Senators vs. Sabres Recap: Sabres Finish 2011 Only Managing A Point

by Zachary Zielonka on Jan 1, 2012 1:35 PM EST in Game Recaps

With the Sabres stumbling to the finish of the 2011 calendar year, their last home game of 2011 finished with a whimper as the Sabres lost to the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in a shootout.

The Sabres got the ball rolling early in the first period as Brad Boyes was able to capitalize on an ugly Craig Anderson rebound. Jordon Leopold shot the puck at the net and Anderson blocked the shot with his shoulder and then fell down like he was shot by a sniper. That left the net wide open for Boyes and he was able to score his third goal of the season. That lead held through the first period, as the Sabres were able to get some help from the goal posts in the period. The Senators outshot the Sabres 14-9 in the period and at times, outclassed the Sabres in the game.

In the second period, the Senators were able to tie the game for the first time within the first two minutes. Matt Carkner was able to rifle the shot over the glove of Jhonas Enroth from the right faceoff dot. It's a good shot from Carkner, but it's also a shot that Enroth should have had a glove on as well. The Sabres got their second lead of the game when Paul Gaustad tipped a Jordon Leopold shot past Craig Anderson. Leopold blasted another cannon toward the net and Gaustad was in the right place at the right time in front of Anderson to score his third goal of the season. The Senators tied the game up again as everyone's favorite Senator, Chris Neil, scored his fifth goal of the season with 13:45 left in the period.

The third period was a relatively quiet period as the Senators outshot the Sabres 14-6 in the period and both teams managed to get themselves a point as the game went into overtime. Neither team made the goaltender work overly hard in overtime as the Senators had three shots on goal and the Sabres managed two.

The Sabres took their chances with the shootout as they had won two of their three shootouts heading into this season, one of which against these Ottawa Senators. Unfortunately for the Sabres, the Senators had that one extra player who was able to find the net as Bobby Butler scored the game deciding goal as the fifth shooter for the Senators.

The Sabres now will try and start 2012 with a bang in front of the home crowd when they face off against the Edmonton Oilers on January 3rd.

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NYE

It seemed to me that the refs had someplace to be to watch the ball drop…
Oh well, a point is better than none at all. Here’s to an undefeated ’12.

by Binthet on Jan 1, 2012 3:54 PM EST via Android app reply actions

seems to me after the 1st, the Sabres first 2 lines had someplace else to be too.

by danabob on Jan 1, 2012 6:41 PM EST up reply actions

Roy & Stafford going to be able to play??

With all the injuries I must have missed when Roy and Stafford got hurt. When will they be able to return to the lineup? I haven’t seen them for the past 8-10 games.

CapeBob05

by CapeBob05 on Jan 1, 2012 7:11 PM EST reply actions

ZACK KASSIAN!!!! should have gotten the start over the Drew Stafford cardboard cut-out on skates.

by Binthet on Jan 1, 2012 8:57 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Ted Black's interview from after last night's game.

http://www.wgrz.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1358854315001

"If we needed any more motivation to win a Cup sooner than later, we've got one now," Black said. "I really want to listen to the game that RJ calls when he finally gets to shout out, 'Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup.'"
"Do it or Die Trying."

by FloridaBuffalo on Jan 1, 2012 9:06 PM EST reply actions

Cetainly sounds like somethings about to happen

Come on Buffalo, please?

by bflo on Jan 2, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions

Definitely a different tone from mister black than what were used to.

by FloridaBuffalo on Jan 2, 2012 1:55 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Absolutely.

I expect something by the end of this week.

Come on Buffalo, please?

by bflo on Jan 2, 2012 3:37 PM EST up reply actions

Fire the coach

Time for Lindy to move on. He is responsible for the chemistry of the team. He picked the captain, he puts the lines together. His system sucks, the players know it and have tuned him out. Guess, you Ruff supporters think we should trade every player right?

by Coach Bob on Jan 2, 2012 2:41 AM EST reply actions

Once again, someone suggesting a simplistic “solution” to a complex problem. How is Ruff’s “system” getting old to all of the call-up’s that have never worked within it? When you start a “new” job, you don’t question what it is that you’re instructed to do – you simply do it to the best of your ability. That way, if it doesn’t work out, your “boss” can only blame himself.

There are many things that Ruff cannot teach. Desire, individual toughness, the willingness to work as a part of a team as opposed to worrying about individual stats, etc. are qualities that you either possess or you don’t. Ruff does not get a pass from me, because he’s hardly blameless in all of this. However, to imply that terminating him solves all the issues with this team is simply wrong. IMO, certain vet’s have gotten entirely too comfortable, Roy for one, Stafford for another. Sitting them could be a wake-call for them, however, this assumes that they have enough individual pride in themselves to allow a benching to “bother” them. It worked for Myers, but I seriously question whether even this most drastic of actions (after all, it’s the worst that any HC can do) would really affect them.

by jimmie123 on Jan 2, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Ruff

When Lindy took over this team, they were referred to as the Hardest working team in the NHL. WOW has that changed. Now they are known as SOFT and unwilling to work. I’m with coach Bob.

by Winnie33 on Jan 2, 2012 10:31 AM EST reply actions

OMG, his reputation in the eyes of cynical fans and media has changed over time? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!

by lassathrax on Jan 2, 2012 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

Leave of Absence

I’d like to suggest to Mr. Regier and Mr. Black that they give Mr. Ruff a leave of absence for a month or so. He needs to go somewhere far away from the Sabres and hockey where can re-assess his approach to the game and re-focus his energies with regard to player management.

In watching him this year, it is painfully obvious that he has no control over his players; they do whatever they wish when on the ice. The few professional players on the team (Vanek, Regehr, Pomminville and Miller) do their best, but the others are incorrigable.

The team is freefalling through the standings and other teams do not respect them. That is the fault of the coaching staff. They (the players) have had the fight coached out of them to the point that they don’t even understand how to play a physical game. This perception of weakness by other teams will continue until the Sabres make a concerted and consistent effort to assert themselves. That may take some time or, with current staff, may never happen.

The season that began so oppimistically is lost. It is too late the make the necessary changes that would get this team into the playoffs. The only positive is the possibility that we get a low draft pick.

by Geolover on Jan 2, 2012 2:47 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

THIS.

Over the past week or so the teams play has forced me to waver in my unconditional support of Ruff. The fact of the matter is that they’re playing uninspired, boring hockey. I don’t think it’s due to a lack of respect for the coach or his system so I’d hate for Ruff to be cut out of the organization completely, but the team is simply not responding to him right now.
I think the expectations have been weighing too heavily on the entire organization and in their efforts to overcome the adversity, they have completely lost their passion for the game and nobody, from coaches to players, is having fun right now. Giving Ruff a break (I say the rest of the season) is the best way to assuage the need for change and the desire to keep intact the hockey culture in Buffalo that many fans, myself included, do not want to see changed. It will allow Ruff and the players some relief rom the pressure for a while and I think they’d greatly benefit. Give them a fresh start next year, with hopefully an upgraded roster that includes some more youth and a real center, and I think you’d see a Ruff team of old, full of heart and desire.

by lgbfromoregon on Jan 3, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions

I'd like to add

that I think the absence of phyiscality of this team is greatly overestimated. They’re adequately phyiscal to succeed in the 2012 NHL. This isn’t the 70’s anymore, you can’t beat teams into submission. Without their skill players producing, no team is going to succeed, no matter how physical they may be. The old school mentality that reigns supreme among many Sabres fans is simply irrelevant in the modern NHL. It’s time to give it up.

by lgbfromoregon on Jan 3, 2012 1:10 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs