Stoner Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 We had the greatest goaltender in the world. In rounds in which we were eliminated with the Dominator at the top of his game, and near the top of it towards the end, we scored: 11 goals in 6 games against Washington in 98 9 goals in 6 games against Dallas in 99 8 goals in 5 games against Philly in 00 17 goals in 7 games against Pittsburgh in 01 (an offensive explosion) I could look up the power play percentages in those series, but why depress everyone? Against Ottawa this year, after Game 1, we scored 9 goals in 4 games. And so far in this series, 6 goals in 2 games, but 2 goals in "garbage time" last night. Where am I going with this? We couldn't win the Cup with the great Dominik Hasek because we couldn't score a goal to save our life, literally. History seems to be repeating itself. Do we really expect rookie Ryan Miller to do it? How long before he cracks under the pressure that got to Hasek? Did we see the beginning of it last night? The stick slam after the fourth goal worries me. It's all well and good for Lindy to call out his team after Game 2. His players have fallen into the habit of expecting to win after getting outplayed, of relying on Miller and a timely goal here and there. They need a wakeup call that Lindy is trying to make. They also need some help from their coaches. Something has to change! We need to start taking our game to the opponent. The Stanley Cup is sitting there for the taking. We might not be the favorite, but neither are we the underdog. There it sits, and here we sit, looking more and more like the '99 Sabres. Lindy got a lot of credit this season for adapting to the new NHL and finding a way to coach a bunch of offensively gifted players, breaking out of his reputation as a defensive minded coach who stifles offensive production and creativity. Is he reverting to form? What has to change to avoid one more frustrating elimination round where we get outstanding goaltending but score 15 goals in 7 games?
fushetti Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 Mark, I love how you make one loss into a total playoff buzzkill. If I wasn't bummed enough already....
Stoner Posted May 23, 2006 Author Report Posted May 23, 2006 Well I didn't expect to make any friends with that post. I just don't see last night as an aberration. It's not one game that prompted me to write that.
zow2 Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 Do you think the players & coaches are not trying to score goals? Why can't people understand that Carolina outplayed us last night in every facet of the game and deserved to win. It's nothing Buffalo did....It's just that a good team is going to outplay Buffalo and dictate the outcome now and then and the Hurricanes were very good at that last night. Please don't tell me you expected Buffalo to sweep the series. That's a joke. I believe the Sabres will give a much better effort at home but that still doesn't guarantee victory. Miller needs to be razor sharp and the O definitely needs to step it up at home. I think they will. Don't panic yet.
SHAAAUGHT!!! Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 NOBODY FREAK OUT!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, it's one loss and they can't win them all. I expect a totally different team once they drop the puck in the HSBC. I don't know why they played so bad for so long last game, but they are still in great shape in this series. They will come out with tons of energy in game 3, especially if Mair gets cleared to play.
rickshaw Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 This is the semis and goals SHOULD be hard to come by. That's why there are only 4 teams left. No team is scoring a lot anymore, that's just the way it is. Buffalo scores enough to win, on most nights. Until they lose 4 times to one team, I'm not gonna worry too much. They played awful in game 2 and i'm sure they will be much better for it. This team is playing very undermanned and the Canes had to win last night or it was over for them. We should be fine, but your analysis is over the top. We lead the playoffs in goals and you're worried about offense? If we get 7 or 8 in a game now, then there is something seriously wrong. This is the round of 4!! No team should be scoring a tonne. No team.
Taro T Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 Well I didn't expect to make any friends with that post. I just don't see last night as an aberration. It's not one game that prompted me to write that. PA, IF the Sabres lose Game 3, then I will panic with the best of them. I simply don't see the Sabres losing that game (even if Teppo doesn't play). Lindy will have the last change and there will be 14,000 more Sabres fans at this game to get the guys fired up like at the beginning of game 1 and in the 2nd period of that game. I expect that Lindy will read the team the riot act for taking horribly stupid penalties. He also, will find a way, by getting the matchups the Sabres want, to reduce the number of turnovers and odd man breaks against. While Buffalo's D is short, Carolina's D is getting banged around pretty well as well. As a whole, the Sabres forwards and goalie are better than Carolina's and I think they outweigh the D advantage that Carolina has with Rory and Doug dressing. Having a calmer atmosphere when trying to kill penalties will help as well. I don't expect the Canes to make things as hectic for the Sabres when they are on the powerplay as they made it last night. If Lindy can't find a way to control Carolina's powerplay and cut down significantly on the odd man rushes, Buffalo will lose game 3 and I will panic like everyone else. I simply have too much faith in Lindy to believe that he won't make the boys get it done when he has home ice.
Stoner Posted May 23, 2006 Author Report Posted May 23, 2006 zow, of course they want to score. It's not desire. It's some combination of line configurations, line matchups, power play strategies, systems that are employed, team/coach mindset, don't ask me. We've seen it before, we're seeing it again and, yes, I hope I'm wrong. But when you have 10 shots through two periods, something is wrong. And it's not Connolly being out or the tight-checking nature of the playoffs, either. Rick, strip out the goal explosions against Philly and Ottawa (22 goals in three games) and what are we averaging? But my point relates to our production since Game 1 in Ottawa -- 15 goals in six games.
Rabbit151 Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 Guys and girls, I was guardedly optimistic heading into this series due to the play of Miller in rounds 1 and 2, the Sabres domination of the hurricanes in the last game of the year (a game that meant a lot to the canes), and because Mr.Moron (aka Glen Healey) seems to think there is no way the Sabres beat the Hurricanes. The Sabres looked so bad yesterday, I don't know. It looked to me that the Hurricanes took it to a level that the Sabres can't match. They outplayed our guys by a whole bunch. The only positives, the Sabres still lost by only one goal. Miller let's in a terrible goal, while Wesley saves a goal by less than an inch. Wow. Close to winning a game they had no business winning. Also, if we could get a guy like Connolly back, that would be awesome. And Mair, he is perfect to play against the Hurricanes.
RayFinkle Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 Is he reverting to form? What has to change to avoid one more frustrating elimination round where we get outstanding goaltending but score 15 goals in 7 games? Call me crazy but usually the deeper you get in the playoffs, the tougher the competition gets.
Spandrel Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 The Sabres looked so bad yesterday, I don't know. It looked to me that the Hurricanes took it to a level that the Sabres can't match. They outplayed our guys by a whole bunch. The only positives, the Sabres still lost by only one goal. Miller let's in a terrible goal, while Wesley saves a goal by less than an inch. Wow. Close to winning a game they had no business winning. I agree that IF the Hurricanes could maintain that level through the next 5 games, then we might be in trouble, but I see last night as a case where the Canes played a bit over their heads and with a ton of intensity, and we did not. I don't see them exceeding our intensity that often. It is rare to see us get out-worked and out-skated like that, and usually when we do, we have bounced back with a good effort in the next few games. And, again, like you said, we are mere inches from OT, despite everything that went wrong for us/right for them. If Wesley does not make that SportsCenter #2 play of the night on that puck, that game goes to OT. A game we had no business winning or even in competing in, goes to OT. If it takes this kind of effort by the Canes and this lack of effort by the Sabres to win a game that was inches from OT, then I like our chances in the next 5 games.
RVJ Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 We are a team that needs all its players to get by this round. Connoly.Numminen Mair, and Kalinin . Those four would make a HUGE difference in this series and the next. Im hoping for Connolly , Mair and Numminen this week. Or at least two of the three.
HFS Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 Why do you consider the last 2 goals to be at garbage time? They scored the 2nd goal with about 8 minutes left in the game and about 45 seconds left in the 2nd powerplay.
apuszczalowski Posted May 23, 2006 Report Posted May 23, 2006 what I saw last night was a team blow a 4-1 lead and almost had a game they were running away with get sent to overtime. Buffalo played like they were on vacation last night, and still almost cmae back to send the game to OT. Yet everyone sees it as the Canes were just so much better, but don't take into account the fact that THEY GAVE UP A 4-1 LEAD! Buffalo is not in trouble yet, its now a 5 game series, and Buffalo now has home ice in it. Lets not call in the Doom and Gloom yet (I hear the Bills fans aren't done with it yet)
Stoner Posted May 23, 2006 Author Report Posted May 23, 2006 Uhhh... they didn't give up the lead. And the game didn't almost go to overtime, unless you think that the final desperation dribble off the faceoff almost beat Ward. There is some serious denial on this board today! Carolina had the better of play in the two games, by far. Lindy knows this, which is why he ripped his team after the game, even calling their play "stupid." It's a measure of desperation. He doesn't like the direction this series is headed. Neither do I. What the rest of you guys are seeing, I don't know. :)
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