Biggest Sabres issue - losing the 1st period badly too often

[Big Guava]

This has been a thorn in the side of this team far too often the past 2 seasons. They simply are not ready to play at the beginning of the game.

First period goal differential this year is -33. Second period goal differential is +7. Third Period goal differential is +24.

There is no explanation for this and it falls squarely on coaches that don't have them ready to play and players who don't have any fear of the coaches because they allow them to not be ready to play without any consequences night in and night out.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

This is on the players not the coaches, IMHO.

[Big Guava]

1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

This is on the players not the coaches, IMHO.

It's assuredly also on the coaches. It's their job to make sure they are ready to go and if not there needs to be consequences.

It happening so often tells you the players could care less because there's no consequences to them starting out slow so frequently.

If your boss told you, the next time you come in more than 5 minutes late I am going to write you up and then the next day you come in 8 minutes late and nothing happens, how seriously are you going to take that "threat"?

Not very.

Edited April 8 by Big Guava

[mansquito]

2 minutes ago, Big Guava said:

It's assuredly also on the coaches. It's their job to make sure they are ready to go and if not there needs to be consequences.

It happening so often tells you the players could care less because there's no consequences to them starting out slow so frequently.

If your boss told you, the next time you come in more than 5 minutes late I am going to write you up and then the next day you come in 8 minutes late and nothing happens, how seriously are you going to take that "threat"?

Not very.

That's exactly right, there are no consequences because this coach wants to be liked.

[msw2112]

It's just such a strange phenomenon.  This Sabres team, and last year's, are both in the .500 range.  So we're not talking bottom of the barrel, last in the league teams like we've seen just a few short years ago.  That said, how this group can consistently fall behind by so many goals, so early in games, so often, is mind-boggling.  Particularly when UPL is playing so well.  It's very common that, after the early goals (1,2,3, etc.) scored by the other team, he doesn't give up any goals for the remainder of the game. 

It's also just a terrible way to play hockey games.  When the opponent takes a huge early lead, it can alter how they play the game.  They can sit back in a defensive shell, as the likelihood of giving up 3-4 goals is low, or they can be more aggressive, knowing that they have a large cushion.  It also impacts the Sabres' psyche the rest of the game.  Maybe they squeeze the stick a little tighter, knowing they're behind and have little margin for error.  Or maybe they run into a hot goalie, where the rest of the game is going to be low scoring, like last night's game where the score was 0-0 for the rest of the game after the first period.

I attribute it mostly to coaching.  The Sabres have talent, certainly equal to or better than teams like Ottawa and Detroit.  There's no reason they can't be ready to go from the drop of the puck.  If they play a hard-fought game, trade goals and lose 3-2 or 4-3, so be it.  But to fall down 2,3,4, or even 5-0 (Ottawa game) in the first period is just inexcusable.  Someone has to score the first goal, so sometimes it won't be the Sabres, and that's OK.  But to give SO MANY, SO EARLY, SO OFTEN is just ridiculous.  I realize that I said this twice, but it's so bad that it bears repeating.

There is only one benefit, to me, as a fan watching on TV.  I watch almost all of the games after they've been played, so I can use the fast-forward button liberally and it gives me time back in my life by not watching the entire game.  If they are within 1 goal, I don't fast forward (other than commercials and intermission), but if the deficit is 2 or more, I start pressing that button....

[Malazan]

This team from the very top to the bottom wilts under the slightest pressure. Get behind by a few goals and the pressure is off.. once you're behind by 3.. you're not expected to win anymore.

Edited April 8 by Malazan

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Big Guava said:

This has been a thorn in the side of this team far too often the past 2 seasons. They simply are not ready to play at the beginning of the game.

First period goal differential this year is -33. Second period goal differential is +7. Third Period goal differential is +24.

There is no explanation for this and it falls squarely on coaches that don't have them ready to play and players who don't have any fear of the coaches because they allow them to not be ready to play without any consequences night in and night out.

You also have to factor in that if the opponent gets up early they often take the foot off the gas so our game gets "better" as a result of that as well. The book was written early in the season - get an early lead and then shut 'em down for a relatively easy win. It has backfired on a few as we had a few comebacks but overall games are over or near over after the first. 

It's on the coaching and the type of team we have built. We do not have a hard working earn every opportunity kind of team. We have a high end talent team that has a tendency to do the minimum required. We underachieve and we definitely lack in the work ethic department. 

[Thorner]

I guess you could say it falls to the coaches but at some point it defies logic to think they aren’t remembering to attempt to motivate. If they can’t get through to the players time and time again I think we have to look at the players. They are all getting their big money deals, presumably being paid millions of dollars means you know how to read a clock, no? And can tell it’s game time? I mean what are we really doing here? It’s probably a reflection of them all being kids, at the end of the day.

This is the team we assembled to make the playoffs this season. You get what you pay for. 

[kas23]

Not only do they fail to get on the board in the 1st period, they also suck in the beginning of the year. To me, I think the reasons for this are the same. They are either unprepared or unwilling to play hard out of the gate. They prefer to respond when it’s do or die. I don’t know if this is due to coaching or the players, but it’s ultimately the coaches job to fix this. 

[Thorner]

If you put Don Granato on Tampa would the Lightning struggle out of the gate all the time?

It’s the players. That we are counting on Granato to provide SO much of the motivation speaks to the issue itself: the players are unable to provide it themselves.

Are they defective? No. It’s likely a reflection of their youth. And I’m not saying that as an excuse but rather pointing out a flaw.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

I guess you could say it falls to the coaches but at some point it defies logic to think they aren’t remembering to attempt to motivate. If they can’t get through to the players time and time again I think we have to look at the players. They are all getting their big money deals, presumably being paid millions of dollars means you know how to read a clock, no? And can tell it’s game time? I mean what are we really doing here? It’s probably a reflection of them all being kids, at the end of the day.

This is the team we assembled to make the playoffs this season. You get what you pay for.  KA

fify

[GoPuckYourself]

7 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

This is on the players not the coaches, IMHO.

100% on coaches imo, no accountability in that building whatsoever. How can you practice everyday and preach everyday about compete and starting off way better then get into a game and start off slow/sluggish after practicing and preaching that the days leading up to a game? Then when these guys screw up they get rewarded with more playing time. This is why Granato is considered a great developmental coach but a very bad coach of men, he coddles them, shields them from danger but when we need them to elevate their game in crucial situations they crumble going on year 2 now of this so called playoff push. 

[inkman]

How so many people exonerate the players is beyond comprehension.  I’ve lost faith in Granato and Adams but to think a different guy with different words is going to make them a Stanley Cup contender is baffling.  Do fans want coaches to bench Tage and Dahlin?  Put Rousek and Ryan Johnson in their place?  Or does the mean coach have to make them skate harder in practice?  Is that going to light a fire under players who can’t be bothered to be ready to play in the National Hockey League? The team is rotten to its core. They all need to go.  No one person is going to make them a serious team. 

[Thorner]

34 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

100% on coaches imo, no accountability in that building whatsoever. How can you practice everyday and preach everyday about compete and starting off way better then get into a game and start off slow/sluggish after practicing and preaching that the days leading up to a game? Then when these guys screw up they get rewarded with more playing time. This is why Granato is considered a great developmental coach but a very bad coach of men, he coddles them, shields them from danger but when we need them to elevate their game in crucial situations they crumble going on year 2 now of this so called playoff push. 

It’s a matter of perspective 

Saying we have “crumbled” in the “playoff push” is a complete misreading of the situation. The real issue is that it wasn’t really a “playoff push” at all, the pace we needed to play at was ridiculous thus falling short isnt “crumbling” at all. The issue was by far the inconsistency over the course of the full season.

We aren’t playing poorly in “must win” games we’ve just left ourselves zero margin for error. The Sabres have played at a playoff pace during the last couple months of the season, they haven’t “crumbled”, they just aren’t good enough overall.  

2 minutes ago, inkman said:

How so many people exonerate the players is beyond comprehension.  I’ve lost faith in Granato and Adams but to think a different guy with different words is going to make them a Stanley Cup contender is baffling.  Do fans want coaches to bench Tage and Dahlin?  Put Rousek and Ryan Johnson in their place?  Or does the mean coach have to make them skate harder in practice?  Is that going to light a fire under players who can’t be bothered to be ready to play in the National Hockey League? The team is rotten to its core. They all need to go.  No one person is going to make them a serious team. 

I mean, ya

Coaches get changed because their message gets stale. Their particular strategy. Their X’s and O’s and the buttons they push. If the message that isn’t getting through is, “the score gets tabulated in the first period, too” that’s a PLAYER ISSUE 

[SABRES 0311]

8 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

This is on the players not the coaches, IMHO.

Agreed. If the system of play was the issue then it’s the coach. Not skating hard and playing sloppy is a player issue.

[inkman]

32 minutes ago, Thorny said:

It’s a matter of perspective 

Saying we have “crumbled” in the “playoff push” is a complete misreading of the situation. The real issue is that it wasn’t really a “playoff push” at all, the pace we needed to play at was ridiculous thus falling short isnt “crumbling” at all. The issue was by far the inconsistency over the course of the full season.

We aren’t playing poorly in “must win” games we’ve just left ourselves zero margin for error. The Sabres have played at a playoff pace during the last couple months of the season, they haven’t “crumbled”, they just aren’t good enough overall.  

I mean, ya

Coaches get changed because their message gets stale. Their particular strategy. Their X’s and O’s and the buttons they push. If the message that isn’t getting through is, “the score gets tabulated in the first period, too” that’s a PLAYER ISSUE 

I’m all for a new head coach and I’m not sure I even want to mention the pathetic looking assistants.  They need to be fired before they explode out of their clothes. Do the Sabres have a dietitian?  Can the coaches get some advice? Sheesh. 

Edited April 9 by inkman

[Stoner]

7 minutes ago, inkman said:

I’m all for a new head coach and I’m not sure I even want to mention the pathetic looking assistants.  They need to be fired before they explode out of their clothes. Do the Sabres have a dietitian?  Can the coaches get some advice? Sheesh. 

And what the hell is Ellis gnawing?

[SabreFinn]

Adams and Granato is not going anywhere. The Mitts/Byram trade took the chances of reaching playoff imo. and that is on Adams and he will not fire Granato because of that. He probably would not have done it anyway, but definitely not now.

And if you get paid millions as a player, you are ready to play and ready to compete when the puck drops. Does not matter if you are 18 or 35. They definitely know that also. It is on the players, not on the coach. Then there might be some routines and ways they prepare themselves as a team that is not suitable. But to me it has looked like individual weakness more than a team thing.

But I agree that this along with inconsistency is what is keeping the team outside of playoff.

[sabrefanday1]

Time and again many are overlooking the lack of real veteran leadership on the team. Take Pittsburg: Cindy is singlehandling lifting that team. They have very little talent overall and use many older rejects but he has got that team playing well every night, win or lose. The Sabres are in fact young and lack that leadership. That is on KA for not getting a couple of good vet leader-types. 

  I also think that the lack of real centers is hurting the team. I did not like the Mitts trade as he was a perfect 2nd center. I always thought (and still do) that good teams are built around two solid centers. Heck I thought what exGMTM did with Eichel/O'Reilly and adding power forward like Kane was on the right track. Every team that is at the top of the standings has those strong leader-type centers. Those leaders would have this team ready to go evey night. Guys like Crosby do not take a night off. Or even a shift. That is leadership...something coaches cannot put on a team. Torts is the ultimate motivater apparently judging by those who laud him and go on about him. He eventaully loses the room as he asks to much often. Leadership is pushing players to be the best they can be at whatever they are good at.  Simply asking for effort every shift, every game. That, by itself, would push the Sabres to new heights I believe. And have them ready at the start of every game.   

Edited April 9 by sabrefanday1

[MISabresFan]

14 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

This is on the players not the coaches, IMHO.

Ok, maybe, lets say you have a car that doesn't like cold weather.  When it is parked outsite you and start it in the morning you have to pump it three time, wait for the fuel pump to stop buzzing and turn the key(dating myself with all the push buttons today).  Do you recognize the problem and do something, or just accept it that it doesn't like cold weather?   

Lets say you are working and have a coworker who is always late and causes work issues for you during the day.  Do you do nothing and just deal with the extra headaches?

Who has responsibility for the above?  Poor start to games = coaches, car issues = the owner, coworker issue = management.  

Leadership -the action of leading a group of people or an organization.  This is missing with this team.

 

[Demoted]

Biggest Sabres issue... Terry Pegula.

7 hours ago, inkman said:

How so many people exonerate the players is beyond comprehension.  I’ve lost faith in Granato and Adams but to think a different guy with different words is going to make them a Stanley Cup contender is baffling.  Do fans want coaches to bench Tage and Dahlin?  Put Rousek and Ryan Johnson in their place?  Or does the mean coach have to make them skate harder in practice?  Is that going to light a fire under players who can’t be bothered to be ready to play in the National Hockey League? The team is rotten to its core. They all need to go.  No one person is going to make them a serious team. 

I bet a different coach would have them in the playoffs which is the first step into the Stanly cup... Granato cannot even get that far.

[MISabresFan]

1 minute ago, Demoted said:

Biggest Sabres issue... Terry Pegula.

You would think he would be asking the tough questions.  Why the bad starts?  What did "we" (coaches, GM, etc.) do about it?  Was there other options for correction?  

From there it is up to him to hand out pink slips or not.

[Stoner]

I think it's a symptom, not the disease.

[Night Train]

16 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

This is on the players not the coaches, IMHO.

Really on both. Preparation. 

A soft lotion and down feather pillows need to be eliminated from the pre-game warmup. 

[inkman]

1 hour ago, MISabresFan said:

You would think he would be asking the tough questions.  Why the bad starts?  What did "we" (coaches, GM, etc.) do about it?  Was there other options for correction?  

From there it is up to him to hand out pink slips or not.

That’s too deep into the weeds for my liking.  Who knows what he actually does but I’d rather not have the owner asking hockey questions.  The new Italian guy should be asking Adams those questions.  When his answers suck, which undoubtedly they will, he should fire Kevyn on the spot.