swiper
03-27-2014, 07:53 AM
Exerpt...
Miller’s stats with the Blues are decent but not eye-popping, with a 2.12 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. He’s learning a new style and coach Ken Hitchcock likened it to when Ed Belfour first joined him in Dallas and slowly melded into a new team. See 1999 to recall how that worked out.
“He’s just sorting it out on the ice, getting better every day, but the impact he’s had is in his professionalism,” said Hitchcock.
“The way he carries himself and the way he handles himself in high-pressure situations is contagious.”
“In the Sabres’ system, there’s times they’d let me front the shot and take some of the back side,” Miller said. “We’re really aggressive on the puck carrier, really aggressive on fronting stuff. So I’ve got to learn how to make my reads a little different.”
Translated, the Blues want Miller back in his net a little more. That’s how he got burned by Carl Gunnarson for a goal in the third period that cut the St. Louis lead to 4-2. The Blues had a 49-25 advantage in shots – 36-14 over the first 40 minutes – but the game wasn’t sealed until Backes’ hat trick goal into an empty net.
“He’s been awesome all year but now I get to see him go from 45 shots a game to 20 shots,” former Sabres captain Steve Ott said of Miller. “... He’s not as involved as he’s usually been but his focus has always been phenomenal.”
It was six minutes before Miller had to face a shot. He got beat on shot five from the doorstep by Joffrey Lupul – after making a spectacular diving save on Nazem Kadri. After that, he was pretty much a spectator. The Blues, who play a wickedly hard game on the puck, had 23 shots in the first period alone.
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/miller-looks-like-great-fit-with-st-louis-20140326
LOL @ Ott. Don't mince any words. Happy for Miller.
Also:
I know the Western Conference is a juggernaut but it’s hard to imagine the Blues not at least making the conference final (and thus giving the Sabres their first-round pick). The Blues have 105 points – or more than double that the Sabres have. And Miller isn’t doing much heavy lifting.
Miller’s stats with the Blues are decent but not eye-popping, with a 2.12 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. He’s learning a new style and coach Ken Hitchcock likened it to when Ed Belfour first joined him in Dallas and slowly melded into a new team. See 1999 to recall how that worked out.
“He’s just sorting it out on the ice, getting better every day, but the impact he’s had is in his professionalism,” said Hitchcock.
“The way he carries himself and the way he handles himself in high-pressure situations is contagious.”
“In the Sabres’ system, there’s times they’d let me front the shot and take some of the back side,” Miller said. “We’re really aggressive on the puck carrier, really aggressive on fronting stuff. So I’ve got to learn how to make my reads a little different.”
Translated, the Blues want Miller back in his net a little more. That’s how he got burned by Carl Gunnarson for a goal in the third period that cut the St. Louis lead to 4-2. The Blues had a 49-25 advantage in shots – 36-14 over the first 40 minutes – but the game wasn’t sealed until Backes’ hat trick goal into an empty net.
“He’s been awesome all year but now I get to see him go from 45 shots a game to 20 shots,” former Sabres captain Steve Ott said of Miller. “... He’s not as involved as he’s usually been but his focus has always been phenomenal.”
It was six minutes before Miller had to face a shot. He got beat on shot five from the doorstep by Joffrey Lupul – after making a spectacular diving save on Nazem Kadri. After that, he was pretty much a spectator. The Blues, who play a wickedly hard game on the puck, had 23 shots in the first period alone.
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/miller-looks-like-great-fit-with-st-louis-20140326
LOL @ Ott. Don't mince any words. Happy for Miller.
Also:
I know the Western Conference is a juggernaut but it’s hard to imagine the Blues not at least making the conference final (and thus giving the Sabres their first-round pick). The Blues have 105 points – or more than double that the Sabres have. And Miller isn’t doing much heavy lifting.