game discussion thread GDT: Carolina at Buffalo (10/14/2011)

[SabresFan526]

The ridiculous twitter part aside, I didnt think the hit was too bad. The only thing that made it illegal was that Jason didn't have the puck. I just thought the hit looked way worse than it was because of the ping pong affect with Skinner then the ice.

Here's the problem I have with your sentiment. How is it that Boyes barely grazing a guy's head is worth 2 games suspension (albeit preseason games) and Allen should get nothing? Allen's hit was such that he hit Pominville who did not have the puck and the principal point of contact was the head. Just because Pominville was not seriously hurt does not make the hit legal under Rule 48. As per Rule 48, Pominville was in a vulnerable position and did not turn away just to avoid the hit and draw a penalty. So, by the Rule as stated in Rule 48, Allen's hit should be a clear violation.

 

Also, the twitter part is a social experiment more than anything else. I'm curious to see how much social media has as an influencer. I'm not sure it weighs all that much on anything that happens, but it's an interesting experiment to conduct now to see what will happen.

[Weave]

Here's the problem I have with your sentiment. How is it that Boyes barely grazing a guy's head is worth 2 games suspension (albeit preseason games) and Allen should get nothing? Allen's hit was such that he hit Pominville who did not have the puck and the principal point of contact was the head. Just because Pominville was not seriously hurt does not make the hit legal under Rule 48. As per Rule 48, Pominville was in a vulnerable position and did not turn away just to avoid the hit and draw a penalty. So, by the Rule as stated in Rule 48, Allen's hit should be a clear violation.

 

Also, the twitter part is a social experiment more than anything else. I'm curious to see how much social media has as an influencer. I'm not sure it weighs all that much on anything that happens, but it's an interesting experiment to conduct now to see what will happen.

 

Allen hit Pominville in the chest, not in the head. Therein lies the primary difference.

[DumbPuck]

The general consensus seems to be that people here are very happy with "our aggressiveness and how we reacted to the Pomminstein / Allen hit."

 

I guess I am in the minority. To me it felt like we were letting them manhandle us most of the night aside from some shining moments from Tyler Myers and Robyn Regher. Between Pominville getting crushed and Vanek getting manhandled in the crease (Several times he ended up on his ass) I was not impressed by our response. Yeh, it was nice to see McCormick go hunting ... but honestly I would have much rather seen some offensive intensity immediately following an event like that ... instead it seemed like we just got sloppier after the hit.

 

Maybe I was watching a different game. By the way I'm not trying to be all doom n gloom. As I said in an earlier post I am very happy to see Roy waking up, Staff SHOWING up, and I look forward to seeing how they respond to their first defeat going into tonight's difficult pairing.

[SwampD]

Allen hit Pominville in the chest, not in the head. Therein lies the primary difference.

Nope. I just watched it about 5 times in super duper slo-mo. Allen's shoulder hits Jason squarely in the chin. Fine's a'comin'.

[X. Benedict]

It looked shoulder to jaw to me. Late but not lateral. We'll see. It was clearly interference. I think it might be two games though I'm not calling for it myself.

[Warriorspikes51]

THAT WASN'T A PENALTY!!! THE GUY LOST AN EDGE!!!!

 

:wallbash: Van Masenhoven

[X. Benedict]

The general consensus seems to be that people here are very happy with "our aggressiveness and how we reacted to the Pomminstein / Allen hit."

 

I guess I am in the minority. To me it felt like we were letting them manhandle us most of the night aside from some shining moments from Tyler Myers and Robyn Regher. Between Pominville getting crushed and Vanek getting manhandled in the crease (Several times he ended up on his ass) I was not impressed by our response. Yeh, it was nice to see McCormick go hunting ... but honestly I would have much rather seen some offensive intensity immediately following an event like that ... instead it seemed like we just got sloppier after the hit.

 

Maybe I was watching a different game. By the way I'm not trying to be all doom n gloom. As I said in an earlier post I am very happy to see Roy waking up, Staff SHOWING up, and I look forward to seeing how they respond to their first defeat going into tonight's difficult pairing.

A very thoughtful post DPTG. I guess I would say I didn't see it. Vanek sees that contact every game. It really doesn't require a response as that is the game as far as the turf war. I think refs allow the first crosscheck on Vanek 90 percent of the time

For some reason the first one is free

 

 

Carolina played a good road game. But I thought they had very little net presence and lost most of the puck battles as a team that gives up 40 plus shots indicates.

[nostyle126]

In my opinion, I don't need to see the Sabres respond to a cheapshot by getting aggressive or any such thing. They need to respond by making opponents pay on the scoreboard, by capitalizing on powerplays. Send them a message that if you take penalties against us we will convert with the man advantage. That's what sucked so much last night. Not only didn't we make them pay for taking that penalty but we gave them a shorthanded goal. Message NOT sent.

 

I also felt our coaches didn't adjust well last night.

 

Having said that, it was one game. I look forward to seeing how this team will rebound tonight.

[SabresFan526]

Allen hit Pominville in the chest, not in the head. Therein lies the primary difference.

I think you need to watch the replay again. Allen hits Pominville in the chin, which is part of the head. If he hits him shoulder to chin, that means the head was the principal point of contact as per Rule 48. It's very clear in the replays that chin/jaw was hit, not chest.

[X. Benedict]

I watched the broadcast this morning. I thought they had it wrong saying shoulder to chest. It only really matters for suspension purposes.

[inkman]

Nope. I just watched it about 5 times in super duper slo-mo. Allen's shoulder hits Jason squarely in the chin. Fine's a'comin'.

Not sure why everyone is so black or white with these issues, must be some sort of internet "I told you so" machado, but to me it looked like it was shoulder to chest with maybe follow through that caught his chin. Is that what the league is trying to prevent? If so, fine him $500,000 and suspend him 50 games. /sarcasm

 

It was a penalty, he was called for it.

[SwampD]

Not sure why everyone is so black or white with these issues, must be some sort of internet "I told you so" machado, but to me it looked like it was shoulder to chest with maybe follow through that caught his chin. Is that what the league is trying to prevent? If so, fine him $500,000 and suspend him 50 games. /sarcasm

 

It was a penalty, he was called for it.

No machado (hatchet?), I just don't like it when I'm told I didn't see what I saw. I believe this is exactly what the league is trying to remove from the game.

[...]

I also felt our coaches didn't adjust well last night.

 

 

Great point. Totally agree.

[nfreeman]

Lots of great hockey posts in this thread. My 2 cents:

 

1. The Sabres generated a lot of offense last night. The forward lines are gelling. With leino's line, the individuals seem to be playing well but not much chemistry between them yet.

 

2. Gragnani had 19 minutes last night and is clearly part of the #1 PP unit.

 

3. I thought the hit on Pommer was suspendable.

 

4. I'd be curious to hear opinions on whether Ehrhoff was responsible for making sure the trailer didn't score on the 2-on-1. He did well to take away the cross-ice pass but then he backed up into the crease and didn't take out either of the canes in the play.

 

5. Luker needs improvement on the backcheck.

 

6. For those lobbying for Vanek to be made captain: a captain doesn't take that penalty with 2 min left.

 

7. On the last PK, the Sabres had several chances to clear and didn't get it done. Gaustad whiffed on at least 1 and lost the faceoff that led to the goal. For those saying Hecht should be healthy-scratched -- that was the situation in which the Sabres needed him.

 

8. Stafford is off to a good start.

[LGR4GM]

I slept on this because this game was rough and I wanted to think about it.

 

The good:

The sabres had a good number of chances and they were working the entire night. The team is starting to gel but it will take more time. Our big guys are doing what they are supposed and at least we were in the game and dominated large chunks of it. Tyler Myers is a beast.

 

The Bad:

I may be alone in this but our defenses job is to play defense first and last night they were way to enthusiastic. MAG was week defensively and so was Ehrhoff and you couple that with Adam not backchecking the way he should and you can see how the PP and PK lead to our losing a game we should have won. Time will tell but the defense looks like it needs more time to gel and I would rather have this happen in game 3 then game 33 or even 63.

 

Bottom line: We lost and the more important thing is how does this team respond to such a disgraceful loss (2 shorties is disgraceful) with less than a 24hour turnaround? It will speak to their character.