GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[LabattBlue]

Game thoughts...

 

- First time this season Columbus has won a game by 4 or more goals.

 

- Embarrassing road loss to a below average team

 

- Stafford not only drops the gloves, but drops Umberger to boot? Is his trade value at an all-time high? :lol:

[Stoner]

Wasn't it around this time last year that Pittsburgh fired their coach and they then went on to win the Stanley Cup?

 

 

Just sayin'.

 

Maybe I shouldn't have abandoned my web site plan. Damn!

[Stoner]

Do have any idea how hard and expensive it is to detach a conjoined-triplet?

 

You're on a roll!

[PromoTheRobot]

It's not like we've never seen this team before. But they usually arrive earlier in the season. Seriously this is the same team, with the exception of Kennedy and Myers, that crapped the bed the last two years. So now they waited until now to vanish. Is this team tired or just unmotivated?

 

PTR

[LabattBlue]

Craig Hartsburg just called me. He wants to update his quote( that is in my sig) to the following...

 

"There are NO teams in the NHL, NCAA, AHL, ECHL, OHL, WHL and even the QMJHL that are softer than the Sabres"

[theend]

I'm not going to pretend that this 4-game losing streak isn't worrying, but at the same time, we've played pretty well most of the season up until this point.

 

I think Darcy's comments the other day aren't exactly true, he's just trying to make the best of what he's set his table with. Ditto Lindy - he's done a good job refocusing on how to work with the resources he has.

 

The mistakes that are affecting us now were made when Drury and Briere left, and the remaining group was asked to step up and rewarded with larger contracts. Well, after two years of hovering outside the playoffs, they did step up at the beginning of this year. Now they're regressing. There's no way to know this would happen. Hindsight is always 20-20...but if Darcy had also let Roy, Pominville, Vanek, etc walk after Drury, Briere, etc...there would have been rioting because all the members of our 2005-2007 teams were getting away.

 

Now, that doesn't mean we shouldn't want to change anything... If someone offered us only draft picks for Hecht, Roy, or Pommers right now...I think Darcy would actually take it. But that isn't going to happen. We have to shed the weight of some of these contracts, and that's going to take a little while.

 

We can moan about past mistakes or try to look forward. And I think that's all that Lindy and Darcy are trying to do.

[SabresFan526]

I don't know what it is, but this team is playing lousy. Four straight losses this week. Guys who the Sabres have relied on defensively this year have just been horrible. I don't know what it is. Frankly, you can't even blame Lalime for this one tonight. A fluke goal and both PP goals were bad plays by the defenseman. Myers should have taken out Nash instead of trying to steal the puck on the PK. Rivet just let the puck go right through his legs to Torres and Lalime had no shot on that. Of course the fluke goal was totally random.

 

I really don't know what to say. The Pominville had so many fantastic scoring chances and missed on every single one. There were at least 3-4 shots Pominville had where he had an open net or could have scored and he missed each time. That's totally frustrating. I don't know what it is, but this team just looks off completely. This Olympic Break can't come soon enough.

 

The only positives I can take away from tonight was Stafford's fight and the fact that Toronto crushed Ottawa. It was good to finally see Stafford show some emotion and he really took it to Umberger. I loved it. And by total luck for the Sabres, Toronto just crushed Ottawa tonight ending their incredibly hot streak. So the Sabres still keep the lead in the Northeast, but just barely. Next week is going to be a critical week. The Sabres must get back into it and they have to win at least 2 of the 3 games before the Olympic Break.

[TheChimp]

Well, now that we saw what a brute Stafford really is, Darcy will be sure to trade him for a bag of pucks now.

[darksabre]

I chose to watch Bullitt instead of the game. Who's fault was it tonight?

[sabresnutinphoenix]

I'm not going to pretend that this 4-game losing streak isn't worrying, but at the same time, we've played pretty well most of the season up until this point.

 

I think Darcy's comments the other day aren't exactly true, he's just trying to make the best of what he's set his table with. Ditto Lindy - he's done a good job refocusing on how to work with the resources he has.

 

The mistakes that are affecting us now were made when Drury and Briere left, and the remaining group was asked to step up and rewarded with larger contracts. Well, after two years of hovering outside the playoffs, they did step up at the beginning of this year. Now they're regressing. There's no way to know this would happen. Hindsight is always 20-20...but if Darcy had also let Roy, Pominville, Vanek, etc walk after Drury, Briere, etc...there would have been rioting because all the members of our 2005-2007 teams were getting away.

 

Now, that doesn't mean we shouldn't want to change anything... If someone offered us only draft picks for Hecht, Roy, or Pommers right now...I think Darcy would actually take it. But that isn't going to happen. We have to shed the weight of some of these contracts, and that's going to take a little while.

 

We can moan about past mistakes or try to look forward. And I think that's all that Lindy and Darcy are trying to do.

 

 

we don't need picks for players at this point...WE ARE IN FIRST PLACE RIGHT NOW...Aren't we BUYERS not SELLERS..

[LabattBlue]

I chose to watch Bullitt instead of the game. Who's fault was it tonight?

I was flipping between the game and a movie on FX titled Death Sentence starring Kevin Bacon. Kind of a Death Wish ripoff, but not bad compared to the hockey game. :rolleyes:

[Saudi Arabia Rob]

I chose to watch Bullitt instead of the game. Who's fault was it tonight?

 

I couldn't agree more. I enjoyed watching Steve McQueen chase those thugs in two REAL muscle cars. The ending of that movie is always so bizarre. I just couldn't bear to watch the Sabres knowing they were going to lose.

 

The other night RJ was complaining that HSBC arena was so quiet. I think it's because Buffalo fans have been teased by this team so much, they just don't want to invest like they did a few years ago when they stood in the streets.

 

It's clear this team needs some on-ice/locker room leadership which they are lacking. Unless someone stands up, or they get some in a trade, it is going to be a tough road to hoe. Lindy can do all he wants, but until that team takes over it'll muddle into the playoffs and get knocked out early.

[zow2]

This team is not a playoff contender. Very disappointing. I just hope they can sneak in.

[millbank]

Beautiful Women Curling , PEI vs Ontario a much better option....

[theend]

we don't need picks for players at this point...WE ARE IN FIRST PLACE RIGHT NOW...Aren't we BUYERS not SELLERS..

 

Sorry if that came out the wrong way - I'm all in support of how well we're doing, and I'm mainly referring to how difficult it would be to make a trade that would make a significant impact on this team's psyche and performance.

 

I honestly think that buying right now is out of the question - not because we shouldn't do it, but because we probably can't. We're up against the cap, and no one wants the players we'd need to trade to have the room.

 

My reference to picks for players is b/c I think that's about all Darcy might get for people like Pommers, Roy, etc.

[Stoner]

I chose to watch Bullitt instead of the game. Who's fault was it tonight?

 

Roy would be a good goat. When the game was still 0-0 in the first, he had Mason at his mercy and couldn't lift it over him from in-tight. Some really dumb penalties again, something this team wasn't guilty of for most of the season.

[Eleven]

Beautiful Women Curling , PEI vs Ontario a much better option....

 

Hang on; Jennifer Jones isn't with either of those rinks.

[Stoner]

This team is not a playoff contender. Very disappointing. I just hope they can sneak in.

 

It would take a monumental collapse to miss. But they're 2-7-1 in their last 10 -- certainly a good start toward such a collapse.

[theend]

This team is not a playoff contender. Very disappointing. I just hope they can sneak in.

 

It's a little early to jump overboards, isn't it? Why is it that they play well for 60 games, and everyone's excited, and with one rough patch, the whole thing's done for? If they don't right the ship the first week after the Olympics after some rest and refocusing, then it's time to be concerned.

[darksabre]

I couldn't agree more. I enjoyed watching Steve McQueen chase those thugs in two REAL muscle cars. The ending of that movie is always so bizarre. I just couldn't bear to watch the Sabres knowing they were going to lose.

 

The other night RJ was complaining that HSBC arena was so quiet. I think it's because Buffalo fans have been teased by this team so much, they just don't want to invest like they did a few years ago when they stood in the streets.

 

It's clear this team needs some on-ice/locker room leadership which they are lacking. Unless someone stands up, or they get some in a trade, it is going to be a tough road to hoe. Lindy can do all he wants, but until that team takes over it'll muddle into the playoffs and get knocked out early.

 

TCM is trying very hard to make me stay in on a Saturday night. The Great Escape, Bullitt and now The French Connection. I'm not sure I like human interaction more than those movies.

 

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Glad to hear I'm still allowed to hate Derek Roy.

[Two or less]

It would take a monumental collapse to miss. But they're 2-7-1 in their last 10 -- certainly a good start toward such a collapse.

 

And Montreal riding a 3-game win streak. Just saying.

[deluca67]

It would take a monumental collapse to miss. But they're 2-7-1 in their last 10 -- certainly a good start toward such a collapse.

The concern isn't making the playoffs. It should be falling out of the top three spots. If they finish any lower you are looking a possible Sens or Penguins in the first round. Can you say "early exit?"

[SabresRepublic]

I think we might get two out of the three.

 

I expect Lindy to be fairly animated tonight and so will the Sabres.

 

I expected LR to be quite animated but he was NOT which was surprisimg because

his counterpart was Mr Magoo!!! And he's just interim!

[Bmwolf21]

I think Stafford should beat up Mair now.

:lol:

 

Game thoughts...

 

- First time this season Columbus has won a game by 4 or more goals.

 

- Embarrassing road loss to a below average team

 

- Stafford not only drops the gloves, but drops Umberger to boot? Is his trade value at an all-time high? :lol:

How much does Umberger hate playing Buffalo? Campbell built an entire fictitious reputation as a hitter and Stafford is making people think he's a tough guy - both at Umberger's expense.

[Hawk]

The concern isn't making the playoffs. It should be falling out of the top three spots. If they finish any lower you are looking a possible Sens or Penguins in the first round. Can you say "early exit?"

 

The only difference in exiting in the 1st or 2nd round is more cash to Tommy. To us the fans does it really matter who we face or what round we exit? If you cant beat the best, you cant be the best. You must be tired D