How do you know when your team's head wasn't in a game? Look at the turnover ratio and you'll probably get a pretty good idea. Predictably, in the Sabres stinker last night against the Panthers they lost the giveaway battle by a brutal 25-14 margin. Sloppiness like that happens when you're overlooking a blah opponent because you're too busy listening to everyone tell you how great you are.

Another indicator of an unfocused team is faceoff percentage, and again the Sabres were terrible, losing 65% of the draws to Florida. Roy and Connolly were particularly abysmal, dropping 17 of 22 attempts.

Ryan Miller, the top goalie in the NHL so far this season, and one of the most cerebral net minders in the game, foolishly tries to drop and slap the puck away in front of the net, in traffic, and deservedly has it backfire when he turns it over and gives up a cheap, embarrassing goal. Why? Could it be he's not concentrating and acting a tad cocky?

Blocked shots is all about effort and commitment to win, and the Sabres were plastered by Florida 21-11. That's a remarkable number, and shows that the Sabres were unwilling in the defensive end to get in front of the puck, and poor puck movement and lazy shots into traffic in the offensive zone.

As I said in another thread, I'm just so happy they got this abysmal effort out of the way against Florida, because the weekend is going to be critical against Boston and fucking Ottawa.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Hmmm...

Focus may have been off, but I don't think they over looked Florida, or didn't give a solid effort.

Mental mistakes plagued us throughout this game, but it wasn't from a lack of skating their tails off.

How many whistles did we see that game? The play was very, very fluid.

When Miller played that puck, I think he was trying to keep the game moving in order to sustain the Sabres' momentum they had going at the time.

It wasn't a good look, and if there's ever been a weakness in Miller's game, it's how he chooses to handle the puck.

On another note...

I don't agree with Ruff's opinion on the power play. Percentages are everything.

Just because it has helped us in 12 out of 18 games, doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be improved.

The best teams need to take advantage of their opportunities. You have to make the opposing teams PAY for breaking the rules.

Look at the deep playoff runs of the past decade for the Sabres. In 99, when we finished as a low seed, we went to the Stanley Cup Finals. Yes, we rode a hot goaltender, but our special teams were also the best in the NHL during the playoffs.

In 05-06, our power play and penalty kill were top 5, and we advanced to the conference finals.

In 06-07, we were in the top 10 in both categories. And again, we went to the finals.

I'd really, really like to see Lindy stop dismissing it.

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Wheelhouse

I agree to some extent. Most importantly is the PP when you're within one goal, and ours always seems to be average in clutch situations.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Sorry, Sniper, but we're not going to have any common ground to share here, except for perhaps the PP being terrible, but even that we will not agree on because I lump that into the overall unmotivated, unfocused effort that prevailed over every aspect of the Sabres performance last night.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Look, ETC. They only give a shit about playing Florida when they're in sunrise, and you're in the stands.

I blame this loss on you, for not making the trip to Buffalo.

You have no one but yourself to blame.

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Wheelhouse

The whole blocked shot thing is retarded actually. In the first period we had blocked 9 of those 11 shots, and Florida only had blocked 3, but when they got the lead and sat on it, Buffalo couldn't shoot through 5 guys in front of a net.

The reason the team faltered last night was turnovers and not being able to pass a puck through a 4 man trap. The faceoffs was just another thing this team hasn't been great at for the past 3 years or so. They lost the faceoff battle to Philly also, but still won that game.

Florida was very content on sitting on their lead and not trying to score and only scored when the Sabres were absolutely frustrated and basically gave them a goal.

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I'm with you, skyline. They deterred from the plan, and they tried to dance through the trap.

Last night would have been a good night for Mike Grier to be in the lineup.

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Wheelhouse

I take that back, we do have common ground, Sniper! I suggest we start up a fund to fly ETC to Ottawa Saturday...can't take any chances with that one.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

That's exactly what I was thinking. We need Grier to keep us in line.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

When you aren't outshooting your opponent at home in a game like this, there's more issues than just "bad bounces."

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

20 some-odd give aways kind of hindered rushes that would have turned into shots.

And ETC, I think we should hold an impromptu car wash... we need this cash fast if we're going to get you to Ottawa.

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Wheelhouse

We did outshoot them, Howie, 28-24. However, it clearly was lack of effort and focus more than bad luck. We deserved to lose because they wanted it more than we did. It was a good wake up call, hopefully, before the huge weekend against Boston and fucking Ottawa.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Every team has a clunker every now and then.

This team just needs to avoid the killer 6+ game skids that they have had the past two years.

That's why I'm still in the "Cautiously optimistic" boat with this year's team. They still have the ability to go on a walkabout for a few weeks and flush the season down the toilet.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

No speaking of our greatest fears!

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Hey, I didn't mention season ending injuries to ********, ******, or *****.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

Ovechkin, Crosby, and Drury?

RIGHT?

Not anybody on our team.

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Wheelhouse