GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[FearTheReaper]

Not much time remaining though. This isn't 06/07.

[FogBat]

Not much time remaining though. This isn't 06/07.

That was also the same season where we spanked the Broad Street Beavers 9-1. We won the President's Trophy and the Flyers were dead last in the league.

[SwampD]

I'm glad the Sabres waited until they were down 3 in the third to start skating.

[FearTheReaper]

That was the year the teams entire design was based on offense. Vanek-Roy-Max was the thrid line. Scoring 5 goals was a minimum with that team. We used to own this team,post lockout. Man how times have changed.

[wjag]

Empty Buffalo Net

 

Carcillo gets an empty netter

 

 

 

Buffalo: :worthy: :worthy: Broad Street Beavers: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored:

[FearTheReaper]

That seals it. Cant wait to see a strungout Miller in Net tomorrow.

[Stoner]

To Miller's credit, he bounced back very well after the Flyers' fourth goal. Lindy might be tempted to put Miller back on the horse tomorrow night.

[korab rules]

Mr. Softie is back! That 3rd goal was brutal.

[FearTheReaper]

I'm glad the Sabres waited until they were down 3 in the third to start skating.

 

I think that showed alot of "accountability" quite frankly. And to think this was a Philly team without Briere,and Gagne. Fu...ck it'll be 8-3 Philly next time if those guys return.

[korab rules]

I think that showed alot of "accountability" quite frankly. And to think this was a Philly team without Briere,and Gagne. Fu...ck it'll be 8-3 Philly next time if those guys return.

That looked like last year's team. Piss poor effort. Grrrrrr!

 

Luckily I have my kids' games tomorrow to get me in a good mood again before Boston tomorrow night. Miller in net or Enroth's debut???

[nfreeman]

Well, Miller picked a lousy time to go out to lunch. Without his 2 softies, both at killer times, it was a pretty even game. The sabres looked not ready for prime time a few times but carried the play at other times. Philly looked the best team the sabres have seen this year.

 

Stafford and MacArthur have been quiet for a while and vanek was invisible tonight.

 

Hecht handled the puck like an ox tonight.

 

On to Boston.

[korab rules]

Well, Miller picked a lousy time to go out to lunch. Without his 2 softies, both at killer times, it was a pretty even game. The sabres looked not ready for prime time a few times but carried the play at other times. Philly looked the best team the sabres have seen this year.

 

Stafford and MacArthur have been quiet for a while and vanek was invisible tonight.

 

Hecht handled the puck like an ox tonight.

 

On to Boston.

TV was invisible because he was stapled to the bench for extended periods, and when he wasn't, Roy was taking bad angle shots which resulted in rebounds onto Philly sticks and odd man rushes in the opposite direction.

 

The new "system" wasn't on display this evening.

[korab rules]

TV was invisible because he was stapled to the bench for extended periods, and when he wasn't, Roy was taking bad angle shots which resulted in rebounds onto Philly sticks and odd man rushes in the opposite direction.

 

The new "system" wasn't on display this evening.

In the glimpses I had of TV he seemed to be skating well. The team abandoned the system because no one wanted to forecheck against Pronger

[JujuFish]

Well, Miller picked a lousy time to go out to lunch. Without his 2 softies, both at killer times, it was a pretty even game.

You and I watched very different games.

[carpandean]

Was I the only one who thought that just one of the Sabres had a good game ... Tallinder?! :blink:

 

Admittedly, I was working during the game, but I watched enough of it to see him do a lot of good things.

[Eleven]

Was I the only one who thought that just one of the Sabres had a good game ... Tallinder?! :blink:

 

Admittedly, I was working during the game, but I watched enough of it to see him do a lot of good things.

 

Tallinder was exceptionally good. Sorry, JuJu, but I think nfreeman is right; Miller really didn't play well at all tonight. His play was very poor, actually.

 

For the first fifteen minutes, the Sabres were all over the Flyers. Nearly the entire first period was in the Philly zone. Then, the doubt seemed to creep into the Sabres' helmets, right after the first Flyers goal. That was a problem last year--the deflation after the other team scores--and I really would have expected Ruff & crew to have addressed it. Apparently, it was not addressed correctly and/or completely, because the Sabs absolutely folded tonight at 2-0. The feigned attempt at a comeback at 4-1, then 4-2, was weak.

[JujuFish]

Tallinder was exceptionally good. Sorry, JuJu, but I think nfreeman is right; Miller really didn't play well at all tonight. His play was very poor, actually.

I wasn't referring to Miller's obvious poor play. nfreeman said that the game was otherwise even, which I cannot agree with.

[Calvin]

The new "system" wasn't on display this evening.

Boy am I glad I wasn't home to watch this game.. from the sounds of it, it must have been brutal.

 

Looks like the buy-in to the new system is not complete yet.. I'd rather they spent the earlier part of the season getting punished for it than discovering this in january

[Eric in Akron]

Well, some thoughts about last night's game. Despite a lot of whiffed passes, the Sabres should have been leading after the first period. Two open nets totally missed. One by Stafford, who also missed a wide open net two nights ago.

 

I think Pommers needs to change his stick. Over the last 3 years he has consistently been atrocious with puck handling(Over skates puck along the board, whiffs on simple passes). A guy at the NHL level should not consistently suck in this category. Especially a 1st or 2nd line guy.

 

After last night's game, you would think that he is training the rest of the team on puck handling with the way the team played. Every time they were carrying the puck out of the zone, I thought 3 stooges. It was embarrassing.

 

Hopefully tonight they get a "handle" on things.

[deluca67]

Well, Miller picked a lousy time to go out to lunch. Without his 2 softies, both at killer times, it was a pretty even game. The sabres looked not ready for prime time a few times but carried the play at other times. Philly looked the best team the sabres have seen this year.

 

Stafford and MacArthur have been quiet for a while and vanek was invisible tonight.

 

Hecht handled the puck like an ox tonight.

 

On to Boston.

This team needs to make a decision on Vanek. Is he a elite offensive player or not? He's paid like one. 15 minutes of ice time is a joke. Play him like a top forward in this league or trade him before he loses value.

 

A Friday night home game against a hated rival and this roster went into the game with the enthusiasm of a adult male going in for a circumcision. Zero effort across the board. Losing is one thing, not showing up is another. They have a chance to rebound against a struggling Bruins team. Beating the Bruins won't take the sting off of last night. They should have no problem picking up the next for points. I want to see how they look next Friday and Saturday. Hopefully they can be bothered enough to show up.

[wjag]

Just Cause:

 

1. How many shots did the Sabres start at the net that completely missed? About as brutal a shooting night as I can remember. The difference was the Phiily shots started at the net, found it or a player to deflect..

2. Until Roy said it, I didn't appreciate how often they lost puck battles last night.

3. It could have been worse if Carter got it going last night.

4. Excellent PK last night.. PP was pretty good too.

5. I know there is a difference of opinion here, but Miller played pretty well IMO. Three of those goals were deflections. He stoned at least three breakaways I can recall.

6. Following up number 1 above, the Sabres took a bunch of terrible angle shots last night. The quality of the shot making wasn't there.

7. Philly attacked the puck handlers last night and caused a bunch of turnovers.

8. For the first game in many, the Grier-Kennedy-Hecht line looked off.

9. Held their own in faceoffs again. Nice trend emerging. Especially controlling the offensive zone ones.

10. Philly was just better.

[Stoner]

This team needs to make a decision on Vanek. Is he a elite offensive player or not? He's paid like one. 15 minutes of ice time is a joke. Play him like a top forward in this league or trade him before he loses value.

 

A Friday night home game against a hated rival and this roster went into the game with the enthusiasm of a adult male going in for a circumcision. Zero effort across the board. Losing is one thing, not showing up is another. They have a chance to rebound against a struggling Bruins team. Beating the Bruins won't take the sting off of last night. They should have no problem picking up the next for points. I want to see how they look next Friday and Saturday. Hopefully they can be bothered enough to show up.

 

Agree on Vanek. Three minutes of ice time in the second period, with the game in the balance. It is beyond ridiculous at this point.

 

I don't agree that effort was the problem. I doubt effort is ever an issue in professional sports. Quitters don't make it this far in athletics. Citing a lack of effort is the last bastion of those who don't understand the game, like Jerry Sullivan. I surely don't include you in this group, DeLuca, so I am giving you a Lindy Ruff mulligan.

[Stoner]

Just Cause:

 

1. How many shots did the Sabres start at the net that completely missed? About as brutal a shooting night as I can remember. The difference was the Phiily shots started at the net, found it or a player to deflect..

2. Until Roy said it, I didn't appreciate how often they lost puck battles last night.

3. It could have been worse if Carter got it going last night.

4. Excellent PK last night.. PP was pretty good too.

5. I know there is a difference of opinion here, but Miller played pretty well IMO. Three of those goals were deflections. He stoned at least three breakaways I can recall.

6. Following up number 1 above, the Sabres took a bunch of terrible angle shots last night. The quality of the shot making wasn't there.

7. Philly attacked the puck handlers last night and caused a bunch of turnovers.

8. For the first game in many, the Grier-Kennedy-Hecht line looked off.

9. Held their own in faceoffs again. Nice trend emerging. Especially controlling the offensive zone ones.

10. Philly was just better.

 

5. You didn't believe Harry and Rick's weak defense of the fourth goal, did you? That was never deflected. Miller whiffed. Pronger's shot wasn't deflected either, but Rivet set a lovely screen. Bottom line is that every goaltender in history can say they made a bunch of great saves in games, but got unlucky four other times. Miller was OK -- except when he was allowing two of the worst goals of his career. Unacceptable.

[SwampD]

This team needs to make a decision on Vanek. Is he a elite offensive player or not? He's paid like one. 15 minutes of ice time is a joke. Play him like a top forward in this league or trade him before he loses value.

 

A Friday night home game against a hated rival and this roster went into the game with the enthusiasm of a adult male going in for a circumcision. Zero effort across the board. Losing is one thing, not showing up is another. They have a chance to rebound against a struggling Bruins team. Beating the Bruins won't take the sting off of last night. They should have no problem picking up the next for points. I want to see how they look next Friday and Saturday. Hopefully they can be bothered enough to show up.

I agree with Eleven.

[bottlecap]

Tallinder was exceptionally good. Sorry, JuJu, but I think nfreeman is right; Miller really didn't play well at all tonight. His play was very poor, actually.

 

For the first fifteen minutes, the Sabres were all over the Flyers. Nearly the entire first period was in the Philly zone. Then, the doubt seemed to creep into the Sabres' helmets, right after the first Flyers goal. That was a problem last year--the deflation after the other team scores--and I really would have expected Ruff & crew to have addressed it. Apparently, it was not addressed correctly and/or completely, because the Sabs absolutely folded tonight at 2-0. The feigned attempt at a comeback at 4-1, then 4-2, was weak.

 

ah yes, the "Here we go again" syndrome. I don't think I've ever seen a Sabres team conciously try to bank it off the back wall and other players for goals like I did last night. That's a real distraction...you can't play your games actively looking for places to bank the puck off of for goals, you have to make plays.