Dienstag, 24. Januar 2012

Sabres hit the bottom

With the Carolina Hurricanes beating the Winnipeg Jets last night, the Buffalo Sabres have officially reached the bottom of the Eastern Conference. After twelve consecutive road losses the Buffalo Sabres are in an unfamiliar spot. However it's sadly a well deserved spot.

The road trip isn't even over yet as they are going to play at New Jersey tonight and will face Martin brodeur and the Devils. Christian Ehrhoff will be back in the lineup and will hopefully add some D to the team.

It's really frustrating these days to watch them play as you never have the feeling that they are playing as hard as they could. When you seee them chase the puck you never have the feeling that they are on full pace. On D it's very very easy for the opponent to just skate around in the period and creating chances. During games you are sitting in front of your TV shaking your heads in disbelieve.

They make the same mistakes over and over again. As soon as I see Weber, Gragnani or Sekera with the puck behind the own net waiting to break out I am little bit scared. The first pass is aweful in 80% of the cases. They are not able to make a simple tape-to-tape pass without any pressure at all. I've mentioned very often that to me it looked as if they don't have any self-confidence at all. However it should be possible to make some easy plays without confidence.

Will the Sabres make the playoffs this year? Mostlikely not. They would need a 20-5-4 run or something like that to have a real chance. I think it's time to think about several changes. The name "Dudley" floats around and he might be in charge soon and relief Darcy Regier from his duties. In addition to that the names Boyes,Stafford,Roy,Sekera are still on the trade-list.

The heads are hanging right now. They lose a battle on the wall and kinda accept it. No hustle no pressure on the opponent, just nothing. When they took the lead against St.Louis I was suprised that there wasn't a huge celebration. I wanna see them go nuts and push eachother to another Level after a goal. You gotta use every little positive play to push yourself. Score a goal, starting yelling, skate to the bench in full speed and yell at everyone to motivate them. You gotta pull yourself out of the slump. No one else is going to do it for you.

Montag, 16. Januar 2012

Winning is a belief - Sabres not believing

For me the game vs. the New York Islanders has been more than just a loss. The Sabres have lost 20 games this season but none of them hurt me as much as the one on Long Island.

Buffalo won at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs the night before and Miller was able to close the door in the third to secure that 3-2 win. It looked like they got their act together. They didn't play the run and gun offensive power-game with pretty passes and sweet goals, but they were hanging in there and fought for the 2 points. 24 hours later it was all gone.

The energy was not there and as always they had to suffer another injury when Vanek went down in the 2nd period after he got hit by the puck. He returned in the third period and had the chance to tie the game late in the game. The third period was a perfect reflection of the Sabres season so far. The Islanders took the lead, the Sabres lost a key player (Regehr) to an injury and Vanek hits the post with under 2 minutes to go on the penalty shot. If you wanna describe the Sabres season so far, you only have to look at this period.

In the post-game interviews Roy said: "We are not skating hard enough". A comment that is very suprising as players hardly admit stuff like that. So is that a good sign that players know whats going wrong or is that another sign of resignation? Right now I think the biggest problem for the Sabres is not the injuries. It's more the mental aspect of the game. They have not won 2 games in a row since mid-november. They know it. It's in their heads and they can't get it out of their heads. People always forget the mental aspect of the game and what it can do for you.

The Sabres are on the road now and will play Detroit, Chicago, Winnipeg and St. Louis this week. We've reached a point we're no one around the league thinks that those guys can beat any of those 4 team this week. I think that they can do it. As a fan you gotta enter every game thinking that they can win that game. They need two wins in a row badly and as soon as they got those the mind-set will change.

It's two minutes to midnight and Buffalo has to start winning games. The motto of this week has to be: "You don't have the ghost of a chance, so grab that."

Mittwoch, 11. Januar 2012

Sabres have no answers

The referee dropped the puck and sixty minutes later we had a very familiar result. Once again the Buffalo Sabres were unable to win an important game. Toronto scored twice in the first stanza and Jonas Gustavsson posted his second shutout of the season. In addition to that, Vanek left the game after the first period because of food-poisoning.

It was painful to watch the game if you are a Sabres fan. There was no energy, no hustle and no heart throughout the entire game. Only Nathan Gerbe and matt Ellis were able to create a buzz from time to time in the Toronto zone. Nathan Gerbe hit the post in the third period and minutes later he was the one who stood up against Lupul in a scum near the benches.

Paul Gaustad and Patrick kaleta were once again missing in action. Gaustad played 10 minutes and I really asked myself if Lindy scratches him at some point during the game, cause I did not notice him at all. Kaleta had one big hit in the third period but got penalized for it. Thats the price you pay, if you are a marked man.

Ryan Miller stopped 26 of 28 shots but had no chance to stop the one's that got past him. Toronto took the lead on the PowerPlay were Regehr forgot to pick up Kulemin who was able to push it through Millers legs without any pressure from the Defense whatsoever.

Grabovski made it 2-0 on a beautiful backhand-shot, that rolled of the stick of Patrick Kaleta, who was diving to stop the play, and beat Miller top-corner.

The worst part about the current situation is, that it looks as if the Sabres don't think they can turn it around. They aren't doing enough if they wanna win games. Last night there was a point when u expect a guy like Gaustad or Kaleta to look for fight. Change the momentum, do something but don't let it happen without fighting back. I mean even Ehrhoff fought a couple of times this season...

Get back to the basics and play every game as if it would be your last one.

Montag, 9. Januar 2012

Sabres Mid-Season Review

We have played 41 Games and the Sabres are not were they wanted to be. 41 Games and only 41 points. There are many reasons for that and its a tough season regarding many aspects. They were hit by the injury bug big time. In fact Jason Pominville is the only Sabres starter (I still count Luke Adam as an addition) who has not been injured this year. However injuries are a reason but not an excuse for the current situation. Let's take a look at the performence so far player by player.


OFFENCE:

Luke Adam: C+
Luke had a great start in Europe as he centered Pominville and Vanek. He got shifted around a lot over the season and he still has a decent season so far. 10 Goals and 20 points in 41 game are a good point production but Adam needs linemates he can get used too. He is not experienced enough to bring his A+ game night in and night out with changing line mates every game.

Brad Boyes: D+
Brad Boyes is a former 40 goal scorer but so far he has recorded 3 goals in 28 games. He has not been the force the Sabres hoped he could be. Not on a special team and not on his regular lines. He has to pick it up put it might be too late already as he will not be a Sabre next year.

Matt Ellis: C
Matt is playing his heart out night in and out. He is not the fancy go to guy when you're down by 1 goal in the last minute of a game, but he is a true energy guy who can change the momentum within a shift.

Tyler Ennis: C
15 games this year only. It all started with an ankle injury that is still bothering him this year. He came back from his injury and it looked as if he would finally start to find his game. Just a few games later he went down with an injury again. It's oough to rate him but I will still give him a C.

Paul Gaustad: D
Paul Gaustad is winning faceoffs, but thats pretty much it. Paul is probably having his worst season in a sabres uniform. He is a huge part of the Sabres PK and that isnt that shabby. Still, Paul had a bad year so far and I expect a lot more from a leader in the current sabres situation. Funny thing is, he is on pace for 142 hits which would be a lot more than last year. Still during the game you hardly notice him out there.

Nathan Gerbe: C+
Like Ellis, Nathan is a guy that puts everything into one shift and despite being 5'5" he is not afraid to land a hit on guys like Chara or Pronger. If you are a coach you like the guys like Gerbe that have been told over and over again that they cant do this or that, because of their size. Gerbe leads by example when it comes to energy. Scoring-wise he isnt as productive as last year. At least not in the goal scoring column in which he can find the number 4 at the moment. 4 goals in 30 games is not a enough for Gerbe and I am pretty sure he agrees.

Jochen Hecht: B-
Injuries held him to only 15 games so far but I still give him a B-. Together with Pominville and Vanek the Sabres have found 1 line that creates something night in and night out. If those 3 guys are out there, you know something can happen. While Vanek and Pominville mostly put up the hugh numbers, they can rely on Hecht's experience and defensive play, which has been good so far. He added some defensive awareness to the Sabres team and if he can continue to play this way the sabres have 1 line that they can easily rely on in key moments.

Patrick Kaleta: C-
Boy thats a tough one. Kaleta is a fan favourite in Buffalo cause he is one of those guys that gets into the face of his opponent. Sadly there are times when he tends to overdo things. The referees in the league know Kaleta and even if he lands a clean hit, in doubt they will always call a penalty. His scoring numbers went down as well and the Sabres expect more from Patrick Kaleta. He has to get back to what he does best. Shot the puck in and hustle after it and grind them out along the wall. We know what Kaleta can do but we haven't seen it for quite some time.

Ville Leino: C-
Ville was one of the blockbuster aquisitions this summer for Buffalo. After 30 games he has not arrived in Buffalo. Leino is still looking for his spot on the team and had to deal with different line mates night in and out. In combination to playing with a new team it's a deadly cocktail. You can see that he is not comfortable yet at all. However I still think that he can and will be a big big factor for the Sabres. If he finds two linemates that play with him on a regular basis he will produce and he will be a difference maker. He still is fantastic when it comes to protecting the puck and it worked really well with Kassian and Adam. I know Sabresfans likely won't have the patience but wait and see.

Cody McCormick: C
Like every other Sabre, did he miss some time due to an injury. He started the season the way we knew him. He fought when there was need for it and he added the grit that this team badly needs at times. When he sat out a few games due to a concussion things changed. Since coming back from injury, Cody has not been the same. It looks as if something bothers him. Maybe he has not been able to shake off that concussion completely but his energy level went down.

Jason Pominville: B+
Jason was named captain prior to this season and it was a good move by Ruff. He does the little things that people hardly notice. If players miss a huge a chance to score, he is the first player that skates up to them and tries to build them up. Pominville is on pace for his best season ever and has 43 points in 41 games this season. With Vanek and Hecht he found perfect linemates. However as a captain it's "his" team and it will be interesting to see, how he handles the slump that the sabres try to get out of.

Derek Roy: D
Derek Roy had 36 points in 36 games for Buffalo in the 2010-2011 season (playoffs included). This year he has registered only 24 points in 40 games. He has not been the difference maker this year and has not been able to create anything on the PP either. Roy was and still is the first name that comes to your head when you think "trade". The injury he suffered against Carolina might have been the thing that saved him for now. Still if he doesn't find his mojo until the trade deadline, he might be on his way out of Buffalo.(If they give him a chance until the trade deadline)

Drew Stafford: D
Was it a contract year? So far the answer is yes. When Drew scored 31 goals last year (including 4 hat-tricks) everyone was wondering if it was a contract year. Sadly only 7 goals in 40 games say: "yes it was". Stafford like Roy has not been able to be the threat in the offensive zone. If Roy isn't playing well, Stafford isnt playing well and vice versa. He might be number 2 on the "trade-list" and if he doesnt start playing like last year he could be out of town soon as well.

Thomas Vanek: A
Great first half Thomas. Another 40goal season is possible for Thomas Vanek and although he has no C on his chest he plays like a captain. Vanek and Pominville have connected on many many sabres goals this season and are up there with the Sedin's or Kessel/Lupul. You have to search a long time to find any negative aspects in Vanek's game and the only one I could mention is that he took 1 or 2 lazy penalties in the early state of the season. But over the past few weeks, Vanek has been spectacular. Keep it going Thomas - "Sehr gute Leistung!".

Zack Kassian: C
Had ups and downs. 3 goals and 3 assists in his first appeareance in the NHL is solid. He has not been able to bring his "A-game" night in and night out right away but this rarely happens. He proved that he can be a huge power-forward for the Sabres in the future and like I said he had some great moments. His goal in Nashville will be one of the best goals this season scored by a Sabre. Kassian is NHL-ready but not for a full season. He reminded me a lot of Luke Adam last year.

Corey Tropp: C
Played 13 games in Buffalo and I liked what I saw. He didnt put up huge numbers but he played the way I expect Patrick Kaleta to play. Corey was battling hard along the boards and was able to get the crowd going with his energetic play.


DEFENSE

Christian Ehrhoff: C
Blockbuster Number 2. Big off-season aquisition and another one that had trouble finding his spot on the team. Christian was aquired as an offensive defencemen but he was not abl to put up similar numbers to his time in Vancouver. Over the last 15 games or so he has improved his defensive-play a lot. His very active stick denied several scoring chances for the opponent. Although he is 2nd worst on the team in the +/- category. But this category isnt a huge factor as he is on the ice when the sabres pull their goalie as well. Ehrhoff even had 2 fights this year and it's not really his job. He answered the bell and Christian knows that he has to be better in certain parts of his game.

Marc-Andre Gragnani: D
Let's start with the good things. His +12 rating leads the team, but as I mentioned, this stat doesnt mean much, as Gragnani probably has been the worst Sabres defender this year. His defensive play has been very bad this year. Like Sekera he loses the puck in his own end a lot and has trouble making the first pass out of his zone. Gragnani was the AHL Defencemen of the year last season and he is a guy with a lot of potential but maybe the step into the NHL came to early for him. He played very good in the playoffs last year but he has to find his play back again.

Jordan Leopold: B-
Jordan Leopold has scored as many goals as Drew Stafford. His numbers are similar to the ones he had last year and his defensive play improved. He is joining the rush and is making the plays. Overall he has been Buffalo's best defencemen so far and is one guy you can rely on. You gotta hope that the veteran can get the young guys going and help them out of their slumps.

Brayden McNabb: B-
MCNASTY! Brayden has done a terrific job so far. Since being called up from Rochester he has been amazing. Why? Because he is keeping it simple. Clear the zone, get the puck down the ice and don't get fancy. He loves to play the body and he tattoed his name on the body of several NHL players like Frans Nielsen. Sometimes he tends to go for the big hit and forgets about his d-zone. He might land the big hit but if the opponent still has the puck control they can still create a chance. Sometimes he misses the big hit (on Ovechkin in Washington) and the Sabres pay for it. But he is a young guy and will learn how to react to those situations.

Tyler Myers: C+
Had a tough start and had more bad than good games until he was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. When he came back he finally looked like the Myers we all love. He played the body and was also an offensive threat on the ice. Right when we thought this average Sabres season would turn around, he went down with a broken wrist. Since his comeback he has build a great defensive pairing with McNabb and both can be a shut-down pair, that can go on the attack and score on their own, for years to come.

Robyn Regehr: D
Third big summer aquisition and the third player who has not lived up to the expectations. He leads the team in hits but he had more problems on the D then expected. Sometimes he looks lost and slow out there and he has not been able to stabilize the young Sabres D-Corp. Regehr is another guy who has to pick up his game if the Sabres wanna make the playoffs. He plays the body a lot and he does that in very good fashion but his positioning has been way off at times.

Andrej Sekera: D+
Very similar to Gragnani. When he is on the ice I grab my arm of a chair even harder. SO often I have seen him with the puck in his own zone and except clearing the zone he tries to skate his way out of there. In those situations he often gets pined along the boards and loses the puck. Sekera has been in Buffalo on a regular basis for 3 years now and the up's and down's did not go away. Along with Roy, Stafford and Boyes, Sekera is on of the guys who isn't sleeping well lately as he could be on his way out as well.

Mike Weber: C-
Did not get a chance to play early in the season when Buffalo had a good start to the year. He had to wait until November 2nd to get his first start of the year. In his first 3 games he registered a -7 and had trouble finding chemistry with his defensive-partners. He has to get back to the play that earned him a regular spot on the team last year. Like Kaleta he has to play physical again and needs to get in the face of his opponent. If he does that he will earn a regular spot on this team, even if every defender is healthy.


GOALTENDING

Ryan Miller: C
With his worst season of his career Ryan is right up there (or down there) with many of his fellow team-members. You expect Ryan to stop the impossible shot from time to time in games as he has done that very often. This year it's not been the case so far. He gave up a few soft goals and it looks like as if this got into his head. Early in the season when the Sabres slump started the Defence didnt really help Miller at all. In the home game against the Flyers, Philadelphia had an early 3-0 lead. This might sound bad, but Miller also stopped 3 giant scoring chances. Like other players, what Miller has shown so far is not enough. He knows that and he will try everything to get back to his superb play we are all used too. He is still an elite goalie and wil bounce back. 2 years ago Tim Thomas went 17-18-8 and lost his starting job with the Bruins. Look where he is now...

Jhonas Enroth: C
When Miller had a tough time and went down after the Lucic hit, Enroth came in and did a great job. He won his first 6 starts but has only won one game in the last ten. While stopping some great shots early in the season he gave up some soft goals later on and didnt look as comfortable anymore. He is a good backup goaltender but is not ready to be a starter yet. His number arent that bad but at the age of 23 there is still time for him to improve.


SPECIAL TEAMS

Powerplay: C
The Buffalo Sabres have huge problems when it comes to entering the zone. As long as they win an offensive faceoff and have the chance to create something from the get-go everything is ok. If the opponent clears the zone they have tough times entering the zone and getting set up. Possible solution? Lately the PP Line 1 featured Boyes-Vanek-Pominville. It might be time to try out the Vanek-Hecht-Pominville on the PP as well. This line works great 5 on 5 and they have the chemistry. If you put Ehrhoff and Myers on the point, you have two blueliners that prevent the opponent from collapsing down low as they have to get out there to block shots.

PenaltyKill: C
It started off pretty good and was among the best in the league. It cooled off in the second half of the first 41 games and the PK dropped in the stats. Sabres trying to take away shooting lanes and did that very good early this year. Sometimes they have to be way more aggressive than they used to be.


COACHING

Lindy Ruff: C+
In my opinion he is still the right coach for this team. He scratched Myers and and he answered the bell and he still knows how to reach the team. He can tell the players what to do, but as a coach its not your job to remind the players of their fundamentals over and over again. Whoever the coach is, skating and hustle should be in there even if I am behind the bench. And I missed that very often so far this season. Lindy get soften critizied for his system, but its the system that brought Daniel Briere and Chris Drury their best seasons of their career.


Rating Summary:

OFFENCE: 8,06 = C
DEFENCE: 7,50 = C -
GOALTENDING: 8,00 = C
POWERPLAY: C
PENALTYKILL: C
CACOHING: C+


Rating Explanation:
A+ = 15 points
A = 14 points
A- = 13 points
.
.
.
E- = 01 points
F = 00 points

Montag, 2. Januar 2012

Happy New Year

Let's hope the Sabres can turn it around and let's hope we had enough injuries this season!