Getting tired, but no tired excuses
This stretch of game-practice-game-practice-game has to be wearing on the Sabres. It's probably the No. 1 reason they are making mental mistakes, but they want no part of it.
"It's tiring, but this stretch is something that you just have to dig in as a hockey player," center Paul Gaustad said today. "We can't give any excuses, physically or mentally. We're getting the rest that we need. We just need to go out and execute in the games."
The Sabres didn't skate today, so they should have no fatigue matters Tuesday when the face the Flyers in Philadelphia. Though it's a huge game, no doubt, it's not a make-or-break yet. Who knows what happens in the 15 games after? The Flyers (or Sabres) could go on another 10-game winless streak and make this just another game.
That said, another poor effort could foreshadow what will happen in the final 15.
---John Vogl
Each and every one of the Sabres needs to step up their game -- do it every shift, every period, every game to make the playoffs. No more excuses -- "we didn't do this, we didn't do that," etc. Time is running out.
Posted by: Jan | March 04, 2008 at 05:08 PM
Six of Buffalo's final seven games are against Montreal, Boston and Ottawa. If they are still alive for the playoffs, that schedule may end things.
Posted by: Don H | March 04, 2008 at 10:35 AM
P-A-N-I-C
That is the one word that can describe bow every Sabres player plays this beautiful game.
Even the veterans play like they're JV.
It's embarrassing.
Posted by: Buffalo Bill | March 04, 2008 at 09:59 AM
I'm a die hard Sabres fan who bleeds blue & gold. I'm hoping that this edition of our beloveds does not make the playoffs...there is no way they would do anything beyond 1 round, and I don't want Quinn to be able to spin them as a contender in any way. You'll note that I said Quinn, not Regier, because in Darcy & Lindy I think we have two of the sharpest hockey men in the league. Darcy doesn't spend his own money, and if Quinn can find some glimmer of success in this group the wallet will remain shut.
Let's go load up on some good North American boys in the offseason. Call me "Little Grapes" if you want to, but this isn't a slam on the Euros heart or guts. It's just a fact - European players see Olympic Gold as the holy grail and the Stanley Cup as a cool thing to win, while Canadians and Americans can die happy after a Cup banner goes up in the barn rafters. Give Lindy a roster of Berniers and he'll conquer the world!
Posted by: Ralph | March 04, 2008 at 06:42 AM
Oh, you have to read the first answer in this blog to know what I was refering to.
Posted by: Jay | March 04, 2008 at 12:10 AM
This Sabres team just isn't built to withstand a marathon of a season and playoffs when the refs call the game in an "old NHL" style. How many times during a football season do you see an undersized defensive team play competitive for a while, only to break down late in the game? Buffalo fans have first hand experience in that one. In horseracing, the Triple Crown is held over the course of 5 weeks with only the largest, fastest, most fit athletes taking part. Very rarely do you see a small horse repeat victories during these races because they are not built to stand up to the pounding over such a short period of time. When a smaller horse such as Afleet Alex does turn out to be the best horse of the crop, it is usually because of a heart of gold.
The book is out on how to beat these Sabres...collapse your defense and force a dump-in since only a few of the forwards forecheck like they mean it, hit the undersized and passive defense as much as possible to force cough ups and limit their chances, and crash the net at will as you will not be cleared from around the net and rarely have to worry about reprisal. This team is small, and plays small, especially at the skill positions. One night of Steve Bernier does not correct a half-decade of faulty building.
As far as heart...let me quote the great Mike Robitaille from the Detroit postgame show...
"It's not like this team doesn't have heart, they're busy looking down at their tw&*$."
Yes, even Mike Robitaille couldn't defend the heart of this team without providing the best Freudian Slip in television history.
Thank you again Mike!
Posted by: Tom | March 03, 2008 at 08:52 PM