I am just going to throw out my honest opinion about this team right here.

First of all, reading these boards yesterday, somebody made a great point: we are still rebuilding. Therefore, in agreement with this statement, I am quite happy with what the Sabres have achieved this season and look forward to the rest of this series, and perhaps the rest of the playoffs.

But I digress...

This team is clearly not cut out for the long grind of the playoffs. This team can barely give us 60 minutes of good, solid hockey, let alone a solid period.

The positives? Of course, there's Ryan Miller. Ryan has stood on his head through the first 3 games just to give this team a chance. Granted, he was a little shaky in Game 2, but he kept us in Game 3 up until Recchi elbowed Kennedy and threw it out front for the winner. I thought yesterday's game was winnable solely for that purpose.

Craig Rivet has surprisingly been a positive in this series. A guy I normally criticize for poor defensive play (it's not all Butler/Sekera), Rivet has certainly stepped it up in the playoffs, including great leadership, which was shown yesterday when he shoved Ference after a play. This team clearly goes on Rivet's heartline, and if Rivet doesn't show any leadership or grit, then nobody on this team will.

Mike Grier has easily been the best player in this series. He has the most hits out of anybody on the team, and I can tell that he's always skating his hardest. Mike easily has the most heart out of anybody on the ice.

Patty Kaleta has also been a great positive this series. Even with a broken thumb, the guy isn't afraid to go anywhere on the ice. I love it.

The disappointments? Tim Connolly. You can clearly tell he can't skate well, and it's affecting his game immensely. He can't drive off his foot like he normally can, and it's depressing to watch what looks like a player half-assing it, even though I'm sure he's doing what he can.

Jason Pominville. I don't know what happened to that clutchness at the end of the season, but the guy just seems like he's going through the motions out there.

Tyler Ennis. I know he's a rookie, but he almost seems like a miniature Derek Roy out there. He can work it around opposing players, but he's not doing anything to finish his plays, and it's absolutely frustrating.

Henrik Tallinder. I don't know what he's doing out there, or what happened to the guy that's been playing with Tyler Myers all year, but my God Hank is not performing up to par. His passes seem to always miss the mark.

The powerplay. Nuff said. 0-11 isn't going to cut it in the playoffs. Not one bit. For what should be a skilled team, we aren't doing a thing on the powerplay.

Game 4 now becomes a must win game in order for us to carry any momentum into Game 5. As of right now, Game 4 is our most important game of the series. If we win Game 4, then Game 5 becomes the most important game, because whoever wins Game 5 in these circumstances will likely end up winning the series.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I'd like to complain about the team being pushed around and looking like they aren't built for the playoffs, but I can't honestly say that it's the real problem. The injuries to Vanek, Hecht, and Connolly were things that no amount of physicality or toughness could prevent. If those players were on the ice and close to 100% Buffalo would be much more competitive and probably ahead right now.

That said, I would always hope to replace roster openings with more physical players with hopefully at least equal talent. Next season I hope to see an upgrade on the d-corps. There will be cap room and NHL ready talent for defense, but probably not enough to see any major changes with the forwards. Kassian and Adam are probably a year or two away, so unless Mancari can finally break through we won't be any bigger up front.

Even still I expect a better team next season since seven top forwards are still under contract, no important UFAs are scheduled to leave, and there will be cap room to work with.

If we had Vanek, Hecht or (the real) Connolly on the ice, we could be ahead of boston right now. If we had all 3 performing like they had all year, we could be up 3-0. Hopefully McCormick (Sp?) can inject some much needed intensity into guys like Roy and Pommers so they can step up some.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Holy Redundancy Green Lantern!

Yeah, I changed it up.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Blah! Another one of these?!

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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

The Sabres need top 6 forwards that can carry the team offensively in the playoffs and a PP QB defenseman.

Vanek and Hecht being out and Connolly not at 100% (although, he was on a 17 game playoff goalless streak before this year's playoffs began...) certainly aren't helping things out.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

Derek Roy isn't exactly a giant himself; how ridiculous is it for the same team to have on it's roster a player who's 5'9" -- AND his "miniature"??



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“This is a good building to play in,” Roy said. “It’s kind of quiet.”

-- forward Derek Roy, following the Sabres' 2-1 OT win over the Atlanta Thrashers on Jan. 14, 2010, a game where the home team drew just over 11,000 fans {the ninth time in 22 home games they failed to draw 12,000}

This team lacks tough guys and it shows especially in the playoffs.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

The state of things is that I'm being smart and putting away my unconditional fandom for the rest of this series. They're building and I hope the off season sees a few key pieces making their way into the Sabres dressing room. Right now though...screw it, I'm sick.

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Kind of tough to expect any playoff team to have to win a game two and three times against another playoff team.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Ennis wont try to deke around people, he rushes to the outside and has people follow him, then he passes it. He is WAY tougher and gritty than Roy.

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