Oh give me a break...Miller was never "pedestrian". I think he's always been a top goalie since he entered the league, he's just improved every year and he seems to be maturing into a superstar.

Rask is having a phenomenal season, that's for sure... But it's just one season... I remember people were saying that Carey Price and Pascal Leclaire were going to be ~elite goalies~.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

The simple home-ice-advantage formula:

Number of games you need to win
vs.
number of games you have left at home.

(hint: If you have less games left at home than needed wins, you DO NOT have home ice advantage)

Sabres have 3 games left they need to win, but only 2 home games left (potentially).

If they win on Monday, they will have 2 more needed wins and, coincidentally, 2 home games left, a/k/a home ice advantage once again.

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

I know I may get murdalized for this......but I think what actually might be the best thing for this team right now, is to win this series in a close game 7 at home. It would prove this team can win without Vanek, it would give them some confidence in this fact, and it would allow Vanek additional time to heal (being optimistic that he is only out a week or two). Going into Round 2 with a huge confidence building win on home ice in Game 7 would do a lot for the confidence of a team I think is quite weak mentally.

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"I can't really hear what Jeremy says, because I got my two Stanley Cup Rings plugging my ears...." -Patrick Roy in reference to Jeremy Roenick's trash talking

I would imagine, in kinda the same way, San Jose has no choice but to win their series now---no more screwing around---after scoring into their own goal after 50 shots never made it in the Avs net.

Egh, certainly 2006 speaks to the benefits of playing a longer series, but I'd much rather take the next two and get a stranglehold on the series.

All in all I'm not too worried still, bounces go either way. Philadelphia, NYI, and NYR all tied series against us in 06-07. Hell I remember in 07 it looked like we weren't ever going to score against the Rangers again.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

his numbers were very pedestrian. he never had a solid defense in front of him (05-06, he was having a season MUCH like the current season stats wise till march)..

a .907 save percentage, and a .910 save percentage are not elite, and while he was a capable starter, and the flashes of brilliance were there, he didnt grow into the elite roll till 08-09. just took him a few years is all. i could see what was coming, i think many of us could. he just didnt put the whole package together until last season.

and i still think carey price is going to be an elite goaltender. hes simply too talented not to be.

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So what? Anyone can look up numbers on NHL.com, but sometimes people need to open their eyes and watch the players play instead of just relying on their numbers alone. Like you said, most people could see what kind of goalie Miller was and what he was capable of becoming, regardless of what kind of numbers he put up. I would hardly describe Miller's play as "pedestrian" at any point in his career, despite what his overall numbers may have been.

The jury is still out on Price... It remains to be seen if he can consistently remain a dominant number 1 goalie in the league. Maybe a change of scenery is due for him.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

all i was saying, caro, is that we could all see what was coming, he just didnt put it ALL together yet. he wasnt a guy who could steal you games consistently yet, but he certainly wasnt going to hurt you either. it just took him a few seasons of trial and error to become elite. the mold was there, the cast was set... just took some time to dry is all.

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Well yeah, I'm not saying the second he stepped onto the ice as a rookie he was this mega superstar goalie, I'm just saying that I thought he was always a top goalie in the league and someone who seemed to improve season after season.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

well, then see? were on the same page!

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10 minutes of a sunny day lost FOREVER. Oh well, at least I lol'ed a few times.

You're the one who called him pedestrian...

I mean...back on topic. How do you calculate home ice advantage again? Or better yet, how is the GWG decided?


I'm typing on my laptop outside on my front lawn as we speak!

No I'm not.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Maybe the Sabres should win the series.

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

I hope after tonight that I can say the Bruins tuuka beating.

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Wheelhouse

See, if Bruins win tonight, I will have another episode. I can't afford another episode... I JUST CAN'T!!!

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

hahaha...sir, I cannot pass up a pun, and that one was fantastic!

It also DOES NOT mean Rask would do better . . .


.

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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}

i said his stats were pedestrian.

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Wait, who's a pedestrian?

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mechaphil