LabattBlue

I thought this was one of the Sabres better overall efforts this year. I didn't notice a lot of major breakdowns in their own end and when they did, Miller was there. Other observations... -Paetsch rebounded with a good game after the Washington debacle. :) - Having Lydman back helps a lot. I know some are critical of our defenseman giveaways, but as long as they don't result in scoring chances and they are kept to a minimum, I'm okay. For every bad play they make, there are a half dozen plays they make that lead to a good breakout of their own zone. -Briere is money! :worthy: :worthy: -The Sabre fans in attendence were AWESOME!! :thumbsup: -Did Vanek forget to get his skates sharpened. It seemed like he was laying on the ice every other shift. :doh: -Kotalik...I'm still waiting! :thumbdown: -He can fight(if that is what you want to call his charade) all he wants, Peters should still be in the press box(I don't care what Briere said after the game) and Paille on the 4th line. This would allow Lindy to roll 4 lines EVERY GAME! :wallbash: GO SABRES!!!

Game thoughts... -I thought Lindy should have left Miller in. At 3-0 in the first period, there was plenty of time to turn the ship around. -Roy was the best Sabre on the ice. Good to see him back. -I don't care how many games the Sabres are winning, I am sick of Kotalik! He is officially my whipping boy for the rest of the year(this means he will start playing well, just like Drury after I ripped him a couple of weeks ago) :doh: . At 3 years for 7 million dollars, he is a complete waste of salary. He may not go anywhere this year, but I hope Darcy sends him packing in the off-season. In hindsight, the money would have been better spent on Dumont and Kotalik snet packing instead. -Classic Marty last night. DUMB play coming out to the blue line on one goal and letting a puck bounce in off his shoulder on another. Way to make the big saves when the team is trying to claw their way back into the game. <_< -Max is unbelievable and can single handedly turn a game around. :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: -What was up with the 5 for fighting, 10 minute misconduct & game misconduct for Mair & Gaustad? :angry: I know that the Sabres aren't going to win every game, but it's all about how you lose the game. This one was UGLY! GO SABRES!!!

The 2 refs tonight should never see the ice at the NHL level again. They were just brutal against both teams. Great win for the Sabres sending the Leafs fans home pissed off. Here's hoping you get stopped at the border for a cavity search!

No, I won't concede that. If Peters was not dressed for that game, McGratton would have skated one or two inconsequential shifts and would have alternated between picking his ass and his nose the rest of the time. ;)

The only way Paille or Stafford can stay up for the year is if Connolly is not coming back this year or a trade is made that will free up cap dollars. I'm not sure in this salary cap scenario if Connolly could come back for just the playoffs though? PS Good things happen when you put talented players on the 4th line(Paille) and send no talent hacks to the press box(Peters). :)

Nothing gets me fired up more, than when the Sabres lay an egg someone on the broadcast has to say "they didn't have their legs tonight, 3 games in 5 nights, blah, blah, blah...". Maybe it was all about effort and the fact that they took a ton of stupid penalties(Pominvilles at the top of the list), their PP was terrible and their PK wasn't very good either. We're at the quarter pole and maybe things will work out okay, but if the injuries continue to mount, Darcy deserves some criticism for three contracts when you factor in the salary cap....Kotalik, Connolly and Peters. Kotalik...Just not worth it. I didn't like him in past years and I still don't like him. Connolly...probably won't play this year and career in jeopardy. Peters...there were several other options other than paying him 500k to sit in the press box or sit on the bench and play 3 shifts. There is so little wiggle room because of being at the cap, that players that need to be up here practicing with the Sabres can only be called up on game days. Maybe Card and Funk would have performed better if they were up getting acclimated to the NHL instead of being shuttled back and forth. One stat that bothers me is that the Sabres have been outshot in all but 7 games(I believe this is what I read) this year. To me this is an indication of two things. One...they are not as good as their record indicates. Two...they have been lucky. I know it's still only 3 regulation losses and the injuries hurt, but this team is better than recent efforts. It's going to be a tough week, but the Sabres have 3 home games in front of sellout crowds and there should be no reason why they can't win all three. GO SABRES!!!

-Good question, but I believe it still counts as a shot on goal even if the other team puts the puck on goal. -As far as Peters and fighting goes, this is the new way of fighting. In the old days two guys would go toe to toe until one guy went down or they were both too tired to fight anymore. Now it is all about holding the other player at bay, spending 5 minutes in a boxing stance, turning your head away while the othe player pounds the back of your helmet or trying to wrestle the other guy to the ice. Go to hockeyfights.com and watch the previous days battles. More than 3/4 of them are a joke. I know I'll be in the minority here, but based on what now constitutes fighting, it should just be eliminated from the game.

Stafford did have a good debut, but on the play you are talking about, he never got his stick on the puck. It was deflected on goal by the Ranger defenseman.

You're preaching to the choir. ;)

Now that was a game well played by the Sabres(except for the penalty troubles)!!! Go Briere and Stafford can play!!!!

Game thoughts... - I thought Roy and Hecht were our two best forwards. - The poor play in our own end needs to be nipped in the bud by Lindy. This has been happening way to often, but is being masked by the fact that the team is winning so much. This was my biggest concern prior to the season. A perfect example...off a face-off, Vanek skated right by the Toronto player he was lined up against and headed towards the blue line. A second or two after this, the Toronto player had a great chance all alone in front of the net. -It's bad enough to be beat by the Leafs...it is worse when Tucker and Sundin score goals! :thumbdown: - I believe the goal scoring mentality has gone to the heads of some players to the point where they believe that there doesn't need to be a focus on defense. -Against a team that is one of the worst in terms of giving up goals, the Sabres generated few chances over the first two periods and the ones they did generate, WERE SHOT WIDE!! :wallbash: -The Sabres record indicates a team that is dominating their opponents. In reality, their overall play has been above average, but not great. - Everybody is quick to whip on Briere when he is quiet, but it seems to be a double standard for Drury who is the co-captain of the team. - STUPID penalties by Mair and Peters. Their role is to bang and they are just not doing enough of it to justify being in the lineup. Peters needs to STFU after he takes an obvious penalty. It is time to bring up Paille, Ryan or MacAurther and remind Mair and Peters what it is like to watch a game from the Press Box. - We almost gave up our 2nd 5 on 3 short handed goal of the season. I'm not sure why, but the Sabres 5 on 3 PP sucks. -Last but not least, I know everyone has a right to do whatever they want, but a BIG FU to any Sabre fan who sold their tickets to Toronto fans just to make a tidy profit. :angry: GO SABRES!!!

A couple of game thoughts... -Kotalik along with most of the team(except for Max) were so pitiful for the first 50 minutes, that I wanted to leave them in Boston. I hope this kick starts Kotalik because he has been below average for the most part of the earl season. -Lydman was brutal again, but this is the same way he started out last season before become very solid. Here's hoping for the same results as last year. -Paetsch and Campbell should not be together. Put one with Teppo and the other with Kalinin. -There are not many teams over the course of a season that come back from a 3 goal deficit with less than 10 minutes to go. Kudos to the Sabres for coming back against a Bruin team that is not good. GREAT WIN!!!

I DVR'ed the game and have not watched it, but did see the highlights... I love the offensive attack the Sabres are using, but when forwards don't backcheck, bad things will happen. Case in point...Atlanta's first two goals where a forward was allowed to roam down the middle of the slot with a Sabre gliding behind them. Miller can't bail them out every time. That being said, it was great to say the Sabres come from behind four times and earn a point! GO SABRES!!!

I am not sure if Max can be consistent throughout the season(and the playoffs), but I am surprised by his point total to date. If he can keep this up and end up with 85+ points, his recently signed contract is going to end up being a steal for the Sabres. If other GM's haven't noticed yet, what Max has done to Hatcher and Witt in recent games is going to make them realize that the slow footed blueliners have no future in the NHL. One note on the game...it is very encouraging that the Sabres can have a game as sloppy as this one was at times, and still come away with a 3-0 road victory.

Kotalik was one of my question marks coming into this year, but I'd be more concerned if the Sabres were losing and he was not performing. Keep in mind that his PP time is being reduced due to the presence of Spacek on the PP point along with Pominville's continued emergence(including time on the PP point). That being said he does have two goals(fluky or not) and hopefully he will get hot soon as he strikes me as the type of player who is streaky. The important thing is that he works hard and contributes in other ways when the puck is not going in the net.

Ottawa fans have seen this before(Game 5 of last years playoffs). Tallinder scores in the first minute of the game and Pominville scores the game winner. Other thoughts... -Great shot by Drury to make it 3-1 -Biron was excellent. One 3rd period save on a pass across the crease was his best save of the night. -Much like last year, Roy, Max & Vanek as a line concern me in their own end. You have to play smarter with a 3-1 lead than that. -Tallinder was very good again last night. Jumping in to the play early in the game to get the goal and being very solid in his own end. I thought Lydman struggled though with a couple of bad giveaways. -Pominville looks like he is destined to be score 25-30 goals a year. His confidence is building. -After getting spanked by Ottawa during the regular season last year, it is good to go into their arena and get a W. GO SABRES!!!

Game thoughts... - I'm not sure if one referee was responsible for all the calls(including the quick whistle on the Max goal that was waved off), but if so, he is terrible. -Does anyone know why the Sabres like to crowd into a small area when on a 5 on 3? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to spread the players out and force the opposition to chase a little? -It's only two games in, by I don't see Vanek dogging it as much and I also sense more of a willingness to work harder along the boards and in traffic. -Great pass by I believe Kalinin to send in Briere all alone. -Where the heck did a good chunk of the fans go? A 2 goal deficit with 5 minutes left in the game and you are running for the exits? -Fantastic shots by both Max and Vanek in the shootout. -Kevin Sylvester and Rob Roy are still terrible. - Amerks win opener 6-0...Stafford and Paille 3 points each!!!!!! GO SABRES!!!!

Don't you worry about the Sabres game. Instead, I expect a lengthy report on the Sabres prospects in Rochester. ;)

Buffalo 5 Montreal 1. Sabres come out firing and never let up. Game is over by the 2nd period and Peters will see his only 3rd period ice time all year long. ;) Goal scorers... Vanek, Pominville, Tallinder, Roy & Briere.

Sabres win a close one 3-2. Roy nets 2 and Drury gets the other one.

I'm listening to the wgr feed. Seem to be working okay.

Your new avatar says it all! Also on this day...Larry Quinn realizes he has F***ed this up in a big way and is trying to find a scape goat to blame the new logo design on. His choice...Jay McKee, since he is on his way out anyways. ;)

This was a very good deal by Regier. Even though I was slightly disappointed in Hecht's game during the playoffs, he is one of the Sabres best forwards and one that I would like to see locked up before he hits the UFA market. He turned 29 yesterday and I'm not sure if he has 1 or 2 years left on his current deal.

Gilles Hamel...pumped in a very impressive 27 goals during his first year with Winnipeg and then fell off the face of the earth. :o http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=2106

12 shots on goal? WOW! Why do you torture me PASabreFan with these great memories? B-)