GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[JohnRobertEichel]

It's just time to move on from the current brain trust. 12 years is enough already. They are clearly married to some players that should have been jettisoned long ago. Time to bring in a new GM and coach who can assess the talent on hand with no bias.

 

Wishful thinking. No one ever really gets fired in this organization.

[SDS]

On the bright side i have a much greater respect for Vanek. He was thrown under the bus constantly for the year he had, but he picked it up at the most important tiem of year and showed a lot coming back and playing like he did in tonight's game...just about the only veteran that did show..

 

I agree. Perhpas he is has fully put whatever bothered him in the past...

[Robviously]

So, is it Lindy's fault or Darcy's fault that the Sabres actually traded for Torres?

Both.

[apuszczalowski]

Is it your opinion that the coach is head cheerleader and water bottle filler?

No, but to think that anybody would have got more out of the scrubs Regier gives him to be the "top 6" is not realistic.

 

like I said, who would have been better behind the bench and gotten more out of this team?

 

This isn't PeeWee hockey anymore, this is the pros, these guys have played hockey all their lives and should know how to play and what to do.

 

I really hope Buffalo fans get what they want and Ruff leaves, cause I guarantee that within a couple seasons he will be hoisting a cup, probably before the Sabres would make the playoffs next time without him

[matter2003]

The complete inability for any of them ... NOT ONE ... to "step up" in Vanek's absence may be a bigger story in the series than the inept special teams.

 

On the bright side, Raffi Torres certainly proved to be the jump we really needed this season to get it done. Not.

 

Well, with Ennis and Gerbe likely up here next year for a full season, hopefully that will help make a difference...even through all their troubles, the Sabres still ranked tied for 9th in the NHL with 2.82 goals per game...imagine what Boston's fans must have went thru during the regular season...

[shrader]

I agree. Perhpas he is has fully put whatever bothered him in the past...

 

Playing through the injury is enough, but also, the look on his face after it was over told the whole story. Anyone who questions his heart is a fool.

[notwoz]

It's just time to move on from the current brain trust. 12 years is enough already. They are clearly married to some players that should have been jettisoned long ago. Time to bring in a new GM and coach who can assess the talent on hand with no bias.

If it takes giving Lindy the heave-ho in order to get rid of that sheet-head Darcy, than go for it.

[CallawaySabres]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry. Special teams that are that pathetic should NEVER be let out of the first round...NEVER

 

Rask outplayed Miller again...tough to swallow but true...

[Robviously]

On the bright side i have a much greater respect for Vanek. He was thrown under the bus constantly for the year he had, but he picked it up at the most important tiem of year and showed a lot coming back and playing like he did in tonight's game...just about the only veteran that did show..

People are going to forget that Vanek came to play in Game 1. And he was having a good Game 2 before the Bruins took him out. He was definitely ready for the playoffs.

 

The rest of the top two lines? Not at all.

[G-Daddy]

Well, with Ennis and Gerbe likely up here next year for a full season, hopefully that will help make a difference...even through all their troubles, the Sabres still ranked tied for 9th in the NHL with 2.82 goals per game...imagine what Boston's fans must have went thru during the regular season...

 

Maybe Mancari as well!!

[Claude_Verret]

Ruff is never going to have the players in Buffalo. His value was always in getting the team to play above their talent. He has lost that edge. He looks tired.

 

Re: power play -- it is absolutely the coaches job to get it working. He leads practices, picks what is focused on, puts together the lines, calls the plays. Everything short of lacIng them up. The PP failed, the PK let in too many goals, special teams lost the series.

 

I agree. Ruff needs the change of scenery just as much as the team does. I like Lindy and have no doubt he will do great elsewhere, but it just isn't happening here.

[Robviously]

No, but to think that anybody would have got more out of the scrubs Regier gives him to be the "top 6" is not realistic.

 

like I said, who would have been better behind the bench and gotten more out of this team?

 

This isn't PeeWee hockey anymore, this is the pros, these guys have played hockey all their lives and should know how to play and what to do.

 

I really hope Buffalo fans get what they want and Ruff leaves, cause I guarantee that within a couple seasons he will be hoisting a cup, probably before the Sabres would make the playoffs next time without him

That is completely absurd. What does Ruff do that makes you think he's so amazing? Be specific.

 

And what team could he go to and lead to the Cup within "a couple seasons"?

[Stoner]

Can't read through it all. Angry, obviously. (1) Refs, WTF?! (2) Am I still under attack for wanting Connolly and Stafford off of this team?

 

You're better than 1. You really are.

[Eleven]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry. Special teams that are that pathetic should NEVER be let out of the first round...NEVER

 

Rask outplayed Miller again...tough to swallow but true...

 

RIght and right. Until recently, the PK was freaking incredible, but it broke down. (Maybe that happens when phantom penalties are called.) The PP? Miserable. Goodbye, McCutcheon.

 

Rask did outplay Miller, most of the series and certainly tonight.

[biodork]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry. Special teams that are that pathetic should NEVER be let out of the first round...NEVER

 

I certainly wish this hadn't been the case, but they have proven the last two weeks (with game 5 being the exception) that this group is not up to the task. Well, at least now we don't have to watch them get embarrassed by the Pens.

[Panic Prone]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry. Special teams that are that pathetic should NEVER be let out of the first round...NEVER

 

Rask outplayed Miller again...tough to swallow but true...

 

Wow miler played great tonight! It's the team in front of him that was worse. Miller did the best he could.

[mrm33064]

Well, with Ennis and Gerbe likely up here next year for a full season, hopefully that will help make a difference...even through all their troubles, the Sabres still ranked tied for 9th in the NHL with 2.82 goals per game...imagine what Boston's fans must have went thru during the regular season...

 

By and large, I thought the new/young guys pulled their weight.

 

I'd say that Timmy Tin Man pulled a disappearing act that David Copperfield would envy ... except it was worse than just disappearing, it was well-earned "minus" rating.

[apuszczalowski]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry. Special teams that are that pathetic should NEVER be let out of the first round...NEVER

 

Rask outplayed Miller again...tough to swallow but true...

Not true, I wouldn't say either goalie outplayed each other. Rask just has a better group of guys in front of him then Miller. The Sabres played the entire series basically minus the top 2 lines, and the only reason they hung around was because of Miller. The score doesn't always reflect the play of the goalie.

[Robviously]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry. Special teams that are that pathetic should NEVER be let out of the first round...NEVER

 

Rask outplayed Miller again...tough to swallow but true...

Are people even going to consider that Miller was fatigued? He played 69 games in the regular season along with two weeks of NHL hockey (basically playoff hockey in the middle of the season). That's a huge workload.

 

Maybe we should have had him play about 10 less games during the season. But that would require Regier to get a better back-up. So naturally it never got done.

[Eleven]

You're better than 1. You really are.

 

No, there were questionable calls in the first and second. And goals on two of them. Really. I do not think this was an evenly-officiated game tonight. And what did you think of my second point? Connolly and Stafford? Goodbye, and goodbye, AFAIC.

[Stoner]

Playing through the injury is enough, but also, the look on his face after it was over told the whole story. Anyone who questions his heart is a fool.

 

There's heart in this thread now too. Thank you shrader.

[Figster]

On the bright side i have a much greater respect for Vanek. He was thrown under the bus constantly for the year he had, but he picked it up at the most important tiem of year and showed a lot coming back and playing like he did in tonight's game...just about the only veteran that did show..

 

I agree, and I thought the rookies played their ###### off and will only get better,

 

It was a bitter loss no matter how you look at it though

[Cereal]

This team was going nowhere this year so you really should not be too angry.

 

Exactly my thoughts. Of course, I dreamt twice this weekend that Buffalo got eliminated by Boston, so I'd already been practicing. Go....Bills? :censored:

[Eleven]

There's heart in this thread now too. Thank you shrader.

 

Amen.

[apuszczalowski]

That is completely absurd. What does Ruff do that makes you think he's so amazing? Be specific.

 

And what team could he go to and lead to the Cup within "a couple seasons"?

Do you actually see what he has to work with in Buffalo? How many of the guys that leave here do much when they leave? Briere, Drury, Campbell all declined when they left. Most of them only shine when they get to play against Buffalo