woods-racer

This sounds like the beginning of a college night out story that ends with a trip to the local health clinic. Syyy, the lessons learned outside the classroom where always the best.

whooosh! the sound the last four post made going over my head.

He has been starting to come around. He has a long way to go to meet expectations, but a couple of points and being on the good side of the +/- is something he seems to be working hard enough to make happen.

I want to kiss you Doo, you made my day :wub:

It doesn't take long for them to train you. :thumbsup:

He was being match up against Ove and did a real nice job. Eye test and your numbers are seeing it the same way. The Reinhart line is still facing the opposing teams *weakest* line, but seems to be playing much better.

I agree. I thought this was his best game to date. Griffen/Griffith (no clue on how to spell) and him seem to be finding some chemistry.

His line just had a really nice shift.

I think he is really trying, maybe trying to do to much. His feet are always moving so I'm cutting him some slack at the moment.

I like these Sabres. Much better than the bunch that played over the weekend.

Wow, those are home team line up numbers there and we got bitch slapped.

Every time I look at those numbers it just kills me that that whole line isn't head and shoulders above their competition.

So he is a young Moulson? :P

I can't blame Housley for the soft D and rebounds by the goalie, it's been that way for years. If he is a good coach he will use what strengths our players have and get the most out of them and try and mask their deficiencies. Right now shooting at Lehner is like shooting at a trampoline, the D has no clue what to do because they have no clue where the puck is.

They need a starting goalie that gives them confidence. What we spent on our starter should have ensured that, but the reality is it didn't. Good on Botterill for the 1 year deal. I gave Dan a year so I'm giving Phil a year. If there is marked improvement in 3 months then we have a coach.

Even better!

You rocked the Sigourney Weaver costume! Please tell me dark went as the Alien....

The US sweaters look like a jersey found on a rack at a motorcycle shop that motocross racers wear. I swear I had that jersey with matching pants. It said FOX or MSR on the front and not USA.

He also had a shoe string budget for his scouting department for years, probably close to a decade. That had to be a large portion of his taking chances on early round prospects that failed and our lack of a deep prospect pool to this day. The tank was a wise move in their situation with generational talent to be had. They just didn't have the GM to oversee it, and previous years of good prospects on the farm for them to come out of it as quickly. Our tank is trending more like that of Edmonton. We have both tanked hard and fast and got our generational talent early in the process. Pittsburgh and Chicago where really bad for 4-5 years prior to getting their generational player and had a complete farm corps ready when they drafted Kane/Crosby. The last I looked at all the teams that tanked it took them 5 years for the turn around, no matter when their *star* was drafted. We have a year yet. It's just frustrating that 2 or 3 of our high end picks don't look very promising.

We went from from Reigier to Murray. Ruff to Blasma. They are the polar opposites of each other and we are saddled with the good and bad that each brought to the Sabres. Ideally, the tank would have been done by a very good gm/coach combo for it to be effective and as short possible. The Sabres didn't have that. Lets hope they do now. Was it worth it. I can only answer that in 10 years after a lot of winning in the playoffs. The only thing worse than tanking is 9th place mediocre.

I can give Housley and the team time. What I can't give is the excuse that these players need more time given their strength of opposition. If they are as good as we hope they are they should be dominating no matter what part of the season they are in. It's not coaching or a system that has our coach and opposing coaches matching the least skilled players against them and them not generating offense. The eye test has some numbers with it and it's matching what we are seeing, that some of our best players have not been doing well, and it's not because they have been facing stiff opposition.

Reinhart Okposo Girgensons I really thought given a fresh start under a new coach these three would be productive, especially with their minutes and strength of opposition. Just not happening. It's very disappointing.

We played a team playing not to be embarrassed in consecutive games so it wasn't going to be fire-house hockey, I accepted that before the game started. The Sabres played well and for the whole 60 minutes and looked to be the better team. I was entertained. If they do the same thing tonight I will be entertained and extremely happy.

They really attacked our 3rd pair on defense, logical and who wouldn't? It also appears that they matched up their less than stellar lines against Moulson and Reinhart. Not speaking volumes for Sam.

This team is like a roller coaster in the dark. Just never know whats coming next. I may have wet myself a little in the third and OT, that was a fun ride there. :D