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View Full Version : Analysis : Sabres Laste Few Games



SkateZilla
01-28-2007, 06:18 AM
Forwards :
Not Playing as the were in the first part of the season, where if they were down by one they would literally skate like there is no tomorrow, the past month or so it hasn't been the case, lately down by one or two goals, they've developed this "Take the loss" disease and they seem to just accept it as a loss and coast the rest of the game, in fact they coast when the game is on the line as well (when up by 1 or 2 goals or tied).

Your NOT going to get chances when you skate to your blue line with the puck then just coast thru the neutral zone and expect no one to touch you, Your not going to get penalty calls your way either.

And HELLO!, HAve Some of your Ever Heard of Back-checking?, Quit floating waiting for a break away pass, Get in there and help your Team!

Its Sad when our 7th Defense men has to run Our PP to Get it clicking!

Defense :
I Miss Tallinder Too, But this is just downright embarrassing, The PK Looks so un organized its not even funny, people playing chase the man instead of position (i.e. chasing someone behind the net and leaving the guy in front open) Players Double Teaming Players, just a whole mess of Out of Positions.

Even Strength is Just as out of sync, I watch defense men stand there at their blue line coasting backward and the other teams forward skate by him, and the defense men makes no effort to either check him or even stay within 4 feet, they just let him on by and skate directly to the net, they also ignore obvious assignments in the zone, they float to the puck carrier instead of covering the players directly in front of the goal tender.

Goaltending :
Ryan Ryan Ryan, What is with the Soft Goals? ok i can let some slide as a defense being out of position , but the Slap shots from the Neutral Zone? with no screen gimme a Break!, Softies Are Hurting You and the team for that matter.

Officials :
Oh Yeah Zebras, Your not getting off that easy!, Granted the Team is in this funk, the Questionable/Phantom Calls, the swallowing of the whistles on blatant cheap-shots and penalties don't help. Quit Allowing The Crosschecking of players down in front of the net, Quit allowing the hooking and grabbing along the boards, and quit blowing your whistles on phantom calls because you see a player fall in the corner of your eye. Quit Ignoring Larger Penalties and calling something that is being done by both teams.

Coaching :

Its Time To Ruff It UP!, When Peters Fights we are Winless, Seriously!, well the Washington game don't count. Right Now If Andrew isnt goign to Put the Effort in Practice or the Game, Sit Him Permanently and Give his spot to some one who want to play (ie Stafford or Paille), If all he's gonna Do is fight, then bench him, we have other players that are willing to drop the gloves and can still play more than 1 or 2 minutes a game. Sit the Defense men that don't cover their assignments when Tallinder Returns, And For the Love of God Get back to Basics. Work on Passing, Im Tired of these No Look Passes in front of our net In Our zone that leads to turnovers and ultimately goals... Im tired of these Slow 2 MPH Passes from one player to another. The Longer it takes to get to him, the greater the chance there is of it being intercepted. I Mean, with he passing where it is now. a Fan Sitting in the nose bleed section can leave his seat as the player passes, run down the stairs jump the glass and intercept the puck. Slow Passes are Turnover Threats, and slow passes don't get the other teams Defense moving, they can go have a cup of coffee and still get in position.

Your Thoughts?

BlackMetalNinja
01-28-2007, 07:11 AM
Mostly fair analysis, but I knew you'd throw the officials in there somewhere.

Can we all agree that officials are not costing this team games, the team is costing itself? They just aren't playing hard or smart hockey... that's the simple truth of the problem.

SabreEleven
01-28-2007, 08:32 AM
Thanks for stating the obvious here. Nothing ground breaking.

Except for Miller, yes, last night he let in 2 or 3 softies but for the most part in the last 10 games they would have been 1-9 instead of 4-6 or so, if it wasn't for him. He stole them a couple of points during this crappy run.

Here are my thoughts:

HUSTLE for a complete 60 minutes. Just because you lead the conference doesn't mean teams are going to lay down for you. They expect to play 20 minutes in a game and the other team to quite and give it to them.

PASSING: Passes are lazy. Slow and uncrisp and sometimes just plain stupid. Start putting some zip on them even when it's just defenseman to defenseman and start putting them on target.

But with this all being said: Do we want to be the next Ottawa Senators where we float through the regular season with no problems or hard times and when it comes to the playoffs start thinking that our **** don't stink and get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round?

Stop reading the newspaper, internet and the standings and start playing hockey. IMO, this team will be just fine as the playoffs come closer.

Nighthawk
01-28-2007, 10:49 AM
Thanks for stating the obvious here. Nothing ground breaking.

Except for Miller, yes, last night he let in 2 or 3 softies but for the most part in the last 10 games they would have been 1-9 instead of 4-6 or so, if it wasn't for him. He stole them a couple of points during this crappy run.

Here are my thoughts:

HUSTLE for a complete 60 minutes. Just because you lead the conference doesn't mean teams are going to lay down for you. They expect to play 20 minutes in a game and the other team to quite and give it to them.

PASSING: Passes are lazy. Slow and uncrisp and sometimes just plain stupid. Start putting some zip on them even when it's just defenseman to defenseman and start putting them on target.

But with this all being said: Do we want to be the next Ottawa Senators where we float through the regular season with no problems or hard times and when it comes to the playoffs start thinking that our **** don't stink and get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round?

Stop reading the newspaper, internet and the standings and start playing hockey. IMO, this team will be just fine as the playoffs come closer.

True enough. It is obvious that this team cannot get themselves going without motivation. Therefore, I think it is time for Darcy & Lindy to give them some motivation by trading away one of their friends for somebody who actually wants to show some heart and grit. This lackadaisical attitude is getting old and it is killing us.

Ingtar33
01-28-2007, 05:19 PM
basically two problems

1) desire/heart: the team's so far up, they're coasting, i don't blame them, it's hard to play like your backs on fire when you could probably mail in the rest of the year and come in no.1 in the conference

2) Miller: he's playing like marty ATM, letting in game killing goals, soft goals, and in general, not giving the team a chance to get into games they start slow in, or letting them hold a lead when they've got one.

Nighthawk
01-28-2007, 06:45 PM
basically two problems

1) desire/heart: the team's so far up, they're coasting, i don't blame them, it's hard to play like your backs on fire when you could probably mail in the rest of the year and come in no.1 in the conference

2) Miller: he's playing like marty ATM, letting in game killing goals, soft goals, and in general, not giving the team a chance to get into games they start slow in, or letting them hold a lead when they've got one.

I agree, but it could be said that Miller is now starting to resemble the rest of the team. The poor effort in front of him may be starting to rub off on him.