Nobody likes losing, but I'd rather not see the Sabres peek too early either.

These types of losses build character. They keep ego in check. They force teams to work harder.

Simply put, it's all about how you finish. I think this game was a step in the right direction for the Sabres.

Lets not forget we played a team that is on a roll tonight, who beat us even when they're bottom feeders.

I wouldn't look too far into this loss. It doesn't mean we don't have a good team. It just means we aren't quite there yet.

The good thing about a loss like the one tonight is that it forces the Sabres to look at themselves a little more critically.

The only time I really care to see the Sabres beat the Senators, is anytime after March... as they did in 05-06. And as long as they continue to feel the need to improve, they WILL continue to improve.

Think what you want, but this team will be tough to beat down the stretch.

Keep your heads up.

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Wheelhouse

I approve of this post.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

couldnt have said it better myself.
well done

I approve also.

I still think this Olympic break will be huge for the team as a whole. Take a break from everything, relax a bit and think back on the beginning of the season when they were just rolling.

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A courageous and thoughtful post. Creepy too, as I had these same thoughts.

Therefore, I concur - as long as no animals were harmed in making this post.

Ok...I'll take the honors of evening out all this happy stuff. This stretch is proving that the team needs one or two more pieces. I don't think that they played that bad tonight, but as in other recent games, they aren't scoring despite good pressure and good chances. I won't say the team has peaked already, they can get a little better. Even still, I don't see the Roy line coming around to pick up the slack. They haven't been able to maintain o-zone pressure all season, and I don't see any reason to expect that to change. They haven't been able to capitalize on enough chances either.

The d-corps has been tailing off for several weeks. I wish I could find a stat, but I know for certain that Buffalo has given up MANY more odd man rushes than they have had themselves. Besides that any combination of Butler, Rivet, Lydman, and Montador have been getting beat on a regular basis in battles for the puck, or making risky mistakes that result in chances the other way.

I'm not too worried about Miller, but he has been a touch closer to average the last few weeks, and unfortunately it doesn't take much to cost this team a goal against when the d-corps is struggling as they are.

So I'm not too certain that they are just going through a tough stretch. I think the level of competition they have faced recently is proving that they just aren't there yet as a top tier club. Some time off, practice, and rest during the Olympics may help, but not as much as a good trade before March 3rd. It doesn't have to be a big name, but just a well chosen player or two that fill in the missing pieces, if they are even available.

When I say the Sabres, I mean the organization as a whole.

I'm not saying we need trades, and I'm not saying we don't. But I do believe one will be made.

That said, we aren't as far off as some think.

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Wheelhouse

Also, I'd like to add that I think much of the lack of production on offense tonight despite strong play was caused by forwards not driving hard to the net.

They gave up TONS of rebounds, and no one seemed to be in the right place to gobble them up tonight.

Much of what we saw wrong tonight can be fixed from within.

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Wheelhouse

I'm still concerned about the defensive lapses that have become more prevalent in the last 10-15 games. They've gotten away from the style of hockey that got them to where they are.

Hopefully the Olympic break will give some of them enough time to refocus.

Agreed. I thought the defense did a better job of tightening up last night, but it's still not quite there.

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Wheelhouse

Honestly, I thought they were awful again last night. Better than the past few weeks, but still awful.

Why hasn't Butler been in the press box yet?

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PSP......well stated.

"no one seemed to be in the right place to gobble them up tonight." Exactly. When they were....lucky, lucky goal tending.

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Miss you Schony!!
Women are Angels
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly.........on a broomstick...
We are flexible like that ....

"Buffalo came out flying and dominated the first period, outshooting the Senators 13-5, though nothing got past Ottawa goalie Brian Elliott, who has never lost to the Sabres (7-0)."

Senators just won 10 in a row....the last three wins against the Caps, Penguins and Devils.....pretty impressive even though painful for us.

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Miss you Schony!!
Women are Angels
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly.........on a broomstick...
We are flexible like that ....

I thought the Sabres actually played excellent last night. They had a couple bonehead errors that the Sens capitalized on (Spezza), and dropped the ball in the last five minutes. I was supremely confident after the Sabres tied it up. All through the rest of the 3rd period I thought they'd either score again in regulation or pull it out in OT or the SO. Until 55:00 hit. Then they got hemmed in bad and seemed to fall apart. But I feel they outplayed Ottawa pretty good in this game, just didn't get the result. They need to tighten it up a little and get some bounces. No worries.

Ham

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Do you believe yet?

This hasn't been discussed to my knowledge, but do you think if we had a birds eye view camera, that goal would have counted? It appeared to me as though the puck completely crossed the goal line...

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Wheelhouse

ya know, the game would have been completely different had that goal counted. not saying it should have, it was close! but i thought the same think about vaneks no goal in game 2 of the 07 ECF.

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Apparently not, because on TV they didn't show the Birds eye view camera the refs got.

It wasn't the HD camera feed but was an analog camera and that is how they discounted it.

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according to the buffalo news, the HD camera that looks down on the goal line in HSBC has been inoperative for several months I think it was in, the video they showed on the MSG feed I think showed it.

Now that you mention it, Motz, I don't recall a single goal being reviewed from overhead this season at HSBC. Who ever is incharge of that in the tech dept. should be shown the door with walking papers in hand.

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy