Sabres 3 Avalanche 4 SO: Third Period Comeback Leads to Shootout Loss

……a game where they got into big time penalty trouble early and were outshot significantly in the 1st?

Exactly. The idea of a 60 minute effort is a myth. We as fans tend to forget that the opposition has the exact same goals we do… go out, play 60 hard minutes, dominate and win with ease. Unfortunately, there are 2 teams on the ice and that leads to surges of momentum and the ever-present criticism of ’they’re unmotivated, inconsistent, pampered children" or the equivalent. They didn’t play a terrible first period, but Colorado capitalized on their chances and they clawed their way back into the game. It’s one thing to come out flat and stay flat for 60 minutes. That’s the sign of a group that doesn’t care and are just collecting paychecks.

The sign of a great team is where they realize they weren’t good enough to match what the opposition threw at them, adjusted and took the game away from them. In the last 6 games where the Sabres trailed after 2 period they are 4-1-1 including going 11 deep in a SO with their backup goalie!

They’re a good hockey team and they’re winning games in a number of different ways. I find it ironic that after the ‘Whip’ segment where they discuss whether this team is for real or not, they go out in the 3rd period and get 2 (nearly 3) and send the game to OT.

I still think they need to upgrade MacArthur’s roster spot with someone who has more jam. Raffi Torres is the guy I’d love to trade CMac for. But, with the PP coming around and Myers gaining more and more confidence with every game he plays the need for a true PP QB are lessening. I think they’re one or two guys from being a sincere Cup contender given the level of competition out there this year. Torres and a veteran center/wing who can win a draw (Matt Cullen or Saku Koivu anyone?) would make this team really dangerous.

Ta,

You wouldn’t happen to be thinking of the first goal, would you?

No one plays a perfect game. Given how well Hank played after that first goal, I’m willing to forget that mistake and move on. It’s hard to have a short memory as a fan. It’s exactly opposite of what the players have to have. We remember everything, the players need to forget it as quickly as possible and move on.

Ultimately, I just think that, more often than not, we hold the players and the team to an impossible standard. As we become more sophisticated in our understanding of the game our tolerance for smaller mistakes gets smaller. 1

Ta,

1 in answer to your original question I think the 1-0 Montreal game was an excellent effort.

He probably looked tired becuase he was tired. Spot starter, facing 30 shots, 5 powerplays, overtime, and 11 rounds of a shootout. Im sure Anderson was gassed for the Av’s too. I was happy with Lalimes performance. And we stole a point…

Beating a bad team is still beating a team.

QFT. I don’t want to hear any complaints about effort unless we are losing games. Winning is winning, whether it is deserved or stolen. Leave the nitpicking to the coaching staff and players.

A win is a win. But like you said come playoff time, Buffalo shouldnt be putting themselves in position to be coming from behind or it could spell trouble.

Have you looked at where Colorado is in the standings? BTW, only a handful of teams are above them in the standings. By that logic, the Devils should never lose a game ever to be ‘good enough.’ See my comment above about ‘impossible standards.’ Ask and ye shall receive, I guess.

As of right now, the Lanche have one more point than the Cup champs with the same number of games played. So, if they lose to the Pens are you going to say the same things?

Ta,