GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[bottlecap]

Thomas Vanish.

[Iron Crotch]

I am right with you on Stafford.

 

The only reason I can give Stafford a pass is he's not a big money player (only the 7th highest paid forward). You need your top dollar guys to step up in the clutch and we don't get enough of that from Vanek, Connolly, Pommer, and Roy. They're just too soft to be making a collective $20 million or so.

[Eleven]

Not only that. They put Stafford in for the 4th shooter instead of Vanek. Not a good call

 

They put Stafford in the lineup instead of, I don't know, Pebble, or DeLuca, or you or Ohiofan, or whomever. Also not a good call.

[jwcolour]

Not only that. They put Stafford in for the 4th shooter instead of Vanek. Not a good call

 

Atleast Vanek would be prone to shoot. Pommers is the only one that routinely shoots, and it shows because he's probably the most successful player we have in shootouts. Couldn't others see back Rask into the net and bet him cleanly?

[Simpson8]

They put Stafford in the lineup instead of, I don't know, Pebble, or DeLuca, or you or Ohiofan, or whomever. Also not a good call.

Hah :w00t:

[ThePebble19]

They put Stafford in the lineup instead of, I don't know, Pebble, or DeLuca, or you or Ohiofan, or whomever. Also not a good call.

 

Yep. Bad move. Even I could have put one top shelf on Rask.

[nobody]

Once again im left scratching my head why people don't shoot in shootouts and instead go to pathetic deke's tried over and over with no success. Especially that tired forehand to backhand move by Timmy C.

 

Pominville blasts a shot into the net which inspires the next 3 Sabres to try to deke. :wallbash:

[Stoner]

With each shootout loss, my hopes dim for playoff success. I used to toss the shootout results into the trash can. But, really, shootouts epitomize the problem. One on one is the essence of the game. We lose these matchups at both ends of the ice. Pretty concerning.

[jwcolour]

Pominville blasts a shot into the net which inspires the next 3 Sabres to try to deke. :wallbash:

 

Maybe if they aren't smart enough to realize that Pomminstein is successful shoot... you'd atleast hope they'd be bright enough to realize that their crappy dekes ARENT WORKING and havn't been.

[ThePebble19]

With each shootout loss, my hopes dim for playoff success. I used to toss the shootout results into the trash can. But, really, shootouts epitomize the problem. One on one is the essence of the game. We lose these matchups at both ends of the ice. Pretty concerning.

 

Agreed.

[nobody]

Maybe if they aren't smart enough to realize that Pomminstein is successful shoot... you'd atleast hope they'd be bright enough to realize that their crappy dekes ARENT WORKING and havn't been.

 

 

What's Connolly now? 1 of 7 or 8? I guess he hasn't gotten the message.

[nobody]

Myers would have hit 30-31 minutes in this game if he didn't get injured.

[CallawaySabres]

Well Ottawa is definitely the better team so it looks like a first round match-up with Pitt or NJ (if the collapse does not push them right out of the race)

[Dave Dryden]

Well Ottawa is definitely the better team so it looks like a first round match-up with Pitt or NJ (if the collapse does not push them right out of the race)

Better for the past 3 weeks. Still a way to go. After those last two games, this was a big step in the right direction over the last 45 minutes. Pick up 3 or 4 points in the next two games-- and after tonight I think they will-- and the break will come at just the right time.

[SabresRepublic]

Pominville blasts a shot into the net which inspires the next 3 Sabres to try to deke.

 

 

Connolly, Hecht, Stafford the purpose of the shootout is to shoot like Pomminstein did!

I wonder if there are stats as to the percentage of the type of shot and probability of success across the board?

 

Our OT record is decent but we are NOT (LR) maximizing our shootout success! In fact, methinks there is absolutely no coaching going on

for shootouts!

[darksabre]

What a waste of Tyler Myers' effort.

[carpandean]

Two things:

 

1) No matter how many times Kevin Sylvester or anyone here says otherwise, Buffalo is still in the NE lead. Games played is, to PA's dismay, the first tie-breaker. So, even though Ottawa has more wins, Buffalo has fewer games played and, thus, the NE lead.

 

2) Anyone saying that putting Vanek in instead of, well, anyone in the SO hasn't checked his stats. He is disgustingly bad in the SO. The only one close to being as consistently bad as him is Connolly.

[Dave Dryden]

Two things:

 

1) No matter how many times Kevin Sylvester or anyone here says otherwise, Buffalo is still in the NE lead. Games played is, to PA's dismay, the first tie-breaker. So, even though Ottawa has more wins, Buffalo has fewer games played and, thus, the NE lead.

 

2) Anyone saying that putting Vanek in instead of, well, anyone in the SO hasn't checked his stats. He is disgustingly bad in the SO. The only one close to being as consistently bad as him is Connolly.

You are right on both counts. On point 1, it's a little curious how sports media types don't know this. I guess most are too busy spouting opinions to actually know some facts about the sport they cover as "experts." I mean you can get the info on most any standings site for the NHL.

[carpandean]

I mean you can get the info on most any standings site for the NHL.

I got it from nhl.com's standings. :thumbsup:

 

* - Division leaders are seeded 1, 2, and 3 in Conference standings. If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order:

 

1. * The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).

2. * The greater number of games won.

3. * The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first same played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.

4. * The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm#?navid=nav-stn-main

[nfreeman]

That was a tough loss. A few notes:

 

1. The best thing to come out of the game, IMHO, was seeing Miller back in the zone. He was outstanding.

 

2. Myers also seemed to regain his form.

 

3. As noted in a different thread, I thought Gaustad also had a very strong game.

 

4. There is still a mental toughness/leadership problem with this team. They should've come out blazing in the first period. Instead, Boston had the better of the play and had more scoring chances. Whatever emotion the Sabres had was totally deflated by Paille's first goal (in which he was allowed to cruise unmolested around the net to the doorstep). Rivet, Butler and Tallinder all had atrocious giveaways.

 

5. Roy is simply not good enough to be a #2 center. I'd be thrilled with him as a $3MM #3 center, but he just doesn't deliver consistently enough to be relied upon as a 2nd-liner.

 

6. It would've been nice if the boys had gotten Miller more than 2 goals after an effort like that in net.

[R_Dudley]

With each shootout loss, my hopes dim for playoff success. I used to toss the shootout results into the trash can. But, really, shootouts epitomize the problem. One on one is the essence of the game. We lose these matchups at both ends of the ice. Pretty concerning.

 

Agreed. I also think the SO problems are emblematic of the teams consistent failure with what Lindy calls finishing plays.

 

This teams problems center around their inability to finish plays whether one on one, on the PP or as demonstrated in SO's.

 

Couple more thoughts; I have to wonder how much of that can be attributed to the system they play ? I also have to believe you can practice finishing ?

[spndnchz]

I was thinking the same thing about Rivet. If ever someone (Rivet) needed to drop the gloves to get the team fired up it is now.

From ur lips to bowlegs ears.

 

And I was worried that I wouldn't be able to see the incredible scoring prowess of Jochen Hecht in the shootout.

 

Until last night Yokes hadn't missed.

[spndnchz]

I'd also like to give Mair a high five for taking on Lucic. And another one for having a broken nose already and fighting Lucic.

 

and... a big thumbs down to the referee that got in the way of Roy getting to the front of the net to stop a goal. A big "what the fuk" look to the ref from Roy after that one. WTF is the ref doing standing next to the goalpost on that?

 

An aside:

 

Word on the street is the filet o' fish is coming back next week.

[Rip Titwide]

Agreed. I also think the SO problems are emblematic of the teams consistent failure with what Lindy calls finishing plays.

 

This teams problems center around their inability to finish plays whether one on one, on the PP or as demonstrated in SO's.

 

Couple more thoughts; I have to wonder how much of that can be attributed to the system they play ? I also have to believe you can practice finishing ?

I practice finishing all the time.

[Eleven]

I'd also like to give Mair a high five for taking on Lucic. And another one for having a broken nose already and fighting Lucic.

 

and... a big thumbs down to the referee that got in the way of Roy getting to the front of the net to stop a goal. A big "what the fuk" look to the ref from Roy after that one. WTF is the ref doing standing next to the goalpost on that?

 

An aside:

 

Word on the street is the filet o' fish is coming back next week.

 

Definitely. There's always an ad push coincident with the beginning of Lent (2/17 this year). Hope they use the same commercial!