GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[PASabreFan]

ah yes, the "Here we go again" syndrome. I don't think I've ever seen a Sabres team conciously try to bank it off the back wall and other players for goals like I did last night. That's a real distraction...you can't play your games actively looking for places to bank the puck off of for goals, you have to make plays.

 

Roy's goal? Pominville said afterwards he just missed the net. It wasn't a set play, but, yes, they have been practicing that. It does seem to be putting too fine a point on their game, so to speak. And a pretty strange tactic for a coach who preaches "putting the puck on net."

[carpandean]

Roy's goal? Pominville said afterwards he just missed the net. It wasn't a set play, but, yes, they have been practicing that. It does seem to be putting too fine a point on their game, so to speak. And a pretty strange tactic for a coach who preaches "putting the puck on net."

There was one game recently where afterwords they admitted to firing it off the boards from the point when there was heavy traffic between the shooter and the net. You'll see Rivet or Myers or Butler wind up to fire a shot, then take a little off of it and shoot it well wide; next thing you know, the puck is right in front of the net. It's not a bad play with lively boards.

[deluca67]

I agree with Eleven.

Actually it's after games I have a chance to see. Others might want to try that. :thumbsup:

[DR HOLLIDAY]

5. You didn't believe Harry and Rick's weak defense of the fourth goal, did you? That was never deflected. Miller whiffed. Pronger's shot wasn't deflected either, but Rivet set a lovely screen. Bottom line is that every goaltender in history can say they made a bunch of great saves in games, but got unlucky four other times. Miller was OK -- except when he was allowing two of the worst goals of his career. Unacceptable.

 

Yeah lets pile on Miller now, has only been the best goalie in the league so far this year and by far and away the best player on this team. He gets a pass for this game and he will get back to work tonight.

[deluca67]

Yeah lets pile on Miller now, has only been the best goalie in the league so far this year and by far and away the best player on this team. He gets a pass for this game and he will get back to work tonight.

Is it fair to combine last nights game and getting run against the Islanders when talking about Miller?

[SwampD]

Actually it's after games I have a chance to see. Others might want to try that. :thumbsup:

Well, if you're only watching games they lose, could you please stop watching?.. Please?.. For the rest of us? ;)

[nfreeman]

2 other things I didn't like:

 

1. Failure to get the puck in deep. It seemed like there were a ton of turnovers at the blue line that allowed Philly to counter quickly.

 

2. As someone pointed out above, the sabres looke deflated an back on their heels a few times during the game. Not mentally tough.

 

Having said that, I think the statement hat the sabres didn't show up is pretty exaggerated and that goaltending was the difference in the game. If that had been lalime, he'd be getting torn to shreds here.

[PASabreFan]

Yeah lets pile on Miller now, has only been the best goalie in the league so far this year and by far and away the best player on this team. He gets a pass for this game and he will get back to work tonight.

 

You're right. Sorry. Miller played well.

[...]

ah yes, the "Here we go again" syndrome. I don't think I've ever seen a Sabres team conciously try to bank it off the back wall and other players for goals like I did last night. That's a real distraction...you can't play your games actively looking for places to bank the puck off of for goals, you have to make plays.

 

LR has been preaching getting goals, and saying that most of those will have to be ugly goals. His main criticism, and the consensus here for a while, has been that trying to "make plays" doesn't get goals and results in turn-overs.

 

So trying any way to get ugly goals, which would include bouncing the puck off players and the boards, isn't a distraction, it's the game they believe they need to play.

 

You can't make plays and crash the net at the same time, unless the play IS to crash the net.

 

I was at the game. They gave up after the first goal.

 

Vanek and Stafford were all but invisible. You know, LR is playing Myers and Butler the most. Butler is third in line for the least NHL experience behind Myers and Kennedy. So, I'm not buying the argument I'm seeing here lately about LR not willing to play people. He clearly is playing the people whom he believes are putting in the effort.

 

Why should he play Vanek more when the other three lines are just as likely to score? And the third and fourth liners are as good or better at back-checking than the top two. When I noticed Vanek "back-checking" he was usually last to join the play in the Sabres zone - there's no where near the hustle in his game as there is in, say, Ellis' or Kaleta's. So, what has he done over the other guys to earn more ice time other than sign a fat contract?

 

And Miller - he was not in his zone last night. The game WAS on him, in a way, because that goal deflated the team. It was like "if Miller's not playing tonight, we're sunk." So it must be the way the team understands the system - if they don't have confidence in whomever is in net that night, then they don't have confidence in their system.

[PASabreFan]

Vanek and Stafford were all but invisible. You know, LR is playing Myers and Butler the most. Butler is third in line for the least NHL experience behind Myers and Kennedy. So, I'm not buying the argument I'm seeing here lately about LR not willing to play people. He clearly is playing the people whom he believes are putting in the effort.

 

Why should he play Vanek more when the other three lines are just as likely to score? And the third and fourth liners are as good or better at back-checking than the top two. When I noticed Vanek "back-checking" he was usually last to join the play in the Sabres zone - there's no where near the hustle in his game as there is in, say, Ellis' or Kaleta's. So, what has he done over the other guys to earn more ice time other than sign a fat contract?

 

Besides leading the team in goals since the lockout? Does Lindy want to lose games just to prove a point?

 

Is your position that elite players have to constantly earn their ice time? Is OV always on his game? Is Crosby? Care to check their ice time to see if they've been benched, or been played 11 minutes in a game?

 

Some players need to be cut some slack, given a vote of confidence by the coach. At this rate, either Vanek goes or Ruff goes. How can this so called small market, financially strapped team justify the situation? On the other hand, how can this kind of coaching be justified. Ruff keeps the minutes down, and Vanek keeps leading the team in goals.

 

Odd -- Satan, always criticized as a loafer by the fans, consistently saw 20 plus minutes.

[Eleven]

Besides leading the team in goals since the lockout? Does Lindy want to lose games just to prove a point?

 

Is your position that elite players have to constantly earn their ice time? Is OV always on his game? Is Crosby? Care to check their ice time to see if they've been benched, or been played 11 minutes in a game?

 

Some players need to be cut some slack, given a vote of confidence by the coach. At this rate, either Vanek goes or Ruff goes. How can this so called small market, financially strapped team justify the situation? On the other hand, how can this kind of coaching be justified. Ruff keeps the minutes down, and Vanek keeps leading the team in goals.

 

Odd -- Satan, always criticized as a loafer by the fans, consistently saw 20 plus minutes.

 

I have hope that the bolded portion is incorrect, but you are dead on with the rest of this.

[baleine]

I think I've heard enough...if you don't get the game then don't watch it. Vanek is Satan. He will get you the numbers..just not when you need them! Up 3-1 and he will score you 2. Down by a goal and he is non existant. Roy, Pomenville and Vanek are overblown premadonnas who shot their load and are still living in their glory days.Unfortunately they are setting the example for the rest. Goaltending is fine, the defense is fine but the offense is about as lethal as the Bills offense. Darcy will ride the seasons great start as far as he can into the trade deadline as usual, siting small market, team chemistry...you've heard it all before. Teams like Montreal and Toronto made huge changes, even Ottawa and this has caused them to be slow out of the gate but watch as they gel and the Sabres turn out to be the same team they were last year...the Toronto game was a wake up, a bunch of no names in last place took us to a shootout in our own building but we're going to "hunker down"..it's all Lindy can say cause he doesn't have the players. Since then losses to NY,Philly and Boston..good thing Paul Hamilton convinced the world that Max was no good..he's only got more points per game in Atlanta than Pomenville,right behind our points leader Conelley.Buffalo needs to wake up..stop idolizing local favorites like Kaleta or USA grown players like Gaustad just because they "try hard" and remind us of the harder life we all lead..sure we love to cheer for them but let's face it guys like them are a dime a dozen in the league but just like the Bills, no quaterback = losing season and Miller last time I looked had no goals!The Sabres and the Bill are both suffering from unfocused ownership with yes man lackys managing the product...just enough to keep us all buying tickets. The trick has always been to renew season tickets before either management has had to tell you what the team is going to look like on the field/ice. Kinda like buying a 2011 car now based on how the "Sales guy" tells you it's going to look!Year after year after year after year...think we deserve better..maybe not!