How to beat the Sabres

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

'Using their speed to the hilt, Fritsche, Chimera and Malhotra put heat on the Buffalo defensemen, forcing them to make passes or rim the puck an instant too soon.

"Their D-corps doesn?t want to get hit," Fritsche said. "So we hit them. They don?t want to be pressured. So we pressured them a lot, kind of took away their options. It created a lot of offense for us."'

[Corp000085]

'Using their speed to the hilt, Fritsche, Chimera and Malhotra put heat on the Buffalo defensemen, forcing them to make passes or rim the puck an instant too soon.

"Their D-corps doesn't want to get hit," Fritsche said. "So we hit them. They don't want to be pressured. So we pressured them a lot, kind of took away their options. It created a lot of offense for us."'

 

 

That mentality is what will end our season in late april, not mid june. Hope they can fix that issue between now and game 83.

[Eleven]

'Using their speed to the hilt, Fritsche, Chimera and Malhotra put heat on the Buffalo defensemen, forcing them to make passes or rim the puck an instant too soon.

"Their D-corps doesn?t want to get hit," Fritsche said. "So we hit them. They don?t want to be pressured. So we pressured them a lot, kind of took away their options. It created a lot of offense for us."'

 

Didn't I see this last year under the headline "How to beat the Senators?" It worked, too. And Corp's right; if the Sabres don't fix this, they'll meet the same fate they doled out to Ottawa last spring.

[Stoner]

Yup, Euro-pussies galore. The image of Spacek looking away from Scott Nichol is burned into my brain. This team just doesn't want to take anyone on, get dirty. They are above it. They are -- after all -- 2005-6 Eastern Conference runners-up! Last night was one more example of a team outhitting and outworking us. Good call, GoBills.

[fushetti]

Yup, Euro-pussies galore. The image of Spacek looking away from Scott Nichol is burned into my brain. This team just doesn't want to take anyone on, get dirty. They are above it. They are -- after all -- 2005-6 Eastern Conference runners-up! Last night was one more example of a team outhitting and outworking us. Good call, GoBills.

 

Arghh. i'm agreeing with PASabrefan for the first time in months.

[Kristian]

A nice blueliner with a mean streak, and dump Kalinin on waivers to free up salary if you can't unload him along with Kotalik.

[Stoner]

 

Arghh. i'm agreeing with PASabrefan for the first time in months.

 

I've been saying the same thing for months. I'm glad you are coming to your senses. <_<

[Bmwolf21]

I'll say it - I, too, agree with PA. I am questioning the signing of Spacek to such a big contract (obviously necessitated by the loss of McKee and the way defensemen were being snatched up off the FA market.) All he gives us is another soft, puck-moving defenseman. Edmonton is in the market for blueliners who can move the puck, so maybe there is someone we can pick up there. I don't know their roster that well, so I don't know who...

 

Watching the game last night, it was also apparent to me that a lot of the forwards didn't want to get hit either, as I saw a bunch of guys get rid of the puck a step early and try to spin out of contact.

 

 

EDIT: Maybe Steve Staios or Matt Green would fit the bill (or Jason Smith, but it would probably cost us a lot.) I haven't seen that much of Edmonton so I don't know if they would fit in our system, but they seem to be the physical, inexpensive defenseman this team needs.

[bob_sauve28]

Every team we face plays us like its the Stanley Cup Finals. Yes, the other teams are out working us right now, it will pass. I dunno, half the people are screaming we are doomed if we win the Presidents Trophy and half are screaming we are doomed if we don't win every game. I think the team needs some tinkering, but I am happy taking this group into a playoff series.

[Done]

We need a rat in here that will give the rest of the team no choice but to play physical. Grab a Barnaby type, or at risk of causing a stroke....Tucker. Take advantage of your depth of decent players by trading 3 or 4 prospects to get 2 solid vets with a gritty streak. As good as this team has played.....the major problem with Regeir has always been he waits around and lets the chips fall where they may.

 

I think the knock on Spacek is valid. We don't have a #1 defenseman back there....and don't tell me Campbell started the All-Star game. We have a bunch of #2s or 3s back there. Someone needs to grab the Bull by the Horns and nobody fits the bill.

[LabattBlue]

There is NOT a lot of help on the horizon(2 to 3 years) in terms of players the Sabres have drafted in terms of grit and toughness either in the forward or blueline ranks. Darcy is ALL about the finesse type of player and sooner or later it is going to come back and haunt him. You need a balance of both types of players and right now the Sabres are top heavy in finesse and short on grit.

 

I know anything can happen in the playoffs(especially if Miller can get really hot), but I would not be surprised to see the Sabres get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round.

 

 

 

PS Darcy needs to make some moves in the offseason to get the needed balance. If it means Briere, Vanek or Max need to go, then so be it. I would rather have a gritty player who can score 25 goals and 60-65 points. Same goes for the blueline. Sacrifice the smooth skating dman who has offensive upside for the gritty stay at home blueliner who may be a liability in some ways, but will go through a wall and do whatever it takes to win a game when the going gets tough come playoff time.

[SabreInFla]

I admit I have lowered my expectations with this team in the past few weeks, but I do think that all of this negativity has to do with the fast start and ridiculous hype that began the year. We are still a good team, the best?....probably not at this point, but certainly as capable as other team that may be in that category of going the distance. The argument that we have been figured out really drives me crazy. Every team knows what to expect from their opponent, professional sports is about watching video and scouting your opponent. Every team has us "figured out" as much as we do them....it simply boils down to execution and hunger. I still believe that this is a hungry team that wants to win, and when the smoke of the past month or more clears.....we will see the Sabres that started the season on fire. Do you think the teams we embarrassed earlier in the season didn't know what we were coming at them with? They had us figured out as much as any team does right now. Screw the president's trophy and all that stuff.....I don't care if we get the one seed or the eight because when this team starts clicking again, and the adrenaline of the post season kicks in, I'll be a proud Sabres fan.

[bob_sauve28]

I don't care if we get the one seed or the eight because when this team starts clicking again, and the adrenaline of the post season kicks in, I'll be a proud Sabres fan.

Hear hear! Teams have been down 3 games to 1 in playoff series nd come back to win the cup, so this slump doesn't bother me too much

[McJeff215]

Hear hear! Teams have been down 3 games to 1 in playoff series nd come back to win the cup, so this slump doesn't bother me too much

 

 

The slump has simply reminded me that the Sabres are not some invincible super team. That opening win streak set the tone for the season; anything short of perfection is a shortcoming.

 

Of course, it still pisses me off to lose to Columbus et al. :doh:

 

I take a bit of comfort in knowing that for every 'Son of a :censored: ' or 'Mother :censored: ' I say during a game, the guys actually out there say ten.

 

-Jeff

[Knightrider]

 

PS Darcy needs to make some moves in the offseason to get the needed balance. If it means Briere, Vanek or Max need to go, then so be it.

 

I guess I see Max as one of the grittier players on this squad right now, and with Vanek at ~ plus 25, I'm not sure I'd let him go either. Briere, Pominville, and Kotex, are not the grittiest, though.

[inkman]

We need a rat in here that will give the rest of the team no choice but to play physical. Grab a Barnaby type.

I, as others, have be advocating this for weeks. I think part of the answer may be right in the system. Kaleta is the biggest rat in the AHL but the Sabres seems intent on letting him take his lumps before any sort of promotion. I say bring him up and move a forward for a tough D-man. this team desperatly needs a wake up and Kaleta is just the kind of player for it.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I think that the intensity off the playoffs will set many things straight for the Sabres.............But a veteran defenceman would be nice to get for the long run...........Even a guy like Hal Gill could be good in the right circumstances......... :beer:

[jerryg]

The loss last night had nothing to do with soft D and more to do with the inability to bury chances and put the BJ's away in the 2nd when they had the chance.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

The loss last night had nothing to do with soft D and more to do with the inability to bury chances and put the BJ's away in the 2nd when they had the chance.

I agree, less chances and more shots and we would have scored 5 goals in the first 2 periods......... :beer:

[Swedesessed]

Another overlooked aspect of this Sabres team IMO is the penalty kill..80.8%? That NEEDS to be addressed if this team wants to win the Cup

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Another overlooked aspect of this Sabres team IMO is the penalty kill..80.8%? That NEEDS to be addressed if this team wants to win the Cup

 

Yeah, with the kind of speed we have, we should surely be better at this aspect of the game......... :beer:

[LabattBlue]

I guess I see Max as one of the grittier players on this squad right now, and with Vanek at ~ plus 25, I'm not sure I'd let him go either. Briere, Pominville, and Kotex, are not the grittiest, though.

Vanek's play is superior to last year and hopefully he will continue to strive to be a complete hockey player, but don't let his +/- fool you. He still has a huge adversity to INITIATING ANY contact(and I'm not talking about thundering checks) along the boards a large majority of the time.

 

As far as the other 3 players go, I already mentioned Briere in my earlier post, Pominville shows a willingness to stick his nose in along the boards and Kotalik isn't worth mentioning. I don't see him being on the team next year.

[bob_sauve28]

I think that the intensity off the playoffs will set many things straight for the Sabres.............But a veteran defenceman would be nice to get for the long run...........Even a guy like Hal Gill could be good in the right circumstances......... :beer:

I'd take that Adam Foote in a second. He is a big mean MF! He's been in the league a long time, too.

[inkman]

I'd take that Adam Foote in a second. He is a big mean MF! He's been in the league a long time, too.

While I like his chippiness, he was severly out matched anytime the Sabres actually put forth effort.

[Rabbit151]

How to beat Buffalo?

 

 

Answer: Show up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little too cynical, but lately that 's what it seems like. I don't see them pulling out of this funk before play-offs. They'll limp in. It's gotta be tough getting fired up to play for 82 games. Every night there's a different guy or guys, taking it off. I'm not gonna totally write the Sabres off now, maybe they will get back into that mode they were in for last year's play-off run during this year's play-off run. Blocking shots, playing desperate for 60 minutes, I can see it. It may not be bad for them to start a series or two on the road too.

 

I do wish they would make that one big move to get a rental player. Don't sit on the fence this year Darcy, this is perhaps the best chance to win a cup that the Sabres have ever had.

 

If you have to give up a top prospect like Stafford to get that rental player, so be it. I know Stafford can contribute now, but not at an elite player level. It would be a small price to pay to win a cup.

 

PS......have the Sabres even considered adding Brian Leetch? How can he hurt?