Sabres Can't Handle Red Wings

by David Oleksy on Apr 6, 2009 10:26 PM EDT Comment 11 comments

It was a must have game and the Sabres didn't get it. They inched ever so closer to another season that ends after 82 games. While 16 teams will begin their quest for the Stanley Cup the Buffalo Sabres will be left to answer the questions of why they missed the playoffs once again.

There is still a mathmatical possibility of the Sabres making the playoffs but it will take a near miracle for that to happen. The Sabres would have to win all three of their remaining games while the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers both lose two out of three to finish the season.

The Sabres came out flying tonight. They seemed to feed off their third period comeback attempt on Saturday and really took play to the Wings. I estimated the Sabres were out-chancing the Wings by a 5-1 margin in the first 10 minutes but Osgood made all the saves.

As the Wings settled down and seemed to start taking control there was the feeling of doom that started to settle in. As soon as the Red Wings scored a power play goal to go ahead 1-0 it appeared the game was already over.

There was never any question about the Sabres effort tonight; instead there was a question of their talent. The Detroit Red Wings looked like a team that is playing for the Presidents Trophy and the Sabres looked like a team that is fighting to get one of the last playoff spots. In other words this game was very predictable before it even started.

Another Special Teams Failure

For all the complaining we have done about the officiating in this league, tonight was the exact opposite. The Sabres got all the calls and were allowed to get away with quite a bit. The difference is that other teams have capitalized when Buffalo was called with penalties and the Sabres did not capitalize tonight.

Buffalo finished 0-for-4 on the power play and the Wings were 1-for-2 but the second power play was only three seconds long. This has been a disturbing trend down the stretch and needs to be mentioned as part of the problem with the Sabres season.

No Vanek Down the Stretch

It's possible that Thomas Vanek was playing poorly tonight. It's even possible that he has been downright bad lately. It is still inexcusable that he is on the bench with an offensive zone face-off in the final minute of the game when trailing by two. Vanek has thrived on scoring goals in the paint all season and that is exactly what you are hoping for with a minute left to play.

Roll Call

Roll Call: qdloser, Joan O., D.O., tripl21, HO, Fucilli5
Total Users: 6
Total Posts: 77

Name	# of Posts
D.O.	37
qdloser	23
Joan O.	8
Fucilli5	7
tripl21	1
HO	1

Up Next

The Sabres head north of the border to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs as they try to hang on to their very slim playoff hopes.

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Comments

Good effort. Sad result again. It seems like the difference between good teams and bad ones is the ability to block shots and get into shooting lanes. Still hope. I hope

by billsct11 on Apr 7, 2009 12:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ruff has got to take a different approach to these next 3 games, and so do his players

by billsct11 on Apr 7, 2009 12:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's over - too late for changes

The same weakness – inability to get the puck in the net – has finally done them in. What’s especially puzzling is their home record and inability to win the games they have to win after making us believe they’;re aren’t dead. Every time we get a glimmer of hope, they dash them.

At least they’re consistent; they’ve played this way for most of the season. Nothing much has changed.

by ccthemovieman on Apr 7, 2009 1:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed – they need to shoot the puck more or be in desperation mode a little more.

I still think we need some star power and get at least one dominant line (is this Ruff’s fault for always mixing up his lines?)

Also – what is the logic for Ruff changing his lines – anyone have any insightful information on that?

Seemed like they played hard last night – just got out classed. Detriots a perennial playoff contender and we’re clearly not. Need to make some changes for next year to get back into the mix of things.

The rest of you go get the goods on Stan. His mom grounded him once for setting something on fire. Let's find out what that something was and then lie and say it was a puppy.

by J2 on Apr 7, 2009 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pretty much right on. This team just isn’t good enough to play with a team like Detroit. It doesn’t help that the Red Wings always seem to play a near flawless game against the Sabres.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Apr 7, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I want to talk for a second about the Vanek benching. I think we can all agree he hasn’t been the same player since the injury but with your season on the line, why are you having that grinder line out there for the last 2 minutes? The VS guys couldn’t get over who was on the ice and neither can I. Is it an indictment of the top tier players on the team, is it Lindy being too obstinate? I don’t have the answers but the fact this team was down 2 and that was the lineup they iced with the season “on the line” (I thought it ended about 2 weeks ago) says it all for this 08-09 team methinks.

The population of Pominville keeps rising!

by Blackcapricorn on Apr 7, 2009 9:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

As I mentioned above…it is inexcusable that Vanek was not on the ice in that situation. There is a reason that Vanek is the leading goal scorer on the team and it’s not by sitting on the bench.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Apr 7, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You hit it right on the nose with the officiating thing, I was thinking the same thing myself all night. I have to say I don’t think it is any lack of talent, its a lack of hope and just being tired and wanting to give up. We’d be playing better games near the end if the playoffs were out of the question back in February. For the longest time they had 5th best PP and PK. Something happened after Miller got injured ( I don’t think it actually had anything to do with it directly, just a horrible coincidence.) If Lalime was on fire, the defense was collapsing in front of him. If the defense was great, Lalime let in a bunch of softies. And the offense was inconsistent and hard to watch. Just finish the season with good play and all the dignity will be left intact. We will all be excited in October no matter what.

by chemxcore on Apr 7, 2009 10:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

end of a long season

Why will the Sabres miss the playoffs? They’re just not good enough. “If only they played better in a few more games…” “If only XXX wasn’t hurt…” Blah, blah, blah. Let me repeat, they’re just not good enough. The team as assembled has no physical presence and waivering focus and desire. The average player has below average talent, or worse. This, I think, is a COLLECTIVE and SYSTEMIC problem, coming from the top down. Indifferent ownership leads to poor leadership and management. Coaching and captaincy are also questionable - sure, it’s commendable that these two can sometimes get the players to play like it matters, but where’s the day-in, day-out effort? Do I long for the days of lunch-bucket hockey where the team had no chance of winning the Cup but at least gave us our money’s worth? Maybe a little. Do I think this organization will ever again put together a truely Cup-worthy team? Not likely. Just give me a team that cares as much as we’re supposed to.

by bearandbu on Apr 7, 2009 1:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You started out making some very good points and then you lost it. This team is not good enough but the question is why. You seem to be leaning towards a lack of effort which is just completely untrue. This team has battled day in and day out but sometimes they aren’t good enough against teams like the Devils and the Red Wings. Although it’s been sometime since they played them, the same is true about Philly and Anaheim. The Sabres don’t play well against some of the better teams in the league but they play really well against others.

One thing I know for sure…they care and they give their best effort. It’s just not good enough.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Apr 7, 2009 1:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

D.O. – Yeah, well that’s cuz I’ve got a lot to say and so little space to say it in. Well, now the Sabres are officially done and gone. Quotes like Talinder’s (in today’s News) say more than I think were intended – “…because everybody knows how well we can play.” The Sabres, like the proverbial room full of monkeys and typewriters, can crank out a winner now and then. We need a team that is consistently competitive, a team that IS good, not one that just puts out a good effort once and a while.

by bearandbu on Apr 10, 2009 7:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs