GAME THREAD

[Guest monkeygirl]

JUST WHAT WE NEEDED!!!!!

 

Hecht on the powerplay........now I'd love to see Vanek get one

[NavySabre]

TOP SHELF WHERE MOMMA HIDES THE COOKIES !!!!

 

God I love RJ.....He's hands down the best play by play guy in Hockey or any sport.

 

Way to go Jochen !!!!!

[PTS]

Wow ... that penalty on Kotalik was WEAK.

 

Ahhhhh crap ... now two men short.

[JujuFish]

TOP SHELF WHERE MOMMA HIDES THE COOKIES !!!!

 

God I love RJ.....He's hands down the best play by play guy in Hockey or any sport.

 

Way to go Jochen !!!!!

He is easily my favorite announcer. Makes horrible games watchable.

[Guest monkeygirl]

UGH, yuck.......vomit vomit vomit

[Campy]

The Caps look a helluva lot better than their record.

 

It looks like Buffalo just can't get it going and the Caps are able to slow down the pace of the game. Do you guys think that the smaller ice (it appears much smaller than regulation on the Comcast/Caps coverage) kind of plays in to Washington's hands?

[PTS]

Well there's the Sabres team we've known. Playing down to their competition. You had to figure this was going to happen. They need to win the next two so we can feel better.

[Guest n0g0al]

Terrible game. Why is Lindy changing lines every game? Vanek - Drury - Grier? What kind of line is that? No fire...no skating...Kalinin had about 3 give aways? If the Sabres could imagine the net as a pair of legs...they'd probably score 6 goals tonight. I haven't seen so many shots into legs/skates/sticks in a while.

[Saber61]

Terrible game. Why is Lindy changing lines every game? Vanek - Drury - Grier? What kind of line is that? No fire...no skating...Kalinin had about 3 give aways? If the Sabres could imagine the net as a pair of legs...they'd probably score 6 goals tonight. I haven't seen so many shots into legs/skates/sticks in a while.

yea he's known for that... can't leave a good thing alone... should have left the line alone from the first few games... vanek with drury is bad... very bad... what kind of fire is vanek going to provide to those two slow clumsy checkers/ hitters... i mean ya drury is a play maker but he can't keep up with vanek...

 

vanek and briere should be locked in a line and not moved

[Taro T]

The Caps look a helluva lot better than their record.

 

It looks like Buffalo just can't get it going and the Caps are able to slow down the pace of the game.  Do you guys think that the smaller ice (it appears much smaller than regulation on the Comcast/Caps coverage) kind of plays in to Washington's hands?

It's only 3 ft shorter than an NHL rink, but it did seem to throw them off in the 1st.

 

I thought they were marginally outplaying the Caps in the 1st until they scored. Washington coming right back definitely took the life out of them and the little bit of life that was in the crowd. I was surprised the crowd was as quiet as it was, granted the Sabres gave us little to cheer about, but the crowd was close to a sellout (I'd say 90-95% of the seats were sold).

 

Washington scoring early in the 2nd pretty well crushed the team and the fans. It shouldn't have, but it did.

 

WAY TOO MANY stupid PENALTIES.

[slugspirit]

I believe that the Sabres are doing so well primarily because they average the most shots on goal per game. When they get only 15 shots on a veteran goalie, they won't win. That was a horrible game on Buffalo's part.

 

Credit the Caps defense though, they did have quite a few takeaways and played well against the forecheck.

[Kristian]

The hardest working team in hockey is still a thing of the past I guess.

 

Dunno about you guys, but I view this as a character loss. This was a game that quite simply needed to be won, no discussion. Guess they still don't have it in them to come out playing, no matter how bad the opponent is "supposed" to be.

 

Biggest letdown of the season so far, easily. Especially the shots on goal, how weak is that.

[Spandrel]

Interesting to read these comments, after a disappointing effort last night. I was at the game, and yeah, there was technically a crowd there, but it was the lamest effort I've seen by a BCA crowd ever. I've heard louder crowds at Amerks games where they were getting beat. I wrote my comments about the crowd in the other thread, but suffice it to say that there was no energy in the crowd and the Sabres did little to generate any enthusiasm.

 

I hate it when teams pull this "playing-down-to-the-level-of-a-bad-team" stuff. They just got plain out-hustled all night long and looked like they were just going through the motions. An all-around poor team effort. I mean 17 shots on goal?!?! Kolzig was only tested a handful of times all night.

[deluca67]

I see this as another test of character, much like the game against The Pens. It'll be easy for The Sabres to come out expecting an easy game.

 

If they come out with fire, I'll truly believe they have become the hardest working team in hockey, again.

And they did.

 

This game looked allot like last season. They didn't play smart or hard. It's only the ninth game. That's a bit early to start taking games off. They were at the end of a 3 in 10 stretch so fatigue was not an issue. They just tanked.

 

This team needs finishers. You can officially take Drury off that list. You can also see Vanek starting to press a bit. The longer it goes the more pressure he'll feel.

 

And just becuase :

 

Satan is sitting with 7 goals after 9 games. Including 4 PP goals. Not replacing his production may be the one biggest reason that this team misses the playoffs.

 

Also,

 

As far as the "hardest working team in hockey". Take a look at the Preds or Habs first.

[Taro T]

Guys, it's ONE bad game. If they repeat it, yeah there may be reason to be concerned. I fully expect them to come out and play much better this weekend. It's not a good thing that they threw away the 2 points last night, but some good may come from it. Hopefully this was a wake up call for them to realize that they weren't winning because they were inherently better than the opposition, they were winning because they were outskating the opposition.

 

Just for a little perspective, they are now sitting at 6-3, last year they were 5-4 at this point. They gave up 25 goals through the 1st 9 both years. The difference in where that 1 extra win came from is they are sitting w/ 27 goals right now vs 21 last year. The extra goals came from them getting a ton more shots than last year. If they go back to skating like crazy, they will go back to getting a ton of shots. They score on essentially the same %age of their shots as the opposition. Outshoot (read: outwork) the opposition and the W's will come.

[TM8-PL16]

what was with playing Campbell on left wing? anyone get an explanation on that, if I missed it I apologize.

[Campy]

what was with playing Campbell on left wing? anyone get an explanation on that, if I missed it I apologize.

They dressed 11 forwards and 7 defensemen, and I guess they figured Campbell would be able to fill the void.

[deluca67]

Guys, it's ONE bad game.  If they repeat it, yeah there may be reason to be concerned.  I fully expect them to come out and play much better this weekend.  It's not a good thing that they threw away the 2 points last night, but some good may come from it.  Hopefully this was a wake up call for them to realize that they weren't winning because they were inherently better than the opposition, they were winning because they were outskating the opposition. 

 

Just for a little perspective, they are now sitting at 6-3, last year they were 5-4 at this point.  They gave up 25 goals through the 1st 9 both years.  The difference in where that 1 extra win came from is they are sitting w/ 27 goals right now vs 21 last year.  The extra goals came from them getting a ton more shots than last year.  If they go back to skating like crazy, they will go back to getting a ton of shots.  They score on essentially the same %age of their shots as the opposition.  Outshoot (read: outwork) the opposition and the W's will come.

Dave,

 

Telling me the Sabres are basically the same team as a team that couldn't make the playoffs is not a good thing, it's a bad thing.

 

You can count the Florida game as the first "bad" game. The game against the Sens was as expected. With the Sens at 100% the Sabres are not in their league.

 

The worst thing the Sabres, or any team, can do is ignore it's own flaws. They play in the best Division in hockey which resides in the best Conference in hockey. Their flaws will be exposed. And having a $3 million face off guy is a flaw. They need goals and points from that $3 million. 9gp 3 assists and a -2 should get you benched. Add that to his previous season in Buffalo and your looking one of the biggest Buffalo Sabre failures in team history. Both Steve Reinprecht and Steve Begin are out producing him.

Your looking at a potential scale larger then Pyatt and Connolly( who is also out producing Drury). I think 85 games is time to start being concerned. :o

[Taro T]

DeLuca,

 

My bad, I was not as clear as I meant to be this morning (no coffee or something). I did not mean to imply that the team is essentially no better off than where they were last time out. I think that they ARE better off than where they were in '03.

 

I wasn't saying they were essentially the same as last year, I was saying they were similar to last year, but with 1 BIG improvement. They are scoring a LOT more goals than they did last time. They still play a defensive style that limits the opponent's scoring chances, provided they stay out of the penalty box. They give up a lot of shots, but most of those shots are low percentage shots from the perimeter. Keeping the opponents at less than 3 goals against per game will translate into a decent # of victories especially if they keep scoring the way they have been.

 

For whatever reason, they did not skate from the time that Washington tied it up at 1 until the last 4 minutes of the game. I don't expect that to be a regular occurance. They have skated very well in the games I have watched. There have been people posting that the fact they didn't play well against a bad team causes them concern. I don't know if the problem was overconfidence or if it was due to bad ice and the strange dynamic of playing in Rochester. (NONE of these guys wants to play in Rochester, maybe there was something psychological to it.) We will know a lot more about whether this is SOS (same old Sabres) when they play Carolina in 2 weeks. Carolina is not playing like a bad team this year, but I have to believe the Sabres will have it in their heads that they ARE a bad team. (They're Carolina for crying out loud!) If the Sabres stink that game, then yes, it's SOS; if not, I'll write last night off as an aberration.

 

I did not have the opportunity to see the Florida game, so I can't comment on that.

 

As for Drury, I will agree with you, the guy makes more than a checking center should make. I think he signed a 3 year deal, so he will still be getting paid "a lot" through next season. The Sabres aren't going to waive him and it is doubtful someone else would trade for him, and he is good at what he does. So appreciate him for what he is: a good hockey player that brings a lot of intangibles to the team but is not going to give you more than 20-25 goals in a season.

 

Especially with Drury on the team, the Sabres are an oddity (no, I don't even want to think how you will respond to that partial statement, so please let me continue the thought (sorry smilies aren't working right now for some reason)) in that their 2nd line is a checking line and their 3rd line is their 2nd scoring line. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as now your 2nd line goes against the opponent's top line and your 3rd line gets to play against the opponent's 2nd line.

 

I like the Sabres make up so far this year. Yes I would like to see the team improved, but from what I have seen so far, I have seen nothing to alter my belief that they can be in the playoffs this year. (I don't expect any changes to the team until near the trade deadline (Darcy is the GM afterall), but on the bright side the trade deadline is a few weeks earlier this year!) They aren't legitimate Cup contenders YET, but they are young and can add pieces to the puzzle. I think they MAY be legitimate contenders in ~2 more years, maybe even next year. (It starts and ends with goaltending.) I plan on enjoying the ride this year, hoping they end up with something they can build on.

[deluca67]

DeLuca,

 

My bad, I was not as clear as I meant to be this morning (no coffee or something). I did not mean to imply that the team is essentially no better off than where they were last time out. I think that they ARE better off than where they were in '03.

 

I wasn't saying they were essentially the same as last year, I was saying they were similar to last year, but with 1 BIG improvement. They are scoring a LOT more goals than they did last time. They still play a defensive style that limits the opponent's scoring chances, provided they stay out of the penalty box. They give up a lot of shots, but most of those shots are low percentage shots from the perimeter. Keeping the opponents at less than 3 goals against per game will translate into a decent # of victories especially if they keep scoring the way they have been.

 

For whatever reason, they did not skate from the time that Washington tied it up at 1 until the last 4 minutes of the game. I don't expect that to be a regular occurance. They have skated very well in the games I have watched. There have been people posting that the fact they didn't play well against a bad team causes them concern. I don't know if the problem was overconfidence or if it was due to bad ice and the strange dynamic of playing in Rochester. (NONE of these guys wants to play in Rochester, maybe there was something psychological to it.) We will know a lot more about whether this is SOS (same old Sabres) when they play Carolina in 2 weeks. Carolina is not playing like a bad team this year, but I have to believe the Sabres will have it in their heads that they ARE a bad team. (They're Carolina for crying out loud!) If the Sabres stink that game, then yes, it's SOS; if not, I'll write last night off as an aberration.

 

I did not have the opportunity to see the Florida game, so I can't comment on that.

 

As for Drury, I will agree with you, the guy makes more than a checking center should make. I think he signed a 3 year deal, so he will still be getting paid "a lot" through next season. The Sabres aren't going to waive him and it is doubtful someone else would trade for him, and he is good at what he does. So appreciate him for what he is: a good hockey player that brings a lot of intangibles to the team but is not going to give you more than 20-25 goals in a season.

 

Especially with Drury on the team, the Sabres are an oddity (no, I don't even want to think how you will respond to that partial statement, so please let me continue the thought (sorry smilies aren't working right now for some reason)) in that their 2nd line is a checking line and their 3rd line is their 2nd scoring line. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as now your 2nd line goes against the opponent's top line and your 3rd line gets to play against the opponent's 2nd line.

 

I like the Sabres make up so far this year. Yes I would like to see the team improved, but from what I have seen so far, I have seen nothing to alter my belief that they can be in the playoffs this year. (I don't expect any changes to the team until near the trade deadline (Darcy is the GM afterall), but on the bright side the trade deadline is a few weeks earlier this year!) They aren't legitimate Cup contenders YET, but they are young and can add pieces to the puzzle. I think they MAY be legitimate contenders in ~2 more years, maybe even next year. (It starts and ends with goaltending.) I plan on enjoying the ride this year, hoping they end up with something they can build on.

That is why I look forward to your posts. It so much better then the "you're negative and you suck" posts.

 

You come strong with a bunch of great points. One I have to disagree with.

 

When you say the Sabres are scoring "a Lot" more goals. Is it possible it is an artificial inflation? Is not scoring up around the league because of the new rules? Are not other teams having the same increase in scoring? Have the Sabres gained anything? I am looking around at the rest of the Conference and it worries me. I want the Sabres to make the playoffs more then anything. More then the Bills. I see Drury with a history of pro-longed droughts and Vanek having trouble finding his touch and I worry. This defense is weak. They got knocked of the puck easily against a weak Caps team.

 

If Miller is not rock solid and Briere doesn't score this team can't seem to win. They need to be more than that. :(

[Taro T]

When you say the Sabres are scoring "a Lot" more goals. Is it possible it is an artificial inflation? Is not scoring up around the league because of the new rules? Are not other teams having the same increase in scoring?  Have the Sabres gained anything? I am looking around at the rest of the Conference and it worries me. I want the Sabres to make the playoffs more then anything. More then the Bills. I see Drury with a history of pro-longed droughts and Vanek having trouble finding his touch and I worry. This defense is weak. They got knocked of the puck easily against a weak Caps team.

 

If Miller is not rock solid and Briere doesn't score this team can't seem to win. They need to be more than that.  :(

It is possible that the additional goals are due to "goal inflation", but if that's the case then their giving up the same number of goals as last time would be the improvement. Toe-may-toe, Tah-mah-toe, I'll take it either way.

 

I wouldn't say the D is "weak" but it definitely isn't in the top 5. I'm not sure where I'd rank it, as I haven't really given that much thought yet. I'd probably put it somewhere in the lower middle of the pack (say between 15 & 20). If Ryan stays solid and the forwards continue to work hard & smart in their own end, the team should stay in good shape. IMHO, the D has been the weak link on this team for several seasons. They've overcome the D in the past, I think the way this team is assembled they can overcome it again.

 

I think it is way too early to know where the Sabres stand w/ respect to the rest of the east. Teams are still getting a handle on the new rules and new teammates. I don't think the "order" will fully display itself for about another month. That being said, I am comfortable with where they are now and don't expect a huge dropoff (nor a huge improvement for that matter).

 

I also think the team is much more than just Ryan and Danny. They are the flashy ones now, but the wins (and at least the Caps loss) have been team efforts.

 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, but may be a factor in the Sabres favor as the season progresses, is the fact that the Sabres for the most part are interchangeable and they have some NHL level talent in Rochester. Injuries, which may decimate some other teams won't kill the Sabres (injury to Miller being the obvious POSSIBLE exception). The Sabres are a team full of 2nd and 3rd liners (for the most part) and they have guys in Rochester that can also play at that level.

[deluca67]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, but may be a factor in the Sabres favor as the season progresses, is the fact that the Sabres for the most part are interchangeable and they have some NHL level talent in Rochester. Injuries, which may decimate some other teams won't kill the Sabres (injury to Miller being the obvious POSSIBLE exception). The Sabres are a team full of 2nd and 3rd liners (for the most part) and they have guys in Rochester that can also play at that level.

I can't agree with that.

 

If Briere gets hurt then this team has NO offense.

 

The Sabres are a good goalie and Briere. What else is there? I can't think of another player the Sabres can't do without. If they had something in the ROC? Why play Campbell on the wing? Why dress Peters. Or Pyatt.

 

The defense is weak. Teams like Toronto, with a healthy Lindros, will steamroll this defense. They miss Zhitnik real bad. Lydman will hurt you more then help. Teppo is a non factor. What else do they have until Kalinin is 100%? Nothing?

 

The more I watch other teams? The more I know my early predictions for the Sabres are dead on.

[Saber61]

Both Steve Reinprecht and Steve Begin are out producing him.

Your looking at a potential scale larger then Pyatt and Connolly( who is also out producing Drury). I think 85 games is time to start being concerned. :o

Ouch that is bad! lol... good call though it is true.

[Saber61]

I can't agree with that.

 

If Briere gets hurt then this team has NO offense.

 

The Sabres are a good goalie and Briere. What else is there? I can't think of another player the Sabres can't do without. If they had something in the ROC? Why play Campbell on the wing? Why dress Peters. Or Pyatt.

 

The defense is weak. Teams like Toronto, with a healthy Lindros, will steamroll this defense. They miss Zhitnik real bad. Lydman will hurt you more then help. Teppo is a non factor. What else do they have until Kalinin is 100%? Nothing? 

 

The more I watch other teams? The more I know my early predictions for the Sabres are dead on.

hmm not to throw up to many negetive flags and post but those points are right on.... none of those guys have impressed me either... the sabres are just that... a decent goalie who is learning and becoming invaluable and briere... if he gets hurt... season = done... sorry but its true folks... im enjoying our 6-3 start but lets face facts... it is a 2 man team just like it was with hasek and peca...

[deluca67]

hmm not to throw up to many negetive flags and post but those points are right on.... none of those guys have impressed me either... the sabres are just that... a decent goalie who is learning and becoming invaluable and briere... if he gets hurt... season = done... sorry but its true folks... im enjoying our 6-3 start but lets face facts... it is a 2 man team just like it was with hasek and peca...

They're ONE game ahead of their pace of last season.

 

I don't see how anyone can watch the others teams in the East and think the Sabres are a top five team. <_<

 

Tonight's game should tell something. They're facing a good team with a back up goalie. Both teams might play back ups. It's time to go on the road and show something. It's time for Vanek and Drury to step up. It's only the tenth game. But look how fast the first ten went buy. Before you know it it will be 20-30 games.