X. Benedict
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I'm doing "radio" only and can't imagine what the two Sabres goals looked like. Rick's never been all that descriptive.
Help?
Adam had a Andreychuck in the muck goal. One with eyes.
Vanek scored behind the goal-line on a nifty bank of Thomas's shoulder as he was trying to slide to cover the post.
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My 2 cents:
3. I'm glad Vanek scored in the SO, but I didn't think he had a great game overall. There is still too much cuteness in his game -- too many times when he has a clear shot from the faceoff circles or closer and instead opts for a fancy pass which inevitably gets deflected. He has a great slapper -- he needs to pull the trigger as often as possible.
Re: all
road points are good point even if they are ugly.
That game was won on the Sabres Backcheck. I thought Vanek was the best forward backchecker. I've never written that before.
Incidentally, Luke Adam did a good job getting back, but was ineffective because he was staring at the puck. Find a body and lift a stick, rook.
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I hate hate hate hate hate that new species of junk mail that looks like a government check, but is really an advertisement for Billy Shluck's Haiyatsu and Dodge once you open it.
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His point still stands though - A 5.3 mill. player needs to be able to a do a heckuva lot more than kill penalties.
Much like a 3.2 mill. guys needs to be able to a lot more than win faceoffs.... *cough*... Goose... *cough*
Gaustad - 2.5 M Salary - 2.3 M Cap hit.
Although me being a faceoff geek, I thought Manny Malhotra winning all those defensive zone draws killed about 2-3 minutes of Buffalo PP.
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Well, it was the perfect script for me. My Sabres got the two points, the Canucks got one, I'm thrilled. And so happy to see Myers get the winner. He's got balls, I tell ya. If he misses that clearance it's a two on one the other way with 20 secs to go.
Great win, although their start was poor. Lucky to score on their first shot.
Connolly was flat out robbed in the 2nd period late.
Good to see our expansion cousins in town.
So glad they finally went to the 2 game format between east and west.
At least we get to see the Sedins here once a year. (don't need to see Luongo though :lol:)
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If I remember correctly, HCP had 16 against Jersey last weekend (7 for Connolly, 6 for Pominville, and 3 for Hecht, I think).
Good catch.
Nice to see the team shooting more altogether.
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Time for Ruff to admit that we do indeed have a legit no.1 line and to start giving Vanek-Roy-Ennis as much ice time as possible. It's not like our other lines are doing anything.
That was probably as much line matching as I've seen Ruff do in recent memory.
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and how good Ennis is along the boards and on the forecheck. Small players can be very effect in those areas. So much of that is skating abilty, agility and smarts. Size isn't everything in hockey. And I'm not saying that as a small person, just the respect I've gained against those smaller players that give me hell on the ice, lol
17 shots for that line.
I can't remember the last time a line in Buffalo has had over 15.
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Wow another great game. 5th OT in a row and won 4 out of 5. This team looks like it is starting to learn how to win.
The top line, Roy,Vanek and Ennis looks great and like they are building some chemistry.
Interesting to see what that line has been doing. Roy has been taking the draws and moving to the RW....Leaving Vanek to carry the puck through the middle.
It opens Vanek higher in the slot and gives him room to work.
They are looking dangerous. Love how Ennis sticks his 99.8 lbs into traffic in the crease.
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According the The National Swedish Examiner the Sedin twins are actually the Sedin Quintuplets.
:lol:
Clones.
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That was a treat.
:lol:
Wow.
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Are Sundins playing every other shift? Sure seems like they are out there almost all the time
And Miller, who is excellent at reading plays, just isn't used to those two.
They've had a lot of netting to look at, and have missed about 2 or 3.
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Raffi saying miss me?
:lol:
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That was a incredibly stupid penalty by Meyers
Chintzy.
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that was a dive.
Pays off though.
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Remember in Spaceballs when they made the jump from Light Speed to Plaid to Ludicrous Speed.
I think Vanek has made the jump to Plaid.
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Vancouver looks like the Spring 2006 Sabres.
They come in waves.
Vigneault was probably watching a lot of Sabres in 2005-06
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I think it will take 5 goals to win this.
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Kicking myself for not being there tonight.
Vancouver is fun to watch.
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I'm not saying Enroth is a world beater. I think the kid earned this start. Simply put, he won some points. If Lalime was in net I doubt the Sabres get any of the five points they did.
It was just fun to see him play.
If Miller is injured again, I'm betting he's considered #2.
I actually like the idea of a smaller, quicker guy playing backup.
I think they can get in synch quicker.
Although I don't really have any foundation in thinking that bigger goaltenders need more work to stay sharp.
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Why is Miller starting? You have a goalie that just won 5 out of 6 points? Enroth should keep playing. The Sabres could have their own Rask/Thomas situation here.
Miller still gives you the best chance to win. IMO.
But if I were an opposing coach against Enroth I'd be telling the team to shoot stick side on him.
Its a little like a starting baseball pitcher does pretty well first few starts until hitters have a book.
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X, don't you think that is a little misleading? He had his best season before we invested the money and gave up the chance for the draft picks. He wasn't facing the top defense pairs or the best forwards. I agree with your point that in and of himself, he is not a bust. He is a decent NHL player, but for what we have invested in him, what the team was hoping for, I think that has not worked out at all. In that sense he is leaning towards being a big time mistake.
I have a nuanced answer - I guess it is a matter of categorization.
The team's hand was forced with the Edmonton contract, and he did have a 40 goal season the first year of that contract. Since then the
Sabres have gone to a more traditional lineup- A top 6 - Checking - and Energy line.(rather than three and four smallish and fast lines that come in waves) What hasn't adjusted to this setup with a traditional top 6 style is you need a bigger game in front of the net.
I could imagine Vanek playing elsewhere and scoring 45-50 goals with a classic down the middle, play-making center, say a Ryan Getzlaf, or even smaller guys like Toews or Richards.
What I don't think happens in Buffalo, is that I don't think there is enough design with Vanek in mind. Organizationally, they really don't have that center (so that is Regier), and in terms of gameplay, I don't see nearly enough intention to get the puck on Vaneks stick to get him 5 or 6 shots a game. (that's Ruff).
The last part of this is that I don't think Vanek has a sniper mentality. The team, and even other teams, should know if it touches his stick it is going to net. This would do two things. It would give his linemates more space...and they know when it goes to him it is their job to crash net. Too many times they freeze. All of 'em. They just freeze. (as much as Ruff asks for the shot.....it ain't happening)
So there is my long winded answer. Certainly not a bust, but too often ineffectual for the above reasons. Take Vanek away, they are not a better team (as per first round playoff meltdown).
:lol:
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If there were more Vanek's we would have a Stanley Cup? :blink:
Ohhh kay!
Your comparison to that 2000 draft pick is problematical at best. Vanek isn't just some draft pick that didn't pan out. Those are a dime a dozen. He has a tremendous amount invested in him from this organization. We didn't waste a $10 million signing bonus and $7 mill a year {that's about right, isn't it?] plus gave up four first round draft picks--Edmontons picks no less!!-- for anyone else. Not to Cyr or Connolly. No, If Vanek doesn't somehow show he can score regularily again, he is, IMO, the biggest bust all time.
Recent troubles aside - Vanek has averaged 34 goals a year.
You could make a case that that he has under-performed per dollars - but I would not say he is close to bust territory myself. (And no signing bonus, the $10 mil was his contract salary - he'll make 6.4 million this year for a 7.1 cap hit average).
I guess I've never liked having a wing as the highest paid skater - but most 30 goals scorers are going to make at least $5 million once they have the leverage under the CBA.
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In my men's league, I was busting between two defensemen near the tops of the circles when I was tripped. As I tripped forward, the puck was out in front of me and I jammed at it hard with one hand on the stick. Just as I did that, the goalie relaxed from his stance, stood straight up and it slid 5-hole. :)
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarts
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Pillooooooooooooooooooooooooows!
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You should look up the previous spinorama discussion in the archives. it will blow your mind. I'm pretty sure it was carp who tried to explain how the puck is always moving toward the goal line even on a spinorama. I remember my retort was, well what if you're driving down the highway going 70 and throw a ball into the back seat -- isn't the ball going backwards? The answer was no.
Kind of like jumping at the last second before hitting the ground in a falling elevator, I guess. :lol:
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Interesting. So, when Vanek took his stick off the puck to do the around the world, and wasn't keeping the puck moving toward the goal line,.. should that have negated his goal?
The puck is only not moving relative to the skater. It's still moving forward.
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Vanek had a good game. - I know that sounds hard, but he was as strong on the puck as he's been all year. Hecht had a terrific game too.
Leopold's penalty while chintzy, is a penalty, the refs have been pretty consistent with that crappy stick stuff. Interference is another matter....the Sabres interfere on entries as much as anyone else. It's just not called much.
While losing sucks. The D-pairs are starting to get comfortable with each other. Although it is pretty clear the Rangers wanted Bulter in particular to play the puck behind the net.
Interesting putting Roy on the point on the Umbrella on the powerplay and Myer on the right halfwall. Didn't work tonight, but gotta try something to spark that.
GAME DISCUSSION THREAD
in 2010/2011 Season
Posted
Nope.
All goals are beautiful. :lol: