GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Kristian]

While I definitely expected a better outing than against the Sens, I certainly didn't expect such a roller-coaster ride as this.

 

Nice win, but being up 3-0 and 4-1 only to have to tie the game 5-5 in the dying seconds has to be attributed to the current depleted lineup. I know SJ has their injuries too, so I guess that worked out in our favor.

 

Good win indeed, and now we'll fail to show up for the next game.

 

Trust me, everytime I get a positive vibe about this team, they produce a stinker just to make me look bad, so I hereby take full responsibility in advance :D

[Bmwolf21]

3. I really want to see Lalime on Sunday. Miller needs a break.

Agreed. Miller looks a little off - he has faced a lot of shots lately and looks like he might be losing his edge a little.

[smith]

just noticed that 4/5 of our goals were off of shots from the point.

 

hmmmmm......

[LabattBlue]

Was it you Jack or Labatt that said they are 1-8 when showing up in person?

Me. I think it is 1-7 and the bad news is....I will be there tomorrow. :cry:

[Corp000085]

There's literally only two things that could have made this any sweeter:

 

1) obviously no plane crash

 

2) that game was in the playoffs.

 

 

 

 

This game was for the ages. I just hope it carries over to sunday and the rest of the season. Assuming the Sabres get healthy, i'd buy a sharks/sabres finals. That would be a great series.

[wjag]

Relive the magic thanks to YouTube!

 

Game tying goal:

 

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Full shootout:

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I love Lalime's emotion after the goal. One other interesting note is that, as someone has mentioned after previous games, Rivet actually left the ice after Miller again. For years, Miller was always the last one off, but he has allowed the Craig to take that spot. I really am glad that he is our Captain.

Carpandean,

 

Thanks for posting these!!. I was traveling this week. When I landed at BWI, they were ahead 4-3. By the time I got my luggage they were down 5-4. I heard the last 5 minutes of the game on XM and of course the OT and SO as I was driving home. Nice to see you posted what I could only hear.

 

What a nice rebound game for the Sabres after the Sens series. Nice to see they can respond in a big way for a community who lost 40 or so citizens. Unlike many other flights, you just know that people on that flight were coming home to the city they have an indescrible love for.

[LabattBlue]

Game thoughts...

 

-Great comeback and I'm sure as has been mentioned, very reminiscent of the magic from 05-06 and 06-07.

 

-Good to see Pominville score a big goal and play better in general.

 

-Roy had a good game, but WTF was he doing, consumed with recovering Sekera's stick instead of covering the point man(who in turn scored)?

 

-Not to be lost in the joy, is the team blew a 4-1 lead in the 2nd and if not for the GTG would have been outscored and outplayed 5-1 over the last 45 minutes of the game. I know San Jose is one of the best teams in the league, but this wasn't San Jose coming back against the putrid Islanders. They have to do a better job of playing with the lead.

 

-Butler and Mair DO NOT want to see the replay of the Pavelski goal today.

 

-Very nice SO effort by Miller after a less than stellar SO performance against Ottawa. Also nice to see two guys score in the SO who normally aren't much of a factor in it(Pominville & Roy).

 

-Stafford didn't score, but he continues to impress after the early season funk.

 

-Ellis with a clean faceoff win that led to Kotalik's PP goal.

 

-I thought Paille was okay. He had a couple of nice hits and don't understand why he is repeatedly in Lindy's dog house.

 

-The PK giving up 2 goals and has now given up 8 goals in their last 6 games.

 

-Gerbe getting physical with Thornton along the boards. You have to give the kid an A+ for effort.

 

-What has happened to Jochen Hecht?

[Stoner]

This game was for the ages. I just hope it carries over to sunday and the rest of the season. Assuming the Sabres get healthy, i'd buy a sharks/sabres finals. That would be a great series.

 

Ehhhh. I just think we jumped on a road-weary West coast team at the beginning. For most of the rest of the night, the Sharks totally outclassed the Sabres. I don't think there's any way the Sabres could hang with the Sharks in a playoff series. I'd like to get a chance to be proven wrong though!

 

How many games in a row now have the Sabres been way off their game for long stretches? As BM point out, Miller is also showing signs of tailing off. Sabres need to get going in the right direction again.

[FearTheReaper]

I was disgusted at blowing the 3 goal lead,but pulling out the victory was astonishing.

 

I think Rivet is showing why Regier considered him to be an asset to our team last offseason. I loved his ability to join the rush and not leave a hole back on the d line.

 

Gerbe played very well also. He was a like a pest on the puck and his size was allowing him into prime scoring and set up areas. I think we got a sample of an 09/10 sabre line in Gerbe-Roy-Stafford. They had great chemistry out there. Gerbe certaintly looked NHL ready last night.

 

Its good to see Pommers finally hit the net. Its sad that it takes the loss of Vanek(and with him out,a void of offense),for Pommer to finally score. Lets see how he does from friday on out.

 

Jochen Hecht still continues to play poorly. :wallbash:

[FearTheReaper]

Relive the magic thanks to YouTube!

 

Game tying goal:

 

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmTJUehk5vI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmTJUehk5vI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

Full shootout:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_KrDwsGDBI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_KrDwsGDBI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

I love Lalime's emotion after the goal. One other interesting note is that, as someone has mentioned after previous games, Rivet actually left the ice after Miller again. For years, Miller was always the last one off, but he has allowed the Craig to take that spot. I really am glad that he is our Captain.

 

 

What a great point to make. :thumbsup:

 

I havent noticed the post game outro lately. Thats something that strikes me in a profound way. Miller is a very emotional player,and for him to share his off ice ritual with our new captain says alot. Thats truly a special thing,and it really showcases that this team is starting to pull together.

 

In a way,it gives me some hope. Maybe this team does have what it takes to be a consistant winner.

[carpandean]

-Also nice to see two guys score in the SO who normally aren't much of a factor in it(Pominville & Roy).

That's only partly true. They may not take as many as Al or Drew, but they've actually been factoring into several SOs. Roy is now 4 for 7 (57%) on the season. Pominville is 2 for 3 (66%) and was 2 for 4 (50%) last year. That is part of the reason why I am less convinced that losing Kotalik will mean a huge drop in points. Who knows if they could keep up their %'s if they were asked to take more, but they certainly seem capable of picking up some of Al's slack.

[Corp000085]

Ehhhh. I just think we jumped on a road-weary West coast team at the beginning. For most of the rest of the night, the Sharks totally outclassed the Sabres. I don't think there's any way the Sabres could hang with the Sharks in a playoff series. I'd like to get a chance to be proven wrong though!

 

How many games in a row now have the Sabres been way off their game for long stretches? As BM point out, Miller is also showing signs of tailing off. Sabres need to get going in the right direction again.

 

 

Hey, say what you want about who the better team was... The sabres won last night, and i'm pinning my hope on that.

[carpandean]

I love Lalime's Rivet's emotion after the goal. One other interesting note is that, as someone has mentioned after previous games, Rivet actually left the ice after Miller again. For years, Miller was always the last one off, but he has allowed the Craig to take that spot. I really am glad that he is our Captain.

:doh:

I don't know why, but that was the second time last night that I mixed those names up last night. I was telling my brother about the Sabres in Clarence and mentioned, for example, that Rivet's brother-in-law was in town and saw the plane going down ... it was actually Lalime's brother-in-law. While I am sure that Lalime was excited after the goal, it was Rivet's emotion that I loved.

[wjag]

Just 2 points separate five teams from 4th place in the EC.. Every point is essential now. Although Philly is 2 or 3 games in-hand on everyone...

[repster]

Carpandean,

 

Thanks for posting these!!. I was traveling this week. When I landed at BWI, they were ahead 4-3. By the time I got my luggage they were down 5-4. I heard the last 5 minutes of the game on XM and of course the OT and SO as I was driving home. Nice to see you posted what I could only hear.

 

What a nice rebound game for the Sabres after the Sens series. Nice to see they can respond in a big way for a community who lost 40 or so citizens. Unlike many other flights, you just know that people on that flight were coming home to the city they have an indescrible love for.

 

 

I was travelling this week as well but I had tickets to the game. My flight was supposed to leave Calgary at 10am and get into Toronto just before 4pm. Of course the plane had a maintenance issue and left an hour late. So luckily I made the right decision not to check my bag and brought it on the plane. I left Toronto at 5 and got home at 6:15, gave the wife a kiss and met up with my brother in Niagara Falls. Luckily the bridge was OK and got to the game right as the moment of silence was annnounced.

 

That was the loudest I have heard the arena since the 2006 playoffs - I thought for a second the demolition crews went to the wrong arena because it felt like the building was shaking. Nice extended standing "o" as well. Outstanding start - they came out with a lot of heart. Too bad they took the foot off the gas pedal for a while, but I had a great view of the most of the goals being 10 rows up right at the faceoff circle in the shoot twice end. Good for the town with all that's happened. They never quit. Loved the celebration at the end. One thing that got me going was how Nathan Gerbe outworked Joe Thorton along the boards in the third period. He battled and the boys got the mojo going again.

 

Hopefully I can see the same number of goals in my end of Sunday...Every game counts in a big way from here out. Beating Carolina in regulation would go a long way towards sticking a fork in them. I can't believe how close the race is between 4th and 10th (hopefully Pittsburgh keeps messing up and the race becomes for positioning).

[...]

I don't know what game some of you were watching, but I saw a game where the Sabres were the dominant team for the first and beginning of second periods. They weren't "outclassed" for 45 minutes - more like they were "outclassed" for most of the second and third periods, but not the entirety of those periods. And they played hard in the OT. And they WON in the SO.

[pukincrozier]

I will be tuning in for this bloodletting

How can anyone from Pittsburgh be a Sabres fan??

[carpandean]

In watching the noon (two hour) replay on MSG, I noticed how similar Mair's goal in the first was to Pominville's at the end of regulation. Rivet fired both in from the point and each was tipped about ten feet out just inside the near post.

[bob_sauve28]

I don't know what game some of you were watching, but I saw a game where the Sabres were the dominant team for the first and beginning of second periods. They weren't "outclassed" for 45 minutes - more like they were "outclassed" for most of the second and third periods, but not the entirety of those periods. And they played hard in the OT. And they WON in the SO.

Just win baby!

[carpandean]

How can anyone from Pittsburgh be a Sabres fan??

Maybe he wasn't born in Pittsburgh ... or are you asking how he has survived this long? ;)

 

 

Welcome to the board.

Grab a brew. :beer:

Don't cost nothing.

[darksabre]

In watching the noon (two hour) replay on MSG, I noticed how similar Mair's goal in the first was to Pominville's at the end of regulation. Rivet fired both in from the point and each was tipped about ten feet out just inside the near post.

 

You mean if you get players in front you can score goals? #%^$#!. About time this team figured it out. :D

[nucci]

Ehhhh. I just think we jumped on a road-weary West coast team at the beginning. For most of the rest of the night, the Sharks totally outclassed the Sabres. I don't think there's any way the Sabres could hang with the Sharks in a playoff series. I'd like to get a chance to be proven wrong though!

 

How many games in a row now have the Sabres been way off their game for long stretches? As BM point out, Miller is also showing signs of tailing off. Sabres need to get going in the right direction again.

I don't see where Miller is tailing off. He is pretty much the main reason we win games.

[spndnchz]

Like a movie script this one played out. Such emotion from the players, from the fans. Makes me want to change my sig.

 

I'd like to throw some props at Lindy for cutting the press conf short too. Classy.

 

Way to go Sabres. :thumbsup:

[james duncan]

Not sure why there were so many Shark fans in Bflo? I can see former Buffalonians in California, but Californians moving to Bflo? Could they have spawned that many frontrunners already?

I have to say I'm impressed by that team though--top to bottom. Damn good.

Very entertaining game! Rivet, Roy were awesome. If you have to give up a three goal lead, twice, that's they way to respond.

 

The Carolina and Philly games this week are big. (looks like they will all be til year's end.)

 

Will Miller ever get a night off? Here we go again.

[Bmwolf21]

I don't see where Miller is tailing off. He is pretty much the main reason we win games.

No disagreement that since the start of the new year he's been very good, but the last couple games he's been just a little off with his timing and positioning, giving up 8 goals on 58 shots against. A day off to rest and recharge probably wouldn't hurt, unless we're planning on burning him out now and hoping he has something left in the tank for the stretch run.