GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[...]

Honestly, Paille = the suck.

 

We have Mr. The Skill and Mr. The Suck.

[repster]

20 minutes isn't enough to win on the road against a team like Calgary, Chicago or Detroit as we've now found out.

 

On to Phoenix. I thought this would be the toughest game of the trip. Too bad Miller had a bit of an off night. I guess it's time to give Lalime another start, and get Miller focused again.

[Foligno's Nose]

At least you don't have to watch TSN cover it, i hate pierre!!! ???

 

Blasphemy!

Gord Miller and Pierre Mcguire may are the best tandem in hockey. (No sarcasm here).

They have been favorites of mine for some time.

Great preparation, excellent insight, & no-holds-barred opinion from PM.

Plus...the innovators of the in-between-benches color man (was the both of them originally).

Gord made a good move and headed back up to the booth.

Remember when Kotalik clocked PM in the head (you-tube it).

 

The start time tonight is to accomodate the double-header broadcast on TSN across Canada.

The simulcast on the NHL network is simply for the American audience.

 

Caught-up with this one right after Paille made the great play to almost put us up by one.

It went downhill fast from there.

Oh well.

 

Good second game coming up here: Preds @ Canucks.

[Bmwolf21]

Was it just me or did Spacek look real slow out there tonight?

[TheMadCap]

Was it just me or did Spacek look real slow out there tonight?

He couldn't have been slower than Hecht. Did he win ANY puck races tonight? Kotalik, ugg, just awful. He's the new Max, and that's not good. Pommers needs to find his groove again...

[SwampD]

Blasphemy!

Gord Miller and Pierre Mcguire may are the best tandem in hockey. (No sarcasm here).

They have been favorites of mine for some time.

Great preparation, excellent insight, & no-holds-barred opinion from PM.

Plus...the innovators of the in-between-benches color man (was the both of them originally).

Gord made a good move and headed back up to the booth.

Remember when Kotalik clocked PM in the head (you-tube it).

 

The start time tonight is to accomodate the double-header broadcast on TSN across Canada.

The simulcast on the NHL network is simply for the American audience.

 

Caught-up with this one right after Paille made the great play to almost put us up by one.

It went downhill fast from there.

Oh well.

 

Good second game coming up here: Preds @ Canucks.

I like Pierre as well, although he did call Max a gamebreaker.

[ROC Sabres]

Blasphemy!

Gord Miller and Pierre Mcguire may are the best tandem in hockey. (No sarcasm here).

They have been favorites of mine for some time.

Great preparation, excellent insight, & no-holds-barred opinion from PM.

Plus...the innovators of the in-between-benches color man (was the both of them originally).

Gord made a good move and headed back up to the booth.

Remember when Kotalik clocked PM in the head (you-tube it).

 

The start time tonight is to accomodate the double-header broadcast on TSN across Canada.

The simulcast on the NHL network is simply for the American audience.

 

Caught-up with this one right after Paille made the great play to almost put us up by one.

It went downhill fast from there.

Oh well.

 

Good second game coming up here: Preds @ Canucks.

Sorry, i kinda have a thing against hockey games played in Canada hosted by Canadian announcers who do nothing but suck Canadian teams........................ stats

[carpandean]

- Weak first period. Bad Butler give away. Weird goal on Miller (2nd.)

- Very good second period. Took back the momentum.

- Great start to the third with several key chances to take the lead. Then, BOOM, it all fell apart.

 

Calgary is definitely the best team that they play on this road trip, so I'm not surprised that they lost, but I was hoping that they could at least take it to overtime.

[tulax]

Sorry, i kinda have a thing against hockey games played in Canada hosted by Canadian announcers who do nothing but suck Canadian teams........................ stats

 

I think the best part of the broadcasts are the companies I've never heard of. Other than Toyota and Molson, it's nice to see a little Canadian advertising. Pizza 73? ATB Investments? Bell? I honestly feel like I've missed something totally new if I dare leave the computer.

 

On another note, hopefully there is no team bonding field trip during this 2 day break.

[Lethbridge Broncos]

A few thoughts:

 

#17 MAG

 

Has NO business being on the ice -- as a defender. He is a terrible defender, terrible. I like his game -- but he is a forward. His first step all game long was up ice, and against a cycling, grinding, forechecking and ragging the puck team -- he looks silly. And when Miller covers the puck, this kid refused to box out rushing forwards. Until that whistle blows, this kid needs to be whacking away with passion. WAY WAY TO SOFT. I assume he is being showcased for a trade -- otherwise he needs to be moved up front. I guess he is only 21 -- but he not a defender in the NHL.

 

Butler

 

No problem with his play. He is a competitor and he has been rock solid all year. One of two bum plays, who cares. He is the 4th best defender on this team now.

 

Peters

 

Should not be in the lineup. Ruff should have puck chasers and guys that can track defenders down and smash them into the end boards every shift. Insted, Peters, LIKE EVERY GAME SINCE HE WAS IN BANTAAM, is drifting around the neutral zone like he is the queen of sheba. This guy is terrible along the dahser and where the pucks always are. Why he is always under the scoreclock drifting around -- i dont know. Simply taking a roster spot.

 

Miller

 

Let one soft goal -- but it was at a bad time. This is a game of momemtum -- and timing. The goal was soft by Deon, but more importantly, at the wrong time. Miller is the guy, he will bounce back.

 

Paille

 

Played better tonight. He needs to play physical or he should not be in the league. He stick skills are average; his shot is average. He doesnt know how to go to the net, he can't find soft spots in the offensive zone and he is an average passers. If he doesnt hit -- he is a useless winger on this team.

 

Stafford

 

Again, reminds me a slower Mike Modano at the wing position. Uses his legs to shield the pucks on rushes and drives the net with great timing. Head is always up and he never seems to take huge body checks. Shifty, very savvy in the neutral zone with give and goes and being able to get a step on defenders on the edge. This guy is coming into his own. If he can polish his skills (his hands are not perfect), he could be an All Star.

[Knightrider]

I like Pierre as well, although he did call Max a gamebreaker.

 

And for better or worse, he is!

[SabresFan526]

Honestly, not too surprised by the loss tonight. You have to expect a letdown game after such a blowout win last night. And, Calgary is much better than Edmonton. I'll take the loss if we can get wins against Phoenix and Anaheim and come out of this segment of the road trip with 6 out of 8 points. I'll be real happy with that.

[carpandean]

Honestly, not too surprised by the loss tonight. You have to expect a letdown game after such a blowout win last night. And, Calgary is much better than Edmonton. I'll take the loss if we can get wins against Phoenix and Anaheim and come out of this segment of the road trip with 6 out of 8 points. I'll be real happy with that.

In the grand scheme, big picture view, I totally agree. But, damn, I hate getting no points in a game tied through 47 minutes.

[bob_sauve28]

Another two points for Timmy Connelly! Wow!

[Foligno's Nose]

Shame they couldn't hang with them the last ten minutes or so.

Kipper makes big-time save on Paille's tremendous effort.

Bertuzzi makes awesome move on Miller for the go-ahead.

Lydman may have to take the penalty ther instead of letting him go in alone. (hindsight, 20/20, yada, yada....)

 

Much has been spoken about Lindy's handling of the goalies. Here we go again.

I have to say that you cannot play Miller in back-to-backs.

Lalime needs the work and the Sabres need him to get the work.

I'm not saying we would have come out differently from this one, but I'm just saying.

There has to be some stats to back this up. I do not recall Miller playing well in back-to-backs.

 

They left him out to dry, aside from the klunker that Cammalleri scored.

Five shots in the third doesn't help either.

 

A couple of posts mentioned Butler's errors tonight.

Without seeing them, I have confidence that he will learn from them.

That is the bright side to playing the youth.

Now if Tallinder makes the same f-up...

[SwampD]

And for better or worse, he is!

oof. I didn't think of that.

[BuffalOhio]

How is it that Buffalo has to play the 2nd game of a back-to-back against a team that's been off since LAST WEDNESDAY?

 

Simply put, our boys gave it all they had to come back from 2-0, but then they ran out of steam.

 

And Peters is only playing because Mair was hurt blocking that shot last night and couldn't go.

[rickshaw]

Knew that some of the 10 last night could have been used tonight.

[ORSabre]

Bertuzzi waited for Miller to commit to the butterfly and threw it over his shoulder. Miller went down too early and it was almost like Bertuzzi was waiting for it...

[rickshaw]

Just watched the highlights. Man, 30 seconds earlier and we're up 3 - 3 if not for a huge save. Unreal.

[JujuFish]

Knew that some of the 10 last night could have been used tonight.

That's like saying you knew some of the goals from the inaugural season could have been used tonight. It's not like they keep a stockpile, and pick and choose where they're going to spend their goals.

[Kristian]

How is it that Buffalo has to play the 2nd game of a back-to-back against a team that's been off since LAST WEDNESDAY?

 

Simply put, our boys gave it all they had to come back from 2-0, but then they ran out of steam.

 

And Peters is only playing because Mair was hurt blocking that shot last night and couldn't go.

 

It's all very subjective. Had the situation been reversed, and we had lost, Lindy would've blamed the loss on the long layoff in a nanosecond.

 

The way the Oilers played last night, I honestly don't think it took THAT much out of the guys to beat them as soundly as they did. I mean, everything we fired on net went in, basically.

 

Anyway, did anyone seriously expect us to beat both The Oilers and Flames back to back? One out of two isn't bad in this case.

 

What does tick me off however, is that Ruff is back to his old #%^$#! with mishandling his backups. Lalime is going to stink royally next time he takes the ice, as little as he plays. This is one game where you should play your backup. You took the first game of two on the road - You play your backup for the second game, supposedly the toughest of the two, and anything you get is a bonus.

[james duncan]

It was what I'd call, a logical loss. Western trip, second game in two nights against a fresh team and a really banged up blueline. Detroit and Chicago were logical losses too. Definitely forgivable. But when you clinging to a playoff spot, every once in awhile it'd be nice to win a game like this or at least salvage a point. Onward.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Bertuzzi waited for Miller to commit to the butterfly and threw it over his shoulder. Miller went down too early and it was almost like Bertuzzi was waiting for it...

 

LOL, I think Miller played that fine, Bertuzzi looked like the old 50 goal scorer that he once was on that play............Miller made some mistakes last night, but this one wasn't his fault.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Honestly, Paille = the suck.

 

We have Mr. The Skill and Mr. The Suck.

 

He did make that one sweet move and Kipper had to make a wicked toe save to stop it.