Here's a clip it of an interview after the Pittsburgh loss:



Here's one after a San Jose loss to Dallas:



Noticing anything similar?

You judge the Sabres harshly because you admittedly don't pay attention to the rest of the NHL.

There's no such thing as a team that brings it every night. It just can't happen.

Luckily for us, the Sabres are one of the teams that does it more often, and it's landing them a top 3 seed in the east.

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Wheelhouse

"...you admittedly don't pay attention to the rest of the NHL."

I obviously don't pay AS MUCH attention to other teams. I don't pay for Center Ice to leave it turned off whenever Buffalo isn't playing. Those are familiar quotes, and I totally see your point, but with Buffalo it has been a plague for three seasons. If it was just a handful of games every year I wouldn't care, because I know with guaranteed contracts (my pet peeve) that players won't show up from time to time (or entire seasons). It's routine with Buffalo, as Miller stated. He's tired of it, and so am I.

I just hope that the mental focus will be there come playoff time.

I agree it's been troubling in the past. It has a lot to do with the age of our core players.

I will say that I've been very impressed with the progress of the maturity level this season.

They show shades of their former selves at times, but I really can't hate on them for their consistency when the results are favorable.

As for Miller's comments, I don't read into them too much. You can never get an honest, well thought interview from a player when a loss is fresh on his mind. They're purely emotion driven.

Tomorrow, a pre game interview will reveal him saying something along the lines of, "We had a hiccup in Toronto, but we've been going good lately and we need to bounce back and close out the division."

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Wheelhouse

I think Miller's a bit angry that his stats are not where they were earlier on in the year.

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

did I just let that goal in noooooo my staaaaaaattttssssss

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

.

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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!

This thread should have ended with Squanto's post. To a fucking tee, Tom. To a fucking tee.

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mechaphil

Et tu, Brute?

That's fine, I can handle people ganging up on me. But really, all I'm doing is agreeing/parroting what the players themselves said/have said. Should we DISAGREE when a player (especially a respected player like Miller) calls out the team for a recurring problem? Should we puke rainbows like PSP (kidding, relax) or just talk good when they win? I would've posted more the last two weeks if I wasn't out of town and busy every night. I would've posted happy things about the wins, but still cautioned against the level of opposotion they faced.

Anyway, fwiw, I'm still happy for this season and at least one playoff round. I just don't expect the best out of them yet...until they can prove otherwise. They haven't earned that kind of trust and respect yet from most fans or around the league.

And that really confuses me. They've lead the division pretty much the entire season, never been close to out of playoff contention, and are currently second in the conference, yet people generally still look at them like they're in the 8/9/10 schmozle fighting to get in.

It's odd really.

I don't see that. Every time I'm watching NHL Network when Buffalo comes up it's pretty much the same opinion - a solid, 2nd tier team that isn't up to the level of a legit Stanley Cup contender. They're a worthy division winner, but not up with Washington (although I doubt their defense/goaltending), Chicago, San Jose, Vancouver, and probably Detroit now.

I still think they have a decent chance in the East, due to what I consider mediocrity, but not more than a snowball's chance in June against the Western teams. I see all the top teams playing pretty flat lately, except for Detroit. That won't continue in the playoffs though, and the regular season. Buffalo is a team that still needs to prove themselves in the playoffs. NJ, Pit, and even Wash has had top rate playoff efforts or recent playoff experience. Sure, Buffalo COULD beat them, but you can't possibly call them a favorite until they actually do it. I'll be a hopeful skeptic in the meantime.

blah blahblaaaaahhhh


Uhhhhhhhh no. Miller believes in this team and the philosophy that Darcy has built.

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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

When we get into the playoffs, a win is a win is a win. I don't care how it's won, how badly they played to get that win, just win is all that matters.

We lost a game against Toronto, big deal really. I mean we've been leading our division for the entire year basically, been a top 3 team in the east and top 6 team in the league, we've beaten the best teams in both conferences and lost to the worst teams.

We've earned points in 53 of our games this year, and winning and earning points is what matters.

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Meh, you're not a goalie so you don't know what I speak of

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

Well I wish Miller's stats were better because I hate seeing that stupid Tuuka Rask's goofy face every time I check the league leaders. There are Boston fans who think he is better than Miller and it's annoying because Rask has played in like 40 games, oOoOoOoooooo big deal

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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

Don't worry, Rask won't get as much credit or respect as Miller, no matter what way you slice it. Rask will get his due after fully replacing Thomas (which should've happened by game #20) and having some team success.

Miller is a lock for the Vezina and should be considered for the Hart, but I doubt he gets any other hardware.

Superstitious people, you've been warned. Do not click.

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Wheelhouse

Lol I CLICKED IT! haha Im not superstitious... Just a little stitious... haha (Michael Scott in case anyone was wondering haa Im not THAT dumb )

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LETS GO BUFFALO!

So we should win every single game in the season and we can't loose? We had 7 wins in 10 games come on. Don't complain about that!
t

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

I think we all know we can clinch the division. Its all just a matter of when and where. I mean ya it is still possible to lose it. but the magic number is still 4. If we win tonight and Ottawa loses we get the division. Its bound to happen eventually.

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LETS GO BUFFALO!