Taro T
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That folks is what you call an "Instant Classic". What a way to start the playoffs. Some game thoughts...
- Max was very quiet. He had that one chance off the post, but I didn't notice him much other than that.
- Kotalik playing a physical game. Pleasant surprise.
- Tallinder getting in the way of Forsberg's open net with only about 15 seconds gone in the game. You have to be good, but you also need some luck. ;)
- Grier playing the role the Sabres need him to in the playoffs.
- Miller was solid.
- Jochen Hecht is in my top 3 Sabres. The guy brings so much to the table when he is in the lineup.
- Esche stood on his head and the Flyers still lost. I don't expect him to continue to play at that level.
- Folks will still be talking about that Campbell hit 20 years from now.
GO SABRES!!!!!
I actually thought Max played a pretty good game. He did back the Phlyers off a few times.
Kotalik had too many turnovers for my liking.
Roy was fantastic. He worked very well with Drury and Grier.
Kalinin seemed to go back into his funk. The Knubble goal was directly attributable to him failing on 2 clearing attempts and then leaving Mike alone in front.
Lydman didn't seem to have his head fully in the game either. Although his partner failed to clear the puck a couple of times he set the tone for the game 12 seconds in and overall played a very strong game.
Connolly and Grier were great. Jochen was much faster than the Phlyers D. Dumont was hitting everything he could get his shoulder on.
Hopefully Danny breaking the seal will lead to him having a better scoring %age next game.
Vanek looked like he was in his 1st playoff game.
McKee was a monster. Strong at both ends of the ice.
Teppo was solid for the most part but can play better and I expect him to on Monday.
Gaustad and Pominville had strong games, especially right after Sabre powerplays when Jochen was on their line.
I'm thinking we are going to have to start calling Soupy "highlight reel".
Drury was solid.
Miller should be proud of his effort.
If the Sabres can figure out how to get the powerplay working it should be lights out for Philly in short order.
The Phlyers were definitely trying to keep the Forsberg line on the ice with the Connolly line and it blew up in Captain Kangaroo's fat face in the 1st period.
Handzus and Esche were the only 2 Phlyers that came to play 90 minutes.
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A while ago, I heard the weather woman on Channel 7 give the forecast for the game.
Before that, when the Campbell's Soup commercial came on, I had my own lyrics for that catchy song... Campbell on the rush... possibilities.... Campbell has it at the point, possibilitieeeeeeees.
I need this series to begin ASAP.
Oh yeah, Captain Kangaroo seemed a little prickly when asked about the Sabres' speed. He says his team is fast in its own right and claims that "team speed" is the most overrated thing in sports.
Yeah, when your team doesn't possess something, having it is necessarily "overrated".
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Breakin it down:
Start in Goal: Miller is a better goaltender by far than Esche or Niittymaki, the only X factor being his playoff aura. Esche has more experience, and some success here, and I wouldn't be that surprised if he could come out and stonewall the Sabres in a game or two. That said, momentum, in my opinion, is worth as much as experience, considering how in the past two playoffs we've seen no name goalies cary their teams to the finals. Miller is playing his best hockey of the year right now and should be able to carry that over. Esche and Niittymake, conversely, have neither momentum nor even a go-to guy. If Miller seriously outplays the Flyers goaltending tandem in this series, a sweep is even possible.
Defense: I think the size and slowness of Philedelphia's defense gets overplayed, and it will seem especially so if Hitchcock (as I expect) coaches the team to play a very conservative game that neutralizes the rush. That said, we should still be able to buzz a little bit in their zone, and our success will probably largely depend on how well the Flyers study out our creative players (Max, Briere, Roy) so as to anticipate them. Pitkanen is also one of the best scoring defensemen in the league, 46 points in 58 games. He'll give us a lot to handle in the offensive zone aside from the Forseberg line. Comparing the two defenses, I haven't been too impressed with Buffalo's D all year. We can rush and score, but as for shutting an opponent down, I don't think we can. Even our recent stretch of low goals against is mostly, in my mind, due to the goaltending. I expect the Flyers top line to do some considerable damage in this series, but after that line, I don't know who else will pick up the ball.
Forwards: Like I say, its all about Forsberg, Gagne, Knuble. I think this might be one of the top five or seven most dangerous lines in the playoffs, so I don't know to what extent we want to really just roll lines. In Philedelphia, where the Flyers will have the last change, I think we're going to have to try to match against at least that one line, because if Hitchcock matches Forsberg against Vanek abnd Pominville all game they'll eat us alive. Drury might even find himself comfortable and effective in his traditional role as a checking line center, and Grier, who lacks some of the speed of our other forwards, may be just as well in the defensive role rather than putting him up against Philly's D size for size. Jochen should have a standout series playing both ends.
I think the series will come down to special teams. We can frustrate PHilly's D, and if Bettman is true to his word and games get called right, our powerplay will devour Philly's penalty killers.
Ultimately, if our powerplay and goaltending are up to snuff, I see this series being Buffalo's in five, leaving us some good rest before we take on the conferences real elite in the next two rounds.
j
I think the Sabres will pretty much roll lines, but will attempt to avoid putting the Connolly line against Forsberg's. Drury's line and Briere's line can definitely hold their own with the Forsberg line and I think Gaustad and Pominville are solid enough to withstand the odd shift here or there against THE line.
Where you will see matchups will be with the Sabres avoiding putting Campbell on the ice against that line even strength. My guess is Tallinder and Lydman are the 1st choice to match up against Forsberg with McKee and Kalinin the next pair. If Kalinin has major issues in his own end, Lindy might swap McKee's and Numminen's roles and have Numminen and Campbell be the second pair against Forsberg; but if we get to that point, the Sabres could be in trouble. Also, McKee's shot blocking will be a huge plus against that line.
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Looking at the scores, do we face Philly or Jersey?
Philly.
Joisey hosts the Strangers.
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It's hilarious that people blame Bettman for "No Goal" and other alleged mistakes over the years. What was Gary supposed to do? I bet there aren't many Sabre fans who can tell me who the ref was on that "No Goal" call. Isn't he the real villain?
People who ply this conspiracy trade have to explain why the league has it out for Buffalo and not other small-market teams. The question that really destroys the Buffalo conspiracy theory is this: if Bettman wants to do the Sabres in, why didn't he take advantage of the obvious opportunity to ensure they would NEVER win: fold the franchise a few years ago? Instead he worked diligently to ensure hockey would remain in Buffalo. He deserves a standing ovation, but the night he appears at center ice at HSBC Arena and awards the Stanley Cup to the Sabres, I'm sure he'll be roundly booed.
People are funny.
What was he supposed to do?!? How about follow the GD rule book! Not make s**t up as he goes along. He was in the #@$@$@# building when all of this happened and COULD have taken control. He CHOSE not to.
Gregson.
McCreary was the other referee, FYI.
No, Gregson was not the villian, as HE FOLLOWED, or at least attempted to follow, THE RULES AS STATED IN THE RULE BOOK. BETTMAN and BRIAN LEWIS DID NOT FOLLOW THE RULES AS WRITTEN IN THE RULE BOOK. Gregson did NOT see Hull's foot in the crease as he was screened by Holzinger. The people upstairs never told Gregson that Hull was in the crease. HAD THEY DONE THAT, GREGSON IS ON RECORD AS SAYING HE WOULD HAVE WAIVED OFF THE GOAL, as Hull had not been forced into the crease but went in of his own volition PRIOR TO THE PUCK ENTERING THE CREASE.
And you are wrong, it was NOT a conspiracy against Buffalo. It was a conspiracy of lazy people who were more concerned with having things look good than getting them right. Had the EXACT same thing happened 2 nights later in Dallas, the Stars would be crying "NO GOAL" and guess what? They would be just as correct as the Sabres are to this day. It !#$~@~$ sucks that it happened and you SHOULD be ticked that it did. Had they gotten that call correct, there is no guarantee at all that the Sabres wouldn't have lost the game on the next faceoff; but I sure as heck wanted them to have the OPPORTUNITY to compete for the SC even if they couldn't have succeeded. There was no guarantee that they would have won game 7 either, but again they were not given the opportunity to compete legitimately. It ticks me off to this day that the CUP WAS AWARDED TO THE STARS. They didn't EARN it. They didn't WIN it, they were AWARDED it, and that sucks.
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BUT...If the officiating is this bad, at home no less, can we beat the upper echelon teams?
OK...I just hate officials, but I thought tonight was really bad.
Think about it. You had "have another donut, you fat pig" and Marouelli (sp?) reffing tonight. Could the reffing be anything but bad?
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Miller is playing terrible right now, but I think it's unfair to say Biron plays better than Miller. When Miller is on, he is better. Biron and Miller each gave up 4 goals on 34 shots in their last games. Maybe Biron will change my mind tomorrow night, but I don't feel comfortable going into the playoffs with him in net. Not that I exactly feel comfortable with Miller in there right now either.
Hopeless, the problem isn't the # of goals they are giving up, it's the timing of the goals they are giving up, and the situations that they give them up in. Miller giving up the goal on the Flyers 1st shot took the life right out of them. Yes, it was a bad play to give up the shot, but Miller has to make that save.
The 2nd and 3rd goals came from the point, and an NHL #1 man can't give up 2 of those in 1 game with his team down by a goal each time.
The 4th goal, Ryan was hung out to dry, but he has stated repeatedly that he intentionally stays back in his net to allow himself a chance to make saves on those sorts of shots. I don't know if he cut down the angle to his right so much because Corsi wants him to be more aggressive or if he lost focus. If it was by design he was challenging the shooter (which I suspect was the case), then shame on the D for leaving Knuble alone. If he lost focus, then shame on the D but Ryan please regain your focus.
This outcome was too real a possibility for me to have wanted Ryan to get the start tonight. I don't know which Flyer I heard in the post game show (I only heard one of their comments) but he basically said they were ecstatic to come out of here with the win, which I translated to mean they didn't think they had a prayer.
Also, you are correct. When Miller is on he is better than Marty (no ifs, ands, or buts about it). But Miller has not been "on" since before the Olympic break. While Marty isn't at 100% IMO (based on what I saw in TO and more importantly based on what I have read here about the Ottawa game), I'd estimate him at 90% of where I would like him to be. I'd have a hard time saying that Ryan is at 70%. At those levels, Marty is better than Ryan. So the way I see it, the team has about 3 weeks to get Ryan ready, because I don't know that the Sabres can get through the 2nd round without him at 100%. Marty can get the Sabres through Philly.
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Wasn't J.F. Sauve related to Bob?
Frankie is Bob's little brother.
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There is only a two point differential between the Rangers and the Flyers and they have 2 more games against each other. It could just as easily be the Rangers we end up playing in the 1st round.
Philly only has a 4 point lead over Jersey (with 1 game in hand and 2 games against Jersey). They have (on paper) a much easier schedule than NJ does (games remaining against TO, the Pens, and at the Isles to close the season), but considering how much I don't want to play NJ and considering that if NJ sweeps them and Buffalo wins tomorrow it becomes who will win more of their 4 remaining games; I am nervous about that one.
Not nervous enough to think that Jersey will catch them, but nervous enough that I was ticked when Pittsburgh blew the game on Sunday.
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Which goalie are they playing? I hope they called Leighton up from Rochester.
Biron is getting the start. (I do not agree with this move. If the team were playing ANY team other than the one that thumped it 2 nights ago, I would not have a problem with the move.)
Briere and Hecht are definitely in.
Mair and Peters are probables.
It sounds like Antropov will be out with the flu.
This per WGR about 20 minutes ago.
With the addition of Briere and Hecht (and hopefully Mair), I expect to see the Sabres win tonight. I expect that regardless of who is in net, which is a major part of why I would like to see Miller between the pipes tonight. I think getting a win against the team that thumped him would do a lot to restore Ryan's confidence. Playing Devil's advocate: if Miller were to play lousy against TO again tonight, could it do any more damage to his confidence? My answer is no, not really. But could a win (in a playoff style setting - 2nd game in 2 nights in the same road building) help restore it? My answer is, while it isn't a given, it is a heck of a lot more likely.
My 2 cents.
Also, would another loss to TO really do anything to their confidence or playoff hopes with Ottawa in town Wednesday? Probably not, and that is the worst case outcome (IMO) of playing Ryan tonight.
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I don't get to watch alot of games on TV since I'm a transplant in Duck territory, but they sound way better when I'm listening through the internet than they look. Actually watching them play is painful to watch.
I think that their play and mind set could have a large carry over into the playoffs. To me, at least, they are playing sloppy, undisciplined, heartless hockey. They are making horrible decisions. They seem to be trying to make the pretty passes like they are the 80's Oilers. And they aren't working hard at all.
I can't believe that they will just turn on a switch and get back to playing good hockey like they were when they playoffs hit. They need to get their game back in order before then or otherwise it will be quick ride.
They absolutely are playing sloppy right now. The good thing is they have almost 3 weeks to turn things around and will have their co-captain back in 2 days. Considering the way how they get a mulligan for today on Monday, that COULD be a huge step towards getting the ship off the sandbar it is currently sitting on.
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You know something. In a warped way, this DEBACLE could be the game that turns their season around (and not in a typical Ottawa playoff moment either). They get a do-over on this exact same game on Monday night, just like in the playoffs. Playing this horribly, there is no way they can play worse (not saying they WILL play better, just saying they CAN'T play worse).
I have believed for several seasons that Lindy is a very good playoff coach. Well, now we get to see what he and this young team can bring to the table. Do the Sabres make this a "best of 5" or do they head back home down by 2. I know that I am rationalizing now, but I honestly expect that this team will come out and play much stronger with Danny back in the lineup.
Time for Ryan to learn that he can play a stinker (not that the game was his fault and he had no chance whatsoever on at least 3 of the 6 he gave up; anytime you give up 6 and gave up a bad goal for the 1st one against, I think you get credit for a stinker regardless of how poorly the rest of your team played), and come right back and shut the same SOB's down. If he doesn't learn how to do it, the Sabres playoff run will be short. If he gets "his mojo back", then the Sabres could be right back on track.
I can't wait. Is it Monday night yet?
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wait, dave, we just have to win or have atlanta lose tonight and we're in??
The best Atlanta can do is 96. A Sabres OTL, W, or an Atlanta L/OTL and the Sabres officially are in the "real" season for the 1st time in 5 years.
So we'll get in and then continue to slide all the way down to 8th???
That would be sweet. Not.
I can realistically see them dropping to 5th, but 6th - 8th will take a serious slide. They currently have an 11 point lead over 6th place NJ, and 13 points (currently) over Montreal and TB. The most any of those teams can get is 101. So 3 wins clinches 5th.
I still expect 4th overall, but maybe Buccigross was correct a couple of weeks back.
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This is the way teenagers behave when their parents are out of town (and, yes, it's a Risky Business). Metaphorically speaking, Ruff is out of town. I don't blame him at all. He has more important things to worry about. The character of this team is certainly being exposed. Whether the games have any meaning or not, you don't pack it in. Their coach deserves better.
Hey Dave.
I don't drink. Tonight might be the night I start.
While it's nice to think that this will all be a distant memory come playoff time, my experience tells me this is more than a fleeting rough patch in a good season. I just can't fathom this team turning things around fast enough. They're going 100 mph down the expressway the wrong way. You can't go 75 in the other direction in five seconds.
I am not happy with what they are doing currently, but remember, the '98-'99 squad went 5-11-5 (the last combined OTL's and ties) from late December through most of February. Things worked out OK that year. If they get swept the next week, then I will worry. Until then, time to get back to the game.
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Wish I could join the chat, but it doesn't work for me. Please... guys... Schedule. Injuries. Officiating. They don't explain this tailspin. We need someone with credibility to analyze this team's woes -- and it's clearly not going to be Jim Lorentz, who is using the schedule excuse and talking about how the Sabres think they can get back into this game when there's no indication they have a pulse tonight. Roby, please, talk to us.
IMHO, you have to go back to the loss in Ottawa and explain what "lockerroom issues" Danny Briere was talking about afterwards. Such a weird comment after seeing an eight-game winning streak end.
Would you PLEASE go put your $!%#^#$^^##@$ !%%!@^ !%^^%!#$^ !%#!%!#^ headphones on and STOP WATCHING THE GAME!!!! :o
:lol: It's too brutal right now to do anything but laugh. (I haven't drank enough to cry yet! ;) )
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April 1, 1973
At the Aud, the Sabres beat the St. Louis Blues 3-1 on the final day of the regular season to clinch their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
(PA, I'm probably stealing your thunder for tomorrow, but I'll post this anyway. Sorry.)
The win came 1 day shy of 1 year after the Sabres 1st "playoff" victory. On April 2, '72, the Sabres scored a late goal to beat the Flyers 3-2 in the Aud. The win came 3 days after a loss to the same Flyers in the Sabres "House of Horrors" (the Spectrum, for the uninitiated).
The victory knocked the Flyers out of the playoffs, as they lost out on the "Western" Conference's 4th and final playoff spot to the Pens due to tie breakers. It probably wouldn't have mattered much, as Chicago made short work of the Pens, (who were then thumped by the Rangers, who were then beat (in 6 games) by the Bruins) but it was still pretty cool that the Sabres knocked a team out of the playoffs before they themselves had even been in the playoffs.
Also, getting back to the '73 team, at the time it was considered extremely impressive that a team that had only existed for 3 short years could make the playoffs. (Especially in the stacked Eastern Conference.) Had they played in the "woeful West", they'd have been the #2 seed; which was VERY impressive for a 3rd year expansion team.
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Dave B...
Yeah, I'm trying to stick with the Geaux, but I was in a hurry earlier. I'm cheating a little, I'm actually from North Louisiana, not exactly cajun territory, but... whatever.
Thanks for the info. Obviously another bad call. Regardless of whether the puck was in, the ref called it in. Upon review was there evidence to overturn the call? No.
GEAUX Sabres!
NORTH LOUISIANA!, Heck, anyone living north of I-12, is a gosh darn Yankee! ;)
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Someone help me out here. How does a review in hockey work exactly? Does it take INDISPUTABLE evidence to show that the the REFS call was wrong (like in football)? Or do they just make a call on what they see on the replay? We could use a break tonight by the way... Hope this gets us a little pissed off.
And as I write this we give up a goal...........AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Just... crap.
I've posted here about this one before and will give the Reader's Digest version now. Technically (and it covers several rules in the book), if there is not conclusive evidence to overrule the Referee, the call on the ice should stand.
The fact it took over 5 minutes to make the determination indicates that once again, the NHL did not follow its own rules.
PS. In one of your later posts you have "Go Sabres"; having lived in "Red Stick", I think you should stick with "Geaux Sabres". Lassiez le bon temps roullez.
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I've gone on record as saying this line is a nightmare in it's own end. I have to believe they will be quickly broken up in the playoffs if they do not get it together from a defensive zone perspective.
I agree that they are "exciting" in their own end, and not in a good way, but if Timmy and Jochen and the rest of the crew are healthy, I'd keep this line together and essentially use it as my 4th line come playoff time. They would still get a lot of pp time, but I would pick and choose their time on the ice at even strength to make sure they keep the excitement in the other team's end.
I like the other 3 lines too much to try weaving this line into the others. If the team isn't healthy, then I'd consider mixing and matching them.
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Went to the game last night and here are my thoughts about it.
The Sabres outskated the Canes in the 1st period, but still were looking to pass 1st shoot 2nd far too often. Kalinin had the puck perfectly in the slot on his forehand and decided to try to send it to the forward coming in to his left. Don't do that. When you are in the slot, shoot the darn puck. If Vanek's shot doesn't go off the outside of the post, Sabres come out up 1-0 and a lot of their problems go away.
2nd period was the Canes, but nowhere nearly as bad as the score indicated. The 1st goal was another case of trying to make too cute a pass. The Sabres had a 4 on 2 that was nearly 4 on 1. There was no reason to try the cutesy pass. Either pass it up to the left winger or send the shot in. DO NOT try a soft pass to the 4th man who is almost behind the play. 3 on 1 coming back was ugly.
Pyatt actually played well and deserved a better fate than to have his goal called back. I have no idea what Briere was thinking on the play. I was upset like the rest of the rink when the goal was called back, but watching the replay Briere did interfere with the goalie when he had no need to.
3rd (& 4th) come back directly to Tallinder's stick breaking.
In the 3rd, the team finally decided to play hockey.
That's the way it goes when you are slumping, you break a stick and it bites you in the butt.
Until the Sabres are out of this slump, I hope Lindy fines anyone who has a clean shot in the slot and decides to pass instead. Friday's game should be interesting.
As a side note, as horrible as they've looked this past week, they are still 8-4 since the break.
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I think people prefer to just say that from October 5-March 16 were a fluke, and that this is the real Sabres that we have seen in the last 2 games. :lol:
I remember people posting the same type of things in every slump, and then disappear as soon as the team starts winning.
Looks like I'm the only one left watching...I haven't given up on them for one game yet this year...no reason to start now.
I think most of the rest of the posters are just making sure the knife cabinets get locked up during the intermission, just in case. ;)
As ugly as this one is, they get to come home for the next 2 and then go to Boston which has been almost as good as home this year. Take 2 of those 3, and get 3 out of 4 the following week, and all will be good in Sabreland again.
I'm thinking they are due for their 1st win against Carolina this Wednesday.
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March 19, 1981
Both Gil Perreault and Andre Savard net hat tricks as the Sabres bomb the Maple Leafs 14-4 at the Aud. For the record, Michel "Bunny" Larocque and Jiri Crha were in goal for the Leafs on that unforgettable night when the Sabres scored nine goals in the second period! Two nights later, in a rematch at Maple Leafs Gardens and with Larocque back in goal, the Sabres routed the Leafs again, 6-2.
I still remember sitting in the kitchen listening to the game on the radio and running into the family room seemingly every 2 mnutes to say "they scored AGAIN".
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Maybe it felt better because of what bob-sauve would call the "first love" factor. I don't know. I do think people tend to romanticize the past.
Here's another way of comparing the Perreault and Hasek "eras" -- Perreault won 42 playoff games in 17 seasons, Hasek 45 in nine.
That's why I said "arguably." :)
Or, perhaps it "felt better" because the team had far more success during the regular season. 5 out of 6 years over 100 points, missed 100 the next year by 1 point. The team outscored its opponents by more than 100 goals on 2 occasions.
In the Dom era, the team never broke 100 but did break 90 4 times. 2 of those seasons they ended up in 4th in their division. The year they nearly broke 100, they had the Peca hold out taking a lot of the fun out of it. The best GF/GA they had was +64.
Playoff-wise the 2 eras were very similar (1 final run, 1 semifinal run). As someone else posted, during many of Perreault's years, the top teams only had to play 3 rounds. Also, preliminary rounds were best of 3's and best of 5's, not the best of 7's that we have now. Going by playoff rounds, Gilbert's Sabres were 9-12. Dom's were 7-7.
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Leafs games are always sold out, so Toronto fans snap up the Leafs/Sabres tickets.
Yep, at the last game I had a Laff fan living in TO and her brother living in N. Carolina sit next to me. They can't get tickets in TO so they come here.
On the plus side, there should be fewer Laff fans at the games next year as it looks like the season ticketholder base will be up next year. (Fewer tickets available for them to scarf up.)
Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin
in 2005/2006 Season
Posted
Our opinions about Kalinin's game are roughly 180 opposite. I thought he had a lot of difficulty getting the puck out of the zone. I did think he was decent in the Phlyers end.
I actually thought he was playing worse than Lydman until Lydman got to the 3rd period when his game definitely dropped to a lower level than it had been in the 1st 2 periods.