GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[wnyguy]

It is not a matter of "done or not done." THIS IS MY TEAM. THEY forgot to finish. While I appreciate the effort to get there, they collapsed. And that was my point.

 

There is a lot of room for improvement and I hope we do so. Otherwise, it'll be the same old, same old.

 

Lots of action, but never a finish.

 

 

They collapsed for sure. The young defense was under constant forechecking pressure and our top "core" guys once again failed. As far as I'm concerned they should get rid of Stafford, Roy, Vanek, Pomminstein, and Connolly and be done with it,

[tasker48b]

Why do I feel like I just watched a Canada vs. Finland women's hockey game? The first period was ridiculoulsy one-sided and it was Miller's play that kept it a respectable 1-0. Buffalo just looked completely out-classed all game.

[nfreeman]

Honestly.....this is what center-less hockey looks like....it took the length of a series for Laviolette to figure it out....the talent on Philly's roster is unreal.

I think you are being too kind to the Sabres, especially their forwards, none of whom showed up tonight.

 

Well, that sucked, but the chat room was fun. Looking forward to that next year, as I do to an improved team.

 

I'm gonna take a day or two off, and then (hopefully) be back over the weekend with the end-of-season player surveys.

 

Take solace, fellow Sabres fans; this team did a lot better than we thought it would in November or December. A lot better.

 

And see you all in a few days.

Nice season posting #11.......relax and talk to you soon. Stick taps.

What he said, and that goes for both of you.

 

Overall, it was a fun ride and good season. I think there are a lot of positives to take away from this season. This is a great young corp of players. I think the Sabres are one elite centerman away from being a legitimate contender next year. Let's see what they do in the offseason. Too bad that elite centerman used to play in Buffalo and tore them to pieces in this series. Oh well, hopefully the offseason will be fun. I'm enjoying the Pegula era, and I do believe that we will win a cup here and soon.

Good call here, although I think they need to replace at least 2 of the top 6.

 

The one stat that stuck out to me was Vanek's -7 despite his 5 goals. That doesn't say much for his 5 on 5 play.

Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! You'll upset those here who, despite possessing eyes and a brain, somehow think Vanek is as good as Briere!

 

I don't accept it either. We grant appreciation for mediocrity way too easily. The strong finish to the season was necessitated by a horrific start. And if you can't make it to the NHL playoffs, then as a team you really have issues.

 

The real value of all this is the ability for our new team leadership to evaluate our gaps and opportunities and address them. I don't see us just tinkering with the roster - it needs to be forceful and perhaps dramatic. Some of the usual regular season masters turned to ghosts again when it mattered in the playoffs.

From this day forward, we need to shed the former sacred cows and build a champion.

Excellent post, especially the bolded part.

 

No eff the Sabres organization for not signing him to a long term contract for less than they ended up paying Pommer. As far as I'm concerned Briere deservedly shoved it onto the Sabres face,

Exactly. I hope you don't mind the insertion of the bolded part -- I love adding insult to injury.

[OverPowerYou]

Tonight is about frustration. Tomorrow reflection.

 

And so begins the first off-season in the Pegula era.

 

Thank you Sabres.

[TheMatrix31]

playoff stats, since he asked:

 

Fastest Three Goals, One Team

 

0:23-Toronto Maple Leafs, Apr 12, 1979

0:38-New York Rangers, Apr 12, 1986

0:38-Colorado Avalanche, Apr 18, 2001

 

Wow....thats crazy! Thanks for the stats, dude.

[BeachedNLA]

Am numb after this game... Wanted to get home & watch, but stuck late at work (only saw period #3).

 

Need a few days to get over the downer of this stinker. This has been a really fun playoff season to watch (and having the Sabres in the thick of things was a huge part of that). Wasn't ready for season to end, and even at 1-4, I was holding out hope (Dang, I hate the Flyers!).

 

As always... Go Sabres!! (in 2011/12)

[Robviously]

I HATE we are so willing to bow down. When we will EVER man up??

It wasn't about bowing down, I was making a point about cosmic justice. I don't think the Hockey Gods were done punishing the franchise for Black Sunday.

 

Besides, we can't become Hockey Heaven until we've made it all the way through Hockey Hell. Getting eliminated by our former captain playing for our no.1 rival is hell.

[SDS]

I don't accept it either.

 

I would like someone to define this. I read this from big tough guys all the time, yet I have no idea what means.

[TheMatrix31]

Yeah, I want a winner too, but you know what? I'm fully able to acknowledge how ###### proud I am of what this team was able to accomplish since the beginning of 2011. For that, I say Thank You, Sabres.

[X. Benedict]

I think you are being too kind to the Sabres, especially their forwards, none of whom showed up tonight.

 

Making up lines in tonight's game was brutal. Four guys out there that wouldn't have been close to the ice in the regular season......

 

Gaustad #1 center......it was asking a lot....no forward puck support in the defensive zone...no presence through the neutral zone.....

 

It was bad.....

 

At the same time...Philly is loaded. ...

[Robviously]

Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! You'll upset those here who, despite possessing eyes and a brain, somehow think Vanek is as good as Briere!

He's not as good as Briere. He's better. Briere is six years older and has just 60 more career goals. He also happens to play with guys who are a TON more talented than the guys Vanek plays with.

[...]

Pommers, cut a tendon, out 4-6 months.

[X. Benedict]

Pommers, cut a tendon, out 4-6 months.

 

Crap.

[eball]

Enjoy the summer, friends. I'm not an offseason poster so I'll see you in the fall. There's work to be done, but this team isn't that far away and there's a lot to be proud of.

 

Cheers!

[X. Benedict]

Enjoy the summer, friends. I'm not an offseason poster so I'll see you in the fall. There's work to be done, but this team isn't that far away and there's a lot to be proud of.

 

Cheers!

 

 

stick taps eball.......enjoy the summer. :thumbsup:

[Robviously]

Pommers, cut a tendon, out 4-6 months.

I wonder which tendon. Hopefully he can come back strong. I don't care if he has to miss October.

 

Amazing to think how durable he was before this season. This year was definitely one to forget for him.

[rickshaw]

terrifically bad... :beer:

 

Go 'Nucks.

 

So far so good

[OverPowerYou]

Pommers, cut a tendon, out 4-6 months.

 

Funny how we hear about this now that the season's officially over. We would've been in game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals and nobody would know what kind of injuries Connolly or Pominville had. So mysterious. lol

 

Wait, what IS Connolly's injury anyways? Not that I care, he won't be here next year. I hope he's ok and continues a few more safe seasons in the NHL.

[X. Benedict]

Funny how we hear about this now that the season's officially over. We would've been in game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals and nobody would know what kind of injuries Connolly or Pominville had. So mysterious. lol

 

Wait, what IS Connolly's injury anyways? Not that I care, he won't be here next year. I hope he's ok and continues a few more safe seasons in the NHL.

 

Not sure...but they just said 6 weeks. Whatever it is.

 

Leopold was sick.

[Big Toe]

I just got back from the game and am so pissed off! My seats were at the lower level near the Sabres goal line. I just can't believe how we just let teams take it to us in elimination games. Hit somebody. You have nothing to lose. You are down. Let them think they won't play in the next series. I never saw them change their style. If its not working, change something. I wanted to kill some Flyers fans sitting next to me. And after the penalty in the final minute, why do you pull the goalie? Just keep the puck in your end and take the win. Lav has no class. I was at the elimination game in Boston last year and saw the same thing. No fire in the belly. How do they get that? I guess thats what they get for not closing it out in Philly when they had the chance.

 

Pissed in Philly

[X. Benedict]

For the first time in my life, I can't wait until July 1st.

 

Fair warning.....it's a pretty thin market.

 

http://www.capgeek.com/free_agents.php?year_id=2011&team_id=-1&position_id=F&fa_type_id=2

[OverPowerYou]

This first round exit may be a blessing in disguise. This team showed that they may have what it takes to go the distance next year. Afterall, they did push Philly to 7 games and Buffalo did it with many key injuries on their side. This will show Pegula that we are a few Good players away from being a cup contender.

 

For the first time in my life, I'm actually looking forward to July 1st. I am going to enjoy the rest of the playoffs first.

[...]

Grier in tears in the dressing room, other players crying. Must have been pathetic. :pirate:

 

Lindy kind of used the "too many bodies" excuse, but mainly relied on the "out of gas" excuse. The latter is one that was pretty obvious by the OT in game 6.

[X. Benedict]

Grier in tears in the dressing room, other players crying. Must have been pathetic. :pirate:

 

Lindy kind of used the "too many bodies" excuse, but mainly relied on the "out of gas" excuse. The latter is one that was pretty obvious by the OT in game 6.

 

I thought it was a pretty honest answer to the question.

 

That was as "out of gas" as I've ever seen them.

[OverPowerYou]

I thought it was a pretty honest answer to the question.

 

That was as "out of gas" as I've ever seen them.

 

Maybe if they don't get off to a bad start in the regular season they won't be out of gas by the end of the first round. Losing most of your homegames the first two months is unacceptable.