Thoughts on the Chicago loss... [Archive] - BillsZone.com

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OpIv37

10-11-2010, 10:31 PM

-The turning point of this game wasn't the injury to Pominville. It was a couple of shifts before that, when our "check" line of Kaleta, McCormick and Gaustad got pushed all over the ice. Kaleta and Gaustad both got decked on that shift with no response.

-Miller played well and deserved the win. Too bad no one else did.

-I like that there were consequences for the debacle against NYR. Myers and Morisson were no longer the top defensive line and Ennis got booted off the top forward line. I'm not sure what negative consequences are left after this debacle.

-PP was terrible.

-I like the Roy-Stafford-Hecht line, but I worry that we're becoming Ottawa of the last couple of years: one good line and a whole lotta nothing after that.

-Vanek...*sigh. How many games will it take him to register his first point? And is there any other player making $6.5 million a year who can't score on a ****ing breakaway?

-With the exception the first 5 minutes or so and one great PK in the third, the team was awful. They still can't put a full game together.

G Wolly

10-11-2010, 11:16 PM

Tim Connolly is still a *****.

chernobylwraiths

10-12-2010, 06:11 AM

-Vanek...*sigh. How many games will it take him to register his first point? And is there any other player making $6.5 million a year who can't score on a ****ing breakaway?

Chris Drury, Henrick Lundquist, Brian Campbell, Zedeno Chara

OpIv37

10-12-2010, 07:38 AM

Chris Drury, Henrick Lundquist, Brian Campbell, Zedeno Chara

you had to go with a goalie and two defensemen?

I swear, Vanek has to be the most expensive player in the NHL when you compare price to production.

chernobylwraiths

10-12-2010, 08:04 AM

you had to go with a goalie and two defensemen?

I swear, Vanek has to be the most expensive player in the NHL when you compare price to production.

Again, Chris Drury.

You keep bringing up Vanek's salary like he has something to do with it. I watch the games and he is putting forth a big effort to score and getting his ass beat for the effort. They will eventually go in.

I also know there are other players that aren't great on breakaways. I just don't watch a lot of hockey that isn't Sabres hockey. If everyone was great on breakaways, then everyone would score on shootouts.

SabreEleven

10-12-2010, 08:06 AM

you had to go with a goalie and two defensemen?

I swear, Vanek has to be the most expensive player in the NHL when you compare price to production.

and a guy who hasn't played yet.

OpIv37

10-12-2010, 08:45 AM

Again, Chris Drury.

You keep bringing up Vanek's salary like he has something to do with it. I watch the games and he is putting forth a big effort to score and getting his ass beat for the effort. They will eventually go in.

I also know there are other players that aren't great on breakaways. I just don't watch a lot of hockey that isn't Sabres hockey. If everyone was great on breakaways, then everyone would score on shootouts.

They won't eventually go in because this is the exact same problem that Vanek has had for several years. I wish I had more time and more access to Sabres clips because I bet I could make a 30 minute montage of RJ saying things like "Vanek fans on an open net" or "Vanek couldn't find the handle" or "Vanek couldn't jam it home" from last season alone.

They don't give goals or points in the standings for effort. And for the record, Vanek's effort in front of the goal is good, but his efforts to get back defensively have been less than stellar.

His salary has everything to do with it because there is a cap in the NHL. Money wasted on Vanek is money that can't be spent to improve the team in other ways. No one questions the Caps spending a zillion dollars on Ovechkin because he SCORES. ALL the time. Spending money on forwards who don't score is what kills teams. You keep bringing up Drury- well, the Rangers haven't done dick since signing him. And unless Vanek can start living up to that cap hit, the Sabres will be in the exact same position.

SabreEleven

10-12-2010, 08:55 AM

OpIv37

10-12-2010, 08:58 AM

My observation from the game, even though I got to watch it in HD, I had to put up with the Chicago annoucers who need to learn how to pronounce Sekera...It's not SAC-er-a, you professional announcer.

???

DirecTV CI at my house had both the Chicago and Buffalo broadcasts in HD. I don't know why you were stuck with the Chicago announcers.

SabreEleven

10-12-2010, 09:08 AM

???

DirecTV CI at my house had both the Chicago and Buffalo broadcasts in HD. I don't know why you were stuck with the Chicago announcers.

DishNetwork for some reason this season has only been giving me one option. I got MSG for the Ranger game but that was non-HD. This was my first game in HD.

Nighthawk

10-12-2010, 11:43 AM

OpIv37

10-12-2010, 11:53 AM

Taking Ennis off the top line was stupid...the kid has been one of the best players in each game. Miller was so-so...again, he has to stop some of those soft goals. They need to find a different d-partner for Myers...what they're doing now is not working.

I missed the second game but I wasn't particularly impressed with Ennis in the first game.

I think the move was justified based on how well the Hecht-Roy-Stafford line played. However, I do see whatever natural talent Ennis may have going to waste next to Neidermayer and Grier.

SkateZilla

10-12-2010, 02:58 PM

my thoughts:

"its a tick int he wrong effing column, wake up and play 60 Minutes"

mchurchfie

10-12-2010, 03:42 PM

I missed the second game but I wasn't particularly impressed with Ennis in the first game.

I think the move was justified based on how well the Hecht-Roy-Stafford line played. However, I do see whatever natural talent Ennis may have going to waste next to Neidermayer and Grier.
Thats one Lindys favorite tricks, taking a pure scorer with tons of potential and sucking the life out of them by muzzling them to the grinder line.

OpIv37

10-12-2010, 06:24 PM

Thats one Lindys favorite tricks, taking a pure scorer with tons of potential and sucking the life out of them by muzzling them to the grinder line.

well, IMO we have 5 grinders on the roster- Grier, Neidermayer, Gaustad, McCormick, Kaleta.

So, we're either 1 grinder short of 2 check lines or 2 skaters short of 3 scoring lines.

Someone's always going to be the odd man out.

OpIv37

10-12-2010, 06:25 PM

my thoughts:

"i wake up and play 60 Minutes"

the frustrating thing is that this exact same statement can be applied to at least 75% of the games over the last 3 years, even the wins.

Ground Chuck

10-12-2010, 06:35 PM

This may be on of the softest Sabre teams ever. And that is saying something.

10-12-2010, 06:39 PM

This may be on of the softest Sabre teams ever. And that is saying something.
Where have you been the past 5 years?

10-12-2010, 06:43 PM

chernobylwraiths

10-12-2010, 09:17 PM

This may be on of the softest Sabre teams ever. And that is saying something.

I highly doubt that.

SabreEleven

10-12-2010, 10:30 PM

This may be on of the softest Sabre teams ever. And that is saying something.

Is this the first season you've watched ever?

SkateZilla

10-13-2010, 09:34 AM

Myers has some grit:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1m6GPUldYdQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1m6GPUldYdQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Morrison is rubbing off on Myers Already, Myers has been leveling people all pre-season, but he's ****ing up his positioning going for hits, and its giving scoring chances to the other team.

I think the Sabres have Billsitis; and Golisano has been chilling with R. Wilson too much.

RockStar36

10-13-2010, 09:43 AM

Is this the first season you've watched ever?

I think Connolly reacting after the Pominville hurt showed this is clearly not the softest Sabres team.

10-13-2010, 01:12 PM

I think Connolly reacting after the Pominville hurt showed this is clearly not the softest Sabres team.

That was a pretty lame reaction. I was waiting for Ray to jump over the boards and pummel somebody.

OpIv37

10-13-2010, 01:17 PM

That was a pretty lame reaction. I was waiting for Ray to jump over the boards and pummel somebody.

but it's Connolly. A lame reaction is an improvement over last year, when he would have stood there watching all 5 skaters from the other team beat down Thomas Vanek with their sticks as if he were Rodney King without doing anything about it.

10-13-2010, 01:20 PM

but it's Connolly. A lame reaction is an improvement over last year, when he would have stood there watching all 5 skaters from the other team beat down Thomas Vanek with their sticks as if he were Rodney King without doing anything about it.
Connolly went after two people last year.. one for a late slap at miller and something else. I expected him to do some face mashing, maybe next time he drops the gloves?

G Wolly

10-13-2010, 01:22 PM

Connolly is a *****

RockStar36

10-13-2010, 01:24 PM

I'm not arguing that Connolly is some kind of tough guy. Just saying I was impressed that he even showed an ounce of emotion.

chernobylwraiths

10-13-2010, 01:26 PM

I'm not arguing that Connolly is some kind of tough guy. Just saying I was impressed that he even showed an ounce of emotion.

He did the same thing when Miller got hurt against the Rangers two years ago.

OpIv37

10-13-2010, 01:27 PM

Connolly went after two people last year.. one for a late slap at miller and something else. I expected him to do some face mashing, maybe next time he drops the gloves?

and maybe Thomas Vanek will score a hat trick against Brodeur tonight, but I wouldn't hold my breath on either one of those.

RockStar36

10-13-2010, 01:27 PM

He did the same thing when Miller got hurt against the Rangers two years ago.

I get it.

I've had Connolly pegged wrong this entire time.

10-13-2010, 01:30 PM

Connolly is a *****
Drinks like a ***** too:

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/profile-ak-snc4/object2/515/95/n118168511535735_9089.jpg

But at least he doesn't wear female sandals while doing it...
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n6iQk_-7b2g/STQEt0Ug4kI/AAAAAAAAAJo/kjwSvch-Sjo/s400/n513364979_74748_3255.jpg

SabreEleven

10-13-2010, 01:50 PM

or get his crotch grabbed....

OpIv37

10-13-2010, 01:52 PM

or get his crotch grabbed....

you never played grab-crotch in the locker room? You're so repressed.

SkateZilla

10-13-2010, 05:00 PM

and he's only wearing ONE sandal.

10-13-2010, 11:18 PM

Captain kill thread strikes again

G Wolly

10-13-2010, 11:25 PM

and he's only wearing ONE sandal.

You have an eye for fashion

G Wolly

10-13-2010, 11:29 PM

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f349/AnAngryTRex/halloweenroysie.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n6iQk_-7b2g/STVXK4O7KVI/AAAAAAAAAJw/VepRm-Ytm8Y/s400/roy_drunk.jpg

10-14-2010, 12:00 AM

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_n6iQk_-7b2g/SbVD5HX539I/AAAAAAAAAUo/884yuRX7TKQ/s320/roy_wearinggirlssweater.jpg

:limp:

10-14-2010, 12:05 AM

http://procrastinationstation101.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/1232550426_worf-face-palm.gif

Ground Chuck

10-14-2010, 08:45 AM

Is this the first season you've watched ever?

I've been watching Sabres Hockey from the beginning.

And I stand by my statement that this may be the softest team ever.

At least the soft teams of the past 10 or 20 years had one guy to be afraid of (Ray, Peters, Boulton).

This whole team could play with eggs in their pockets and there would only be 1 or 2 broken. Miller gets run over 4 times every game. No one does anything. This is the softest collection of defensemen I think we've ever had. Ok you have one Myers hit. Can you find any more?

Not only are they soft but they can't score goals either. Hecht, Greer, Stafford, Ennis, Timmy, Gerbe, Kaleta, Gaustead...You can only afford one line of guys like this, not 3.

OpIv37

10-14-2010, 10:38 AM

Not only are they soft but they can't score goals either. Hecht, Greer, Stafford, Ennis, Timmy, Gerbe, Kaleta, Gaustead...You can only afford one line of guys like this, not 3.

I'd replace Hecht with Vanek in that statement, but other than that, I agree.

SabreEleven

10-14-2010, 10:42 AM

I wouldn't replace Hecht with Vanek, I'd just add Vanek.

RockStar36

10-14-2010, 10:47 AM

Ummm...

McCormick?

chernobylwraiths

10-14-2010, 11:10 AM

Ummm...

McCormick?

Kaleta? (hey, losman wins isn't around so somebody had to)

OpIv37

10-14-2010, 11:42 AM

Kaleta? (hey, losman wins isn't around so somebody had to)

eh, Kaleta hits but he rarely fights or stands up for anybody. Usually someone like Gaustad has to stand up for him because the other team is pissed about one of his hits.

RockStar36

10-14-2010, 11:47 AM

Kaleta fights when he has to. Other times he avoids it, which is doing the team good by drawing the penalty. Of course, with their PP being awful, maybe he should just drop the gloves more often.