Sabres Kill Oilers Victory Hopes, Escape with 3-1 Victory
by David Oleksy on Nov 11, 2009 10:19 PM EST
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PrintThis was a game the Sabres were supposed to win and they did. The score of this game will not give you an indication of what happened on the ice. This was a solid defensive win for the Sabres, even if the Oilers are playing without some key players. The Sabres played shorthanded for 14:47 and allowed only one power play goal on a 5-on-3. This was a gutsy win and something the team can build off of.
This was a boring first period of hockey, a trend I am quickly getting used to this season. It was the Sabres that controlled play and were rewarded with the only goal of the period. Thomas Vanek probably had the better chance to score but his wrist shot was stopped by Khabibulin. The rebound was in front of the crease and Drew Stafford made a nice strong play to get his stick on it and poke it behind Khabibulin for the only goal of the first period.
The second period needs to be broken up into two separate segments. There was the first eight minutes, when the Sabres were playing well and Steve Montador scored his first goal of the season to give the Sabres a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately, there was a second segment that was the last 12 minutes of the period. In the final 12 minutes, the Sabres took five minor penalties and four of them resulted in Oilers power plays. It took a 5-on-3 advantage for the Oilers to finally beat Miller and Patrick O'Sullivan did just that in the final minutes of the period.
The third period was gut check time for the Sabres. They needed to protect their one goal lead in order to end their two game losing streak. Buffalo had three power play opportunities to put the game away and they failed on all three. This game was won in the final minutes when Buffalo killed off a five minute major penalty to Clare MacArthur for boarding (I'll have more on that hit after the jump). The Sabres blocked shots, dove for loose pucks and cleared at every opportunity to kill off the penalty. After the great penalty kill, Jochen Hecht scored his second of the season into an empty net to give the Sabres the victory.
Penalty Killing Prevails
It's another two points for the Buffalo Sabres and this is a "W" for the penalty killers. The penalty killing unit has been okay all season and tonight they were outstanding. Ryan Miller made great saves, the defense blocked shots...they just did the little things well. They closed shooting lanes and basically held the Oilers to the oustide and limited their scoring chances.
MacArthur Gets Five and a Game
I felt the officiating was suspect all evening but it was nevr more evident than the play that sent Liam Reddox to the dressing room with an injury and Clarke MacArthur to the dressing room with a five minute major and a game misconduct. The replay clearly shows that both players are going for the puck and Reddox steps in front of MacArthur to gain position.
At some point we have to start putting some blame on the victim and not always on the player that delivered the hit. I remember watching hockey when players prepared themselves for getting hit into the boards, nowadays they put themselves in a vulnerable position and complain that a penalty should be called on the hitter.
It was definitely the wrong call but luckily it didn't affect the outcome of the game. It would have been a shame to see the game decided on a bad call, that was only made because the player did not get up.
Sabres Better 5-on-5
During the last couple of losses the Sabres were outplayed 5-on-5. Even strength play has been the staple of this team in th efirst 10 games and tonight was an indication they might be turning things around. Buffalo scored all their goals while the teams were at even strength although the final tally was with an empty net. This is the trend the Sabres will need to follow to be successful this season.
Harry Neale Quote of the Game
I didn't really notice a quote from Harry but there was a funny exchange between Rob Ray and Rick Jeannerett. It happened just after an Oilers defenseman cleared the puck off the scoreboard.
Ray - Yes it did. It it the right side of the clock.
RJ - I could have swore it hit the wrong side but okay.
Up Next
The Western Conference contiues to invade the HSBC Arena. The other Alberta team, the Calgary Flames will come to town for Friday night.
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Just got back from hockey and still waiting to see the highlights of this one. Sounds like the refs did all they could to help Edmonton win. As for that play, you’ve gotta understand how quick the game is and things happen in a flash. Macarthur ain’t a dirty player and it was good to see him check on reddox immediately. Meanwhile, you’ve got that meathead stortini chirping away at one point like a goon. Solid recap Dave.
Ha! Here it’s not worth a 5 minute penalty, on Copper & Blue it’s a 10 game suspension.
Classic.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
What do you think?
I would love to hear a somewhat impartial opinion.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 11, 2009 11:19 PM EST up reply actions
I think kicking out MacArthur is the correct call, and he should likely get a small suspension. But this was not a deliberate attempt to injure, or an intentionally dirty hit.
If you look at the first replay angle shown, it’s clear that MacArthur is lining up to bump Reddox shoulder to shoulder, horizontally away from the puck as most players do. Reddox, however, cuts MacArthur off while he’s doing that in an attempt to get to the puck first. MacArthur, unfortunately, is not quick thinking enough to realize it and hit the brakes in time, because that’s not what he’s been trained to do in those circumstances. MacArthur could’ve and should’ve pulled away, but he didn’t.
I think the game misconduct is the right call, and I’d say even a 1-2 game suspension makes sense. MacArthur didn’t intend to hurt, but he did because he didn’t think fast enough to stop himself and he followed through on the hit.
The second replay angle looks brutal though, and makes it look like a real dirty play.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
I can appreciate that take...
I still maintain the hits will continue until there is some accountability on the player getting hit. I remember Patrick Kaleta getting hit the same way in Montreal last season (I believe it was Lapierre) and I said the same thing. Players need to stop putting themselves in that position or the hits will continue. In slow motion it looks like he had time to think but at full speed how much time does he really have to pull up on the hit?
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 11, 2009 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
He didn’t have much, but the problem is that players need to be penalized so that the culture of the game becomes “Oh, I can’t always go flying into the boards with people near me, and claim its an accident.”
Reddox put himself in a very vulnerable position, but he didn’t realize it either. Reddox was going in to bump MacArthur like Mac wanted to bump him. Reddox was faster and a little ahead.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
But this was not a deliberate attempt to injure, or an intentionally dirty hit
That’s exactly why I don’t (completely) agree with the call. 5 min seems about right to me, but the game seems a little excessive. I don’t believe a suspension is really necessary, either.
the game is perfectly fine. if you are reckless about hitting from behind then you’re still endangering the players around you. Refs don’t have time to look over the hit on replay, either.
It was the right call, IMO.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
didn’t say it was clean on any level. the five minute major and misconduct was the right call but macarthur won’t get suspended because he’s not a dirty player. Vyacheslav Kozlov was in a similar incident a few weeks back with Scott Gomez. Same incident and no suspension because he’s been a clean player throughout his career.
by Rafal Ladysz on Nov 11, 2009 11:23 PM EST up reply actions
You were quoted over at Fanhouse
I wish there was another angle – it almost seems like MacArthur is losing his balance when they go into the wall. Of course, if he did it on purpose, then of course he deserves it. You can’t put guys into the wall head first.
by Frank Reich Revolution on Nov 11, 2009 11:27 PM EST reply actions
Biased Edmonton fan...
One to three game suspension.
MacArthur was careless in carrying through on the hit, but there didn’t seem to be any attempt to injure.
As for not being worth a 5 minute penalty, I don’t get that at all. It was boarding. From the sounds of it, Reddox has both a broken wrist and a concussion (although that’s based on comments from Quinn and hasn’t been confirmed). Regardless of intent, MacArthur finished a hit from behind on a player who went head first into the boards.
It was a split second thing, and I’m fairly sure there was no intent, but there was a serious injury and there was a careless and illegal play.
by Jonathan Willis on Nov 12, 2009 1:37 AM EST reply actions
Oh, and totally agree about the poor reffing on the whole. The Oilers definitely had the advantage in penalties called.
That said, both the diving call on Vanek and the 5 minute major seemed like good calls.
by Jonathan Willis on Nov 12, 2009 1:38 AM EST up reply actions
Biased Sabres fan agrees...
I wouldn’t argue with a 2 or 3 game suspension. I saw a shove, not merely a shoulder.
by PopeInTheWoods on Nov 12, 2009 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
There is no doubt he shoved him into the boards. My contention is this. If two players are going for a loose puck they both have equal right to it. No player should ever put themselves in a position where they can get hit in this manner.
Reddox clearly won the race to the puck and used his body to shield MacArthur away from it when he should have been expecting a collision.
Mark Messier was talking about this yesterday afternoon. He said "in his day, he would never be caught facing the boards because he would expect to get hit. The problem isn’t the guys making the hits, it is guys using their body position in a way that an opponent can’t hit them.
This hit reminded me of when Randy Jones hit Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron had no business going straight into the boards the way he did, he should have been expecting a collision with an opposing player.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 12, 2009 11:52 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
So what’s Reddox supposed to do on the PK? Not go for the puck? Let MacArthur get there first?
The fact of the matter is that when MacArthur saw the numbers on the back of the jersey he needed to let up. From the video, it looked instead like he shoved Reddox. I don’t think there was intent, but Reddox would have been chewed out there if he hadn’t done everything he could to gain position on MacArthur.
by Jonathan Willis on Nov 12, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
there are ways to play the puck without putting yourself in a vulnerable position. In this case that didn’t happen.
There is a misconception that players don’ “respect” each other anymore. As someone who grew up watching hockey in the 80’s I can tell you that’s not true. Players nowadays respect each other more. They just don’t protect themselves the way they used to.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 12, 2009 1:27 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
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