GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[darksabre]

That was evident last night. The Pens top players go at it with more energy than Patrick Kaleta does. The Sabres get nowhere near that level of effort from their so called "top six forwards." Crosby has a ring and still plays as if he has something to prove. And yet players like Connolly, Roy and Vanek dare to take shifts and even games off. I would love to hear them explain what they feel they have accomplished in this sport that affords them the right to take nights off.

 

Agreed 100%.

[Kristian]

Let's not fall in to that trap. The team did a great job of keeping the Pens chances down. 24 shots over 65 minutes is a pretty solid effort. There were numerous times were Lalime was flopping around out of position, much like on the Kunitz goal. The Sabres did a great job of getting sticks and bodies in front of some wide open nets. The Sabres had 20 blocked shots for the game. Many of which were on the power play with pucks heading towards a empty net.

 

Like I've said many times before, the guy's a backup.

 

Everyone on the team should feel the difference when he plays, and as such he needs to be bailed out at times.

[Kristian]

That was evident last night. The Pens top players go at it with more energy than Patrick Kaleta does. The Sabres get nowhere near that level of effort from their so called "top six forwards." Crosby has a ring and still plays as if he has something to prove. And yet players like Connolly, Roy and Vanek dare to take shifts and even games off. I would love to hear them explain what they feel they have accomplished in this sport that affords them the right to take nights off.

 

No argument from me there, but unfortunately I've come to accept that this is all we're going to get from those guys, and as such I can't get worked up about it anymore.

 

Even though I probably should.

 

I'm still banging my "move at least two brat-packers" drum though, just not with much vigor and energy.

[darksabre]

No argument from me there, but unfortunately I've come to accept that this is all we're going to get from those guys, and as such I can't get worked up about it anymore.

 

Even though I probably should.

 

I'm still banging my "move at least two brat-packers" drum though, just not with much vigor and energy.

 

Oh dear they've gotten to you too! :(

[nfreeman]

- Kennedy continues to be the best Sabre on most nights.

He's really coming on, isn't he? I liked him with Pommer and Mac (and thought TC with Gaustad and Grier was a pretty good line as well).

 

I don't think he was hurt. I think with all the powerplay and penalties in the third, his time was cut because he mostly plays even strength. That's probably why you didn't see much of Ellis in the third period either. I also suspect that Lindy wanted to ease him back and make sure he wasn't too hurt, so he didn't play much on the PK tonight, although I did see him out there for a few seconds on the PK earlier in the game. Don't think he was hurt, just precautionary would be my guess.

This was my guess (hope?) as well.

 

Could be a preview of the Eastern Confernce Finals.

Love the optimism, but I don't think this team is getting enough out of its top 2 lines to win 2 rounds in the playoffs. I can see them winning one, though, especially if they win their division.

 

For those who have Center Ice or GameCenter who don't always get the BFLO feed, did anybody have to listen to the Pittsburgh announcers? I get to listen to a lot of out of town announcers on GameCenter and these guys just might be one of the worst in the league. Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey (sorry) couldn't possibly fit all their excuses for not beating BFLO into oblivion into one broadcast. If Lalime wasn't lucky, it was bad calls, lucky bounce for BFLO or all the missed shots. Between the second and third periods I must have heard them list off the number of missed shots that Pitts had compared to their actual SOG. It became obvious that they're used to their superstars not getting penalties that the rest of the players in the league would normally get. They didn't even seem to notice when they did something wrong. At one point during the game they actually forced themselves to say they were actually impressed with BFLO's play...... like the Sabres were supposed to be honored to be playing the SC champions.

 

Sorry for the rant. :rolleyes: I've heard other announcers around the league who I thought were pretty good and will give them credit, but these guys just made me :sick: .

Interesting -- I thought they were among the best opposing announcers I've heard this year.

 

The lack of offensive production may have replaced backup goalie as the number one concern for this team.

Absolutely.

 

That was evident last night. The Pens top players go at it with more energy than Patrick Kaleta does. The Sabres get nowhere near that level of effort from their so called "top six forwards." Crosby has a ring and still plays as if he has something to prove. And yet players like Connolly, Roy and Vanek dare to take shifts and even games off. I would love to hear them explain what they feel they have accomplished in this sport that affords them the right to take nights off.

Another good one.

 

Separately, I thought the Sabres played great team defense last night against a superior team. If their "top 6" weren't such a bunch of SGMs, esp. on the PP (and esp. Roy, who seems constitutionally unable to take care of the puck in the offensive zone, although he was very good on the backcheck), we'd really be onto something.

 

Also, I'm really happy to have Gaustad and Grier back.

 

And Myers is great.

[LabattBlue]

I'm still banging my "move at least two brat-packers" drum though, just not with much vigor and energy.

I'd definitely move one and am not opposed to moving two.

[SabresRepublic]

Just Cause:

 

1. Those were some of the more frightening Buffalo PPs in a long time. Pitt had two QUALITY chances to score a shorty. I'm sure Staal is waking up with nightmares..

 

2. Lalime was either good or lucky.. I can't figure out which. Nonetheless, getting a quality start from your backup should not be window dressed on this board.

 

3. Hecht should have been benched after the first five minutes. He made consistently bad choice after bad choice. Just wasn't his night.

 

4. The PP is so easy to defend. Any team that presses the blueliners will have success in knocking the puck out of the zone.

 

5. The PK ran around at times, but still managed to hold Pitt off the board. Kudos and props for a job well done.

 

6. Roy, Connolly, Lalime and Grier all took hard hits in that game.. Pitt comes to play.

 

7. Buffalo lost the game last night on the PP... It just looked blah..

 

8. The lone Pitt goal should never have happened if Grier gets the puck under control. That was clearly a defensive breakdown.

 

9. Malkin with back to back minor penalties.. tsk, tsk..

 

10. Long 5 on 3 and no score.. When the didn't score, they didn't deserve the W.. So I'm estatic with the point.

 

 

You make several good points regarding the PP. The streamed feed I had must have been from the Pens but the announcers kept repeating how lucky the Pens were because Vanek wasn't there. I agree, 0 for 8 on the PP, Vanek there and this game is different.

 

It seems perhaps that Vanek pulled a muscle (groin injury) when he did that wraparound goal.

Overall, methinks V is still a bit gun shy from the fractured jaw/concussion of last year.

He'll come around and the Sabres will put together at least a ten game winning streak before this season ends.

 

 

The Pens played with great energy and the Sabres matched else we lose in regulation.

Patrick Lalime was lucky at times NOT unlike the man Ryan Miller. For both of them, good goaltenders are lucky - lucky goaltenders are good! :thumbsup:

 

How many times have we failed on a 5 on 3? At least three games I can remember were scoring in that situation and we win instead of losing.

 

PP coach: What Is Your Problem? :wallbash:

[Kristian]

Oh dear they've gotten to you too! :(

 

It's the Sabres way, apparently :beer:

[rbochan]

...PP coach: What Is Your Problem? :wallbash:

Considering as of Sunday, McCutcheon's off PP duties, I'd say plenty.

[Stoner]

Considering as of Sunday, McCutcheon's off PP duties, I'd say plenty.

 

Source?

[Calvin]

It seems perhaps that Vanek pulled a muscle (groin injury) when he did that wraparound goal.

Overall, methinks V is still a bit gun shy from the fractured jaw/concussion of last year.

He'll come around and the Sabres will put together at least a ten game winning streak before this season ends.

I think I read somewhere that TV was still hurting from a shot he took in the belly from Myers, I'm assuming during a PP.

[SwampD]

I think I read somewhere that TV was still hurting from a shot he took in the belly from Myers, I'm assuming during a PP.

Lindy said that in the presser after the Penguin's game.

[carpandean]

I think I read somewhere that TV was still hurting from a shot he took in the belly from Myers, I'm assuming during a PP.

It was the one against the Rangers that Roy ended up scoring on after TV took Myers' shot in the gut, collected it and then backhanded it toward the net:

 

http://sabres.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?hlg=20092010,2,470&event=NYR75&fr=false

 

You can tell that it hurt when he got hit and even after the goal was scored.

[rbochan]

Source?

It was mentioned on the NHL Network yesterday, but I've seen no links for it yet. He's not out of the organization, just out of the PP coaching. Patrick has taken over that aspect.

[Stoner]

It was mentioned on the NHL Network yesterday, but I've seen no links for it yet. He's not out of the organization, just out of the PP coaching. Patrick has taken over that aspect.

 

It'll be interesting to see if this surfaces "locally." You'd think Vogl would have worked this into his power play story today.

[SabresRepublic]

It was mentioned on the NHL Network yesterday, but I've seen no links for it yet. He's not out of the organization, just out of the PP coaching. Patrick has taken over that aspect.

 

Just saying! Methinks, somebody with a name Patrick (first or last) should do the trick!!!

:D