone these days... :(

[carpandean]

Why wait? I love the scrap with 3 seconds left. 59:57 too late.

Missed the point. I wasn't even talking about the tussle at the end. He plays hard all game, but when they're down at the end, he pushes that much harder. Half of our guys look like "ho hum, there's always next game."

 

 

On an unrelated note, I think Robie is going to quit if the Sabres don't turn it around. Sylvester kept trying to give him "party line" excuses and I'm pretty sure that if it weren't for FCC fines, he would have said "" to each.

[cilevel]

Missed the point. I wasn't even talking about the tussle at the end. He plays hard all game, but when they're down at the end, he pushes that much harder. Half of our guys look like "ho hum, there's always next game."

On an unrelated note, I think Robie is going to quit if the Sabres don't turn it around. Sylvester kept trying to give him "party line" excuses and I'm pretty sure that if it weren't for FCC fines, he would have said "" to each.

 

Gotta love Robi. He tells it like it is for the most part and I love it when he shows his passion. Sometimes I think LIndy should be sending him into the lockerroom during intermission.

[PASabreFan]

Missed the point. I wasn't even talking about the tussle at the end. He plays hard all game, but when they're down at the end, he pushes that much harder. Half of our guys look like "ho hum, there's always next game."

 

 

On an unrelated note, I think Robie is going to quit if the Sabres don't turn it around. Sylvester kept trying to give him "party line" excuses and I'm pretty sure that if it weren't for FCC fines, he would have said "" to each.

 

I don't think he, or any Sabre, plays hard all game. Gaustad had a shift right after the Devils scored that fourth goal that was unbelievable. I asked myself where that had been all night. It all goes back to coaching, if you ask me. But no one did.

 

Yeah, the postgame show is finally getting interesting.

[LabattBlue]

Disclaimer...I am becoming very jaded having attended 5 losses in 6 games(including tonight) with all 5 losses being AWFUL games.

 

 

Game thoughts...

 

- Miller sucked. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he is not showing any improvement over the goalie he was as a rookie. The new contract will become an albatross if he doesn't get it together.

 

- Bench Vanek and then when you finally decide to play him in the waning minutes, you send him out there with Mair?? Seriously Lindy? At the same time Max continues to play without a care in the world? First time I've said this...maybe it's time for a coaching change!

- They brought back the Marlboro Man one too many times. He's done!

 

- Hecht was absolutely invisible. Tom Webster is right about Hecht's salary being a burden.

 

- Another sellout, but numerous empty seats in the lower bowl and in the 200's. LQ & DR need to take off the blinders and pay attention. Their fanbase is quickly losing interest.

 

-The good news... my next home game isn't until early mid-February. I can only hope they are still competitive at that point in the season.

[carpandean]

I don't think he, or any Sabre, plays hard all game. Gaustad had a shift right after the Devils scored that fourth goal that was unbelievable. I asked myself where that had been all night. It all goes back to coaching, if you ask me. But no one did.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not saying that he doesn't have any bad shifts, but I see him working hard on many shifts throughout the game. I'd usually put Mair in that category, too. Again, though, my point was that he shows some intensity when the clock is winding down on a game that they are behind in. I was using Goose as one of the few example of that intensity, but mostly it was a comment on the lack of it from most everyone else. I'm thinking about the furious rushes and barrage of shots that we face when protecting a small lead at the end of the game. I rarely see that when we are behind.

[vasabresfan]

Disclaimer...I am becoming very jaded having attended 5 losses in 6 games(including tonight) with all 5 losses being AWFUL games.

Game thoughts...

 

- Miller sucked. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he is not showing any improvement over the goalie he was as a rookie. The new contract will become an albatross if he doesn't get it together.

 

- Bench Vanek and then when you finally decide to play him in the waning minutes, you send him out there with Mair?? Seriously Lindy? At the same time Max continues to play without a care in the world? First time I've said this...maybe it's time for a coaching change!

- They brought back the Marlboro Man one too many times. He's done!

 

- Hecht was absolutely invisible. Tom Webster is right about Hecht's salary being a burden.

 

- Another sellout, but numerous empty seats in the lower bowl and in the 200's. LQ & DR need to take off the blinders and pay attention. Their fanbase is quickly losing interest.

 

-The good news... my next home game isn't until early mid-February. I can only hope they are still competitive at that point in the season.

 

This was a good post. I saw a lot of these same things but wanted to expand on a few.

 

I couldn't agree more about Teppo. I've been a fan in the past but he is officially out of gas. He routinely gets beaten to pucks that he should get to first. He can't keep pucks in at the point (especially on the power play, and btw, why is he out on the power play?) He doesn't get embarassed out there because he almost always plays smart and generally in the right position, but he can no longer keep up with the young guys.

 

I was not aware that Vanek was benched. I just remember thinking, "where the heck is TV tonight?" What is the story on the benching? Why would you bench the leading goal scorer in the league? Do Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin get benched a lot? I'd be curious to know the reason.

 

When is Sekera going to stop playing like he's walking on eggshells? When Soupy was at his best was when he got a lot more confident in his puck handling and didn't play afraid. If Sekera is indeed the heir to Campbell, I'd like to see him get a little more confident. A good example was during the penalty kill (I think in the second) where nobody could take him off the puck. More of that please.

 

I think it is funny that even though everyone seems to rag on Afinogenov, you can hear the crowd get excited when he starts a rush. Of course, it always ends the same way, but it is funny that the crowd gets excited when it starts, as if the collective thought is "No, this time he is not going to cough it up and is going to deke the goalie out of his jockstrap!" True Buffalo Fans are always Charlie Brown trying to kick the football.

 

I watched just about the whole game and don't really feel like we got outplayed. I thought Stafford showed some energy. Kaleta played great, especially for his first game back. Miller was fairly brutal again, which was disappointing. I hope this is just a funk he will recover from soon. Otherwise, I suspect we'll be seeing more of good ol' Patty than we thought (which might not be the worst thing ever).

[wonderbread]

True Buffalo Fans are always Charlie Brown trying to kick the football.

 

 

Thanks for the new signature.

[nobody]

- Bench Vanek and then when you finally decide to play him in the waning minutes, you send him out there with Mair?? Seriously Lindy? At the same time Max continues to play without a care in the world? First time I've said this...maybe it's time for a coaching change!

 

Before you sit Vanek you should try to find a few other players that will help get his game going. Put Kaleta on his line for a few shifts before you bench him in a game where 90% of the team isn't doing anything either.

[Kristian]

Disclaimer...I am becoming very jaded having attended 5 losses in 6 games(including tonight) with all 5 losses being AWFUL games.

Game thoughts...

 

- Miller sucked. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he is not showing any improvement over the goalie he was as a rookie. The new contract will become an albatross if he doesn't get it together.

 

- Bench Vanek and then when you finally decide to play him in the waning minutes, you send him out there with Mair?? Seriously Lindy? At the same time Max continues to play without a care in the world? First time I've said this...maybe it's time for a coaching change!

 

1. Actually, I think he gives up way more softies now than 05/06.

 

2. THANK YOU! I'm sick of Lindy getting a free pass everytime these stiffs come out disinterested for yet another home game, and he tries playing mindgames to get them going. Only Lindy benches the leagues leading scorer, and I really don't care if he played like crap, when the rest of the team was equally piss poor.

[jwcolour]

Disclaimer...I am becoming very jaded having attended 5 losses in 6 games(including tonight).

- Hecht was absolutely invisible. Tom Webster is right about Hecht's salary being a burden.

 

-Thank god I'm going to the Sabres-Blackhawks game in Chicago. They might have a chance.

 

-Hecht wasn't totally invisible. Got called for slashing.

[Claude Balls]

I think Lindy is done coaching this team. Why bench Vanek, because he didn't have two goals tonight? Maybe he wasn't giving it his all? Why should he every night, no one else on this team does and no one else is even close to having as many goals as TV. Lindy must have it out for TV for some reason.

 

How does a team who has had three nights off in a row, get manhandled by a team that just played the night before? The Sabres always suck in the second game of back to back games. Why is it that other teams don't seem to have this problem? I think everything is really starting to point to coaching that the players have given up on Lindy. I bet LQ and DR still think having the longest tenured coach in the league means they will remain contenders. Unfortunately while certain things change in the league, the Sabres still remain the same since the lockout and it ain't working.

[carpandean]

2. THANK YOU! I'm sick of Lindy getting a free pass everytime these stiffs come out disinterested for yet another home game, and he tries playing mindgames to get them going. Only Lindy benches the leagues leading scorer, and I really don't care if he played like crap, when the rest of the team was equally piss poor.

Ignoring the obvious fact that Lindy is the only guy that can bench the league leading (goal) scorer ... ;)

 

I have watched Penguins games in which Crosby was nailed to the bench because he was having a bad night. As good as a guy is, there are some nights where he just don't have it and some guys on the lower lines do. Those guys aren't immune to taking a night off or just not having their heads in the game. He took Vanek off of that line, put Gaustad in and he scored. We don't know what would have happened if Vanek had stayed on that line, but obviously Lindy didn't like what Vanek was doing and wanted to try something.

[carpandean]

I think Lindy is done coaching this team. Why bench Vanek, because he didn't have two goals tonight? Maybe he wasn't giving it his all? Why should he every night, no one else on this team does and no one else is even close to having as many goals as TV. Lindy must have it out for TV for some reason.

Sure, Vanek may have earned a night off here or there, but when he takes one off, shouldn't Lindy put someone who isn't taking it off in his place? I seriously doubt Lindy "has it in for Vanek" (whatever that means.) If anything, I'd guess that Lindy realizes that he is the only guy on the team who could be a true superstar and doesn't want him wasting that potential. He pushed Vanek this summer to round out his game, which has made him into a far more complete player. I believe that he just wants to keep pushing him further because he knows that Thomas still hasn't reached his full potential.

[darksabre]

This is one of those games where we play an opponent at home who just played a game last night and people expect them to be tired. These are the games we're good at losing.

 

Count it.

 

I like this from the snooze:

 

"The Sabres have two days to fix them as the Los Angeles Kings visit the Sabres' house of mediocrity on Friday."

 

Wooo the house that Darcy Regier built.

[R_Dudley]

This was a good post.

 

I couldn't agree more about Teppo. I've been a fan in the past but he is officially out of gas.

 

What is the story on the benching? Why would you bench the leading goal scorer in the league? Do Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin get benched a lot? I'd be curious to know the reason.

 

When is Sekera going to stop playing like he's walking on eggshells? When Soupy was at his best was when he got a lot more confident in his puck handling and didn't play afraid.

 

True Buffalo Fans are always Charlie Brown trying to kick the football.

 

Miller was fairly brutal again, which was disappointing.

Very good post

 

1. Actually, I think he gives up way more softies now than 05/06.

 

2. THANK YOU! I'm sick of Lindy getting a free pass everytime these stiffs come out disinterested for yet another home game, and he tries playing mindgames to get them going. Only Lindy benches the leagues leading scorer, and I really don't care if he played like crap, when the rest of the team was equally piss poor.

As much as I have liked Lindy I agree 100% with this.

 

Ignoring the obvious fact that Lindy is the only guy that can bench the league leading (goal) scorer ... ;)

 

I have watched Penguins games in which Crosby was nailed to the bench because he was having a bad night. As good as a guy is, there are some nights where he just don't have it and some guys on the lower lines do. Those guys aren't immune to taking a night off or just not having their heads in the game. He took Vanek off of that line, put Gaustad in and he scored. We don't know what would have happened if Vanek had stayed on that line, but obviously Lindy didn't like what Vanek was doing and wanted to try something.

I respect your opinion but on this one vehemently disagree. Living in Pittsburgh I watch a ton of Pens game and even on his worst nights Crosby doesn't get nailed to the bench. The times he loses his composure or he takes a shot and needs to sit for a little bit yes Therian will sit him but when he is not going well what Therian does do is move him around in all the combinations or puts Malkin back with him to get him going, he does not NAIL him to the bench.... and I disagree with Lindy doing that to best player on the team when half the other team deserves it as much or more, you can lose a player or team that way.

I believe that he just wants to keep pushing him further because he knows that Thomas still hasn't reached his full potential.

See bolded above I think you can make a case you can also over coach a situation and IMHO opinion he is treading there by singling TV out when a some of the other core guy's lets pick Miller for instance should be held accountable.