4-3

[Orange Seats]

Nice to score that last goal, but it makes the loss even more frustrating.

 

Skating was bad tonight, dump and run isn't working for them, defense is thin, they're having trouble getting it out of their own zone. Ryan didn't have a stellar performance in him tonight (he wouldn't necessarily have needed one with a few other things in place).

 

Was it an off night for the guys, or are two many cards stacking up against us (like injuries)?

[SabresForCup]

Ok. People need to relax. We have 1-1 split heading home. Sure we didn't play our best game but when it comes down to it, the game could have gone either way. Say Wesley, would have missed the puck on the line, the game would have been tied. We will be better in Game 3 and I will be there to cheer them on.

 

Go SABRES!!

[puma2577]

Frustrating barely describes it. I wish I could run into several players and kick them square in the nuts for their wonderful effort tonight. Miller keeps us in for most of the game and we like 8 shots through two periods. Yeah, the officiating sucked, but tha's not why we lost. The heart that won us the last eight games wasn't there.

[Orange Seats]

Ok. People need to relax. We have 1-1 split heading home. Sure we didn't play our best game but when it comes down to it, the game could have gone either way. Say Wesley, would have missed the puck on the line, the game would have been tied. We will be better in Game 3 and I will be there to cheer them on.

 

Go SABRES!!

 

 

I'm not jumping ship, I'm just saying I'm starting to see some problems arising that could be trouble if we can't take care of them. For example, we lose without Teppo, and our offense has suffered a lot without Timmay. I still think Buffalo wins the series, but its in part because I think Kalinin and Timmay will be back. Just wanted to find out what others had to say after a frustrating loss.

[hopeleslyobvious]

I'm not jumping ship, I'm just saying I'm starting to see some problems arising that could be trouble if we can't take care of them. For example, we lose without Teppo, and our offense has suffered a lot without Timmay. I still think Buffalo wins the series, but its in part because I think Kalinin and Timmay will be back. Just wanted to find out what others had to say after a frustrating loss.

 

I think this is another opportunity for the team to show how much they have matured since March. They did it after dropping 2 in Philly, and I think they will come back with a strong game 3.

[SabresForCup]

I'm not jumping ship, I'm just saying I'm starting to see some problems arising that could be trouble if we can't take care of them. For example, we lose without Teppo, and our offense has suffered a lot without Timmay. I still think Buffalo wins the series, but its in part because I think Kalinin and Timmay will be back. Just wanted to find out what others had to say after a frustrating loss.

 

Like you say , we should get Connolly and Teppo back which should give us a big boost.

[Knightrider]

Like you say , we should get Connolly and Teppo back which should give us a big boost.

 

Mair's return won't hurt either... Unless you're wearing Hurricane red. B-)

[Taro T]

Stupid friggin' penalties killed the Sabres. Kotalik had a mind numbingly stupid penalty in the 1st. The Sabres were outplaying them to that point. He has to be more aware of where the puck is.

 

Yeah, Hecht's penalty was weak, but Hecht HAS to allow Stillman to come over the line onsides. Hecht tried to knock him offsides (at least that's what it looked to me like he was doing and the Sabres payed for that).

 

In the 2nd, Kotalik HAS to turn around and see that the puck is 6" inside the blue line. He HAS to get that puck out of the zone. That was pretty much the play that started tilting the ice in Carolina's favor in the 2nd.

 

Bottom line. The Sabres played like dung, the Canes looked good, and it still took Carolina a fluke save by Wesley (great play by the SOB BTW) and a fluke goal to win.

 

Rory, played about as expected. Danny and JP were disappointing tonight. Janik was limited enough that I didn't see him make any glaring mistakes.

 

Interesting. Watching Laviolette's press conference, I think Carolina is done. The SOB is already pulling the diving card. If he thinks his team needs to cry to the refs about dives (and by the way, he has the hockey world's ultimate Loughenis in Recchi), then the Canes are done like a dinner. Pete, the calls were questionable BOTH ways. (Both in what was called and what wasn't.)

[Orange Seats]

 

Interesting. Watching Laviolette's press conference, I think Carolina is done. The SOB is already pulling the diving card. If he thinks his team needs to cry to the refs about dives (and by the way, he has the hockey world's ultimate Loughenis in Recchi), then the Canes are done like a dinner. Pete, the calls were questionable BOTH ways. (Both in what was called and what wasn't.)

 

 

Laviolette sounds beat. It seems like in the back of his head he was saying "We only won 4-3?"

 

He threw the diving thing to try to troll up some more PP's for the Canes in the next game. He knows just as everyone else does that once you're labelled in this league, you're going to get called for going down. No one has said it in awhile, so he's putting it out there. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a few diving calls against Buffalo in game 3. Just seems to be how things work.

[nfreeman]

Mair's return won't hurt either... Unless you're wearing Hurricane red. B-)

 

 

Right on, Knightrider. If Mair is cleared by the docs I expect him to play on Wednesday. Lindy wants to see desperation -- Mair is going to be so fired up I expect him to put Stillman through the effing boards.

 

(speaking of stillman, I think his head shot on Campbell should be a suspension-level infraction. It won't be, but that is exactly the kind of hit -- an intentional head shot -- the NHL needs to punish severely).

 

I would love to see both Mair and Connolly in on Wed, but I'd be very happy with either one.

 

Go Sabres.

[apuszczalowski]

I'll I wanna see is Rory off the ice, I'd rather see a cardboard cutout of Teppo, then Fitzpatrick still playing

[Eleven]

 

In the 2nd, Kotalik HAS to turn around and see that the puck is 6" inside the blue line. He HAS to get that puck out of the zone. That was pretty much the play that started tilting the ice in Carolina's favor in the 2nd.

 

 

That's the one I'll remember for the next 44 hours.

[Kevbeau]

I'll I wanna see is Rory off the ice, I'd rather see a cardboard cutout of Teppo, then Fitzpatrick still playing

 

:D

[shrader]

Interesting. Watching Laviolette's press conference, I think Carolina is done. The SOB is already pulling the diving card. If he thinks his team needs to cry to the refs about dives (and by the way, he has the hockey world's ultimate Loughenis in Recchi), then the Canes are done like a dinner. Pete, the calls were questionable BOTH ways. (Both in what was called and what wasn't.)

 

Obviously this is just pure speculation, but I think the diving reputation is already hurting the Sabres in this series. The refs aren't making calls that they normally would because that reputation is in the back of their minds.

[Taro T]

Obviously this is just pure speculation, but I think the diving reputation is already hurting the Sabres in this series. The refs aren't making calls that they normally would because that reputation is in the back of their minds.

Yeah, I think if anyone other than Briere (or Roy, or Max) would have nearly had his head ripped off after the whistle there was a decent chance the Cane would have been called.

 

Roy seems to be doing a better job of working through hooks and elbows this series than he did against Filly and in the regular season, so he is actually starting to get some calls go his way. I think Laviolette is worried that if Roy starts getting calls, maybe the rest of the team will get them as well.

[cgang]

Sabres actually came out strong in the very beginning of the game, then took that bonehead penalty. Sucked all the energy from them and they started playing flat/"stupid." That, plus depleted defense and some risk taking (when they could find the puck) = loss.

 

I'm confident the effort will be better in Game 3. But I am concerned about defense injuries too. So many key defenders down doesn't make things easier in a tight series. I have a feeling that neither Teppo nor Tim will make it back for Game 3. If that's right, the D will have a serious gut check time. If think they will play much better tomorrow night and I would put money on them to win it to gain some momentum (as pointed out, they only lost by a goal last night in spite of everthing else).

[Bmwolf21]

Right on, Knightrider. If Mair is cleared by the docs I expect him to play on Wednesday. Lindy wants to see desperation -- Mair is going to be so fired up I expect him to put Stillman through the effing boards.

 

(speaking of stillman, I think his head shot on Campbell should be a suspension-level infraction. It won't be, but that is exactly the kind of hit -- an intentional head shot -- the NHL needs to punish severely).

 

I would love to see both Mair and Connolly in on Wed, but I'd be very happy with either one.

 

Go Sabres.

I couldn't agree more - I was furious at Stillman headhunting like that. I couldn't really tell (thanks to OLN's 5-star coverage), but I think he left his feet to bring that forearm/elbow up.

 

I'd love to see Mair, Gaustad & Pyatt start punishing the Canes D the way they were hitting our D last night...