Random Thoughts...

[Bmwolf21]

Random thoughts on the game:

 

* A two-game losing streak? In regulation? Man, I hate 2007 already. In no particular order, we should trade Kotalik, Kalinin, Campbell, Spacek, Roy, Tallinder, Briere and/or Drury and maybe even Max... :wallbash:

Seriously, everyone - back away from the ledge. We have a big game tomorrow night and it's against the frigging Leafs...if you aren't pumped up for Sabres-Leafs, you may have consumed waaaay too much alcohol on New Year's Eve. You might want to see a doctor...

 

* If we lose one (or both - shudder) of our co-captains next year, I have no problem with seeing an "A" on Gaustad's jersey. Heck, I'll even campaign for it right now - give Gaustad an "A." Night in and out, every game, every shift, he seems to be getting better - and he seems to be the only one to stand up for his teammates (while contributing on a regular shift.)

 

* If Goose is going to be the only one to bang bodies and get in the oppositions' face after borderline hits, then it will be a long second half of the season. Can someone on the Buffalo blueline protect the damn goalie once - just so we can say we saw it happen? Someone hits your goalie after a borderline bump 5 feet from the crease - you knock his ass down. Period. Take an early penalty if you have to, but establish your crease and your goalie as off-limits.

 

* Campbell has been in a bit of a slump the last couple games - the puck just doesn't seem to be bouncing his way. Ditto for Briere the last two games, who had a nice assist tonight, but it was a very fortuitous bounce to Drury. On the flip side, Roy has really picked up his game lately, despite a couple bad penalties over the last two games.

 

* The powerplay - what to do, what to do? Seriously, they can look OK, terrible, great and disorganized - all on one man-advantage. Can we get some consistency, please?

 

* Finally - not to blame the refs, but Van Massenhoven - WTF? Did he make two calls the whole night - the Roy "hook" and the Sabres too-many-men call? I mean really - did someone tell him in the TV break that he hadn't made enough calls yet, and the league won't pay him if he doesn't assess X minutes in penalties? Yet another of the NHL dinosaur referees who want to call the game their way, regardless of what the league, fans and/or players might want.

 

Who's ready for the Leafs? Anyone else?

[Stoner]

Random thoughts on the game:

 

Who's ready for the Leafs? Anyone else?

 

The Sabres? Count me as one who's on the ledge. Too many games like tonight are adding up. The Sabres were outclassed.

 

As for the PP, maybe Ruff needs to just forget about it and let it heal itself or something. I think there's been too much emphasis put on it. Did you ever have a problem that was vexing you, maybe at work, and you just get away from it for an hour, maybe go for a walk, and you come back and it has solved itself?

[matter2003]

The Sabres? Count me as one who's on the ledge. Too many games like tonight are adding up. The Sabres were outclassed.

 

Buffalo just looks bored. They know they are better than virtually every team, and they seem to be content to make a few brilliant plays a game and then coast around the rest of the night... just looks like they aren't really trying too hard out there...not sure if its overconfidence or just boredom or what it is...

[Bmwolf21]

The Sabres? Count me as one who's on the ledge. Too many games like tonight are adding up. The Sabres were outclassed.

 

As for the PP, maybe Ruff needs to just forget about it and let it heal itself or something. I think there's been too much emphasis put on it. Did you ever have a problem that was vexing you, maybe at work, and you just get away from it for an hour, maybe go for a walk, and you come back and it has solved itself?

I don't think outclassed is the right word at all. I think outclassed means you don't have the talent to compete, didn't show up for the game at all, etc. And while we have had more than enough poor effort games, I don't think tonight's loss was due to poor effort. I think tonight was a classic example of letting the foot off the gas when they got their leads - they need to develop that killer instinct, smell blood in the water, turn up the heat and knock the opponent out. They've done it in the past, but need to do it on a more consistent basis.

 

The really good teams make teams play to their level to beat them - not the other way around. As long as are content to skate with a team for 2 periods and then try to beat them in the 3rd, then they'll struggle like this. They need to dictate the pace of play right from the opening faceoff - go back to making teams struggle to skate with them on a regular basis.

[inkman]

Buffalo just looks bored. They know they are better than virtually every team, and they seem to be content to make a few brilliant plays a game and then coast around the rest of the night... just looks like they aren't really trying too hard out there...not sure if its overconfidence or just boredom or what it is...

I really hope this is not the truth. :bag:

[BuffalOhio]

As much as I hate to say this, think the Sabres need to go back to the trap, since that's what teams are doing to them.

[james duncan]

They ought to just decline the penalty until Timmy comes back. Friggin brutal.

[LabattBlue]

Random thoughts on the game:

 

* If Goose is going to be the only one to bang bodies and get in the oppositions' face after borderline hits, then it will be a long second half of the season. Can someone on the Buffalo blueline protect the damn goalie once - just so we can say we saw it happen? Someone hits your goalie after a borderline bump 5 feet from the crease - you knock his ass down. Period. Take an early penalty if you have to, but establish your crease and your goalie as off-limits.

Darcy gave up physical players like McKee & Grier and to some extent Dumont & Pyatt who both had good size and showed some willingness to bang bodies. They were replaced with more finesse players. What is the net result...in games where teams want to free wheel with the Sabres, we kick ass. In games that are more close checking in style, the Sabres appear to have a tough time. This includes both the forwards and defensemen.

 

I can only hope that come playoff time, that "attitude" kicks in and these players have what it takes to win a hard fought physical game.

[Stoner]

The bizarre thing about the power play is they are on a clip over the last eight games that, if it were extrapolated over an entire season, would put them around seventh overall. They're 8 of 42 (19%), which isn't bad. The power play looked so much better when it wasn't producing. Weird.

[deluca67]

What is the net result..

 

Second place overall?

 

6 Point lead in the Conference?

 

10 Point lead in the Division?

 

All of that and their Power Play and Penalty Killing are nowhere near what they need to be.

 

All that matters is Home Ice Advantage. This team is a very good regular season team. It is also a great playoff team.

[bob_sauve28]

I think Kotalik is playing pretty well. Charging into the corners, getting good shots away and making some nice passes. I would not give up on him. We have the luxury of giving him time to blossom

[JujuFish]

Here's another thought about the game: We've now reached the regulation loss total of our low point last season. After starting out 6-2, we dropped to 8-9.

 

What did we do after hitting 9 losses last season? Nothing more than go 15-1-1 in our next 17. Will history repeat itself?

[james duncan]

Deluca, with all due respect, "this" team hasn't played a playoff game yet. However, it does look a lot like the Ottawa Senators of last year--and we know how if ended up for them. Why should we expect the special teams to suddenly get going? We're half way through the season now. There's time, but to me, this team is missing something that last year's team had. I hope I'm wrong.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Here's another thought about the game: We've now reached the regulation loss total of our low point last season. After starting out 6-2, we dropped to 8-9.

 

What did we do after hitting 9 losses last season? Nothing more than go 15-1-1 in our next 17. Will history repeat itself?

 

Or will it (read PS's history for today) replicate the 1999 season where after 9 losses, the team went 3-16? That was a SC final year, as we all know...

 

Will history repeat itself?

[Taro T]

Deluca, with all due respect, "this" team hasn't played a playoff game yet. However, it does look a lot like the Ottawa Senators of last year--and we know how if ended up for them. Why should we expect the special teams to suddenly get going? We're half way through the season now. There's time, but to me, this team is missing something that last year's team had. I hope I'm wrong.

2 words: Tallinder. Connolly.

[Kristian]

Or will it (read PS's history for today) replicate the 1999 season where after 9 losses, the team went 3-16? That was a SC final year, as we all know...

 

Will history repeat itself?

 

Yeah, The Sabres celebrated new years by leading the east, and we ended up as a 7th seed.

 

BRUTAL second half of the season, yet they turned it around in the playoffs in no small part thanks to a surging PP and a rent-a-player who quarterbacked it.

 

I don't see any rent-a-players in our future this time, so if Timmy doesn't make it back we're in trouble.

 

2 words: Tallinder. Connolly.

 

Unfortunately both these guys haven't exactly proven themselves durable.

 

Here's to hoping though :beer:

[james duncan]

No doubt getting a healthy Tallinder and Connolly back would be great. But that's not it. I'd like to see some grit added. I underestimated what Grier meant to the team. I loved the way McKee played the game. I'd give up some talent to get some proven toughness back for the playoff run. I was hoping we'd deal for Recchi last year. How about a Gary Roberts this year?

[BuffalOhio]

How about a Gary Roberts this year?

 

That would be as bad as having Darcy Tucker on the Sabres. Go wash your mouth out with soap!

[LabattBlue]

This team is a very good regular season team. It is also a great playoff team.

Last years team in the playoffs was great. This years playoff team is yet to be determined. In the wacky world of the NHL playoffs, we could lose in the first round just as easily as going all the way and winning the cup.

[deluca67]

Last years team in the playoffs was great. This years playoff team is yet to be determined. In the wacky world of the NHL playoffs, we could lose in the first round just as easily as going all the way and winning the cup.

 

Without question. Nobody knows what will happen.

 

It does look good that team is, except for some minor changes, the same as last years which was the best in the NHL palyoffs.

 

It also helps the Sabres cause that they have the best coach in hockey. It never gets said but maybe it's time. Is there another coach in the game today you would rather have? I have no doubt that if Ruff left the Sabres there would be 29 teams that would call him up and be willing to fire their coach that day.

[Crestwood]

* If we lose one (or both - shudder) of our co-captains next year, I have no problem with seeing an "A" on Gaustad's jersey. Heck, I'll even campaign for it right now - give Gaustad an "A." Night in and out, every game, every shift, he seems to be getting better - and he seems to be the only one to stand up for his teammates (while contributing on a regular shift.)

 

* If Goose is going to be the only one to bang bodies and get in the oppositions' face after borderline hits, then it will be a long second half of the season. Can someone on the Buffalo blueline protect the damn goalie once - just so we can say we saw it happen? Someone hits your goalie after a borderline bump 5 feet from the crease - you knock his ass down. Period. Take an early penalty if you have to, but establish your crease and your goalie as off-limits.

I'll second that nomination for a Goose alternate captaincy for the exact same reasons you cited.

 

On the other note, Buffalo seems to be doing a much better job making sure the Laffs have their hands and sticks off Biron tonight.

[hopeleslyobvious]

The Sabres? Count me as one who's on the ledge. Too many games like tonight are adding up. The Sabres were outclassed.

 

As for the PP, maybe Ruff needs to just forget about it and let it heal itself or something. I think there's been too much emphasis put on it. Did you ever have a problem that was vexing you, maybe at work, and you just get away from it for an hour, maybe go for a walk, and you come back and it has solved itself?

 

But weren't you on the ledge when they were 10-0-0 as well?

 

This season is a close parallel to last season. The team plays great, and the second they stumble all anyone can say is "Well, now the team is showing their true colors," or "They won't look like this in the playoffs." :thumbdown:

 

Just a couple reminders. This is an 82 game season. They are going to lose 2 games in a row sometimes. There are going to be stretches where they are just terrible.

 

We are not Ottawa from last year. Ottawa looked like a different team in the playoffs last year. Last time I checked, that happens every year.

 

Everything is going to be just fine. Yes, our PP is struggling this year. It's an area that can use improvement. It will improve. If I remember correctly last year everyone said we were in trouble because we can't score 5 on 5....

[apuszczalowski]

Unfortunately both these guys haven't exactly proven themselves durable.

 

Here's to hoping though :beer:

Well, if there is one good thing with tallinders recent injury, he will now have more time to rest and heal up his broken hand