It gets harder now

[Knightrider]

why, well, I believe we beat the senators for three main reasons:

 

1. much better goaltending

2. more talented depth

3. we planted the seed of "here we go again" in their heads with that first win. That first win sealed it psychologically. They didn't play the same way since. They played tight, they played scared. We got them out of their game, which is how you beat the senators.

 

The canes have nothing to lose. they weren't picked to be good, just like us. They're young and fast and talented, just like us. And they have a similar psychological state.

 

They're going to be tougher, trust me. We won't take them in 5.

 

 

The number one reason we beat the Otters: Lindy Ruff was able to get his team to crawl into their heads...

[Kristian]

What's up Sabre fans? Canes fan here, hoping to stop by during our series and talk some hockey maybe a little freindly smack and be on my way once the series is over. I hear you guys are much better fans than the Devils fans are. Those guys and girls really are a piece of work.

 

I have been looking forward to this series when the playoff schedule was announced. This is truly going to be one for the ages. I think this is going to be a high shooting series with lots of breakaways and more than enough goals to go around. My early pick is Canes in 7. You guys have a very fun team to watch. They remind me alot of our own Hurricanes.

 

Thanks for having me over, I look forward to a great series.

 

Hey Cardiac, welcome to the forum.

 

Try dropping by the Flyers forum for 5 minutes, and you'll find a bunch of sad sad people. But hey, what can you expect from a bunch of clowns who boo players heading for the locker room injured :D

[topshelfcookies]

I think we need to back off the CAR/OTT comparisons. What everyone seems to be doing is comparing these two teams on paper, which simply doesn't make sense, especially during May and June.

 

To win in the playoffs, you have to have a core of players that are willing to get "down and dirty" every shift, guys like Drury and Grier. You've got to have some heart. If anyone matched up the Sabres and Ottawa on paper, not many would give the Sabres a chance either.

 

At this point of the year, I feel there isn't a whole lot of merit in looking at how teams match up on paper. You can get a decent idea of who their key contributors are and whatnot, but just looking at stats in no way can help you figure out which players will show up (Pominville) and which players will disappear (Gagne, Knuble, Heatley, Spezza).

 

The Sabres PP has been statistically horrible throughout the playoffs, yet I wouldn't be surprised to see it begin to click vs the Canes.

 

I think anyone who feels this series will be easier than Ottawa is fooling themselves. The Hurricanes and Sabres are essentially playing themselves. I really feel that this series will go the distance. The Sabres will win of course, but Carolina will be a huge challenge for the Sabres.

[Kristian]

I think we need to back off the CAR/OTT comparisons. What everyone seems to be doing is comparing these two teams on paper, which simply doesn't make sense, especially during May and June.

 

To win in the playoffs, you have to have a core of players that are willing to get "down and dirty" every shift, guys like Drury and Grier. You've got to have some heart. If anyone matched up the Sabres and Ottawa on paper, not many would give the Sabres a chance either.

 

At this point of the year, I feel there isn't a whole lot of merit in looking at how teams match up on paper. You can get a decent idea of who their key contributors are and whatnot, but just looking at stats in no way can help you figure out which players will show up (Pominville) and which players will disappear (Gagne, Knuble, Heatley, Spezza).

 

The Sabres PP has been statistically horrible throughout the playoffs, yet I wouldn't be surprised to see it begin to click vs the Canes.

 

I think anyone who feels this series will be easier than Ottawa is fooling themselves. The Hurricanes and Sabres are essentially playing themselves. I really feel that this series will go the distance. The Sabres will win of course, but Carolina will be a huge challenge for the Sabres.

 

BTW dude, time to change that avatar yet? :D

[topshelfcookies]

ABSOLUTELY! I've been looking around for a good Canes/Sabres pic

[Sound_n_Fury]

I'm not dismissing Carolina, but I don't believe they are a better team than the Senators.

 

Actually, IMO, they might be a better TEAM, even though the Sen's had better players.

 

The Cane's scare me from the standpoint they have a lot more veteran leadership that will pay the price to win, as opposed to the weak-minded Ottawa "Stars." This is going to be a very big test for the Sabres, especially if Timmah and Dimitri don't play in the series.

[The Goat]

A Canes Fan here,

 

To those who are picking the Sabres in anything less than six games you are kidding yourselves. Ottawa had a great regular season and your team won in convincing fashion but, as any Toronto fan will tell you, the Sens aren't exactly known for competing hard when it matters most.

Simply put: Carolina will be much tougher to beat than the Sens.

Most of you on this forum seem to respect that Carolina is a balanced, speedy team with strong veteran leadership and hot young goalie (sound familiar?), that's more than I can say for the countless Jersey fans who predicted a sweep.

The fact is that these two teams match up so well it's frightening. This will be the best series of the playoffs. I make no predictions beyond that.

 

I look forward to a friendly back and forth with you guys for the next two weeks.

 

The Goat

[Taro T]

some canes players quoted today saying they felt sabres are the team to beat in east and figured they would be playing them versus ottawa

That may or may not be true, but at this point that is gamesmanship. The Canes realize that the Sabres LIKE having a chip on their shoulder and they are not intending to provide one before the 1st puck drops.

[Kristian]

A Canes Fan here,

 

To those who are picking the Sabres in anything less than six games you are kidding yourselves. Ottawa had a great regular season and your team won in convincing fashion but, as any Toronto fan will tell you, the Sens aren't exactly known for competing hard when it matters most.

Simply put: Carolina will be much tougher to beat than the Sens.

Most of you on this forum seem to respect that Carolina is a balanced, speedy team with strong veteran leadership and hot young goalie (sound familiar?), that's more than I can say for the countless Jersey fans who predicted a sweep.

The fact is that these two teams match up so well it's frightening. This will be the best series of the playoffs. I make no predictions beyond that.

 

I look forward to a friendly back and forth with you guys for the next two weeks.

 

The Goat

 

Welcome to the board dude, we fight by Marquis of Queensbury rules here :-)

 

No seriously, I think this series will come right down to special teams and goaltending.

 

Miller vs. Ward, and whichever PP that manages to catch fire.

 

That said though, I'm a little worried about the outcome the officiating can have on a close series. I don't know what kind of penalties were called in your series against NJ, but in our series against The Sens, EVERYTHING seemed to be fair game, except holding, hooking and tripping.

 

The ref's would pretty much put their whistles away in the 3rd, just like the "good old days". It's no secret that a lot of people on this board found it more than just a little funny that The Sens were given numerous 5 on 3 opportunities throughout the series, whereas The Sabres were given none, just to mention one of the issues.

 

Don't recall seeing a single interference, elbowing or crosshecking call, which there would've been tons of 3 weeks ago. Also, roughing calls seemed limited to after-the-whistle altercations.

 

Anyway, here's hoping for a good series with some fair officiating for BOTH teams.

[The Goat]

^^^^^^^^^^^

 

 

Thanks for the greetings.

 

The officiating in the Jersey/Carolina series was largely consistent with the exception being game five when the refs handed out four consecutive penalties to Carolina.

Through my Canes tinted glasses it seemed that at least two of the penalties were of the ticky-tack variety while Jersey got away with some hooking and at least one late hit that should have been called.

Being a fan of a small market team one can get a little paranoid that the officials are favoring the more media-friendly team, fortunately for us that won't be a problem in this series :)

 

As long as the refereeing is consistent we should see some fantastic hockey. These are two fast teams (top-to-bottom team speed is one area where I would give the Sabres a slight edge though) and if they are allowed to skate this series could be one of the best in recent memory.

 

The Goat