GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Armydoogie]

I agree that they didn't deserve to win these past two games. I'm just commenting on the fact that this series is far from over - I've watched the playoffs for far too long to think that ANY team has a best-of-7-series won when leading 2-1. And the main reason is that Boston isn't doing anything amazing. They are outplaying the Sabres...but not to an insurmountable degree...not even close.

 

Two questions: 1) Is Bruins + Savard > Sabres + Vanek? 2) Who wins the race back? Savard from concussion or Vanek from lower-body injury?

 

EDIT: Or, does it even matter?

[Grinder42]

If anyone should take heat at this stage of the series, it is whoever decided to take the foot off the pedal after building a 2-0 lead on Saturday and try to defend/ride Miller to a win. We used to do this same thing when Hasek was here and it often bit us then, too. If the Sabres play with the intensity, puck movement and offensive zone control that they showed in the 3rd period for 60 minutes I think they can prevail.

 

 

Bingo there is a sighting of Intelligence! I hate the Defensive Shell! and this piss poor half assed play in our own end and moving the puck backward is soo predicable!.....Ohhh Monatdor pasing through 3 men is even more obvious...what and Idiot!

[Stoner]

Yeah...statistics like that are for post-game desk jockeys who need something to blather about. What about that one referenced on this board where whoever scores the first goal of the series is favored to win? Is anyone quoting that one right now?

 

I didn't say the team that scored first is favored. I wondered what statistical advantage goes to the team that scores first in a series.

[theend]

Two questions: 1) Is Bruins + Savard > Sabres + Vanek? 2) Who wins the race back? Savard from concussion or Vanek from lower-body injury?

 

EDIT: Or, does it even matter?

 

1 - I think Sabres + Vanek is greater by far. Not that Savard isn't an important part of their team, but his stats aren't that impressive. They struggled to score even with him in the lineup.

 

2 - Well...I'd lean towards Vanek...but who knows what's really going on. I won't even speculate as to how severe his injury really is.

 

...And I think it does matter in that this team should have a jump in their step with Vanek coming back. They might not if he's still on the ropes.

[theend]

I didn't say the team that scored first is favored. I wondered what statistical advantage goes to the team that scores first in a series.

 

I know, I should have been more clear...that wasn't a dig at you. But I believe someone responded in that thread (though I can't find it right now) that there IS a statistical advantage to scoring first in the series.

 

EDIT: Nevermind, found that thread, and I clearly made that up in my head.

[Stoner]

I know, I should have been more clear...that wasn't a dig at you. But I believe someone responded in that thread (though I can't find it right now) that there IS a statistical advantage to scoring first in the series.

 

EDIT: Nevermind, found that thread, and I clearly made that up in my head.

 

Here's a good one. What are the odds of scoring first in two straight playoff games and losing both?

[FearTheReaper]

Am not to bothered by the loss tonight, as i dont see the Sabres going past the second round even if we beat the B's. (Which might not even happen)

 

I think the flaws on this team were ever present tonight. There is almost no heart within the top 6. Mesh that with the fact that there is almost no size, and its a big problem. I'd say, if Grier scores in the first and no top 6 guy gets a look at the net,(or a significant scoring chance) for most of the game, thats a big problem.

 

How many times did we witness Kennedy, Roy and the others get MUSCLED off the puck, not only on the boards, but in zone, in OPEN ICE!? Its insane.

 

Does smaller and faster really > bigger and stronger? Maybe in the regular season, not in the post!

 

And we all know Regier is watching. This is his team. :wallbash:

[FearTheReaper]

Here's a good one. What are the odds of scoring first in two straight playoff games and losing both?

 

In buffalo, with these small, weak "scorers"? Or in general?

[theend]

Here's a good one. What are the odds of scoring first in two straight playoff games and losing both?

 

Apparently for Buffalo, pretty high. Dare I hope for Boston to score first in game 4?

[BuffalOhio]

Largest grouping of pansies on any one team in the league. OUR Buffalo Sabres. No heart. Someone punches them in the mouth, and they just take it and stop trying. Too many pansies on defense. I want some tough SOB's for our defense next year. Make it hard to get to the net. Destroy people in the corners. That's playoff hockey, and our team is not built for it. It's not 2006 or 2007 anymore. The plan isn't working.

[Stoner]

Largest grouping of pansies on any one team in the league. OUR Buffalo Sabres. No heart. Someone punches them in the mouth, and they just take it and stop trying. Too many pansies on defense. I want some tough SOB's for our defense next year. Make it hard to get to the net. Destroy people in the corners. That's playoff hockey, and our team is not built for it. It's not 2006 or 2007 anymore. The plan isn't working.

 

That hit by Boychuk -- hey, at least it was a clean play this time -- was huge. For a long time after that, I had the feeling you wouldn't find as many short arms in the maternity ward at Buffalo General. The Sabres played on their tippy toes.

[carpandean]

I'm not ready to throw in the towel on this series, but I'm wondering if it matters. Having watched more non-Sabres playoff games than Sabres one (I've watched all three, but have seen many more from other series), they simply aren't playing playoff hockey. The Bruins are, but don't have the skill to do more than squeak out wins against the Sabres. Comparing what I've seen in one-goal games late in the third to what I saw tonight, we're still in regular season ... no, make that preseason; that wasn't acceptable when it happened in the regular season, either (see West Coast road trip.) I've always been one to support this team, but I'm wavering heavily.

[nfreeman]

<sigh> Miller didn't lose this game. We need offense. Call it "excuse-making" if you like, but a 1/2-speed Connolly + no Hecht + no Vanek = disaster on the offensive end.

+1

 

I'm sure this viewpoint isn't going to be popular in the midst of the loss (and the effort):

 

There are so many examples of teams (including Buffalo) coming back to win playoff series after poor efforts and falling behind. They happen every year. After a loss, all the mistakes are on the table, all the emotions of losing are raw and painful. And it feels like it's over, or will be soon. When you lose 2 in a row, especially. But it takes just one game to turn it around. ######, it may only take one period. I'm not blind to the problems right now, but this team won more than they lost this year. And they bounced back from losing streaks, from poor play. I believe they can do it again, and I believe they are a better team than Boston.

Very nice.

 

My 2 cents:

 

1. This was a very close game that the Sabres easily could've won.

 

2. I don't think the Sabres got outworked, or if they did, it wasn't by much. Boston probably had more forechecking time, but it wasn't a lopsided game.

 

3. Bottom line: as eball points out, there was no offense. Grier was by far the most dangerous Sabre tonight. Where TF was the "top 6?" Roy -- 2 shots in almost 21 minutes. Pommer -- 2 shots in almost 18. Stafford -- 2 shots. TC -- zero point zero. Unacceptable.

 

4. As I've said before, our skill guys don't have guts, and they aren't clutch. Vanek gets hurt, and Roy and Pommer immediately curl up and hide under the bed. And TC looked like he spent his entire 3-week injury hiatus on the couch drinking beer, and like he didn't give a crap out there.

 

5. OTOH, our guts guys played great. Grier, Ellis, Gaustad and Mair were all terrific. I also thought most of the D played very well in a very challenging situation.

 

6. Yes, that was a big mistake Kennedy made, but a team that fancies itself a playoff contender shouldn't put itself into a situation where one mistake by a rookie costs them an important playoff game.

 

7. A game like tonight shows why the Sabres absolutely need Grier back next year.

 

8. The Bruins gutted out a big win. The Sabres need to do the same on Wednesday if they want to shed the "fragile little children" tag. If they aren't up to the task -- well, the shoe will fit.

 

Dammit.

[billsrcursed]

I'm not ready to throw in the towel on this series, but I'm wondering if it matters. Having watched more non-Sabres playoff games than Sabres one (I've watched all three, but have seen many more from other series), they simply aren't playing playoff hockey. The Bruins are, but don't have the skill to do more than squeak out wins against the Sabres. Comparing what I've seen in one-goal games late in the third to what I saw tonight, we're still in regular season ... no, make that preseason; that wasn't acceptable when it happened in the regular season, either (see West Coast road trip.) I've always been one to support this team, but I'm wavering heavily.

 

I don't think it's a matter of not supporting the team. We just have to face facts; this team isn't built for a playoff run. I'll still watch, support, and cheer, but I'm no dummy. I don't expect them to pull this off.

[TheMatrix31]

So we're gonna not care to advance because its an inevitability that we'll be eliminated in the next round? Am I reading right?

 

Gee, I know I'm a "new" Sabres fan of less than two years total, but that type of rhetoric sounds eerily like what some of my fellow Phoenix Suns fans say all too often.

[Stoner]

I'm not ready to throw in the towel on this series, but I'm wondering if it matters. Having watched more non-Sabres playoff games than Sabres one (I've watched all three, but have seen many more from other series), they simply aren't playing playoff hockey. The Bruins are, but don't have the skill to do more than squeak out wins against the Sabres. Comparing what I've seen in one-goal games late in the third to what I saw tonight, we're still in regular season ... no, make that preseason; that wasn't acceptable when it happened in the regular season, either (see West Coast road trip.) I've always been one to support this team, but I'm wavering heavily.

 

That said it all.

[FearTheReaper]

I've yet to fully embraced this team since the puck drop of the 2007/08 season. These aren't the type of players i want to see. There is almost no heart on the "top 6". And besides Stafford, theres no size. I'm tired of watching these small guys get outworked. Its infuriating.

[FearTheReaper]

That said it all.

 

Especially when comparing this team to the west. Look at the Av's. You wanna talk about a team with confidence.

[Knightrider]

I'm 100% with you on this one.

 

Sabres are being outclassed by Boston in all aspects of the game, even goaltending. There's zero offensive push by the Sabres, and they're getting beaten off the puck in the d-zone. Miller has been making some good saves, but he's not good enough to put the team on his shoulders. I hate to say it, but this series is as good as done if the Sabres can't figure out how to play simple hockey.

 

Yup. PA is right. I wish he weren't.

[carpandean]

So we're gonna not care to advance because its an inevitability that we'll be eliminated in the next round? Am I reading right?

 

Gee, I know I'm a "new" Sabres fan of less than two years total, but that type of rhetoric sounds eerily like what some of my fellow Phoenix Suns fans say all too often.

I didn't say that I don't/won't care - I absolutely will watch every second that I can until the season is over, whether that be Friday (scary thought) or in June - but I'm saying that what they are doing right now won't cut it when they get to a real opponent. It's not even cutting it now, but Boston is not playing nearly as well as some of the other teams that I've watched.

[FearTheReaper]

I didn't say that I don't/won't care - I absolutely will watch every second that I can until the season is over, whether that be Friday (scary thought) or in June - but I'm saying that what they are doing right now won't cut it when they get to a real opponent. It's not even cutting it now, but Boston is not playing nearly as well as some of the other teams that I've watched.

 

Precisly.

 

Its about being real with the team we have. I'm not going to fool myself by thinking about the cup in april like 07.

[sabresfan36]

In the last two games Rask has made the key saves at key times while miller hasn't. Not saying miller has been bad, but the goals are very untimely.

[TheMatrix31]

I'm not going to fool myself either, but there's a difference between realizing what we have and saying that it doesn't even matter to advance to the second round because we'll get bounced anyway.

[ThePebble19]

After a couple of hours of cooling off, I am still upset, but not as mad as I was. I just don't even want to think about hockey right now, and just hearing the Vancouver game in the other room right now is bothering the crap out of me.

 

Game 4 is the gut check that this team has been waiting for all year long. It may not be a literal "Game 7" situation, but it's as close to it as you can get without the real thing. Every single player in that room needs to look at themselves and ask "What more can I do for this team to turn this around?" It starts with 19, and goes all the way up through 30.

 

Wednesday night. It's time for the little boys to grow some fuzz, man up and do the things that it takes to win a hockey game. I can truly say, I really don't know if this collective group has it in them to do it. But, if they can pull it off, and gain some momentum going back to Buffalo, then I think we can take this series back.

[FearTheReaper]

Thats being real though. This group doesn't have it in them to get beyond that point. Theres a reason why Detroit hasn't missed the post in 20 years. And why they've won some cups on the way.