Game Discussion Thread

[donteatyellowsnow]

alot of friggin missed shots all night. Amazing how the Sabres missed the net plenty of times. :wallbash:

 

 

True, but they also recorded 48 sog. Whereas Fla had 29 sog. Maybe just maybe their goaltender needs to be better than the other guy and make some key saves.

 

Save last year and the sabres goaltending has been mediocre at best the past 5+ years.

[Eleven]

True, but they also recorded 48 sog. Whereas Fla had 29 sog. Maybe just maybe their goaltender needs to be better than the other guy and make some key saves.

 

Save last year and the sabres goaltending has been mediocre at best the past 5+ years.

 

Lets not get out of control, here. MIller has been well above mediocre until recently.

[DFITZ1]

True, but they also recorded 48 sog. Whereas Fla had 29 sog. Maybe just maybe their goaltender needs to be better than the other guy and make some key saves.

 

Save last year and the sabres goaltending has been mediocre at best the past 5+ years.

 

I have seen plenty of games where the Sabres record the most shots, and many of those shots are simply not legitimate scoring chances. Hecht is always taking poor angle shots. The shots from the point are weak, in front of the net the puck is basically pushed into the the goalie or shot over the crossbar. These shots are all easy saves. Our opponent's goaltender needs to make fewer spectacular saves than Miller. BTW - all goaltenders let in bad ones. They hurt more when your forwards can't score (unless its garbage time).

[PASabreFan]

I have seen plenty of games where the Sabres record the most shots, and many of those shots are simply not legitimate scoring chances. Hecht is always taking poor angle shots. The shots from the point are weak, in front of the net the puck is basically pushed into the the goalie or shot over the crossbar. These shots are all easy saves. Our opponent's goaltender needs to make fewer spectacular saves than Miller. BTW - all goaltenders let in bad ones. They hurt more when your forwards can't score (unless its garbage time).

 

Vokoun stoned Stafford very late.

 

I can't get away from the feeling there was some give-up by Miller on Florida's third goal.

[PASabreFan]

Lets not get out of control, here. MIller has been well above mediocre until recently.

 

Agreed. Statistically, he's been elite for one season (half a season, really).

 

Not often has he cracked the top 10 in GAA and save percentage.

 

Ryan's MO started off as being like Grant Fuhr in Edmonton -- forget the stats and focus on the timely saves. I'm not sure where you hang your hat on Miller at this stage of his career. He's not going to steal many games, that's for sure. Last night they needed a timely save on a low scoring defenseman.

 

Seriously, where does Miller's career go from here? He doesn't look like someone who's burning up with the desire to get better and better in his 30s. He has the stench of someone satisfied with what he's accomplished. He hit the big 3-0, had his moment in the sun at the Olympics, met a nice girl and wants to settle down. He has other interests, has seen the world outside of the Rust Belt now -- and he's having a very disappointing season.

 

He and Ruff, both, but as DeLuca pointed out, you won't hear much about that in Buffalo.

[waldo]

Amazing that our young defenseman only hits the goaltender one out of every twenty times he shoots on the power play and is still sent out there. When he does find a lane to shoot in, which is about as often as a blind squirrel finds a nut, the shot is too hard and generally high. When do you think the power play guru will show him a few deeks to help him open a lane and the wonders of an off speed accurate low wrist shot on goal when you have men waiting in the slot to deflect, or catch a lucky rebound? I do not mean to pick on Tyler alone because none of the guys on the pp know how to consistently put a shot on goal outside of Vanek and Connelly, and Vanek is out of the mix because he is generally in the slot trying to avoid getting killed by one of Tyler’s ricochets.I know he is young and will eventually learn but have him do it n practice. Find somebody who can put a variety of shots accurately on goal during a power play like Spacek, Chris D, or Briere.

 

To those who suffer from bad call excuse syndrome, give it up. At that moment in the game it was a really silly time to pull that bone head move. It was not as much about the bad Brian Campbell imitation as it was about taking yourself out of position. A defensemans primary job in the o zone in that situation is not to create scoring chances .Maybe Lindy should put him on the wing or better yet in front of the net on the pp..

 

 

49 shots and 10 scoring chances sounds like the norm.

[bob_sauve28]

Agreed. Statistically, he's been elite for one season (half a season, really).

 

Not often has he cracked the top 10 in GAA and save percentage.

 

Ryan's MO started off as being like Grant Fuhr in Edmonton -- forget the stats and focus on the timely saves. I'm not sure where you hang your hat on Miller at this stage of his career. He's not going to steal many games, that's for sure. Last night they needed a timely save on a low scoring defenseman.

 

Seriously, where does Miller's career go from here? He doesn't look like someone who's burning up with the desire to get better and better in his 30s. He has the stench of someone satisfied with what he's accomplished. He hit the big 3-0, had his moment in the sun at the Olympics, met a nice girl and wants to settle down. He has other interests, has seen the world outside of the Rust Belt now -- and he's having a very disappointing season.

 

He and Ruff, both, but as DeLuca pointed out, you won't hear much about that in Buffalo.

Trade him at the deadline and let Ethron take us to the promised land??

[SwampD]

Amazing that our young defenseman only hits the goaltender one out of every twenty times he shoots on the power play and is still sent out there. When he does find a lane to shoot in, which is about as often as a blind squirrel finds a nut, the shot is too hard and generally high. When do you think the power play guru will show him a few deeks to help him open a lane and the wonders of an off speed accurate low wrist shot on goal when you have men waiting in the slot to deflect, or catch a lucky rebound? I do not mean to pick on Tyler alone because none of the guys on the pp know how to consistently put a shot on goal outside of Vanek and Connelly, and Vanek is out of the mix because he is generally in the slot trying to avoid getting killed by one of Tyler’s ricochets.I know he is young and will eventually learn but have him do it n practice. Find somebody who can put a variety of shots accurately on goal during a power play like Spacek, Chris D, or Briere.

 

To those who suffer from bad call excuse syndrome, give it up. At that moment in the game it was a really silly time to pull that bone head move. It was not as much about the bad Brian Campbell imitation as it was about taking yourself out of position. A defensemans primary job in the o zone in that situation is not to create scoring chances .Maybe Lindy should put him on the wing or better yet in front of the net on the pp..

Are we really supposed to not care about bad officiating? Really?

 

I am dumbfounded that anyone could say that play didn't effect the game. I am dumbfounded that an official on the ice could see Tyler's leg get chopped out from under him and not make that call,.. dumbfounded. If he does, would anyone here have said the refs gave us a gift? No. That's because it was a penalty and we wouldn't even be talking about Miller's softy.

 

I have always hated that the rules of hockey change in the last 5 minutes of a game. I have always hated that the rules of hockey change in the playoffs. I hate that they are completely subjective based on how a ref feels that night (and by Campbell's recent emails we know this to be true).

 

Sorry, I'll never give it up.

[DFITZ1]

The skaters let Miller down more than Miller let them down. He might still have lingering effects from an injury earlier this year (not everything heals on command). I can't believe the anti-Miller sentiment. I swear he will be expected to score goals soon. The Sabres have had upper echelon goaltending more than top scoring. What does that tell you? THIS TEAM CANNOT SCORE! That's the problem, not goaltending. Miller makes more clutch saves than the high price skaters score clutch goals. When we had goal scorers, the front office let them walk. Please, Vanek is not in the class of elite goal scorers. Maybe good, but not elite. This team struggles to get 2 goals in a game, and often when they get more, it's garbage time goals.

[PASabreFan]

Trade him at the deadline and let Ethron take us to the promised land??

 

Why not, assuming the return is a good one. Miller will be an interesting decision for new management under Pegula. I don't think it's nearly the no-brainer most people would make it out to be.

 

I have a funny feeling the return wouldn't be incredibly high. Good hockey people know what Miller is.

[PASabreFan]

The skaters let Miller down more than Miller let them down. He might still have lingering effects from an injury earlier this year (not everything heals on command). I can't believe the anti-Miller sentiment. I swear he will be expected to score goals soon. The Sabres have had upper echelon goaltending more than top scoring. What does that tell you? THIS TEAM CANNOT SCORE! That's the problem, not goaltending. Miller makes more clutch saves than the high price skaters score clutch goals. When we had goal scorers, the front office let them walk. Please, Vanek is not in the class of elite goal scorers. Maybe good, but not elite. This team struggles to get 2 goals in a game, and often when they get more, it's garbage time goals.

 

2 goals a game? How many two-goal leads did Miller blow in the playoffs against the Bruins?

 

Miller is the prolapsed bladder of an 86-year-old woman: leaky under pressure. Hey, my first Harry-ism!

[PASabreFan]

Are we really supposed to not care about bad officiating? Really?

 

I am dumbfounded that anyone could say that play didn't effect the game. I am dumbfounded that an official on the ice could see Tyler's leg get chopped out from under him and not make that call,.. dumbfounded. If he does, would anyone here have said the refs gave us a gift? No. That's because it was a penalty and we wouldn't even be talking about Miller's softy.

 

I have always hated that the rules of hockey change in the last 5 minutes of a game. I have always hated that the rules of hockey change in the playoffs. I hate that they are completely subjective based on how a ref feels that night (and by Campbell's recent emails we know this to be true).

 

Sorry, I'll never give it up.

 

But you'll call such a penalty against the Sabres a cheapie. I know your type.

 

The officiating is bad. No one is arguing with you. Stafford high sticked a Panther in the face and got away with it. It goes both ways and good teams overcome it. Was Miller, besides being the goalie, team photographer, wedding planner, foundation director and systems coach also pretending to be a ref on that goal, was he that distracted? Make a save, make the bad call irrelevant.

 

What was your position on the vicious two-hander on Vanek in the playoffs? Something like, "That slash happens 100 times a game."

[DFITZ1]

2 goals a game? How many two-goal leads did Miller blow in the playoffs against the Bruins?

 

Miller is the prolapsed bladder of an 86-year-old woman: leaky under pressure. Hey, my first Harry-ism!

 

Oh, now Miller blew the playoffs. Last I heard it was the lack of toughness. THE REAL REASON IS THIS TEAM CANNOT SCORE.

 

How about if we follow your lead and bench Miller and rely on this group of skaters to carry the team to the playoffs. Will not happen. We do not have a NHL calibre 1st line, a weak second line at best.

[PASabreFan]

Oh, now Miller blew the playoffs. Last I heard it was the lack of toughness. THE REAL REASON IS THIS TEAM CANNOT SCORE.

 

How about if we follow your lead and bench Miller and rely on this group of skaters to carry the team to the playoffs. Will not happen. We do not have a NHL calibre 1st line, a weak second line at best.

 

He got outplayed by Rask. He was PART of the problem.

 

I don't want to bench Miller. He needs to get his head out of his ass, that's all. I wouldn't mind seeing Enroth come up and challenge Miller a bit, but it's pretty clear that would be too much for a fragile psyche. Isn't that why Lalime is here? Or someone could tell Miller they're having the Olympics again in February.

[Eleven]

Why not, assuming the return is a good one. Miller will be an interesting decision for new management under Pegula. I don't think it's nearly the no-brainer most people would make it out to be.

 

I have a funny feeling the return wouldn't be incredibly high. Good hockey people know what Miller is.

 

The same good hockey people voted him the Vezina last year. Seriously, everyone needs to stop the exaggeration with MIller. He's having a bad season, and he's blown two Florida games in one week, but let's not pretend that he's some average goalie.

[SwampD]

But you'll call such a penalty against the Sabres a cheapie. I know your type.

 

The officiating is bad. No one is arguing with you. Stafford high sticked a Panther in the face and got away with it. It goes both ways and good teams overcome it. Was Miller, besides being the goalie, team photographer, wedding planner, foundation director and systems coach also pretending to be a ref on that goal, was he that distracted? Make a save, make the bad call irrelevant.

 

What was your position on the vicious two-hander on Vanek in the playoffs? Something like, "That slash happens 100 times a game."

If you knew my type you wouldn't be saying these things. It was a good no call on Connolly's injury, all of Hecht's hooking calls (and there have been a lot of them) actually were hooking, I could go on. All of what they call are penalties. It's what they don't call that effects the game.

 

One more question. Why is it that everyone is in agreement that officiating is bad, yet when someone actually points out a particular play that shows it, they are called a whiner and told to stop complaining about the officiating? It's like when someone complains about the government and then doesn't vote.

[DFITZ1]

He got outplayed by Rask. He was PART of the problem.

 

I don't want to bench Miller. He needs to get his head out of his ass, that's all. I wouldn't mind seeing Enroth come up and challenge Miller a bit, but it's pretty clear that would be too much for a fragile psyche. Isn't that why Lalime is here? Or someone could tell Miller they're having the Olympics again in February.

 

Didn't we have an able #2 goaltender in Ty Conklin who Quinn/Regier let walk? Not only did Ty win the 1st Winter Classic, but he backed up #1 goalies in both Pit and Detroit for long stretches in successive years to reach the SC Finals while our "best option going forward" team missed the playoffs. Our back ups have been sieves, and failed when called upon. Enroth has a chance to change that, but technically, he's not the back up. Why is Miller being called on to get his head out of his rear, while others are allowed to keep theirs firmly planted inside their colon?

[SwampD]

Didn't we have an able #2 goaltender in Ty Conklin who Quinn/Regier let walk? Not only did Ty win the 1st Winter Classic, but he backed up #1 goalies in both Pit and Detroit for long stretches in successive years to reach the SC Finals while our "best option going forward" team missed the playoffs. Our back ups have been sieves, and failed when called upon. Enroth has a chance to change that, but technically, he's not the back up. Why is Miller being called on to get his head out of his rear, while others are allowed to keep theirs firmly planted inside their colon?

That's a great line.

[PASabreFan]

The same good hockey people voted him the Vezina last year. Seriously, everyone needs to stop the exaggeration with MIller. He's having a bad season, and he's blown two Florida games in one week, but let's not pretend that he's some average goalie.

 

Voting someone the Vezina and giving up a lot to get him are two different things. You can recognize that a player had an incredible half season and still know he's been just good to very good the rest of his career.

[PASabreFan]

Didn't we have an able #2 goaltender in Ty Conklin who Quinn/Regier let walk? Not only did Ty win the 1st Winter Classic, but he backed up #1 goalies in both Pit and Detroit for long stretches in successive years to reach the SC Finals while our "best option going forward" team missed the playoffs. Our back ups have been sieves, and failed when called upon. Enroth has a chance to change that, but technically, he's not the back up. Why is Miller being called on to get his head out of his rear, while others are allowed to keep theirs firmly planted inside their colon?

 

I'm glad you kept all those heads and rears straight.

[Robviously]

Why not, assuming the return is a good one. Miller will be an interesting decision for new management under Pegula. I don't think it's nearly the no-brainer most people would make it out to be.

 

I have a funny feeling the return wouldn't be incredibly high. Good hockey people know what Miller is.

I could see the return being low and I could see it being high. There are teams in all professional sports leagues that make absolutely ridiculous trades.

 

I'd definitely trade Miller if the right deal came along. But I don't know if it would, and I'm also not in a huge hurry to trade him because he's one of the few players on the team who actually seems to care about winning and losing. I can't stand all the "Uhhhh....there's no excuse to come out as poorly as we did tonight" quotes after the game. We hear that more often than we don't.

 

And in Miller's defense: We play him EVERY. SINGLE. GAME. Our organization is so dysfunctional that they re-signed a back-up goalie that they're terrified to let play. That should eliminate any belief anyone may have had that this franchise was serious about winning this season.

[Marvelo]

All talk of Miller aside, now we'll see a even more diminished Thomas Vanish with the apparent longterm injury of his partner Roy...

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article292823.ece

[dan213]

Too bad this team can't put a full 60 minutes together...

[bob_sauve28]

All talk of Miller aside, now we'll see a even more diminished Thomas Vanish with the apparent longterm injury of his partner Roy...

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article292823.ece

That really sucks

[PASabreFan]

All talk of Miller aside, now we'll see a even more diminished Thomas Vanish with the apparent longterm injury of his partner Roy...

http://www.buffalone...ticle292823.ece

We really don't know long he's going to be out. Harrington is making stuff up, to a certain extent.