GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[nfreeman]

My 3 stars:

 

1. Miller

2. Briere

3. Pominville

 

Other observations:

 

1. Tallinder really is a difference-maker.

 

2. Briere's goal makes my list of the team's top 10 goals this year.

 

3. Overall I thought our effort was about a b-plus. Atlanta is a good team but we were a little sloppy in our end and gave them too many chances. Miller needed to be very sharp.

 

4. Lehtonen was pretty sharp too. Briere's goal and Vanek's goal were unstoppable. Pominville's goal might have been stoppable but it was an outstanding shot by a sniper from well inside the faceoff circle. (the kind of shot Ovechkin or Kovalchuk scores on, btw -- just like Pominville).

 

5. I thought Pominville had another great game on the backcheck -- this is why he was my #3 star instead of Vanek or Tallinder.

 

6. Miller really played a great game. Does anyone know where he stands in terms of the all-star game? If he isn't voted in, who gets to select the backups? Will it be Lindy?

 

7. Pretty good string of 4 wins in 5 games (plus an OTL) for the Sabres: Nashville, Washington, Atlanta. Next up: Ted Nolan returns to HSBC, followed by an opportunity for some payback vs. the Senators.

[Eleven]

Refresh my memory, please. Didn't Tallinder file for arbitration at the end of last season, only to see Darcy ante up to avoid the arbiter? Whatever the case, this was a good deal all around!!! :thumbsup:

 

I don't think so--and I'll let Dave B, who knows the CBA as if he had written it, have the word on this, but--(1) Tallinder wasn't eligible for arbitration, and (2) even if he had been, once a player files for arb, negotiations are off.

 

I may very well be wrong on the second point.

[LabattBlue]

Game thoughts...

 

-I thought the Sabres first period last night was worse than the Carolina game despite the fact that they came out with a 1-0 lead. Because of the lackluster play, the crowd was noticably quiet early on(at least it sounded that way on TV).

 

-The first two goals were odd man rushes that were things of beauty.

 

-Miller back to back very good efforts.

 

-Nice change-up by Lindy. He put Tallinder and Lydman out for the last PP and what happens...GOAL! I would still like to see Pominville up front on the PP and Roy also get more PP time.

 

-Three opponents in this home stand came in with winning streaks and all 3 went home losers. Beat the Islanders tomorrow and bring in the New Year with a 4 game winning streak!

[Taro T]

... but--(1) Tallinder wasn't eligible for arbitration, and (2) even if he had been, once a player files for arb, negotiations are off.

 

I may very well be wrong on the second point.

Tallinder was one of the 9 that filed for arbitration that signed prior to their hearing. His hearing was set for July 26 and he signed a 4 year deal on the 21st.

 

Teams can negotiate with an RFA until the arbitrator issues a ruling. At that time the team has to either accept the award or walk away from it. If the team walks away, the player becomes an UFA but the team is allowed to negotiate with the player (as are the other 29 teams).

[Bmwolf21]

6. Miller really played a great game. Does anyone know where he stands in terms of the all-star game? If he isn't voted in, who gets to select the backups? Will it be Lindy?

As of Dec. 26, (according to SI.com) Miller leads the Eastern Conference goaltender voting:

 

Goaltenders

 

Ryan Miller, Buffalo, 473,228; Martin Brodeur, New Jersey, 431,046; Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh, 324,170; Cam Ward, Carolina, 187,374; Andrew Raycroft, Toronto, 178,155; Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta, 149,818; Olaf Kolzig, Washington, 123,646; Henrik Lundqvist, NY Rangers, 114,194.

 

It's a pretty good lead, and online voting closes Jan. 2 at 8:59 p.m. PT, so unless something big happens, I think he should be the starter.