Soo tell me why miller was in net tonight?

[inkman]

1st off, I case you didn't know (sic), not only have I forgotten more about this team and this game than you will probably ever know (literally), but this conversation won't last too long if you decide to continue to be a jerk.

Whew, gotta make sure I don't piss you off.... :unsure:

[Buffalo Tendencies]

No one is saying that Ryan Miller sucks or is at fault for all the losses. We are saying that his GAA is up lately and his penchant for giving up 3rd period ties and leads is frightening. If he can even get these game to OT at least the team gets a big point and that might be the difference between finishing 1st overall in the East or not.

 

I also don't like the double standard. If Biron was playing like this over the last couple months then Everyone would be saying how we need better goaltending in order to be a serious contender. Since it's Miller, he gets a pass. I tell you, Lindy is going to give Marty every chance to earn more of the playing time very soon.

 

 

Zow couldn't have said it better. You people must be in bed with Miller or something. Just stating that we need to move a goalie and get more offense if Miller is going to let 3 in each game, which he has been doing lately.

[zow2]

Zow couldn't have said it better. You people must be in bed with Miller or something. Just stating that we need to move a goalie and get more offense if Miller is going to let 3 in each game, which he has been doing lately.

 

I'm not advocating trading Miller or anything, I just don't understand why people give him a free pass on everything??!? These 3rd periods have been absolutely brutal with him and his body language after goals and mental state after the games bugs me. I'd rather see Miller start the game a bit slowly....and then get stronger as the game goes on where you can count on him in the 3rd. What's funny is that has been Biron's history. He usually gives up an early goal and then gets much better by the 3rd period. Every goalie faces untimely defelctions and odd man rushes and adversity throughout the game. To be an elite goalie you have to fight through that stuff.

[hopeleslyobvious]

Damn near every game? lets look at the last month and we'll exclude Columbus and the Isl, since you have already admitted he played poorly.

 

Mon Jan 1, 2007 HOME Islanders 1 - 3 W <---------- One goal A

Wed Jan 3, 2007 AWAY Senators 3 - 6 L <---------- 6 goals F---

Fri Jan 5, 2007 HOME Penguins 4 - 2 L <---------- 4 goals F--

Wed Jan 10, 2007 AWAY Blackhawks 2 - 1 W <---------- One goal A

Sat Jan 13, 2007 HOME Lightning 3 - 2 L <---------- 3 goals C

Mon Jan 15, 2007 AWAY Bruins 2 - 3 O-L <---------- 3 goals C

Wed Jan 17, 2007 HOME Bruins 3 - 6 W <---------- 3 goals C

Fri Jan 19, 2007 HOME Canucks 3 - 4 W <---------- 3 goals C

 

Fri Jan 26, 2007 AWAY Blue Jackets 2 - 3

Sat Jan 27, 2007 AWAY Islanders 3 - 5

 

That looks like a 3.0 GAA over the last month. :thumbdown: I case you didn't know, the LOWER the number the better and 3 SUCKS. If were keeping Miller and his severe inconsistancies, then we better get some more offense and start scoring 4-5 every night.

 

Funny how Biron let 2 goals in back to back games against Boston bottom dwellers, but Miller last month went 1-1 and let 6 goals in.

 

Do you watch these games or do you just read the box score? Because there are a few games in there where your grade is solely based on GA and not performance. Take Boston on January 15 for example. Miller stood on his head that game, made the save of the year and lost in a shootout. How exactly is that a C effort?

 

I'll let you in on a little secret. You can't compare a Sabres goalie's GAA to a goalie on many other teams and have a fair comparison. The Sabres play a wide open system. They give up a lot of quality chances that other teams do not. The only reason they can play this system is because they have a great goalie.

 

Why do we think Miller is better than Biron? Because he is. There are two seasons where a fair comparison can be drawn. This season and last season since they have been playing in the same system. Miller has a significantly better SV% in those two seasons.

 

As for Miller slumping...Every player slumps...every goalie slumps. That is just the nature of sports. I seem to remember Miller coming off last season's long break (Olympic) in a slump too. Maybe he loses his focus with a lot of time off. Maybe that is a flaw he has as a player. But before some of you critics say that's a reason we need to get rid of him, another goalie had a similar slump right after the Olympics last year...Brodeur. Important to note, since he seems to be the measuring stick of how many goals Ryan should give up a night despite the fact that he plays on a team with a much different system.

[Bmwolf21]

No one is saying that Ryan Miller sucks or is at fault for all the losses. We are saying that his GAA is up lately and his penchant for giving up 3rd period ties and leads is frightening. If he can even get these game to OT at least the team gets a big point and that might be the difference between finishing 1st overall in the East or not.

 

I also don't like the double standard. If Biron was playing like this over the last couple months then Everyone would be saying how we need better goaltending in order to be a serious contender. Since it's Miller, he gets a pass. I tell you, Lindy is going to give Marty every chance to earn more of the playing time very soon.

He might get some more regular season PT, but it matters not, because barring injury, Ryan will be our goalie come playoff time.

 

The reason why Miller "gets a pass?" Because it's a slump for him. Lindy admitted that he played him too much coming out of the break. He probably played him a little too much heading into it, as well. The numbers bear that out. Right now, Marty is playing well, no question about it. Look at Marty's numbers before the break (9-4-1, 3.17, .892) compared to after the break (2-0-0, 1.00, .967) and tell me he'll keep up that post-ASG pace. Blown 3rd period leads? Been there, done that. Marty had a string in November where he blew four straight 3rd period leads in a row - Nov. 13, W, 7-4 vs. Car; Nov. 15, L, 4-2 vs. Ott; Nov. 11, W, 5-4OT vs. Phi.; Nov. 10, W, 5-4OT vs Fla. - the only difference was the Sabres were playing well enough up front to negate his struggles in three of those games.

 

Part of the problem is the team not putting in a full 60-minute effort. The Columbus game - team sat back and let Columbus take the play to them for much of the 3rd. I didn't see a lot of the Isles game, but I can concede a couple bad goals by Ryan. NJ - he let what he perceived as a bad call get in his head, and took too long to snap out of it. Does that mean he is responsible for Dmitri directing the puck into the net with his skate? And the snapper by Parise - a good young scorer with a good shot gets one by our goalie from the faceoff circle. For those that didn't realize, all goalies occasionally get beat by good shots, and all goalies (and fans) think they should have stopped it. It's OK to be tough on our netminders and expect more from them, but let's be realistic about the games and goals we are complaining about.

 

The reason we hold Marty more responsible for the way he plays? Because he's a $2.1M backup in his 8th year. We know what we have in him. Ryan is still somewhat of an enigma. He's younger, more consistent and has much more potential that Marty. He showed last year he can play well when the chips were down (11-7, 2.56 GAA, .908 SV in the playoffs) and he'll work his way out of this slump.

[LabattBlue]

I am still pissed about the 1st NJ goal. All year long, the refs have been quick with the whistle when the puck is near the goalie, yet in this case, when Miller has his glove over the puck and the ref is standing behind the net and clearly able to see the play, he stands there and chooses to pick his ass instead of blowing the whistle.

 

GO FIGURE! :angry: :angry:

[Spudz]

Wow.... all this talking about trading Miller? How fast can fans turn with a little losing streak. No one is giving a free pass, but Marty has had his shot through the years, and so far Miller has taken us to ECC game and really stepped up when call on in the playoffs.

 

Does anyone remember the playoffs last year? I don't recall Biron getting all "that much" ice time. We seemed to do pretty well last year even with an wide open play style with Miller in the net. Matter of fact I believe he was the best goalie in the playoffs last year.

 

That was like ages ago, so maybe he just doesn't have it anymore. :D