Miller Was Terrible

[bob_sauve28]

But I'm sticking with him for game 2. He is a good 'rebounder'--pun intended--and should get himself together for game two. If not, I'm with Marty for game three.

[Corp000085]

Bob, an old friend told me this anecdote:

 

"If you're being chased by a shark, you don't have to outswim the shark, you just have to outswim your friend."

 

 

Miller--6 goals against

Emery--7 goals against

 

 

 

 

 

Both goalies will play stronger on monday, tonight was just not a night to be concerned with goalie stats. However, miller is a much better goalie than emery, so things should bode well.

[matter2003]

He didnt have his best game, but he could have used a little help on a few of those goals....especially the one where Ottawa got 4 shots before they scored as 3 SAbres just stood there and watched...

[bob_sauve28]

He didnt have his best game, but he could have used a little help on a few of those goals....especially the one where Ottawa got 4 shots before they scored as 3 SAbres just stood there and watched...

Yes, four shots off of four fat rebounds. He has to control those better, its part of his job. But hey, like I said, he will play better on Monday.

[jad1]

The defense can also do a better job of tying up the Senators sticks on the rebounds. It's a fixable problem.

 

Ottawa, on the other hand will have to work on cutting down on the odd man breaks. Emery, with his aggressive style of play is a sitting duck on the cross-crease passes.

[VABeachSabresFanatic]

He didnt have his best game, but he could have used a little help on a few of those goals....especially the one where Ottawa got 4 shots before they scored as 3 SAbres just stood there and watched...

 

I agree 100%. Miller needs to pick his game up, but even a red-hot goaltender would have let in 2-3 of those. The team has to help him out some by clearing some rebounds away and not leaving guys wide open in front of the net. We just need to get better goaltending than Ottawa gets, and Miller gives us the best shot at that.

[topshelfcookies]

There is no goalie in the world that would have performed markedly better than Miller/Emery did tonight with the way play was going.

 

I will agree that I didn't like some of the rebounds Ryan was giving up, but other than taht, he played fine. Saved the game and came up huge with the glove save on a deflected shot late in the 3rd period.

 

The 1st Ottawa goal Vanek never bothered to backcheck and Miller never really had a chance.

The 2nd Ottawa goal, Ryan gave up a bad rebound, but Tallinder was caught without his stick in front of the net, and couldn't take care of his man.

 

Eh...I'm too pumped to go through all 6. Suffice it to say, Miller didn't play great, but played good enough to win and THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS!

 

WHAT A GAME

[PASabreFan]

Some bad rebounds, some poor defensive play... but I want to give Ryan some credit for some very good saves in the third period after it was 5-4. Kept us in the game. I am optimistic that his third period, plus winning the game, will bode well for Ryan in Game 2. Don't ask me which saves I'm referring to... I don't think I know my own name right now.

[PromoTheRobot]

You guys are nuts. What stunk was the Sabres defense. How many times did Miller malke the save only to have a Senator standing all alone to knock it in> Or have 5-6 whacks at the puck with Millers D just standing around and watching? Play $hitty D and give up 6 goals.

 

Emery was the weak goalie in this game. 7 goals on 23 shots is not playoff-caliber goaltending. He coughed up the game tying goal, and was beat by a wrister to lose the game. He is going to get ROASTED by the Ottawa press.

[Taro T]

Some bad rebounds, some poor defensive play... but I want to give Ryan some credit for some very good saves in the third period after it was 5-4. Kept us in the game. I am optimistic that his third period, plus winning the game, will bode well for Ryan in Game 2. Don't ask me which saves I'm referring to... I don't think I know my own name right now.

When he made the save on the wrap around attempt, I told my wife that that may be the changing point of the series. He followed that up with a fantastic glove save low. (Yeah, he gave up another goal later, but that was not his fault, IMHO.)

 

What a friggin' game. It really stinks that these 2 couldn't meet up next round (or better yet in the finals) because they both look like they will deserve to advance beyond the round of 8.

[jad1]

You guys are nuts. What stunk was the Sabres defense. How many times did Miller malke the save only to have a Senator standing all alone to knock it in> Or have 5-6 whacks at the puck with Millers D just standing around and watching? Play $hitty D and give up 6 goals.

 

Emery was the weak goalie in this game. 7 goals on 23 shots is not playoff-caliber goaltending. He coughed up the game tying goal, and was beat by a wrister to lose the game. He is going to get ROASTED by the Ottawa press.

 

No doubt, and not just by the Ottawa press, but the entire Canadian press. The Sens, along with Edmonton are carrying the Canadian flag in the playoffs.

[gregkash]

Can me Miller be better?

 

Yes. Much Better.

 

Did I think he played particularly bad?

 

Not really.

 

Like said above, I think a lot of it was the Sabres defense.. And he did make those two saves, one huge one of the redirection.

[nfreeman]

I thought Miller didn't have his A game, but I don't think he stunk. I'd give him about a B, for being a little too generous with the rebounds, and Emery a C. Numminen's goal was on the soft side, as was Drury's. And I don't see how he didn't smother the puck with 12 seconds left (but I ain't complainin' either).

 

I've thought all along that we needed Miller to be in the zone to win this series, and now we've won a game without that. Not bad. I still think we need him razor sharp to beat these guys though.

[gregkash]

It's good to know that even if Miller plays like this his team has the heart to overcome.. just imagine how we'll be when he's on his A-Game.

 

Emery isn't as bad as this game suggests. He is capable of locking it down. This series is going to be a battle.

[Taro T]

I thought Miller didn't have his A game, but I don't think he stunk. I'd give him about a B, for being a little too generous with the rebounds, and Emery a C. Numminen's goal was on the soft side, as was Drury's. And I don't see how he didn't smother the puck with 12 seconds left (but I ain't complainin' either).

 

I've thought all along that we needed Miller to be in the zone to win this series, and now we've won a game without that. Not bad. I still think we need him razor sharp to beat these guys though.

I think you are being generous on both grades. Emery gets a D. I don't care how poorly his D plays on the few plays that he actually faces shots, you cannot (unless you'd like to see the other team win, which I would) give up 4 goals on 12 shots.

 

I give Ryan a B- simply because he won. If he loses, he gets a C+.

[gregkash]

I give Miller a C as he faced more shots and I think really only had a chance on maybe 1 or 2 goals.

 

I give Emery an D-, most of the goals weren't his fault, but three clearly were including not covering the puck and Drury's OT. I mean that's a shot you HAVE to stop.

 

It's your D-mans job to cover the pass, you have to play that shot.

[Fronz1103]

Usually most sabre teams i don't like their chances in a wide open game like the classic we witnessed tonight, but this team is different and are not afraid to play under pressure, as much as they may enjoy playing the game, i as a fan enjoy cheering for them. They are just a tightly knit group who play for one another and I hope it doesn't end ne time soon. Let's Go Buffalo!!!!

[ddaryl]

both teams had defensive and goalie lapses, and both sides paid the price. The Ryan gave up too many juicy rebounds, and our D seemed to leave guys open too often.

 

We're lucky the Senators matched us in this department.

[hopeleslyobvious]

When he made the save on the wrap around attempt, I told my wife that that may be the changing point of the series. He followed that up with a fantastic glove save low. (Yeah, he gave up another goal later, but that was not his fault, IMHO.)

 

What a friggin' game. It really stinks that these 2 couldn't meet up next round (or better yet in the finals) because they both look like they will deserve to advance beyond the round of 8.

 

Agreed, those were 2 big saves. I agree that the 6th goal was not his fault. Why we had 3 guys there is still baffling me.

[PASabreFan]

If the game had ended at 6-5, I think Emery gets the benefit of the doubt and Miller wears the goat horns. Fortunately, Tim Connolly and Chris Drury made plays to allow those roles to be reversed.

[Orange Seats]

I'll add my $0.02 to the growing pile of mixed feelings about Miller. He took more shots and made more saves than Emery did, and had a pretty strong third period, and on Smolinski's 2nd goal, Numminen was completely out of place. I agree with those who say that this game would have hard for ANY goalie, you have two of the fastest, deepest teams possibly ever in hockey, with new rules to help scorers, and smaller goalie pads. This is the way the NHL wanted it (and I'm not complaining) and the name of the game is scoring last.

 

That said, Miller needs to reign in those rebounds and stay ahead of the Sens. He has to feel confident in his team's ability to score. He's not terrible, but he played just well enough with what he had (including bad D) to get the win.

[Spandrel]

While Miller did not have much help, he still has to learn how to control rebounds better. On a couple of those goals, he just kicked the rebound straight back out into the zone.

 

Emery, on the other hand, had an absolutely dreadful game. I can only think of a couple saves he made all night. After our initial flurry in the first period, we were not getting a lot of consistent offensive pressure, so he wasn't facing a lot of scoring chances.

 

And yeah, the stats are fairly accurate:

 

Ray Emery 7 23 .696 save %

[LabattBlue]

But I'm sticking with him for game 2. He is a good 'rebounder'--pun intended--and should get himself together for game two. If not, I'm with Marty for game three.

The bottom line is that the Sabres won. If Miller lets in four goals in game two and the Sabres win, you stick with Miller.

 

WHAT A GAME!!!!

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Buffalo has to play better D. Miller has to work on the rebounds, but he did make some nice saves in the third period, kinda like Grant Fuhr for the high flying Oilers (Back in the day). What a game man, I thought I saw Mogilny and LaFointaine on one of the Sabre lines.

[X. Benedict]

I don't think Miller played badly. Some of those were 2nd or 3rd rebounds.

The defense needs to clear those. I am not worried about Miller,

but if I'm Ottawa I am very worried about Emery.