If we are going to make a run to the cup this year, I think we should be able to show that we can take out Boston fairly handily....either a sweep or 5 games

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"It is more about them than it is about the team...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win." - Mike Singletary

Tyler Myers - Future captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and future Norris Trophy Winner

Manning the machine gun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon - just in case any teams have an idea of prying him away from us (3 GM's shot already)

Connolly/Roy - 2 goals in the last 47 playoff games

Not to mention the missed games by Connolly, Vanek, Kaleta, etc

Look, this isn't the same team that got beat by Boston early on.

Myers has grown up, and grown into his role.

Sekera and Butler are much improved.

Our physicality has picked up. Goose, Grier, Mair, Torres, Kaleta, so on and so forth are really raising their game. We've help Boston to 4 or fewer goals every time. Our offense is much improved, and continues to improve as we go into the playoffs. I'm not overly worried about the first round match up. The only time they scored 4 on us, was with Enroth in net. Other than that we've had their number defensively. We score 3 or more, we're going to win. Vanek, Ennis, Connolly, Roy, Pommers, and whomever they place on the top line are all more than capable of being able to score 4 or more goals. I'm very comfortable with this match up. Also, Miller is going to elevate his game just as much as Rask. Up front we've got more fire power, 3rd and 4th line are far more talented and physical than bostons depth. Hence our ability to trade away Paille.

I think your concerns are justifiable, but this isn't exactly some paranormal universe where the Sabres wont be able to elevate their game to the same level as Boston. Vanek had a down year, but has shown the Vanek of old lately, same with Roy. Pommers is always a terror in the playoffs. The real wildcard in this series will be the play of Bostons second and third defensive pairings. They can't double shift Chara against both the Ennis-Connolly-Pommer and Vanek-Roy-? (gerbe?) line and expect him to be able to do that for 7 games. Bostons lack of depth on defense will be their demise in this series, and I dont think they have the toughness to last in a best of 7 with the bangers they'll be playing against.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

5 games. Sabres advance in game five on home ice. Book it.

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mechaphil

I hate to say it or think of it, but another wild card in this series could be Paille...and to a lesser extent Satan.....They both probably would love nothing better than to have great series against the Sabres....Paille did score 2 goals against us in one game this year....How many times did he score 2 goals in one game for us ?

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"It is more about them than it is about the team...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win." - Mike Singletary

Tyler Myers - Future captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and future Norris Trophy Winner

Manning the machine gun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon - just in case any teams have an idea of prying him away from us (3 GM's shot already)

Connolly/Roy - 2 goals in the last 47 playoff games

I went with a sweep for the Sabres in my hockey picks....I may have gotten really optiimistic though in the last 1/4 of the season.....

If not a sweep, I definitely can see the Sabres taking this in 5 games on home ice as well

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"It is more about them than it is about the team...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win." - Mike Singletary

Tyler Myers - Future captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and future Norris Trophy Winner

Manning the machine gun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon - just in case any teams have an idea of prying him away from us (3 GM's shot already)

Connolly/Roy - 2 goals in the last 47 playoff games

Sorry, but I have to do this.....



I know. The Sabres were much better in the first half of the season.

I still pick them to win the series though

Sabres in 6, if we're feeling charitable.

And I meant to mention...

While you're playing up the Sabre wins on the Bruins and downplaying the Bruins wins on the Sabres, it should be noted that ONE of the TWO regulation losses to Buffalo was the result of the Bruins foolishly starting Thomas! Remember? That was on 3/29. After Thomas let in the 3rd goal, 6 minutes into the 2nd, they put Rask in, who made 19 saves on 19 shots---but the 3 Thomas let in were too much to overcome and the Bruins lost 3-2.

So while you're discounting Bruin wins 'cause Enroth and Lalime were in net, certainly throw out one of the two Sabre wins cause of Thomas. The Bruins/Sabres record could've just as easily been 5-1 this season. Let's be fair.

But it wasn't, and we finished 2-2-2 against Boston.

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Exactly, so let's stop discounting any of their wins and instead recognize that they are a formidable opponent.

You know damn well that's what Ruff is doing---and the rest of the team hopefully is too.

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007

But if the intent is to use those regular season games to predict a postseason outcome, then those two overtime games can't be counted past regulation because those rules and procedures no longer apply.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

All the Boston fans are saying they are going to destroy us due to the record in the season. It's funny they post it on TSN.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

and all sabre fans say they are going to destroy boston because... well... theres this magic gear that the sabres occasionally find, so theres no worries?

boston has numbers, buffalo has theory.

this is going to be a damn close series.

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Boston has a goalie, and we do too.

Biggest reason why this game was 2-1 at the end.

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As physical as the Sabres are trying to play these days, there are still a bunch of teams that can out-physical them.

Boston is one of those teams.

You were saying?

Can we just leave this thread alone?

Boston isn't killing the Sabres; the Sabres are killing the Sabres.

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Yeah I agree. The Sabres need to play with some edge. A lot more edge. As Phil had stated somewhere, call up McCormick or Cowan.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Having a guy on the roster who can fight and do nothing else well won't suddenly make this team give a shit.

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