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GAME DISCUSSION THREAD


Corp000085

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8pm

 

 

Well, this game could go either way... the sabres have the look of a 4-5 game losing streak, however they still have that ability to turn it on. does it happen tonight? will marty finally get a start to shake things up, and to allow a pedestrian ryan miller to think? this is the return of JP Dumont, so you know he'll be flying... although, so will briere and hecht, his old linemates. 3-2 buffalo in OT. no better way to leave the crap play behind us than with a nice OT thriller. pominville with the winner tonight...

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I don't usually say this, but I really hope we see Marty tonight. Having your starter go 14 straight starts in November/December is pointless when you have a "capable" backup waiting to play. A night off would give Ryan almost a week off from his last start - more than enough time to recharge the batteries and regain his focus.

 

Besides, the team seems to focus more defensively when Marty is in the pipes - maybe they need him to play to refocus their game.

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I'm hoping this is one of those games where the boys in blue and gold say, "Relax all you fans out there on SabreSpace. The Kids Are Alright."

 

I think the Sabres come out on top tonight and send the Preds and their blue and Gulden's mustard jerseys out of the Gaylord with a home "L".

 

We'll just have to see. The Preds are a pretty decent team.

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Besides, the team seems to focus more defensively when Marty is in the pipes - maybe they need him to play to refocus their game.

 

The Sabres do give up a couple fewer shots per game when Marty is in goal. Not sure it's enough to be significant. Of course you'd have to look at scoring chances. Don't get me started on that again.

 

Tough call for Lindy. If he thinks Ryan needs the rest maybe he goes Marty tonight, Ryan in St. Louis, Marty vs. Washington, Ryan against the Canes and Thrashers, and Marty again on New Year's Day vs. the Isles. It just has to be tough for a head coach to put in the backup in a matchup of conference powers, on the road, against a hot team, when you're trying to head off a long losing streak.

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Whether Marty is "capable" of anything other than softies and assisting on opposition goals remains open to debate, but yeah I figure you might as well give him some starts when things aren't going too well.

Hence the quotes around the word capable... :thumbsup:

 

Just browsing through the Sabres' stats on Yahoo Sports, and doesn't look like $2M buys much in terms of backup goaltenders anymore, does it? 7-2-0, 3.15 GAA and .889 SV %? I didn't think his numbers were that bad...

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Hence the quotes around the word capable... :thumbsup:

 

Just browsing through the Sabres' stats on Yahoo Sports, and doesn't look like $2M buys much in terms of backup goaltenders anymore, does it? 7-2-0, 3.15 GAA and .889 SV %? I didn't think his numbers were that bad...

 

Yeah I know, I just couldn't resist :D

 

Other than that you're right on his numbers, particularly the GAA :blink:

 

And I agree that Miller could use a breather.

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But they're not much worse than You Know Who's. :) Just goading you, sorry.

 

By the way. I just had a thought. First one today. When it comes to evaluating a goalie's performance, can we ban the following:

 

1. If it wasn't for (insert name of goalie), this game would have been over in the first period. Well, yeah, that's his job. And if he wasn't there, you'd be down 11-1.

 

2. (Insert name of goalie) didn't see it/have a chance. Bull! If you believe that, then when a similar chance is stopped, it has to be attributed to sheer luck.

 

You know who are you.

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I'll take the bait. Quick look shows Ryan's GAA is considerably better than Marty's (2.71) and his SV % is much better as well (.914.) Nice try, though. :thumbsup:

 

1. If it wasn't for (insert name of goalie), this game would have been over in the first period. Well, yeah, that's his job. And if he wasn't there, you'd be down 11-1.

 

Going a bit to the extreme, aren't we? No one is talking about playing with an empty net - we're talking more about the games like loss to the Panthers, where the team completely hung Ryan out to dry, and he kept them in it. BTW, if I remember correctly, the Sabres had a TON of those type of games when Dom was patrolling the blue ice...

 

2. (Insert name of goalie) didn't see it/have a chance. Bull! If you believe that, then when a similar chance is stopped, it has to be attributed to sheer luck.

 

No argument here - trying to stop shots through a screen, redirections, 2-on-1 empty-net chances all require equal parts skill and luck.

 

BTW - Mason didn't have a chance on that one.

 

1-0 good guys. Some actual skating going on by the boys in white...

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NHL.com says Kotalik got the goal?

Looks like a double redirection?

 

 

BTW, did Terry Crisp go to the WWE school of broadcasting? He sounds like Ric Flair announcing a hockey game...

 

EDIT: 2-0 good guys...

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