"Glass half full" opinion on last nights game...

[LabattBlue]

-Sooner or later they were going to lose a game and they need to learn how to deal with it.

 

-Philly needed two fluke goals and our normally potent PP falling flat in order to win the game.

 

-The Sabres are still up 2 games to 1.

 

-It was a close game until the end. Sabres could have fallen apart when the score hit 3-1.

 

-Golisano gets at least one more home game($$$$) in the first round. :)

 

GO SABRES!!!!!!!!

[cgang]

Half empty- I worry about Teppo's injury and how Dumont responds to the spearing. Giving up short handed opportunities will kill you in the playoffs- huge momentum shifter. Esche also seems to have his sea legs back after game 2.

 

Half full- After blowing a golden opportunity to go up 2-0 in the first, the Sabres give up a short hand goal, in the playoffs, away from home and STILL claw their way back to make the game interesting in the 3rd. A huge experience builder/gut check right there.

 

Another half full- Philly does a better job at the trap and still can only scrap a win over 2 odd goals against a young team where many were playing their first playoff away game.

 

Prediction for Friday- Sabres regroup, skate and pass better through Philly's version of the trap, Philly's D gets more risky as the game goes on, and the Sabres win 4-2 (no empty netter).

[Bmwolf21]

-Sooner or later they were going to lose a game and they need to learn how to deal with it.

 

-Philly needed two fluke goals and our normally potent PP falling flat in order to win the game.

 

-The Sabres are still up 2 games to 1.

 

-It was a close game until the end. Sabres could have fallen apart when the score hit 3-1.

 

-Golisano gets at least one more home game($$$$) in the first round. :)

 

GO SABRES!!!!!!!!

I am sticking with the half-full concept - we played average for almost 2 periods, and Philly still needed two fluky goals to beat us. We had to expect some jitters, nerves, whatever in the first road playoff game, in a hostile environment, but the team mostly handled it well - Miller should have had the Savage goal, but he rebounded pretty well. I'm not too concerned at all - I think they will settle down, get back to their game, and take care of business on Friday.

[Rico7]

Half full- Sabres actually played a pretty decent road game. Lady Luck just wasn't with us last night. 1 soft goal let in by Miller on shorty. 1 fluke goal, 1 lucky goal by Philly. Biggest thing was inability to score on PP when we needed to. I have no doubt our luck will change on Friday.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

The Sabres lost, but it wasn't a bad lost. They weren't crisp with passes and did not shoot on net nearly as much as they had in the previous games. Once Esche and the defense was settled down the sabres chances were limited. The loss will get them back on the ground and force them to concentrate on getting the little things right for next game.

 

Losing game three after winning the first two games is still a nice posisition to be in.....

[BuffalOhio]

Half Full - The third period was Sabres hockey at it's best. They skated hard, made good plays, and the D was jumping up into the play. Just couldn't catch a break.

 

The diving call on Roy was horseshiat!

[mrjsbu96]

-Sooner or later they were going to lose a game and they need to learn how to deal with it.

 

-Philly needed two fluke goals and our normally potent PP falling flat in order to win the game.

 

-The Sabres are still up 2 games to 1.

 

-It was a close game until the end. Sabres could have fallen apart when the score hit 3-1.

 

-Golisano gets at least one more home game($$$$) in the first round. :)

 

GO SABRES!!!!!!!!

 

 

i have to go the 'half-full' option also. this team is better off for having lost a game in this round than if they made it to the second round without a loss. egos and too much a feeling of invisibility would have set in. also, as good as a matchup as thsi is for the sabres, we are playing a team that made it to 100 points this year and has one of the best players in the world when he is on top of his game. i think those things got lost in the buildup to this series and in the two first games.

 

...and all that said, and as already pointed it, it took home-ice crowd and a couple lucky bounces for philly to beat us.

[apuszczalowski]

The diving call on Roy was horseshiat!

 

I don't know, I think Roy took the dive, but Philly still should have gotten something too. i mean, three times in a row someone goes after him and he's on the ground? It starts to look suspicious, especially on a team that has the reputation for diving.

[PASabreFan]

Half-full: Ales Kotalik is stirring. His physical play in Game 1 seems to have gotten him going. Max's game seems to be coming around again, too, with two assists last night. And the fourth line is looking dangerous -- Paul Gaustad is blooming before our very eyes.

 

Half-empty: The Sabres couldn't get the job done in Game 3, with the Flyers facing a must-win situation. The Flyers face it again on Friday, and this time the crowd will really be into it. If the Sabres power play doesn't start to click, you wonder why the result in Game 4 will be any different.

 

Half-full: The Sabres D is playing very well. They are limiting Philly's chances and allowing practically no odd-man rushes. Forsberg looks dangerous, but it took the intervention of the Hockey Gods for him to get on the scoresheet. Esche is running hot and cold.

 

Half-empty: Ryan Miller was a bit shaky. He was lucky to not allow a second bad shorthanded goal when he got out of position and Richards' shot hit the left post. And he was nervous playing the puck. Forsberg looks like he might be getting ready to put his team on his back. Esche is getting hot again.

 

Half-full: We have a great power play. The chances and goals should come.

 

Half-empty: We tend to give up shorthanded goals. They could tip this series.

[rickshaw]

I'll save the half full's and half empties and give my thoughts.

 

Daniel Briere was nowhere to be found last night. I thought someone else was wearing his jersey. One shot and we go to OT.

 

Miller let in a bad first goal. The 2nd was a complete fluke, the 3rd was a fluke as well and we're still right there.

 

Thomas Vanek looks good out there. He's giving the Flyers fits when he is on the offense. I think he needs more time out there to really have a chance to make an impact.

 

Just because Roy drew 2 penalties in a row, does not mean he can't be tripped 3 times in a row. That call against him was shocking.

 

On the SH goal, why was the play not called? Hatcher clearly hit Drury in the head. The play should have been called and either one or both should have been sent off. The ref was right there. If Lydman's phantom hook late in the same frame is a penalty, a hit to the head is as well??? No!?

 

We didn't play great and still almost had 'em.

[BRH]

The diving call on Roy was horseshiat!

And that was exactly what Roy told the ref after the call (you could read his lips clearly).

 

What I didn't like was Forsberg pointing at Roy after the call was made like "on you, yeah you, buddy." That crap belongs in the stands.

[rtconner]

-Golisano gets at least one more home game($$$$) in the first round. :)

you know there are a lot of bar owners and such who are happy we have a 3rd home game

[Knightrider]

Half-full: Ales Kotalik is stirring. His physical play in Game 1 seems to have gotten him going. Max's game seems to be coming around again, too, with two assists last night. And the fourth line is looking dangerous -- Paul Gaustad is blooming before our very eyes.

 

Gaustad really does a great job.

 

 

Half-empty: Ryan Miller was a bit shaky. He was lucky to not allow a second bad shorthanded goal when he got out of position and Richards' shot hit the left post. And he was nervous playing the puck. Forsberg looks like he might be getting ready to put his team on his back. Esche is getting hot again.

 

 

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think Miller got a piece of the puck and deflected it with his stick.

[PASabreFan]

It might have skipped off his blocker, but even if it it did, it was pure luck. He was on the deck.

[hopeleslyobvious]

It might have skipped off his blocker, but even if it it did, it was pure luck. He was on the deck.

 

Don't you have to have luck on your side to be a great goaltender?

[PASabreFan]

Sure. I'm easy. I'm not in the mood to argue. Ryan is not the reason Philly won Game 3, our stinkin' power play and/or the Flyers' great penalty killing is the reason. Anyone else have butterflies already?

[Corp000085]

Sure. I'm easy. I'm not in the mood to argue. Ryan is not the reason Philly won Game 3, our stinkin' power play and/or the Flyers' great penalty killing is the reason. Anyone else have butterflies already?

 

i'm very scared for tomorrow, because we have a young team. however, i'm confident because we have lindy ruff. this team will win tomorrow.

[hopeleslyobvious]

Sure. I'm easy. I'm not in the mood to argue. Ryan is not the reason Philly won Game 3, our stinkin' power play and/or the Flyers' great penalty killing is the reason. Anyone else have butterflies already?

 

 

Nope, we didn't play great and it still took a fluke goal and a weird goal for them to beat us.

[MLH]

The only problem I see is that now there's a lot of pressure on the Sabres, a young team, to win game 4. It would be really tough to win this series if it comes back to Buffalo 2-2 from a momentum/pressure standpoint.

 

Look at all of the "fluke" events that happenened last night.

 

* Miller lets in a shorthanded goal that he stops 98% of the time.

 

* Forsberg scores two goals that deflect off of two Sabres before going in.

 

* The 3rd best PP in the league goes 0-7 against one of the worst PK units in the NHL.

 

* Buffalo plays most of the game with 5 defensemen.

 

* Briere plays his worst game as a Sabre and the entire top line is shut down.

 

* Philly was playing it's first home game of the playoffs in a situation where if they lose their season is all but over.

 

* The Sabres hit two posts and Pominville, as pure of a finisher as Buffalo has, misses three chance alone in front; fanning on the first with Esche down and out.

 

Despite all of that, we could have easily won the game. We didn't play our best game, but it's clear who the better team is. We should win this series in five games.

[MLH]

Look at all of the "fluke" events that happenened last night.

 

* Miller lets in a shorthanded goal that he stops 98% of the time.

 

* Forsberg scores two goals that deflect off of two Sabres before going in.

 

* The 3rd best PP in the league goes 0-7 against one of the worst PK units in the NHL.

 

* Buffalo plays most of the game with 5 defensemen.

 

* Briere plays his worst game as a Sabre and the entire top line is shut down.

 

* Philly was playing it's first home game of the playoffs in a situation where if they lose their season is all but over.

 

* The Sabres hit two posts and Pominville, as pure of a finisher as Buffalo has, misses three chance alone in front; fanning on the first with Esche down and out.

 

Well, Miller let's a goal in that he stops 99% of the time, they get two more bounce goals, Buffalo loses a forward for half the game, Max plays his worst game of the season, we hit a crossbar and fail to finish a PS and numerous breakaways. Yikes.

 

At least the PP was better.

[Taro T]

Well, Miller let's a goal in that he stops 99% of the time, they get two more bounce goals, Buffalo loses a forward for half the game, Max plays his worst game of the season, we hit a crossbar and fail to finish a PS and numerous breakaways. Yikes.

 

At least the PP was better.

Filly outplayed Buffalo tonight. No doubt about it. But considering the Sabres have played better IMHO in 3 out of 4 games and the Sabres have the extra home game, I expect them to win in 6.

[MLH]

Filly outplayed Buffalo tonight. No doubt about it. But considering the Sabres have played better IMHO in 3 out of 4 games and the Sabres have the extra home game, I expect them to win in 6.

 

Buffalo was bad in the 2nd, the first and third were pretty even. Overall, Philly was the better team.

 

That said, you're not going to win too many NHL playoff games if the opposing team scores two goals a game off bounces.

[Taro T]

Buffalo was bad in the 2nd, the first and third were pretty even. Overall, Philly was the better team.

 

That said, you're not going to win too many NHL playoff games if the opposing team scores two goals a game off bounces.

True, but if your game plan is "let's get 2 cheesy goals off of bounces", I like my chances.

[MLH]

True, but if your game plan is "let's get 2 cheesy goals off of bounces", I like my chances.

 

That's how I felt after game 1. Now I'm getting a little concerned.

[Taro T]

That's how I felt after game 1. Now I'm getting a little concerned.

Not sure I follow you. Care to elaborate?