Pregame-
Sabres come into this one on a nice streak. 4 straight wins as a result of solid defense, great goaltending and secondary scoring. The penalty kill has faltered a bit the past two games, yet they also scored two shorthanded goals in those games. It certainly looks like they were getting aggressive pressuring the puck at the point.

Coming into Ottawa is always trouble for Buffalo. The Sens have had Buffalo's regular season number since the lockout, even when the Sabres were considered one of the better NHL teams and the Sens were on the decline. But with Spezza and Neil out of the lineup, things should be a bit easier. Should. Never overlook Buffalo's potential to fall apart against Ottawa.

Grier will hopefully be back to his usual self. Gaustad is still out, as is Butler.

1st Period-
A little sluggish to start (no pun intended). A 2 on 1 given up early, Miller gets the arm up on the stick side. Another chance from the pass from behind the goal line to the front of the net (or the slot). Buffalo seems to be vulnerable to that play. But they seemed to pick it up and come with a bit more speed after 5 minutes or so.

Another bad pinch by Lydman springs the 3 on 1 (and a half). Miller comes up huge. He is dialed in this season.

Elliot is gobbling up every shot like a tar pit.

Ottawa's big stars are mostly out of the lineup or sent off to greener pastures, yet they're making Montador and Lydman look like shaky rookies.

Sekera looks much more confident at this point of the season with the puck. No more curling back into his own zone 3 times on the same breakout. In hindsight, I'm glad they didn't give up on this kid. He's looking better and better every game. Now, how can we attribute that to Myers?

Sabres having trouble exiting the zone this period.

You saw it coming. Sabres running around their zone all period, they leave the left point man open. Screen shot. Goal.

Buffalo really needs to start playing with more speed. Not a good period. Too much time spent in their own zone. Too many good chances against. Only 5 shots? Not nearly good enough. Not even close. Get your feet moving!

Ham

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Do you believe yet?

2nd Period-
Ruutu takes an early cheap shot on Kaleta. Didn't get away with it this time, jerk! Guy is a joke of a hockey player. I wanna see Mair wreck him some time.

Buffalo really misses Gaustad. They're losing way too many draws. I don't know if they're % dropped only because they're missing their best guy, or if those centers still playing have gotten worse recently.

A bad start to the 5 minute power play. Took them a minute to get deep into the zone. Then after they lose the puck it's another minute to get back. Then Connolly kills 2 minutes of PP with a slash. Weak, weak call. The guy had a fingertip grip with one hand. I could have knocked his stick outta his hand with my eyelashes.

What a waste of a boarding major. Yeah, 2 minutes killed by the ticky-tack penalty, but the PP doesn't look sharp.

And still not much going for Buffalo after that.

Sekera's head shot makes him look black.

Again a difficult scoring chance by Ottawa passing out front from behind the goal line. Guys really need to be aware of where the Ottawa forwards are without the puck.

Grier draws a hook on an innocent play. Shows a bit of jump by Grier, which is good, because he's been quiet to this point.

Another PP canceled out by a penalty. No wonder their % is below average.

Ham

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Do you believe yet?

3rd Period-
Apparently Mair got a charge at the end of the 2nd for totally laying into Volchenkov. Er, at least his elbow. Then Buffalo gets into some penalty trouble. Of course, Pommers' penalty was another dinky one. He threw a check at the guy who had just taken the shot, at the side of the net. That's hockey.

Still, shorthanded is where the absence of Spezza is really felt. They killed off 20 seconds down 2 men and did a nice job killing the rest.

Buffalo finally gets some sustained offensive zone pressure and they draw a penalty. I really hate when Buffalo brings the puck up the ice with no speed on the PP. Get some guys flying up the ice. Get it past the guys standing up at the blueline.

I really don't like the drop pass to Connolly on the PP breakout. It fails about as often as it works, and when it works, they're not in great position. That was Buffalo's worst PP this game.

One great shift in the O zone, nothing results. Vanek with the turnover in the neutral zone next shift and Ottawa gets a scramble in front, Miller the amazing stop, some help from the D to keep it from crossing the goal line, and then Fisher cashes the clear.

A late goalmouth scramble puts Buffalo on the PP with 1+ minutes remaining, but down by 2. With Miller pulled, they finally get some puck possession, but can't generate any high quality chances, even with 2 extra skaters. With all the penalties, including a 5 minute boarding major, how do you get held to ~20 shots?

Postgame-
Buffalo continues to find new and creative ways to fold against Ottawa. This was a listless effort by Buffalo and they deserved to lose and it shouldn't have even been close. The Buffalo PP needs work, particularly on entries. There is no speed coming up the ice, except perhaps a little bit from Connolly on the drop pass entry, but he loses the puck as often as not. That's not acceptable. And they get so little pressure up a man that they start pressing, and in my opinion this is what leads to those penalties that cancel out power plays.

I'm so sick of losing to Ottawa. Please, for Christ's sake, beat them at home.

Ham

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Do you believe yet?

Spot on once again Ham. I'm not so concerned with the lose. I don't want our team to face Ottawa in the playoffs however, that would prove a disaster. My only concern from this game is Kaleta, the kid was really coming into his own and just recently showing off some talent.
It would be a very sad day if he falls into the NHL policy on concusions. I hope thats not the case.

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

Pretty much right on....
Remind me again what the Sabres top 6 are getting paid for?
mmmm let's see.....
MacArthur-Roy-Stafford.....

MacArthur, leads in goals (which isn't saying much...) but sucks in +/-...no assists, 1 point every 2 games.
Roy, Our most consistebt point getter, which once again isn't saying much...he can't finish with his oppurtunities...
Stafford- not even a point every 2 games....he's like 0.45 ppg....nuff said

Vanek-Connolly-Pominville

Vanek-Hasn't been himself, isn't fast enough, isn't scoring, missing lots of huge chances..
Connolly- selfish. Tries to do everything himself. Hasn't been consistent. Lots of turnovers!
Pominville- Takes weak shots...does that stupid shot, shooots wide...floats around, and makes bad passes....
Together, that is a waste of 25m, to a group, who even at there full potential, should only be making like 17m. Right now they deserve like 10m...What a waste!...

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

They should have come out on a high from the winning streak and ready to crush this Ottawa curse. The advantage was on their side since the Senators were missing about five quality players. How in the hell to you explain and justify this totally, completely, utterly dismal effort??? They followed up the most exciting game of the season with the most inept performance of the season.

Not only am I pissed for this inexcusable effort, but that I had to, once again, waste 90 mins coming home late and watching the recording. I could have planned my entire 2010 calendar (it's not very complicated), studied the time/space continuum, or self-operated on my stomach hernia. I could have looked up the best episodes of 'The View' and been more enlightened from the sewage spewed from Whoopi Goldberg. Anything would have been more productive than watching this pathetic excuse of a hockey game...anything.

Let me go find that scalpel...

Amazing what can happen when your bottom six are in reality your top six.....

Not since Dominik Hasek has one player been so good as to practically be a one man team. Augmented by an overacheiving rookie of course....

Still; it's only one game.....

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Yeah, It just happened to be our top 6, and of course fucking Hecht.

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

Yeah, It just happened to be our top 6, and of course fucking Hecht.

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

I'd like to make one note: The tripping on Roy was one of the most bullshit calls I have ever seen. Alfie skated INTO HIS FUCKING HEAD and then threw himself on the ice. That's a gold medal-winning dive, right there.

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mechaphil

It makes sense that Alfie is captain of that POS team.