Punch Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 In the history of the NHL there has never been an "elite" goalie able to carry a team full of pussyfarts to a championship. If you don't think Miller is elite then fine. Luckily you don't make that call. But if you think Miller is the problem on the Sabres then you have no jdea...none. Goaltender is probably the one position th Sabres have that is high caliber. Did you watch even the game today? Did you notice the Sabres unable to get out of their own zone with the puck? Or how about the turnovers? Philly exposed the players in front of Miller as susceptible to the forecheck. In fact they totally went to pieces when someone applies the slightest pressure. The Flyers tried to give the series to them in game 6 but the Sabres can't even take what's handed to them on a silver platter. Expect a lot of turnover in the off-season...just not in net. PTR Agreed with all of this. Trying to peg all the blame on the goaltender is difficult; Patrick Roy had a losing record in Game 7s--- in fact, he holds the distinction of having the most Game 7 losses in history, with 7. Hardly means he's not an elite player. I highly doubt Roy ever went into a Game 7 with the team Miller went in with tonight, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 One of the most deflating aspects of the series was the Sabres' propensity to handle the puck as if there were 5 Richard Smehlik's on the ice trying to beat the Flyer's forecheck. They really need to be able to break out of their own zone rather than get stuck playing large parts of each game scrambling around in our end of the rink. All in all, I am proud of the way of the team came back from the hole they dug for themselves at the beginning of the year. They were just a few minutes away from closing the series in game 6. As much as I cannot stand the Flyers, they have a lot of skill (in addition to all of their BS). The experience of this year should serve the team (especially the younger guys) well going into next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I have to agree that it is hardly Millers fault they lost the game. The defense in general, all series, was terrible. Letting the flyers just take the zone, and not standing anyone up at the blue line. The passing and turn overs killed them. Especially turn overs in buffalos own zone. The forecheck was also terrible. They didn't push the puck up ice and force the issue. A lot of that has to do with injuries and being stretched thin at the center and forward positions. But no one stepped up for the sabres. They played like they didn't want it. On a side note, I thought Ruffs choice of lines was pretty terrible. But again, injuries limit what you can and can't do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 You have to look at the overall lack of skating talent on this team. Given this fact, the last 2 months and particularly the flyers series was very impressive. The clearly overachieved as a team. In my opinion if they were to acquire a play-making forward such as Briere (it still burns me that the sabres let him walk away so easily) and a stud defenseman who can carry the puck our of their own zone they could do some real damage next season. Any anyone who blames Miller for that loss yesterday either does not know hockey or has their head up their ass. If it wasn't for Miller the Sabres would have been down by 5 goals or more going into the first intermission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I watch almost no hockey at all because I'm no longer a fan, but I watched a bit of this series. I don't understand why people are complaining, especially re miller. The flyers are quite simply a significantly more talented and better team. It seems patently obvious, no? You are 100% correct. But some people need to blame a particular person when their team loses instead of seeing the big picture like you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowtippur Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I'm not blaming one person for tonight's loss. I'm looking over the course of the season. Miller can go from lock down to a sieve. Actually seems comparable to Boucher. You guys keep saying the team on the ice tonight, the team on the ice tonight wasn't initially being debated. Yes, tonight's team seemed scared, apprehensive, and deflated. Maybe just plain tired. All season long this team has been offensively challenged. The original premise of this was Miller. Throughout the season, I don't believe Miller to be anything more than average. Look around the league and compare. Maybe on a team with a better defense, maybe a team with a better offense, maybe he would be the star that he is supposed to be. I don't know that. All I can go by is what I have witnessed and that is coming up short in big situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 (edited) I'm not blaming one person for tonight's loss. I'm looking over the course of the season. Miller can go from lock down to a sieve. Actually seems comparable to Boucher. You guys keep saying the team on the ice tonight, the team on the ice tonight wasn't initially being debated. Yes, tonight's team seemed scared, apprehensive, and deflated. Maybe just plain tired. All season long this team has been offensively challenged. The original premise of this was Miller. Throughout the season, I don't believe Miller to be anything more than average. Look around the league and compare. Maybe on a team with a better defense, maybe a team with a better offense, maybe he would be the star that he is supposed to be. I don't know that. All I can go by is what I have witnessed and that is coming up short in big situations. what "big situations" has miller come up short in? A 1-goal loss in game 7 of the '06 ECF when we were down to pulling fans out of the stands to play D? The Gold medal game of the '10 Olympics where the USA lost in OT by a score of 2-1 and he still won the MVP? The '07 ECF where the sabres were out matched by Ottawa? Miller has started almost 30 consecutive playoff games for a reason. He's a great Goaltender. 29 other teams and basically every other hockey playing country in the world agree with this assessment. Its only a small group of loud mouthes in Buffalo that think Miller is no good. Thankfully, none of them are anywhere near running the sabres, so Miller is going to stay right where he is. Edited April 27, 2011 by Ramius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I'm not blaming one person for tonight's loss. I'm looking over the course of the season. Miller can go from lock down to a sieve. Actually seems comparable to Boucher. You guys keep saying the team on the ice tonight, the team on the ice tonight wasn't initially being debated. Yes, tonight's team seemed scared, apprehensive, and deflated. Maybe just plain tired. All season long this team has been offensively challenged. The original premise of this was Miller. Throughout the season, I don't believe Miller to be anything more than average. Look around the league and compare. Maybe on a team with a better defense, maybe a team with a better offense, maybe he would be the star that he is supposed to be. I don't know that. All I can go by is what I have witnessed and that is coming up short in big situations. You are entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong or misinformed it may be. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Hearing Ruff being interviewed during the 2nd period was pretty uninspiring. No energy or optimism there. Lindy sounded like he was giving up. Is there some reason why the Sabres look so tired? I am glad I am not the only one who heard that...on the Versus broadcast, they interviewed Lindy during the 2nd period, when it was still in reach (though, in reality, not) and it sounded like he was already making excuses for them to lose (I think he mentioned all the guys coming back from injury, their youth)...I love Ruff, and I want him to stay with the Sabres...but if I have one criticism of him, he does this too much. And then the players start repeating it...like they know that losing isn't all that bad a thing, because they have a good excuse. I think the excuses are legit, but let the media, or the fans make them...not the head coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I am glad I am not the only one who heard that...on the Versus broadcast, they interviewed Lindy during the 2nd period, when it was still in reach (though, in reality, not) and it sounded like he was already making excuses for them to lose (I think he mentioned all the guys coming back from injury, their youth)...I love Ruff, and I want him to stay with the Sabres...but if I have one criticism of him, he does this too much. And then the players start repeating it...like they know that losing isn't all that bad a thing, because they have a good excuse. I think the excuses are legit, but let the media, or the fans make them...not the head coach. Lindy has been trying to get this team to play all year. I think he's hoping Terry Pegula will purge some of the dead weight and get him some real players. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Lindy has been trying to get this team to play all year. I think he's hoping Terry Pegula will purge some of the dead weight and get him some real players. PTR #55, 19, 34, at least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 #55, 19, 34, at least Oh I predict at least 8 current Sabres are good as gone. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 What a ride! That was fun, I thoroughly enjoyed watching those games. I went out for 6 of the 7 games and the atmosphere was just great. I am bummed a bit, but there was no way this team was going to win the cup. And to take a very good team in Philly to 7 games was impressive. They were really bad yesterday, but the Sabres lost it in game 6, they had them on the ropes and let them back in, so that's the really disappointing part. Instead a bunch of whining floppers move on. It should be a really exciting off season. They are about 6 or 7 moves from making a serious run and we have an owner willing to spend money to make it happen. I'm already looking forward to next season.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Lindy has been trying to get this team to play all year. I think he's hoping Terry Pegula will purge some of the dead weight and get him some real players. PTR Yeah, I know...I think he is a great coach...I really pray that Pegula delivers, on his end. This season ended with a flurry, and was very fun....but I want them to win the whole thing...I do think they have some great young talent. Philly was the better team, no crime in losing to them. I just want to have to come up with excuses as to why we couldn't defend our title, for a change! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 #55, 19, 34, at least Butler is still young. There's no reason why the team should be in a hurry to get rid of him. But i certainly hope that Hecht and Connolly are gone, and i won't be too sad to see grier go. The team isn't that far away. They got a lot of good young players that are only going to get better. Add in a top-6 scoring threat and a top defenseman and the team will be looking very good for next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I heard Paul Hamilton earlier, talking about all the FA's the Sabres have coming on the horizon. He contends (and I have no reason to disagree) that if the Sabres don't try to sign Drew Stafford to a cap-friendly deal, before his case goes to arbitration, they will either lose him, or pay him way too much...I like Stafford, I hope they handle this situation the right way. Hamilton believes, just based on numbers, that Stafford would command elite money, if his case goes to arbitration. I would hate to overpay a guy like Stafford, at the expense of, say, a Tyler Ennis or Nathan Gerbe. btw- Hamilton didn't mention Enroth, but I could have sworn he was a restricted FA, after this season. Anyone know if that is the case? What does that mean, in terms of the NHL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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