GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[PASabreFan]

My point was that Ottawa was 9-3-2 against the Sabres in the regular season pre-Neal/Drury, including some major blowouts. They owned us, even then. Something magical happened with that '05-'06 team in the playoffs, but that was the only time that they held their own post-lockout. It was the anomaly. If you don't buy that, then one could argue that winning that playoff series was somehow the turning point, because the Sabres were already 2-4-0 against the Sens that season before the Neal/Drury game. Maybe, the Sens have never forgotten us ending their magical season and always bring their best game against us, while our younger players remember how "easily" they swept the Sens and always underestimate them, even if it's just subconsciously. (I'm not really serious, but you get my point, right?)

How old was Vanek in 1999? :)

 

Seriously, this back and forth easily proves the old adage that you can twist numbers to serve any argument. I still maintain -- given that who wins and who loses is the ultimate stat -- that winning 10 and losing 10, four of those wins in the playoffs, before a particular event and losing 17 of 22, four of those losses in the playoffs, after said event, is pretty telling that said event might have been a turning point.

[end the curse]

I'm really #%^$#!ing sick of losing to Ottawa. Next time we play them I expect to see Ogie Ogilthorpe in the lineup.

[carpandean]

How old was Vanek in 1999? :)

Aw, :censored: Yeah, 4-1, not 4-0 (as in '99.) Close enough. ;)

 

Seriously, this back and forth easily proves the old adage that you can twist numbers to serve any argument. I still maintain -- given that who wins and who loses is the ultimate stat -- that winning 10 and losing 10, four of those wins in the playoffs, before a particular event and losing 17 of 22, four of those losses in the playoffs, after said event, is pretty telling that said event might have been a turning point.

That was my original point.

 

FWIW, though, I could show that their relative records were even more skewed before/after the 2006 offseason. Without checking the exact numbers, if they were 10-10 prior to the Drury/Neal game, then they were 8-6 prior to that offseason. If they lost 17 of 22 after that game, then they lost 21 of 27 after that offseason (and most of their early wins were OT/SO wins.) Maybe, it was losing McKee, Dumont, Grier, etc., in that offseason that made them soft, not just after the Drury/Neal game, but throughout the 2006-07 season and beyond. Basically, I'm saying that I don't believe that the Drury/Neal game was a turning point, but that they were already being owned long before that.

[SabresRepublic]

I just left this post at the Ottawa Citizen comment section regarding Datko Roto Rooter's slap on the wrist:

 

 

I grew up in Buffalo and just loved travelling up to Canada all along the QEW and that will NOT change in the future. However, the decision on Darko Roto Rooter was an obvious political one - shame on you NHL

 

Down here south of the border we have something called transparency in administration and since we belong in the NHL as well we insist on it as well.

 

So your decision NOT to impart the deserved punishment is a stain on your ability to be impartial across the board. I proffer that you didn't do what was the right thing because without his cheapshot antics that game from the 2nd period on is a different game altogether. And, at least a two game suspension (this guy is a repeat offender - should be about 5 days minimum) means Ottawa is big time shorthanded for those games - perhaps a sustained losing streak and a disappearance from the NorthEast division elite.

 

This won't go away and the Ottawa Citizen is NOT going to dictate the punishment that should have been meted out. The ties to the NHL are obvious but for those who don't know the public will demand transparency.

 

And that begs the question who are these wizards of Oz who make these decisions. Take off your white wigs and look the NHL faithful in the eye this mistake is your undoing - quit while you are ahead!

[Eleven]

I just left this post at the Ottawa Citizen comment section regarding Datko Roto Rooter's slap on the wrist:

 

 

I grew up in Buffalo and just loved travelling up to Canada all along the QEW and that will NOT change in the future. However, the decision on Darko Roto Rooter was an obvious political one - shame on you NHL

 

Down here south of the border we have something called transparency in administration and since we belong in the NHL as well we insist on it as well.

 

So your decision NOT to impart the deserved punishment is a stain on your ability to be impartial across the board. I proffer that you didn't do what was the right thing because without his cheapshot antics that game from the 2nd period on is a different game altogether. And, at least a two game suspension (this guy is a repeat offender - should be about 5 days minimum) means Ottawa is big time shorthanded for those games - perhaps a sustained losing streak and a disappearance from the NorthEast division elite.

 

This won't go away and the Ottawa Citizen is NOT going to dictate the punishment that should have been meted out. The ties to the NHL are obvious but for those who don't know the public will demand transparency.

 

And that begs the question who are these wizards of Oz who make these decisions. Take off your white wigs and look the NHL faithful in the eye this mistake is your undoing - quit while you are ahead!

 

 

Am I reading this correctly--there's a connection between the newspaper and the NHL's decision not to suspend?

[deluca67]

As I said, I was disappointed that there was no payback for that cheap shot. You are well overstating your case though when you say that those 4 are not here for their hockey skills and that if they don't respond in that situation they are useless. In any case, let's flip it around: I think the Kaleta hit was the first egregious cheap shot this season that did NOT get responded to by a teammate. I also think Miller's space has been defended much more fiercely than in the past.

 

 

 

Oh, dear. Still happy with your gushing welcome?

Could you name the ones that were? I can only think of Gaustad's response.

[end the curse]

I wonder if the Leafs are starting to get a complex playing us that we get playing the Sens...

[SabresRepublic]

Am I reading this correctly--there's a connection between the newspaper and the NHL's decision not to suspend?

 

If you say so! However, the point of my response was to illicit a rational response from the hockey status quo. One cannot dismiss the fact that of all the suspensions and penalties levied this year this was the most eggregious of all of them. Couple that with the fact that Ottawa did not have role players of Darko's ilk left to "compete" with as would be necessary to have a decent chance of winning games (seeing their already depleted ranks) any game misconduct and suspension would potentially seriously impede Ottawa'a ability to play their national sport at the level they have excelled at.

 

The fact of the matter is that the publication the Ottawa Citizen was already waxing poetic Wednesday night well before the Colin's head up his colon made the political decision to preserve the hockey status quo!

[SabresRepublic]

I meant egregious :oops:

[SabresRepublic]

Am I reading this correctly--there's a connection between the newspaper and the NHL's decision not to suspend?

 

I also left this remark and it won't be my last:

 

Canada, believe it or not - We Love You! That is why we believe you deserve so much better

 

than what the CC boys (Colin Campbell and Cory Clouston) as well as Darko have represented in your

 

reputation for fairness.

 

First of all, Colin Campbell is derelict in his duty to preserve the impartiality of the NHL

 

as one would expect from the premier hockey venue in the world. He has turned the NHL into

 

his own private Idaho - his time is up!

 

A question for you Mr. Campbell; Did you take the time to speak with Patrick Kaleta before

 

you made your political decision? Did you speak with any attending medical personnel or for

 

that matter obtained the health records relating to the trauma suffered by PK? Did you speak

 

with the Sabres management regards our concerns?

 

I can answer those questions for you. They are all in the negative. The hockey world will

 

hound you now except for Ottawa goons and their political ilk until you retire or get fired.

You made a glaring error - it's on video - and Cory Clouston's sugarcoating will NOT hide the

 

fact that he instructed Darko to run roughshod over a force they could not reckon with

 

according to the accepted rules of the game!

 

The NHL should be commended for its initiative HOCKEY IS FOR EVERYONE. However, it is NOT for

 

goons, cheap shot artists, coaches who encourage - and deny it afterwards and NHL management

 

who fail to uphold the accepted rules without impartiality.

 

Canada! You deserve so much better than what these mediocre agents have willed on your

 

reputation for excellence. Get rid of them ASAP! Until you do - the stain is on you!

You have the unalienable right to free will association - excercise it now!!!

[billsrcursed]

As I said, I was disappointed that there was no payback for that cheap shot. You are well overstating your case though when you say that those 4 are not here for their hockey skills and that if they don't respond in that situation they are useless. In any case, let's flip it around: I think the Kaleta hit was the first egregious cheap shot this season that did NOT get responded to by a teammate. I also think Miller's space has been defended much more fiercely than in the past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMHO, that's one too many.