GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Knightrider]

Puck drops shortly after 10PM tonight. They had a great January, collecting 18 of 26 possible, with most of it on the road. Can they keep it up in February?

[BeeWhy5]

Another big injury swap out on D tonight as Weber fills for Jaro. Hopefully he can trasition as well as it seems MAG has.

 

I feel Lalime plays tonight. If he is indeed a player on this team and not a mascot that sits on the end of the bench...he needs to. Late game at the end of a long roadie, rest Miller for Wednesday vs the Leafs and hope Lalime can find something tonight. GO SABRES!!

[nfreeman]

Another big injury swap out on D tonight as Weber fills for Jaro. Hopefully he can trasition as well as it seems MAG has.

Pretty amazing to think that our D is now:

 

Rivet

Lydman

Butler

Paetsch

Gragnani

Weber

 

-- i.e. a grand total of ONE regular from last year's group.

 

While Butler has rightly received a lot of praise, Paetsch and Gragnani have really held their own as well. Of course with another vet down and another kid filling in, the pressure will increase tonight. Anaheim can be counted on to forecheck hard. It'll be interesting to see how well the kids keep their composure.

 

Separately: Dear Mr. Connolly: PLEASE keep your head up tonight!!

 

Prediction: Sabres, 3-2.

[frisky]

Rollcall for the game tonight?

 

I'll be there with my woman and bro. Anyone else?

 

I also wouldn't be surprised to see Peters in the lineup tonight as I think the Ducks are going to play their porn star-looking/goon Parros. Plus, they are a big team the kind that we don't like to play. Personally, I'm not optimistic with the 4 kids in the lineup and rusty (Lalime) in nets tonight. I think they'll try to forecheck the heck out of the D to try and cause lots of turnovers. Anyways, this year I'm prepared for any of those rude popcorn throwing Ducks fans. Ready for a tussle. Unlike the LA fans, their not as likely to carry weapons like shanks :P . I'm also ready for the Ice Girls whee. Probably not going to be in their little Santa outfits but they have messages written across their butts in their tight spandex pant things.

[BuffalOhio]

I will not be able to watch live tonight, as I will be in my fourth sleep study. Trying to find out why I'm tired all the time. I've already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, but since I had surgery on my sinuses in December, they have to do another study. I can tell you, the surgery helped with my breathing at all times except when I lie down; it's at that point that they close up and I can't breathe.

 

I will watch tomorrow afternoon, after I return home from the minor knee surgery that I'm having at 1015 in the morning. Just removing some pebbles and bone spurs, and fixing a minor cartilage tear. Nothing to worry about after the 2 previous knee reconstructions!

 

This Coast Guard retirement thing is hard! So many medical appointments!

 

Wish me well, my brethren!

 

Go Sabres!

[R_Dudley]

Yeppir's new month and time for a new roll. We finished January 9-4 which if we had asked that at the begiining of the month I'm sure many of us would've taken that record.

 

Now February also has 13 games and I defintely would like to start another 9-4 run with a win.

 

The next month spread has 10 games against east foes and 3 against west. 5 of those 10 against east teams fighting for a spot. I know any wins important with the tight race in the east but I look at those east games as a bit more important in overall scheme of things.

I do not want any more injuries from this trip. So comeone Bflo how about a nice solid road game that we can steal a point or two I would like a 3-2 type game that is OT or SO decided but if we really start lalime after a long lay off I'm not sure he can hold the fort with so many kids on the blue line... Comeon Bflo surprise me... Go Sabres

[carpandean]

Having such a depleted D-corp may actually be a good thing. Last game, the forwards were backchecking hard to help clog up our zone and keep the load off of the kids. That is something that they have needed to do in front of Lalime all year and now, hopefully, they have a good enough reason to do so. Keep the shots to the outside, clog up the shooting lanes and make Lalime's game easy. Also, don't leave Lalime alone behind the net to play the puck or, at least, cover the front of the net when he does.

 

Really, though, I'm using this game as another evaluation game for our future defensemen. In fact, if I had my way, other than adding Sekera, I hope that the only defensemen in the current system that will be in the lineup next year will be on the ice tonight. I'd be OK with Teppo retiring, Spacek being allowed to walk and Tallinder being traded. I'd still like to bring in another Rivet-type (right handed, physical, defensive) such as Morris (Coyotes) or Kubina (Maple Leafs) to balance out our corp. But I digress ...

 

Anaheim has just slightly worse of a record at home (13-11-4) than we have on the road (13-10-3), so there doesn't seem to be much of an advantage there. However, as noted, the Ducks seem to play a lot better (or, at least, more defensively) with Hiller in net than with Jiggy. I will like our chances more if Jiggy is starting.

 

Given the physical nature of the Ducks and, especially, that they will likely dress Parros, I wonder if we'll see Kaleta, Mair and Peters all in the lineup tonight. Remember how Lindy put Kaleta on Roy's line against LA to help negate Dustin Brown's physical play? I wonder, with Hecht out, if he might consider that again to help negate a guy like Perry.

[inkman]

Remember how Lindy put Kaleta on Roy's line against LA to help negate Dustin Brown's physical play? I wonder, with Hecht out, if he might consider that again to help negate a guy like Perry.

Here's hopin... :beer:

[Wyborowa]

The ONLY reason Lalime plays so crappy is because he is indeed RUSTY!!! I read in an article that if he plays at least a game every two weeks, he has a winning record.... Lalime should be played more, but now its too little too late....I can only imagine what his morale is....

 

CLassy goaltender, a GOOD one at that....but Lindy's nose is too far up Millers ass.

[inkman]

The ONLY reason Lalime plays so crappy is because he is indeed RUSTY!!! I read in an article that if he plays at least a game every two weeks, he has a winning record.... Lalime should be played more, but now its too little too late....I can only imagine what his morale is....

My biggest and probably only real beef with Lindy is his handling of the goalies. I thought this year would be different as they started off playing Lalime often but as usual Lindy fell into the running Ryan into the ground mode. Maybe Hasek jaded his handling of goalies. He just doesn't seem to want to play his backup as much as he should.

[nfreeman]

My biggest and probably only real beef with Lindy is his handling of the goalies. I thought this year would be different as they started off playing Lalime often but as usual Lindy fell into the running Ryan into the ground mode. Maybe Hasek jaded his handling of goalies. He just doesn't seem to want to play his backup as much as he should.

I feel like this is a bit better than last year, but still not where it needs to be. (Kind of like the team as a whole, I suppose.)

[Wyborowa]

My biggest and probably only real beef with Lindy is his handling of the goalies. I thought this year would be different as they started off playing Lalime often but as usual Lindy fell into the running Ryan into the ground mode. Maybe Hasek jaded his handling of goalies. He just doesn't seem to want to play his backup as much as he should.

 

I think we (ALL Sabre fans) DO something to show that Sabres Nation likes and backs Lalime. He's our back-up, but he's a veteran who deserves much more playing time than this.

 

Is there anything we can do to let him know that we care? (i kno sounds tacky, but I'm going for nursing, caring is in my blood :-p )

ie. e-mail him? contact him in any sort of way with our comments and encouragement?? being very serious here!

[carpandean]

The ONLY reason Lalime plays so crappy is because he is indeed RUSTY!!! I read in an article that if he plays at least a game every two weeks, he has a winning record.... Lalime should be played more, but now its too little too late....I can only imagine what his morale is....

Classy goaltender, a GOOD one at that....but Lindy's nose is too far up Millers ass.

I like Lalime -- just a real good/nice guy -- and completely agree that his play has been shakier than it would be if he were played more frequently. However, I wouldn't say that it's the ONLY reason. He's a true backup goalie, unlike Marty when he was here, who could take over the #1 load if needed. Even last year with a heavier load in Chicago, he wasn't putting up #1-level numbers. This doesn't mean that would shouldn't use him, though. It just means that the team needs to play more conservative/defensive when he is in, not less. At the start of the season, the team was playing a conservative/defensive game and both goaltenders were playing frequently and performing well. Since then, they've gotten sloppier and less responsible in their own end. Miller can play well enough, when he is on his game, to keep us in those games, while Lalime cannot (same for Miller when he's not on his game) unless he is really on his game (e.g., the first Atlanta game), which won't happen if he isn't playing regularly. If they want to do that with Miller, it's still a risk, but not as bad of one; he's been there, done that. With Lalime, they simply can't hang him out to dry like they have.

[nfreeman]

Remember how Lindy put Kaleta on Roy's line against LA to help negate Dustin Brown's physical play? I wonder, with Hecht out, if he might consider that again to help negate a guy like Perry.

As I mentioned in another thread, I really wouldn't be surprised to see Kaleta emerge as a regular 3rd-line winger. I think he has a lot more game, and hockey sense, than just laying out big hits and agitating (both of which are valuable by themselves in any case). He's never going to score 20, but he has good hockey sense, he can pass, he knows where to be on the ice, he kills penalties and the team just seems better when he plays. I also think Lindy really likes him.

[deluca67]

I think we (ALL Sabre fans) DO something to show that Sabres Nation likes and backs Lalime. He's our back-up, but he's a veteran who deserves much more playing time than this.

 

Is there anything we can do to let him know that we care? (i kno sounds tacky, but I'm going for nursing, caring is in my blood :-p )

ie. e-mail him? contact him in any sort of way with our comments and encouragement?? being very serious here!

:w00t: :w00t: :w00t:

[NowDoYouBelieve]

The ONLY reason Lalime plays so crappy is because he is indeed RUSTY!!! I read in an article that if he plays at least a game every two weeks, he has a winning record.... Lalime should be played more, but now its too little too late....I can only imagine what his morale is....

 

CLassy goaltender, a GOOD one at that....but Lindy's nose is too far up Millers ass.

 

Nothing over Lalime's past few seasons suggests that he's a good goaltender.

[deluca67]

Nothing over Lalime's past few seasons suggests that he's a good goaltender.

Wasn't he also a huge reason some really good Senator teams never made it to the Cup?

 

It really doesn't even matter at this point. The Sabres are stuck with their goaltender situation as is. They have to try to make the best of it. If Lalime plays you just have to hope the team is ready to play a shut down defensive game taking minimal offensive chances. We all need to hope that nothing happens to Miller long term. If Lalime is forced into anything more than spot duty? I don't even want to think about it. :unsure:

[NowDoYouBelieve]

Wasn't he also a huge reason some really good Senator teams never made it to the Cup?

 

It really doesn't even matter at this point. The Sabres are stuck with their goaltender situation as is. They have to try to make the best of it. If Lalime plays you just have to hope the team is ready to play a shut down defensive game taking minimal offensive chances. We all need to hope that nothing happens to Miller long term. If Lalime is forced into anything more than spot duty? I don't even want to think about it. :unsure:

 

It just pisses me off that the hockey gods granted the Bruins two dominant goaltenders this year. Though their goalie numbers may be more of a credit to their blue-liners than anything.

[nucci]

The ONLY reason Lalime plays so crappy is because he is indeed RUSTY!!! I read in an article that if he plays at least a game every two weeks, he has a winning record.... Lalime should be played more, but now its too little too late....I can only imagine what his morale is....

 

CLassy goaltender, a GOOD one at that....but Lindy's nose is too far up Millers ass.

Miller is playing some of the best hockey of his career. Ruff has to play his best players to win. Miller is not being overworked and does not look tired. Lalime knew the situation when he signed and I doubt his morale is bad. He seems like a good teammate to Miller. Why does everyone always want the back up to play??

[nucci]

I think we (ALL Sabre fans) DO something to show that Sabres Nation likes and backs Lalime. He's our back-up, but he's a veteran who deserves much more playing time than this.

 

Is there anything we can do to let him know that we care? (i kno sounds tacky, but I'm going for nursing, caring is in my blood :-p )

ie. e-mail him? contact him in any sort of way with our comments and encouragement?? being very serious here!

Are you serious? Why don't we boycott games until Ruff plays Lalime???

[Kristian]

Miller is playing some of the best hockey of his career. Ruff has to play his best players to win. Miller is not being overworked and does not look tired. Lalime knew the situation when he signed and I doubt his morale is bad. He seems like a good teammate to Miller. Why does everyone always want the back up to play??

 

I don't think there are anybody here who flat out wants Lalime to play, but after seeing how Ryan ran out of gas last year under a heavy workload, people are worried it might happen again.

 

Last year it didn't matter, but this year there's a fair chance the Sabres need a Ryan Miller on top of his game come April.

 

That's why I would like to see Lalime play more. I realise that playing him is a gamble, and any points you end up with are to be considered a bonus, but looking at the bigger picture - Can the Sabres afford not to play him?

 

I guess we'll find out.

[nucci]

I don't think there are anybody here who flat out wants Lalime to play, but after seeing how Ryan ran out of gas last year under a heavy workload, people are worried it might happen again.

 

Last year it didn't matter, but this year there's a fair chance the Sabres need a Ryan Miller on top of his game come April.

 

That's why I would like to see Lalime play more. I realise that playing him is a gamble, and any points you end up with are to be considered a bonus, but looking at the bigger picture - Can the Sabres afford not to play him?

 

I guess we'll find out.

I understand but Miller does not seem to be overworked and is getting plenty of rest between games. If Miller plays 65 games, I think we're ok.

[carpandean]

I understand but Miller does not seem to be overworked and is getting plenty of rest between games. If Miller plays 65 games, I think we're ok.

If you take their GP'd pace and extrapolate out to the end of the season, it works out to just 67 games for Miller. However, in the first 23 games, Lalime started 6; in the next 27, he's started 3. If he continues on that pace, Miller will start 69 games. That's just four more games, including tonight. That's the minimum that they can really stand to do, but Lalime probably should probably start 5-6 to keep Miller fresh.

[Guest Sloth]

This has been a lengthy road trip. I know Ryan Miller has shown he has the ability to play a large number of games, but everyone needs a rest. Buffalo has Toronto coming up and that game is more important. The Sabres have a number young players going tonight, so why not gamble on Lalime?

[Two or less]

This has been a lengthy road trip. I know Ryan Miller has shown he has the ability to play a large number of games, but everyone needs a rest. Buffalo has Toronto coming up and that game is more important. The Sabres have a number young players going tonight, so why not gamble on Lalime?

 

Not only Toronto, but Montreal just 2 days after Toronto, then Ottawa, and Ottawa yet again the following week. The next four should be fun and exciting.

 

I think Sabres can play with the Ducks but tonight they seriously will need to stay out of the box. If they are in the penalty box, they will be in massive trouble. Lalime needs to have a strong game obviously because the Ducks have some lethal scorers, however, tonights game is a true test for how physical our team can play. Mike Weber will need to have a strong game. As does Rivet. Butler can't lose ground on Getzlef and Perry. Our forwards need to come out hitting. Hecht is out i heard. I will assume Peters plays? Kaleta and Gaustad will have their hands full tonight. I'm excited for tonights game. I think we can beat them. I'll say 4-2 Buffalo.