Knightrider Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 7:30 start tonight. There's no reason they shouldn't be able to pick another two points tonight... Go Sabres!
Strow Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 A game the Sabres SHOULD win, so Ill go Tampa 3 Sabres 2. Miller plays well but the guys start the break a game early.
Guest Sloth Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 A game the Sabres SHOULD win, so Ill go Tampa 3 Sabres 2. Miller plays well but the guys start the break a game early. I wouldn't be surprised if that happend, but I like to think the players are not satisfied w/ the number of wins they've had in the last 10 games. I hope they're fired up. If the players are feeling like that, they'll win 4-2. If not, they'll get spanked by a mediocre team.
DR HOLLIDAY Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 3-0 Sabres 2 goals for Vanek and 1 for Lydman................ :beer:
BeeWhy5 Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Buffalo has really been impressing me lately. There aren't that many times during a game in the last ten that you can point out deficiencies with the Defense. A few giveaways here and there but they have been really solid, especially having to rotate people in and out due to having 8 healthy DMen at one point, and now injuries. Miller has looked great and Tim Connolly is hot. I think they will come out hungry again tonight and really lay into a Tampa team that is ready for the break. 5-2 Buffalo. GO SABRES!!
Guest Sloth Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I know a number of people hate talking about it, but when Tim Connolly is playing the Sabres are a far better team. If only the guy could stay healthy. Man, I hope my talk of Connolly doesn't get him hurt.
bottlecap Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I could use a sabres blow-out of tampa going into the all-star break.
deluca67 Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Buffalo has really been impressing me lately. There aren't that many times during a game in the last ten that you can point out deficiencies with the Defense. A few giveaways here and there but they have been really solid, especially having to rotate people in and out due to having 8 healthy DMen at one point, and now injuries. Miller has looked great and Tim Connolly is hot. I think they will come out hungry again tonight and really lay into a Tampa team that is ready for the break. 5-2 Buffalo. GO SABRES!! I can list a dozen or so reasons why I disagree with this statement. In an attempt to be more positive I will pass. This is two points the Sabres have to bank. Play hard from the opening face-off to the final horn and they should beat Tampa. Tampa does talent upfront so if the Sabres decide to give one of their half-ass efforts they could end up giving away two points. I just hope Lindy doesn't do anything stupid like play Lalime. There have been a few back up goalies placed on waivers lately. The Sabres should take a serious look. Lalime sucks.
Guest Sloth Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 A Sabres blow out would be a great way to enter the the all-star break, because they'd go into it w/ a lot of confidence. January has often been known as the make or break month. Last year the Sabres broke down big time. Aside from the Chicago game (I have mixed thoughts on the Detroit game), Buffalo has played well this month and I hope it continues.
R_Dudley Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 A game the Sabres SHOULD win, so Ill go Tampa 3 Sabres 2. Miller plays well but the guys start the break a game early. I wouldn't be surprised if that happend, but I like to think the players are not satisfied w/ the number of wins they've had in the last 10 games. I hope they're fired up. If the players are feeling like that, they'll win 4-2. If not, they'll get spanked by a mediocre team. Agreed as bolded. We cannot take Tampa lightly and they are a pretty big team across the forward ranks, as I recall last game we played against them they tried to play us real physical and it had a nasty edge to it. I expect they will use that style again tonight at least from the muggers on the team (Recchi, Malone, Artyuchin, Downie, Halpern, Pettinger, Koci). So IMHO I would not try and go toe to toe with them and trade hit for hit because I'm afraid we lose a player or two to injury. So lets use our speed and talent with the opportune timed forechecks to make the most of another bottom feeder. If done as afore mentioned I also say Bflo 4-2 with the empty netter
nfreeman Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I can list a dozen or so reasons why I disagree with this statement. In an attempt to be more positive I will pass. This is two points the Sabres have to bank. Play hard from the opening face-off to the final horn and they should beat Tampa. Tampa does talent upfront so if the Sabres decide to give one of their half-ass efforts they could end up giving away two points. I just hope Lindy doesn't do anything stupid like play Lalime. There have been a few back up goalies placed on waivers lately. The Sabres should take a serious look. Lalime sucks. Not sure I agree that he sucks, but I am sure that he's not going anywhere in light of his 2-yr contract. Separately: a Sabres win and a Philly loss (to Atlanta, which isn't that likely, but Atlanta did beat the Habs last night) puts us 2 pts behind them for #6 in the EC. If NJ loses also (to the Habs), we're 4 pts behind them for #5. I'd like to see Vanek get out of his rut. He's in that make-a-fancy-pass-with-low-likelihood-of-connecting-instead-of-shooting mode that he was in the entire 1st half of last year. But he's historically fattened up his numbers against TB. I'd also like to see something out of Pommer and Hecht (although I think Hecht has been playing better the last few games). I wouldn't mind seeing Lalime tonight, but it makes sense to play Miller in light of the upcoming break. Miller has really been in the zone lately.
carpandean Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Other than Vanek, they have five days off after tonight, so there's no excuse for not playing hard. I wouldn't mind seeing Mair and/or Gaustad fight again. Miller should start. Would be great to go into the All-Star break on a high note and with the #7 slot more comfortably established.
SwampD Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I can list a dozen or so reasons why I disagree with this statement. In an attempt to be more positive I will pass. This is two points the Sabres have to bank. Play hard from the opening face-off to the final horn and they should beat Tampa. Tampa does talent upfront so if the Sabres decide to give one of their half-ass efforts they could end up giving away two points. I just hope Lindy doesn't do anything stupid like play Lalime. There have been a few back up goalies placed on waivers lately. The Sabres should take a serious look. Lalime sucks. That's just another way of saying they need to give a 60min effort which you got crap for last game. ;) I know it doesn't seem like it but in the last ten games, the Sabres are 7-3. I'll take that every ten games. And that bodes well for the months ahead. In the middle of a long season if they can play mediocre hockey and still come away with that many wins, then if they pull it together they can really make a good push into the playoffs.
carpandean Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I know a number of people hate talking about it, but when Tim Connolly is playing the Sabres are a far better team. If only the guy could stay healthy. Man, I hope my talk of Connolly doesn't get him hurt. I would argue that the Sabres are a far better team with another true scoring-line center. I haven't seen enough out of Connolly since his return to say that he's doing anything really special. He's definitely filling the position better than a converted two-way winger with little playmaking or faceoff ability, but he's not doing much that we couldn't get elsewhere if needed. I know it doesn't seem like it but in the last ten games, the Sabres are 7-3. Even in their last 20 games (they actually won their 21-ago game, too, but I'm going with a round number), they are 12-6-2, which is 65% of points, well above playoff pace. If they can keep anywhere near that, they should make the playoffs without a problem. It starts by winning these "should win" games.
NowDoYouBelieve Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Our guys realize how closely Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Florida are chomping at their feet, so I say the Sabres come out strong and firing this evening. Miller has another good effort and we take the game 4-1. Two goals for Pommer, one for Vanek, and one for Macarthur.
shoveldog Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I would argue that the Sabres are a far better team with another true scoring-line center. I'll throw my $.02 behind that statement. I'm a fan of Tim's when he's healthy because he's got the talent to be an elite playmaking center. Irony sucks but we're two playmaking centers and a puck moving defenseman (who can clear our zone) away from being a true top contender... :wallbash:
BetweenThePipes00 Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I would argue that the Sabres are a far better team with another true scoring-line center. I haven't seen enough out of Connolly since his return to say that he's doing anything really special. He's definitely filling the position better than a converted two-way winger with little playmaking or faceoff ability, but he's not doing much that we couldn't get elsewhere if needed. I don't think he was saying Connolly was THE BEST scoring line center in the league ... of course they would be a far better team with a true scoring-line center, like Crosby or Savard or Thornton ... the list goes on. But they are better than they were without him. Irony sucks but we're two playmaking centers and a puck moving defenseman (who can clear our zone) away from being a true top contender... :wallbash: Yup ... and even if they had signed those guys to the much-rumored deals they supposedly would have signed, it would have cost them $12-15 million total ... and they'd have had no room to deal for Rivet so they'd be even softer than they are now and we'd be worrying about Pominville getting poached as a RFA after this season ... it's ancient history, so much has happened since then ... they f'd up, let it go.
carpandean Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I'll throw my $.02 behind that statement. I'm a fan of Tim's when he's healthy because he's got the talent to be an elite playmaking center. While there are glimpses here and there, I haven't really seen "elite" in the past two seasons. He is capable, probably very good, but I'm not convinced of "elite". However, I do like having two capable centers a lot more than one. Irony sucks but we're two playmaking centers and a puck moving defenseman (who can clear our zone) away from being a true top contender... :wallbash: Are you demoting Roy to the third line? Putting him on the wing? Sure, I'd love to have such depth at center that a guy like Roy is third in line, but that's not going to happen.
shoveldog Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Yup ... and even if they had signed those guys to the much-rumored deals they supposedly would have signed, it would have cost them $12-15 million total ... and they'd have had no room to deal for Rivet so they'd be even softer than they are now and we'd be worrying about Pominville getting poached as a RFA after this season ... it's ancient history, so much has happened since then ... they f'd up, let it go. I'm not living in the past... I don't know if we could have or should have done things differently. I'm not an insider in the organization and I have to trust that the guys who know what they are doing made decisions that they felt were the right decisions for the organization at the time. But, you gotta admit the cruel irony that the team needs are exactly what we had.
carpandean Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I don't think he was saying Connolly was THE BEST scoring line center in the league ... of course they would be a far better team with a true scoring-line center, like Crosby or Savard or Thornton ... the list goes on. But they are better than they were without him. My point was: of course they are better, because they actually have a capable person in that position. It was more in reference to the "I know a number of people hate talking about it, but when Tim Connolly is playing the Sabres are a far better team" comment. The only thing that I hate is that we've counted on him in that position again this year. I have no problem talking about how we would be better with any true center (not even a true #1) in that position, Connolly or not.
shoveldog Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 While there are glimpses here and there, I haven't really seen "elite" in the past two seasons. He is capable, probably very good, but I'm not convinced of "elite". However, I do like having two capable centers a lot more than one. I didn't say he "IS" elite, I said he's got the talent "to be" elite. You may disagree and that's OK. But I stand by my assessment. I think a healthy Timmy would be a terror in this league and a guy capable of pushing 100pts a season regularly. In my book, that's elite.
nfreeman Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Yup ... and even if they had signed those guys to the much-rumored deals they supposedly would have signed, it would have cost them $12-15 million total ... and they'd have had no room to deal for Rivet so they'd be even softer than they are now and we'd be worrying about Pominville getting poached as a RFA after this season ... it's ancient history, so much has happened since then ... they f'd up, let it go. You took the words right out of my keyboard, although for all 3 of them I think it would've been closer to $17MM -- which only reinforces your point. I'm not living in the past... I don't know if we could have or should have done things differently. I'm not an insider in the organization and I have to trust that the guys who know what they are doing made decisions that they felt were the right decisions for the organization at the time. But, you gotta admit the cruel irony that the team needs are exactly what we had. OTOH, it's pretty GD hard to argue with this. I didn't say he "IS" elite, I said he's got the talent "to be" elite. You may disagree and that's OK. But I stand by my assessment. I think a healthy Timmy would be a terror in this league and a guy capable of pushing 100pts a season regularly. In my book, that's elite. I swore up and down that I wouldn't start daydreaming this way again, but I can't help it! It's true! Hockey gods: how 'bout giving us a measly little break and keeping him healthy for the rest of the year and the playoffs? Is that so much to ask? After all the anguish? And down he goes, down down the slippery slope...
carpandean Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I didn't say he "IS" elite, I said he's got the talent "to be" elite. You may disagree and that's OK. But I stand by my assessment. I think a healthy Timmy would be a terror in this league and a guy capable of pushing 100pts a season regularly. In my book, that's elite. Sorry for my knee-jerk reactions, but I can't stomach the thought of the Sabres going into another season with Connolly as their #2 (or #1) and Hecht backing him up at center. I expect they will use that style again tonight at least from the muggers on the team (Recchi, Malone, Artyuchin, Downie, Halpern, Pettinger, Koci). No Artyukhin; he was suspended for two games.
inkman Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Irony sucks but we're two playmaking centers and a puck moving defenseman (who can clear our zone) away from being a true top contender... :wallbash: OTOH, it's pretty GD hard to argue with this. I think it's pretty easy to argue with this. Those two years were proof that they were not good enough to win it all. Were they a more explosive team, sure. Did they have what it takes to win the cup? It didn't happen, and I don't think without some serious updgrades in the grit department, it would have happened. ...and please leave the "if we didn't have all the injuries" garbage out of here. Part of grit and toughness is having players who don't get hurt or play through the pain.
NowDoYouBelieve Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I think it's pretty easy to argue with this. Those two years were proof that they were not good enough to win it all. Were they a more explosive team, sure. Did they have what it takes to win the cup? It didn't happen, and I don't think without some serious updgrades in the grit department, it would have happened. ...and please leave the "if we didn't have all the injuries" garbage out of here. Part of grit and toughness is having players who don't get hurt or play through the pain. Oh come on, we were definitely cup worthy in 06-07, even with a depleted defense. The team was one period away from the opportunity of steamrolling the Oilers. I still can't say for sure why we fell apart against the Sens in 07-08, but game 7 against the Canes was our chance and we blew it.
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