Ducks 5 Sabres 4: Sabres Comeback Falls Short in Anaheim
by David Oleksy on Jan 20, 2010 1:34 AM EST
in Game Recaps
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PrintLindy Ruff told us this would happen. When the Sabres came back and beat the Atlanta Thrashers in overtime on New Year's Day, Lindy Ruff said "you can't expect to come back every time you fall behind early". Those words prophetic after the Ducks held on to win 5-4 over the Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres left Patrick Lalime out to dry in the first 10 minutes and despite their best efforts they couldn't complete the impossible comeback. The Sabres were the better team for much of the game and actually pulled within one with over 35 minutes left in the game. The Sabres were not only the better team over the final 40 minutes but they dominated the Ducks with their speed. They created offensive chances but Jonas Hiller was impressive making 41 saves for the Ducks.
The Sabres met their demise in the first 11 minutes but it was sealed when the Ducks forecheck forced Pominville to give the puck away in the final five minutes of the game. Ducks forward Troy Bodie buried the opportunity from the high slot under the arm of Ryan Miller who replaced Lalime after the Ducks fourth goal.
Corsi Ratings | Event Summary | Anaheim Calling
Game Highlights
Backup Factor
The Sabres had to know the odds were stacked against them tonight. They were playing the second of back-to-back games, they had their backup goalie playing and they were playing a team that won seven in a row on home ice. The Sabres did lose and Patrick Lalime allowed four goals on only 11 shots but how much of that was the fault of Lalime?
Answer...this had more to do with the Sabres lack of support than ithe play of Patrick Lalime. One goal was scored on a breakaway and another was deflected by something in front o the Sabres goal. Hopefully the team will apologize to Lalime and let him know that this loss is on them and not him. He was just starting to get some confidence and this game could be a set back if he doesn't keep his head on straight.
Olympic Snubs Benefit Sabres
I wonder if Brian Burke is regretting his decision to keep Tim Connolly off the United States Olympic Roster. He is on a tear and is showing no sign of slowing down. He extended his point streak to 13 games with a goal and an assist to give him 21 points in his last 13 games. Two months ago people were surprised that he was still healthy but now the league, and Sabres fans, are taking notice of his offensive ability.
Jochen Hecht is another player that has responded since being left off the initial roster for Germany at the Olympics. Hecht scored in the final minute of the game to give him 12 on the season. Remember that Hecht has only had 20 goals once in his career so he might have a career year after we all criticized him and wondered if he should even be on the team.
Game Thread Roll Call
We used to always do a game thread roll call and then I stopped doing it. This game deserves to be recognized because all of you made this the best game thread in the history of this blog. It was a 10 p.m. faceoff and the Sabres fell behind 4-0 but much like the Sabres we didn't give up. Thanks to everyone that commented tonight.
Roll Call: manic hispanic, David Oleksy, higs59569, Andy Boron, bflo, Americanario, twoeightnine, Afino, dfderie, Ubiquitous, aerosmithers, JSCoope, Rafal Ladysz, Zachary Zielonka, BFLOS OWN, FloridaBuffalo, Fucilli5, Fedorable, krytime, J2, sabre74kkn, hawaiianbuffalonian, kitaman27
Total Users: 23
Total Posts: 448
Total Threads: 1
JSCoope led the way with 68 comments tonight and Rafal had 58 followed by Ubiquitos with 54. Thanks again to eveyone and hopefully we can do even better on Thursday.
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Actually we did tie it up, the refs just called the goal back. Man, that sucked.
"The horse jumped over the f#@king fence."
- KV
"Intent to Blow"
There are few rules that open themselves up to more abuse than this one. Can it be compensated with an “intent to score” rule?
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
Yeah, I intended to slash that ref’s tires before the game so he couldn’t legally make that call.
What a strange game that was. Anaheim top line terrified me before the game but they got some balanced scoring.
Carlyle came in with a solid game plan waiting for us. We didn’t seem to know what the hell to do.
That being said, there was a lot of good to take from the game. It’s too bad Miller didn’t get his rest. Also, he got the loss because the game winner was scored against him? Is that how it works?
You’re right. Miller gave up the game-winner so he gets the loss.
Carlyle may have came in with a good game plan, but then we adjusted and he didn’t have an answer other than pray that Hiller was up to the task. The difference between good teams and good coaches and bad teams and bad coaches is their ability to adapt within the game to whatever the opposition throws at them. Ruff’s long-term work with these guys has really paid dividends in this part of their game. It’s what is separating us from many other teams in this league. On most nights we have a counter for the opposition’s game-plan. The only time recently where I felt they didn’t have that answer was the lat loss against the Caps, where WSH kicked it up a gear and we couldn’t respond in kind. The next meeting between them will be very interesting, because of that.
Ta,
TC and Pommer
Everyone seems to be giddy about Connolly’s point streak. Yes, he has had 6 or 7 pretty good games during this stretch, but all take a look at last night’s typical game-1 G and 1 A, BUT -1. His G and his A were almost incidental. And yet, he (and Pommer) gave away the last goal. Oh, and did I mention that he was out of position on the Duck’s first goal? And he lost 62% of his face offs? And the official scoresheet mysteriously doesn’t charge him with any giveaways, but I counted 8, 5 on the PP. So, yes he had two points, but the Sabres would have been better off without him. There were plenty of Sabres who deserve part of the blame for the loss; some much, much more than TC. But let’s keep this anointing of TC as some sort of blessing in perspective.
It sounds like you have something against Tim Connolly
On the first goal of the game he had Perry in front and nobody picked up Getzlaf who scored on the rebound, it was hardly his fault. To blame him for the giveaway on the last goal is absolutely ridiculous. As for faceoffs, he has always been bad. Is that a problem? Yeah but it is what you get with Connolly and you know that before the game starts.
His goal came because he parked himself in the crease and slammed home a rebound. You call it incidental and I call it good positioning. As for the assist, it was the result of a line that has played well lately.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jan 20, 2010 8:05 AM EST up reply actions
Standard operating procedure for guys in Buffalo.
Odds are it involves a girlfriend.
by twoeightnine on Jan 20, 2010 10:05 AM EST up reply actions
-1 last night and +12 on the season, best among forwards (by far) and 2nd only to Tallinder on the team. TC is scoring 5 on 5, is a main cog in one of the best PK units in the world and has been solid, if unspectacular in his own end. Arguably, if he didn’t take this team by the horns 3 weeks ago offensively we wouldn’t be 8-1-3 in our last 12, but rather 6-6. Seriously, he’s been that good. Why do I say this, b/c in no less than 3 different games in this stretch after being scored on and the other team surging, Ruff put out the Connolly line who scored on that shift, usually b/c Connolly himself did something uncharacteristic (hit someone, played dump and chase) which led directly to the goal. Did it against PHX on Monday. Forechecked the D-man, who coughed the puck up to Hecht and Poms scored. It’s more than the points, it’s when the points are coming that’s been impressive. If Vanek had cashed his breakaway last night we would have won that game. I’ll bet you $100 that if that was Connolly on that break, the way he’s playing right now, he scores and we’re the leading story on every hockey site in the world.
I’ll put this in perspective for you, the entire team came out flat last night, the Ducks were hot and Lalime wasn’t sharp. Simple recipe for 4 goals against. But, it was Connolly diving for a rebound, who beat out The Holy One Himself, Scott Neidermayer for the puck and drove it home to start the rally.
Ta,
by Tom Luongo on Jan 20, 2010 8:28 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
For those that don’t want to page through the game thread:
Two goals lost to “Black jersey cheat.” first goal because its impossible to tell that Bobby Ryan hit the puck in with something illegal because IT BLENDS IN WITH HIS EQUIPMENT. (but he somehow scored, if he hadn’t gotten credit this wouldn’t have annoyed me.) And the second where the referee can’t see the puck is free because IT BLENDS IN WITH HILLERS LEG PAD. (I’m not really angry about this one because between legs tends to mean covered even if its not) /removeTinfoilHat.
Loss is blamed on Boron again, who apprently failed to properly don his jersey until halfway through the first period. Definatly not the evil(and very old-school) Leave-guy-at-center-ice trick, which got the ducks two of the three early goals and ruined the forecheck.
Miller got the second period off. I think he moved… 4 times in the period.
It seems we have discovered our limit on combacks, four goals is one too many to overcome, even when the other team has no defense(im noticing this trend, which means it is the sabres’ fault and not the other team) and Friendly Fires their own best player to the dressing room for an entire period.
Ducks announcers are off my decent list. Made a fair number of insightful comments, but canceled each and every one out with two bad ones.
Darn you sabres, you kept me up until 12:45am… I told people that ducks/sabres games were always good though, and that the teams inexplicably hate each other even though we only play once a year… and it was as advertised.
I’m tempted to start a new blog called “Brian Heyward is a Self-Important Tool Sack,” just to make a point. Christ he’s god-awful.
The best was his calling Derek Roy for the dive after being cross-checked twice and then, of course, not saying anything when not five minutes later Tim Connolly breathes on, “The Best Net-Front-Presence Player in the NHL” Corey Perry behind the Buffalo net. Connolly couldn’t knock Perry down a wrecking ball if Perry was tied-up against a wall for chrissakes.
The best was his continued harping on the Sabres 5 man attack, continually calling it ‘high-risk, firewagon hockey" when the shots were 40 to 20 in Buffalo’s favor and the forwards were always covering the point after the pinch from the defenseman. He’s been watching Carlyle’s trap and slug fest for so long he’s forgotten what real hockey looks like. Like I said, complete toolbag.
Ta,
Could not agree more
First of all, if it hits the players arms or hands, it is not a freaking goal. Apparently they forgot that rule on the broadcast. The only thing it could have hit on Ryan was his stick (over the cross-bar) or his arms or hands. There was no way to tell what it hit to be honest and I’m not arguing the goal call. HOWEVER, if you are going to say the Bobby Ryan gets credit for the goal, you are saying that he touched it, which as I stated before, could only have been illegally!
Roy kind of dove in that he didn’t need to throw his stick. However, a cross-check is a cross-check and it should have been called.
I guess when the D joins the play and has the other team guessing for 40 minutes of hockey, that is high-risk. Wait, WHAT?
Also, I think the reason the Sabres and Ducks seem to have these kind of games has something to do with some of our recent West Coast players like Montador, Rivet and Grier. Also, I think the Sabres bring the extra oomph against the Ducks to prove that they can play tough against a team that is known for being one of the tougher in the league.
Loss or no loss, I enjoyed watching the Sabres play the Ducks again. Too bad we were robbed of a good fight. Remember when Rivet rocked two Ducks last year in the same game? With a bad wrist? That was awesome
B-B-B-Byrd Byrd Byrd, Byrd is the Wyrd!"
Dont forget the “Tread water in a Test Tube” and “I’d hate to speculate” comments.
"The three important elements of hockey are: forecheck, backcheck and paycheck." - Gil Perreault
by FloridaBuffalo on Jan 20, 2010 8:54 PM EST up reply actions
Their radio announcers...
…are a hell of a lot better than their TV crew.
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
The best was his calling Derek Roy for the dive after being cross-checked twice and then, of course, not saying anything when not five minutes later Tim Connolly breathes on, "The Best Net-Front-Presence Player in the NHL" Corey Perry behind the Buffalo net. Connolly couldn’t knock Perry down a wrecking ball if Perry was tied-up against a wall for chrissakes.
Oh and don’t forget that when Gaustad cross-checked Eminger in the crease it was a cheap shot and when MacArthur bumped somebody in front of the Ducks goal it was reckless.
I said before the game that I couldn’t stand Hayward. He is one of the worst analysts in the league.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
And yet he’s convinced he’s one of the best. That’s what drives me crazy. He’s like Denis Potvin without any of the unintentional comedy. It’s one thing to be bad but know your place, ala Harry Neale, it’s another to be god-awful but believe that your every word is the equivalent of bringing the light of enlightenment to the unwashed masses.
He’s the living embodiment of my 1st axiom of the universe: The two most prevalent things in the Universe are hydrogen and the human capacity for self-delusion.
Ta,
at the game
I was in attendance last night, lot of Sabres fans there. It is sad to know that without the Duck’s 4th goal in the 1st we would have tied the game and with mo on our side probably would have won it in OT. Nice to see the Sabres live though living in SoCal. Get second chance tomorrow night in LA.
by North Java Sabra on Jan 20, 2010 10:51 AM EST reply actions
I do
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jan 20, 2010 1:56 PM EST up reply actions
hahaha
no pressure Tom. You know it’s an open invitation. As long as you continue to share your knowledge with us we will all be smarter.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jan 20, 2010 3:08 PM EST up reply actions
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