Taro T

AND it's NEVER happened in the NFL either!

If there was too much gyration during the report's creation, trying to read it might cause some frustration.

'42 Loafs did it to the Wings as well.

Even when one is on a vacation?

don't you hate it when posters include the original long post in their reply, thereby making the reply's even longer than the original post? 689035[/snapback] Yes.

I've always been partial to the hurdy-gurdy myself.

Yep. But although I won't say that Buffalo will definitely win tomorrow, I do definitely expect Lindy to have them focused and in a position to win tomorrow.

Did anyone else have a Bondra "just give it to him" goal flashback as Alfie took the shot that rang off the post with 1.8 seconds to go? That shot scared the snot out of me and not just because it would have made the series 2-1. That would have finally been Alfie's "just follow me, boys" moment. The Sens fans have been waiting 9 years for one of those. I know the series isn't won yet and the Otters are still a scary team but I definitely am a happy camper at this moment.

The neighbor's cat swears by it, err, SWORE by it.

True, but the Flyers game is more suited to Rory's game - physical, grind it out, out work (hit) the other guy. Rory is much more of a liability against Ottawa - especially Havlat. Not that I want to see Rory out against the Spezza line often, but I would rather that than have him out against Havlat. (The weird thing is, Rory does have good speed for a defenseman. He should be able to match up against the Sens decently. It's just that somehow when the game gets moving a little faster, he seems to get lost.) I think Lindy will do a good job of putting Rory out with opportunities to be successful. It will be much harder to do if he still is playing and the series is in Ottawa.

I thought the hit was definitely clean. Schaeffer tried to put his shoulder into Tim's chest and Tim kept fading lower as the hit approached. I can't blame Schaeffer for getting an elbow into the puck carrier's jaw when the guy is that low and he had begun lining him up when the puck carrier was up higher. I haven't heard how Tim is, but hopefully he didn't get a concussion and will be back tomorrow night. That's what Ruff was intimating during his postgame press conference.

It was a 4 on 4. McKee and a Sen went off for coincidental roughing minors when the Otters took the lead 6-5. Drury's goal was scored 4 on 4 as well.

You will not see Biron this post season barring some very strange circumstance (Miller injury, Sabres desperately needed a "karma" change, or something of that nature). I'd be nearly shocked if you see Marty in either of the back-to-backs. You will NOT see him start in game 2. He is a good goalie, but he is not better than Ryan is, nor does he have the same upside potential that Ryan has. The reason why they'd "give up" on him is Ryan is better. It's that simple. (Also, I wouldn't say they gave up on him. He is still on the roster and Mika is not.) Marty is probably the 20th best goalie in the league (some days I'd say top 15, some days top 30-35), but Ryan is better than that. There are teams in the NHL that Marty could start for, but there are several (including the Sabres) where he would only be the 2nd best (or in the case of a team like San Jose - 3rd).

Happy B-day, MiP. Hope this next year is better than last year for you.

If it was Gaustad or Grier that scored it, I'd say pass that didn't quite "work" the way it was supposed to. Timmy or Danny, absolutely intentional. Goal scoring is an art that can't be taught. You either get it or you don't. Timmy gets it (after a few year lapse of not getting it, but that was more a case of not getting how to get in position to score than not getting HOW to score).

One of the announcers said something to the effect of "Buffalo can't come back now" or "it becomes extremely difficult to come back now", and I turned to my wife and said "didn't they score a shorthanded goal already"? What a friggin' game!

Yeah, but earlier in the period when Emery gave up a HUGE rebound that went off of Phillips' skate back to where he could cover it, Benedetti (sp?) and Eliot were RAVING about how great Ray was playing the rebounds. Excuse me? It was just a case of the Sabres skaters and goalie being JUST good enough and the Otters not being quite there. This is going to be one for the ages. I love the new friggin' NHL. I honestly can't remember the last time the entire Sabres season was this enjoyable. Even in '99, they had Barnaby and Hasek feuding and the monumental 2nd half collapse (until Barnaby turned into Stuuuuuuuuuuu Barrrrrrrrrnnnes). It had to be early '80's at the latest. PS - Happy Birthday LSI.

Yeah, but Jagr had a good season and his team's fortunes had nothing to do with Lundqvist's hip.

This is where I like the extra day off in Ottawa. The Sens will have to deal with one extra day of the locals giving them flack for losing to a team that they outplayed on paper and also for Alfie not finding way to hit the empty net toward the end (I think it was Alfie, have to look at the replay when I will actually remember it). The Sabres have one extra day to try to figure out how to keep from giving Havlat breakaways. It also gives Miller 1 extra day to settle down. Getting the W in a game that he gave up some big rebounds AND 6 goals could go a long way towards calming his jitters. Also, 1 more game that Briere seemed invisible for large portions of the game but he gets a HUGE assist when the Sabres needed it. Sweeeeet.

Yep, from worst in the West to top remaining seed. There is a 100% correlation with Thornton donning teal and that team (and especially Cheechoo) turning the season around. It's not the Best Player award, it's the Most VALUABLE Player award. I'd have a tough time believing anyone but Thornton would have had that significant an effect on his team's success.

Well stated.

Hey, I thought Lundqvist would be at least 90% and that Koivu would play the whole series. (I should have known 1, but didn't have much of a chance with the other.) As for the West, I don't follow that nearly closely enough. I knew there would be at least one more upset than the Sharks, I just couldn't decide which one to pick, so I didn't pick any of them.

The Sabres did sign Numminen about 3 weeks before getting Toni. But the Sabres probably would not have tried to sign Teppo if they had Z (or if they had gotten Aucoin after they lost Z). I think the Sabres would have still tried to get Lydman if they had Z and not Teppo. It's VERY doubtful that the Sabres would have had all 3 D on the season opening roster as the team payroll would have been above the $29MM that the Sabres wanted to max out at. My gut feel is that Teppo is the one that isn't wearing a Shatanic Goat if Z is, but it is possible that Lydman is the odd man out. Lydman is younger and cheaper than Teppo, and as such I would expect that he would be the preferred target if Z is in the stable.

Zhitnik was NOT let go. The Sabres tried to sign him - both in '04 before his contract expired and in this past off-season. He would not sign with the Sabres prior to testing free agency and then the Isles made him a better offer (more years for comparable / slightly higher per season $'s). Had the Sabres signed Zhitnik, they most likely would not have signed Teppo. (Although it's possible they would have signed Teppo and then not traded for Lydman.) So the Sabres would most likely still be looking at the same depth issues they have had they signed Z.

No advice. Wish I had some. Sorry to hear your news.