GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[Patty16]

Yeah, I don't think you can simply single out the D as the problem. Watching the last three games, I can point out a bunch of players who still think it's summertime: TC, Vanek, Pominville, Myers, Grier, and Rivet. I think Sekera has been better, but right now his offensive-minded defense isn't what the Sabres need with the team playing so poorly.

 

I have to give credit to Roy and Stafford for their effort, albeit with the usual errors in judgement on the ice from time to time, but both of these guys are playing well. And I was pretty down on them last season.

 

I think Ennis' lack of experience is showing - and I think he's being coached to set up plays when ever possible rather than take the shot. He looks okay, but it seems like he's thinking "too much" at times out there.

 

Likewise, I don't know what's happened to Niedermayer these past two games, he's not playing like did during the preseason.

 

I have no problems with Leopold or Monty; they're playing as expected.

 

I just think for some reason these guys are simply not mentally prepared.

 

 

He has 4 pts in 4 games playing on the 2nd line.

[Sterling Archer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyWHy7AJHmI

 

McCormick just ate that dude's lunch in his face.

[shrader]

From TSN article.

 

"To me, you could argue that it (wasn't) even a penalty," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I don't want to see anybody go down and get hurt like that, but (Hjalmarsson) wasn't even looking at the guy, he was playing the puck. There was no intent at all on the hit."

 

 

Really?

 

Like moongate said, that's the typical coach spin you hear after every single hit. Every single coach in the NHL has made that same exact comment at least once. That right there is a big part of the culture of the NHL that needs to change. It basically condones those type of hits. I almost wish the league would step up and suspend any coach that says something stupid like that.

[bob_sauve28]

Like moongate said, that's the typical coach spin you hear after every single hit. Every single coach in the NHL has made that same exact comment at least once. That right there is a big part of the culture of the NHL that needs to change. It basically condones those type of hits. I almost wish the league would step up and suspend any coach that says something stupid like that.

Type of hit like what? Hit him from behind? He didn't, he hit him in the side. If you can seriously watch that reply and say players should not be able to hit one another from the side like that you just have to ban hitting. Pomminstein was not facing the glass, he was standing sideways to it, the puck came right up to them both and the guy did exactly what he was suppose to do, check the guy to try and keep the puck in. You may talk about coach spin, but I think we are seeing home media and home fan spin here.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Hjalmarsson-ejected-Pominville-suffers-c?urn=nhl-276207

[...]

He has 4 pts in 4 games playing on the 2nd line.

 

Yeah, so? I didn't say he wasn't playing well.

 

However, he does look to me like he's thinking too much out there; Vanek was good for about 40 goals a season for several seasons until something got into his head. Just sayin'...

[thesportsbuff]

Type of hit like what? Hit him from behind? He didn't, he hit him in the side. If you can seriously watch that reply and say players should not be able to hit one another from the side like that you just have to ban hitting. Pomminstein was not facing the glass, he was standing sideways to it, the puck came right up to them both and the guy did exactly what he was suppose to do, check the guy to try and keep the puck in. You may talk about coach spin, but I think we are seeing home media and home fan spin here.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Hjalmarsson-ejected-Pominville-suffers-c?urn=nhl-276207

 

He drove his shoulder into Pominville's back side. That's it. Game over. Throw your argument out the window.

[Derrico]

that loss got me angry last night. but im not flippin, so why is everyone else flippin. we are only 3 games into the season theres nothin to flip about yet. anyway here is a couple things i noticed last game and through the season.

 

miller looked bad yesterday and in the rangers game.

ruff can never make a good decision about anything.

our third and fourth lines are beast.

the sabres still have trouble finishing games and that falls on coaching.

the offense is just fine.

i dont think the defense is really that terrible.

 

I must say, I do love this message board and that's why I come back several times a week. But let's be honest, there are several people on here who flip out over everything and overreact. Speaking of which your point on Ruff is just flat our rediculous. He can never make a good decision about anything? Really? I must also disagree with your last point, I hope I'm wrong though....

[Two or less]

I respectfully disagree. The team has scored 2 goals in each of their 3 games, plus a couple of garbage-time goals. Last night, the passes in the offensive zone, especially from TC, were not crisp or accurate. Just as importantly, the forecheck wasn't there. Like Detroit, Chicago is really good at getting the puck out of their defensive zone, and the only way to create offense is to disrupt their defensive clears with a powerful forecheck.

 

Other than Hossa's breakaway last night, I didn't think any of Chicago's goals was the result of poor defensive play. One was a PPG, one was a freaky pinball bank shot and one was an awful giveaway by Grier.

 

My bottom line is that so far this year, TC, Vanek and Pommer are playing terribly, and the team doesn't have enough scoring to overcome their lack of production.

 

I can't disagree with much of what you said, but I will stick up for Vanek. Has been played poorly? Yes, he has missed a lot of chances he should have scored on, and we pay him to score, but, he has played well, besides the fact of not scoring. He leads the team in shots and just can't find a way to finish. Finishing, he's been terrible, rest of his game so far has been very good, including back checking.

[SabresFan526]

Type of hit like what? Hit him from behind? He didn't, he hit him in the side. If you can seriously watch that reply and say players should not be able to hit one another from the side like that you just have to ban hitting. Pomminstein was not facing the glass, he was standing sideways to it, the puck came right up to them both and the guy did exactly what he was suppose to do, check the guy to try and keep the puck in. You may talk about coach spin, but I think we are seeing home media and home fan spin here.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Hjalmarsson-ejected-Pominville-suffers-c?urn=nhl-276207

Do you seriously think this? I have a lot of respect for you and your posts, but this is absurd. I'm a Sabres fan, but I think I'm relatively objective and I'll call the team out when I think they've done something wrong and I'll defend them when I think they do something right. But this is ridiculous. The shoulder hits the 9 on the back of his jersey, that by definition is a hit from behind. Pominville had his back completely to him and never saw him and was completely vulnerable, how is that Pominville's fault? What in all of that makes the hit legal? The evidence is objective and it shows him hitting Pominville on the 9 on his jersey which by definition is from behind.

 

Again, I'll go back to my original argument. I don't care if that hit is legal, the NHL has put a new rule in place to prevent idiots from causing head related injuries to players. We know that on the ice this was deemed a boarding penalty and a hit from behind. Second, the result of the play caused a concussion and a head related injury. Per the new rules, the NHL has said they are going to crack down on illegal hits that cause injury to the head, which this completely falls under. If there is no suspension, then the NHL is not serious about protecting its players. Otherwise, there is no reason to institute a brand new rule just before the playoffs and there is no reason that David Booth, Marc Savard, Jason Pominville, or anyone else who has been injured by a wreckless play should feel like the NHL is looking out for them. In fact, if we compare hits, Richards's hit on Booth and Cooke's hit on Savard were completely legal whereas Hjalmarsson clearly hit Pominville from behind. As per the new rule, Richards and Cooke would both be suspended today. So, if we want to talk about legalities and cleanliness of hits, let's do it under the context of Rule 48 which is in place to prevent players from getting head related injuries. Per Rule 48, Hjalmarsson should be suspended. I'd like to see 10 games, but it will probably 1 game max since he's not a repeat offender.

[Sterling Archer]

Do you seriously think this? I have a lot of respect for you and your posts, but this is absurd. I'm a Sabres fan, but I think I'm relatively objective and I'll call the team out when I think they've done something wrong and I'll defend them when I think they do something right. But this is ridiculous. The shoulder hits the 9 on the back of his jersey, that by definition is a hit from behind. Pominville had his back completely to him and never saw him and was completely vulnerable, how is that Pominville's fault? What in all of that makes the hit legal? The evidence is objective and it shows him hitting Pominville on the 9 on his jersey which by definition is from behind.

 

Pominville had his back to Hammer the whole time and the puck was still tangled up with Hossa and Sekera. It was a stupid play. The refs hand went up immediately after the hit. There was no hesitation and he had a perfect line of sight to the hit. Hammer initiated contact right on the 9 of Pominville and the squeezed him out into the boards. It was dirty.

[biodork]

Hjalmarsson suspended 2 games - will be back in the lineup Saturday, though.

 

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=337210

[inkman]

Let's hope someone gives him his just desserts. Doubt it will happen though...

[BuffalOhio]

Type of hit like what? Hit him from behind? He didn't, he hit him in the side. If you can seriously watch that reply and say players should not be able to hit one another from the side like that you just have to ban hitting. Pomminstein was not facing the glass, he was standing sideways to it, the puck came right up to them both and the guy did exactly what he was suppose to do, check the guy to try and keep the puck in. You may talk about coach spin, but I think we are seeing home media and home fan spin here.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Hjalmarsson-ejected-Pominville-suffers-c?urn=nhl-276207

 

From WHAT GENERAL DIRECTION did Hjalmarsson come from? If Pommer were facing 12 o'clock, HJ came from at least 4 o'clock, which is from BEHIND. Only if HJ came from 12-3 o'clock would that have been from the side. I don't care if he contacted Pommer's side, it was a hit from behind because of the direction he came from.

 

DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY. Maybe he didn't mean to do it, but he sure did do it, didn't he?

 

Jesus, I don't see how those of you who think it wasn't a dirty hit can feel that way.

[SabresFan526]

2 Games is nowhere near enough, but sadly, it was more than what I expected. If the League is serious about protecting its players and preventing injuries and concussions, you would think they would make a stronger statement and suspend the guy for like 10 games.

 

Hopefully, Kaleta will keep to his word and take action on Saturday night since Hjalmarsson will be back for Saturday's game having served his two game suspension. If Kaleta is true to his word and if McCormick stands up like he did last night, I feel bad for Hjalmarsson because there is going to be HELL to pay for what he did to Pominville! I am more than comfortable losing a guy like McCormick or Kaleta to an instigator penalty to beat the living tar out of Hjalmarsson. That's the only way this thing gets evened up since the NHL is not going to do anything about it.

[TheMatrix31]

Wait, people are arguing that it wasnt dirty? I don't know ###### about hockey compared to most and that was hella dirty.

[Punch]

Type of hit like what? Hit him from behind? He didn't, he hit him in the side. If you can seriously watch that reply and say players should not be able to hit one another from the side like that you just have to ban hitting. Pomminstein was not facing the glass, he was standing sideways to it, the puck came right up to them both and the guy did exactly what he was suppose to do, check the guy to try and keep the puck in. You may talk about coach spin, but I think we are seeing home media and home fan spin here.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Hjalmarsson-ejected-Pominville-suffers-c?urn=nhl-276207

 

At the point of contact Hjalmarsson's shoulder is clearly driven into Pominville's back. Furthermore, Pomminstein was backpedaling and Hjalmarsson came in pretty fast at a 45 degree angle--- pretty much impossible for him to enter Pommer's field of vision in time for him to react.

[Two or less]

Wait, people are arguing that it wasnt dirty? I don't know ###### about hockey compared to most and that was hella dirty.

 

We can argue it all day long, but it doesn't matter. The NHL decides how on a scale of how dirty it was and they gave him 2 games. Not that dirty that at all. I'll leave it at that. Case closed.

 

Can the Sabres get back to winning hockey games and get over this? Hopefully the Sabres are much less sensitive as our fans.

[nobody]

I can't disagree with much of what you said, but I will stick up for Vanek. Has been played poorly? Yes, he has missed a lot of chances he should have scored on, and we pay him to score, but, he has played well, besides the fact of not scoring. He leads the team in shots and just can't find a way to finish. Finishing, he's been terrible, rest of his game so far has been very good, including back checking.

 

 

If that first shot of his that hit the post in the first game goes in I'm thinking he has at least 1 or 2 more already. Also shows that perhaps he needs to shoot more from places other then in front of the paint.

[nobody]

Hopefully, Kaleta will keep to his word and take action on Saturday night since Hjalmarsson will be back for Saturday's game having served his two game suspension. If Kaleta is true to his word and if McCormick stands up like he did last night, I feel bad for Hjalmarsson because there is going to be HELL to pay for what he did to Pominville! I am more than comfortable losing a guy like McCormick or Kaleta to an instigator penalty to beat the living tar out of Hjalmarsson. That's the only way this thing gets evened up since the NHL is not going to do anything about it.

 

 

If Kaleta takes him out I'm guessing he gets at least a 5 game suspension.

[bob_sauve28]

At the point of contact Hjalmarsson's shoulder is clearly driven into Pominville's back. Furthermore, Pomminstein was backpedaling and Hjalmarsson came in pretty fast at a 45 degree angle--- pretty much impossible for him to enter Pommer's field of vision in time for him to react.

That picture you show is a perfect shot of them being next to each other. God, you can even see whoes skates are in front of whoes. Even in all the media coverage of this "hit from behind" all the people were talking about rule changes. Why? Becuase they knew this was technically ok. The reality is these guys hit each other hard. I think NHLers, and their "culture" they are all talking about simply ignores that plain fact that if you get these big dudes running around out there people are going to be hurt, fair hit or not. What that Chicago guy did was what he is told to do, its what they are all told to do, go out there and knock the crap out of the other guy. It kills me how Campbell's hit on Umburger was awesome, aside from a few people that complained Umber lived, yet this borderline "from behind hit" is bloody murder. Give me a break. Want to stop this? Don't let them hit each other as hard as they possibly can. I really think they understand that, but are afraid of the people that need to see other people hurt in order to be entertained not watching the game or something. Ya know, like how no one watches soccer :doh: I was listening to Shoop and Bull frog and they were complaining that are team doesn't knock people out more. What a couple of jerks.

[Punch]

That picture you show is a perfect shot of them being next to each other. God, you can even see whoes skates are in front of whoes. Even in all the media coverage of this "hit from behind" all the people were talking about rule changes. Why? Becuase they knew this was technically ok. The reality is these guys hit each other hard. I think NHLers, and their "culture" they are all talking about simply ignores that plain fact that if you get these big dudes running around out there people are going to be hurt, fair hit or not. What that Chicago guy did was what he is told to do, its what they are all told to do, go out there and knock the crap out of the other guy. It kills me how Campbell's hit on Umburger was awesome, aside from a few people that complained Umber lived, yet this borderline "from behind hit" is bloody murder. Give me a break. Want to stop this? Don't let them hit each other as hard as they possibly can. I really think they understand that, but are afraid of the people that need to see other people hurt in order to be entertained not watching the game or something. Ya know, like how no one watches soccer :doh: I was listening to Shoop and Bull frog and they were complaining that are team doesn't knock people out more. What a couple of jerks.

 

Hjalmarsson's shoulder is clearly planted between the numbers on the back of Pominville's jersey. The fact that his left skate is extending past Pommer's right leg is due to the fact Hjalmarsson is driving through him at an angle--- plus Pominville's skates are kicked back as a result of his torso being thrust forward. I didn't say there was intent to injure or that this was even necessarily one of the worst hits in the NHL of recent vintage, but you're being willfully ignorant to claim this wasn't a hit from behind.

[deluca67]

That picture you show is a perfect shot of them being next to each other. God, you can even see whoes skates are in front of whoes. Even in all the media coverage of this "hit from behind" all the people were talking about rule changes. Why? Becuase they knew this was technically ok. The reality is these guys hit each other hard. I think NHLers, and their "culture" they are all talking about simply ignores that plain fact that if you get these big dudes running around out there people are going to be hurt, fair hit or not. What that Chicago guy did was what he is told to do, its what they are all told to do, go out there and knock the crap out of the other guy. It kills me how Campbell's hit on Umburger was awesome, aside from a few people that complained Umber lived, yet this borderline "from behind hit" is bloody murder. Give me a break. Want to stop this? Don't let them hit each other as hard as they possibly can. I really think they understand that, but are afraid of the people that need to see other people hurt in order to be entertained not watching the game or something. Ya know, like how no one watches soccer :doh: I was listening to Shoop and Bull frog and they were complaining that are team doesn't knock people out more. What a couple of jerks.

You mean the picture that shows the shoulder and elbow clearly in the center of Pominville's numbers? If they were "next to each other" wouldn't we be able to see the 9?

 

By your definition of "borderline" no hit will ever qualify as a hit from behind. It seems your point is that unless a players crest is squarely between the numbers on the back it is not a hit from behind.

[spndnchz]

Semi-good news. Pominville worked out today, off ice. He will be taking the trip with the team to Atlanta. That's good because they usually don't clear you to fly unless your symptoms are gone.