Anyone Blaming This Loss On Anything Other Than Refs

[CallawaySabres]

Buffalo played a VERY physical game and did everything they needed to do against a Dminded Boston team in Boston with a hot goaltender.

 

I am not pretending that this team is perfect and the top 6 are ANYTHING to be proud of but LAST NIGHT and last night only, Buffalo was robbed. Vent about this team as much as you want but that game was TAKEN from a team that fought VERY hard and I don't expect them to fade in game 5 either.

[LabattBlue]

I'll blame it on everything but the refs. Did you see the way Satan took a stroll down the slot on the GWG. Where was the PK? Did you see Connolly, Pominville & Roy last night? Neither did I? Miller on the 2nd goal? I could go on for another 10 minutes, but I'd be wasting my breath. This is why I was saying to set the bar low for the playoffs.

 

Officiating good and bad is part of every game and GOOD teams can overcome BAD officiating. So what does that tell you?

[static70]

I'll blame it on everything but the refs. Did you see the way Satan took a stroll down the slot on the GWG. Where was the PK? Did you see Connolly, Pominville & Roy last night? Neither did I? Miller on the 2nd goal? I could go on for another 10 minutes, but I'd be wasting my breath. This is why I was saying to set the bar low for the playoffs.

 

Officiating good and bad is part of every game and GOOD teams can overcome BAD officiating. So what does that tell you?

We have a winner Johnny! What do we have for him?

Well, it looks like an early season at the golf course.

 

You would be dead on, hit the nail on the head correct Blue.

Every team has obstacles to overcome, whether it be bad officiating or, just call it as it is, the inability to score 3 goals before the other team did.

 

We have beat the scoring woes to death, we have dragged the fact that this team gets pushed around all the time to the limits.

For my part as a fan, I am calling out the real culprits behind this teams woes.............DARCY REIGER AND THE MANAGEMENT TEAM!

Its his product on the ice, he built it, he is ultimately responsible for it.

 

For the record: Millers value will never be higher, every team needs a great goaltender, but this team lacks so much, and FA isn't going to be effective this off season to address all of this teams needs.

Trades need to be made, both for roster players as well as for picks.

I say blow it up to a certain point, key players are tradable, argue if you feel you must, but the proof is in the pudding.

 

The following players are keepers IMHO:

Roy, Vanek, Ennis, Pomminstein, Kennedy, Myers, Montador, Tallinder

 

Everyone else is a tradable commodity to me.

[Chief Enabler]

Buffalo played a VERY physical game and did everything they needed to do against a Dminded Boston team in Boston with a hot goaltender.

 

I am not pretending that this team is perfect and the top 6 are ANYTHING to be proud of but LAST NIGHT and last night only, Buffalo was robbed. Vent about this team as much as you want but that game was TAKEN from a team that fought VERY hard and I don't expect them to fade in game 5 either.

After reviewing the boxscore for the first time. The Cody/Kaleta penalties were the killers obviously. In all fairness the Lucic on Tallinder boarding was a crappy call for them. I thought there could have been 2 or 3 calls in the last 10 of the 3rd that were not made such as tripping on Ennis.

 

My biggest peeve is Chara, who is basically getting carte blanche.

[Buffalo Wings]

I'll blame it on everything but the refs. Did you see the way Satan took a stroll down the slot on the GWG. Where was the PK? Did you see Connolly, Pominville & Roy last night? Neither did I? Miller on the 2nd goal? I could go on for another 10 minutes, but I'd be wasting my breath. This is why I was saying to set the bar low for the playoffs.

 

Officiating good and bad is part of every game and GOOD teams can overcome BAD officiating. So what does that tell you?

THANK YOU.

 

Yes, the penalty on McCormick was questionable. Maybe even the too many men was questionable. But it doesn't matter. Miller an the PK have been this team's strengths all year and they failed at the worst times last night.

 

Move on. Game 5 is Friday and it's really do or die.

[CallawaySabres]

I'm not budging on this one. Of course bad calls are expected in each game but last night was atrocious. The beginning of the 3rd period was the biggest head scratcher I have seen in a while. I already stated that there are plenty of things wrong with this team but this team did not deserve last night.

 

Connolly and Stafford are history in my book and have been for a while but that is no excuse to not give credit where credit is due...Montador, Ellis, Kennedy and a few others are who I feel really bad for today. I'll be in the minority here but I DO look forward to some of these younger guys playing next year.

 

How do you think fans of teams like Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa have felt over the past Decade? You think those fans are happy? How about San Jose crushing people in the regular season giving their fans hope of a Cup only to crap the bed in the 1st round every year. Yea, it sucks to lose but only one team is happy in the end. This series is not over and I do expect a game 7 here next week....

[SabresFan526]

The officiating was lousy tonight, but the Sabres didn't lose because of bad officiating. They lost because they gave up 2 Powerplay Goals last night. The number 1 or 2 ranked Penalty kill has given up three PP goals in this series to a team that was mediocre on the powerplay all season long. As much as everyone wants trade Jochen Hecht and his bad contract away, I think you are seeing exactly why the Sabres are missing him right now. The goals in Game 3 were a result of nobody coming back to backcheck (specifically Connolly's line), which wouldn't happen if Hecht is in there. The PK is much better when Hecht is in there. Is he a savior? No, but he's a 20 goal scorer that plays good two way hockey and that's something the Sabres seem to be missing in my opinion.

 

I also think Miller is coming out too far to challenge some shooters which is getting him out of position. While I know that's fundamentally how he plays the game, and you don't want to change that, at the same time, I feel like it's a bit too extreme.

 

Either way, on to Game 5 and hope the Sabres can extend the series.

[weehawk]

+1

 

Watch the replay on the GWG and you'll see Mike Grier standing still about three feet away from Satan and actually watching Satan score. His legs never move. I already have my short list of guys that need to be shipped out...

 

Grier

Stafford

Connelly

 

 

I'll blame it on everything but the refs. Did you see the way Satan took a stroll down the slot on the GWG. Where was the PK? Did you see Connolly, Pominville & Roy last night? Neither did I? Miller on the 2nd goal? I could go on for another 10 minutes, but I'd be wasting my breath. This is why I was saying to set the bar low for the playoffs.

 

Officiating good and bad is part of every game and GOOD teams can overcome BAD officiating. So what does that tell you?

[Kristian]

I'll blame it on everything but the refs. Did you see the way Satan took a stroll down the slot on the GWG. Where was the PK? Did you see Connolly, Pominville & Roy last night? Neither did I? Miller on the 2nd goal? I could go on for another 10 minutes, but I'd be wasting my breath. This is why I was saying to set the bar low for the playoffs.

 

Officiating good and bad is part of every game and GOOD teams can overcome BAD officiating. So what does that tell you?

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

Poor officiating happens, and sometimes it'll cost you a game.

 

Wouldn't be so much of a problem if the Sabres put away their scoring chances or, god forbid, scored a goal on the PP like once in every 10th try.

[Chief Enabler]

 

I also think Miller is coming out too far to challenge some shooters which is getting him out of position. While I know that's fundamentally how he plays the game, and you don't want to change that, at the same time, I feel like it's a bit too extreme.

 

Either way, on to Game 5 and hope the Sabres can extend the series.

Miller was definetly way out on both game winners in Boston, Miler was compensating for Grier last night.

 

But, from a better angle on Satan's goal, Grier is the culprit of the lazy PK not slowing Ryder on the blue line, hence Timmy/Loods attention, then Grier floats and isnt even close to Satan when he makes his move. Myers was just there, not addressing Miro either.

 

Ryder MVP so far this series making that centering pass to Miro.....

[Buffalo Wings]

The officiating was lousy tonight, but the Sabres didn't lose because of bad officiating. They lost because they gave up 2 Powerplay Goals last night. The number 1 or 2 ranked Penalty kill has given up three PP goals in this series to a team that was mediocre on the powerplay all season long. As much as everyone wants trade Jochen Hecht and his bad contract away, I think you are seeing exactly why the Sabres are missing him right now. The goals in Game 3 were a result of nobody coming back to backcheck (specifically Connolly's line), which wouldn't happen if Hecht is in there. The PK is much better when Hecht is in there. Is he a savior? No, but he's a 20 goal scorer that plays good two way hockey and that's something the Sabres seem to be missing in my opinion.

 

I also think Miller is coming out too far to challenge some shooters which is getting him out of position. While I know that's fundamentally how he plays the game, and you don't want to change that, at the same time, I feel like it's a bit too extreme.

 

Either way, on to Game 5 and hope the Sabres can extend the series.

Good point on Hecht. It's hard to say I've missed him, but he usually contributes on the PK. Even though that's been killing them, I still want to know what has happened to the PP. The last time they got eliminated from the playoffs, they couldn't score a PP goal even if they had a 5-on-1 advantage. What's Darcy up to this summer? I'll pay all his expenses to go recruit and sign Marc-Andre Bergeron or Jordan Leopold.

 

As for Miller, I hate how far he comes out of the net *sometimes*, but it was justified on Satan. He was all alone and Miller had no choice but to challenge him. The key was that Miller couldn't get the position he wanted - he couldn't get square to Satan because Myers was in the crease helping to defend the two Bruins on the right side of the ice.

[Buffalo Wings]

+1

 

Watch the replay on the GWG and you'll see Mike Grier standing still about three feet away from Satan and actually watching Satan score. His legs never move. I already have my short list of guys that need to be shipped out...

 

Grier

Stafford

Connelly

Really? Grier has to be one of their best players right now. Yes, he was probably the culprit for the GWG, but that doesn't mean you ship him out of town.

 

Besides, with the absence of leadership on this team, he's as close to 'leader' status as we've got. I'd take him back in a heartbeat next year.

[LabattBlue]

...because Myers was in the crease helping to defend the two Bruins on the right side of the ice.

Is that what Myers was doing? You could have fooled me. Watching the replay, I thought he might be getting ready to moon Satan? There I go again...breaking the moratorium on saying anything bad about Myers because he is only 20. :doh:

[Stoner]

Is that what Myers was doing? You could have fooled me. Watching the replay, I thought he might be getting ready to moon Satan? There I go again...breaking the moratorium on saying anything bad about Myers because he is only 20. :doh:

 

Taking on Miller AND Myers in one thread. They're lighting the torches as we speak.

[rbochan]

Officiating in the NHL is quite possibly the worst in any professional sport. That being said, game 2 wasn't decided by ###### penalties. Neither was game 3. They were lost due to lack of effort by the top 6.

[scottnc]

THANK YOU.

 

Yes, the penalty on McCormick was questionable. Maybe even the too many men was questionable. But it doesn't matter. Miller an the PK have been this team's strengths all year and they failed at the worst times last night.

 

Move on. Game 5 is Friday and it's really do or die.

 

There is no way that call was questionable. Stafford is just an idiot. That's twice in the last two weeks he's done that.

 

The one thing that bothers me, is that for all the great saves Miller made last night (mostly in OT), if he comes up with the save on the second goal, which in my opinion he probably should have had, things may have been much different.

[Cereal]

Buffalo played a VERY physical game and did everything they needed to do against a Dminded Boston team in Boston with a hot goaltender.

 

I am not pretending that this team is perfect and the top 6 are ANYTHING to be proud of but LAST NIGHT and last night only, Buffalo was robbed. Vent about this team as much as you want but that game was TAKEN from a team that fought VERY hard and I don't expect them to fade in game 5 either.

 

Man, what a baby. Ditto to everything that was already said in response to this gem of a thread. If the Sabres had scored on any one of those chances in the first OT period, you wouldn't be whining like a baby.

[LabattBlue]

Taking on Miller AND Myers in one thread. They're lighting the torches as we speak.

Why is Myers not subject to criticism? I've previously stated he has a bright future, but he can be a train wreck in his own end and the GWG is just one example of that.

[Buffalo Wings]

Is that what Myers was doing? You could have fooled me. Watching the replay, I thought he might be getting ready to moon Satan? There I go again...breaking the moratorium on saying anything bad about Myers because he is only 20. :doh:

OK...I use the terms "helping" and "defend" loosely. :blush:

[Buffalo Wings]

There is no way that call was questionable. Stafford is just an idiot. That's twice in the last two weeks he's done that.

I only said "maybe" because based on the replay I saw, he was on the ice and the play was nowhere near him. I didn't even know that was Stafford.

 

The one thing that bothers me, is that for all the great saves Miller made last night (mostly in OT), if he comes up with the save on the second goal, which in my opinion he probably should have had, things may have been much different.

Clearly a bad goal. Bergeron had given up on the play and decided to fire it at the net since he had nothing while his teammates were changing. Not sure if Miller was surprised, but he didn't have the post covered (obviously). Miller certainly tried to make up for it during the OTs.

[CallawaySabres]

Man, what a baby. Ditto to everything that was already said in response to this gem of a thread. If the Sabres had scored on any one of those chances in the first OT period, you wouldn't be whining like a baby.

 

No whining going on here. As a matter of fact, this is the calmest I have been all series because I don't think the team lost that game last night. We all know what this top 6 is all about so why in the world would anyone expect them to show up last night. I have NEVER called out refs before and how people can overlook what went on in the 3rd is ridiculous. Hey, it is what it is and I'm looking forward to game 5.

[scottnc]

No whining going on here. As a matter of fact, this is the calmest I have been all series because I don't think the team lost that game last night. We all know what this top 6 is all about so why in the world would anyone expect them to show up last night. I have NEVER called out refs before and how people can overlook what went on in the 3rd is ridiculous. Hey, it is what it is and I'm looking forward to game 5.

 

No doubt the officiating in the third was terrible, but there were a ton on things that went wrong last night despite the fact that we played well. Our PP is terrible. We're still passing too much trying to set up the pretty play. We have serious problems burying the chances we do generate. Miller should have stopped their second goal. Connolly smacks the post dead on in OT. Stafford can't perform a line change. Everyone stands around watching Satan. Myers decides he wants to be a goalie instead. Take your pick, we just made too many mistakes... again... to win the game. This team just hasn't been ready for prime time.

[Kristian]

No doubt the officiating in the third was terrible, but there were a ton on things that went wrong last night despite the fact that we played well. Our PP is terrible. We're still passing too much trying to set up the pretty play. We have serious problems burying the chances we do generate. Miller should have stopped their second goal. Connolly smacks the post dead on in OT. Stafford can't perform a line change. Everyone stands around watching Satan. Myers decides he wants to be a goalie instead. Take your pick, we just made too many mistakes... again... to win the game. This team just hasn't been ready for prime time.

 

But they'll continue to grow and mature.

 

Just look at Roy.

 

/sarcasm off

[PromoTheRobot]

C'mon. The two bad calls resulted in one goal. It was even strength on goal #2. The Sabres scorers vanished as they always do. Why is everyone surprised? We saw this same team during the January-to-March slump. The fact they won the division just means that other teams are going at half-speed. The smart ones know you don't burn yourself out fighting for playoff seeding and division banners. The Sabres are a lousy team that is paper thin. We lose Vanek and Hecht and we are helpless. Oh yeah, and be prepared for the "if only we had Vanek and Hecht" excuses during the off-season.

 

PTR

[Kristian]

C'mon. The two bad calls resulted in one goal. It was even strength on goal #2. The Sabres scorers vanished as they always do. Why is everyone surprised? We saw this same team during the January-to-March slump. The fact they won the division just means that other teams are going at half-speed. The smart ones know you don't burn yourself out fighting for playoff seeding and division banners. The Sabres are a lousy team that is paper thin. We lose Vanek and Hecht and we are helpless. Oh yeah, and be prepared for the "if only we had Vanek and Hecht" excuses during the off-season.

PTR

 

I can hear Quinn already.......