Game discussion thread GDT: HELL YES BEAT THE PENS 4/11/15

[pastajoe]

I would rather see the Pens in the playoffs instead of the Bruins. Pens are ahead by 1 point, but if they tie in points Boston wins the tiebreaker.

 

If Boston wins, Pittsburgh needs 2 points. If they lose in OT, Pitt needs 1, and if they lose in regulation Pitt needs 0. So the most exciting scenario would be that the Bruins lose in OT, and the Sabres win in OT, and Pitt still makes the playoffs.

[plenzmd1]

If I was playing in this game, I would give the fans what they wanted, roll over and let the pens win and then just ignore them while skating immediately off the ice to the lockerroom at the end

 

The fans got what they want, cheering against the team for a possible future name on the back, now they should all act like none of it happened and All is forgotten

I think just the opposite...the fans were cheering for the crest to better for a long time, the players only cared about the name on the back How many times did we hear" fighting for jobs " , " pride" etc. that is 100% playing for name on the back.

 

And I know we supposed to let it go, but some guys just seemed to enjoy screwing the fans more than they enjoyed competing. Gionta 6 multi point games in last 9...hmmmm

[Robviously]

Wait, are we going to be able to root for a Sabres win? I'm afraid with all of us gunning for the top pick, a "losing culture" has permeated throughout Sabres fandom, which could take years to stamp out.

Nope. Go Sabres!

[pastajoe]

I don't mind Gionta showing compete and setting and example as a leader. He did it the right way. I don't like Weber saying what he did, especially when his play has contributed to the Sabres being bad.

[Samson's Flow]

Let's go Buffalo. I'm excited to root for the Sabres again. One game where I don't feel dirty cheering for our goals

[That Aud Smell]

Taro Sez:

 

Pens will join us for some Golf.

Perfect.

[LabattBlue]

I am so glad the Sabres clinched 30th last night.  The crowd/atmosphere would have been 100x worse than the Arizona game, and would have been uncomfortable beyond belief. 

 

Instead...go out and knock $hitsburgh out of the playoffs.

Edited April 11, 2015 by LabattBlue

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Win, or lose, at this point it doesn't really matter.

 

I just want to see some good hockey.  

 

GO SABRES!!

[plenzmd1]

I don't mind Gionta showing compete and setting and example as a leader. He did it the right way. I don't like Weber saying what he did, especially when his play has contributed to the Sabres being bad.

I am split on that Joe, I really am. I guess maybe it's the first time I have.ever wanted a result different than the players.

 

Just seems Gianta raised his game and his "compete" level when he got pissed at a small section of the fans....the celebrations etc.

[Johnny DangerFace]

I am split on that Joe, I really am. I guess maybe it's the first time I have.ever wanted a result different than the players.

 

Just seems Gianta raised his game and his "compete" level when he got pissed at a small section of the fans....the celebrations etc.

 

Well thats what players do.  Pro-tank or not, fans blaming players who do well or coaches who are trying to win isn't the right thing to do.  Now when the palyers complain about the fans interests, like weber, that is annoying to me

[darksabre]

I imagine, should the Sabres down the Penguins tonight in the last game of the season, Pegula and Black will be high-fiving as they celebrate a "passing of the torch" from their old team to their current one.

 

They couldn't have picked a better way to cap off this whole nightmare. 

 

A Sabres win would be a storybook ending. 

[LGR4GM]

Buffalo's back alright.

[darksabre]

The Sabres are apparently wearing white at home while the Penguins wear their thirds. 

 

This game is going to LOOK great. 

Just to get you guys really fired up, here's an article (which I still have pinned to my bulletin board in my childhood bed room) from the last time the Sabres finished a season at home in the classic white jersey:

 

 

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/article/20030407/SPORTS/304079939

 

Sabres vs. Devils, April 6th, 2003. 

 

SABRES SORRY TO SEE LONGEST SEASON END 
POSITIVE NOTES SOUNDED IN FINALE

 

 

 

Four months ago, the best the Buffalo Sabres could wish for was a quick and painless ending to their season. Players openly admitted they were hankering for a fresh start and their thoughts were already on 2003-04.

 

The cruelest campaign in the Sabres' 33 years finally concluded on Sunday afternoon. But there were no sighs of relief among the Sabres after they tied the New Jersey Devils, 2-2, in front of an appreciative HSBC Arena crowd of 17,845.

 

"You look around the locker room and see guys who are pretty disappointed," Sabres goalie Mika Noronen said.

 

The Sabres have known for weeks -- many had it figured out months ago -- they would miss the playoffs for the second straight time.

 

They languished in last place overall for much of the season. There was a 12-game winless streak in November, a six-game losing streak in December and another winless streak of eight games in February.

 

The season from hell played itself out against the backdrop of front-office turmoil. The former owners face prison terms. The team filed for bankruptcy. The heir apparent to the ownership throne pulled out. The threat of the Sabres folding or moving to another city was very, very real.

 

But something happened on the way to oblivion.

 

The Sabres started winning despite illness and injury. They hooked a new, deep-pocketed owner in Rochester billionaire B. Thomas Golisano.

 

They started having fun again.

 

"There seems to be excitement in the city still," Sabres center Adam Mair said. "It's been really fun. Just having the ownership in place and knowing there's a good feeling around the team and around the community -- it gives us hope."

 

On Sunday they donned the old Blue and Gold to electrify their fans, to give them one more reason to get excited.

 

Their previous home game featured a tribute to Ruff as the team's most successful coach. Then his team went out and posted one of the most euphoric regular-season victories in team history, scoring four goals in the final 13:17 to beat the Atlanta Thrashers, 4-3.

 

"There's a real good feeling," Ruff said. "We've had some real good chemistry, real good energy. We're undefeated in the last six (at home) to close out the year. Offensively we've been playing better. There's just been a real good buzz since the announcement of Tom taking over the team."

 

The Sabres finished 27-37-10-8, climbing from the NHL basement to 26th of 30 teams, 12th in the Eastern Conference with 72 points. They were four games above .500 after New Year's Day. The New York Islanders made the playoffs at one game over .500 for the season.

 

"I think they're feeling really good about where they are today, and I think that feeling will carry on until next year," Golisano said in the Sabres' dressing room after the game.

 

"My enthusiasm, maybe a month ago, was down here," he said, pointing toward the floor. "But I can tell you it's on the ceiling right now, and I can't wait until next year because this is going to be a competitive team."

 

Golisano and his chief adviser, former Sabres President Larry Quinn, have many difficult decisions to make in the coming days.

 

They will have to determine the fate of General Manager Darcy Regier and try to coax Ruff into sticking around. Ruff's contract is up, and he certainly will explore his options.

 

Yet the positive feelings generated toward the end of the season have been difficult for Ruff to ignore.

 

"(Golisano) is excited," Ruff said. "He's brought a lot of excitement, just the energy he brings when he's around. That energy has spilled off into the team.

 

"There's conversations we need to have, Larry and Tom and Darcy and I. We'll have those, and possibly good things will come from that."

 

Golisano wants to answer his team's GM and coach questions as soon as possible in order to set a course for 2003-04.

 

"We'll be talking to Darcy and Lindy in the next few days," Golisano said. "We'd like to get this done quickly so these guys can get on with next year."

 

Golisano and Quinn each praised Ruff's performance in trying times.

 

"This team obviously has got great potential, and Lindy's been the guy that's been leading the charge," Golisano said. "And you can't argue with results."

 

Said Quinn: "He did a great job. Most people would have quit under the circumstances. I think we had our announcement March 15, and since that time I think we've passed five or six teams. It is a reflection on Lindy and the job he does. I think the players made it clear how they feel, too."

 

For the record, the Sabres gave up a first-period goal to Grant Marshall in Sunday's game. Buffalo responded with a pair of goals in the first 3:09 of the second period (Ales Kotalik and Alexei Zhitnik). However, Patrik Elias tied the game, 2-2, with 6:16 left in the second period, and the score stood up.

 

Both goalies, Mika Noronen of the Sabres and Corey Schwab of the Devils, faced 30 shots.

 

New Jersey had wrapped up the Atlantic Division title, so it rested some of its regulars. 

Edited April 11, 2015 by d4rksabre

[Jsixspd]

I would rather see the Pens in the playoffs instead of the Bruins. Pens are ahead by 1 point, but if they tie in points Boston wins the tiebreaker.

 

 

Dayum!  Somehow that just spoiled my enjoyment of this game.  I don't like the Pens... but I like Boston even less.  

Taro Sez:

 

Pens will join us for some Golf. 

I would gladly pay for Sidney's first round of golf next week.   

[Hoss]

Is Lindback getting the final start?

[darksabre]

[Stoner]

d4rk, look at all that praise for Old Sugar Packets, the deep-pocketed billionaire!

sabres03.jpgsabres03_2.jpgsabres03_3.jpg

I love that Patrick has no morsel of self-consciousness, looking right at the camera despite leaving his dentures in the room.

[Robviously]

sabres03.jpgsabres03_2.jpgsabres03_3.jpg

I was at this game.  I remember they had a girl dressed as an Indian (or Native American, whatever) skate out before the team (something I remembered my father telling me about from the 70s) and I said to my best friend (who seemed baffled) something along the lines of "####, are they coming out in blue and gold?"

 

Everyone went nuts 1 minute later.

 

And for the love of God, bring back royal blue!

[Stoner]

Here's the clip of the team coming out. And the quite awesome video that they played after that. Did we ever figure out who the dude is at the very end (before Golisano stands up)?

 

Edited April 11, 2015 by @fakegorbyportwinestain

[darksabre]

Here's the clip of the team coming out. And the quite awesome video that they played after that. Did we ever figure out who the dude is at the very end (before Golisano stands up)?

 

I love Ted Nolan's high-five whiff at 1:46.

[Eleven]

Here's the clip of the team coming out. And the quite awesome video that they played after that. Did we ever figure out who the dude is at the very end (before Golisano stands up)?

 

 

Battista.

[Stoner]

I laughed. God, it looks like a young Tom. But I am almost certain he oftentimes said he never played and didn't know anything about hockey before buying the team. Good, one more thing to wrack my addled brain.

[Robviously]

Battista.

:lol:

[Stoner]

:lol:

Was he also on the grassy knoll? Have you been there, by the way?

[darksabre]