GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Eleven]

I DO have a problem with the loss, and this one falls squarely upon Miller's shoulders. His mind was not in it tonight at all--several times, he was caught out of his crease (saved some, lost at least one), gave up silly rebounds, got caught standing still, took a penalty that any seven-year-old wouldn't take, etc. He needs rest, even if it's his mind and not his body that needs it. He should have had it tonight, absent some physical problem with Lalime (which is a possibility given Ruff's remarks about how tired he was after one period on the road trip). The paying customers on Wednesday want to see a rested Miller, but we won't; we'll see either a tired Miller or a rested Lalime. I'm annoyed.

 

Dammit, the Sabres HAD this one, and Miller blew it. Yeah, I guess there have been enough times when Miller saved the team's collective butts, but wow, he stunk tonight.

[SwampD]

I'm hoping this is sarcastic...

Nope. It was a good game. They didn't give up. They made mistakes and they paid for 'em. But that was THEIR fault. I believe we will beat Pittsburgh the next time we play them.

 

And unlike what many were saying, This was NOT a must win game.

[SabresFan526]

Nope. It was a good game. They didn't give up. They made mistakes and they paid for 'em. But that was THEIR fault. I believe we will beat Pittsburgh the next time we play them.

 

And unlike what many were saying, This was NOT a must win game.

Actually, I kind of agree. It was actually a very entertaining game. I'm frustrated as a Sabres fan, but it was a great and entertaining game. I thought the Sabres, especially the forwards, played really well tonight. They showed the balanced scoring by getting goals from 4 different guys. Vanek and Roy both played really well tonight, and they got two PP goals. It's very difficult to complain about the play of the forwards tonight. And, they battled hard and tried to come back and almost did come back.

 

Like I said before, this loss is on Miller and the very poor play of the defenseman who made ill timed pinches with no one covering for them. In those situations, it's really a bad read by the defenseman because they should pinch if they think someone will cover, but every time they pinched all three forwards were deep in the zone and impossible to cover for the pinching defenseman.

[fiftyone]

Nope. It was a good game. They didn't give up. They made mistakes and they paid for 'em. But that was THEIR fault. I believe we will beat Pittsburgh the next time we play them.

 

And unlike what many were saying, This was NOT a must win game.

 

Coming into the game, I agree it was not a must win game. Once we were up 3-1 in the second, it turned into a must win game. It had nothing to do with the team we were playing, but I cannot agree to having no problem with any loss with a two goal lead with less than half a game to go.

[Stoner]

Just watched the highlights. On Crosby's first goal, the Pens had done their homework, making Miller pay for being so aggressive.

 

What a save on Vanek with 12 seconds or so to go. Vanek has to pot that.

 

Wow, is that crowd in Pittsburgh awesome. And has been historically. Everybody on their feet on every goal. And that's not a dig at Sabres fans. But Pens fans have to be in the top five in the league.

[repster]

Coming into the game, I agree it was not a must win game. Once we were up 3-1 in the second, it turned into a must win game. It had nothing to do with the team we were playing, but I cannot agree to having no problem with any loss with a two goal lead with less than half a game to go.

 

 

I agree with this. The Sabres should have been up about 5-1 in the second period. They didn't finish on multiple chances and they paid dearly for it. This team doesn't give up two goal leads and that's why the result should be seen as a collapse. Pittsburgh has been a little bit like Ottawa to the Sabres over the years and the way this one went, it was pretty typical. It leaves a real sour taste in your mouth and with Ottawa waiting for them back home, it's almost time to start asking questions.

[carpandean]

Ugh. Frustrating game. After the early goal against, they controlled the game and built a nice two-goal lead. Then, ten minutes of mental breakdowns against the worst possible players and Miller losing his focus, and it was all gone. They did a nice job to get back into it at the end, but not quite enough.

 

Oh well, at least they can look forward to an easy game on Wednesday. :death:

[darksabre]

Ugh. Frustrating game. After the early goal against, they controlled the game and built a nice two-goal lead. Then, ten minutes of mental breakdowns against the worst possible players and Miller losing his focus, and it was all gone. They did a nice job to get back into it at the end, but not quite enough.

 

Oh well, at least they can look forward to an easy game on Wednesday. :death:

 

I just want to say, that I think that the Sabres will win on Wednesday, because Ottawa is now no longer a garbage team.

[SabresRepublic]

I agree with this. The Sabres should have been up about 5-1 in the second period. They didn't finish on multiple chances and they paid dearly for it. This team doesn't give up two goal leads and that's why the result should be seen as a collapse. Pittsburgh has been a little bit like Ottawa to the Sabres over the years and the way this one went, it was pretty typical. It leaves a real sour taste in your mouth and with Ottawa waiting for them back home, it's almost time to start asking questions.

 

DITTO!!!

 

The Sabres were on fire today - played an awesome game for the most part but let Crosby dictate the tempo in the 2nd.

In the 1st and then late in the 3rd the Sabres were unreal with their attack and almost buried Pit. Again, defensive mistakes

were the difference - but because it is a game played on ice mistales will factor in the won/loss outcome regardless!

 

The pinching by Rivet that caused a goal was unacceptable for a veteran of his ilk - and the captain to boot. Miller definitely had an off night

but overall this work-in-progress played an interesting regular season game which I'm sure meant a lot more to Pit than Bflo. Had we gone up 4 - 1 it would have been over and Fleury did a great job preventing that from happening.

 

Bring on the Sens and redemption - perhaps. I don't think it is a must win for the Sabres because I believe that when the playoffs start - and by that time we will have perfected our system for every conceivable situation - the desperation will start. The Sabres are relatively healthy because they play an up tempo smart game which forces the opposition to play to our strength and it has also allowed for continuity and development by the players. The best is yet to come - GO BUFFALO SABRES!!!

[frisky]

Critical mistakes and loss of focus sink them again. It's costing them points and I think they could end up out of the top 4 before the Olympic break. I don't have confidence they can buck the Ottawa trend. I can't hardly remember the last time we beat those guys. Frustrating.

[Kristian]

DITTO!!!

 

The Sabres were on fire today - played an awesome game for the most part but let Crosby dictate the tempo in the 2nd.

In the 1st and then late in the 3rd the Sabres were unreal with their attack and almost buried Pit. Again, defensive mistakes

were the difference - but because it is a game played on ice mistales will factor in the won/loss outcome regardless!

 

 

The problem is I'm seeing a pattern here.

 

We seem to lose those games where we dominate for stretches.

 

That's 6 losses in our last 7 road games now. Ouch....

 

The problem we usually have with the Pens, is that we always seem to stray from the gameplan and try to run and gun with them. Happened again tonight, and it always hurts us. That's either "we stray from the gameplan", or Lindy's on drugs.

 

Same problem we have with the Sens. As soon as the puck is dropped, it's a skating contest.

[Calvin]

We played '05-'06 hockey yesterday, offensively at least.. and the end result was the reason that Lindy doesn't want us playing run-and-gun any more. I'd be very very surprised if Lindy doesn't have us playing the trap when we visit Mellon Arena again

 

As for the mistakes and defensive lapses - unforgivable. These have been building up the last few games and we got punished by the better offensive teams in the league: Sharks, Canucks & now the Pens.

 

Ruff needs to inflict some punishment and instill some discipline, and it has to be done now. All these things he learned from the other Canada coaches about treating the players humanely and all that BS.. it stops now.

 

If the players are not getting the message when its being sugarcoated then the smackdown must follow. This smells like the beginning of the annual Lindy-tuneout which we've gotten used to the last couple of years.

[end the curse]

Anybody have an update on Kaleta?

[R_Dudley]

Anybody have an update on Kaleta?

 

Badly bruised foot, x-rays negative.

[Stoner]

Anybody have an update on Kaleta?

 

Bruised foot. X-rays negative. Day to day. Per WGR.

[end the curse]

Badly bruised foot, x-rays negative.

 

Thanks. Status for Ottawa?

[R_Dudley]

Thanks. Status for Ottawa?

 

Unknown, you know with Lindy it's almost always keep them(other team) guessing. Given he tried unsuccessfully to take another shift last night and was not able I'm willing to bet he will still be too sore to get the skates back on tomorrow. That type of injury could keep him out a couple games.