Random Thoughts From Tonight's Game

[shrader]

Toivonen.

I was there relatively early, but they never announced his name while I was there. Since I don't know Boston's numbers and couldn't read the name plates from where I was sitting, I didn't even know he started until about midnight last night.

 

Anyway, just imagine this team if the Drury-Grier-Hecht line starts producing. Right now, everything is coming from Vanek-Briere-Dumont and Kotalik-Connolly-Afinogenov, with a couple Gaustad goals mixed in. If we can get the top three lines going, there will be a lot of rough nights for the opposition.

[Knightrider]

I was there relatively early, but they never announced his name while I was there. Since I don't know Boston's numbers and couldn't read the name plates from where I was sitting, I didn't even know he started until about midnight last night.

 

Anyway, just imagine this team if the Drury-Grier-Hecht line starts producing. Right now, everything is coming from Vanek-Briere-Dumont and Kotalik-Connolly-Afinogenov, with a couple Gaustad goals mixed in. If we can get the top three lines going, there will be a lot of rough nights for the opposition.

Come on, don't you know the other team's numbers? ;)

[Two or less]

Anyway, just imagine this team if the Drury-Grier-Hecht line starts producing. Right now, everything is coming from Vanek-Briere-Dumont and Kotalik-Connolly-Afinogenov, with a couple Gaustad goals mixed in. If we can get the top three lines going, there will be a lot of rough nights for the opposition.

 

Agreed. Someone needs to step up because the season is long and star players carry teams in the NHL. Drury and his life need to start, Hecht has been nearly nowhere also in the offensive zone, besides the Pittsburgh game.

 

As mobile the defense is and offensivly minded as they are, they are not creating as much as i thought. I imagined more chances by Lydman and Numminen for sure.

 

btw, i meant nothing on the Bruins goalie comment, i just thought i'd fix it. No biggy.

[BuffalOhio]

I think Kotalik has stepped up a bit, too. He's become much more physical, and had a great game last night. Need to get him loose for his awesome shot.

 

I was yelling at the screen last night when the Bruins were in the Sabres' zone. Nobody was hitting anyone. Just standing around like they were shorthanded, and they weren't!

 

I saw Vanek get crushed in front of the net with a nasty crosscheck when on the powerplay, and I couldn't believe nothing was called. There's still a lot of inconsistency with the officiating. That's a dangerous play.

 

Lydman played awful the first week, but I like his game now. He's a good player. I've never been sold on Tallinder.

[nfreeman]

My 2 cents:

 

1. Miller is the real deal and, along with the new rules, is the biggest reason the sabres are a playoff team (and not a one-and-done team either). He is TOUGH. He doesn't give up the killer goals at the wrong times like Biron does. This gives the team confidence and they play better in front of him.

 

2. We are pretty deep up front but vulnerable on D. We still don't have a true #1 defenseman -- a big bruiser/leader in the Scott Stevens mold that the rest of the D takes cues from. McKee and Tallinder are pretty good, and Kalinin will be when he gets healthy, but Lydman is just OK and Numminen and Fitzpatrick are below average (it's looking to me like we overpaid for Numminen). Campbell doesn't belong in the NHL.

 

3. Connelly just might turn into a real NHL player. He has a ton of talent and seems to be more aggressive this year. Afinogenov's all-around game also seems to have improved. Certainly Lindy seems more comfortable with both of them.

 

4. Gaustadt is a great addition. Between him, Pyatt, Tallinder, McKee, Kotalik, Greer, Dumont and Kalinin (not to mention Peters) we have enough size so that we aren't going to get pushed around by anyone. We actually have a lot of speed and a pretty fair amount of size.

 

5. With Briere and Drury adding scrappiness, there is no quit in this team.

 

6. If we keep winning, Dominik is going to have to play when the senators come to Buffalo.

 

7. I met Miroslav Satan once and he was a nice guy, but I'm glad he's gone. Having a highly paid floater like him is just destructive. The team is so much better without him (although it would have been nice to get something in return).

 

8. Thank heavens for DirecTV for us out-of-towners, but the Boston feed last night was terrible. Lousy camera work and lousy announcers. They didn't know anything about any of the Sabres and were reduced to complaining about the new rules since Boston had two more penalties called on them than we did.

 

9. Vanek will definitely start scoring. He is highly skilled. I'm not sure about Drury -- ie I can see him being a 15-goal, 30 assist guy -- which would be disappointing.

 

10. Give Darcy and Lindy some credit -- so far their plan is working well. I expect us to unload Biron and/or Noronen and get some good value in return.

 

Go Sabres.

[BetweenThePipes00]

Lydman has been better since the first two games, no doubt ... he's up to mediocre at this point.

Tallinder I think has been solid. I think we have to adjust our expectations the way the game is being called now ... he is a big guy (6-3, 214), so naturally people want him to bang people around, but the way the game is, his value is in being a good skater for his size and that long reach ... I have seen him make plays with his reach this season that few guys can. He gets his stick in passing lanes and can skate with most forwards ... It is frustrating when you see a guy that big standing next to someone in front of the net and he doesn't clean his clock (like Murray on the last goal last night), but I can see him as an asset if the refs keep calling the game tight.

Numminen is the guy who has been diasappointing in his own end ... he seems like his age is catching up with him and he is not mobile enough anymore for the new NHL ... but I'm not ready to run him out of town like I was with Lydman after the first two games ;)

[Taro T]

I was yelling at the screen last night when the Bruins were in the Sabres' zone.  Nobody was hitting anyone.  Just standing around like they were shorthanded, and they weren't!

It seems to me that the Sabres plan in the defensive zone is to try to clog the shooting lanes and not take dumb penalties. Considering they are 5-2 and one of the least penalized teams in the league, I'd have to say it's a good strategy.

 

If they start trying to go out of their way to hit people, they won't be able to stay in the shooting lanes and may start taking the dumb interference penalties. They ARE banging people in the neutral zone and offensive zone though.

[shrader]

btw, i meant nothing on the Bruins goalie comment, i just thought i'd fix it. No biggy.

I realize that. I'm just amazed at the fact that I never even noticed they had their backup in the game. That says something about the announcer in the Fleet Center. I also would've swore that I heard them announc #23 as Chris Taylor when I was walking to my seats. That one had me confused for a while.

 

 

Now on to Lydman. I liked what I saw from him yesterday. He broke up quite a few Boston chances with poke checks. He was nothing special, but he didn't play poorly.

[Taro T]

My 2 cents:

8.  Thank heavens for DirecTV for us out-of-towners, but the Boston feed last night was terrible.  Lousy camera work and lousy announcers.  They didn't know anything about any of the Sabres and were reduced to complaining about the new rules since Boston had two more penalties called on them than we did.

 

Go Sabres.

Considering they are 0-5 in division, all to teams that can skate better than them, the announcers may be crying a lot more before the season is over! The thing is the Bruins should be able to beat most any team built for size, so I still expect to see them in the playoff hunt. (They do get 50 games this year outside the division after all.)

[BetweenThePipes00]

It's funny the first game against Boston had the old ESPN guy Jack Edwards doing play-by-play for NESN and it was great, no homer stuff ... I guess the guys from last night were still doing Red Sox games or something because there was no sign of Jack last night ...

[nfreeman]

Lydman has been better since the first two games, no doubt ... he's up to mediocre at this point.

Tallinder I think has been solid. I think we have to adjust our expectations the way the game is being called now ... he is a big guy (6-3, 214), so naturally people want him to bang people around, but the way the game is, his value is in being a good skater for his size and that long reach ... I have seen him make plays with his reach this season that few guys can. He gets his stick in passing lanes and can skate with most forwards ... It is frustrating when you see a guy that big standing next to someone in front of the net and he doesn't clean his clock (like Murray on the last goal last night), but I can see him as an asset if the refs keep calling the game tight.

Numminen is the guy who has been diasappointing in his own end ... he seems like his age is catching up with him and he is not mobile enough anymore for the new NHL ... but I'm not ready to run him out of town like I was with Lydman after the first two games ;)

 

 

I agree with everything you said. I like Tallinder and think he's a real asset -- another good young player the Sabres have drafted and developed. I just think the biggest need the Sabres have is for a Scott Stevens type, and Henrik isn't that guy (and neither are McKee or Kalinin).

 

Leaving aside my desire for a #1 defenseman, I'm also concerned about depth. You have to assume that someone will get hurt at some point (e.g. McKee misses time every year), and then all of a sudden Campbell will have to play significant minutes.

 

I also agree on Numminen -- he's 37 and looks it out there. Although I checked the box score for last night's game and I think he had the most ice time of any of the defensemen, so Lindy must be comfortable with him.

 

Does anyone know if there are any good prospects on D on the farm in rochester?

[Two or less]

I also agree on Numminen -- he's 37 and looks it out there. Although I checked the box score for last night's game and I think he had the most ice time of any of the defensemen, so Lindy must be comfortable with him.

 

Does anyone know if there are any good prospects on D on the farm in rochester?

 

I disagree with Numminen. He doesn't blow anyone open, doesn't make the Derek Morris type rush in the offensive zone, doesn't have the Lidstrom type shot or plays defense like a Chris Pronger, but, he plays very smart. He knows everything that is going around him and he makes everything look very easy and simple. He never gets nervious and makes a mistake, he plays it easy and out of trouble. I really like the addition of Numminen, i don't think it's enough, i think we need another d-men and move him down, but we're better with him then without IMO.

 

I wish he had a better shot though, but at age 37 who can expect more? It still beats Zhitnik's shot from the point going way wide or way too high, atleast his are on target and as we saw last night from Connolly's shot to Dumont's goal, if you get it on target, magic can happen.

 

As for prospects in Rochester, there really isn't anyone. Doug Janik is there, he is only good as a fill-in player. Also Nathan Paetsch is there, he's decent. 22 years old, skates very good, has a decent pass, doesn't have a nice shot though. Also can hit, atleast more then Fizpatrick or Tallinder. I don't think we have anyone in the near future who we can count on as a very good d-men of the future, maybe Michael Funk, but he's still 2-3 years away from playing in Buffalo.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I checked the box score for last night's game and I think he had the most ice time of any of the defensemen, so Lindy must be comfortable with him.

This made me have a Smhelik flashback ... :blink: ... that guy used to drive me nuts ... normally I am in Lindy's corner but I always thought he played that guy too much, especially in big situations ... not to re-hash old debates, but I always felt Warrener and McKee were the guys who should have been on the ice in all the big spots and invariably it was Z and Smhelik ...

Ah, whatever ...

[Taro T]

This made me have a Smhelik flashback ... :blink:   ... that guy used to drive me nuts ... normally I am in Lindy's corner but I always thought he played that guy too much, especially in big situations ... not to re-hash old debates, but I always felt Warrener and McKee were the guys who should have been on the ice in all the big spots and invariably it was Z and Smhelik ...

Ah, whatever ...

BAD BtP, BAD! There should be a board rule that noone may ever mention Smehlik on a Friday after a win again. :lol:

 

Talk about ruining a good mood. :angry:

 

Smehlik was good before the knee injury and played reasonably well in the 2000-'01 season. Other than that he was HORRIBLE.

 

There are 3 catch phrases of Jeanneret's that stand out to me: "Lalalalalalalalala-fontaine!!!!!", "Top shelf, where mama hides the cookies!", and "Smehlik clears the puck ... not out." (Where's the d'oh smiley when you need it?) ;)

 

(OK, 4 catch phrases, "Jooooohhhhhhnnnnnnn vvvvvaaaannnn Booooooxxxxxxxmeeeerrr!", but I digress.)

 

Dom liked him, and Zhitnik was the team's best D-man. That is why those 2 played ahead of Warrener and McKee. My guess is that Dom had him wash his car every weekend, because I can't think of any reason other than them both speaking Czech for Dom to like him. Well, maybe one reason. Dom always knew from which side of the ice the puck was going to come at him. :P

[Rayzor32]

Random thoughts on last night and the first 7 games:

 

- we are better than the Bruins, Penguins, Isles, etc. thus far b/c we have the same team from the end of '03-'04 -- these guys know how to play and win together. I think the Bruins have 5 guys left from their '04 roster. Once these teams that had major off-season overhauls learn to play with each other and jell, we'll lose our advantage. For the next month, it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that we get EVERY POINT we can, or it will bite us in the ass in March. The only team to clean our clock so far was Ottawa, who also kept (relatively) the same team from '04.

 

- Miller may not be Hasek, but he's the closest we have. While he gives up a softie here and there, he comes up huge when he has to -- last night, he had several key stops -- I recall one 3rd period shorthanded breakaway that could have changed the game - Miller was aggressive and made a great save - I fear that Marty would have let the Bruin play him and score a decisive goal. A Miller (65-75%)/Noronen (25-35%) tandem will work well - Marty can go west - they could use him in Phoenix or LA. I'd like to see us get a bona fide blueliner in return -- perhaps when Gauthier gets back in the Coyotes lineup next month, we can take one of their more expensive d-men off their hands (Derek Morris?) -- they have our old friend Ballard ready to step in anytime...

 

- Pyatt has to go. What the hell is he doing out there? His roster spot could actually be productive with Roy or Pominville...

 

Let's Go Darcy -- let's tweak the roster and turn this "up and coming" team into a contender!

[Kristian]

 

There are 3 catch phrases of Jeanneret's that stand out to me: "Lalalalalalalalala-fontaine!!!!!", "Top shelf, where mama hides the cookies!", and "Smehlik clears the puck ... not out." (Where's the d'oh smiley when you need it?) ;)

 

Hehe, you forget another classic to go with Z/S pairing :

 

"Zhitnink, TAKES the shot, that one goes wide...."

:D

[BetweenThePipes00]

BAD BtP, BAD! There should be a board rule that noone may ever mention Smehlik on a Friday after a win again. :lol:

 

There are 3 catch phrases of Jeanneret's that stand out to me: "Lalalalalalalalala-fontaine!!!!!", "Top shelf, where mama hides the cookies!", and "Smehlik clears the puck ... not out." (Where's the d'oh smiley when you need it?) ;)

 

(OK, 4 catch phrases, "Jooooohhhhhhnnnnnnn vvvvvaaaannnn Booooooxxxxxxxmeeeerrr!", but I digress.)

My bad ... won't happen again ... just glad my brother and I are not the only ones who hated the guy.

 

Wow, could the Sabres use a Van Boxmeer now, or what?

[BetweenThePipes00]

OK, I know I just said I wouldn't mention the name again ... but I came across this looking at a list of Sabres trades over the years ...

 

March 07,1989: Lindy Ruff to NY Rangers for 1990 5th round draft pick (Richard Smehlik)

 

It explains everything. Ruff was essentially traded for Smehlik ... not sure how it explains it exactly, but it just does. ;) :D

[deluca67]

Do us a favor and keep the personal attacks at a minimum. This is supposed to be a thread about the Sabres and the game, not Deluca.

 

Deluca was in the majority as most hockey people thought this was going to be a tough year for the Swordsmen. So far they are wrong, but it is still October. If the officials put the whistle away, I suspect Deluca and the rest would be right.

 

He is a Sabres fan who is probably pleasantly surprised.

 

If you are honest with yourself, you didn't think they look this good either.

The checks is in the mail ;)

 

All I want is for the Sabres to win. That said, I don't accept people telling me that a team that has not seen the playoffs since the Pittsburgh series ( do you realize the Pens have drafted in the top five four times in the fours years since? Including 2 #1's overal?l) can take two years to get back. It's about winning and winning now. If not? The season is a failure.

 

Nothing more. Nothing Less :)

[Knightrider]

The checks is in the mail ;)

 

All I want is for the Sabres to win. That said, I don't accept people telling me that a team that has not seen the playoffs since the Pittsburgh series ( do you realize the Pens have drafted in the top five four times in the fours years since? Including 2 #1's overal?l) can take two years to get back. It's about winning and winning now. If not? The season is a failure.

 

Nothing more. Nothing Less :)

I haven't agreed with you much during the preseason, but at least to me, you just sound frustrated. A Sabres fan through and through though.

 

As for the Pens, they've been pretty luck in the lottery, but that is what it is.

 

If they don't make the playoffs, especially with the rule changes, you are right, the season is a failure.

[deluca67]

indeed...it's AWESOME isn't it?!

 

isn't it? ;)

 

the only thing that would make it better would be if we had signed peter bondra (or maybe a good defenseman)!

How can someone like me compete with such educated and informed opinions like these. The way you catch the spirit and the feelings of the posts you respond to is, shall I say? Inspiring.

 

If you keep slamming me like this I might have to change my favorite sport. Or, just make sure my thoughts are in line with everyone elses not to draw attention to myself.

 

You are so right. The Sabres don't need another finisher or a solid defensmen. I am so blind. 5 and 2 makes the Sabres perfect. You can't be better then that. Not even 6-1 or 7-0 is better then 5-2. Every team that ever missed the playoffs for three straight seasons made it the fourth. What was I thinking.

 

 

;)