And the real Sabres return....

[OpIv37]

Getting near the end of the 2nd, and so far being shut out by a backup goaltender on a 12th place team, at home.

Nice.

[OpIv37]

now 3-0.

[trapezeus]

was it buffalo bills pitts steelers 2004 night?

[Buffalogic]

because apparently the real sabres consist of lalime goaltending.

[TrEd FTW]

Wild wanted/needed the game more and was coming off an embarrassing defeat one night prior. They're fighting for their lives. I expected Buffalo to lose this one. Thus, I don't care.

[G Wolly]

Lalime makes stupid decisions. It's not the team. It's the goaltender.

[qcsabresfan84]

We lost a game guys, must be time to call it a season.

[OpIv37]

We lost a game guys, must be time to call it a season.
Extremely myopic statement given this team's performance over the last two months. It's not A game. The Sabres have struggled on the PP, failed to play full games, and had supposed "stars" that don't show up all season. Last night was yet another example.

You can try to pigeon-hole me as overreacting to one loss, but the reality is that the reasons for the loss are long term trends that this team can't overcome.

[Dr. Lecter]

And you continue to act like this team is horrible and refuse to acknowledge how well they have played over the entire season.

I don't think anybody thinks that the team is winning it all this year. But they are also not terrible.

You talk about the real Sabres returning. Fact is, the real Sabres are 3rd in the East and first in the NE. They have also showed a ton on improvement from last year and have some young guys playing well and have some more prospects showing a ton of potential.

This is a solid team that appears to have a bright future. Are they perfect? Hell no. Are there many teams in the NHL that are head and shoulders above the Sabres? Nope. Washington and San Jose. Maybe Chicago. The Sabres are in the next wave of teams, along with Pittsburgh, New Jersey and a slew of teams from the West.

Yet you rarely have a single good thing to say about the team, despite the overwhelming evidence that this is not a bad team.

[OpIv37]

What do you consider "bad?"

I see a team that's still not nearly good enough- a streaky team with no offense and no PP that depends on a star goaltender for success. And I don't see a bright future as long as they are relying on Roy, Vanek and Pominville for offense.

Seriously, before the road trip in Jan, this relentless defense of the team might have made sone sense. But over the last two months, this team has shown that it still has the fundamental flaws that kept them out of the playoffs the last two seasons.

You may be content with beating mediocre teams and losing to Washington, Ottawa and Pittsburgh, but I'm not.

[Dr. Lecter]

So what their actual record is means nothing to you?

And they actually have beat Pittsburgh and Washington this year. In fact, they shut out Washington. They do struggle against Ottawa. There is no questioning that fact.

But the fact remains, they are right now the #3 team in the East and winning the NE.

You will not even address those points.

You can bring good points about their weaknesses, but refuse to acknowledge anything positive about them at all.

As for relying on Vanek for offense, he is having a down year. But he is two time 40 goal scorer. And has been over 30 a number of times as well. So yes, they can rely on him for scoring.

Tell me - if this team is so God awful how do they have the record they have?

[G Wolly]

We lost a game guys, must be time to call it a season.

It's nearing the end of the regular season.

If it were still November or January, it would be less important to pick up ground.

Just because we most likely will stay in the top 8 and make the playoffs doesn't mean we can afford to lose games.

[SpillerThrills]

Tell me - if this team is so God awful how do they have the record they have?


if their so God awful, why is he still following them is what I wanna know???? same thing with the Bills. all he does is ***** about both teams!

[OpIv37]

So what their actual record is means nothing to you?

And they actually have beat Pittsburgh and Washington this year. In fact, they shut out Washington. They do struggle against Ottawa. There is no questioning that fact.

But the fact remains, they are right now the #3 team in the East and winning the NE.

You will not even address those points.

You can bring good points about their weaknesses, but refuse to acknowledge anything positive about them at all.

As for relying on Vanek for offense, he is having a down year. But he is two time 40 goal scorer. And has been over 30 a number of times as well. So yes, they can rely on him for scoring.

Tell me - if this team is so God awful how do they have the record they have?

Their "actual record" is based on a hot start that they've proven they can't sustain. They are 1-3 against Washington. 1-3. You just conveniently forgot about the 3 losses to make your point. Nice.

I have addressed the points- they're first in the East because they managed to ride a great goaltender into a hot start. Even when they were winning, they weren't scoring. You're talking about how they played 4 months ago- I'm talking about how they're playing now.

When the highest paid player on your team can only hit 40 goals 50% of the time (soon to be 40% when he doesn't hit 40 this year), you aren't going far.

Positives on this team: Miller, Myers, good PK. Negatives: pretty much everything else. A top line that can't score, marquee players who don't show up, inconsistent D after the top 2, a team that doesn't play complete games, absolutely horrendous PP. It's an absolute miracle that they're leading the division, and it's not sustainable, as the last two months have shown.

[OpIv37]

if their so God awful, why is he still following them is what I wanna know???? same thing with the Bills. all he does is ***** about both teams!
this post is an idiot.

[Ground Chuck]

It's frustrating because you get the feeling that the Sabres are close. It's disappointing that they didn't pick up a good Center at the trade deadline, because that would have cured a lot of problems.

[qcsabresfan84]

It's nearing the end of the regular season.

If it were still November or January, it would be less important to pick up ground.

Just because we most likely will stay in the top 8 and make the playoffs doesn't mean we can afford to lose games.

So what, we have to go undefeated from here out? That is an impossible expectation. You know that a team can win the stanley cup with 12 postseason losses right? Every team is going to lose games in a season that including pre and post season can be over 100 games. Now if we go out and get dominated with Ryan Miller in net, and we lose by 5 and get outshot and outhit the whole game, then there's a reason to complain. But losing by one after putting up 45 shots is really not a death sentence for any team.

[G Wolly]

So what, we have to go undefeated from here out? That is an impossible expectation....But losing by one after putting up 45 shots is really not a death sentence for any team.

Well. When it's against a 12th place team, whether same conference or not, a 3rd place team should win it.

Especially when putting up 45 shots.

[trapezeus]

this whole stretch of poor games was ended by overtime wins against two struggling teams followed up by a loss against the wild.

during the losing streak, which they didn't breka from the olympic break despite a super hot goaltender, they consistently scored only 2 goals.

the team is getting the goaltending, but litereally not scoring at all. and pominville, roy, vanek, stafford are suppose to be the best we got and point wise they are underwhelming. we don't need them all to be superstars, but together, they have to average 3 goals a game. miller makes every game possible win.

the powerplay keeps sucking.

the team follows the same model of not playing well in the first, stuggling through the 2nd and then trying like hell to undo all their sloppy play in the 3rd. that's not a team prepared to go deep in the playoffs.

The sabres also have their core set up that isn't doing much in scoring. i don't know what more they really have to add? they can't get rid of some of these guys.

[Dr. Lecter]

Their "actual record" is based on a hot start that they've proven they can't sustain. They are 1-3 against Washington. 1-3. You just conveniently forgot about the 3 losses to make your point. Nice.

I have addressed the points- they're first in the East because they managed to ride a great goaltender into a hot start. Even when they were winning, they weren't scoring. You're talking about how they played 4 months ago- I'm talking about how they're playing now.

When the highest paid player on your team can only hit 40 goals 50% of the time (soon to be 40% when he doesn't hit 40 this year), you aren't going far.

Positives on this team: Miller, Myers, good PK. Negatives: pretty much everything else. A top line that can't score, marquee players who don't show up, inconsistent D after the top 2, a team that doesn't play complete games, absolutely horrendous PP. It's an absolute miracle that they're leading the division, and it's not sustainable, as the last two months have shown.

I did not forget those losses. You said they could not beat Washington and clearly they can.

As for your last paragraph, that part is an idiot as well. A team that has the Sabres record has more than 3 positives. Stop and think for a moment just how dumb that sounds. A team that has 9th most points in the NHL only has three positives? Seriously? And the PP, although horrible lately, was in the top half of the league before this admittedly horrendous slide. So overall it has not been bad.

And the absolute miracle line is garbage. You always play down their good play, while emphasizing their bad parts. They are leading the division because the entire NHL is not that great and all teams with the exception of 2 or 3 have glaring weaknesses. And the Sabres are clearly in the 2nd teir of teams (behind Washington, San Jose (whom the Sabres are 1-1 against) and Chicago).


And before you say that was because of their start - those games count too. Somehow I think if they had started cold and were hot now, you would keep pointing out the early play as being significant and that the bad play should count in an evaluation. (although I think you won't count it now because it was good play)

Look, nobody is saying this team is great. You make them sound worse than Edmonton. What they are a team that is the mix in the 2nd tier of NHL teams with the Pens, Devils, Vancouver, Phoenix, etc.

Do you really think a team with the record they have is as bad you are saying they are? Really? Where do you rank them in the NHL? Bottom 10? Bottom 5?

[Dr. Lecter]

if their so God awful, why is he still following them is what I wanna know???? same thing with the Bills. all he does is ***** about both teams!

Nah.


Despite his politician like ability to pick and choose facts to support his points, Op is a fan.

[OpIv37]

So what, we have to go undefeated from here out? That is an impossible expectation. You know that a team can win the stanley cup with 12 postseason losses right? Every team is going to lose games in a season that including pre and post season can be over 100 games. Now if we go out and get dominated with Ryan Miller in net, and we lose by 5 and get outshot and outhit the whole game, then there's a reason to complain. But losing by one after putting up 45 shots is really not a death sentence for any team.

You really don't see a problem with only 2 goals on 45 shots, against a backup goaltender on a 12th place team? That just shows the offensive woes this team is facing.

[OpIv37]

I did not forget those losses. You said they could not beat Washington and clearly they can.

As for your last paragraph, that part is an idiot as well. A team that has the Sabres record has more than 3 positives. Stop and think for a moment just how dumb that sounds. A team that has 9th most points in the NHL only has three positives? Seriously? And the PP, although horrible lately, was in the top half of the league before this admittedly horrendous slide. So overall it has not been bad.

And the absolute miracle line is garbage. You always play down their good play, while emphasizing their bad parts. They are leading the division because the entire NHL is not that great and all teams with the exception of 2 or 3 have glaring weaknesses. And the Sabres are clearly in the 2nd teir of teams (behind Washington, San Jose (whom the Sabres are 1-1 against) and Chicago).


And before you say that was because of their start - those games count too. Somehow I think if they had started cold and were hot now, you would keep pointing out the early play as being significant and that the bad play should count in an evaluation. (although I think you won't count it now because it was good play)

Look, nobody is saying this team is great. You make them sound worse than Edmonton. What they are a team that is the mix in the 2nd tier of NHL teams with the Pens, Devils, Vancouver, Phoenix, etc.

Do you really think a team with the record they have is as bad you are saying they are? Really? Where do you rank them in the NHL? Bottom 10? Bottom 5?
Oh please. We beat Washington once in 4 tries. Sorry I didn't spell it out exactly, but you get the point. Being 1-3 against a team means they are far better.

How can you say we are "in the mix" when we have shown no ability to beat any of the teams that we will meet no later than the 2nd round of the playoffs? Pittsburgh, Ottawa or Washington will absolutely own this team in a 7 game series, and you know it.

[Dr. Lecter]

Oh please. We beat Washington once in 4 tries. Sorry I didn't spell it out exactly, but you get the point. Being 1-3 against a team means they are far better.

How can you say we are "in the mix" when we have shown no ability to beat any of the teams that we will meet no later than the 2nd round of the playoffs? Pittsburgh, Ottawa or Washington will absolutely own this team in a 7 game series, and you know it.

Washington is far better than any team in the NHL, with the possible exception of San Jose.

As for those team owning the Sabres - Ottawa - probably unless the Sabres can clear the mental hurdle. Ottawa is not a better team, but the Sabres have in their head they can't beat them. Washington - sure. Of course, Washington will probably own any team in a 7 game series. Pittsburgh? Meh. Not so sure.

The Sabres would probably beat up on Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, NYR and Florida though. And be fairly even with the Devils. Which has been my point all along. There are teams better than the Sabres. But there are also a bunch of teams that are worse.

[OpIv37]

Washington is far better than any team in the NHL, with the possible exception of San Jose.

As for those team owning the Sabres - Ottawa - probably unless the Sabres can clear the mental hurdle. Ottawa is not a better team, but the Sabres have in their head they can't beat them. Washington - sure. Of course, Washington will probably own any team in a 7 game series. Pittsburgh? Meh. Not so sure.

The Sabres would probably beat up on Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, NYR and Florida though. And be fairly even with the Devils. Which has been my point all along. There are teams better than the Sabres. But there are also a bunch of teams that are worse.

I don't care how many teams are worse until the number is 29. All the stuff I mentioned means we can't beat the teams that are better, which is what we have to do to win the Cup (or even make it out of the 2nd round of the playoffs).

[Dr. Lecter]

I don't care how many teams are worse until the number is 29. All the stuff I mentioned means we can't beat the teams that are better, which is what we have to do to win the Cup (or even make it out of the 2nd round of the playoffs).

I understand that, but my point has been (and remains) that the team is making strides from the previous two seasons. And if Miller becomes a wall in the playoffs, we both know odder things have happened. And that is rare that the two top teams meet in the finals.

[SkateZilla]

Buffalo Vs. The Trap = Loss.