Sabres in Seven!

[Knightrider]

The real question is has Ruff ever won a series in which he's faced an elimination game?

 

 

1997 versus Ottawa comes to mind...

[GGM]

1997 versus Ottawa comes to mind...

Wasn't that Nolan?

[Knightrider]

Wasn't that Nolan?

 

Doh!

 

You're right!

[cgang]

The real question is has Ruff ever won a series in which he's faced an elimination game?

 

No, it's not. The real question from an odds perspective is whether a team can lose 3 straight when they may have had 2 loses of 3 or more straight all season. At home and in the playoffs, no less. I like the odds of a Sabres win and the momentum for a victory just seems right to me based on the last game. We'll see.

 

Ruff has faced elimination 4 times as a head coach. In 1998, his team lost to Washington Caps 4-2 in the Eastern Conference final (as a rookie coach). In 1999, he coached the team to the Stanley Cup and, as we all know, "lost" the series 4-2 ("losing" game 6 by the hair of his a@#- the infamous no goal). In 2000, he lost 4-1 to Philly in the semis. And in 2001, he lost to Pittsburgh 4-3 in the semis.

 

Again, who cares? You judge the odds based on the team, not by club history or particular coach history. I remember back in the Philly series when I think the stat of the day was that, up 2 games to 0, the Sabres always won (except for some game way back in like the 70's). They wound up losing that particular game and then allowing Philly to come back and tie up the series- only then to destroy them in the next 2.

 

I may be delusional, whatever. My money is with the Sabres tonight.

[GGM]

No, it's not. The real question from an odds perspective is whether a team can lose 3 straight when they may have had 2 loses of 3 or more straight all season. At home and in the playoffs, no less. I like the odds of a Sabres win and the momentum for a victory just seems right to me based on the last game. We'll see.

 

Ruff has faced elimination 4 times as a head coach. In 1998, his team lost to Washington Caps 4-2 in the Eastern Conference final (as a rookie coach). In 1999, he coached the team to the Stanley Cup and, as we all know, "lost" the series 4-2 ("losing" game 6 by the hair of his a@#- the infamous no goal). In 2000, he lost 4-1 to Philly in the semis. And in 2001, he lost to Pittsburgh 4-3 in the semis.

 

Again, who cares? You judge the odds based on the team, not by club history or particular coach history. I remember back in the Philly series when I think the stat of the day was that, up 2 games to 0, the Sabres always won (except for some game way back in like the 70's). They wound up losing that particular game and then allowing Philly to come back and tie up the series- only then to destroy them in the next 2.

 

I may be delusional, whatever. My money is with the Sabres tonight.

I don't think it's delusional to think either way about tonight's game. It's just easy to understand the aprehension when, recently anyway, an elimination game for the Sabres has always meant death (eventually - I believe Ruff won Game 4 in the 2000 Philly series, but I could be wrong).

 

I think the Sabres will pull it out tonight, and probably go down (swinging) on Thursday. But they very well could win both and advance or be sent packing tonight. I just don't blame people for having "that" feeling.

[rickshaw]

The crowd needs to be much louder than in game 4. The crowd disappeared in game 4.

 

I can't be there as I live on the West Coast of Canada, but I will be watching the game and listening to our fans. Come on Sabre fans, I want you going home unable to speak.

 

The boys need you more than ever. We win tonight, we win the Cup!

 

Sabres 5-2 win tonight.

[wjag]

I don't claim to be any great hockey sage, but I have called the last three games correctly. It has been my opinion that we would not win the last two games. I was almost wrong in Game 5. Now, I truly believe that Game 6 is our Game. We have new troops integrated into the mix and home ice with a home crowd. I don't have a clue about Game 7 though.

 

In this seesaw battle, it is just not possible to predict. Here are my collective thoughts on the series so far.

 

1. The Sabres have not been the better team on any night, all night. You can make an argument for Game 3, but heck, they almost gave up that one also after being way up. They've played good periods, but not good games start to finish. Game 5 was the best of any of them and look how they gave that one away.

2. Miller has not been on his game. Sure the teams get tougher, but he just isn't the wall that we need.

3. The forwards are so hot and cold as to be unpredictable period to period.

4. The defense in the Buffalo zone scares the bejeebies out of me. Way to many richochet goals for my liking.

5. The powerplay is dead. We might as well go five on five as our five on four is broken.

6. Four-on-four scares the bejeebies out of me as well.

 

So why am I optimistic about game 6? Because there is this intangible that this team has. They were outplayed in Ottawa and won. They can overcome all those problems cited above and play one heckuva game.

 

Four things I think we need to do tonight

 

1. Stop Staals streak, right here, right now.

2. Make Lav change goalies again. That can't keep working. And even if it does, it means we are ahead.

3. Don't give up any leads after gotten.

4. Hit Brindy, Staal, and Stillman any chance we get. Send them home bruised and battered.