Hammy: Worst home loss in team history

[Stoner]

Can you top it?

[Archie Lee]

I can think of some home playoff losses in the 80’s that were pretty awful relative to fan expectation, but they were mostly pathetic efforts from the start and not monumental collapses. 

Worst seems like an unneeded distinction when it was about as bad as it could get. I guess we could have given up a 5 or 6 goal lead (and maybe we have somewhere in history), but the overlap of “the team desperately needs a win” and “team had epic meltdown”, makes this as bad as it can get. 

On a personal side note, I had a function to attend last night and couldn’t watch. Checked the score before I left home and was delighted if a little surprised to see us up 4-0.  Not going to lie though, since it was Colorado and they have some studs, I had in my mind a game that we lost in Florida a few years back where we blew an early 3 goal lead. I checked the score before festivities began and saw we were up 4-1 late in the 2nd and felt pretty good. An hour or so later I saw we lost. Sadly, I was not shocked or even all that surprised. 

Also, my 17 year old son was with me. I showed him the final score on my phone. He just laughed. He knows nothing but this and thinks the Sabres are a joke. 

Edited December 4 by Archie Lee

[gomper]

5 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I can think of some home playoff losses in the 80’s that were pretty awful relative to fan expectation, but they were mostly pathetic efforts from the start and not monumental collapses. 

Worst seems like an unneeded distinction when it was about as bad as it could get. I guess we could have given up a 5 or 6 goal lead (and maybe we have somewhere in history), but the overlap of “the team desperately needs a win” and “team had epic meltdown”, makes this as bad as it can get. 

On a personal side note, I had a function to attend last night and couldn’t watch. Checked the score before I left home and was delighted if a little surprised to see us up 4-0.  Not going to lie though, since it was Colorado and they have some studs, I had in my mind a game that we lost in Florida a few years back where we blew an early 3 goal lead. I checked the score before festivities began and saw we were up 4-1 late in the 2nd and felt pretty good. An hour or so later I saw we lost. Sadly, I was not shocked or even all that surprised. 

Also, my 17 year old son was with me. I showed him the final score on my phone. He just laughed. He knows nothing but this and thinks the Sabres are a joke. 

That was exactly my experience last night. Had to help a neighbor unexpectedly. Left the house right after the 4th goal. Got busy and saw 4-1. I literally thought to myself " last year they'd blow this. Maybe Lindy will prevent a collapse. " But in my heart, I knew. Looked at the phone 4-4, and walked in to see the winner.  Like your son, I laughed too.

[SabresVet]

Heard them say that on the post-game show driving home from the game last night.  

To think, in the entire franchise history across somewhere around 2,000 home games played that was the first time they'd blown a 4 goal lead...embarrassing does not begin to cut it.  

[mjd1001]

Last nights game hit a little harder than I thought it would.  Yeah, I was upset and unhappy after the game last night like many, but usually what happens is I wake up the next morning and I'm thinking "on to the next game, its just a night's entertainment"

And this was to a team that is 'middling' in the standings now. Against a team that lost 3 of their last 4 games. That was outscored 18 to 7 in those games. THAT team you faced and you had a 4 goal lead, and were told 'just don't blow this for 2 periods after they put their newly aquired BACKUP goalie in."

I woke up this morning and I don't feel that way.

I don't feel like I did last night, but I woke up this morning just not caring as much.  Thinking 'its not worth the time'.

Normally I'd say "if you are going to lose at least score some goals and I'll be entertained" .  But... A game like that is just NOT enjoyable to watch at a fan, at all.

The logical side of my brain says something like....If you wake up one day and they are in a playoff 'spot', then its ok to tune in to the next game.  That means they are at least playing slightly above average to maintain that spot.  Now I could say, if they get back into that playoff spot they have to win some games to just get there and do you want to miss that?  Well, yeah, I can watch the highlights if I miss a game they win.  But right now, last night was the night I 'hit the wall' of thinking of canceling the cable subscription for the year. (50%+ of the reason we have it is for Sabres games).

I figure I can watch highlights. I can even watch the 'condensed games', look at the stats..read bout the team if I want in the mean time, its just not worth the time to even give up watching a 'decent' sitcom on tv with the family over the Sabres games.

It usually takes a lot for me to get to this point every year. And sometime I 'get here' and take some time off, but eventually come back to watching the games after I fully accept its yet another 'wasted season'.   But this morning, this is the FIRST morning I have felt this way this early in the season.

So, as of right now I feel like I'm going to stop making the games 'appointment viewing' and skip some, maybe skip alot, until I wake up in the morning before a game and they are back INTO a playoff spot.  They are now 25th out of 32 teams in the league, they are a minus goal differential team, they again have a losing home record.  In other words, just 25 games into the season, they are totally irrelevant, they do not matter to anyone in any other city in the league.

Right now the 8th spot in the east is at .540 point percentage. Buffalo is down to .480. It would take 4 wins in a row to get above .540 right now.  I need them to 'prove it'. Entertainment of tuning into a hockey game with a team wearing the 'colors of the area I live in' isn't enough for the moment.

Edited December 4 by mjd1001

[Demoted]

This is called the rock bottom room, and it's honestly very cozy.

 

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g33026-d81740-i122087895-Madonna_Inn-San_Luis_Obispo_San_Luis_Obispo_County_California.html

Edited December 4 by Demoted

[North Buffalo]

Just now, mjd1001 said:

Last nights game hit a little harder than I thought it would.  Yeah, I was upset and unhappy after the game last night like many, but usually what happens is I wake up the next morning and I'm thinking "on to the next game, its just a night's entertainment"

I woke up this morning and I don't feel that way.

I don't feel like I did last night, but I woke up this morning just not caring as much.  Thinking 'its not worth the time'.

Normally I'd say "if you are going to lose at least score some goals and I'll be entertained" .  But... A game like that is just NOT enjoyable to watch at a fan, at all.

The logical side of my brain says something like....If you wake up one day and they are in a playoff 'spot', then its ok to tune in to the next game.  That means they are at least playing slightly above average to maintain that spot.  Now I could say, if they get back into that playoff spot they have to win some games to just get there and do you want to miss that?  Well, yeah, I can watch the highlights if I miss a game they win.  But right now, last night was the night I 'hit the wall' of thinking of canceling the cable subscription for the year. (50%+ of the reason we have it is for Sabres games).

I figure I can watch highlights. I can even watch the 'condensed games', look at the stats..read bout the team if I want in the mean time, its just not worth the time to even give up watching a 'decent' sitcom on tv with the family over the Sabres games.

It usually takes a lot for me to get to this point every year. And sometime I 'get here' and take some time off, but eventually come back to watching the games after I fully accept its yet another 'wasted season'.   But this morning, this is the FIRST morning I have felt this way this early in the season.

So, as of right now I feel like I'm going to stop making the games 'appointment viewing' and skip some, maybe skip alot, until I wake up in the morning before a game and they are back INTO a playoff spot.

Right now the 8th spot in the east is at .540 point percentage. Buffalo is down to .480. It would take 4 wins in a row to get above .540 right now.  I need them to 'prove it'. Entertainment of tuning into a hockey game with a team wearing the 'colors of the area I live in' isn't enough for the moment.

I love hockey always have and somehow the Sabres are turning me off to not only them but the game itself... thinking about cancelling my ESPN plus and MSG subscriptions where I watch most of the games... sigh so disappointed.

[mjd1001]

2 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

I love hockey always have and somehow the Sabres are turning me off to not only them but the game itself... thinking about cancelling my ESPN plus and MSG subscriptions where I watch most of the games... sigh so disappointed.

I'm a little different there.  I like watching other teams.  Normally I would think win or lose of course the Sabres games are more fun/more interesting.

Right now, I usually enjoy, legit enjoy watching a mid-week game even if its Columbus vs Philly more than most sabres games.  Not joking at all.

[LTS]

4 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

I love hockey always have and somehow the Sabres are turning me off to not only them but the game itself... thinking about cancelling my ESPN plus and MSG subscriptions where I watch most of the games... sigh so disappointed.

The Sabres will never break my love of hockey. They can't. If they break my love of hockey it means they win and we know the Sabres don't win.

My disdain for these puffballs has actually gotten the point where I just want more stupid stuff to happen. If you are going to be the biggest joke in professional sports then go all in.  Find some new ways to get even worse. Be the absolute best you can be at it.

 

[North Buffalo]

18 minutes ago, LTS said:

The Sabres will never break my love of hockey. They can't. If they break my love of hockey it means they win and we know the Sabres don't win.

My disdain for these puffballs has actually gotten the point where I just want more stupid stuff to happen. If you are going to be the biggest joke in professional sports then go all in.  Find some new ways to get even worse. Be the absolute best you can be at it.

 

Thanks needed to hear that... just got really depressed about hockey... just need a chance to get back on the ice.

[EM88]

29 minutes ago, LTS said:

The Sabres will never break my love of hockey. They can't. If they break my love of hockey it means they win and we know the Sabres don't win.

My disdain for these puffballs has actually gotten the point where I just want more stupid stuff to happen. If you are going to be the biggest joke in professional sports then go all in.  Find some new ways to get even worse. Be the absolute best you can be at it.

 

I would agree. If you are going to be bad, be so bad that changes will be made.  "Tank".  It worked for Pittsburgh, Chicago, Toronto, and many others.  Be bad enough that you can start over, get some high draft picks and get your up and coming superstars.

Yet, are we going into year 14 of Pegula's ownership? 

Over that time 20 first round picks. 2 first overalls. 2 2nd overalls. 10 top 10 overalls. 4 General managers.  7 different head coaches. A few restructures of the scouting dept, hockey operations, even the business side of things.  And yet not even one time, could they manage to finish in the top 8 out of 16 in the conference to make the playoffs.

If you tear things down, how far do you go? does it go into tank territory again? If so, we see with Pegula running things there is zero guarantee that it will even work. In the end it is Pegula who would be picking the new people to run things.  And even if it did work, maybe by 2028-29 season at the earliest you could sniff the playoffs?  Would there be any fans left in the arena for a home game?

[JP51]

49 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Last nights game hit a little harder than I thought it would.  Yeah, I was upset and unhappy after the game last night like many, but usually what happens is I wake up the next morning and I'm thinking "on to the next game, its just a night's entertainment"

And this was to a team that is 'middling' in the standings now. Against a team that lost 3 of their last 4 games. That was outscored 18 to 7 in those games. THAT team you faced and you had a 4 goal lead, and were told 'just don't blow this for 2 periods after they put their newly aquired BACKUP goalie in."

I woke up this morning and I don't feel that way.

I don't feel like I did last night, but I woke up this morning just not caring as much.  Thinking 'its not worth the time'.

Normally I'd say "if you are going to lose at least score some goals and I'll be entertained" .  But... A game like that is just NOT enjoyable to watch at a fan, at all.

The logical side of my brain says something like....If you wake up one day and they are in a playoff 'spot', then its ok to tune in to the next game.  That means they are at least playing slightly above average to maintain that spot.  Now I could say, if they get back into that playoff spot they have to win some games to just get there and do you want to miss that?  Well, yeah, I can watch the highlights if I miss a game they win.  But right now, last night was the night I 'hit the wall' of thinking of canceling the cable subscription for the year. (50%+ of the reason we have it is for Sabres games).

I figure I can watch highlights. I can even watch the 'condensed games', look at the stats..read bout the team if I want in the mean time, its just not worth the time to even give up watching a 'decent' sitcom on tv with the family over the Sabres games.

It usually takes a lot for me to get to this point every year. And sometime I 'get here' and take some time off, but eventually come back to watching the games after I fully accept its yet another 'wasted season'.   But this morning, this is the FIRST morning I have felt this way this early in the season.

So, as of right now I feel like I'm going to stop making the games 'appointment viewing' and skip some, maybe skip alot, until I wake up in the morning before a game and they are back INTO a playoff spot.  They are now 25th out of 32 teams in the league, they are a minus goal differential team, they again have a losing home record.  In other words, just 25 games into the season, they are totally irrelevant, they do not matter to anyone in any other city in the league.

Right now the 8th spot in the east is at .540 point percentage. Buffalo is down to .480. It would take 4 wins in a row to get above .540 right now.  I need them to 'prove it'. Entertainment of tuning into a hockey game with a team wearing the 'colors of the area I live in' isn't enough for the moment.

I feel for ya, we are all there... in the end... the stats and percentages mean nothing... the Sabres are the definition of insanity do what you have always done and excpect a different result. The base core of this team is soft. They are not equipped for tough hockey... they start slow, show sparks and then fold when the rest of the league is getting on their horse... year after year after year... sure there may be a 1 or 2 point varience from year to year plus or minus... but what you have is a sub 500 team that is soft from the top down and an management team that simply doesnt understand the game of hockey and what it takes to win.  We can only hope that somehow some way Pegula cleans absolute house (cause he aint selling) and gets lucky with his new GM pick, we gut the team and start over.... again... but me for one am not holding my breath. 

[zow2]

It's a tough deal, but if you have been asleep for the past couple months, just woke up this morning and looked at the NHL standings you'd say "Eh, not great but the Sabres are only a few points off the 8 seed have a minus 2 goal differential.... they can play better and get there over the final 57 games"  There would be some positivity. 

The problem is we lived through some losing streaks already and now it's up to four games after blowing a 4-0 lead.  In our brains we cannot get past that horrible loss.

[mjd1001]

3 minutes ago, zow2 said:

It's a tough deal, but if you have been asleep for the past couple months, just woke up this morning and looked at the NHL standings you'd say "Eh, not great but the Sabres are only a few points off the 8 seed have a minus 2 goal differential.... they can play better and get there over the final 57 games"  There would be some positivity. 

The problem is we lived through some losing streaks already and now it's up to four games after blowing a 4-0 lead.  In our brains we cannot get past that horrible loss.

Actually, if I looked at the standings after now watching the beginning of the season I would not feel that way.

I'd feel more like "Ugh, more of the same".

With a new coach, Tage being healthy, Quinn and Peterka and the Defense a year older, and a full season of UPL as your starter, I would expect more of than this by almost 1/3 into the season.

[Jorcus]

I would say the 9-4 loss against Columbus last year was worse than this one. This was very bad but there have been many worse considering who they were playing against last night. 

[bunomatic]

On a personal level the game I travelled across the country to see at the key bank last season was a worse home loss in my mind. My first game in Buffalo and the team didn’t even show up. 7-0 to the Bruins. So they’ve sucked before. Don’t fool yourselves into believing this is as bad as it gets. At least they showed up in the latest debacle. 

Edited December 4 by bunomatic

[Mango]

1 hour ago, North Buffalo said:

I love hockey always have and somehow the Sabres are turning me off to not only them but the game itself... thinking about cancelling my ESPN plus and MSG subscriptions where I watch most of the games... sigh so disappointed.

The Pegula Effect claims another one. 

[DarthEbriate]

3 hours ago, Stoner said:

Can you top it?

Game 6, 1999 Final. Not that they should've won the series or had a lead or anything, just for the pain.

This loss? This loss I could shrug off by the time I turned off the television.

[inkman]

Enough with the hyperbole 

[Wyldnwoody44]

There were 2 very pleasant Avs fans next to and behind me, the one lives in Denver and has seasons there... 

After it was 4-0, I said to them..they'll put the backup in and we'll lose. 

That's how confident I was in our incompetence. 

[Carmel Corn]

What’s bad about this one is the reference to the word PANIC afterwards.  This is particularly bad to me because it’s an indication of further “weakness” in the psyche that goes beyond the normal “we have to play better blah, blah, blah stuff”.  The normal stuff just tells me they’re LAZY.  Being paralyzed with PANIC means they are literally afraid to play the game the right way…..very BAD

[EM88]

49 minutes ago, inkman said:

Enough with the hyperbole 

I do not think it is hyperbole for everyone.

Worst home loss in history, it depends on how you define it.  a 9-4 loss to Columbus last year was a hockey game that the team probably played worse overall, and I am sure you can find many other games like that also.

But for many of us, we judge how good or bad losses are by how they make us feel about the team.  This being a loss that takes many of us from being happy with the team one week ago and this game pushes us over the edge to a level of despair that we have only felt 2-3 times in the past decade?  Many of us feel that right now, so we define that as a 'bad loss'. It is not hyperbole for some of us.

[Indabuff]

3 hours ago, LTS said:

My disdain for these puffballs has actually gotten the point where I just want more stupid stuff to happen. If you are going to be the biggest joke in professional sports then go all in.  Find some new ways to get even worse. Be the absolute best you can be at it.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

4 hours ago, LTS said:

My disdain for these puffballs has actually gotten the point where I just want more stupid stuff to happen. If you are going to be the biggest joke in professional sports then go all in.  Find some new ways to get even worse. Be the absolute best you can be at it.

 

At this point, making the playoffs would be a disappointment. I say let's keep the streak going!

[HumanSlinky39]

There have been "worse" losses, but as far as being a cold smack across the face exposing the bleak reality of the situation, it's hard to top.