They're still going to win the division, and are still only 1 point out of 2nd place in the conference.

Clearly the last 2 games are a better indicator of things that the first 76 were. Maybe we should just forfeit our first round matchup now since the team is so terrible.

During the first 76 games there were also bad stretches of effortless performances. It's nothing new and the last two games are not an anomoly. Again, when the players are angry with themselves, how am I over reacting by repeating the same thing?

The same thing happens to every team along the way.

My only point is that even with the bad stretches they've had, they're still in a very good position. That means that the good stretches have been good, and the bad stretches have been minimal.

I respect that you may look at it differently, I just don't share you assessment.

Um . . . yes.

The team you ARE at the end of the regular season, is the team you'll BE in the playoffs.

If you're a team that plays a full 60 minutes and works hard, that will translate into the length of your playoff stay {and if you're a team that just sits back and hopes the other team makes a mistake or just rolls over -- that will, too.}

Prime example: BOS last season. They were 1st overall in the eastern conference, but were only just over .500 the last two months of the regular season . . . and after sweeping MTL in the first round, were escorted out by a middling CAR team in the semis . . .

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“This is a good building to play in,” Roy said. “It’s kind of quiet.”

-- forward Derek Roy, following the Sabres' 2-1 OT win over the Atlanta Thrashers on Jan. 14, 2010, a game where the home team drew just over 11,000 fans {the ninth time in 22 home games they failed to draw 12,000}

We have a playoff spot secured, with four games left in the season.

I don't want to see them play until they no longer can play. Why should they waste all energy now when they need it for the playoffs? I'd much rather them play simple and not go full out right now so they are well rested enough for a strong playoff push, if we were still in 8th place or something it's different.

We have a playoff spot right now. That is what it is, I mean I'd love to see 2nd in the east and such, but who really knows, we need one win in four games to be a division winner. And we lost two in a row after 4 straight, big deal we had been doing that for some time in the year before. The team is fine, we can't expect them to win all 82 games or play super strong every game, it is physically impossible for a team to play incredible for 82 games, and in the playoffs, all I want them to do is win, I don't care how they win, just win, because when you win, you still win, no matter the effort you put in. Winning is winning in the playoffs, I'd love to see them go strong into the playoffs also, but it's a whole new season and a time to start fresh, and being strong from the end of the season going into the playoffs means nothing.

You think you're going to be that team but that;'s not true either.

The Saints lost their last three games of the regular season, yet won the Superbowl, they didn't suffer from it, and I doubt this Sabres team will play badly these next four games either, or in the playoffs.

Also with Carolina last year, they weren't a pushover team, they beat two great goaltending performances from the Devils in 7 games to Boston in 7 games. Carolina lost their last two games in a row, and the Devils won their last two games. And Boston was 8-2 in their last ten games of the season, not even close to .500 hockey. If you're going to pull out stats be right about them, because Boston was hot going into the playoffs just like Pittsburgh, and Carolina in their last ten games.

What about Detroit, they lost their last three going into the playoffs and were 3-6-1 going into them.

this whole you're going to be the team that ends the season to the playoffs is bullshit buddy, no you're not, it all depends on how your team responds to playoff hockey, not what you do at the end of the season.

What about St. Loius? They were 8-1-1 in their last ten at that time, yet did they win their first round matchup?

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I agree that they could, might, turn it up come playoff time, but no matter how you look at it, nobody from the front office on down to Lalime wants to be playing poorly at the end of the season. The players don't like it, Ruff doesn't like it, I and many other fans don't like it.

Let's make it real simple. Is it better to be putting in a full effort and playing well right before the playoffs, or to be giving a half effort and playing poorly? There are still things at stake with four games to go. One win away from the division title will turn into 2nd place, GUARANTEED, if they keep putting in a half effort for the last four games. Every team they play has something at stake, so an effort like the last two games will lose out, and Ottawa will pass them by.

If you were saying that Buffalo is bound to play a disciplined game with a full effort and win once, then fine, I would tend to agree. You're saying that the half effort is fine because they have a playoff spot, need rest, and you just assume they'll win the division. Everybody needs rest, but there are still very important points for the taking. There's always 4-6 days before the 1st rd starts anyway, they can rest then. For now there are still games to win, and games they'll certainly lose if they keep lollygagging like the last two. Falling to 5th and getting smacked out early by NJ or Pit would be a hell of an embarrasment, and easily clinch one thing - the end of Ruff and Darcy.

We need one win to win the division, or Ottawa needs one loss for us to clinch also.

We won't fall out of the top three, and I don't want a half effort, I just want them to play smart and soundly these last four games. We don't really need to push it to our all these last four games.

We need one win and to play soundly enough to be confident in the playoffs, not saying we have to win all of these next four games, just play soundly enough to be confident.

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Win one and definitely clinch the division first, the we can talk about rest. I still want the 2nd seed, because home ice may be the only edge they have in winning a 2nd rd series. I don't expect them to reach 2nd seed anyway though, because NJ and Pit have some nice match-ups this last week.

I want Montreal... I WANT MONTREAL... KILL MONTREAL......... THEIR FANS ARE SO IGNORANT AND LOGIC LACKING (like me). A win would shut those guys up.

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

I see...Well, they are playing for their playoff lives unlike the Sabres who are in. So they wanted it more. But Halak was great, no question

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

*Ducks*

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Wheelhouse

So when stats are used against someone to prove them wrong they just back out completely and realize I can use stats better than them.

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60% of the time, statistics end arguments every time.

You said: "last ten games of the season"

I said:



In March/April of 08-09, the Bruins were 11-7-1 [.578]

Please read slowly before responding next time

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“This is a good building to play in,” Roy said. “It’s kind of quiet.”

-- forward Derek Roy, following the Sabres' 2-1 OT win over the Atlanta Thrashers on Jan. 14, 2010, a game where the home team drew just over 11,000 fans {the ninth time in 22 home games they failed to draw 12,000}

And you said they weren't very hot. Cherry picking stats is what you did which even going 11-7-1 that is way better then going under .500, I did also, I did 8-2 over their last ten games, because in their April, they were well over .500 You realize their last month of the season or last 1.5 months of the season they were at .800 hockey, which is incredible, especially going into the playoffs like that, which even more still means nothing.

You know the team who won the cup last year had an overall record of 45-28-9 or a .549 for the SEASON. Detroit was a .659, better than a .500 by a good margin, but they won 54 games that yea. What about the Ducks? They were a .585 when they won the cup, not much higher than what the Bruins were their last two months. Carolina was a .650 when they won in their season. You see something here? A .578 is a very damn good season for a hockey team. 47 wins if you put that through an entire season, without adding in extra OT/SO losses, that is 94 points, enough to earn a playoff spot in the last 5 years and including this year.

On average most NHL teams who make the playoffs finish with a record between .500-.600 for the season. If they had finished the last two months a .318 or something then you would be onto something, but finishing with a .578 is just too good. 82 games in a season, winning .578 of them is a huge accomplishment to a team.

Better luck next time with stats, because your argument was just proved to lead to 47 wins in a season, which is what most teams who finish in the top 4 or 3 in the conference or even league total.

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Fixed.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Sigh....

Quick note - Ottawa plays Florida and Tampa Bay before Buffalo. I wouldn't be counting on them to lose. NYR and Boston will be playing with playoff intensity, so Buffalo better match it or that Ottawa game is going to be HUGE.

Nightmare scenario-- Ottawa passes the Sabres by one point. Thank heaven for the Islanders who showed everybody how to beat the Sens, and while they were at it put a big hurt on Neil.