LabattBlue Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 Really PTR? How many times has an NHL team went on a scoring streak then followed it up by a slump? Evry time? They are locked into fourth. Considering that 8th will be the Thrashers or the Devils? I don't want 1st. The Flyers are only 5 points behind the Sabres(The Sabres have two games in hand). I wouldn't call 4th place a lock. There is a lot of hockey to be played yet.
Knightrider Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 The Flyers are only 5 points behind the Sabres(The Sabres have two games in hand). I wouldn't call 4th place a lock. There is a lot of hockey to be played yet. Personally, I'd rather be in fifth or sixth than fourth, anyway. Too much pressure if you lose one of the first two. Win one on the road, and you get home ice. We're are nearly a lock to play Philly or NY anyway in round 1...
Twisted Wrister Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 I just got home from the game and I only have one comment after another disappointing loss. When the Sabres made it 4-3, it was the loudest I have heard the crowd all season long. GO SABRES!!! I was there last night as well.......I've never heard the arena that loud. McKee finally lowered the boom on someone too right when the crowd was going crazy. Seems like for the last month McKee has been getting hammered and not dishing anything back.
Bmwolf21 Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 I sort of agree with DeLuca on this one. I think for the past two weeks, we had seemingly getting EVERY bounce to go our way. Cross-ice passes weren't getting deflected or hopping over sticks, pucks were hitting the post and finding their way in, etc etc. I think that tonight the Sabres didn't neccessarily get outplayed (as they did in the OTT and ATL games), just fell victim to a couple of really strange goals. I think Miller stops the 4th Carolina goal 99 times out of 100. My take on the game: We didn't get outworked for most of the game, but I think we had a couple passengers at different times tonight. I think it was actually a blessing in disguise that they didn't come back to win the game - hopefully they realize that in crunch time and the playoffs, they can't throw together 20 minutes of hockey and still win. We did have some strange bounces go against us, but it seems like we were also making some bad decisions at times - like the bad pass/turnover when Tallinder jumped up in the rush on the first goal. I thought Novotny was one of the best Sabres on the ice for most of the game, and I was glad to see him get a goal at the end. Tallinder had a rough game defensively last night. I think he was on the ice for 3 of the Canes' 4 goals, and was directly involved in two of them. Also, if I remember right, he fell with the puck late in the game and turned the puck over that turned into another scoring opportunity. He has been one of our better defensemen for most of the year, so I am not too worried. All in all I am more encouraged by the team's third-period performance than I was discouraged by their first two periods.
Taro T Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 Went to the game last night and here are my thoughts about it. The Sabres outskated the Canes in the 1st period, but still were looking to pass 1st shoot 2nd far too often. Kalinin had the puck perfectly in the slot on his forehand and decided to try to send it to the forward coming in to his left. Don't do that. When you are in the slot, shoot the darn puck. If Vanek's shot doesn't go off the outside of the post, Sabres come out up 1-0 and a lot of their problems go away. 2nd period was the Canes, but nowhere nearly as bad as the score indicated. The 1st goal was another case of trying to make too cute a pass. The Sabres had a 4 on 2 that was nearly 4 on 1. There was no reason to try the cutesy pass. Either pass it up to the left winger or send the shot in. DO NOT try a soft pass to the 4th man who is almost behind the play. 3 on 1 coming back was ugly. Pyatt actually played well and deserved a better fate than to have his goal called back. I have no idea what Briere was thinking on the play. I was upset like the rest of the rink when the goal was called back, but watching the replay Briere did interfere with the goalie when he had no need to. 3rd (& 4th) come back directly to Tallinder's stick breaking. In the 3rd, the team finally decided to play hockey. That's the way it goes when you are slumping, you break a stick and it bites you in the butt. Until the Sabres are out of this slump, I hope Lindy fines anyone who has a clean shot in the slot and decides to pass instead. Friday's game should be interesting. As a side note, as horrible as they've looked this past week, they are still 8-4 since the break.
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