Post-Game Talk (GBU): Baby Steps? Signs of Life?

[Chainshot]

G

Miller. Stellar.
Crawford. Also stellar.
Vanek-Hodgson-Ott buzzed the Hawks most of the night.
Furry Drew scores a goal?!?! Start a streak will ya?
Girgensons big hit on Brookbank.
Grigorenko getting time with the empty net.
Three rookies on the PK at times.
I liked Larsson even in limited minutes. He doesn't back away or quit on anything.

B

PKing broke down against a team that has struggled to score on the PP this year.
McBain breaks down before the 2nd Hawk goal. It's hard to win with two #7's in the lineup (Sulzer was none too good either.)
Still in last place in the league and the last winless team.

U

Shot differential for both the Sabres and Amerks.

Click to read more...

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

G:

Didn't get blown out
Miller
The 3rd
Stafford miraculously finding the back of the net

B:

Another loss
The PK

U:

Being outshot yet again.

the last winless team.

Jersey hasn't won yet, either.

 

[Timbo Slice]

Effort is there. Miller is there. Some scoring opportunities are there. The team has no luck, is running into good goalies, and plain and simple can't score goals.

The record for least goals in a season is 133. That record may be in trouble, at this pace.

 

[5 Minute Major]

No complaints tonight though Chicago was on a back to back night and I think that showed late.

 

[start winnin]

If the Sabres played with the desperation they played with in the last period every night I wouldn't mind losing so much. At least they were hustling to pucks and generating opportunities even if they were chasing the puck around all night.

 

[MayDay]

Still in last place in the league and the last winless team.

New Jersey hasn't won yet either.

 

[Gabrielor]

G

Miller
Hodgson
Ott

B

Puck Possession
Grigorenko. So frustrating. I 'want' to believe he's making plays out there, but 90% of the time, he looks like such a passenger.

U

Puck Possession.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

G: we didnt get shut out

B: 6 goals in 6 games

U: that thread saying we weren't gonna be as bad as everyone thought

 

[Chainshot]

Jersey hasn't won yet, either.

Pardon.

"Still the worst record in the league".

 

[Kublakhan]

G..watching 2nd half of game

B... watching 1st half of the game

U.. Hawks shots on goal..

Fun game though..

 

[sba]

I'm almost ready to have the "Pysyk is our best defenseman" discussion.

 

[ZZamboni]

G-
Psysk. He doesn't play like a rookie. He impresses me every game.
Grigorenko looked better.
Hodgson was mostly solid
Miller was awesome
Kept the game interesting against a very good team
PK was good, mostly

B-
PP sucks
Bonehead penalties
SOG

U-
Penalty call against Ristolainen

 

[sabresandcanucks]

I thought Myers and Pysyk also had monster games (relatively speaking...) tonight as well.

 

[Karate Johnson*]

A minor improvement on offense and puck control will help the defense immensely.

I'm 100% sick of the yoyo bull**** with Grigorenko, just give the kid a consistent shift with a scoring line, it doesn't matter if he screws up.

If they try I can watch.

 

[start winnin]

I'm almost ready to have the "Pysyk is our best defenseman" discussion.

He'll be a top pairing guy easily. That one blueprint video on him where Cassidy raves about his calmness was so lame, but at the same time it was so true. He never panics and makes the right play. He still gets muscled off some pucks but when he gets stronger and faster he's going to be such a beast. He's a Keith like guy in the making.

 

[Chainshot]

I thought Myers and Pysyk also had monster games (relatively speaking...) tonight as well.

Agreed. It's good to see Myers continuing to be better, even when saddle with bums like Sulzer or McBain.

 

[5 Minute Major]

I'm almost ready to have the "Pysyk is our best defenseman" discussion.

It will be a one sided discussion because there isn't a whole lot to debate. You are right.

 

[Prospector74]

G:
Miller
Hodgson
Girgs (quickly becoming my favorite player on this team)
Ehrhoff
Stafford getting a goal
I enjoyed this game and was yelling at the TV late in the 3rd (been a while)
Myers showing progress

B:
still winless.

U:
Ott - kept thinking if he was just a little better dude would have had a couple of goals tonight.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

G: This one was watchable... even entertaining
Miller
Hodgson
Foligno
Psysk
Stafford
Girgenson
Larsson

B: Ennis
Sulzer
Missed chances, open nets, posts
Coaching - late in 3rd downa goal is a terrible time to play the 4th line
Girgorenko - sorry, his skating is not NHL caliber.

U: no call on Girgenson's breakaway
Ott taking a head shot/board penalty - That's not how Capts. lead....

Hawks thought the game was over after their 2nd goal at the end of the 2nd period. To the Sabres credit, they came back strong and kept at it and almost squeezed out a 2nd goal.

If they start to play this way consistently, I can watch this team.

 

[sba]

It will be a one sided discussion because there isn't a whole lot to debate. You are right.

Ehrhoff is pretty good.

 

[Paxon]

Good:
- Miller...
- Vanek-Hodgson-Ott, especially Hodgson considering how he has had a pretty poor start to the season
- Ehrhoff-Pysyk continues to be stable
- Girgensons made lots of good stuff happen, but is just a hair short of finishing plays off at this point
- Stafford skated well as he has much of the season, this time it resulted in a little bit more
- Grigorenko seemed more decisive. Really shocked he was out there with the empty net, but I was glad to see it

Bad:
- Relying on Ennis to make things happen
- In case anyone is wondering what the gap between Buffalo and Chicago is, look how much the Hawks generated despite the Sabres putting in probably their best effort of the season
- Please come back Tallinder. Having Sulzer AND McBain in the same line-up is bad.

Ugly:
- Twin Village Recycling ads. Such an add mix of tacky and literal garbage, and not in a good John Waters way.

 

[sabresandcanucks]

I'm almost ready to have the "Pysyk is our best defenseman" discussion.

One thing that surprised me tonight was his shot velocity...I didn't know he had such a canon already. In the 3rd he let loose two heavy shots from the point that certainly didn't look out of place in the NHL.

 

[start winnin]

Our G men need to do fusion dance and create Girgeronko(Girgensons is dominant personality because of abrasiveness but still has Grigorenko talent level).

 

[ZZamboni]

I'm almost ready to have the "Pysyk is our best defenseman" discussion.

But ZOMG he doesn't score goalzzzzzz!

He sucks

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

If the Sabres played with the desperation they played with in the last period every night I wouldn't mind losing so much. At least they were hustling to pucks and generating opportunities even if they were chasing the puck around all night.

I've heard this forever.
People will think I'm nuts but the genesis of this attitude started in 2006-2007 when they had the talent to bail them out. Almost cost them that year against Rangers, finally killed them against Ottawa.
Now, this team is below average and coming out of the blocks slowly just leaves them doomed.
It's like it's something in the water in Sabresland.