Game Day Thread: 2013 home opener -- Ottawa vs. Buffalo 10/4/13

[deluca67]

Last night was a flashback to the Hasek era. Giving up a ton of shots, the goaltender doing everything he can to keep the team in the game hoping Satan (in this case Vanek) can bury one.

 

The Sabres record for least amount of goals scored in a 82 game season was 190 back in 2002-03, that is a record that is going to be challenged this season.

 

Miller has come out this season strong, hopefully GM's around the league are paying attention.

[sicknfla]

 

I'm basing it on fan reaction to a season for a franchise in which EVERYBODY knew was going to be less than stellar, but knowing there is tons of opotential and there is nowhere to go but up. I'd expect these types of reaction the last two years. Not this year. Especially not after two games. How anybody can look at this lineup and not be optimistic is beyond me. The vast majority of NHL'ers that become full time players don't usually even break into the league until their early 20's. These guys are getting incredible experience right now, it's only going to make them better in the near future.

 

 

 

Post counts don't mean anything, it's all about quality. ;)

 

 

 

This team is better than last year. If you include Zadorov, Tropp and Armia, the Sabres have 11 players with less than 100 games experience. It can only get better.

 

Not to be Debbie Downer but every team has prospects and young players in their lineup. Some much more skilled than ours. Yes, I believe our defense looks loaded for years to come. The forwards scare me. Amongst our current group who do you see as a legit top 6 player? Girgs. After that it becomes very skeptical. Even Girgs is not going to be a 30-40 goal guy.

 

I just don't see enough raw talent with our prospects. Can't see how what we have coming up can be that much better than any other franchise. With our draft picks we are amassing quantity - I just don't see top end quality.

 

That better come from Miller and Vanek or this rebuild will just be a rebuild into more mediocrity. Everyone assumes a rebuild always leads to better things. Sometimes it ends up being the same - just with different faces.

[deluca67]

That better come from Miller and Vanek or this rebuild will just be a rebuild into more mediocrity. Everyone assumes a rebuild always leads to better things. Sometimes it ends up being the same - just with different faces.

This is a 100% true. Which is why so many on this board are disgusted that the man responsible for the mess has been left in charge of the "rebuild." It only stands to reason that what is being built is going to look similar to what we already had, which wasn't good enough.

[wjag]

Game thoughts:

 

Good:

Ze, Ze, Ze Zemgus

Va, Va, Va Vanek

Ma, Ma, Ma Miller

The Anti-Detroit game for entertainment value

Passing was much improved.

PK was good

Arena was alive

 

Bad:

No real zone time, unless you count the amount of time you spend defending

Powerplay is perfect

Wasted a career setting night by Miller

No chemistry on 1st and 2nd lines

Larsson buried on 4th line

[Jsixspd]

In 120 minutes of ice time, the Pegula/Regier Sabres have scored exactly 1 goal. At this early stage, our elite goalie has the 9th best GAA in the entire NHL, and yet he's still 0-2, as is the team.

 

AND Miller already is LEADING the league in shots against at 80 shots, or 40 shots per game. That's NOT a good statistic at all, and it shows terrible defense - but Myers is 'looking better'? If he wasn't, would Miller have taken 85 or 90 shots? Jeez!!!!

 

They're picking up where they left off last year - Miller, in the 2012-13 regular season, had the most shots against! He's already 6 shots in the lead in this ugly statistic in 2013-14.

 

You can't have a lazy disorganized, unmotivated team - the attitude of the Sabres seems to be "don't worry about it - Ryan will handle it". Well, Ryan will get wore out if that pace keeps up, and the goals scored against him will ALSO creep up.

 

Somebody from the media needs to get right in Regier's grill and hammer him with these and other bad stats and ask him what he intends to do to FIX it, and if he feels responsible since he's built the entire team! They need to hit Regier with hardballs on a regular basis. These are not short term aberrations - you can't just chalk it up, or excuse it by saying "Well, it's only two games". No, this is a pattern of continual and constant FAILURE by this team!!!

[Stoner]

Is Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzemgus Girgensons going to be Rick's new LaLaLaLaLaLa?

[Eleven]

I guess. I just think Flynn could do what Drew does.

 

I feel like I'm watching a playoff game. I love the compete level. Girgensons is a checking machine. Strong on the forecheck and the backcheck.

 

I can see Mike Weber's beard from my house.

 

I loved Stafford's shift in the first where four Sabres were vigorously defending the net, hacking away, trying to get the puck, etc., and Stafford barely crossed the blue line into his own zone.

[CallawaySabres]

I must not have seen the same game as everyone else around here.

 

Aside from Miller, the team was pathetic.

 

not true at all, their passing was miles ahead of where it normally is

[Eleven]

not true at all, their passing was miles ahead of where it normally is

 

And some of it was miles ahead of the intended recipient.

[darksabre]

Catching the first period because I didn't see it last night. Vanek could have had at least 5 goals in this game. Anderson was just perfect.

[Stoner]

Kudos to the Sabres broadcast for finally getting the Super Slow Mo (or Moe's, ahem) cameras. They were promised in Season Two A.P.

 

I also thought I detected a new approach to showing live action. Seemed like they cut away to ice level views more than usual.

 

Finally, I didn't notice faceoffs being missed.

[darksabre]

Kudos to the Sabres broadcast for finally getting the Super Slow Mo (or Moe's, ahem) cameras. They were promised in Season Two A.P.

 

I also thought I detected a new approach to showing live action. Seemed like they cut away to ice level views more than usual.

 

Finally, I didn't notice faceoffs being missed.

 

Makes me feel like I'm watching a Rangers game. That's a good thing.

[waldo]

This team has 1/3rd of what you need for a first line in the NHL and no second or third lines, offensively speaking . What do you expect? As things gell, they will get better... marginally better. When your goaltender takes 40+ , you are in deep doo doo . Fun to watch... but lets not get carried away.

[That Aud Smell]

I was at the game. A few thoughts in no particular order:

 

The pregame production was odd. The production value was quite high, but I wasn't sure what they were going for. Alien was my best guess. I suppose it was meant to be in line with #Blueprint (the vague whirring of unseen machine gears, etc.).

 

Or 1st line looked over-matched just about all night. Vanek was working his dupka off, but that wasn't enough.

 

Our second line - with Larsson at center - did little that was remarkable. Ennis looks utterly lost. Ott hasn't found his game. That line actually seemed to have a bit more jump with Porter at center. Porter at center on the 2nd line. Ooof.!

 

As others have noted, the 3rd line was our best line. This was probably partly a function of the lines and zones with which they were matched. It was also largely influenced by 28's game -- guy's a real gamer. Flynn looked decent as well. 25 had moments, but I agree with the coach: He needs to be harder to play against. A lot (lot) harder.

 

The 4th line was fine. I'd actually like to see Kaleta get more minutes, but not if that means Scott's on the ice. I know all the positives on his side (if I hear "great guy in the room" one more time), but he's just not an NHL level player. If he's at 8-10 minutes, well, then I ... I just.

 

Miller. Holy jeebus. The guy is clearly hell-bent on playing in the Olympics. We were perched above his cage twice and, in addition to the several Oooooh saves he made (the glove save as he fell to his belly was great, but the toe save in the 3rd was my favorite), there were several good shots that he gobbled up like it wasn't no thing. The crowd noticed, and he received a few well-deserved ovations.

 

I thought for sure we were going to a 0-0 shootout. Karlsson is a special player and made a nifty play on his goal.

 

#SomeSuffering

[TrueBlueGED]

In 120 minutes of ice time, the Pegula/Regier Sabres have scored exactly 1 goal. At this early stage, our elite goalie has the 9th best GAA in the entire NHL, and yet he's still 0-2, as is the team.

 

AND Miller already is LEADING the league in shots against at 80 shots, or 40 shots per game. That's NOT a good statistic at all, and it shows terrible defense - but Myers is 'looking better'? If he wasn't, would Miller have taken 85 or 90 shots? Jeez!!!!

 

They're picking up where they left off last year - Miller, in the 2012-13 regular season, had the most shots against! He's already 6 shots in the lead in this ugly statistic in 2013-14.

 

You can't have a lazy disorganized, unmotivated team - the attitude of the Sabres seems to be "don't worry about it - Ryan will handle it". Well, Ryan will get wore out if that pace keeps up, and the goals scored against him will ALSO creep up.

 

Somebody from the media needs to get right in Regier's grill and hammer him with these and other bad stats and ask him what he intends to do to FIX it, and if he feels responsible since he's built the entire team! They need to hit Regier with hardballs on a regular basis. These are not short term aberrations - you can't just chalk it up, or excuse it by saying "Well, it's only two games". No, this is a pattern of continual and constant FAILURE by this team!!!

 

Look, I'm not saying Myers has looked like a Norris candidate, but he's markedly improved over last year. The amount of shots we're facing I'd attribute almost entirely to the forward group. When half the roster is playing one line above their talent and/or developmental level bad things happen.

[Derrico]

My thoughts from last night:

 

The game was pretty close and could have went either way. Much more exciting than the wings game.

 

Grigs is going to be a good player in this league someday. He's shown some big time improvement from last yr. The pass he made to I think Flynn in the second was a dandy. Kid needs to get stronger tho.

 

I agree with drk that stafford has no hockey awareness. I really think it is between him and leino regarding who is bought out in the summer.

 

Overall the d played alright other than on the send goal. I thought the breakouts were much better than in Detroit and compared to last season for that matter.

 

Tough start to the schedule and a good chance we start 0 and 3 but atleast last nights game gave me hope.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I think it means he has to go from watery, to just loose....

 

This is why you are on my number 1 line ... :w00t:

[That Aud Smell]

I probably should have something to say about the D, but nothing really jumped out at me about the 6 of them. Risto looked pretty good, calm -- although I kept thinking he was Hecht.

 

Myers looks improved/recovered. Still not where he needs to be, but light years from where he was last year.

[SwampD]

I loved Stafford's shift in the first where four Sabres were vigorously defending the net, hacking away, trying to get the puck, etc., and Stafford barely crossed the blue line into his own zone.

What good is getting the puck in front of the net when there is nobody to pass to? I'm not defending Stafford, although I think most on here are ridiculously over-critical of his play, but when all five of our guys are in front of the net, it means the are two of their guys at the points and another at the sideboards just waiting for a pass that will turn into a shot that just wants to break another Sabre's hand. We saw enough of that under Lindy. Yep, I went there.

 

Another thing, The biggest problem I have with this loss is that in the end, it wasn't one of the young guys that cost us that goal, it was Weber and Vanek.

[SwampD]

And another thing, I really hate the way we respond to Miller getting hit or run or interfered with or whatever you want to call it. While, yes, you have to immediately respond to the person that hit him, you have to then (in the words of RJ) remind them that they have a goalie as well, especially if it keeps happening. We never get physical with opposing goalies and it drives me crazy. And I mean full on take a penalty, pay a fine run their goalie if we have to.

[skaught]

And another thing, I really hate the way we respond to Miller getting hit or run or interfered with or whatever you want to call it. While, yes, you have to immediately respond to the person that hit him, you have to then (in the words of RJ) remind them that they have a goalie as well, especially if it keeps happening. We never get physical with opposing goalies and it drives me crazy. And I mean full on take a penalty, pay a fine run their goalie if we have to.

 

I guess you missed when Ott completely ran Anderson out of the net. Ott was all over their goalie the whole game.

[LGR4GM]

This team has 1/3rd of what you need for a first line in the NHL and no second or third lines, offensively speaking . What do you expect? As things gell, they will get better... marginally better. When your goaltender takes 40+ , you are in deep doo doo . Fun to watch... but lets not get carried away.

Stafford counts for a negative 2/3rds... yea that seems about right.