GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Doohicksie]

Thoughts on tonight's game:

 

1. This was a two-martini game, so if I babble, please be charitable. :rolleyes:

 

2. I thought Paetsch had a rough first game the other night. Tonight, he convinced me he's the perfect 7th D-man. He's unassuming; he made a few outstanding plays tonight, and considering he can play forward if necessary he's the a nice asset to have sitting around.

 

3. The Sabres are so much better this year.

 

4. Grier is part of the reason.

 

5. Kennedy and Meyers too. Meyers needs to stay with the big club.

 

6. Kaleta has become an outstanding 2-way player, capitalizing on the odd scoring chance, but by no means a defensive liability. He is sooooo much better than Peters who was a one-dimensional player.

 

7. Miller is in the ZONE.

[shrader]

that was weird... Pominville crashes Brodeur... yeah you read it right.. Pominville...

 

There must have been a second sniper on that one because Brodeur sure as hell looked like he got shot.

[rickshaw]

Impressive. 4-1 against NJ is awesome no matter how you slice it.

 

7-1-1. Nice! Now, the suspenseful question. What will Buffalo do with Myers?

[SwampD]

There must have been a second sniper on that one because Brodeur sure as hell looked like he got shot.

YES!!!!!

 

Any other goalie gets a dive on that.

 

...I hate that he's earned it...

[LabattBlue]

Game thoughts...

 

- That was a GREAT road game against a quality team.

 

- The shots on goal may have been in favor of the Devils in the 3rd, but that was a good effort to protect a one goal lead coming into the period.

 

- Ellis was very good. Sometimes hustle doesn't get you anywhere, but tonight it seemed to be paying off.

 

- The Sabres seemed to get physical play from guys who haven't been doing it. I saw Kennedy, Myers, Butler and others all with at least one good hit.

 

- Miller is on his game. Those two saves in the 3rd were money!

 

- Pominville with a nice goal and an even better play breaking up the pass with his skate on the 2 on 2 in his own zone.

 

- I thought Brodeur flopped in a big way on the penalty to Pominville and should have been called for diving.

 

- Grier-Kennedy-Hecht with another solid game. Congrats to Kennedy on his first NHL goal!!

 

- I know Montador has taken some grief early on, but I continue to like his game as a bottom pairing blueliner. His skating is underrated.

 

- I don't know what has happened to Tallinder's play, but I like it A LOT!

 

- MacArthur with another goal to get the Sabres going early.

 

- I thought Vanek had a few nice chances and played better than he has in several games.

 

- I mentioned Butler previously, but I have noticed him playing more physical the last two games. Nice job birthday boy!

 

- Credit to Lindy as he seemed to have the team really ready to play tonight!

 

GO SABRES!!!!

[darksabre]

I like winning hockey games. :) If we can (and there's no reason we shouldn't) win out the last two games of October, I'll be very close to convinced that we have a pretty good hockey team this year.

[Stoner]

Hank didn't even seem to be distracted by the Swedish Fish sign on the end boards. What a night.

[JujuFish]

7-1-1 ..31 GF . 17 GA.. Perfect, I say perfect on the road.. 1st place in the NorthEast... 3rd in the Conference after nine games

They're currently first in the conference if you order by points percentage. That said, Pittsburgh had a slightly better 9-game record at 8-1. Still, a very good record to start the season. With the New Jersey test aside, they have a decent chance to go 9-1-1 or even 10-1-1 with games against Toronto and a home-and-home with the Islanders.

[Doohicksie]

- Ellis was very good. Sometimes hustle doesn't get you anywhere, but tonight it seemed to be paying off.

 

I lived in Detroit for 6 years so I follow the Wings. Ellis is a product of their system, in the same mold as say, Kirk Maltby. Very quiet, unassuming player but always working hard. The Wings are actually a pretty good farm team for the rest of the NHL in that they produce more quality players than they can handle and the rest of the league benefits from that.

[Stoner]

So where does that leave Mair? I talked about Peters as addition by subtraction, and I almost feel the same way about Mair. When I think about last season, I see Mair standing outside the Senators lockerroom, flapping his gums.

[Two or less]

Team played great again. They took it to the Devils in the first period and set the tone really early, kinda like i feel they have been doing a lot of this season. There hasn't been too many games they come out flat and turn it up. Second period needed work, Devils were by far the better team in the 2nd and Ryan Miller has been playing great. I thought, besides not staying out of the box, the third was more even. Sabres had quite a few chances but Devils had more. But as the Devils pbp people said, its not quantity but quality and Sabres limit the quality chances.

 

Derek Roy needs to get of his funk.

 

One guy i also have to give praise is, Chris Butler. I questioned him a lot in training camp when everyone was saying he's a lock to be top 4 and i kept saying let's hope he doesn't hit the sophomore jinx like Mike Weber did, but man Butler has been great all season and tonight i thought he might have been our best blueliner. Even on that 2 on 1 when he slid, i thought that was heck of a play despite still allowing the pass go by.

 

And of course, congrats to Timmy Kennedy for his first NHL goal which in turn is the game winning goal. That must be a hell of a feeling.

[Two or less]

So where does that leave Mair? I talked about Peters as addition by subtraction, and I almost feel the same way about Mair. When I think about last season, I see Mair standing outside the Senators lockerroom, flapping his gums.

 

LOL yeah... that was the most awkward "trash talk" i've ever seen. Someone's gonna have to go but honestly i don't see how they don't keep Mair around. Although, Cowen and McCormick can do everything Mair can.

[SarasotaSabre]

This may have been mentioned earlier; if so my apologies - that blind no-look dish from Ellis to Goose for the 3rd goal was a thing of beauty....hard work + artistic beauty = another one for the Goooooose.....

[Doohicksie]

This may have been mentioned earlier; if so my apologies - that blind no-look dish from Ellis to Goose for the 3rd goal was a thing of beauty....hard work + artistic beauty = another one for the Goooooose.....

I can't disagree with that. :thumbsup:

 

When the Sabres had the good season and almost got to the Cup Finals a few seasons back, losing to the Canes, they had a boatload of youth on the squad, along with steady veterans. That very much reminds me of this season's team so far. The rookies are playing over their heads, or at least over our expectations for them. If they can keep it up and keep the energy level of this team up, this could be a great season for Buffalo hockey.

[Two or less]

This may have been mentioned earlier; if so my apologies - that blind no-look dish from Ellis to Goose for the 3rd goal was a thing of beauty....hard work + artistic beauty = another one for the Goooooose.....

 

Agreed. Same as Kennedy's goal. But Ellis has been playing great. As someone above me wrote, the guy who lives in Detroit, compared his game to Kirt Maltby is totally right. Ellis is playing awesome and what a steal by Regier to get him from the Los Angeles Kings.

[Doohicksie]

the guy who lives in Detroit, compared his game to Kirt Maltby is totally right

 

That was me. But I live in Fort Worth, Texas now. Go, ummmm.... Stars.... or something like that.... <_<

[Two or less]

Impressive. 4-1 against NJ is awesome no matter how you slice it.

 

7-1-1. Nice! Now, the suspenseful question. What will Buffalo do with Myers?

 

What suspenseful question? Only the conspiraciest keep thinking it's some kind of debate if he goes or stays. The kid is staying. The Sabres don't have to announce it 4 games in and allow the kid to ease up.

[Two or less]

That was me. But I live in Fort Worth, Texas now. Go, ummmm.... Stars.... or something like that.... <_<

 

Yeah, i just mis-worded it. And i was too lazy to look back to find the user name haha, sorry but great point by you none the less. And, watching the Stars/Leafs game on right now. So, def go Stars and Loui Erikkson/Mike Ribiero (fantasy purposes).

[Two or less]

Also some interesting stats-

 

-Sabres 4-0-0 on the road

-Sabres best team 5v5 in NHL

-Sabres lead NHL in shots for

-Paul Gaustad #1 in faceoff %

 

Not too shabby.

[wnyguy]

Just wanted to stop in and say how much I like the play of Clark MacArthur. Not only is he putting the puck in the net, but that guy forechecks like a madman.

[Stoner]

Also some interesting stats-

 

-Sabres 4-0-0 on the road

-Sabres best team 5v5 in NHL

-Sabres lead NHL in shots for

-Paul Gaustad #1 in faceoff %

 

Not too shabby.

 

I wonder if they also lead the league in least amount of time trailing.

[matter2003]

That was me. But I live in Fort Worth, Texas now. Go, ummmm.... Stars.... or something like that.... <_<

 

Booo!! Booo!! No Goal...No Goal...err...umm...nevermind....

[...]

Also some interesting stats-

 

-Sabres 4-0-0 on the road

-Sabres best team 5v5 in NHL

-Sabres lead NHL in shots for

-Paul Gaustad #1 in faceoff %

 

Not too shabby.

 

 

That's a 69.1% for the Goose. Nice!

 

Also, interesting, Tallinder is 6th for +/- if that means anything to anyone (Myers is 12th).

[rickshaw]

What suspenseful question? Only the conspiraciest keep thinking it's some kind of debate if he goes or stays. The kid is staying. The Sabres don't have to announce it 4 games in and allow the kid to ease up.

 

guess I should have inserted a sarcasm face in my post. there is no suspense. although i just read this....

 

Sabres rookie defenseman Tyler Myers played his ninth NHL game on Wednesday. Under NHL rules, the 19-year-old's three-year rookie contract kicks in if he plays his 10th game, making Myers eligible to test free agency a year earlier than most players in his draft class. The other option would be to send Myers back to junior hockey, but the 6-foot-8 first-round pick is playing so well it might be hard for Buffalo to do that.

 

"We're going to look at it," Ruff said. "That's something we're going to talk about."

 

Yeah, look at where he's going to live instead of the hotel.

[EdwardSauve]

Hello again everyone. I haven't posted in a while, but I was at the game tonight and just wanted to share some thoughts.

 

1.) I friggin' love the way this team plays again. Call me crazy, but Mike Grier being back makes me say hmmm...

 

2.) They announced the attendance as 14,111, but I think they meant to say 14,111 didn't show up for the game....

 

3.) Congrats to Tim Kennedy.

 

4.) Tonight was Trick or Treat night at the "Rock". They gave us free Swedish Fish as we left. My only complaint is that the vendors in the aisle were trying to sell Swedish Fish to the fans during the 3rd period. That's just rotten.