PromoTheRobot Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Sabres blow their first two-goal lead and lose a game tonight. That's 6 straight. After lighting the league on fire for months, they look like they won't win another game. Buffalo sports fans think "...we won't miss the playoffs after the season we had!" Just like we thought we couldn't lose 4 Super Bowls, or we couldn't lose a playoff game on the last play. What has our city done to offend the gods? Is Buffalo built on some ancient burial ground we don't know about? Did someone put a curse on us and we never noticed it? All I can say is wtf. PTR
Buftex Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I know how you feel, but lets not panic just yet. As crappy as tonights outcome was aganst the Rangers, and Saturday against the Bruins, the Sabres have started to come back from the dead a little. I think this is still a very good team, who can go far, but they may not be as good as we thought they were. The Sabres have had some defensive problems most of the season, but had solid goaltending to cover it up. Now, Miller and Biron are both looking pretty mediocre, and the officiating has been.....well, I will stop whining... Lindy has some work to do before the playoffs start. They need to get Hecht and Connoly back, and figure out who is going to be "the man" in net down the stretch. Miller made some great saves tonight, against some skilled offensive players, but he looks a little dazed or something sometimes...maybe he is just burned out...he looked awful in the shootout...is he just thinking too much, instead of reacting? The Bruins at home on Wednesday night is a good place to get back in the game...
RuntheDamnBall Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I think Miller is having some head problems, coupled with some defensemen problems and some injury problems concerning guys who really make this team better. They cannot fire on all cylinders w/o Hecht and Connolly, as buftex says. In the meantime, a point is a point. Who knows, if they hadn't thrown Lundqvist in there, we might have stolen that one. It was a great change by the Rangers and Buffalo couldn't solve it tonight. Hopefully they'll get to rectify this one in the playoffs. It'll be a new season. In the meantime, how good does it feel to say "Buffalo" and "playoffs" in the same sentence again? Go Sabes! Boo to the bridge jumpers. Just jump, already.
dib Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Down here in Habana Norte, if it isnt the Panthers there is no hockey. So, can you give me a lowdown on who's hurt, how badly and if anyone knows for how long?
scribo Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I use to think all of upstate was cursed, but then 'Cuse won the national championship in b-ball a few years ago, so I now believe it is just Buffalo. I don't get it either. It goes way beyond just being a small market. Buffalo has to be the toughest town in which to be a homer. Oh, didn't ESPN even make us lose that contest?
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Simple answer: Miller isn't as good as everyone says he is. Even when the Sabres were winning all those games in a row, they were like 5-4 or 6-5 games. Sorry, but you don't give up 4-5 goals a night when you're a good goalie. His GAA is 11th in the league. 2.58, distinctly average, IMO.
Beerball Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Down here in Habana Norte, if it isnt the Panthers there is no hockey. So, can you give me a lowdown on who's hurt, how badly and if anyone knows for how long? 644141[/snapback] Your avatar is all wet.
TPS Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Simple answer: Miller isn't as good as everyone says he is. Even when the Sabres were winning all those games in a row, they were like 5-4 or 6-5 games. Sorry, but you don't give up 4-5 goals a night when you're a good goalie. His GAA is 11th in the league. 2.58, distinctly average, IMO. 644152[/snapback] Not true. Prior to this losing streak he was floating around 4th or 5th in the league in GAA and Save pct. His slump started a little before the Olympic break, when Lindie was over-playing him and wearing him out. I'd be willing to bet Joe a six-pack that Miller will be a top 5 goalie within the next two years.
kasper13 Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Not trading for a physical D-man at the deadline is killing the Sabres right now. They were counting on Dimitri Kalinin to step up and he was benched last night, Rory Fitzpatrick would be in the minors on just about any other team. All Boston did Saturday was go to the net and they scored four goals that way. NY just lined Jagr up at the point and had him fire away. Sabres have to be more physical (i.e- PLAYOFF STYLE HOCKEY) in their own end. Also, I think everyone relaxed after the trade deadline and they are paying for it now. Their intensity and work ethic is just a bit off. They are pretty much locked into 4th/5th place and really have nothing to play for until April 21st. In their 0-5-1 slump, 3 of those games were one goal losses (two to Carolina & Ottawa- teams that are better than Buffalo) and another was 2 goals (to Ottawa). When they are at the top of their game, they win those close ones. They were lucky to get a point last night- the refs were one sided in NY's favor. Sabres are garbage in shootouts but that will not be a factor in the playoffs. I am interested to see how they do in the last 12 games going into the playoffs. In 98/99, the year they went to the finals, they had a 6 game losing in streak near the end of March.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Not true. Prior to this losing streak he was floating around 4th or 5th in the league in GAA and Save pct. His slump started a little before the Olympic break, when Lindie was over-playing him and wearing him out. I'd be willing to bet Joe a six-pack that Miller will be a top 5 goalie within the next two years. 644195[/snapback] Well, I hope you're right, of course. We'll see how he does in the playoffs.
Coach Tuesday Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I don't think Miller is the problem. The Sabres are making waaaaay to many stupid mistakes. Every single game (every period?) it seems like they leave a guy right in front of Miller uncovered, at a critical moment. Last night it was Jagr (Griere blew his assignment - he is becoming the new Schmelick). Then they took a horrible penalty at the end of regulation (Kotalik is becoming the new Zhitnik). They can't keep doing that stuff.
Buftex Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I don't think Miller is the problem. The Sabres are making waaaaay to many stupid mistakes. Every single game (every period?) it seems like they leave a guy right in front of Miller uncovered, at a critical moment. Last night it was Jagr (Griere blew his assignment - he is becoming the new Schmelick). Then they took a horrible penalty at the end of regulation (Kotalik is becoming the new Zhitnik). They can't keep doing that stuff. 644228[/snapback] I agree that they are making a lot of stupid mistakes, the difference, right now, is that Miller was making those saves earlier in the season...
CoachChuckDickerson Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I don't think Miller is the problem. The Sabres are making waaaaay to many stupid mistakes. Every single game (every period?) it seems like they leave a guy right in front of Miller uncovered, at a critical moment. Last night it was Jagr (Griere blew his assignment - he is becoming the new Schmelick). Then they took a horrible penalty at the end of regulation (Kotalik is becoming the new Zhitnik). They can't keep doing that stuff. 644228[/snapback] I agree. I honestly still have trouble believing Darcy did nothing to address our defensemen issue at the deadline. Unreal.
PromoTheRobot Posted March 28, 2006 Author Posted March 28, 2006 It's the curse of William McKinley!!!!!!!!!!!! 644638[/snapback] I forgot about him...the whole city tanked after he got plugged. I guess that monument wasn't enough to make it up to him. PTR
Like A Mofo Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 I agree. I honestly still have trouble believing Darcy did nothing to address our defensemen issue at the deadline. Unreal. 644640[/snapback] Same here Coach.... I do not know what it is about being a fan of Buffalo sports that just drives me to the brink of instantity sometimes....after that game last night...I just felt the season was over....now I feel a bit better...I want to find out what drives me to these tirades, I need to get rid of them!
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