Game Discussion Thread

[billsrcursed]

Just a great game, defensively. Offensively, I want to see a little more.

 

Monty: What the hell you were thinking when you hauled down Briere, I'll never know. Your other penalty was questionable. Get it together, though, or GTFO.

 

Miller: Thanks, bud. Awesome. Some of us knew why you're still here. More of us know it now.

 

Gerbe: If you last three years in this league, I'll be surprised. Not because I don't think you have the talent, but because I think some Flyer will maim you for life. But damn, do you play one hell of a hockey game.

 

Butler: Welcome to your first taste of greatness. Keep drinking it.

 

Connolly (why did I think of him next?): Freaking awesome in your own end again, and on the 5-on-3 again. I don't know what happened to you, but keep it up.

 

Stafford: Why is it that when one of the 19/21 pair does well, the other must suck? I saw two passes that were two feet off of your stick, and you did nothing to grab either. Both in the offensive zone. Both were scooped up by Filly players. What the hell is the matter with you? Either could have been a goal. Or both.

 

Gaustad: You were a freaking madman tonight. Keep it up.

 

Kaleta: I doubted that you belonged in the playoff lineup. I kinda still do, but I'll definitely give you full credit for a freaking awesome forechecking game tonight. Oh, and that goal thing. You keep that up and stop the Avery-esque stuff, and I'll want you here forever.

 

Rest of Buffalo D (including forwards playing D): Solid, solid game.

 

Rest of Buffalo O (including defensemen playing O): More forechecking. And that goal--that's the thing with the red pipes. Put pucks on it. Sideshow Bob isn't that good. 25 shots is not nearly enough, even if it was tonight.

 

Happened to Myers, too. Puck jumped off his stick from cross-ice passes, neither of which he could gather back in and caused rushes the other way. Slippery tape tonight??

[LGR4GM]

we were only outhit 40-35, I think we can physically stay with them but its going to involve a lot of hard work by our Def to keep the flyers sticks tied up an lanes clear of traffic and guys to the outside. Miller was clutch. in less than 48 hours we do it all over again. 1 down 15 to go. O and VMD you suck buddy and you only got a star because the philly media is crying and being all whiny because their bribe to the refs didnt work out.

[Eleven]

Happened to Myers, too. Puck jumped off his stick from cross-ice passes, neither of which he could gather back in and caused rushes the other way. Slippery tape tonight??

 

No, I'm talking about two passes that Stafford just didn't bother getting, not passes that jumped off of his stick. I mean, in these two cases, all the guy had to do was push his back leg and move forward. It's the same "well, it wasn't right on my tape" sh*t that we saw in November, and this is not the time for that primadonna crap.

 

Also, neither pass was cross-ice. They were up-ice, near boards. Seriously, all he had to do was kick it into third gear from second.

[billsrcursed]

No, I'm talking about two passes that Stafford just didn't bother getting, not passes that jumped off of his stick. I mean, in these two cases, all the guy had to do was push his back leg and move forward. It's the same "well, it wasn't right on my tape" sh*t that we saw in November, and this is not the time for that primadonna crap.

 

Oh, my bad.

 

Don't seem to recall those, but it's Stafford, so I'll take your word for it. ;)

[carpandean]

It was probably mentioned at the time, but I still don't like when Kaleta skates past a celebrating teammate (Gerbe in this case) to do his little signature celebration. Big goal; celebrate with your teammates.

[Figster]

The gritty play of Kaleta Rocks!!!! :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[dEnnis the Menace]

Reading the recap on ESPN, and Laviolette was saying that Pronger could've been the difference in that game...WOW! REALLY? You're gonna call out a defenseman that can't play as your excuse for losing? :thumbsup:

[Eleven]

It was probably mentioned at the time, but I still don't like when Kaleta skates past a celebrating teammate (Gerbe in this case) to do his little signature celebration. Big goal; celebrate with your teammates.

 

Totally agree with this. And I noticed it at the time, too.

[calti]

I don't like Peter Laviolette's heavily moosed hair.

hehe..thanks for the belly laugh

[Figster]

Totally agree with this. And I noticed it at the time, too.

 

 

Kaleta was just doing his traditional "I just scored a big goal knock out punch"

 

its all good, bet his teammates are grateful enough...

[CallawaySabres]

Wow, just Wow.....nothing better than making the filly fans boo their team in game 1 at home.

[Cereal]

It was probably mentioned at the time, but I still don't like when Kaleta skates past a celebrating teammate (Gerbe in this case) to do his little signature celebration. Big goal; celebrate with your teammates.

 

 

Totally agree with this. And I noticed it at the time, too.

 

Thirded. I wasn't about to complain though...

[bunomatic]

Reading the recap on ESPN, and Laviolette was saying that Pronger could've been the difference in that game...WOW! REALLY? You're gonna call out a defenseman that can't play as your excuse for losing? :thumbsup:

Just watched the presser and thats not exactly how it went down. He did say Pronger would have made a difference ( which is obvious to most everyone ) but went on to say why worry about someone that isn't available. In no way did he use that as an excuse. Just sayin.

[Eleven]

Paul Hamilton: "I'd rather have seen the Sabres game from the other night (presumably, 4/8)." And then goes on to list about every reason why the Sabres played this one better. And I really LIKE Hamilton!

[Punch]

Thirded. I wasn't about to complain though...

 

 

Especially considering Gerbe did the dirty work in the corner to dig out the puck and maintain possession. Still, for a guy like Kaleta, it's rare to get a goal, let alone a big one on the road in the postseason.

[Punch]

Paul Hamilton: "I'd rather have seen the Sabres game from the other night (presumably, 4/8)." And then goes on to list about every reason why the Sabres played this one better. And I really LIKE Hamilton!

 

It's gotta be the concussions.

[Figster]

Thirded. I wasn't about to complain though...

 

 

lol, hey, I'm getting out voted here,

 

Kaleta can be a horrible human being if you oppose him and by nature, he's not a Mr.Nice Guy on the ice

 

Complain about the game winning goal, Ummmm, how about No

[Derrico]

One of the worst games played in the offensive zone but our team D and Miller were sooooooo good that we pulled it off. Let's play a little more in the philly zone Game 2.

[ColdBlueNorth]

I didn't think we played the greatest game, but it was a good safe, simple, defensive game on the road. Guys collapsed around Miller and worked hard to keep him clean when it was obvious that the Flyers were going out of their way to try to run him. Kept most of the shots to the perimeter and I liked the way the guys fought around the crease, there have been years when our goalie would get leveled and our defense looked like it could care less.

 

These young defensivemen make some dumb mistakes, but they push back. I don't want to jinx him, but Gragnani looks like the real deal - the playoff game didn't appear to be too big for him. He just seemed to make great decisions with the puck, calm - in control, and he never looked out of position.

 

I thought Phily controlled a lot of the play, and got away with a lot of obstruction and stick-holding, but I don't expect that to change in this series. It's going to be a grinder. Ryan was in the zone tonight and I loved that the Philly boards were loaded with comments about him getting into the team's head after they threw everything but the kitchen sink at him. Was kind of suprised the that their boards showed some class (yeah, I know the history) most thought that Miller should have been the first star of the game.

 

Miller has been streaky, but it is amazing that he actually was able to come back this year from that groin pull he suffered early on and be effective. He's gotten stronger as the year has progressed and it has to help to know that Enroth can steal a game or two for him if needed.

 

My personal favorite post was:

 

"Crap. Well score early next time and it will be a different story. If we play with this intensity all series, we will win it. Miller can't keep it up.

 

Can he?"

 

Gotta love that "Can he?" squeek at the end.

[OverPowerYou]

The best part of having Kaleta in the lineup - His goal celebrations.

[LGR4GM]

Lindi Ruff on Grangani, Butler and Weber's game: "great, real good, and excellent"

 

As for Kaleta ignoring gerbs to do his little dance... Eh he got excited and wanted to rub it in, he hugged him when everyone got together.

[X. Benedict]

It was probably mentioned at the time, but I still don't like when Kaleta skates past a celebrating teammate (Gerbe in this case) to do his little signature celebration. Big goal; celebrate with your teammates.

 

I love that he rocked it. He has a Philly crowd to aggravate and a Philly bench to irritate.

 

his work doesn't stop when the lamp is lit... :thumbsup:

 

BTW...I was watching the TSN feed. Aaron Ward said between periods Kaleta is the only person that he's not sure he can recognize as a human, worse than Ken Linsman, he said. :lol:

[nfreeman]

Goose with the best game of his life

Graniani with the best game of his life

Yes on these. And Butler too!

 

I liked how we didnt back down and took some of the hits to them.

Right on. The Sabres were every bit as physical as Philly was.

 

he [Gaustad] sure was out there alot and that line makes stuff happen

That line was by far the Sabres' best line tonight. Unfortunately that is partially because Vanek and Pommer did nothing so that line was weak, and Boyes-Ennis-Stafford were only marginally better.

 

Good stuff. I would add that Grier made some bone-crunching hits. There are going to be some Philly ears ringing to tomorrow morning.

He was terrific. And Niedermayer did a pretty good job in the 2nd half of the game too.

 

My game notes:

 

1. Miller! Miller! Miller!

 

2. Distressing recurrence off the top 6 disappearing act from last spring -- and this time the ringleader was Vanek, who did absolutely zero with his 13.5 minutes of ice time (although the rest of the top 6 was almost as bad). That's not a captain-worthy effort.

 

3. Speaking of the captaincy, I'll say it: Not only is Gaustad worth his salary, I want him as the captain next year. Not Vanek, although he and Myers can be the alternates.

 

4. The Hogs had a helluva game tonight. I'm starting to think Gragnani is in the top 6 next year -- so, unless they trade a defenseman, it will be Leopold and the 5 hogs in the top 6, with Morrissey as #7.

 

5. Butler in particular was outstanding. Solid and smart all night, and by far the most ice time on the team. He was also the one who started the dustup with Richards in the Sabres' crease early on.

 

6. Monty was awful in the 1st period, but I thought he settled down in the 2nd and was pretty solid for the rest of the game (although he coughed it up in the defensive zone with 3 seconds left).

 

7. The Sabres are going to need a better forecheck from the top 2 lines to win this series.

 

8. There's a long way to go, but I'd rather be up 1-0 than down 1-0.

 

Good win boys. Let's get another one on Saturday and take control here.

[...]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think it's important to note that NONE of the Flyer's top six scored as well and were as ineffective as the Sabres top six.

 

I agree that we Sabres fans would like our top six to produce something, and I certainly hope they do going down the road here, but I don't think tonight's game is really an indicator of how the Sabres top six will do in these playoffs.

 

If anything, it shows that the coaches for both teams got enough out of their D-pairings that both sides' big guns were shut down. And the fact that it took the third line (I assume the Gaustad, Gerbe, Kaleta line is the third line) on the Sabres to score, while none of the Flyer's lines could, only shows that the Sabres are deeper on D than the Flyers.

[BuffaloFansR_Crazy]

Weber.