Since everyone is all about comparing the Sabres of today to the Sabres of 05-06, I’ll just follow along. Just like during the regular season then, the Sabres just can’t beat the Senators in Ottawa.
-I think the biggest reason the Sabres have problems against the Senators is because the team doesn’t play well against an opponent that doesn’t rely on just one line. The Senators are kind of built like the Sabres, because they roll out four lines that consist of speed and grit. When you take Miller out of the equation, the Sabres play their best when their 3rd and 4th lines outplay the opponent’s second tier lines. The Senators latter lines match-up well against the Sabres, and when your top six forwards are as inconsistent as the Sabres are, you’re going to have problems. It’s not like playing the Capitols or Hawks, who have only one or two lines you have to deal with-
-The Sabres PP is ranked 21st in the NHL, but the way they have played this season, you’d think they were ranked 21st in the AHL. It’s as if the PP unit is just throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing if it will stick. One rush, they try to dump it in. The next rush, they try and carry it in. Then the last rush, they get a penalty. I mean when you can’t set up the power play game in & game out, what’s the point of talking about over passing and getting pucks on net?-
-I don’t know what is up with Thomas Vanek, but if the rumors about him nursing injuries have anything to do with his below average year, maybe the Sabres should consider resting him for a game or two. I just don’t see the same burst or aggressiveness that we are use to-
-A night like tonight is where the Sabres need to make a trade for another scorer or at least someone that the opposition is afraid of. Besides Miller, there isn’t any other player on the team you have to prepare for.
-We all know who the Sabres best player was tonight. This was arguably Ryan Miller’s best effort of the season. If it wasn’t for him, the Sabres would of lost 9-0. He made some unbelievable saves and kept the Sabres in it throughout. A big difference between last year and this year for Miller is that he doesn’t give up as many big rebounds.
-How do you get ZERO scoring chances in one period?-
-I just hate it whenever a Senators player scores at home. First, you get the annoying ass out of tune horn blasting for like 20 seconds. Then you get cutaways of fans in the crowd, who always look like they should be modeling in Christmas cards, and then clap as if they are at a Broadway play. Finally, you get the Star Trek theme song blaring. Man, Canada is so not cool-
-Did someone forget to pack the mic cube for Kevin Sylvester’s intermission interviews? Love using a stick microphone without the cube, very college style-
–WGR reported that seven players on the Sabres had suffered from food poisoning prior to the game. Oh, well that changes everything. The Sabres would have won by at least four goals. I’m sure the Sabres PR will quickly release stories of the team hurling chunks of poo-teen and other Canadian delicacies during the intermissions, as reasons for the club struggling tonight. Phew, now we can keep on talking about how this team resembles the team from 05-06…I kid, I kid-
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