GAME DISCUSSION THREAD GDT: Buffalo at Montreal 3-25-14 at 7:30 PM EDT

[Eleven]

I only caught the last two; the bright spots:

 

1. Hodgson. Nice moves tonight, even though there wasn't a goal at the end of them. Smooth play all game.

 

2. Hackett. The fact that he took a shutout as long as he did was, in itself, amazing. Yeah, the first goal, and all that. But he did play a nice game. And that means that if one of Enroth/Neuvirth can emerge as a legit no. 1, and if Hackett remains solid, there's a trade to be made.

 

3. Foligno. How much abuse did he take in the corner while freezing the puck for :20 of the last :45 of that four minute power play? Nice job, my man. Nice job.

 

I effin hate that idiotic Ole song

 

I think it's obsolete even in Europe. I think it's only the Habs now. So wait about twenty years, and it will be gone.

[JJFIVEOH]

On each side of the mask are two kids playing hockey outside and wearing Amerks sweaters. They're his cousins (Jeff Hackett's sons), Montana and Kurtis.

 

Ah, OK. Thanks. ;)

[Mustache of God]

Well they're playing like they really wanna set the record for the worst scoring team since 1936. Keep it up, boys.

[Iron Crotch]

We're 11 points back of Edmonton and can't score worth a ######. Are people really still worried that this team won't finish dead last? If this was a presidential election, this race would have been called long ago.

[inkman]

I'm setting personal records for Sabres games. I think I've fallen asleep in every game I've watched at home in 2014.

[Kristian]

Oh.... The season is still going on? :flirt:

[LaLaLaFontaine]

Hacket was awesome.

 

But we really need some FAs this summer to improve.

 

Yeah I know we are tanking, but we are currently not a team, which is worthy to play in the NHL.

 

I would like to see some nice Buffalo hockey, not the endless tank parade we are seeing now and the next games until end of the season.

[wjag]

I watched 2 whole periods last night. That is the most Sabres hockey I have seen since before the Olympics. Missed the collapse in the third.

[26CornerBlitz]

POSTGAME LINKS

03/25 – NHL POST-GAME NEWSLETTER: Buffalo Sabres @ Montréal Canadiens (NHL.com)

03/26 – GAME RECAP: SABRES PENALTY WOES CONTINUE IN LOSS TO HABS (Chris Ryndak – Sabres.com)

03/25 – Brian Duff recaps the Sabres 2-0 loss to the Canadiens. <2:15>

03/25 – Ted Nolan speaks with the media following the Sabres 2-0 loss to the Canadiens. <2:33>

03/25 – Christian Ehrhoff speaks with Brian Duff and Brad May following the Sabres 2-0 loss to the Canadiens. <2:51>

[kishoph]

I only caught the last two; the bright spots:

 

1. Hodgson. Nice moves tonight, even though there wasn't a goal at the end of them. Smooth play all game.

 

Hodgson's taken a lot of flack lately (I given a lot myself), but last night he looked like the kind of player he can be, not just because of the one play, but he was carrying the puck, something he abandoned doing for the last month or more and it was good to see. Maybe something Nolan said to him struck a chord and he starts playing like he's capable of. I do hope that it isn't just a 1 or 2 game thing though.

[Jsixspd]

In the month of March, with 12 games played, the Sabres have scored 16 total goals, for an average of 1.3 goals scored per game.

 

Overall, the Sabres' average goals per game have dropped from 1.9 to 1.8. Amazingly bad.

[SwampD]

PK Subban takes his hand off of his stick to play the man more than any other player I can think of. I just don't know how he doesn't get called for holding more than he does.

 

Yes, that is the only thing I took away from that game.

 

 

 

Remember a couple of weeks ago when we had 800+ people on here.

 

This sucks.

[Jsixspd]

Oh, and pretty soon we're gonna clinch last place. We're 11 points behind Edmonton with 10 games left to play. Sabres would have to average 1.1 points earned per game just to tie, and Edmonton not make a point in their remaining games. In the last 12 games the Sabres have earned a whopping 4 points, or 0.3 points per game on average. If we stay true to average, we'll earn 3 or 4 more points in the remainder of the season.

[Kristian]

Oh, and pretty soon we're gonna clinch last place. We're 11 points behind Edmonton with 10 games left to play. Sabres would have to average 1.1 points earned per game just to tie, and Edmonton not make a point in their remaining games. In the last 12 games the Sabres have earned a whopping 4 points, or 0.3 points per game on average. If we stay true to average, we'll earn 3 or 4 more points in the remainder of the season.

 

This season can't end soon enough.

[CallawaySabres]

This season can't end soon enough.

 

Next season will be much better to see some of the future on the ice but as far as the record, I would get used to the point total you see right now. It is going to SUCK sending off that burning pile of dollar bills to pay for seasons again........

[Kristian]

Next season will be much better to see some of the future on the ice but as far as the record, I would get used to the point total you see right now. It is going to SUCK sending off that burning pile of dollar bills to pay for seasons again........

 

Oh, I'm not expecting much, if anything, to change next year.

 

At least the heroics runs to 9th spot have come to an end.

[Marvelo]

At least the heroics runs to 9th spot have come to an end.

 

Seriously. The strive to mediocrity just to be ousted in the first round was the definition of false hope. But this crash and burn is really hard to take because there's no guarantee we'll ever get out of it.

[dEnnis the Menace]

paging Tank!

 

how many more regulation losses to clinch dead last??

 

I was going to watch this game, but some personal matters came up...reading thru this, I'm kind of glad they did.

[Weave]

 

Remember a couple of weeks ago when we had 800+ people on here.

 

This sucks.

 

And yet, still as much chaff to wade through.

[Claude_Verret]

Seriously. The strive to mediocrity just to be ousted in the first round was the definition of false hope. But this crash and burn is really hard to take because there's no guarantee we'll ever get out of it.

 

Exactly. But there are no guarantees to anything in life except...yada yada. Taking everything else out of the equation, I'm ok with the crash and burn or tank approach for no other reason than it's a shift from the false hope / mediocrity approach. Yes, there's a risk that we become Edmonton or the Islanders, but I'm willing to take that risk for a shot at becoming the Pens or Blackhawks, especially since the long term suckitude of a team like the Oilers to me is not really different than the long term sub-mediocrity that has defined the Sabres.

[apuszczalowski]

I will take the "False Hope/mediocrity approach" any day over the cluster###### tire fire that we see out there now

 

Atleast there was entertaining games being played in a run to try and make the playoffs and just as much of a chance that they could get hot and have some things fall in their favour in the playoffs as there is a chance that this team will suddenly become a "Dynasty" franchise because they sucked BAD for a couple of years.

 

If its so easy to go from no talent to cup contender compared to middle of the pact and getting better, why doesn't every team do it?

[Claude_Verret]

If its so easy to go from no talent to cup contender compared to middle of the pact and getting better, why doesn't every team do it?

 

In the soft hockey markets a complete and obvious tank like we are witnessing is completely out of the question, not even on the table for discussion.

[Kristian]

I will take the "False Hope/mediocrity approach" any day over the cluster###### tire fire that we see out there now

 

Atleast there was entertaining games being played in a run to try and make the playoffs and just as much of a chance that they could get hot and have some things fall in their favour in the playoffs as there is a chance that this team will suddenly become a "Dynasty" franchise because they sucked BAD for a couple of years.

 

If its so easy to go from no talent to cup contender compared to middle of the pact and getting better, why doesn't every team do it?

 

TBH, I feel pretty convinced the current front office are wishing Regier hadn't declared "tank on" last season, but they're most likely smart enough to try and make the best of it, now that the tank is in effect.

 

I'm willing to bet good money that if Pegula had used his brains and fired Darcy and Lindy two years ago, no way we're in tank mode today.

 

The only reason Darcy embraced the tank in the first place, was that he wasn't able to attract quality free agents, largely due to the reputation of the franchise.

 

In no small part, that reputation was based on the actions of the front office, and the owner who kept said front office around.

[Claude_Verret]

FA's don't want to sign here for one main reason:

 

The city of Buffalo and all the stereotypes and stigmas that go with it, however misguided they may be.

 

Struggling to ever ice a legit cup contender certainly contributes, but even when/if the Sabres manage to be among the elite teams in the league the recruiting problem will remain as compared to other top markets who also are competitive.

 

The recruiting problem is very real, and will only ever abate to the extent that winning hockey allows, but it will always be there.

[apuszczalowski]

TBH, I feel pretty convinced the current front office are wishing Regier hadn't declared "tank on" last season, but they're most likely smart enough to try and make the best of it, now that the tank is in effect.

 

I'm willing to bet good money that if Pegula had used his brains and fired Darcy and Lindy two years ago, no way we're in tank mode today.

 

The only reason Darcy embraced the tank in the first place, was that he wasn't able to attract quality free agents, largely due to the reputation of the franchise.

 

In no small part, that reputation was based on the actions of the front office, and the owner who kept said front office around.

Well, a good GM would have been able to take what the Sabres currently had and turned this team around much quicker then Darcys plan to gut the franchise and start from sub-rock bottom.......

He left them in a bad spot by starting the gut, which led to making it necessary to get rid of guys like Miller and Vanek before they walked for nothing cause they didn't want anything to do with a long gut rebuild