Shutdown Pair

Tag: Ryan Miller

  • Should the Sabres play for next year?

    No, this is not a panic button post, but more the other team in town getting me thinking:  Should Buffalo target next year as the year to make a cup run?  There are some good reasons why they should:

    • Connolly, Niedermayer, Grier, and McCormick off the books – should open some top 6 minutes for Gerbe and Ennis, and possibly an FA center who is more consistent.
    • Next year could mean Luke Adam or Zack Kassian (or both) making the team, upping the size and tenacity of the team.
    • Seriously, read this about Kassian (h/t to Sabres Prospects):

    At the Memorial Cup (in Brandon), neither one of the western teams wanted any part of him. They wouldn’t look him in the eyes.

    • I can’t imagine Jhonas Enroth not being the backup here next year.  Either that or trade the guy.  Tomorrow’s game might be a big factor in that.  If he starts again, I’m seeing the writing on the wall for Lalime, no matter how much Miller and the rest of the guys love him.
    • The biggest question for me is what to do with the defense.  Hopefully a partner for Myers is settled by the end of the year, so whoever that is has to be kept (if it’s not Morrisonn).  Montador and Rivet are UFAs, while Weber, Sekera and Butler are all RFAs.  Someone (or preferably two of them) need to take the next step this year.

    So there you have it.  What does that change about this year?  I’d be hesitant to trade for a ‘rental’ player at the deadline, especially if there is a prospect moving out.  I like our prospects a lot more than I do most of the guys Darcy has brought in at the deadline recently (though a lot of that is hindsight).  I might change my view on that as the season wears on, though.  I do think this team can still make the playoffs, but I can’t imagine a true cup run.

  • 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 – Bruins at Sabres

    Buffalo gets another crack at getting their first home win tonight when the Bruins visit, but it’s not going to be easy.  Boston is 6-2, having only allowed 11 goals on the year.  Tim Thomas is back in the saddle, with a ridiculous .50 GAA.  Ryan Miller is questionable tonight with a ‘lower body but not groin’ injury, so Enroth has already been recalled in case he can’t go today.  The assumption is Lalime would get another start but nothing is set in stone.

    On the plus side, Jason Pominville is set to return tonight, having finally mastered the neuro-psych test.  Craig Rivet is also back from being a healthy scratch.  The biggest improvement needs to come from special teams, where they have a middling power play and a bottom five PK.  When you are taking a ton of penalties (especially when already on your own power play), a horrible PK will end your chances of winning pretty quick.

    I tweeted this yesterday, but it’s worth mentioning this article about Tyler Myers by Kent Wilson of The Score again.  He shows that Myers has been pretty unlucky so far this year, unsustainably so, which bodes well for his production here on out.

    When we look at Myers’ PDO (on-ice SV% + on-ice SH% at even strength), that’s exactly what we find: the kid has suffered from horrendous fortune thus far. The team has shot at just 3.64% with him on the ice and Ryan Miller has a .880 SV% behind the kid. That’s a PDO of 91.3 and so unsustainably low that it can’t possibly continue indefinitely. To extend the poker allusion, he’s not going to be dealt sevens and twos all night.

    Steve Montador, as a comparison, sees an 11.85% shooting percentage and a .929 save percentage when he is out there, against weaker competition, which is boosting his numbers.

    Edit:  Miller is OUT tonight, no word on Lalime/Enroth, according to multiple reports on Twitter.

  • The Sabres in October

    October record:  3-7-2

    Overall record:  3-7-2

    Buffalo came into the season with some expectations, as a playoff team from the year before with it’s ‘core’ intact (for better or worse).  I felt that the changes that were made should at least be even swaps.

    So what happened?  Unfortunately, there’s quite a few things that have gone wrong:

    • Jason Pominville’s injury.  He still hasn’t passed his test to get back on the ice.  Perhaps someone should send him Brain Age and a DS to work his brain out a bit.
    • The power play.  6 for 46, 13% won’t cut it.  With the close games they’ve been playing, one extra goal here or there makes all the difference.
    • Tyler Myers has struggled.  He hasn’t been the difference maker he was last year, though I think he might be coming around.  He’s still scoring, including having 2 of the 6 PPG.
    • Ryan Miller has been uneven.  He’s currently sporting a pedestrian .903 save percentage.  He’s bookended starts where he sparkled with games where he…hasn’t.  Not much help in front but some stolen games could be all they need to get on a roll.
    • Craig Rivet, benched.  Not good when you have to bench your captain.

    There is reason for hope, and some positive things to build on however:

    • Derek Roy.  He’s a point per game, with 6 goals (3 on the PP), and tied the recent Atlanta game with 8 seconds left to at least get the team a loser point.
    • Steve Montador is +9, which is part his good play, and part the competition he faces.  Still, he’s been solid since last year, so it’s good to see him getting some recognition.
    • Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford have been at or above my expectations, combining for 5 goals and 14 points.  Both are solidly plus players.

    In reality, the Sabres still only sit 2 games out of a playoff spot, with 70 more to play.  They have a goalie that has yet to play his best, and injured players that will be coming back.  The leash is short, though, before a ‘shake-up’ change begins to be something that I’d agitate for.  Still looking at you, Timmy…

  • “Angry” Teams

    I don’t buy the whole ‘angry team after a loss’ thing that’s being attributed to the Flyers last night, at least as it pertains to them beating the Sabres.  Yes, the Flyers came out ‘flying’ so to speak, but it was undisciplined.  It seemed like Philly was going fbeor the body at the expense of everything else (sort of like year one Kaleta) and as a result, the Sabres were able to get the lead.  The Flyers felt that the first period fight gave them a boost, but I don’t buy that totally.  I can see it providing a boost for them to score that Briere goal, but you should be able to recover from that and fight back after the intermission at the very least.

    At the end of it, they got out-worked by the best players on the Flyers, and couldn’t cover for Miller having a less-than-stellar night.  He in particular blamed himself for getting upset on the uncalled goalie ‘contact’ by Briere.  I like that even after Flyers took a 5-1 lead, Buffalo kept working and got some goals back (Tyler Myers!  and Vanek had another goal), but it was THAT effort level they need to win their games.  They don’t work like that at home, and only worked that hard for about half of the game last night.  Still not time to push the you-know-what since there’s plenty of season left. (I know Adrian Dater hates those cliches, eff him)

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Senators at Sabres

    The Senators are in town tonight, sitting last in the NHL with 3 points.  Brian Elliott will be facing Ryan Miller.  I will be juggling (figuratively I assure you) the three kids tonight by myself so don’t expect a lot of tweets, but I will if I can manage it.

    Let’s go Buffalo!

  • Sabres Overrun the Thrashers 4-1

    The hockey gods lobbed a hanging curveball over the Buffalo Sabres’ plate (if you’ll pardon the mixed sports metaphors) and they made solid contact, winning 4-1 in a mostly-empty Phillips Arena.  Atlanta was returning from a west coast trip, missing several key players (such as Bogosian and Pavelec) and Buffalo took advantage.  Tyler Ennis opened the scoring by getting behind the D and sniped one in off the post.  Great play by Montador on the outlet pass.  Ennis very nearly scored again after the faceoff at center ice, and was definitely working well with Rob Niedermayer and Mike Grier.  You got a little worried as the period went on, as the Sabres continued to pour on the shots but didn’t get any more goals.

    That changed in the second period, though.  Just one minute in, Tyler Myers gets his first of the year while on the power play, as he took a one-time shot off a Chris Butler pass and buried it.  Thomas Vanek was in his office providing the screen.  Butler had a great game to my eyes, including some solid defensive plays where he didn’t get panicky.  Cody McCormick got his second goal of the year soon after, cleaning up a rebound, of which there were many.

    The shutout was not to be, however, as Tobias Enstrom got one past Miller on the power play early in the third.  There was a screen in front, couldn’t make out who it was, but not a bad goal to allow.  By the way, love the Thrashers’ broadcasters getting excited for Ron Hainsey (6’3″, 210lbs) knocking someone down, when it was Tyler Ennis (5’9″, 163lbs)…yeah, he should be able to do that.  Thomas Vanek got it back, though, blistering one home after he got behind the Atlanta defense.

    The theme throughout the night was shots – Buffalo had a ton, didn’t give up many, and the guys that NEEDED to shoot did (Myers, Vanek).  There was very little to complain about.  Let’s see, though, if they keep it up back at home.  Friday, Ottawa, be there.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Sabres at Thrashers

    Well, Lindy did the expected, and bag-skated the team, along with a line shuffle.  Here’s what they will look like according to Vogl at the Buffalo News:

    Vanek – Roy – Stafford
    Hecht – Connolly – McCormick
    Gerbe – Gaustad – Kaleta
    Ennis – Niedermayer – Grier

    Reuniting Vanek and Roy is good, and Stafford isn’t terrible so far.  McCormick might give the Connolly line a spark with some hard work and hits.  That third line could be sneaky good, as Kaleta has some offensive upside, combine that with Gerbe’s speed and Goose’s size in front of the net and you might have something.  On the whole, it’s a good balance, every line should be able to contribute at both ends.

    On D, Morrisonn is doing the lonely ‘skating on his own’ and will be out tonight.  Miller should get the start in net.

    While the Atlanta games are never easy for Buffalo, even without Kovalchuk in the mix, it’s winnable.  It could even be a get-right game, with Chris Mason and a 3.0 GAA in net.  Ondrej Pavelec is still out after collapsing on the ice, though he should be back soon, which is great.  I probably won’t get to watch the beginning of the game with family commitments, but I’ll try and get in by the second period.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Devils at Sabres

    Game four in a very busy schedule for the Sabres to start the season sees the undermanned New Jersey Devils visiting Buffalo for a 7pm game.  The Devils are icing a 16-skater lineup due to salary cap constraints, though it was 15 before former Sabres grinder Adam Mair was signed.  This will also be the return of Henrik Tallinder to Buffalo.

    All of this is well and good, but the talk is still all about Pominville, Hjalmarsson and the two game suspension.  Ryan Miller, as usual, was eloquent and should be one of the players’ most respected voices in the future.  Always look forward to his comments after something interesting happens.

    For tonight, Nathan Gerbe is in, and should see some PP time.  It seems obvious that the Sabres should try to skate fast and hard against the Devils in hopes of tiring them out, but it remains to be seen whether that will work.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Blackhawks at Sabres

    Patrick Kane and the defending Stanley Cup champs, here in Buffalo, TONIGHT.  This could be a good measuring stick for the Sabres, after an uneven first two games.  I’m still waffling about going tonight, as there are some good deals on tickets out there, and I would very much like to see Chicago.  I used to follow them pretty close back in the days of Roenick, Belfour, Amonte and so on.

    As for changes tonight, Gerbe out, McCormick in.  Didn’t see anything about the goalie but I imagine Miller, since he had one whole night off.  Be interesting if Lalime got in there, he seems to hold his own (sometimes) against his former teams.