The lights are dimming...

[Nighthawk]

...on this season. This team just cannot step up when it needs to. Another loss to a team they HAD to beat. Very frustrating.

[chubluv]

Re: The lights are dimming...

I agree. Its just so fustrating to watch. Especially after what we did the past few years.

I just dont understand how the front office can do what they did. I know the contracts that Drury, Briere & Campbell (is about to get) were pretty big, but we had many opportunities to sign them.

We the fans sold the HSBC out every game. we were #1 in merchandise sales. fans stood outside sometimes in bad weather to watch this team on a giant TV outside the arena. What more could we do to prove to the FO that we are going to give our $ to them if they put a decent product on the ice. So now who knows whats going to happen next year.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Re: The lights are dimming...

8 Philadelphia Flyers 69 35 26 8 78
9 Buffalo Sabres 70 32 27 11 75

[Mitchy moo]

Re: The lights are dimming...

8 Philadelphia Flyers 69 35 26 8 78
9 Buffalo Sabres 71 32 27 11 11 76

Here is the most current:

Eastern Conference
		GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA	PP%	PK%	HOME	AWAY	L10
1	New Jersey	69	40	23	6	86	180	159	16.5	82.8	22-12-1	18-11-5	7-2-1
2	Montreal	70	38	23	9	85	223	197	24.8	80.7	16-12-5	22-11-4	6-4-0
3	Carolina	71	37	29	5	79	216	221	17.5	77.3	21-12-3	16-17-2	7-2-1
4	Pittsburgh	70	39	24	7	85	206	192	20.4	80.3	19-10-5	20-14-2	5-3-2
5	Ottawa	70	38	25	7	83	223	209	18.2	81.5	20-12-3	18-13-4	3-5-2
6	NY Rangers	70	37	24	9	83	186	171	16.7	83.3	22-13-1	15-11-8	8-0-2
7	Boston	69	36	25	8	80	183	191	18.4	79.1	18-13-4	18-12-4	6-2-2
8	Philadelphia	69	35	26	8	78	212	197	22.7	82.6	16-13-6	19-13-2	5-2-3
	Buffalo	70	32	27	11	75	211	204	18.5	84.0	17-13-5	15-14-6	3-4-3
	Washington	70	32	30	8	72	203	209	19.2	80.8	17-15-3	15-15-5	4-4-2
	Florida	71	32	31	8	72	190	200	19.7	81.2	14-13-7	18-18-1	5-3-2
	NY Islanders	70	32	31	7	71	170	204	15.1	82.8	17-16-3	15-15-4	4-6-0
	Toronto	70	30	30	10	70	196	216	16.8	78.6	16-14-5	14-16-5	6-3-1
	Atlanta	70	30	32	8	68	186	230	17.7	79.3	17-15-3	13-17-5	1-5-4
	Tampa Bay	69	26	35	8	60	189	225	18.3	81.3	16-17-2	10-18-6	1-7-2

[chubluv]

Re: The lights are dimming...

11 OTL

[SabreEleven]

Re: The lights are dimming...

This team is fighting for it's playoff lives and they skated around the 3rd period like there were playing for the tie. They had maybe one scoring chance in the 3rd. This team doesn't WANT to make the playoffs.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Re: The lights are dimming...

Yup, the writing is plain to see, and the added injuries in the D just seal the deal sadly.

[Philagape]

Re: The lights are dimming...

11 OTL

Sounds like they've missed a couple clutch players.

[chubluv]

Re: The lights are dimming...

Sounds like they've missed a couple clutch players.

You got it.

[OpIv37]

Re: The lights are dimming...

This team is fighting for it's playoff lives and they skated around the 3rd period like there were playing for the tie. They had maybe one scoring chance in the 3rd. This team doesn't WANT to make the playoffs.

they played the whole ****ing game like that. At one point in the first they went 12 minutes without a shot on goal.

No urgency, no breakout passes- I think Drury tipped the Rangers off to the Sabres' plays because they had to dump and chase the entire game. It didn't work worth a damn.

Oh, and a FULL 2 min 5-on-3 with no goal. WTF???

[Michael82]

Re: The lights are dimming...

I agree. Its just so fustrating to watch. Especially after what we did the past few years.

I just dont understand how the front office can do what they did. I know the contracts that Drury, Briere & Campbell (is about to get) were pretty big, but we had many opportunities to sign them.

We the fans sold the HSBC out every game. we were #1 in merchandise sales. fans stood outside sometimes in bad weather to watch this team on a giant TV outside the arena. What more could we do to prove to the FO that we are going to give our $ to them if they put a decent product on the ice. So now who knows whats going to happen next year.

what's going to happen next year? well...after suckering in a lot of people to reup their season tickets, in order to buy playoff tickets at a cheap rate, the amount of season ticket holders at the HSBC Arena will drop by 5,000. The team will struggle to sell out any games in the fall, until the Bills season is over with and then in February, the excitement of the Sabres will be what it was 3 or 4 years ago.

[Michael82]

Re: The lights are dimming...

Way to go, Tom Golisano!

Part of me is really wondering if they are trying to set this team up to sell it.

[Dude]

Re: The lights are dimming...

Part of me doesn't want this team to make the playoffs. They certainly don't deserve it, and Tom G. shouldn't pocket the extra revenue after ****ing over all the fans this year.

Once the playoffs start, every team is 0-0, and that gives me hope. This year's team doesn't have what it takes to reward that hope, and I don't want to get all emotionally invested only to have them let me down again. I know that makes me sound like a bandwagon fan, but NHL playoffs are serious business in the Dude household (well, for me, anyway), and I just don't have the heart to watch them go through the motions in a best of seven. They may as well save us and themselves the trouble and hit the golf course early.

[don137]

Re: The lights are dimming...

Miller has been disappointing in shootouts this year. He seems to be letting in two goals every three shots however I think the reason for the demise for the Sabres is the young guys have not stepped up. Last year when called upon the guys played with heart and passion trying to prove they belong in the lineup. This year when they know they will be in the lineup they are just going through the motions and lack that heart they played with last year. Roy, Pominville and Vanek (in spurts) have played as well expected but the big difference is the young guys are not coming close to filling the shoes of their predecessors (yes I realize Quinn and Company are to blame for Briere and Drury not being here).
Stafford is probably the biggest disappointment. The guy gets pushed around in the cornes, is a defensive liability and has not produced liked hoped/expected. Paille and Paestch are inconsistent and have not had the same energy they played with last year. MaCarther has not showed much when given the chance.
Last year the Sabres had four good lines that could score. Now it really is only two lines and when Stafford is playing on the Vanek line it they are now down to one line.

[hydro]

Re: The lights are dimming...

One glaring thing that was pissing everyone off at the game last night was that everyone was skating around in a daze it seemed. I remember many times seeing our defenseman taking the puck from our net and no forwards moving anywhere in neutral ice. They looked tired and unmotivated.