Media Predictions

[topshelfcookies]

Has anyone yet to see a national (or international) member of the media pick Buffalo in this series?

 

So far, after checking most every American and Canadian sports sites, everyone has Ottawa winning in either 6 or 7 games.

 

This doesn't really bother me too much...most pundits state that they feel this will be the tightest series of the 4 semifinals, and that Ottawa has just a slight overall edge, but still, no one has come out (to my knowledge) and picked the Sabres.

[Goodfella25]

I can't find anyone predicting a Buffalo win, which reinforces our "underdog" status. The Canadian media, as expected, was been especially biased from what I've read. They make it sound like we don't have a prayed, and that's fine by me because they are in for a rude awakening. This series is going 6 or 7 games and I like our chances.

 

BTW, I have never really liked Bob McKenzie (a columnist on TSN.ca), but he really got under my skin with what he posted yesterday....that Martin Havlat has been a better player than any of the Sabres. He's been good, but his all-around game is not at the level of a Drury, in my opinion.

 

Furthering his idiocy, yesterday he posted that the Senators are much like the Sabres in that they both have depth and can roll 4 lines that can score....then tonight he posts this:

 

"When you also factor in Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, that gives the Sabres two lines to worry about in this series."Now I didn't mention the contributions of Daniel Alfredsson in the same breath, because a big question will be what the Senators captain will do in the second round.

If he can elevate his game on a separate line that does not include Havlat, Spezza and Heatley, the Senators will have two full lines capable of matching up with the Sabres."

 

 

Way to contradict yourself.

[MartyHavlatismyGOD]

Martin Havlat has been a better player than any of the Sabres. He's been good, but his all-around game is not at the level of a Drury, in my opinion.

 

I fully agree with him there. I didnt get to watch much of the Buffalo/Phillie series because i was at work most the time. However Chris Drury is a -1, Martin Havlat is a +3. If the sabers did not blowout Phillie in game 6, Drury would have been a -5. As far as stats tell, he only really had one good game. Before the last game he was 1 goal, four assists and minus 5. Bob mackenzie is a douche though.

[puma2577]

USAToday has Buffalo in 6. They also say this because it the "year of the upset."

[VABeachSabresFanatic]

I fully agree with him there. I didnt get to watch much of the Buffalo/Phillie series because i was at work most the time. However Chris Drury is a -1, Martin Havlat is a +3. If the sabers did not blowout Phillie in game 6, Drury would have been a -5. As far as stats tell, he only really had one good game. Before the last game he was 1 goal, four assists and minus 5. Bob mackenzie is a douche though.

 

Drury's plus/minus is a terrible way to evaluate his value to this team. He was out against the Forsberg-Knuble-Gagne line virtually every shift of the Flyers series and he played quite well against them, especially considering the amount of ice time that line was out there. Drury's heart, effort, and playoff experience are intangibles that can't be summed up in a stat line. He was one of the few bright spots on the US Olympic team this winter.

 

Each player does different things for his team so it's like comparing apples to oranges. That being said, it really is hard to argue that Havlat did not have a better 1st round considering how well he played vs. Tampa. On the other hand, in terms of value to his team, the Sabres losing Drury would be a bigger loss than Ottawa losing Havlat.

[mrjsbu96]

Has anyone yet to see a national (or international) member of the media pick Buffalo in this series?

 

So far, after checking most every American and Canadian sports sites, everyone has Ottawa winning in either 6 or 7 games.

 

This doesn't really bother me too much...most pundits state that they feel this will be the tightest series of the 4 semifinals, and that Ottawa has just a slight overall edge, but still, no one has come out (to my knowledge) and picked the Sabres.

 

i don't it is a stretch that we are picked to lose this series guys and hope nobody is upset about it. the sabres have gotten plenty of ink for their story this year, but when you match these two teams up this is going to be difficult. ottawa is a very similar team but they have a better defense and that could be the biggest difference.

 

that is not to say we could pull an upset, but i think the media is correct in picking ottawa in 6 or 7.

[nfreeman]

Not that it matters, but SI.com has us winning in 7:

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/hock...emis/index.html

[PASabreFan]

And USA Today.

[Orange Seats]

Gleason (i think) picked Sens in the Buffalo News today.

[VABeachSabresFanatic]

I fully agree with him there. I didnt get to watch much of the Buffalo/Phillie series because i was at work most the time. However Chris Drury is a -1, Martin Havlat is a +3. If the sabers did not blowout Phillie in game 6, Drury would have been a -5. As far as stats tell, he only really had one good game. Before the last game he was 1 goal, four assists and minus 5. Bob mackenzie is a douche though.

 

 

Um, I'm gonna go out on a limb here:

 

Drury 1, Havlat 0 :lol: