GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[carpandean]

It didn't work, but I think we all got an idea of what Kovalchuk would have done to Miller on a shootout breakaway....

Yeah, I like to think that we lost in a really short shootout; Vanek missed badly and Kovalchuk finished it off.

[McJeff215]

I was there and agree with most comments.... one thing worthy of note... the Phillips arena folks put "This just in -- Sabres to play 20 home games in Hamilton, Ontario this year." And then they popped up "April Fools." I got a kick out of the fact that they did that.

 

Almost the entire upper deck empty. Not as many Sabres fans this year though.

[val james]

This team cannot handle any pressure.

[bottlecap]

This team is now dead.

[billsrcursed]

This place is about to get a LOT quieter....

 

(why does "quieter" look so weird???)

[SabreInFla]

T.O. called Golisano after the game. "hey Tommy getcha microphone ready!"

[FogBat]

T.O. called Golisano after the game. "hey Tommy getcha microphone ready!"

:w00t: :lol: :thumbsup:

 

Then again, OSP might say that he was using a figure of speech. After all, he did try to run for public office a few times.

 

It's Newspeak, I daresay!!!

[FogBat]

With some of the comments that have been posted on here pertaining to the collective lethargy of the team, is there any other reason to have Complaint Thursday later on today?

 

EDIT: I wish I didn't have this extremely sick feeling that the Sabres FO wants to tell us fans

.

[darksabre]

:lol: Buffalo Sabres :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:(

[Kristian]

"This is a playoff team.

 

There might just be reasons why we don't make it this year, but in my view, this is a playoff team"

 

Larry Quinn, April 2004.

 

Sound familiar? :bag:

[Hirly5]

I am a total Vanek homer but if I see him do another form of the toe drag when he is one on one with a defenseman I am going to shoot myself. I think he did 5 variations of the toe drag in the game and everytime the defenseman just stood him up. I thought Roy's bonehead play was bad in OT but Vanek topped him. I will say though, with the Sabres recent shoot out history, it might have already been over when the shoot out started.

 

Sorta off topic here but why do other teams elite players always shoot in the first 3 in the shoot out yet Vanek continually never does? Pretty much across the board in the NHL the top forwards partake in the shoot out yet Vanek is usually 5th or 6th. That frustrates me.

[inkman]

Sorta off topic here but why do other teams elite players always shoot in the first 3 in the shoot out yet Vanek continually never does? Pretty much across the board in the NHL the top forwards partake in the shoot out yet Vanek is usually 5th or 6th. That frustrates me.

Perhaps this sums it up pretty well. A whopping 16.7% success rate or 1 for 6 if that helps. He didn't even crack the top 150 in the NHL. I wouldn't put him out there in the first 10 shooters if I was Lindy.

[james duncan]

I am a total Vanek homer but if I see him do another form of the toe drag when he is one on one with a defenseman I am going to shoot myself. I think he did 5 variations of the toe drag in the game and everytime the defenseman just stood him up. I thought Roy's bonehead play was bad in OT but Vanek topped him. I will say though, with the Sabres recent shoot out history, it might have already been over when the shoot out started.

 

Sorta off topic here but why do other teams elite players always shoot in the first 3 in the shoot out yet Vanek continually never does? Pretty much across the board in the NHL the top forwards partake in the shoot out yet Vanek is usually 5th or 6th. That frustrates me.

 

Jagr rarely used to. Drury rarely. Vanek is more of shooter rather than a deker--just my guess.

I can't/won't pin this loss on Vanek. If not for his two goals, they lose in regulation. The real problem is no one else on the team could score on a 13th place team's backup goalie. I chalk the ending up to inevitability rather than Vanek's giveaway.

[wonderbread]

So i guess this team will now go on a tear and beat Detroit, Washington and Boston. They couldn't even beat lowly ATL. What a joke. eleven you have a great point about Lydman. Toni with an I is gay.

[Stoner]

With some of the comments that have been posted on here pertaining to the collective lethargy of the team, is there any other reason to have Complaint Thursday later on today?

 

EDIT: I wish I didn't have this extremely sick feeling that the Sabres FO wants to tell us fans

.

 

What collective lethargy? Have you been watching? You can't question their effort this last little while, IMHO. But it does make most of the rest of the season very maddening to think about.

[Guest Sloth]

Atlanta owns the Sabres in the must win games. It's been like that for the past 3 seasons. I am not surprised w/ the outcome.

[Stoner]

I am a total Vanek homer but if I see him do another form of the toe drag when he is one on one with a defenseman I am going to shoot myself. I think he did 5 variations of the toe drag in the game and everytime the defenseman just stood him up. I thought Roy's bonehead play was bad in OT but Vanek topped him. I will say though, with the Sabres recent shoot out history, it might have already been over when the shoot out started.

 

Sorta off topic here but why do other teams elite players always shoot in the first 3 in the shoot out yet Vanek continually never does? Pretty much across the board in the NHL the top forwards partake in the shoot out yet Vanek is usually 5th or 6th. That frustrates me.

 

Vanek supporter here too. I've been beating the drum for more ice time after all. But the one thing that has always bugged me about him is that there's no extra "gear" when he's breaking in on goal. He looks lazy. I know he's not. He just has that casual, effortless style. And I know there's another gear, because he absolutely hauled ass on the backcheck last night. All these guys have things to give we don't see very often. Why isn't it being brought out? I go back to coaching.

[bottlecap]

There was a certain inevitability about last night. It seemed like a fitting way to end the season...

a perfect illustration of why this team can't advance to the playoffs...they can't beat teams that

are under them in the standings. It's been that way all year long with the probably the sole exception

being Toronto. But all these mediocre teams seem to have the Sabres number.

 

Vanek hasn't looked the same since Volenchkov (intentionally?) shot the puck at his face. I think he's been playing scared. He plays like the slug he wears on his jersey and certainly not anywhere near 7 mil/ year. Vanek-Roy-Pominville might have set the world on fire in Rochester, but in the NHL they are sometimes-only performers.

[Stoner]

There was a certain inevitability about last night. It seemed like a fitting way to end the season...

a perfect illustration of why this team can't advance to the playoffs...they can't beat teams that

are under them in the standings. It's been that way all year long with the probably the sole exception

being Toronto. But all these mediocre teams seem to have the Sabres number.

 

Vanek hasn't looked the same since Volenchkov (intentionally?) shot the puck at his face. I think he's been playing scared. He plays like the slug he wears on his jersey and certainly not anywhere near 7 mil/ year. Vanek-Roy-Pominville might have set the world on fire in Rochester, but in the NHL they are sometimes-only performers.

 

HELLO!!!!!

[carpandean]

At least Vanek wasn't making excuses. In response to "[the OT giveaway] kinda ruined what had been a good night for you," Thomas replied "not really." I was about to be pissed off, but he continued "a couple of PP goals, but 5-on-5, I think that first goal was on me too." Then, finished with "it's tough when you let your teammates down like I did tonight." Scored two goals, but still holding himself accountable for losing the game in OT.

 

I actually liked Miller's response to a similar question about a mistake ruining an otherwise good night for Vanek. He replied "ah, yeah, but I could have bailed him out, too, so I don't feel to good about that ... that's why you've got six guys on the ice to compete." OK, there were only five guys, because it was OT, but the point was right.

[Mbossy]

What did I like about last nights game? Bogosian. This 18 yr old kid's got some future. Atlanta has him locked up for 2.7 mill until 2010-11 season.

[Hirly5]

Vanek hasn't looked the same since Volenchkov (intentionally?) shot the puck at his face.

That is a bush league statement. The shot hit Vanek's stick then deflected up into his face.

 

Back to the shoot out statement. I think this offseason Vanek needs to work on his one on one moves which would then translate into making him a better shoot out player. Vanek's new slogan should be, "JUST SAY NO TO THE TOE." By toe i mean toe drag because no one should say no to the toe.

[james duncan]

What did I like about last nights game? Bogosian. This 18 yr old kid's got some future. Atlanta has him locked up for 2.7 mill until 2010-11 season.

 

I didn't know he is only 18. Agree. Scrappy and a nice shot. Seemed like he was all over the ice. I was thinking last night, "This guy is a lot better than Schenn."

[sabresnutinphoenix]

This team is officially wearing a toe tag...

[billsrcursed]

Vanek supporter here too. I've been beating the drum for more ice time after all. But the one thing that has always bugged me about him is that there's no extra "gear" when he's breaking in on goal. He looks lazy. I know he's not. He just has that casual, effortless style. And I know there's another gear, because he absolutely hauled ass on the backcheck last night. All these guys have things to give we don't see very often. Why isn't it being brought out? I go back to coaching.

 

You're often right when you post. This is one of those times.

 

I, too, have a bad feeling the reason this team is not playing consistantly is because of coaching. Shame, too, because I really like Ruff, but something or someone is not driving these guys to play 110% on a nightly basis.

 

Someone else posted in another thread that Lindy and Darcy would be great in the minors, eluding to Ruff being a "Teacher of the game", etc., but that at this level, you need more of a leader. That's what I think it is. While most of our guys are young and need to be taught some things, they pretty much know the game of Hockey. What they REALLY need is a leader, and while slapping the C on someone is great and all, leadership SHOULD come from the top. I don't see this with Lindy. But hey, I'm not in the locker room and I'm not at the practices, so who knows...