Sabres @ Rangers (01/24)

[letsgobuffalo45]

Spot on, Corp. Miller's going to be a star in this league. His not being on the Olympic team is just a pure joke.

 

Max was probably the best Sabre on the ice again tonight, too bad he botched that clean breakaway.

 

It was also good seeing the guys stick up for Connoly [Drury and Grier in particular] after that hit... which WAS a good clean hit...

[Taro T]

they havent said anything about Connolly but he walked off under his own power so I think he should be alright. Another thing about this game was that the sabres defense looked very good. We broke up a lot of passes in front of the net and we didnt give up too many quality scoring chances. No one defensemen stood out but it was a good defenseive game as a team.... solid win.

I haven't heard anything about the knee yet, but the fact that he went off on his own 2 feet doesn't mean too much. He was definitely favoring the knee that Kasparitis hit. If there is anything torn in there, he'd be able to put weight on it, but not while twisting / turning. His not coming out for the 3rd was a bad sign.

 

Let's hope it's just a hyperextension or something else a lot less serious than I'm afraid it is.

[Knightrider]

I was listening on the internet and it cut off in the middle of Lindy, but I thought he said it was a class 2 knee and that he would be out 6-8 weeks. Lindy said Kasperitis a dirty player and a coward. He was none too pleased...

[Eleven]

--There are a bunch of you who would have called Jagr's goal "soft," if Biron had been in net.

 

--If the Rangers were the 4th place team, I don't want the Sabres to finish merely 4th. The Rangers looked horrible.

 

--I can't stand Kasparaitis, but the hit was clean, and I hope Connolly is well.

[Saber61]

if thats the case... this is as good a time as could be for this to happen... we just got dumont back so while he probably won't fill the total void at least we aren't looking to rochester to fill the void.

[JujuFish]

I fell asleep and missed the game :(

At least it was a happy ending.

[mphs mike]

Don - love that avatar

!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nfreeman]

I was listening on the internet and it cut off in the middle of Lindy, but I thought he said it was a class 2 knee and that he would be out 6-8 weeks. Lindy said Kasperitis a dirty player and a coward. He was none too pleased...

 

 

Dammit.

 

Kasparitis is officially #1 on the S-list now. I'm referring to tonight's incident plus the final goal of the Dominik era.

 

On the plus side, if Connolly is out 8 weeks, that still brings him back with 5 weeks and 17 games left in the regular season. If he and Briere get back around the same time AND get back to 100% AND this is the last one of these GD severe injuries to our absolute best players, I'm still picking this team to win at least 2 rounds in the playoffs.

 

That was a great win. Kotalik really stepped it up as did Max. I liked JP on the line with Roy and Max. Very sound defensive play and Miller was great.

 

I think in the 3rd period, Pominville took Connolly's place on the line with Kotalik and Hecht. Does anyone know if any of those 3 has previously played center?

 

We will overcome this too. On to toronto.

[Taro T]

Your response is so full of false premises it's hard to know where to begin.

 

Did you read my post or just make faulty assumptions about what I suggested?

 

"Do you really need to check on a message board to realize that the Sabres are not bonafide Stanley Cup contenders this season?"

 

NO

 

"Many of us here have varying opinions on those subjects, but that does not prevent us from enjoying the run the Sabres have been on this season."

 

Neither does it prevent me from enjoying their improvement, but I see a lot of room for more.

 

"If your sole criterion for a successful and / or enjoyable season is a SC victory parade, then the fans of 97% of the teams will not get any enjoyment out of their teams this year."

 

No, it is not my sole criterion, but it is my primary criterion and what an obviously ridiculous conclusion.

 

"Comparing Buffalo to Ottawa is really foolish."

 

You can say that again! It is like they are in a different league. What is Buffalo going to do to catch them? Standing pat is not adequate.

 

"If winning the Cup is your sole criterion for success..."

 

NO, but nothing ranks higher!? Ask every GM and player what is their criterion for success - "winning the Cup!"

 

"Also, you will not get 2 quality skaters coming into the organization for Marty."

 

How do you know that?

 

"You want a "top 50 scorer", but what are you willing to give up to get him?"

 

Martin Biron or a package of lesser players like Noronen plus a player like Grier,Afinogenov, Connolly, Kotalik etc.

 

"Do you even realize that Briere is that mythical "top 50 scorer" when he is healthy? "

 

Possibly, but I didn't realize he was playing now. Is it too much to ask to have a scorer in the top 50? Jeez, you have low expectations. I guess I'm old enough to remember the Sabres when they had guys in the top 10. You probably weren't even born.

 

"the only 2 teams that I think would definitely win a playoff series against the Sabres are the Sens and Devils.? I don't have a good handle on how they match up with Carolina (but the homer in me says they can and would beat them), but I really like the matchups with TB and Atlanta, and expect that they would win a series against NY or the Flyers.? They would beat Montreal and should beat Toronto if either gets in.? Florida would kill them, but guess what, Florida is going golfing in May.

 

What team other than NJ (who they might face in the 1st round) or Ottawa (who they most likely won't face in the 1st round) overmatch the Sabres?"

 

 

I love the way you just breeze through the Rangers, Flyers, Leafs,Hurricanes like it's just a formality. The Sabres only obstacles are NJ and Ottawa?

You must be kidding!!

I read your post, but think that I am probably the only one of the 2 of us that did.

 

I asked the question about message boards because you wrote:

By the very responses I've read, the Sabres look like they are not Cup contenders, but rather contenders to make the playoffs.

That sure sounds to me like you are basing your opinion on what you read here (or elsewhere). My bad, thanks for the clarification.

 

I am glad that you are enjoying the Sabres run, but I am surprised that you are enjoying their improvement as you stated that those of us who are are "pathetic":

This is really pathetic that you guys are satisfied with the way things are going. They need to improve now.

Since you claim to be enjoying their play this year, perhaps you should look in the mirror before calling the rest of us "pathetic".

 

Again, if we are "pathetic" for liking a team that will in all likelihood not win the SC this season, then I fail to see how you expected any other conclusion. Ridiculous statements lead logically to ridiculous conclusions, obviously.

 

You question my opinion that the Sabres will NOT get 2 quality skaters for Marty Biron. Please let me know what 2 QUALITY skaters you expect to be able to get for him? Your next statement shows that you agree with me as you suggest Marty COULD get A (one) quality player. (I personally think they will have to give up another player with him to get the type of player you think he will command, but depending on the trading partner, their degree of desperation, and the player's contract situation you may be right about getting 1 good player for him. I can't come up with any scenario where the Sabres get 2 good players for him.)

 

Why settle for a top 50 scorer, the Caps have a scorer in the top 10, would you rather have to watch that team?

 

Your statement about age and expectations isn't even worth a response.

 

You don't appear to read very well, could you please show me where I have the Sabres breezing "through the Rangers, Flyers, Leafs, [and] Hurricanes". I was responding to your comment:

The Sabres will be overmatched against several teams.

I came up with 2 in the East that they are overmatched against (and I don't think that an outclassed loss to the Devils is necessarily a given, it is just extremely likely at this point). I don't consider 2 to be "several". I also acknowledged that there are teams in the West that they do not match up well against, but I'm willing to take my chances against them if it becomes an issue. I also notice that you conveniently avoided my question about who they are "overmatched" by.

[Eleven]

Your response is so full of false premises it's hard to know where to begin.

 

Did you read my post or just make faulty assumptions about what I suggested?

 

"Do you really need to check on a message board to realize that the Sabres are not bonafide Stanley Cup contenders this season?"

 

NO

 

"Many of us here have varying opinions on those subjects, but that does not prevent us from enjoying the run the Sabres have been on this season."

 

Neither does it prevent me from enjoying their improvement, but I see a lot of room for more.

 

"If your sole criterion for a successful and / or enjoyable season is a SC victory parade, then the fans of 97% of the teams will not get any enjoyment out of their teams this year."

 

No, it is not my sole criterion, but it is my primary criterion and what an obviously ridiculous conclusion.

 

"Comparing Buffalo to Ottawa is really foolish."

 

You can say that again! It is like they are in a different league. What is Buffalo going to do to catch them? Standing pat is not adequate.

 

"If winning the Cup is your sole criterion for success..."

 

NO, but nothing ranks higher! Ask every GM and player what is their criterion for success - "winning the Cup!"

 

"Also, you will not get 2 quality skaters coming into the organization for Marty."

 

How do you know that?

 

"You want a "top 50 scorer", but what are you willing to give up to get him?"

 

Martin Biron or a package of lesser players like Noronen plus a player like Grier,Afinogenov, Connolly, Kotalik etc.

 

"Do you even realize that Briere is that mythical "top 50 scorer" when he is healthy? "

 

Possibly, but I didn't realize he was playing now. Is it too much to ask to have a scorer in the top 50? Jeez, you have low expectations. I guess I'm old enough to remember the Sabres when they had guys in the top 10. You probably weren't even born.

 

"the only 2 teams that I think would definitely win a playoff series against the Sabres are the Sens and Devils. I don't have a good handle on how they match up with Carolina (but the homer in me says they can and would beat them), but I really like the matchups with TB and Atlanta, and expect that they would win a series against NY or the Flyers. They would beat Montreal and should beat Toronto if either gets in. Florida would kill them, but guess what, Florida is going golfing in May.

 

What team other than NJ (who they might face in the 1st round) or Ottawa (who they most likely won't face in the 1st round) overmatch the Sabres?"

 

 

I love the way you just breeze through the Rangers, Flyers, Leafs,Hurricanes like it's just a formality. The Sabres only obstacles are NJ and Ottawa?

You must be kidding!!

Please register (even under that great screenname), especially if you're going to be that condescending. Many of us disagree on things, but Dave B. has always been civil, and I would expect him to be treated similarly.

 

My guess is that he's watched the Sabres long enough to see our top 10 scorers (which at max goes back to Mogilny; not exactly old-time material)..

 

And if you asked most of us at the beginning of the year--when you may or may not have been reading this board (note again about your lack of registration)--we would have been happy to see a mere playoff spot. Especially some of us that lived elsewhere and came back (e.g., me) or others who may still live away. Now that this quite amazing season is afoot, we're hoping for more, and having fun hoping. That's fun in itself.

 

Cool if you hang out, but don't be a dick.

[Saber61]

Please register (even under that great screenname), especially if you're going to be that condescending. Many of us disagree on things, but Dave B. has always been civil, and I would expect him to be treated similarly.

 

My guess is that he's watched the Sabres long enough to see our top 10 scorers (which at max goes back to Mogilny; not exactly old-time material)..

 

And if you asked most of us at the beginning of the year--when you may or may not have been reading this board (note again about your lack of registration)--we would have been happy to see a mere playoff spot. Especially some of us that lived elsewhere and came back (e.g., me) or others who may still live away. Now that this quite amazing season is afoot, we're hoping for more, and having fun hoping. That's fun in itself.

 

Cool if you hang out, but don't be a dick.

agreed with that... your a guest here... yea free speach and all that BS but guess what... alot of guys put up money to keep this place alive and running... the least we can do is keep it civil, informative and fun.

 

(directed at Punch Imlach Unregistered)

[nfreeman]

 

My guess is that he's watched the Sabres long enough to see our top 10 scorers (which at max goes back to Mogilny; not exactly old-time material)..

 

 

Eleven -- well said on the rest of your post, but what does the sentence I quoted mean? That Mogilny is the most recent of the sabres' all-time top 10 scorers?

 

In any case, I got curious, so here are the top 10 all-time (points):

 

Gil Perreault 1,326

Dave Andreychuk 804

Rick Martin 695

Craig Ramsay 672

Phil Housley 558

Rene Robert 552

Don Luce 526

Mike Foligno 511

Danny Gare 500

Miroslav Satan 456

 

Goals:

 

Gil Perreault 512

Rick Martin 382

Dave Andreychuk 368

Danny Gare 267

Craig Ramsay 252

Mike Foligno 247

Miroslav Satan 224

Rene Robert 222

Don Luce 216

Alexander Mogilny 211

 

 

Punch Imlach (great screen name, btw -- brings back memories) -- I would like to hear whom specifically you think we could get for Marty, or for Marty plus Max/Kotalik/Connolly (all 3 of whom I consider to be emphatically not for sale unless we get an all-star age 31 or less in the deal). I personally don't think Marty would bring much in terms of an immediate difference-maker on our team, but I would love to be wrong on that.

 

Go Sabres.

[BuffalOhio]

I fear the worst for Connolly. I've torn both ACL's and I was able to walk on both of them, although they were both unstable. I watched it in slow motion on my Tivo and his knee whipped (hyperextended). If it went too far (can't tell), it could easily be a torn ACL. I certainly hope not. He was really flying when he got hit. I never realized he was that fast. It's a darn shame. Someone should clean Kasparaitis' clock. Grier was trying to, but the puxxy wouldn't go. Typical.

[Eleven]

 

Eleven -- well said on the rest of your post, but what does the sentence I quoted mean? That Mogilny is the most recent of the sabres' all-time top 10 scorers?

Nope--I meant that Mogilny was a top 10 scorer in the league when with Buffalo.

 

And like you said--Go Sabres!

[chileanseabass]

I think in the 3rd period, Pominville took Connolly's place on the line with Kotalik and Hecht. Does anyone know if any of those 3 has previously played center?

if i'm not mistaken hecht was originally used as a center in st. louis.

[Knightrider]

i love the development of ryan miller... He could be the first bona fida superstar developed completely in the sabres organization since i don't even know... turgeon?

I'm sure exactly what you mean by developed completely- Mogilny came after Turgeon, and I'm not sure Turgeon ever developed completely ;)

[LabattBlue]

-Great win for the Sabres. Good effort on the road against a talented offensive team.

 

-Miller played solid. Yes the first goal was on the soft side, but the difference between him and Marty is that he didn't allow any other goals the rest of the night.

 

-Good to see Kotalik get a goal at even strength. He's got the size to be a power forward who can dominate at even strength if he puts his mind to it.

 

-What the heck were the Sabres thinking in the last minute of the game. They came very close to giving up 2 two on one breaks while on the PP.

 

-Dumont had one good chance in the 1st period & threw some nice hits. Bad news is, just as he comes back, Connolly goes down.

 

-I REALLY want to see the Sabres pound the Leafs to the tune of 5-1 or 6-1.

 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[DrunkenSabre]

6-8 weeks for connelly. thats a high price. what is it with losing our leading scorers? grr. ah well was a needed win. we needsome guys to step up now, since we are missing our leading scorer and playmaker.

[blugold43]

By the very responses I've read, the Sabres look like they are not Cup contenders, but rather contenders to make the playoffs.

 

The standards are have been set so low in Buffalo for so many years that the fans are happy if the team is competitive. The fans should be asking management how they plan to win it all.

 

Ottawa went bankrupt like Buffalo, but they made moves; including a major move to get Heatley. The Sabres, with the current personnel, are vastly outgunned by the Senators. There are too many weak links in the lineup - guys who routinely go on 15-20 games scoring droughts.

 

I am not suggesting acquiring overpaid, aging veterans. I am suggesting that the 3 headed goalie drama be settled with a quality skater or two coming in. And another free agent or two. The seats won't be filled if they swoon at the end of the year and get booted from the playoffs in the 1st round.

 

I am suggesting that the guys brought up from Rochester are not ready yet to compete for the Cup. Rochester couldn't win the AHL let alone the NHL. They might be good eventually, but now they are inadequate.

 

The Sabres will be overmatched against several teams.

 

I am suggesting that they get somebody who can crack the top 50 in the league in scoring. Drury ranks highest at number 64. This is really pathetic that you guys are satisfied with the way things are going. They need to improve now.

 

I like the spirit and all, but talent is needed to actually believe they can win the Stanley Cup. That's the whole point.

i understand the buffalo fan's instinctual need to be negative and bitchy, but this is a little over the top. but rather than duke it out with you point-by-point, i would just add two points.

 

1. we haveone of the top records in the league while playing a bunch of very young players who are only going to get better. this gives me optimism about our future as a real cup contender. will it happen this year? maybe, maybe not, but we damn near won it all a few years ago with a team that is not as good as this one.

 

2. briere was one of the top scorers in the league when healthy and will be back before the playoffs. i understand if you don't want to count him as a "top-50 scorer," because technically he isn't. but he sure as hell is a top-50 player.

[mrjsbu96]

i understand the buffalo fan's instinctual need to be negative and bitchy, but this is a little over the top. but rather than duke it out with you point-by-point, i would just add two points.

 

1. we haveone of the top records in the league while playing a bunch of very young players who are only going to get better. this gives me optimism about our future as a real cup contender. will it happen this year? maybe, maybe not, but we damn near won it all a few years ago with a team that is not as good as this one.

 

2. briere was one of the top scorers in the league when healthy and will be back before the playoffs. i understand if you don't want to count him as a "top-50 scorer," because technically he isn't. but he sure as hell is a top-50 player.

I could not have said it any better myself. The only team that Buffalo appears to be overmatched against is Ottawa and just about every team in the league can probably say the same thing; but then again who knows? We have not played them since early in the year.

 

Any chance that the "Let's Go Buffalo" chants could be heard last night on tee-vee? There was a great group of Sabre fans in the 300's although every time we go that chant going it was usually drowned out by "boo's" a minute later!

[PASabreFan]

Back to the hit on Connolly. What was the problem with it? If Jay McKee had done that to Jaromir Jagr, Ruff would have no problem with it. Sometimes coaches can be great actors. Maybe Lindy is pretending to be upset for some ulterior motive?

[Taro T]

Back to the hit on Connolly. What was the problem with it? If Jay McKee had done that to Jaromir Jagr, Ruff would have no problem with it. Sometimes coaches can be great actors. Maybe Lindy is pretending to be upset for some ulterior motive?

The hit was thrown clean. Unfortunately, there are 2 things that I can see in the hit that could tick people off.

 

The 1st is, it was thrown by a player who has been considered to be a cheap shot artist throughout his career. I'd be very surprised if people would have been as ticked if Malik had thrown the hip check rather than Kasparaitis. Actually, had Malik thrown the check, that would have been the surprise. Because it was Kasparaitis who threw the check, you end up wondering (for no purely rational reason) whether somehow he did get the knee intentionally, even though you know there was no possible way for him to have targeted the knee when the play began.

 

The 2nd is, although the hip check started out on Timmy's body, as Timmy tried to avoid the hit it ended up being hip squarely on Timmy's knee, so if you just caught the latter portion of the hit it "appeared" dirty although it wasn't.

 

I haven't had a chance to check on the injury report yet, but hopefully it isn't as bad as it looked like it could be. Timmy was really starting to "get it" this season, which is something I had serious doubts would ever happen. He came back from the concussion much more solid than he was before it, hopefully he can overcome this one as well.

[hopeleslyobvious]

I could not have said it any better myself. The only team that Buffalo appears to be overmatched against is Ottawa and just about every team in the league can probably say the same thing; but then again who knows? We have not played them since early in the year.

 

Any chance that the "Let's Go Buffalo" chants could be heard last night on tee-vee? There was a great group of Sabre fans in the 300's although every time we go that chant going it was usually drowned out by "boo's" a minute later!

Were you with the group in the 300's? I was in the last row of the 100's right ahead of you guys. It was nice to have the Let's Go Buffalo going. Haha, I could have used some of you guys in our section, I think I was driving everyone nuts. Some of the nastier responses to the Let's Go Buffalo were coming from the row in front of me.

 

Some lady in front of me was making jokes about Connolly "diving" when he was laying on the ice...Ugh

[shrader]

Dave, the one questiion comes to mind. Is it really necessary to go for a hip check like that along the boards? I don't remember ever seeing any hits like that along the boards. Yes it was clean, but it was an obvious, unnecessary shot at Connolly's legs.

[PASabreFan]

Oh my, this is like watching an NFL game with my Mom. "Do they have to put the quarterback on the floor so hard?" Come on guys. Clean hit. Tough break for Connolly.