GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[nobody]

Anyone notice Torres tonight?Almost invisible out there.I hope he's just getting used to the system.

 

 

Almost invisible? Then I guess he has the system down pat already.

[Stoner]

OT Scoring Chances

 

BUF: 3

 

NYR: 2

 

Game Totals:

 

BUF: 12

 

NYR: 22

 

OK, so I had NY 24-17. Not far off. I hope more people "play" next game. It's a great way to keep yourself focused, when in a lot of these games it's easy to drift away to a warm, fuzzy place.

 

NY dominated the chances after Vanek's flurry in the first until overtime. Not a great sign given that the Rangers played last night.

 

Kaleta loves playing in that building.

[Cereal]

The Headline on NHL.com: "St. Patrick's Day" They're really pulling out some :rolleyes: headlines on that front page this year. It's always a really sketchy play on words.

 

Anyway, sounds like more of the same tonight, although I couldn't watch it. :death:

[SarasotaSabre]

here, here - and good riddance. Thanks for pointing out his contract status. He needs to be put out to pasture.

 

His contract is up in June, right? I won't miss him.

[darksabre]

I'm going to keep harping on this... Pominville is the most invisible $5.5 million player in the league. He's the third highest paid right winger in the game, yet you almost never notice that he's out there. I know a lot of guys on this board like him, but I just don't see what he brings other than a nice slap shot and good positional play. As soon as a defenseman gets a body on him he's ridden out of the play every single time.

 

I agree with you on Pominville. I've been wanting him gone since the summer.

 

The play for me that sticks in my mind tonight, was a play Connolly was making along the boards where he got bumped by a Rangers player and dropped like a ton of bricks. It was pathetic and emblematic of what is wrong with this team.

[LabattBlue]

Game thoughts...

 

- Miller...FANTASTIC

 

- Myers a bad play leading to a penalty and then an equally bad play on the PK caught standing around until it was too late on the goal.

 

- Please explain why they brought in Torres to play with 3rd and 4th liners? :angry:

 

- Nice to see Kaleta owning the Rangers once again.

 

- The defense played a pretty good game. Montador had one brain cramp at the blue line in the 2nd period, but overall, not bad.

 

- After proclaiming that there will be major line shuffling after the loss to the Caps, Lindy puts Roy & Vanek right back together again as are Hecht-Connolly-Pominville. :blink:

 

-A badly needed road win and two wins in a row. Break out the champagne!

 

GO SABRES!

[Eleven]

The Headline on NHL.com: "St. Patrick's Day" They're really pulling out some :rolleyes: headlines on that front page this year. It's always a really sketchy play on words.

 

Anyway, sounds like more of the same tonight, although I couldn't watch it. :death:

 

Don't sweat it; it nearly was unwatchable. I know so many people here are on the D-men, and certain of them, but come on, isn't it really the forwards who disappoint? Who fail to hit the net, who don't forecheck well, who miss passes, who don't intercept, who skate to the bench while loose pucks pass them by, who don't clear the defensive zone when they get near a puck up high? I really think that the Sabs' D is ok--maybe even solid. But the D is constantly chasing and making up for the failures of the forwards.

[jad1]

I agree with you on Pominville. I've been wanting him gone since the summer.

 

The play for me that sticks in my mind tonight, was a play Connolly was making along the boards where he got bumped by a Rangers player and dropped like a ton of bricks. It was pathetic and emblematic of what is wrong with this team.

 

Pominville is just weak on the puck and almost never accepts a pass cleanly. The puck is always jumping over his stick. Watching him play live is incredibly frustrating.

[Eleven]

 

- Please explain why they brought in Torres to play with 3rd and 4th liners? :angry:

 

GO SABRES!

 

My best guess: Still learning the team. I think Torres could be the skilled power forward we've been missing (it certainly wasn't Mac!), but he's not going to know his teammates in two games.

[darksabre]

My best guess: Still learning the team. I think Torres could be the skilled power forward we've been missing (it certainly wasn't Mac!), but he's not going to know his teammates in two games.

 

And when our best players have been our scrubs, where else do you put him, ya know?

[Eleven]

Pominville is just weak on the puck and almost never accepts a pass cleanly. The puck is always jumping over his stick. Watching him play live is incredibly frustrating.

 

All year, I've been saying that he's become a good two-way forward, and now, I'm thinking that he's become just a pretty good defensive forward. Peca without the crunch. Offensively, he's completely turned to seed, and defensively, he positions himself extremely well but does not "bring it" the way a Selke nominee would.

[LabattBlue]

My best guess: Still learning the team. I think Torres could be the skilled power forward we've been missing (it certainly wasn't Mac!), but he's not going to know his teammates in two games.

So he is going to learn to play with the FAB 5, by not playing with them? :o

[Iron Crotch]

My best guess: Still learning the team. I think Torres could be the skilled power forward we've been missing (it certainly wasn't Mac!), but he's not going to know his teammates in two games.

 

I though it ironic that Torres, the 19-goal guy who was our big deadline pickup, was on the third line while our AHL call-up Mancari got first line minutes.

[Eleven]

So he is going to learn to play with the FAB 5, by not playing with them? :o

 

Hey, just a guess. It isn't my logic; I'm just trying to figure it out, too. FWIW, I didn't think he was great Friday or today.

[Figster]

My best guess: Still learning the team. I think Torres could be the skilled power forward we've been missing (it certainly wasn't Mac!), but he's not going to know his teammates in two games.

 

Torres is not on the same page yet with his teammates, but the extra grit he brings to the lineup is already being felt by Sabre opponents.

 

Torres is a great addition in my opinion.

[Figster]

Tough penalty to take for Mair...have to kill this off, but I don't have a great feeling about it.

 

Maybe you should have not so great feelings more often,

 

Adam Mair has been looking like a premiere goal scorer here lately,

 

say what :blink:

[PromoTheRobot]

Game thoughts...

 

- Miller...FANTASTIC

 

- Myers a bad play leading to a penalty and then an equally bad play on the PK caught standing around until it was too late on the goal.

 

- Please explain why they brought in Torres to play with 3rd and 4th liners? :angry:

 

- Nice to see Kaleta owning the Rangers once again.

 

- The defense played a pretty good game. Montador had one brain cramp at the blue line in the 2nd period, but overall, not bad.

 

- After proclaiming that there will be major line shuffling after the loss to the Caps, Lindy puts Roy & Vanek right back together again as are Hecht-Connolly-Pominville. :blink:

 

-A badly needed road win and two wins in a row. Break out the champagne!

 

GO SABRES!

 

Couple points I'd like to add:

 

1) That was some dubious officiating in the 3rd period. Sekera gets high-sticked but no call. But the Sabres get two ticky-tacky calls that allow the Rangers to tie the game.

 

2) Kaleta is the real star of this team. The so-called Big 6 don't work half as hard as this guy. He hits. He hustles. And he even scores. Meanwhile Roy can't put the puck in Lake Erie from the Small Boat Harbor pier.

 

3) Forget Torres not knowing his teammates, there is a serious lack of communication on this team in general. Twice I saw passes to no one. Once it happened in our en d and nearly turned into a Rangers scoring play.

 

PTR

[Figster]

Couple points I'd like to add:

 

1) That was some dubious officiating in the 3rd period. Sekera gets high-sticked but no call. But the Sabres get two ticky-tacky calls that allow the Rangers to tie the game.

 

2) Kaleta is the real star of this team. The so-called Big 6 don't work half as hard as this guy. He hits. He hustles. And he even scores. Meanwhile Roy can't put the puck in Lake Erie from the Small Boat Harbor pier.

 

3) Forget Torres not knowing his teammates, there is a serious lack of communication on this team in general. Twice I saw passes to no one. Once it happened in our en d and nearly turned into a Rangers scoring play.

 

PTR

 

Kaleta is the real star of this team.( along with Miller)

 

Is it just me or does there appear to be a concerted effort underway from the officiating crews to speed the game up a little. The pace of the Olympic games was great.

 

I like it...( Not that I liked the missed calls against us PTR)

[SabresRepublic]

Has Drury ever run a goalie Gomez style?

 

Exactly! Drury is a class act - definitely aptitude and skill!

[nfreeman]

I'm going to keep harping on this... Pominville is the most invisible $5.5 million player in the league. He's the third highest paid right winger in the game, yet you almost never notice that he's out there. I know a lot of guys on this board like him, but I just don't see what he brings other than a nice slap shot and good positional play. As soon as a defenseman gets a body on him he's ridden out of the play every single time.

All year, I've been saying that he's become a good two-way forward, and now, I'm thinking that he's become just a pretty good defensive forward. Peca without the crunch. Offensively, he's completely turned to seed, and defensively, he positions himself extremely well but does not "bring it" the way a Selke nominee would.

+1 on both of these -- Pommer has a long way to go to rescue his contract from "worst Darcy move ever" status.

 

Game thoughts...

 

- Miller...FANTASTIC

 

- Myers a bad play leading to a penalty and then an equally bad play on the PK caught standing around until it was too late on the goal.

 

- Please explain why they brought in Torres to play with 3rd and 4th liners? :angry:

 

- Nice to see Kaleta owning the Rangers once again.

 

- The defense played a pretty good game. Montador had one brain cramp at the blue line in the 2nd period, but overall, not bad.

 

- After proclaiming that there will be major line shuffling after the loss to the Caps, Lindy puts Roy & Vanek right back together again as are Hecht-Connolly-Pominville. :blink:

 

-A badly needed road win and two wins in a row. Break out the champagne!

 

GO SABRES!

+1 on all of these, especially on the lines. I wanted TC-Vanek-Kaleta and Roy-Pommer-Torres again.

 

Don't sweat it; it nearly was unwatchable. I know so many people here are on the D-men, and certain of them, but come on, isn't it really the forwards who disappoint? Who fail to hit the net, who don't forecheck well, who miss passes, who don't intercept, who skate to the bench while loose pucks pass them by, who don't clear the defensive zone when they get near a puck up high? I really think that the Sabs' D is ok--maybe even solid. But the D is constantly chasing and making up for the failures of the forwards.

You are giving in to the dark side. That was a taut, entertaining game. Your other comments about the forwards, insofar as they relate to the top 6, have the unfortunate ring of truth however.

 

2) Kaleta is the real star of this team. The so-called Big 6 don't work half as hard as this guy. He hits. He hustles. And he even scores. Meanwhile Roy can't put the puck in Lake Erie from the Small Boat Harbor pier.

If he gets back to where he was before getting hurt, and can stay healthy, he will be a nice addition for the stretch run.

[VansTheMans]

I thought Vanek had another solid night. The Vanek to Sekera to Roy play was real impressive in the later part of the game. Roy could have ended the game right there.

[SabresRepublic]

1st goal wins

 

 

MAIR!!!

[SabresRepublic]

man, i just what Kaleta brings to this team, and the fact that he can score once in a while makes it even better

 

Kaleta helps the Sabres more when he scores than when he plays the role of enforcer which does NOT suit him at all. As a matter of fact it led him to concussions and other injuries! Welcome back Patrick!

[carpandean]

Kaleta helps the Sabres more when he scores than when he plays the role of enforcer which does NOT suit him at all. As a matter of fact it led him to concussions and other injuries! Welcome back Patrick!

When has Kaleta ever played the role of enforcer? Agitator, yes; never enforcer.

[rickshaw]

How did Mr Intangible play???