Game Discussion Thread

[wjag]

It was definitely the best goal of the Sabres' season, combining how impressive it was physically and how important it was.

 

Sure, the shot was a bit flukish. The degree of difficulty was high enough that it probably only hits the back of the net 1 out of 20 times. But boy are we glad that 1 appeared last night.

 

Gerbe could prove to be key in the playoffs. He's such a wildcard offensively and a hell of a backchecker too. On top of that, he's been a champion before at Boston College so he knows what it takes.

 

 

I'm standing by the Gragnani goal versus Carolina as the biggest goal of the season.

[Claude_Verret]

that narrows it down to...all the Flyers fans in attendance?

 

Can't argue with this as a general rule, but there was only one sitting directly behind the goal fitting that description.

[Claude_Verret]

I'm standing by the Gragnani goal versus Carolina as the biggest goal of the season.

 

Agreed. Man was that sweet to be in their building celebrating that goal with about 4000 other Sabres fans.

[Stoner]

Also, what's with this picture. Can't tell if he's celebrating or whinnying: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=361444

 

I swear, some of the still shots pack 1,000 times the punch of video.

[Stoner]

Just watched Gerbe's tying goal a few more times at nhl.com. What an impressive net-seeking shot that was. Wow.

 

Do you think that went straight in? I keep thinking the puck is on too high a trajectory. Then it gets lost on the replays right around the Philly player. Maybe off a stick and down a hair?

[Eleven]

Do you think that went straight in? I keep thinking the puck is on too high a trajectory. Then it gets lost on the replays right around the Philly player. Maybe off a stick and down a hair?

 

I think it went off of the pipe where the crossbar meets the post, but not sure.

[NowDoYouBelieve]

I'm standing by the Gragnani goal versus Carolina as the biggest goal of the season.

 

Agreed, but I said the best goal, combining importance and skill. I still don't exactly understand how Gragnani's goal went in, but you can't say it was a goal of any great skill.

[nfreeman]

It was definitely the best goal of the Sabres' season, combining how impressive it was physically and how important it was.

 

Sure, the shot was a bit flukish. The degree of difficulty was high enough that it probably only hits the back of the net 1 out of 20 times. But boy are we glad that 1 appeared last night.

 

Gerbe could prove to be key in the playoffs. He's such a wildcard offensively and a hell of a backchecker too. On top of that, he's been a champion before at Boston College so he knows what it takes.

Out of all of the Sabres' forwards, he's the one with the best combination of intensity, speed and skill. He's a major force (and the amazing thing is that he was a non-factor in the first half of the season). Vanek had a big game last night but I thought Gerbe was the best player on the ice.

 

I'm standing by the Gragnani goal versus Carolina as the biggest goal of the season.

Both are legit contenders, but TC's goal vs. the Rangers has to be considered as well.

[nfreeman]

OK............the time for partisan politics is over.

 

Lindy Ruff made a 100% efficient move in playing Miller. There is no way this team does squat without Miller in net for the playoffs. He had almost a 2 week rest and now should be sound for the 1st series. He couldn't lose. If Miller came in and lost...they were going to lose anyway. If he looked horrible....they are dead anyway and still had a chance tomorrow. If he looked solid and the team won....momentum.

 

It was a smart gambler's move, and he just parlayed his chances in the playoffs. Well done.

 

Gerbe is the only guy on this team to have the nads to take that shot, let alone have it go in.

 

They're in now.....I'm giving my 100% support much like Obama will have to give to Hillary in a year. I'm not happy about the matchups, but if they win a series, I will not cry once about bringing everyone back.

 

GO Sabres?!

There we go.

 

This team's got something, innit?

 

I'm still wondering how Miller got voted team MVP by his teammates with him constantly throwing them under the bus? <_<

I know you're saying this tongue-in-cheek, but as far as the underlying point, Bucky stated unequivocally in his chat this week that Miller is well-liked and well-respected in the locker room.

[wjag]

So I missed the third goal (was trying to get rid of that Win7 Anti-Spyware virus from son's laptop) last night. I caught this tidbit in the Philly.Com online article today.

 

 

"Trailing by 2-1 after a pair of Buffalo goals early in the second period, the Flyers responded with two quick scores.

 

Kris Versteeg started the comeback with a shorthanded goal, using Andrej Meszaros as a decoy on a two-on-one and beating Enroth with 12:23 left in the second period.

 

Just 39 seconds later, Briere took a spin-around pass from Hartnell - who may have been offside on the play - and scored from the left circle, giving the Flyers a 3-2 lead."

 

I don't remember any chatter in here last night on that one.. Was he, were they offsides?

 

FYI:

"Briere has four assists and four goals in seven games in Buffalo since he joined the Flyers."

[Eleven]

So I missed the third goal (was trying to get rid of that Win7 Anti-Spyware virus from son's laptop) last night. I caught this tidbit in the Philly.Com online article today.

 

 

"Trailing by 2-1 after a pair of Buffalo goals early in the second period, the Flyers responded with two quick scores.

 

Kris Versteeg started the comeback with a shorthanded goal, using Andrej Meszaros as a decoy on a two-on-one and beating Enroth with 12:23 left in the second period.

 

Just 39 seconds later, Briere took a spin-around pass from Hartnell - who may have been offside on the play - and scored from the left circle, giving the Flyers a 3-2 lead."

 

I don't remember any chatter in here last night on that one.. Was he, were they offsides?

 

There's some discussion of it right around here: http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/19141-game-discussion-thread/page__view__findpost__p__274758

[wjag]

There's some discussion of it right around here: http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/19141-game-discussion-thread/page__view__findpost__p__274758

 

Yep, I missed it. Nevermind...

[R_Dudley]

Just watched Gerbe's tying goal a few more times at nhl.com. What an impressive net-seeking shot that was. Wow.

Sweet justice I thought after seeing Carcillo earlier in the game patting Gerbe on the head like a little kid. I thought Gerbe should have skated past Carcillo on the bench and patted his a$$ which is where he was when Gerbe scored.

 

I'm standing by the Gragnani goal versus Carolina as the biggest goal of the season.

 

Agreed. I mentioned them in the "Which team in the East" thread but I say Canes are going to be one scary team in the playoff's and w/o getting too far ahead another East finals with a 7th and 8th place team is a real possibility this year and one that I wouldn't fear if we happen to be that 7th place team.

[Cereal]

Just 39 seconds later, Briere took a spin-around pass from Hartnell - who may have been offside on the play - and scored from the left circle, giving the Flyers a 3-2 lead."

 

I don't remember any chatter in here last night on that one.. Was he, were they offsides?

 

 

There's some discussion of it right around here: http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/19141-game-discussion-thread/page__view__findpost__p__274758

 

Actually... I believe the rule is that, you can cross the blue line before the puck if you have control of it. So, you can skate backwards over the line with the puck, as long as the linesman judges that you have control of it. If I remember correctly, Datsyuk does this regularly.

[Cereal]

Also, I'm sure it was discussed previously, but that was one heck of a pass by Vanek for Pommers' goal! A good breakout pass by Vanek as well to Gerbe for the 3rd (tying) goal.

[wjag]

Also, I'm sure it was discussed previously, but that was one heck of a pass by Vanek for Pommers' goal! A good breakout pass by Vanek as well to Gerbe for the 3rd (tying) goal.

 

It was. He also threaded a beauty to Myers who let the puck eat him up. That should have been an AAA scoring opportunity too. Vanek played out of his mind last night.

[Weave]

Earlier in the season I commented to my wife that Vanek looks like a man now. To me, he has always had that young look. He is starting to look and carry himself like a man. And he played like a man for that one game agaisnt Boston in the playoffs last season. This season he has been playing like a man much, much more consistently. Last night was definitely one of those nights.

 

 

If we ever get Roy to grow up too we might have something special.

[LGR4GM]

Dear ppl on here who think miller is hated and he got MVP to keep his ego happy... Stop. Seriously a team as whole would have used that opportunity to vote for mvp to show that they dislike Miller. They like him and hes a good guy and he gives this team a lot of heart.

 

Ruff said that Gerbe is showing up to every optional practice early and staying late and working hard on his game. Ya, that explains a lot and I love how this team has bought into the work hard attitude.

[Stoner]

It was. He also threaded a beauty to Myers who let the puck eat him up. That should have been an AAA scoring opportunity too. Vanek played out of his mind last night.

 

And didn't he find Pommers for the breakaway in the dying seconds of the second?

[Stoner]

Earlier in the season I commented to my wife that Vanek looks like a man now. To me, he has always had that young look. He is starting to look and carry himself like a man. And he played like a man for that one game agaisnt Boston in the playoffs last season. This season he has been playing like a man much, much more consistently. Last night was definitely one of those nights.

 

 

If we ever get Roy to grow up too we might have something special.

 

At the same time, he's looking more and more like a little kid in his reactions. On the OT goal, he jumped into the glass, looked into the crowd and smiled. Vanek historically looks like he's just run over and killed a puppy.

[Stoner]

Actually... I believe the rule is that, you can cross the blue line before the puck if you have control of it. So, you can skate backwards over the line with the puck, as long as the linesman judges that you have control of it. If I remember correctly, Datsyuk does this regularly.

 

Jeez, I hate to bring this up, but this is the justification the NHL used when writing its infamous Crease Memo in March 1999. A player who maintains control of the puck could enter the crease ahead of the puck and score legally.

[Derrico]

Earlier in the season I commented to my wife that Vanek looks like a man now. To me, he has always had that young look. He is starting to look and carry himself like a man. And he played like a man for that one game agaisnt Boston in the playoffs last season. This season he has been playing like a man much, much more consistently. Last night was definitely one of those nights.

 

 

If we ever get Roy to grow up too we might have something special.

 

Yep, I all agree with this. Seems like Vanek has consitently shown up when we need him most. He was definetly top one or two players on the ice considering both teams last night. On an aside I've loved Pommers game lately as well. Where the heck has Stafford been?? He doesn't seem to want to battle for the puck and I haven't noticed him in quite a few games now. Don't want to get into it until the offseason because Hey were in the playoffs now but it'll be interesting to see what kind of contract he gets. I know he's scored 30 goals but I don't seem him as a huge threat to score at any time like Vanek.

[nfreeman]

So who is the Sabres' number one goalie?

 

Miller can play. Two games left. A point gets you in. Your Vezina winner sits with his sweater up over his mouth.

 

I don't see how Enroth isn't the number one goalie.

Of course I've been asking for it. I am happier than a pig in ###### right now.

 

I'm just trying to figure out how anyone can say Miller is still the number one when in the biggest game of the year to date, with everything on the line, Ruff thinks the other guy gives him a better chance of winning.

 

I won't call Ruff on it, since he said Miller was his number one the other day. And he left the door ajar -- OK, hanging wide open -- to the idea of Enroth continuing to play once Miller returned.

I guess the obvious followup question would be what if Enroth is solid again tonight in a big win? If Ruff is superstitious, Miller doesn't see the crease again until after Enroth has a bad game or the Sabres lose. Miller playing in Columbus could be a much deserved rest for Enroth so Enroth can get ready for the playoffs.

I hereby pronounce this theme officially retired.

[nfreeman]

I can't wait to just watch and enjoy a hockey game without a sense of desperation. Of course, this is the first opportunity to do that in a long time, and also the last opportunity to do that until October. So here's to kickin' back and just watching the boys play tonight.

How about a bit more detail on the in-person experience last night? That must've been one of the best games to attend in the last 10 years!

[spndnchz]

Haven't listened to or read anything about the goalie change last night. (Can barely see right straight right now, !) IMO, Enroth was solid, they gave up 2 many odd man rushes. Lindy putting Miller in was a wake up call for the rest of the team, not Enroth.