HSBC Arena

[topshelfcookies]

Brad Riter, on WGR's postgame show kept sticking it to those in attendence at Game 5...harping on them for not really being any more into the game than a regular season game. He kept saying everyone at the Arena seemed nervous.

 

It certainly didn't sound as loud, but I feel this is pretty much warranted.

Game 1 was the first playoff game for Buffalo in 5 years, and was a classic game.

Game 2 was about as much fun as you can have at a hockey game, and was never in doubt.

 

Buffalo fans had a right to be nervous. They had just watched their team blow a two game lead in the series, and had also watched them blow leads in games 3 and 4 (and 1 for that matter).

 

Riter mentioned the Arena didn't really start to party until it was 3-0. How can you blame Sabres fans for being nervous? I was nervous too! We had already blown a 2 goal lead in Game 1 and Game 4, and here we were, completely outplaying the Flyers, yet somehow, allowing them to just hang around and hang around. This game absolutely had the feel of one that could go either way, depending on a strange bounce. Luckily, the bounces went our way tonight. Once we opened up a 3 goal lead, I was more relaxed too.

 

Anyways..for those that were there, how did it compare to games 1 and 2?

[Taro T]

I was at game 1, skipped game 2, and was there today so I can only compare today to game 1. The crowd at the beginning of this game was as loud as in game 1 but only for the 1st 5-10 minutes. While the crowd was quieter than in game 1, there is no way it was a regular season intensity level in the crowd. But let's face it, people were extremely stoked at the Sabres playing in the playoffs for the 1st time since '01. That one was going to be louder than any others just because it was building up for so long.

 

The next thing I am about to say could be taken the wrong way, so I will preface this with a "I am not dissing the crowd, don't take it that way". A big part of what was quieting the crowd towards the middle of the game was Filly outplaying the Sabres. It wasn't a quiet of "oh, the Sabres are going to blow this". It was more of a "c'mon guys, get it done" quiet than a the fans turned on the team quiet. As I recall, the OT was quieter in Game 1 than regulation was (in general, although there were moments when it was loud as well). In the 2nd (and latter parts of the 1st), when Filly picked up their play, you still heard chants, just not as many.

 

After the Sabres went up by 3, there was a collective sigh of relief in the building. Not that anyone doubted the Sabres would get it done when they were up by 2 (or even 1, for that matter), but the Game was over for all intents and purposes after Max scored and the Phlyers knew it. That sucked the life right out of them, IMHO.

 

Another thing quieting the crowd until later in the game is, the powerplay was pathetic in the 1st 39 minutes. (Yes, Timmy's goal was a pp goal, but that was scored because Timmy willed it to happen, NOT because the Sabres were on the powerplay.) In the 1st period, I thought Filly only looked good for about 6 minutes of the entire period, and nearly 4 of those came with the Sabres holding the man advantage.

[elcrusho]

I was dissapointed....

 

It seemed there were too many 'Rich' old people there or too many 'young' kids there that had no idea what was going on...

 

Think about it....

 

Who do you know that can spend on Average $100 a ticket say for 2 people for 3 games...$600.00 + give or take...some people just can't do it or can't afford it or don't want to sleep on their couch when their wife kicks them out of the bedroom :lol:

 

Most of the rowdy fans bought tickets to game 1 & 2 IMO

 

Plus my wife and I were not there :P

[LabattBlue]

I disagree completely. It seemed like the "Let's Go Buffalo" chants were firing up every few minutes. I wasn't at games 1 or 2, but the fans at the game yesterday seemed like they really into it.

 

Brad Riter, on WGR's postgame show kept sticking it to those in attendence at Game 5...harping on them for not really being any more into the game than a regular season game. He kept saying everyone at the Arena seemed nervous.

I was at 10-15 regular season games and the excitement level yesterday was FAR greater than any regular season game. Not even close. <_<

[topshelfcookies]

good stuff guys! Thanks for the replys!

[MLH]

I was at games 1 and 5 and watched the NBC broadcast that I had tivo'd last night. A big part of the reason it appeared quiet was because of the NBC audio. If anyone tivo's games regularly and still has them, check the difference between the sound of the goal song on MSG and compare it to how quiet the goal song sounded on NBC. It's extremely noticable.

 

The crowd was nervous and all things being equal, probably a little quieter than game 1. That said, the standing ovation at the end was as loud as a Buffalo crowd has been since the Aud. Louder than Briere's OT goal. Everyone was just literally screaming.

[fushetti]

I was at games 1 and 5. There is no comparison between the feeling in the building between those two games.

 

Game 1's crowd was in a frenzy from start to finish.

 

Game 5, at the beginning it was as if we had to be coaxed into cheering. Personally, I was nervous as hell and I think many others were as well. The crowd was silent until the Sabres came out on the ice. It wasn't until Max scored that the place went bonkers.

 

Brad Riter was right on the money in his description.

[Monkeygirl]

I was there and I did my best to add to the noise. The "let's go buffalo" chant was getting started up all the time. I hate when we get it going and the loud music comes on an drowns us out. It hard because there's always music or something on the jumbotron or that why guy or something else to distract or stop us.

I thought we did a great job. That was the first time I sat alllllll the way at the top. The last row up. But there isn't a bad seat in the house so it was still awesome.