GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Two or less]

I don't know why, but I really think that the Stafford injury, if they bring up Ennis (assuming his concussion is ok) may be one of the better things to happen to this team.

 

I think if they bring anybody up, it has to be Mark Mancari. He's been very good this season in Portland and has experience.

[carpandean]

I think if they bring anybody up, it has to be Mark Mancari. He's been very good this season in Portland and has experience.

If they bring up Mancari, it will only be because Ennis is injured and Gerbe is just returning.

[Eleven]

If they bring up Mancari, it will only be because Ennis is injured and Gerbe is just returning.

 

Yeah, I've got to think Ennis is ahead of all of the Fs on the Portland depth chart.

 

I will not miss Stafford.

[nfreeman]

Like a career Sabre.

Who was happier about the goal, Connolly or Miller? Sorry, but they needed a save from Miller on Richards. Doesn't really matter what preceded the goal. Anyone remember when Miller was unbeatable one on one?

Geez. Did you not enjoy the game? It was a really good win against a team that had won 5 out of 6. And Vanek had 21 minutes, scored a goal and they won -- so you have some support for your theory and you didn't even have to do any research. More importantly, it might be the start of a strong turnaround.

 

 

As for Connolly, I still want him gone. I always will. Great goal in OT, lousy giveaway in the 3d, and neither of those have any meaningful bearing on my desire to see him in a Leaves uni.

He's not the problem. If he stays healthy, he's well worth $4.5MM. The problem, IMHO, is that he's their best forward, and that means their forwards aren't good enough for the team to be a Cup contender. Would you be happy with him if he was their 3rd-best forward?

 

come on, that was a great shot by Richards. Give the man some credit.

+1

[VansTheMans]

I think if they bring anybody up, it has to be Mark Mancari. He's been very good this season in Portland and has experience.

 

Please don't bring up Mancari. He's Ales Kotalik...except even slower. :death:

 

I'd love to see Ennis up. Stafford can get the ###### off the team.

 

Pretty good game tonight. I was in attendance.

 

Quick Thoughts:

 

-Vanek and Connolly looked pretty solid together. Vanek with 21 minutes of ice time. Lindy needs to keep him rolling, and seriously consider sprinkling in a little PK time. Connolly dropped the ball big time, but made up for it in OT. Other than his horrendous give away, he played a strong game. Keep Vanek and Connolly together for a bit, and maybe bring up Ennis to play wing.

 

-Rivet/Montador didn't seem to be on the ice too much during the game. I'd like to keep it that way from now on.

 

-Really like Lydman + Sekera paired together. Both played pretty solid tonight. I'm really liking Sekera's game. He's a young offensive defenseman, so he's going to make mistakes, but they need to keep him out there. Let him play his game, make aggressive pinches and skate the puck up the ice. Let's see what this kid can do.

 

-Grier + Hecht together = good.

 

-Torres...Heh. Didn't really see much of him out there. He looked a little out of place, but that's to be somewhat expected during his first game. From the brief moments that he did have the puck, I could tell that he is indeed a hard worker/fighter. He's a strong guy, and he wont give up the puck easy like some of our finesse players. As I said before, it'll take about 5 games for me to form a real opinion on him.

 

-Lastly, some Buffalo fans are just idiots. Certain pockets booed Briere every time he touched the puck. Grow up. "Ohhh Briere! We suck since you left! I hate you!". Nice. Real classy. :thumbdown:

[Kristian]

Yep, I thought the same thing after Richards scored. I remember a time where I didn't even flinch on a breakaway towards Miller, because you knew he would save it. Now, it's pretty much a 50/50 chance.

 

I'll take that any day over the 50 mph floaters from the point that used to go in every other game.

 

Seriously guys, talk about high expectations. Miller is the only reason they win. Again.

 

Philly had some real stretches of pressure where everyone were running around in their own zone tonight.

 

The team sucks so bad we have to look through a microscope for flaws in the only guy who's been playing really well?

 

Miller's played some stinkers this year, and allowed some easy goals. Tonights game wasn't one of them, and the Richards goal wasn't a weak one either.

 

Just my opinion.

[Kristian]

Bernier scored two in the first period in his first game as a Sabre...

 

Yup, and then he disappeared off the map completelty.

 

Heinze had a lot more in the tank than one good game, hence the comment.

[billsrcursed]

Geez. Did you not enjoy the game? It was a really good win against a team that had won 5 out of 6. And Vanek had 21 minutes, scored a goal and they won -- so you have some support for your theory and you didn't even have to do any research. More importantly, it might be the start of a strong turnaround.

 

 

 

He's not the problem. If he stays healthy, he's well worth $4.5MM. The problem, IMHO, is that he's their best forward, and that means their forwards aren't good enough for the team to be a Cup contender. Would you be happy with him if he was their 3rd-best forward?

 

 

+1

 

Nice replies. I agree with all 3 of them.

 

Also, does anyone else think that maybe Rivet is actually holding Butler down and not the other way around? Or, do they both just suck that bad. Either way, Rivet needs to be "talked to".

[Eleven]

[Re Connolly] He's not the problem. If he stays healthy, he's well worth $4.5MM. The problem, IMHO, is that he's their best forward, and that means their forwards aren't good enough for the team to be a Cup contender. Would you be happy with him if he was their 3rd-best forward?

 

 

No, I wouldn't. I don't think he plays to his potential, and I don't think he ever has. That, generally, is the problem with this team, and Connolly is emblematic of it. So while you're right, he's not the problem, he is a problem.

[LabattBlue]

Game thoughts(My 2nd game at the arena this week after the Washington dud))...

 

- A team that desperately needed a win, got just that.

 

- I'm a broken record on this, but this team just doesn't win many battles for the pucks along the boards.

 

- I was elated to hear that Butler was sent to the press box. Let's hope when he comes back that it isn't one good game and then right back to mediocrity(see Drew Stafford).

 

- Despite scoring the winning goal, Connolly could not have made a worse play on Philly's 2nd goal even if he tried.

 

- I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because of only being here one day, but Torres was nothing special.

 

- I know there were injuries that left Lindy shuffling lines, but Torres with Ellis and Kaleta? Really?

 

- Watching him play(nothing to do with whether he scores or not), something is "broken" with Vanek. He is just not the same player from 2-3 years ago and even last season. Is it possible he is trying to get himself traded in the offseason or has he just become another player who discovered the fountain of complacency after signing the big contract?

 

- I know he has played well for them recently, but where does Philly think they are going come playoff time with Leighton and Boucher?

 

GO SABRES!

[wjag]

Nice win by the Sabres last night.

 

First place feels so right.

[R_Dudley]

I don't know why, but I really think that the Stafford injury, if they bring up Ennis (assuming his concussion is ok) may be one of the better things to happen to this team.

 

 

I think if they bring anybody up, it has to be Mark Mancari. He's been very good this season in Portland and has experience.

 

To steal a PAsabrefan quote; Wow and double wow. Are we really at the point where we are hoping for injuries on the team to make them better ?

 

This has the ring of an indictment on current managment and/or coaching. The level of play and intensity out there for this team is far from exciting let alone playoff calibre hockey. You cannot turn that off and on. I dunno maybe we are still saving ourselves for some push at the end like the "last 5 minute game flurries when we are behind", MEH I think that's the wrong approach.

 

Either way now I am going to be real interested to see if Lindy can "get them there" and what if any consequences come from not making it. The real team we have here should be exposed bewteen now and the end of the season.

[Stoner]

I'll take that any day over the 50 mph floaters from the point that used to go in every other game.

 

Seriously guys, talk about high expectations. Miller is the only reason they win. Again.

 

Philly had some real stretches of pressure where everyone were running around in their own zone tonight.

 

The team sucks so bad we have to look through a microscope for flaws in the only guy who's been playing really well?

 

Miller's played some stinkers this year, and allowed some easy goals. Tonights game wasn't one of them, and the Richards goal wasn't a weak one either.

 

Just my opinion.

For the record, I didn't say Miller played a stinker, or that Richards' goal was weak. But in a tie game coming down the stretch, you need a save from an elite goaltender. It's a no-brainer. There's no controversial statement there.

[Stoner]

Geez. Did you not enjoy the game? It was a really good win against a team that had won 5 out of 6. And Vanek had 21 minutes, scored a goal and they won -- so you have some support for your theory and you didn't even have to do any research. More importantly, it might be the start of a strong turnaround.

So now you can't criticize a player's performance after a win, lest you be accused of not enjoying a win? Did you even watch the game? It was the Capitals game with Miller making one more save and two pucks of ours going in, instead of out, off the post. It wasn't a whole heckuva lot better.

 

The only reason Vanek got 21 minutes was because Ruff had to go down to three lines. I don't think anything changed in Ruff's thinking about Vanek's ice time.

[Knightrider]

If they bring up Mancari, it will only be because Ennis is injured and Gerbe is just returning.

 

 

In the two pirates games I've seen, Mancari stood out in both. Gerbe (he was hurt in the second game I saw) and Gogulla <sp?> were the other two that stood out.

[SwampD]

Who was happier about the goal, Connolly or Miller? Sorry, but they needed a save from Miller on Richards. Doesn't really matter what preceded the goal. Anyone remember when Miller was unbeatable one on one?

You should be.

[Stoner]

You should be.

 

You're right. This morning I am. Why should I have expected an elite goaltender who was just MVP of the Olympics to make a big save? What was I thinking? It's better to be like you -- nice try, Ryan. You're still the best, kid. Wouldn't wanna wound his self-esteem. Give all the kids a trophy. Why even keep score? Someone's feelings are just going to get hurt.

[nfreeman]

So now you can't criticize a player's performance after a win, lest you be accused of not enjoying a win? Did you even watch the game? It was the Capitals game with Miller making one more save and two pucks of ours going in, instead of out, off the post. It wasn't a whole heckuva lot better.

 

The only reason Vanek got 21 minutes was because Ruff had to go down to three lines. I don't think anything changed in Ruff's thinking about Vanek's ice time.

Well, thanks to VS and DirecTV, I didn't see the Washington game, but the Sabres were outshot in that game 40-24, as opposed to outshooting Philly 35-29 last night. More broadly, the general tone around here was that the Sabres didn't show up for most of the Washington game, whereas I don't think anyone is saying that about last night's game.

 

Did you not think the Sabres played well last night? I thought it was a big improvement over the Pittsburgh game and over quite a few poor pre-Olympics performances. I also thought Miller played very well.

[Stoner]

Well, thanks to VS and DirecTV, I didn't see the Washington game, but the Sabres were outshot in that game 40-24, as opposed to outshooting Philly 35-29 last night. More broadly, the general tone around here was that the Sabres didn't show up for most of the Washington game, whereas I don't think anyone is saying that about last night's game.

 

Did you not think the Sabres played well last night? I thought it was a big improvement over the Pittsburgh game and over quite a few poor pre-Olympics performances. I also thought Miller played very well.

 

I don't think they played well. Winning cures all. If Mair doesn't get the Sabres back in that game, the sentiment of the fans would be very similar to the morning after the Caps.

 

Miller played well, again. No doubt about it, although I did notice a few crazy rebounds that were uncharacteristic.

[Kristian]

For the record, I didn't say Miller played a stinker, or that Richards' goal was weak. But in a tie game coming down the stretch, you need a save from an elite goaltender. It's a no-brainer. There's no controversial statement there.

 

I know you didn't say he played a stinker, and I wasn't implying that you did. I was just pointing out that I agree Miller isn't flawless.

 

You always need a save from your goalie on a breakaway, I agree, but I also feel if there is one play where you don't blame the goalie regardless of the outcome, it's the breakaway.

 

Everytime the Sabres miss a breakaway we're always talking about how it was a bad shot/deke/move/bouncing puck, never about how the goalie made a great stop.

 

Just sayin'....

[Stoner]

I know you didn't say he played a stinker, and I wasn't implying that you did. I was just pointing out that I agree Miller isn't flawless.

 

You always need a save from your goalie on a breakaway, I agree, but I also feel if there is one play where you don't blame the goalie regardless of the outcome, it's the breakaway.

 

Everytime the Sabres miss a breakaway we're always talking about how it was a bad shot/deke/move/bouncing puck, never about how the goalie made a great stop.

 

Just sayin'....

 

Yeah, but Miller got abused pretty good. It's not like he gotten beaten by a perfect shot. He made a mistake there. And it's part of an overall trend. That move is a problem for Miller.

[Eleven]

I don't think they played well. Winning cures all. If Mair doesn't get the Sabres back in that game, the sentiment of the fans would be very similar to the morning after the Caps.

 

Miller played well, again. No doubt about it, although I did notice a few crazy rebounds that were uncharacteristic.

 

I agree. The forward lines, especially, were miserable in both games. I didn't see enough of the Pittsburgh game to comment on that one.

[Kristian]

Yeah, but Miller got abused pretty good. It's not like he gotten beaten by a perfect shot. He made a mistake there. And it's part of an overall trend. That move is a problem for Miller.

 

True, he's been very beatable in shootouts this year.

 

But again, if I had to choose between that and beatable with a floater from the point, I know which one I prefer.

 

At least the team should be able to defend the breakaway.

[nfreeman]

I agree. The forward lines, especially, were miserable in both games. I didn't see enough of the Pittsburgh game to comment on that one.

Et tu? That hurts.

 

I dunno -- they just looked better to me last night. I thought the reshuffled top 2 lines looked more effective than they had in a while. Connolly and Vanek were skating pretty well, and I must say that I liked seeing Kaleta on their line for a few shifts. I also thought Roy-Torres-Pommer had some nice shifts (especially their first one, in which they kept the puck in on the forecheck for the entire shift).

 

I also thought the D looked better and that sitting Butler was the right move. Sekera and Monty both looked better to me than Butler has lately.

[Eleven]

Et tu? That hurts.

 

Ha. I will not join the ranks of the eternal pessimists, but I have not been happy with what I've seen after the break. I want my money back for the Washington game. Lose despite an honest effort? I can accept it. Lose because of laziness/inattentiveness? No way. And winning despite laziness/inattentiveness doesn't thrill me, but yeah, it's better than losing.