Just another loss for this team.

The home woes are the least of this teams problems.

Ennis was by far the standout tonight.
Minor props to Lalime at times. Not so much at others.

1st period looked ok.

Once again, puck control is shaky at best.
What the fuck is with this passing backwards while rushing through the nuetral zone?

The Curtain has now been pulled back and the Buffalo Sabres are fully exposed for what they are.
A last place team in the NHL.

Discussions should now turn to where we are going to draft and who is getting traded at the deadline and for what. Draft picks? Prospects? Roster players?

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

I'm not worried they only played 14 games so far and won 3. We have to trust in the core of the team and be patient for them to find their way........

Darcy......is that you?

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Wow, I didn't know Darcy had an account on SJ...

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"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." ~ Han Solo


We truly are not worthy of Miller!

What a waste of a night. I could have taken a nice nap and would have felt rejuvenated to go out tonight but instead I stayed up to watch the Sabres lose again.

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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

*sigh*. Maybe next year.

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--Scott

ok back to reality...

I just can't understand why this team can't take advantage of any of the opportunities they create or they are given.

Passing is a major negative. It really looks like this team never practices and they are constantly off sync with each other.

This team sorely needs 1 or 2 "scorers" because our players that are deemed to be scorers are just not doing it...

It's a sad state of affairs in Buffalo Sports right now.. period.

Dude, I heard you knock this play a couple of times and I have to step in this time. Three challenges of a powerplay are winning battles along the boards, getting shots to the net and gaining entrance to the zone. This 'drop pass' thing wasn't Buffalos invention, it was Detroit who first started doing it and they made it work to perfection. As far as I'm concerned it is an amazing way to get into the zone because the 4 Montreal players are backing up and are prepared to step up to the puck carrier but before they can do that the drop pass happens. After that, they stop and are caught flat footed while the puck carrier moves in with speed. I don't see the problem with this play at all. I think Sekera fucked it up once but other than that it's a cash play. The problem Buffalo has is controlling the puck once they get in the zone because they can't win battles along the boards.

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I am, you know I am. I am Canadian.
#1 Hockey Nation.

Um......so how many games do we have to lose before we stop hearing the "we got a great core...nothing needs to change....gotta ride this out....gotta trust the system" shit? This inactivity on behalf of the ownership is fucking insulting.

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Dammit, I really thought they were going to win tonight.

I dont feel like there was a lack of effort tonight, I felt like they gave it their all, and tried really hard. Their all, unfortunately, is not enough.

Did vanek show up to the game drunk? Good god, sit his ass in the pressbox, I can only assume he has also been hiding a terrible injury since training camp, I am so not impressed.

And has Myers gotten much slower since last year?

What on earth happened to make these guys have ZERO chemistry?

the team's speed has tapered off so much in the past year or two, let alone going back to the glory days of 05-06. puck control is obviously a major problem, but passing is an even bigger concern; how can you control the puck if passes aren't accurate? you won't have control of the puck in the first place, because the nhl has responded to the lockout's offensive boom with this unapologetic physicality that is being so poorly addressed that teams have one identity during a season and another during the next.

sadly, the sabres always seem lackluster, but their identity of being an offensively talented team is gone. especially considering the way the salary cap has affected signings, trades, and the impact the draft has on the talent of any given team, it's a wonder why the sabres didn't sink this low sooner. it's not as if there isn't any talent; the talent just doesn't matter in the wake of all else that is happening in the nhl. without taking risks, regier is further disabling this team. stagnation can not bring about progress.

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young people everywhere have been allowed to choose between love and a garbage disposal unit. everywhere they have chosen the garbage disposal unit. (guy debord)

??????
I can appreciate the strategy lesson. But check it out jordano. We arent' seeing anything close to what you just posted in the games on the ice.

Basically, when the Sabres pass back their fowards are at a stand still at the blueline "every single time". You have like a 10% chance of getting puck control this way. The opposing team will beat you to the dump and chase almost every single time when you put your forwards in a "stand still at the blue line configuration. It is what it is man, I am seeing it every game.

And yes, I completely agree with you that we are getting owned along the boards, down low and in the corners, but this play isn't working, its that simple. Thats why I am railing against it.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

I'm actually getting numb to the loses....Almost accepting the fact that they will lose.

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They are not statistically out of the playoff hunt........YET.
But lets be realistic here, saying the Buffalo Sabres will make the playoffs, or is a playoff team is like wishing for a 70 degree day in first week of Jan. in Buffalo. It sounds real good and the thought makes you warm and fuzzy, but it just ain't going to happen.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

The blue line drop pass entry isn't a bad play, but you can't use it every time, and they're not executing it correctly. Most of the forwards are too far up the ice so they have to slow down to stay onsides, which takes away the advantage of speed to get around the defenders stacked at the blue line.

It requires great timing, and the Sabres don't seem to have it.

I agree with Squanto when he says that we use it too much. I think we should mix it up somtimes but when you say that it has a 10% success rate...I'm sorry bud but that's horse shit. I remember the first time they used it against Toronto last year (or year before) and they scored a goal right after that entry to the zone. I think Connolly and Roy were the ones that accepted the drop pass and they dangled their way into the zone with control. Me and my buddies were impressed all game about what they did.

Maybe teams have it figured out and that's why it's not that effective but it's not like this play is utter garbage and has a 10% success rate. I've seen it work and I know they can make it work. Maybe they just need to do it 50% of the time or something. But then again I have no idea what else they can do to get into the zone cause they suck at zone entry big time.

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I am, you know I am. I am Canadian.
#1 Hockey Nation.

This. The drop pass zone entry play is fantastic, but the Sabres suck at it. Blame McCutcheon.

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mechaphil

The league is catching onto it, as can be expected. Lots of teams are doing it since Detroit first popularized it, so there's more tape and more defensive minded teams figuring out ways to stop it.

Like anything else in hockey, it's more about execution. They're not executing anything right now, except maybe their playoff chances.