BetweenThePipes00

Man the first period was decent but this may be their worst period of the season. Miller is keeping them in it at this point.

STUPID penalty by Kotalik to start the second ... no reason for that. Just dumb. Stay out of the box. If they just stay out of the box, they would be fine. Dumb penalties.

Well there's a goal you don't see every night ... we'll take it, I thought that was a decent period. Miller looks just fine.

Another joke of a fight ... what is with Peters always turning his head before a punch is even thrown?

it is on HNIC, but so is the toronto game, it's like regional or something. I think CI will have MSG tonight ...

Funk over Sekera might be as simple as he is more comfortable on the right side (assuming they put him where Card was with Paetsch), although both are left-handed, so maybe not. Looking at their junior numbers, Sekera averaged more than a point per game while Funk is bigger and had more PIMs ... maybe they just want the solid guy who will make the simple play as opposed to the guy with more offensive skill. 4-3 Sabres tonight.

Oh I know ... just magnified because Drury had to slow down at center, dumped it wide, and Kotalik beat EVERYONE to it ... but yeah, probably a cheap shot on my part.

Lindy said after the game that they WERE indeed bringing another D-man up for tomorrow but it was NOT Sekera ... so that means Funk I would assume ... both played tonight for the Amerks, so they are healthy ...

Nice win ... very efficient, best job in their own end all month.

Way to get back on the empty netter Crosby ... and recchi ... and gonchar ...

According to Healey, Miller IS indeed the backup tonight.

TSN color guy just said "When I played for the Rangers, if there was an optional practice, it would have taken a seeing eye dog and a lump of meat to get anyone to the rink." :blink: anyone know what the hell that means?

Wow ... Max making a difference already.

They just showed the team walking down the hallway to the ice and Marty is back with the all white mask ... no idea what that means, just throwing it out there.

I really think you guys are 180 degrees wrong on this issue ... Marty has not played his best of late, but that is not the reason. Sometimes guys just suck for a few games. His best season, by FAR, was when he played 72 games and had NO ONE pushing him. (not saying it was good enough that he should have been undisputed #1 the following year, just that it was HIS best) ... As soon as Lindy showed that he was giving Noronen a chance to win the job the next season, Marty became inconsistent. Once Miller joined the party, it got even worse. Last year, he was at his best when Miller was in the press box and then late in the season when he knew there was no chance he was going to be the guy in the playoffs, he just went out and played. I really think he is better when he's not looking over his shoulder or worrying about getting the hook. He's still not better than Miller of course, but it's when he is at HIS best. Oh yeah ... 5-4 Sabres tonight ...

No one would argue that Marty was not a huge step down from Hasek. (Well maybe the idiots who think Hasek let the series-clinching goal against the Pens in on purpose.) Of course he was. But that's not what you said ... You said a top 10 goalie would have put them in the playoffs, and Biron was that, like it or not. The dropoff from 1 to 10 was definitely a big one, but those teams had FAR bigger issues than Biron. THIS team, thankfully, does not, allowing us to waste so much time discussing the backup goalie. It's all academic anyway ... listening to Lindy today on Sabres.com, sounds like Miller will be back sooner rather than later ...

Marty, you are a better man than I reading through all this bickering when you have no real attachment ... I could never do that on another team's board. :worthy:

True, although I don't know if they keep "books" in the AHL ;) ... but since the other goalies on the team are 8-0, it could also be because he had the better team in front of him every night. Huh ... might not be all about the goalie. Never thought of that :wallbash: ;)

Why? Everyone wants Miller to play every game but now we are afraid that marty is tired? He's gonna get 10 games off in a row when Miller comes back. He'll be fine. Besides, the point was that people were calling for him not because of the schedule but because he was somehow a better option, all things being equal. That's what is ridiculous.

C'mon, even as a Marty supporter I have to say that is unfair. Biron played most of his career in the old NHL on a team that was very responsible defensively. Plus, his numbers have pretty much gotten worse. On the other hand, Miller keeps getting better. I would never suggest they are the same guy right now, Miller is the better player. But that doesn't change anything i said in my previous diatribe.

Revisionist history. The year after Hasek left, Marty played 72 games and had a GAA of 2.21 and a SvPCT of .915? Funny, according to the stats on NHL.com Marty was in the top 10 in GAA and SVpct. Top 10 goaltending and that team did not make the playoffs. We were just so used to Hasek stealing game after game, it looked worse than it was. I agree, Marty got worse the following year, but so did the team. They scored a whopping 190 goals, fewer than they ever scored with Hasek. The team sucked. The year before the lockout, you can hang that one on Marty, no argument, the offense was starting to come around at the end and he (and Noronen) dug them way to big a hole. (BTW, it's time to let Noronen go. he sucked in Vancouver and then could not run home fast enough to be with his girlfriend. His head was never in playing over here.) Biron is never going to be what many thought he could be. (although I think it is very interesting that his best season, by far, was when he was never looking over his shoulder and no one was calling for his head). He's a great BACKUP, and in fact the perfect backup for a team like this with a real chance to win the Cup. His experience is a luxury. But you guys are not treating him as a backup. Any other backup, and it would be "just give us a chance to win." Well, he stopped 3 breakaways and gave up one whole goal that was not deflected. Even if he stops the soft one that you are all dwelling on, all that does is get them to overtime. Now., if they had lost in Philly, you could say he lost them that game, and I would agree 100%. That should not have gone to OT, and it was soft goals on Biron to blame. But the calls for Dennis are ridiculous. We have NEVER seen the guy play! He has NEVER played an NHL game, and has played 5 whole games as a pro. FIVE! Marty has won more games this season in the NHL and he hasn't even played well. You have all the evidence in the world that if the team plays well in front of him, Biron wins. He's not perfect, but he wins more often than not ... isn't that the textbook definition of a backup goalie? Yet you want to throw a rookie out there against Crosby and Malkin who you have no idea what you are getting and maybe lose a 6-5 game? Really? In the process screwing with Marty's head and maybe making Miller rush back, and if he gets hurt again all of a sudden you NEED Marty again? YES, that's all B.S. speculation, I don't think ANY of that would happen. But hey, if you guys can assume based on nothing that Dennis is better than a guy who has been a pro for 10 years, I can assume the worst possible scenario.

No, he faked the pass and Marty leaned ... it's a bad play by Biron. A good shot, but still a bad play by Biron. But again, that goal should not beat this team.

Stop making sense ... remember people were calling for Miller to be benched when he gave up 4 per game in wins ... I'm sure the calls for Noronen will start again ... maybe John Blue is still available.

Yes he did, by quite a bit. Doesn't make it OK for the rest of them to not show up at home in the 3rd.

Exactly ... we all KNOW he's the lesser goalie, yet wewant him to steal games? Not gonna happen often.