I don't think anyone is targeting Vanek solely, more the entire line 1. Fly as hale is correct, it may be to early in the season to determine whether or not there is a performance issue with the team as a whole or that line in particular.

Connolly is going guns up this season and is contributing regularly, McArthur seems to be finding his stride as well. The 3rd and 4th lines are actually contributing combined as much as line 1.
I'll go with fly's advice and wait another 7 or 8 games to see where this team really is. If at that point and time it appears as though there is some streakiness it will be more apparent.

I was very happy for Roy last night, Vanek did well, but dammit man, so many missed opportunities from that line. Atleast we won the game and Miller is playing superb, the defense (outside of its 1 game lapse) is doing great, blocking shots, getting in the shooting lanes as much as possible and poke checking the puck away. Their breakout passes need to be worked on, but did anyone else notice how Sejkera was bursting out of the defensive zone, he had flashes of Brian Campbell in him with a few of those up the ice rushes with the puck.

I am hoping line 1 comes around and puts more in the net. I was impressed with Ellis last night (as I am just about every night), this guy is a robot, he never stops moving his feet, he never gives up. Just a great hockey presents on the ice, especially down low and around the boards.

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

I thought about posting some boring stats, but to summarize the lines so far...

1st line - creating chances, not hitting on a good chunk, but not getting scored on either.

2nd line - practically lights out with production from all three, but getting scored on regularly.

3rd line - It's actually the worst line, not much production so far and getting scored on in equal amounts.

4th line - More production than the 3rd line, and has only been scored on once I think. They dominate the boards, and it's like watching a dominant running game control the clock in football, or the four corner offense run the clock down in college b-ball. It's a thing of beauty to watch them grind it out and play keep away from the little kids.

Would it make everyone feel better if I renamed the thread "Capitalizing on chances an issue with this team"

It was nice to win 3 in a row. and we won't win every game, but the scoring opportunities are there, they just need to capitalize.

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

Had plenty of chances, but the bounces weren't with us tonight. They just weren't passing well and just having a bad game.

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I didn't see any good chances tonight. Puck control was all around awful. Passes were going everywhere, the point men (cough, Rivet) couldn't keep anything in the zone. Too many turnovers, not enough opportunities.

Thats what Ive been trying to preach all season long..

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Miller, Myers and Greir are sick, but not Jesus Christ..

KILL OTTAWA

Well VanekKing, I know. Its not that others don't see this. I mean, you really have to ask yourself why a Kolvachuck or a Gaborik or players of this caliber have way higher production numbers. Its their ability to capitalize on their chances. That makes them a "Consistent" threat or a "Consistent" producer more importantly.
This team currently lacks that type of player, the one that has the ability to perform in clutch situations.
I truly believe this team is a couple of players away from serious contention. If people attempt to tell me that Vanek or Connolly or Pommers..etc...etc...are going to produce, just wait, to me that is a crock of shit.
Other players in the league are producing now, what are they doing? They are capitalizing on the opportunities. Its almost the 1/4 (25%) mark of the season. So far I have not seen that from anyone on Buffalo's roster. We have a great supporting cast here, but we still lack that push to get us over the top.

The team has had scoring spread across all lines, this is good, but we need a "Consistent" production presence to put us up as true contenders.

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

I witnessed 3.

1. Staffords backhand saved by the defenseman while Vol was down. Should have lifted the puck high and to the right. Just threw it at the defenseman. And he did see the dman there prior to releasing.

2. Myers jumping in on the rush with that awful shot that went to the left. If you look at the video from ice level you can clearly see Vok was screened, once again should have gone to the mid to high right corner of the net. He had that moment to aim, he failed to.

3. Vaneks point blank shot from 13 or 14 ft. infront of the net. No dman would have touched him right away, he had time to move to the net a step or 2. He just threw it right into the chest of Vok like a knee jerk reaction. Not a good decision.

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

Goose's wide open net on the PP when it bounced over his stick.

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Ok ladies and gents,

2 home games lost in a row. Scoring is something this team needs. At the 25% mark of the season, say your peace on suggestions. Lets be honest now, no more defending the top 2 lines. Who needs to go, who needs to be brought in.

Its all about "CONSISTENCY". No more fooling yourselves. We need Offensive help on the top 2 lines.
Layout your ideas. All are welcome and can be vetted for possible success.

Lets have at it.

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

I've said we need another top 6 forward. But I don't think trading a top 6 forward will do any good -the only really tradable player is MacArthur, and I don't think many teams would give much for him.

Plus, Rask was really good last night. Give him props. Another goalie, and we probably win that game. Heck, I wish Thomas had been in...

We got rid of Kotalik's 20 goals...
If Hecht was still old Hecht he'd have right around 20 goals...
Lost Spacho's 45 points and offensive skills on the blueline...

That's where the goals went...
Thats ok though... The team is better for being grittier and being more of a team. A few small tweaks would do wonders though

Agreed, but we would have to make room for those small tweaks. Who would go?
I think I mentioned in another thread this team was going to be suspect in those 2-1, 3-2 type games. I would love to see a blockbuster trade, but your right, Ain't gonna happen.
With that said, we would still have to replace one of these guys out to the top 6 to get an effective scoring line. Who's it gonna be?

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

The Sabres did lose offensive production with those two but they also caused a lot problems trying to be "defensive"

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

...the other side of the coin (as pk88 pointed out) is that, though we have lost that "production", we have also lost the errors, untimely penalties and turnovers that had resulted in opposition goal-scoring.

Look at Miller's GAA and Sv% - That's as much attributable to "addition by subtraction" as anything else.

Had we kept Spacho and Ales, we may not have been able to bring up Myers, or give more ice-time to such players as Kaleta, or Ellis or Timmy Kennedy...

I'm not arguing that overall goal-scoring should be sacrificed strictly on that basis. But, I would like to see our "goal-scorers" - who aren't "supposed" to fight or check or backcheck or "get their hands dirty", in so many other ways - Actually score some fucking goals.

A "brain surgeon" who can't be counted on to perform "brain surgery" is a specialist who's pretty much useless.

We may have lost Spacho's 45 points but we gained Myer's points and offensive and defensive abilities.

Myers has 9 points on the year, he leads all of Buffalo's defensemen in points, Spacho has 6 points.

What did we really lose on that? Please tell me again?

Myers and Rivet Both have more points than Spacho has on the Canadiens.

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Well, we have our first 3 game losing streak. The last 2 games against division opponents and 2 out of the 3 games at home.
For 2 of these games, the ability to score would have been nice. The ottawa game I just think they buried themselves. Failure to sustain offensive pressure of any kind was a major contributing factor to these loses. Lets see how the play in response to this recent performance, but its just a matter of time before the fans begin to realize what I have noticed since before the season started. No ability for consistency from the current top 2 lines.

Something will have to be done, and it will via a trade, cause if we wait for the off season, that won't help us now I'm afraid. I see the following team members as potential movers.

Pomminville, Hecht, Tallinder, Lydman, Sekera, Paetsch, Mair, Mancari and picks.
The rest of the roster probably won't be touchable only becuase Darcy/Lindy would'nt do it.

With Pomminville on the block you could mix a trade package that could bring in a superstar, but the offer is going to be onesided personell wise. But, the sooner Buf does it, the better. Then cross your fingers and hope they find the right talent.

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

Horrible defensive play.

_________________
just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13