Game Discussion Thread

[bob_sauve28]

What I learned tonight:

 

1) ETHRON can win a game before it goes to a shootout. In all seriousness, the kid made some saves, but it's a good thing that the guys in front of him could clear/steer rebounds. He's a good reactive goalie, but he's got some work to do before becoming an NHL starter. There is no proactivity (proactiveness? proactiv? (oh, that's for acne)) about him, and that's because he's young.

 

2) Niedermayer outscored Connolly (who actually won a faceoff tonight). He's on pace for four goals this week. Maybe DeLuca will give him the MVP if the Sabres turn it around and make the playoffs.

 

3) I meant it before, and I mean it again now: This team won't miss Kaleta anywhere nearly as much as the fans will.

 

4) I actually think that the team missed Hecht tonight. I mean that. I also think that JP Bullfeathers on Elmwood missed Connolly tonight. I mean that, too.

 

5) Pominville is back and Vanek has his confidence at a high level; I almost think the boy has become a man. This is gonna be good.

 

6) Ennis? Chz had him as the "new Briere" last year. And I think that one year from now, we may find her to be correct (and also drunk on tequila, but that's another story). Kid looks good.

 

Give me Filly in a 7-game series. PLEASE!!!!!

1) Yes, but of course he needs time to improve

 

2) Funny!

 

3) I'm not sure I agree. He was better last year when he was also scoring so I hope he gets that back. Sometimes his passing is aweful

 

4) Hecht is tough. Seems like Sakera's puck skills almost make Connolly expendable

 

5) Be nice if Pommer and Vanek can keep it going. Glad Stafford scored again!!

 

6) I so love Ennis!!

[Eleven]

Also: to the ex-girlfriend who texted me the pic of her in the 'canes t-shirt today (and who probably doesn't read this board):

[LGR4GM]

I know lately it's been "play everyone" at center but I really think turning this Ennis into a center and keeping him away from the boards would be good

NOOOO put the lid back on pandora's box! Look maybe it could work with Ennis at center but idk if hes got the strenght to hold down the fort. He is more like max buzzing around the outside and feeding pucks towards the net. I am not for Ennis at center.

[LGR4GM]

in yahoo you can rank players overall and for the week not including tonight sekera is ranked 23rd... hes a beast.

[Freeezo]

NOOOO put the lid back on pandora's box! Look maybe it could work with Ennis at center but idk if hes got the strenght to hold down the fort. He is more like max buzzing around the outside and feeding pucks towards the net. I am not for Ennis at center.

 

Duly noted. Man is there anyone with a quicker pair of hands in this league than ennis?

[PASabreFan]

What I learned tonight:

 

1) ETHRON can win a game before it goes to a shootout. In all seriousness, the kid made some saves, but it's a good thing that the guys in front of him could clear/steer rebounds. He's a good reactive goalie, but he's got some work to do before becoming an NHL starter. There is no proactivity (proactiveness? proactiv? (oh, that's for acne)) about him, and that's because he's young.

 

2) Niedermayer outscored Connolly (who actually won a faceoff tonight). He's on pace for four goals this week. Maybe DeLuca will give him the MVP if the Sabres turn it around and make the playoffs.

 

4) I actually think that the team missed Hecht tonight. I mean that. I also think that JP Bullfeathers on Elmwood missed Connolly tonight. I mean that, too.

 

Give me Filly in a 7-game series. PLEASE!!!!!

 

Did you see the winning goal? Connolly won the faceoff to start OT, then worked his ass off in the Wild zone. You and Bucky. Jeez.

[Eleven]

Did you see the winning goal? Connolly won the faceoff to start OT, then worked his ass off in the Wild zone. You and Bucky. Jeez.

 

Yeah, let's keep him. Clearly, he's one of the best the Sabres ever have had.

[LGR4GM]

Duly noted. Man is there anyone with a quicker pair of hands in this league than ennis?

Probably not hes sick but I hope they teach him some finish. Kid bobs an weaves better than max and hes got more heart than valentine's day.

[thesportsbuff]

Connolly's been playing much better the second half of the season, really, but it's not worth arguing that here. He'll play a solid 60 minutes without anybody saying a word, but one turnover and the whole forum races to be the first to criticize him for it.

[LGR4GM]

yea thesportsbuff other than him being weak along the walls connolly hasnt been terrible the last week so I will let the man be n hope he stops hittin crossbars and starts burying the puck like he used to once upon a time.

[Two or less]

Connolly's been playing much better the second half of the season, really, but it's not worth arguing that here. He'll play a solid 60 minutes without anybody saying a word, but one turnover and the whole forum races to be the first to criticize him for it.

 

Yeah, but it's not just here. Once people start to hate, you can't get them to look at it in a realistic way. Connolly has played very solid for the Sabres for a while now, but he does make mistakes, as does everybody else, but also, Connolly is doing it just months after getting his face implanted.

[X. Benedict]

Connolly's been playing much better the second half of the season, really, but it's not worth arguing that here. He'll play a solid 60 minutes without anybody saying a word, but one turnover and the whole forum races to be the first to criticize him for it.

There some truth to that. He's the vogue whipping boy.

 

He still is a valuable player, but his loss of on-ice vision remains a mystery to me.

Also gone is that knack he had for freezing defensemen.

 

He used to have eyes in the back of his head....he just doesn't "that" these days.

[SDS]

 

He used to have eyes in the back of his head....he just doesn't "that" these days.

 

Maybe Roy told Timmy to stop staring at him... :ph34r:

[LGR4GM]

The devils won again and have played 65games and have 64pts, thats only 3 points behind toronto and 8pts behind us for the final playoff spot. Heres the thing thats scary, NJ is 9-1-0 in there last 10 or 18/20pts. If the rangers sat idle and the devils played the 3 games in hand they have and won all of them they would be at 70pts and only 4pts or 2 wins out of 7th place. Thats entirely possible with the way they have played their last month of games. They have the same number of games left and I am not suggesting they overtake us or we can't make it to 7th but I would bet that they make a run for that 8th spot so we better move on up to 7th.

[BuffaloSoldier2010]

just looked at the roster posted on the site. I hate to be that guy but whatever. Anyone planning on updating the roster? And i thought it was the sabres 40th anniversary, not their 18040th anniversary.

[Kelly the Dog]

Lindy leaves Connolly to center the top line. Lindy has him on the first PP unit. Lindy uses him on the PK and especially 5 on 3 against us. Unless you think Lindy is a total idiot (and this team has been playing excellent all around hockey lately), how do you explain that?

 

He frustrates me to no end. I hope and expect TC will be gone next year, too, but he's still our best center. And not nearly as bad as people here act.

[thesportsbuff]

Lindy leaves Connolly to center the top line. Lindy has him on the first PP unit. Lindy uses him on the PK and especially 5 on 3 against us. Unless you think Lindy is a total idiot (and this team has been playing excellent all around hockey lately), how do you explain that?

 

He frustrates me to no end. I hope and expect TC will be gone next year, too, but he's still our best center. And not nearly as bad as people here act.

 

+1 Good post.

 

Don't get me wrong, even as TC's biggest supporter, he makes some total bonehead plays that make me go WTF. And for the better of the organization, I too think and hope that he'll be gone next year (even though that renders my $150 jersey useless). But, like you said, he's not as bad as people think. He'll make one turn over a get grilled relentlessly about it when Vanek or Myers or whoever turn it over just as often. The difference is, sometimes Connolly turns it over while trying to make a fancy play or an impossible pass -- the others do it on routine hockey plays like clearing it up the boards or like Stafford making a no-look pass off the boards right to a Wild player in 10 ft in front of Enroth. Yikes. That was scary. I think Timmy needs to shoot more, both his wrister and slapper are better than Pominville's.

[LaLaLaFontaine]

Huge win, again.

 

The first goal was a real beauty. In germany we would say "Augenschmaus". I means a feast for the eyes.

 

The secomd goal. What should i say, if Rob Niedermeyer starts to shoot goals, everything will be possible.

 

The third goal: Just one word: DREEEEEEEEEEEEWWWW.

[JJFIVEOH]

The devils won again and have played 65games and have 64pts, thats only 3 points behind toronto and 8pts behind us for the final playoff spot. Heres the thing thats scary, NJ is 9-1-0 in there last 10 or 18/20pts. If the rangers sat idle and the devils played the 3 games in hand they have and won all of them they would be at 70pts and only 4pts or 2 wins out of 7th place. Thats entirely possible with the way they have played their last month of games. They have the same number of games left and I am not suggesting they overtake us or we can't make it to 7th but I would bet that they make a run for that 8th spot so we better move on up to 7th.

 

Not only are they 9-1 in their last 10, they're 20-2-2 in their last 24!:blink:

 

In today's NHL I find it nearly impossible that they can keep it up. I don't think they can get in the playoffs, they had just a couple too many losses early. But, I said the same thing 10 games ago and they still haven't let up.

[JJFIVEOH]

Lindy leaves Connolly to center the top line. Lindy has him on the first PP unit. Lindy uses him on the PK and especially 5 on 3 against us. Unless you think Lindy is a total idiot (and this team has been playing excellent all around hockey lately), how do you explain that?

 

He frustrates me to no end. I hope and expect TC will be gone next year, too, but he's still our best center. And not nearly as bad as people here act.

 

Yup! :thumbsup:

[stepped IN zhitnik]

The difference is, sometimes Connolly turns it over while trying to make a fancy play or an impossible pass -- the others do it on routine hockey plays like clearing it up the boards or like Stafford making a no-look pass off the boards right to a Wild player in 10 ft in front of Enroth. Yikes. That was scary. I think Timmy needs to shoot more, both his wrister and slapper are better than Pominville's.

He is a great 2nd line center with 2 strong wingers, but with ennis and pommers and other weaklings that never throw the body around he plays like a pu$$

[wjag]

I'll make my appeal again, send Lalime packing and keep Enroth up. It's time for him to play on the A team. Play him everytime the Sabres have a back-to-back game. His time is now.

[nfreeman]

I'll make my appeal again, send Lalime packing and keep Enroth up. It's time for him to play on the A team. Play him everytime the Sabres have a back-to-back game. His time is now.

Enroth needs to be here next year and get at least 20 starts. A rested, kinda PO'd Miller will be a highly effective Miller.

[nucci]

I'll make my appeal again, send Lalime packing and keep Enroth up. It's time for him to play on the A team. Play him everytime the Sabres have a back-to-back game. His time is now.

While it seems obvious that Lalime won't play again, I see no reason to cut him at this point. His salary is almost paid so there is no savings there. When Enroth plays, Lalime is backup which guarantees Miller gets the game off. Plus it helps when Miller skips practice that there are 2 goalies for the team.

[Weave]

Don't get me wrong, even as TC's biggest supporter...

 

*giggle*

 

 

Oh, COME ON!!! Noone saw this all evening ??!!