GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[FearTheReaper]

While i did not watch the game,i can probably safely say,riding Lalime on back to back nights didn't help us tonight. Ruff has a serious problem when it comes to managing goalies. I understand if Lalime is hot,and he might not have faith in Tellqvist. But putting him in only will drain more energy out of him and ruin his focus for the next game. If you keep him out,he cools down a little but saves energy. Either way,a tired Lalime doesn't help our push.

 

I really dont think Tellqvist is a good choice against up coming Fly boys and Panthers. :wallbash:

 

Will Ruff put him in against Les Thrash?

[darksabre]

Lalime really didn't look THAT bad tonight. Just some weird bounces. Today was all about weird bounces. ECAC West Women's Semis in Elmira today was ridiculous. I think the puck spent more time bouncing around the ice than sliding!

[Bmwolf21]

Let's face it, save a couple notable examples, we've been Ottawa's bitch for the last few years. We always come up small against them. Goaltending has always been a little shakier than usual, we cannot get a handle on the Pizza line, and we make stupid plays that always seem to end up in our net.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

While i did not watch the game,i can probably safely say,riding Lalime on back to back nights didn't help us tonight. Ruff has a serious problem when it comes to managing goalies. I understand if Lalime is hot,and he might not have faith in Tellqvist. But putting him in only will drain more energy out of him and ruin his focus for the next game. If you keep him out,he cools down a little but saves energy. Either way,a tired Lalime doesn't help our push.

 

I really dont think Tellqvist is a good choice against up coming Fly boys and Panthers. :wallbash:

 

Probably wanted to give Lalime a shot against his old team.

[carpandean]

Let's face it, save a couple notable examples, we've been Ottawa's bitch for the last few years. We always come up small against them. Goaltending has always been a little shakier than usual, we cannot get a handle on the Pizza line, and we make stupid plays that always seem to end up in our net.

 

They are in our players' heads:

"Everybody's talking about it and talking about it, and I think we just need to loosen up, don't think about it," Sabres defenseman Jaroslav Spacek said. "We can play any team in the league, it's in our heads that we're losing to them game after game after game. We need to think that it's a different team."

[Chief Enabler]

Butler is about as useful as tits on a bull

That seems to be a common theme with much of the Sabres on an individual basis. They are fundamentally sound for the most part, but very few of them have the ability to excel to the next level (a playoff team level).

 

Everything just fell apart in the 3rd, which has happened alot this season, as you know.

[wjag]

5 games. Ottawa has 8 points against us, we have 3. Nice! Oh goodie, we get to play them in a few more weeks.

Ottawa would have the NHL record for points if we played them 82 times a year.

The absolute best tonic for what ails and ailing Ottawa Senators team is the Buffalo Sabres.. :thumbsup:

[wjag]

Game thoughts....

 

- You knew sooner or later Lalime was going to #%^$#! the bed. This is why he is a backup.

 

- 1 point in the last 3 games against an Ottawa team that has been out of the playoff race for a couple of months now.

 

- Tallinder SUCKS and as I suggested should have been traded at the deadline.

 

- Butler's blueline pussification is coming along beautifully as he is fitting right in.

 

- This was my 1st look at Moore as I missed last night's game. We gave up a 2nd round pick for him?

 

- Roy with just horrible defense on the Ottawa goal at the end of the 2nd period. Just stand around and don't commit to anyone.

 

- The good news for the Sabres is that they won't be talked about much tomorrow with the Bills stealing the headlines.

 

- Did the effect of the 6 hour team meeting already wear off? Can we declare that starting Tuesday it's a new season? <_<

 

Sorry, but I don't think I've been more pissed off at any point this season. :angry: :angry:

He had the flu.. I give him a pass..

[Wyborowa]

Funny i mention Hecht, and he scores a goal tonight!

Lalime DID not play bad, so get that that out of your heads. Our D wasn't good at all....after each goal, Ottawa spends a minute in our zone, and then scores.....Lalime played fine.

[R_Dudley]

The last two seasons have proven that this team is neither physically nor mentally tough enough to play back-to-back games.

 

The Sabres brass better think long an hard about giving up their precious Friday night home games, because it's knocking their team of figure skaters straight out of the playoffs.

 

If we have been playing the most backs to backs of any team the last 2 seasons because of this then managment needs to share the blame. Just look at the stats of the overall league in back to backs and it's not hard to figure out especially with our teams makeup thats a bad schedule. Just another example of a fine FO F'up if thats the case.

 

Let's face it, save a couple notable examples, we've been Ottawa's bitch for the last few years. We always come up small against them. Goaltending has always been a little shakier than usual, we cannot get a handle on the Pizza line, and we make stupid plays that always seem to end up in our net.

After stepping away from the emotion of last nights game, I concur with that and would also add our horrible back to back track records. I am also disappointed that Lindy is not coaching as keenly as he had in the past as I also agree with some others that last night was the game to play Telquist and rest lalime. He just doesn't seem to be pulling the gutsy calls like he has in the past. Riding the hot hand was the safe thing to do not necessarily the boldest or smartest long term. His game time improvisation and pulling the right player moves is a missing ingrediant this season as well ?

[Ohiofan]

But "fine" just isn't good enough, is it? I don't want anyone on this team to play "fine". I want some postseason play outta these guys and for that we need some "stellar" or "outstanding" or "unf&*%ingbelievable" play.

 

Unfortunately, me don't think these guys have it in them.

[deluca67]

Funny i mention Hecht, and he scores a goal tonight!

Lalime DID not play bad, so get that that out of your heads. Our D wasn't good at all....after each goal, Ottawa spends a minute in our zone, and then scores.....Lalime played fine.

It was the best 6 goal performance by a goalie in Buffalo Sabres history. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[deluca67]

If it was Toronto, you'd post the same thing saying you'd rather have Ottawa. It's bad. There is no excuse for a defensive let down like tonight. Florida and Carolina really want to make the playoffs. I don't see the same will in Buffalo.

This is from one of the more optimistic fans which really says a lot about this team.

[PASabreFan]

Funny i mention Hecht, and he scores a goal tonight!

Lalime DID not play bad, so get that that out of your heads. Our D wasn't good at all....after each goal, Ottawa spends a minute in our zone, and then scores.....Lalime played fine.

 

So, to take this to its logical extreme, you wouldn't have a problem with 82 games like that from Lalime, for a 6.00 GAA?

 

Lalime was shaky. Pucks were bounding off of him. He allowed some weak goals. The one from the side boards was a killer. The defensive zone play was atrocious, but it has been. He just didn't make the saves he's been making. That's what it always comes down to for a goalie.

[PASabreFan]

This is from one of the more optimistic fans which really says a lot about this team.

 

Not unlike the Sabres post-1975 until the end of the decade, this team has a whiff of entitlement to it. Too much team success too soon in young careers? I don't know. A lot of pieces are there, but the chemistry is clearly off. But Darcy won't address it at the deadline, in free agency or via trade in season, or even a trade at another time. They are hard to make, he has told us for a few years.

 

Easy like Sunday morning, my ass.

[cilevel]

If it was Toronto, you'd post the same thing saying you'd rather have Ottawa. It's bad. There is no excuse for a defensive let down like tonight. Florida and Carolina really want to make the playoffs. I don't see the same will in Buffalo.

 

That pretty much sums it up - we see the will in Buffalo for short spurts and then it is gone. If they don't make the playoffs it will be the inconsistency that kills them.

 

You would think they show more will against a hated rival such as the Sens, but instead they go into some soft shell and play like crap. I don't get it. At all.

[tulax]

Probably wanted to give Lalime a shot against his old team.

 

Which is exactly why Ruff should have played Tellqvist against the Coyotes. Sure they got the win but at the cost of the next nights game? I thought the Sabres were going to start making smart decisions, i.e. not attacking Gomez after Miller gets injured, because the win was more important than the feelings of individuals on this team. That Phoenix game was a golden opportunity for a backup with a winning record to come in and shut down the team who traded him for a 4th round pick.

[nfreeman]

Which is exactly why Ruff should have played Tellqvist against the Coyotes. Sure they got the win but at the cost of the next nights game? I thought the Sabres were going to start making smart decisions, i.e. not attacking Gomez after Miller gets injured, because the win was more important than the feelings of individuals on this team. That Phoenix game was a golden opportunity for a backup with a winning record to come in and shut down the team who traded him for a 4th round pick.

 

I completely agree and am actually pretty PO'd at Lindy about this. WTF is he doing playing Lalime 3 games in 4 nights? WTF did we trade for another goalie if we aren't going to use him? Lalime played lousy last night. The Sabres overall didn't play well, but goaltending was the difference in that game.

 

This is what's happened this year in the 3rd game in a 3-in-4-nights situation when Miller has played all 3:

 

11/15 @PIT L 5-2

12/20 @MON L 4-3 (OT)

12/22 PIT L 4-3 (OT) (Miller played all 4 games in 6 nights)

2/07 @OTT L 3-2 (SO)

 

Not a single effing win, in 4 chances. And that's from our franchise goalie. Why in the world would it go any better with a backup?

 

I am a big fan of Lindy's, but this was nothing other than a huge blunder.

[Bmwolf21]

I completely agree and am actually pretty PO'd at Lindy about this. WTF is he doing playing Lalime 3 games in 4 nights? WTF did we trade for another goalie if we aren't going to use him? Lalime played lousy last night. The Sabres overall didn't play well, but goaltending was the difference in that game.

 

This is what's happened this year in the 3rd game in a 3-in-4-nights situation when Miller has played all 3:

 

11/15 @PIT L 5-2

12/20 @MON L 4-3 (OT)

12/22 PIT L 4-3 (OT) (Miller played all 4 games in 6 nights)

2/07 @OTT L 3-2 (SO)

 

Not a single effing win, in 4 chances. And that's from our franchise goalie. Why in the world would it go any better with a backup?

 

I am a big fan of Lindy's, but this was nothing other than a huge blunder.

Good breakdown, n. How many times have we gone into a GDT thinking "this is it, gotta go with the backup" and saw him send Miller back out there? Frustrating as hell.

[PASabreFan]

Normally a forward will have a burst of adrenaline after a trade, then back off a bit. Not that we've seen it from Moore, but there are plenty of other examples. Bernier cough cough. (We'll forget Stu's first games in town.)

 

I haven't heard about the phenomenon when it comes to goalies. But you would think getting Tellqvist in within a game or two would have made sense.

[zow2]

I was totally supportive of Lindy's decision to start Lalime vs. Phoenix. That made sense. I believe you play your best-hottest goalie in WINNABLE games down the stretch. You don't experiment w/ Telqvist and risk losing a game that you can dominate. SO on Sat night it was the perfect moment to insert Telqvist. 3rd game in 4 nights and we were playing a team that just dominates the Sabres all the time. That's the game you throw the newbie out there and hope for a one night lightning in a bottle type thing. That was a horrible move by Ruff to start LAlime and I'm a big RUff fan. BTW- I wrote all this on Thursday so I'm not "monday morning QB'ing" this.

 

Bottom line vs. Ottawa- we NEVER seem to have a good goaltending effort against that club. WHoever Ottawa throws in net, their goalie always outplays ours. Very frustrating.

[wjag]

I was totally supportive of Lindy's decision to start Lalime vs. Phoenix. That made sense. I believe you play your best-hottest goalie in WINNABLE games down the stretch. You don't experiment w/ Telqvist and risk losing a game that you can dominate. SO on Sat night it was the perfect moment to insert Telqvist. 3rd game in 4 nights and we were playing a team that just dominates the Sabres all the time. That's the game you throw the newbie out there and hope for a one night lightning in a bottle type thing. That was a horrible move by Ruff to start LAlime and I'm a big RUff fan. BTW- I wrote all this on Thursday so I'm not "monday morning QB'ing" this.

 

Bottom line vs. Ottawa- we NEVER seem to have a good goaltending effort against that club. WHoever Ottawa throws in net, their goalie always outplays ours. Very frustrating.

Except for one very famous playoff series that ended in dramatic fashion..

[nfreeman]

Except for one very famous playoff series that ended in dramatic fashion..

ah, yes. Thanks.

[tulax]

I was totally supportive of Lindy's decision to start Lalime vs. Phoenix. That made sense. I believe you play your best-hottest goalie in WINNABLE games down the stretch. You don't experiment w/ Telqvist and risk losing a game that you can dominate. SO on Sat night it was the perfect moment to insert Telqvist. 3rd game in 4 nights and we were playing a team that just dominates the Sabres all the time. That's the game you throw the newbie out there and hope for a one night lightning in a bottle type thing. That was a horrible move by Ruff to start LAlime and I'm a big RUff fan. BTW- I wrote all this on Thursday so I'm not "monday morning QB'ing" this.

 

Bottom line vs. Ottawa- we NEVER seem to have a good goaltending effort against that club. WHoever Ottawa throws in net, their goalie always outplays ours. Very frustrating.

I understand what you're saying about playing a hot goalie and I would normally agree, but wouldn't it also be smart to start the new guy against the team he has played for all season right after they traded him for a mid round pick? Tellqvist has been facing these guys all season in practice and I bet knows their tendenacies better than any other goalie, except Bryzgalov, in the league. I guess the only negative is that the coyotes would know his tendancies as well.

[repster]

Not even all of the audience likes those Friday games. I love weekday games, because it's a great night to look forward to after work, and I work downtown. But by Friday, I'm pretty much beat, and so are a lot of other folks I know. It's not so much that it's a problem to make a 730 start (it was worse last year, at 8), but it's really tough to stay energetic until 1030, especially on a Friday. Those Friday night games sell a lot of 300 level seats, but I know that folks with 100s and 200s are always trying to get rid of them, so I'm not sure that economics is the justification, either.)

 

If the Sabs give some of those up, there are more Saturday home games (bring 'em on) and fewer back-to-backs.

 

 

This year the Sabres are 2-6-3 in the third game in the three games in four nights scenario (and on the road for 6 of those). Most teams play home games on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday if you look at the weekly schedule so it seems like we are at a disadvantage to some degree on Saturday nights, but also- you would figure - at an advantage on Friday nights. We are 6-4-1 though, in the second game of this same scenario (and at home for 6 of those on a Friday).