GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[inkman]

Is this team that dependent on Rivet's toughness and leadership that they cannot function without him?

Plausible...

[Bmwolf21]

Plausible...

Scary if true.

 

I do have to agree with someone from earlier in the thread - if Pommers and Roy don't get going, this team is in trouble.

[LabattBlue]

Just got home from the game...Holy SUCKFEST Batman! Not even sure where to start?

 

-After an article in todays Buffalo News about having a goal of not wanting to lose two games in a row this season, they come out with their second straight terrible loss...both at HOME.

 

-I can understand 1 or 2 bad goals in a game, but Miller's performance was unacceptable.

 

-Kotalik had two great chances from the slot and didn't get the puck off the ice either time. Note to him...when goalies go down in the butterfly, SHOOT THE PUCK HIGH!

 

-Vanek also had two good chances close to the net, one on a deflection and a backhand that missed the net(both in the 2nd period). They both have to go in.

 

-I don't care what the stat line says, there is no offensive explosion in Max's game.

 

-What happened to being more focused on defense this year?

 

-Teppo looked all the part of someone who is 40+.

 

-Tallinder continues to be a GIANT along the boards. I cannot believe how his career has played out. 3 years ago I thought he had the making of a potential Norris trophy candidate. I couldn't have been more wrong.

 

-Glad Peters dressed tonight. Excellent job of taking up space on the bench!

 

-Did not notice Gaustad at all.

 

-The 2nd PP unit is pitiful and the 1st unit not much better. Connolly and Hecht need to get back in the lineup ASAP.

 

-My highlights of the night...a cold blue, a soft pretzel with cheese and a quick ride home.

 

In summary...bad goaltending, horrible team defense, terrible passing, numerous lost battles, giveaways and not much effort. If I was Lindy, I'd put them back on the ice at 6AM tomorrow.

[carpandean]

The whole defense first system didn't seem to show up anywhere tonight. I did not see this team playing defense first at all.

I would say that this, in addition to the realities of key players being out, is what has been killing us. In the first four games, they were playing their system well. It was stifling the opposition and they were able to pick their spots to score. After that, it has been loose in the first periods (one game, I think it was the second) and in these last two, I don't think that it ever was tight.

[jwcolour]

While this game was pathetic and horrible and I hope we don't play like last years sabres with the losing streaks.... The sky really isn't exactly falling like everyone is making it out to be

[carpandean]

Took a deep breath and wanted to add two things:

 

1) If we get 14 points in every 10 games, we'll end with 115 points and be headed for the playoffs.

 

2) If they do, I hope that they spread those six lost points over more of the 10 games?

[Bmwolf21]

Just watched the highlights on NHL.com, and I can't believe how bad the Sabres looked in those highlights, and how bad Miller looked on four of the five goals he gave up. He made a few big saves from what they posted, but the last four goals were all just ugly, ugly goals. I would have pulled him in the first intermission.

 

Hopefully Lindy gets them on the ice tomorrow morning bright and early and kicks some ass, as Blue suggested.

[Goodfella25]

Someone better call the hotel in Colorado to see if the Sabres left their game there.

 

Wow. 2 in a row. Horrible to watch. Seriously...what was that? Dare I say that was actually WORSE than last year? They better get their heads out of their defensively or the downward spiral is going to continue.

 

- I know this isn't a huge deal, but I can't believe Kaleta was a -2 while playing under 6 minutes of hockey. That is pathetic!

 

- Anyone else think Lindy is giving Sekera wayyyy too much responsibility? He can't handle being the team leader in ice time every night. He just isn't ready for that yet. How is that even fair to him? They need to spread around the ice time more on defense. Also, I HATE the pairing of Spacek and Sekera. They have fallen off the map. Time to switch it up!

[BuffalOhio]

So iam reading your post and looking at your picture, name etc. and wonder who the hell is BuffalOhio?

 

sorry I am a little slow today.

 

I used to be DCSabres, and now I'm BuffalOhio. Moving to Ohio next spring, retiring from the Coast Guard after 26 years. Who the hell are you?

[BuffalOhio]

Miller looked awful tonight. He should have had Malone's goal and he should have had Stamkos's goal saved.

 

Don't forget Ranger's weak-assed goal. Brutal game by Miller tonight. The rest of the team, too, but he gave up 3 softees.

[jwcolour]

I used to be DCSabres, and now I'm BuffalOhio. Moving to Ohio next spring, retiring from the Coast Guard after 26 years. Who the hell are you?

 

Where in Ohio? Im from Rochester went to college in Dayton, Ohio but know a bunch of people throughout and now im living in Chicago... Anyway, the Redwings lost two in a row too. This doesn't mean your team sucks... and in reality though we should win these games and we will win our fair amount, isn't it better that your team shows up against good teams that we are really competing with? I'd be willing to bet we win vs. Washington and everyone forgets this.

[Kristian]

The last 4 periods are reminding me a lot of last years team and it can be summed up in one word. Streaky.

Where's the do whatever it takes to block a shot, lay a hit, etc...mentality we saw in the first 6 or 7 games?

They're playing so passive right now. I just want to puke.

At least tomorrow is Friday...

 

He's out with a bad knee it would seem.

[Two or less]

Where in Ohio? Im from Rochester went to college in Dayton, Ohio but know a bunch of people throughout and now im living in Chicago... Anyway, the Redwings lost two in a row too. This doesn't mean your team sucks... and in reality though we should win these games and we will win our fair amount, isn't it better that your team shows up against good teams that we are really competing with? I'd be willing to bet we win vs. Washington and everyone forgets this.

 

Well, the Red Wings played two road games, on back-to-back nights against two very good teams, Ducks and now Sharks. And against the Ducks, it was a tight game for the entire 60+ minutes. Buffalo was out skated, out worked, out hit, and totally outplayed, out of our own building, against two weak teams and one of them was our rival.

 

I'm not saying it's panic time, and i really don't think it is, but if you're a Sabres fan and not one bit worried that this team may have over achieved a bit early on this season, then i honestly think you're lying. We just played against a HORRID Ottawa team, and yes, i will say it, Ottawa STILL stinks in my book. And Tampa has the worst defense in the league. Only thing keeping them from being considered a NHL team is the play of Mike Smith and we didn't even have to face him.

 

1. Ryan Miller was pure garbage tonight. Was this Miller's like 3rd game in 3 nights or something? It seemed like all Tampa had to do was just dump the puck at Miller and it had a good chance of going in. He was horrible. I couldn't stand watching him play like that. It was like he was at the end of last season.

 

2. Ok, seriously, where the hell are Roy and Pominville? They were great stories and guys off slow starts this season but team was winning when guys like MacArthur, Stafford, Paille, Vanek and the defense played great, but now since all our 2nd/3rd line players have hit reality, where are our other 2 stars? Roy has been one of the worst players on this team all season. He's up there with Max. Actually, i'd even say Max has been better! Pominville? Has the league figured him out or something? Apparently, the dude scored a huge number of his goals last year from a certain point of the outside circle, the left top circle. You know which one i'm talking about if you watch several games. This season, BOTH his goals are from there. Last 2 games that area has been blocked and Pommer been nowhere. Can he score from anywhere else? Seriously?

 

3. Lindy Ruff said he wanted to make Vanek the best player in the world? After a 8 goal start does Vanek think he's achieved that? He's been one of the LAZIEST players the past 2 games that it makes me sick to my stomach. Dude, show some effort. Last two games he's been a no-show. He was everywhere early on and now he's a joke.

 

4. Drew Stafford. I don't know if anyone realized this or not. But, in the 2nd period, we were on the PP. Sabres were attacking, on the ice was Stafford, Kotalik, Max and some other forward, i want to say Vanek but don't quote me on that. Stafford goes for the wraparound and Max is WIDE-OPEN... Stafford doesn't pass the puck and attempts to score on his own and doesn't get even close. After that shift, Stafford didn't see any time with Vanek and Roy on the top line and was replaced by Kotalik. Stafford then played with Max and Mair. What a diss. The dude had a horrid year last year, was a no-show most of the pre-season games he plays and gets spoon-fed to the top line with Vanek and Roy and what does he give back? Nothing. He's played well in like 3 games. Here's a hint Stafford, quit reading forums and thinking what "mouse potatoes" have to say, and worry about your game a bit more, and show some god fvkcing effort.

 

5. I can NOT wait until Jochen Hecht, but more importantly Tim Connolly is back and i'm not a big believer in praying, and used to go to church on a semi-regular basis until last several years, but maybe it's time to pray for Connolly's health. I am not sure we can go far without him or another center. Adam Mair centering the 3rd line is a nice band-aid for 2, maybe 3 games, but this is just way too long. He's so bad it's not even funny. The turnovers that line makes and all the off-sides it makes ALL due to Mair's cluelessness (i dont even think thats a word but i'm too heated and don't care) is unbelievable to me.

 

6. Let me understand this with Weber, why did he play? Rivet gets hurt and we use Paetsch, who i don't like, but has played well in the three games he's filled in for, and Weber, only came in to fill-in for Hank. Weber played poorly vs. Ottawa and hasn't played all that well in Portland, yet, when Hank returns, we dress Weber instead of Paetsch? WTF? That was odd. I'm a big Weber fan and not a big fan of Paetsch, but that was odd. Our team has trouble moving the puck up the ice yet we bench a puck-moving d-men. Hmm...

 

7. Our power play is a JOKE. I would honestly stop playing Pominville on the PP. The guy just can't score on PPs. He's got 4 freaking PP goals in the past 2 seasons. That's right, thats 4 PP goals in 164 games for a dude who scored 64 goals in that span. He's not even getting close this year. Pominville is such a great story. He's a great guy. Great leader. Blah blah blah..... Sabres would consider signing Brandon Shanahan. He's a PP machine. Half of his goals are PP. If we don't fix the PP, we won't go far. Our PP was a JOKE when we won the President's Trophy but we over came it because of the number of stars we had, but it was bad vs. the NYR that year in the playoffs who gave us a tough fight and we all know what happened against Ottawa. This team needs the PP.

 

They lose Saturday night to a Ovechkin-less Caps, i'm gonna be very worried. I don't know about the rest of you.

[billsrcursed]

Unless they've changed in the last two years, then I've gotta strongly disagree. I had to suffer through five years of the whining TB TV announcers and even caught it the first year on CI when we moved up here. They are awful.

 

EDIT: Just looked at their site. It's the same crew. The only one I can handle is the "Host," Paul Kennedy.

 

 

Bobby F'n taylor. Or the "Chief" as he likes to call himself. I said this last year, I would happily pick a fight with this guy anytime, anywhere. I've never in my life heard a whinier little biotch. Having to listen to this douche bag alone is bad enough, but to have to do it while watching the Sabres suck it up is enough to turn the game off completely. Paul Kennedy isn't that bad, though.

 

Nobody was impressive tonight AT ALL, but I thought Goose and Kaleta played hard and showed some effort. The rest of the team should be ashamed of themselves for collecting a game check. I agree that it isn't the end of the world, yet, but if we're capable of playing THAT bad after a loss, and at home nonetheless, then it's understandable that some would fear the worst. 1st place teams just don't play that bad, ever.

[spndnchz]

I threw up my Kool Aid this morning. It was awful to watch that.

[2ForTripping]

Maybe 29 is suffering from the same "itis" that TV suffered from last season "heavy-wallet-itis" come on Jason play like you can . Hell all of the boys need to play, maybe stop reading the stat sheets with the early season higher end stats and play hockey.

[Buffalo Wings]

Is this team that dependent on Rivet's toughness and leadership that they cannot function without him?

Apparently so. I didn't want to think this was the case, but given how piss-poorly this team has been in the 2 games without him on the ice is pretty telling. We'll see when he comes back.

 

It hit me last night when the Kaleta-Goose-Peters line was on the ice....they don't have more than 2 good lines right now. The 06-07 team was lauded for being able to roll out 4 very good lines, but when you have Vanek-Roy-Stafford as your top line and the next best thing you can put out there is Pommer-MacArthur-Paille, you'll have a tough time winning.

 

We need Hecht and Connolly (or a healthy equivalent) on the ice very soon.

[That Aud Smell]

i guarentee you that he did more for a victory tomorrow night than a hat trick against the lightning would ever do. The Sabres won't be tired tomorrow, and they'll absolutely destroy the lightning. Look for it folks, its going down tomorrow.

:unsure:

 

i saw portions of the game last night -- damn if they didn't look a whole lot like last year's edition.

[LabattBlue]

One other note on the game...

 

To the stupid 20-something kid behind me at the game last night who during a PP last night was heard saying this..."pass it down, pass it up, pass it over, shoot, etc..". Shut up you idiot! :wallbash:

 

 

PS Have I said how completely wrong I was about Tallinder? :ph34r:

[Guest Sloth]

Rivet is the Captain for obvious reasons. He is also the Qb for the Sabres. Buffalo needs him back ASAP. If there was any way the Sabres could be pick up a veteran forward who could help lead this team, they wouldn't be falling apart so quickly.

I will note very good teams have their bad moments, but if the Sabres lose against Washington, I think Buffalo could be in for a 5 or 6 game losing streak. :(

[tom webster]

Well, the Red Wings played two road games, on back-to-back nights against two very good teams, Ducks and now Sharks. And against the Ducks, it was a tight game for the entire 60+ minutes. Buffalo was out skated, out worked, out hit, and totally outplayed, out of our own building, against two weak teams and one of them was our rival.

 

I'm not saying it's panic time, and i really don't think it is, but if you're a Sabres fan and not one bit worried that this team may have over achieved a bit early on this season, then i honestly think you're lying. We just played against a HORRID Ottawa team, and yes, i will say it, Ottawa STILL stinks in my book. And Tampa has the worst defense in the league. Only thing keeping them from being considered a NHL team is the play of Mike Smith and we didn't even have to face him.

 

1. Ryan Miller was pure garbage tonight. Was this Miller's like 3rd game in 3 nights or something? It seemed like all Tampa had to do was just dump the puck at Miller and it had a good chance of going in. He was horrible. I couldn't stand watching him play like that. It was like he was at the end of last season.

 

2. Ok, seriously, where the hell are Roy and Pominville? They were great stories and guys off slow starts this season but team was winning when guys like MacArthur, Stafford, Paille, Vanek and the defense played great, but now since all our 2nd/3rd line players have hit reality, where are our other 2 stars? Roy has been one of the worst players on this team all season. He's up there with Max. Actually, i'd even say Max has been better! Pominville? Has the league figured him out or something? Apparently, the dude scored a huge number of his goals last year from a certain point of the outside circle, the left top circle. You know which one i'm talking about if you watch several games. This season, BOTH his goals are from there. Last 2 games that area has been blocked and Pommer been nowhere. Can he score from anywhere else? Seriously?

 

3. Lindy Ruff said he wanted to make Vanek the best player in the world? After a 8 goal start does Vanek think he's achieved that? He's been one of the LAZIEST players the past 2 games that it makes me sick to my stomach. Dude, show some effort. Last two games he's been a no-show. He was everywhere early on and now he's a joke.

 

4. Drew Stafford. I don't know if anyone realized this or not. But, in the 2nd period, we were on the PP. Sabres were attacking, on the ice was Stafford, Kotalik, Max and some other forward, i want to say Vanek but don't quote me on that. Stafford goes for the wraparound and Max is WIDE-OPEN... Stafford doesn't pass the puck and attempts to score on his own and doesn't get even close. After that shift, Stafford didn't see any time with Vanek and Roy on the top line and was replaced by Kotalik. Stafford then played with Max and Mair. What a diss. The dude had a horrid year last year, was a no-show most of the pre-season games he plays and gets spoon-fed to the top line with Vanek and Roy and what does he give back? Nothing. He's played well in like 3 games. Here's a hint Stafford, quit reading forums and thinking what "mouse potatoes" have to say, and worry about your game a bit more, and show some god fvkcing effort.

 

5. I can NOT wait until Jochen Hecht, but more importantly Tim Connolly is back and i'm not a big believer in praying, and used to go to church on a semi-regular basis until last several years, but maybe it's time to pray for Connolly's health. I am not sure we can go far without him or another center. Adam Mair centering the 3rd line is a nice band-aid for 2, maybe 3 games, but this is just way too long. He's so bad it's not even funny. The turnovers that line makes and all the off-sides it makes ALL due to Mair's cluelessness (i dont even think thats a word but i'm too heated and don't care) is unbelievable to me.

 

6. Let me understand this with Weber, why did he play? Rivet gets hurt and we use Paetsch, who i don't like, but has played well in the three games he's filled in for, and Weber, only came in to fill-in for Hank. Weber played poorly vs. Ottawa and hasn't played all that well in Portland, yet, when Hank returns, we dress Weber instead of Paetsch? WTF? That was odd. I'm a big Weber fan and not a big fan of Paetsch, but that was odd. Our team has trouble moving the puck up the ice yet we bench a puck-moving d-men. Hmm...

 

7. Our power play is a JOKE. I would honestly stop playing Pominville on the PP. The guy just can't score on PPs. He's got 4 freaking PP goals in the past 2 seasons. That's right, thats 4 PP goals in 164 games for a dude who scored 64 goals in that span. He's not even getting close this year. Pominville is such a great story. He's a great guy. Great leader. Blah blah blah..... Sabres would consider signing Brandon Shanahan. He's a PP machine. Half of his goals are PP. If we don't fix the PP, we won't go far. Our PP was a JOKE when we won the President's Trophy but we over came it because of the number of stars we had, but it was bad vs. the NYR that year in the playoffs who gave us a tough fight and we all know what happened against Ottawa. This team needs the PP.

 

They lose Saturday night to a Ovechkin-less Caps, i'm gonna be very worried. I don't know about the rest of you.

 

Boy, you take off those rose colored glasses and you go off the deep end. Or, maybe, its just the realization that Tampa might just be pretty good and the Ranger ship appears to be righting itself.

[LabattBlue]

Rivet is the Captain for obvious reasons. He is also the Qb for the Sabres. Buffalo needs him back ASAP. If there was any way the Sabres could be pick up a veteran forward who could help lead this team, they wouldn't be falling apart so quickly.

I will note very good teams have their bad moments, but if the Sabres lose against Washington, I think Buffalo could be in for a 5 or 6 game losing streak. :(

After wanting this for the last couple of years, I have given up. This role falls to Hecht & Mair(oldest forwards on the team I believe) and also to the guys who have been around for 4-5 years now...Roy, Pominville, Vanek, Gaustad, Connolly, etc...

[Bmwolf21]

Bobby F'n taylor. Or the "Chief" as he likes to call himself. I said this last year, I would happily pick a fight with this guy anytime, anywhere. I've never in my life heard a whinier little biotch. Having to listen to this douche bag alone is bad enough, but to have to do it while watching the Sabres suck it up is enough to turn the game off completely. Paul Kennedy isn't that bad, though.

Nailed it. The :censored: Chief...can't stand that guy.

 

I like Paul Kennedy because he does a lot of stuff for Sun Sports, and I remember him doing a lot of the pre- and post-game things for Sun Sports' Florida State coverage.

[R_Dudley]

Reasons A, B, C, D, E, F, and G why I don't make predictions. :thumbsup:

 

Point well taken but I will note I wasn't expecting Sabres to blow them out.

 

Buffalo did play several back up goalies and teams coming off back to back games. (well, the two go hand in hand) I'm starting to worry...a lot. :unsure:

 

I was already thinking that and that's why I haven't been predicting Sabres blowouts in games. My biggest disappointment and concern is how quickly their defense first game and ability has fallen apart.

 

I also dislike soft hockey when teams will not check/play the body,(puck can't do anything by it self if player's taken/knocked off of it) We were weakly stick checking and backing up on Tampa all night instead of playing the body. I think these boys have had to many TSN/NHL network interviews and been reading way too much press about themselves

 

Lindy said it all

"I think we're lucky they only got five," Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff said. "You might not like some of the goals, but there wasn't a lot to like about anybody on the team -- forwards, defense, goaltender, it was a tough effort.

 

"We're not firing on all cylinders offensively. We have to correct it in a hurry and get back to playing the type of game we played in the first seven or eight games."

 

Okay coach beat it into them Please........ :chris:

[carpandean]

I threw up my Kool Aid this morning. It was awful to watch that.

Come on now, admit it, this would have happened win or lose. ;)

 

 

Apparently so. I didn't want to think this was the case, but given how piss-poorly this team has been in the 2 games without him on the ice is pretty telling. We'll see when he comes back.

Four games, actually. In those games, we've gone 1-2-1 with our only win coming in OT. We blew a late lead for the first time. We lost in regulation for the first time (and the second.) We gave up more than 3 goals for the first time (and, again, the second.) Hmmm ... maybe it wasn't just that Alyssa Milano thread. :ph34r:

 

 

i saw portions of the game last night -- damn if they didn't look a whole lot like last year's edition.

Same players (less Hecht) - no Rivet, still no Connolly

Same Miller - by far his worst game after looking strong early on

Same strategy - team defense? Nah, free-for-all

Same results - :sick:

 

I would have hoped that one bad game would have shown them that, but maybe they believed it was just jet lag. Now, after two straight, I hope they believe in the new system and will listen to Lindy.