Quick Sabres thoughts

Where the hell have you been?
Look, I didn’t exactly kill or commend Darcy Regier at the trade deadline, but it’s almost looking as if he traded for another version of Dominic Moore. Welcome to the Buffalo Sabres, Raffi Torres. Yes, just another Sabres player who comes to Buffalo and seems to have a scoring touch, but upon arrival, he seems to be just another top six forward that isn’t reaching expectations. I know, it has only been five games since his arrival and apologists will say that it takes time to learn a system. Sure, I can go with that.

However, If you can’t get on the stats sheet (two assists in five games), then try and do other things…like hitting or blocking shots. Just do whatever intangibles seem to be ignored in the box score. Games have gone by that I think to myself, “Oh, I forgot, we have Raffi.” Yes, I’ll be sure to give Raffi more time to get on track and I will be glad to eat my words if he comes around. However, if you’re suppose to be the Sabres hired gun, it’s time for you to wake up. You’re not in Columbus anymore (Where 7,000 people show up for games); you’re in a playoff race with crazed hockey fans. So, bring your “A” game…and I’m not talking “A” as in assists.

You’re better than that
Look, I get that Patrick Lalime let in two very soft goals. I get that fans pay their hard earned money to buy tickets and have earned the right to boo. Hell, I even wrote a long column about how fans should boo Patrick Kane and Brian Campbell earlier this season. However, I can’t help but think if that was Marty Biron letting in those soft goals, the folks at the HSBC Arena would have been throwing garbage at the Sabres bench for making a no-named Minnesota goaltender look as if he was Patrick Roy.

I think the booing of Lalime had everything to do with Biron not manning the posts. If you haven’t read my blog before, I’m not exactly enamored to Biron as many of the Sabres fans are. I swear, you could put Biron and Jim Kelly in the same breath as players that the Buffalo fan base haven’t been able to get over leaving. Every year, it’s the same thing about the Sabres back-up goaltending. Bring back Marty! He’s funny and he fought Ray Emery.

Yes, Lalime’s goaltending had a lot to do with the Sabres losing against the Wild, but how about the team’s inability to play well on the power play? How about the team not being able to score consistently? How about Derek Roy only scoring empty netters? There are a ton of reasons for the Sabres recent play over the last month. The least of it has to do with their back-up goaltending.

If there’s someone you want to boo for the back-up goaltending play, it’s Lindy Ruff. The coach did a disservice to Lalime when he decided to give up on him after one bad game during the Western Road trip in January. It’s very difficult for a goaltender to start a game and play well after taking a month off. Fans forget, Lalime played great against the NHL’s best in Chicago and Pittsburgh earlier this season. The main reasons for his stellar play was working in the minors for conditioning and being in a rotation of starting every 5 to 6 games.

But to be frank, my disdain towards the booing is about the Biron fixation. Like I’ve said, if that’s Marty back there, no one is going to boo. Now, don’t give me that Biron is a better goaltender and wouldn’t have let in those soft goals because his stats this year sure don’t justify sticking up for him.

What’s in the pregame meals?
Besides the three goal first period outburst against the Stars, the Sabres have been miserable in the opening session. The Sabres have failed to score in the first period in six of their last eight games. I’d love to tell you a reason for the Sabres inability to get off to a fast start, but your guess is as good as mine.

We don’t need the advantage
Do I even need to go into the Sabres power play woes? What is it? 2 for its last 400? I’m telling you, just put Thomas Vanek on the point. I’m being serious too. The power play has been disastrous. It’s a moral victory whenever they can even set-up the power play (Normally, it takes about a minute to set-up). They just don’t have it. Maybe the Sabres should give Scott Arniel a call to work with the power play.

Can it just end?
Sorry, but can the regular season come to an end? I don’t know what’s the problem. Maybe the Sabres boring style of play has made me want the season to end? Maybe the thought of knowing that the Sabres are definitely going to be in the playoffs has something to do with it? Maybe my writer’s block on the Sabres has something to do with it? Honestly, how many positive pieces can I write about Ryan Miller and Tyler Myers? How many times can I write that the top six forwards are underachieving? It’s getting old. Please, just let the regular season come to an end.