If you can think of 1 play from all 6 games of this series that wrapped up why the Sabres lost, what could it be?

For me, it's late in game 6 after Vanek scores, the Sabres are pressing hard for the 4th and tying goal, and Bruins ice the puck... and no icing is called.

To me, it symbolizes the tough breaks and the lack of bounces that went their way.

Certainly, blame can be placed in many other areas, but I think this one play encapsulates the frustration of this series for us fans.

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Wheelhouse

Cant remember if it was game 4 or 5...hell, it might have been game three, but...Recchi pushes kennedy off the puck before either of them are AT the puck, passes it in front, bruins score. No call, we lose.

It showed both the absurd reffing, and the fact that boston did really physically dominate us. Oh, it also made me puke in my mouth a bit, which the whole series did as well.

viola.

McCormick being hooked into Rask, and getting the penalty called on him.

To me, it wasn't the officiating that characterized this series, unless you're talking about the lack of calls from start to finish on both sides.

You want a play that encapsulates the whole series? I say pick any one of the what, 18 powerplays Buffalo had.

I'll give a few statistics that to me tell the story of the series.

-Powerplay: 0-18 or 0-19 or whatever it was.
-Leading scorer: Tyler Ennis. Good on him, but you can't have a player in his 4th or 5th NHL game be your best forward.
-Time spent in offensive zone- I don't know these actual numbers, but I can GAURANTEE you that if I had them, you'd see Boston spent FAR more time in Buffalo's zone than the Sabres did in the Boston zone
-Hits, again don't have the numbers, but I'm pretty sure they heavily favor Boston.

Nope... Please pick one play! I want to keep detailed analysis out of this thread.

You could say, the power play that Tim Connolly smoked a shot off the cross bar.

But one play. This isn't about blaming or finding an explanation.

It's about pointing out one of the areas that we failed to succeed in, for one reason or another, that demonstrates the team's inability to do something, or the lack of bounces we experienced.

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Wheelhouse

Exactly this. The officials cost them game 4, no doubt in my mind about it. However, they cost themselves 3 other games by taking stupid penalties, not being able to kill them off, and not having their offensive veterans step up.

That being said, the officiating was horrendous all the way around. So much stuff was let go, on both teams. It wasn't just this series either, but I watched more of this one than any other, so it jumps out at me more.

This play summed it up perfectly.

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The only thing Connolly was smoking during the playoffs was the baloney pony. If it were just bad bounces, then why did he get benched at the end of the game? I think the coach(and himself) knew he blew.

I'm with Yankee, the Recchi hit on Kennedy.

http://sabres.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?h ... 9&fr=false

I just posted this in the NHL section, but if you freeze frame where Recchi hit Kennedy, it's between the lower circle and the goal line while the puck is in the corner...about 9 feet away from the puck. Byfuglien was called for interference for the EXACT SAME PLAY (I mean EXACT SAME PLAY) against Nashville last night and the announcers brought up how Recchi should have been called for the same thing.

That play has been interference for the entire 30 years that I've watched hockey.

You mean McCormick being hooked into THE NET while Sturm crashed into Rask. This is easily choice #1-B.

Either the last icing or the Recchi hit on Kennedy.

More detail, us not finishing on the Powerplay, and the lack of bounces Buffalo received all series. I hate to say it, but a lot of the goals Boston earned were all really lucky bounces, off of sticks and a missed shot going straight to an open guy or bouncing off sticks to the open guy.

Boston's fourth goal last night was a prime example too, but when Rask was flopping around out of the net the puck never wanted to go to a guy in front of the net.

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Umm...how about Boychuk slashing Vanek into the boards. The bullshit calls on McCormick and Kaleta were also indicators that the series wasn't going in the Sabres' favor.

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Ok, how about Tyler Ennis' one-man breakaway in last night's game. He showed speed, stick-handling skill, and heart, but ultimately was stopped by Rask. Buffalo didn't play well enough as a team in this series. Lots of guys stood around in their own end, and every time they'd get the puck out of their own end, it would be a rush up the ice, then usually a quick trip in and out of the Boston zone with no results. The best Sabre plays were usually individual efforts, but even the individuals who played well didn't get the results needed to win.

I think it was the McCormick penalty, but the penalty after that kind of goes with it, they were just screwing Buffalo.

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This.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

clearly the hack-a-vanek... the Sabres had all the momentum and after we lost him... and the way we lost him... it was all down hill....

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I'm tending to agree on this now.

We were up 2-0 before he wet down, and were easily pressing for another goal.

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TV was on on fire!!! Timmy was banged up and Hect was out... but TV was firing on all cylinders... and he had all the momentum behind him... it was just too much to over come with TV out and all the other health issues... and it was the first time all season we lost a game after leading going into the 3rd....

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the break during game two where they showed the toned, olive skinned, hot chick dancing seductively behind me. my penis wanted to thank her.

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Vanek getting injured was the TSN turning point in the series.

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