Shutdown Pair

Tag: Montreal

  • Gameday 2011-2012 – Canadiens at Sabres

    We all know what’s at stake for the Buffalo Sabres right now.  Every point is important, being 2 back of Washington (also playing tonight).  The improbable run Buffalo’s on (slightly more improbable than last year) is coming to a close, with only 8 more games left after tonight.  The Sabres have gotten a lot of help – the other contenders for the 8th spot have been doing a LOT of losing, so that even when Buffalo only picked up 1 point in a few games recently, it didn’t hurt.  They weathered Tyler Myers being out, and get him back tonight.

    So why isn’t there more buzz about this team?  Well, for me, I’m just enjoying the ride.  Trying not to get too wound up in case they falter.  Even if they make the playoffs, there are some juggernauts they might end up facing (Penguins look deadly right now).  Much like Gerbe’s second-half last year, I’ve loved watching Tyler Ennis develop.  I want to see more of this rough and tumble Tyler Myers.  I’m very much enjoying the success of the young guns on their call-ups, with Foligno in particular showing why we were okay with trading away Zack Kassian.

    I might just get to watch tonight, and while I’m not jumping-up-and-down excited like some people seem to be expecting, I’m happy.  Take it or leave it.

  • Crowd Comments

    I went to the Sabres/Canadiens game on Monday, and I thought I’d comment about the issue everyone is talking about (while they distract themselves from a stressful playoff run).  I had zero problems with the crowd or the noise they made.  Did it get quiet during play?  Yeah, but *I* get quiet during play – I’m watching!  I know I made a joke about it, but it’s true.  Let me turn this around:  those of you who think we should make noise the whole game, what exactly are we doing?  Random cheering?  Constantly trying to chant (even if no one is joining in)?  I’m serious, what do you want to hear?  I thought we were plenty loud at the right times.

    The other aspect of it was whether or not we were cheering Gomez’s injury.  I saw Myers hit him, and it didn’t look like a clean hit to me from the start, though the size difference can make that hard to judge at full speed.  I’m not surprised he got dinged though three games is a bit much for a non-repeat offender to me.  The Sabres have a history with Scott Gomez (the Miller injury – and another ‘lack of response’, painful memory there) so it’s not surprising that fans would be less than sympathetic with him being injured, but it’s not like it was being greatly cheered or anything.  Montreal media needs to remember that a few bad apples on Twitter don’t make a fanbase.  Just like a few Habs fans who flip over and burn cop cars after a playoff win don’t make up theirs.

    We have to hope at this point that the Sabres can rally without Myers (who has been more and more productive lately, including the game-winner against the Habs) and keep rattling off wins to try and get ahead of Washington or Florida.  Sekera is still out, and Sulzer has been playing well in his stead, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Brayden McNabb is back in.  See you at 7:30pm for Colorado.

  • SHHHH! I’m Watching the Game!

    Hey, you guys.  Yes, you, with the sign and the face paint.  Keep it down tomorrow night, my son and I are attending a hockey game, and I want to watch what happens.  Feel the wrath of my disapproving stare when you yell “SHOOOOOOT” seven seconds into a power play.  Quiver in your seats as I berate you (on Twitter, of course) for your random “WOOOOOO” when you got your twelfth beer, or an awesome nacho platter, or whatever the hell it was for.  Don’t even THINK of standing up if there’s a breakaway.  By the way, it’s “Let’s Go Buff-a-lo”, not “Let’s Go Sabres”, so don’t let me hear you say that, even if it’s your six year old who really wants to start a chant who starts it.  Boo ONLY the players on the approved villains list for the opponent at each game.  Don’t laugh at the Kiss Cam or the crotch-shot videos, that will only encourage them to keep showing them.  A round of polite applause is required when a correct call is made by the on-ice officials against an opposing player.

    Or, just go the game and do whatever makes you happy.  It IS a game, after all.  Everybody else can jump in a fucking lake if they don’t like it.  Conveniently, there’s one right outside the FNC.

  • Miller Thievery

    There used to be a vocal minority of Miller detractors, and one of their favorite songs to sing was “Miller never steals games!”.  And while the rest of us know that this isn’t the first game he’s stolen, it’s one of the most obvious.  The Sabres slept-walked through the first and most of the second, lucky that Ryan only allowed the one goal.  Jordan Leopold evened the score for them, cleaning up a Stafford rebound.  Montreal shot themselves in the foot, however, icing the puck with 6 seconds left in the second period.  Goose won the draw, a couple of quick passes and Vanek blasts it home for the eventual game winner.  Christian Ehrhoff added an empty netter.

    You can be sure Lindy will be pressing the boys on the importance of a 60 minute effort, but it sure is nice to have the real Ryan Miller back there as a safety net against those 20 minute ones.

  • Bruins and Canadiens: Appointment TV?

    The Bruins and the Canadiens play their sixth and final game of the regular season tonight, and the last two games have been quite memorable.  You have Chara ramming/guiding/elbowing/brushing Max Pacioretty into a stanchion between the benches (with the word used to describe it differing based on your rooting interest) in the last game.  The game before that was an 8-6 penalty fest that saw multiple line brawls, a half-hearted goalie fight, and numerous ejections.  What does that mean for tonight?

    Nothing.  IF any crazy shenanigans happen, it will be due to actions that happen tonight.  Both teams know full well this game will be watched VERY closely by NHL hockey ops, and the playoffs are too close to have someone important sent off for message-sending.  There will be fights, I wager, between the usual combatants, but unless someone elbows somebody in the face or Chara goes full Wookiee on a guy again, this game will be a tame one.  Even though we may want these two teams to beat each other up.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Sabres at Canadiens

    The Buffalo Sabres play their final regular season game against the Montreal Canadiens tonight at 7:30 PM.  Buffalo wants to ‘channel their anger‘ from the somewhat embarrassing collapse against the Preds the other night, so hopefully that leads to a beatdown of the Habs.  Said Gaustad:

    I’ll say this: Guys on this team care. They do show emotion and don’t think they don’t. It’s just that you don’t see it. It’s not something we normally reveal to you guys but we care. You just happened to see some of it [Sunday].

    I think it’s good for fans to see a bit of it like that (and to hear about Jerry Sullivan’s logo gaffe too) as it’s been a concern for some in the past, whether the Sabres players ‘care’ enough.  Sort of like the ‘Vanek is lazy’ meme.  Anyway, here’s hoping the team’s energy is well-focused tonight, as the Canes play Ottawa, which is not exactly an automatic loss for Carolina to say the least.

  • Enroth Battles for the Win

    It doesn’t get much more exciting than that, does it?  Enroth weathers a storm as the Sabres give up 18 shots in the first period, with Stafford and and Pominville scoring to tie the game up and send it to a shootout.  And what a shootout it was, 10 rounds, and coming back from being down 2-0 there as well.  Vanek and Ennis scored on their shootout attempts to extend it, as did Gerbe after Montreal scored a few rounds later.

    I will say that Montreal has some great players coming up, and will be interesting to watch and battle against.  Max Pacioretty had a goal, an assist and a shootout goal, and PK Subban is nothing if not entertaining.  Add in Jaro Spacek, who is still a favorite of mine, and I like ’em.  Like beating them more, though.

    One other note from last night:  Seriously, can Pierre McGuire just shut UP?  He talks way too much, and he can’t mention a player without giving us where he went to school or played in juniors.  Every time Myers touched the puck, Kelowna got mentioned.  Has to be the most times the city was ever mentioned on an American TV station.  We get it, Pierre, you watch a lot of hockey.  I can’t remember ever sitting and watching a pro game and wondering “hey, where did he play junior hockey?”.  Add in the close talking and bothering Lalime, and I am really not looking forward to hearing more of him now that he’s going to be on VS more often.

  • A Bad Win

    There may not really be any such thing, but Buffalo can’t afford to give up points to division teams.  Net positive, yes, but time is running out, and 3 point games (as much as you might hate them) just don’t help enough.  Gotta get wins in regulation time here.  The Sabres have 3 teams to jump, and the more they play, the more this looks like 2 and 3 years ago – 10th place.  Blech.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Canadiens at Sabres

    Another day, another chance at a home win.  It won’t be any easier than beating Boston, however, as Miller may not play, and it’s the same crew of lackadaisical scrubs giving pucks away like candy on Halloween.  I still feel they can stand in with any team in the league, but I won’t expect it until I see it more than once.

    I don’t want them to feel any undue pressure, but another start like last game that ends in a bad loss could be what triggers the proverbial bomb getting set off in that locker room.  And I don’t know if I’d really be against it.  Yes, I’ve acknowledged that the panic button is in the room, and might’ve even flipped the up the protective plastic cover.  I bet if I update my ‘untouchable players‘ list, it’s going to be really short.

    You know what, let’s do that now…currently untouchable (and I don’t mean because they are injured or suck):

    • Ryan  Miller.  Duh.
    • Tyler Myers.  Yes, giveaways, but he’s had some bad luck too.  He’ll come around.
    • Uh, Derek Roy?  He’s probably been the most consistent forward so far.
    • Thomas Vanek.  He’ll score.  Needs help though.

    Goose is off the list.  At one time, he seemed to be developing a bit of leadership, but I haven’t seen it at all this year.  Faceoff prowess isn’t enough to keep you on a team.

    Interesting to think of Kaleta, who other Sabres bloggers wanted on the list.  I haven’t noticed him making much of a difference.  I want him on the list, but there’s nobody else doing enough for me to put them on there.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Canadiens at Sabres

    Buffalo is hosting their 40th anniversary celebration tonight, as 40 years ago they opened the season against the Montreal Canadiens.  Members of the Knox family are in, Buffalo is wearing their whites at home, and more.  Should be a fun time.

    Shaone Morissonn is out with a groin injury, so either Weber or Butler will be in tonight (will update if I see which one).  Pominville is still out so expect the same forwards in play.  Montreal is currently 1-1-1, even with the Sabres points-wise.

    I will be watching this game, either in the building or at home depending on the situation.  Wife and kids had a rough day yesterday so hopefully things are better tonight.

    edit:  Butler is in, Miller starts (have to imagine Lalime tomorrow night, does follow the ‘play him against his former teams’ thing they have going with him).