Although I picked the Senators to win this series, I certainly didn't expect them to take a 2-0 lead over the Sabres.
It's not just that they have that lead, but how they've achieved it. The Senators have been dominating the Sabres thus far, and except for the first period in Game Two, and part of the the second period of Game One, the Sabres just haven't been matching up well against Ottawa.
The Sabres are struggling against the Senators aggressive forechecking. They're trying to gain the zone with long passes or by stickhandling in and not have much success. Buffalo hasn't tried to adjust by going to a "dump and chase" style, perhaps because the Sens defenders can not only match the speed of the Buffalo forwards but can outmuscle them too.
In a thread to a previous post someone noted that Sens goalie Ray Emery has been giving up fat rebounds and at time appearing out of position on shots that go wide and bounce out the other side of his net. It's an astute observation, as more than once in this series Emery has come way out to challenge a Buffalo shooter, forcing the shot to go wide but leaving Emery vulnerable to the opposite side of the net when the puck caroms out the opposite side.
Unfortunately for the Sabres, they're not winning the footraces against Ottawa's defence corps, and thus unable to cash in on those golden opportunities into those empty nets.
There's also the problem of special teams. The Sabres powerplay wasn't that great going into this series but now it's dried up (althought to be fair, I believe that disallowed goal early in Game Two should've counted, which would've been a PP goal). Worse, they're allowing the Sens penalty killers to dance into the Buffalo zone for shorthanded scoring chances.
Finally, they're not shutting down the Sens top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza. Those three have been Buffalo killers thus far.
I realize this series still has a long way to go, but the Sens have the Sabres reeling right now. If the Sens takes Game Three on Monday back in Ottawa, the Sabres will be in a hole that only two teams in over 60 years of best-of-seven series have ever climbed out of.
And I won't like the Sabres chances of being the third team to do it.
Sabres will get back in the series, Ottawa is bound to choke. I can't beleive how Alfredsson didn't get a penalty, they give Corvo a hooking call to make up for it when Alfie should of been tossed from the game!
Tallinder's lucky he's not having breakfast through a straw this morning. A gutless should-have-been penalty. Reminded me very much of Claude Lemieux blindsiding Kris Draper in one of those WCFs back in the 90's. Dirty then, and dirty now.
First I would like to say that Ottawa has looked marginally better than Buffalo over the first two games. The only period that Ottawa dominated was the third of game 1. In saying that, they still do look like the better team.
But how sad is it when the refs make some shady calls against the Sabres and then when Alfie makes a terrible hit, the refs don't penalize him?
The most frustrating thing about that last game is that not only did the refs make some terrible calls, and I mean TERRIBLE calls, but, ultimately, Buffalo let Ottawa take that game. Miller lets in a bad goal(Fisher) and they were outskated in the overtime periods.
A message to all Buffalo fans:
What else did we expect? We are cursed and its never going to happen. Not to the Bills or Sabres, we aren't going to win a championship. :(
I'd say the refs have made terrible calls on both sides. As for Alfredsson'####, it should've been a penalty, although it was nowhere near as bad as Lemieux's infamous hit on Draper.
Let's face it Buffalo just dosen't look very dominant in these playoffs and definately not a championship team. If the Rangers had a bit more composure, Buffalo would not be in the conference finals right now. To me Ottawa looks to be the most complete team left in the playoffs. It is a shame though, because it fuels the fire for those that say the regular season just doesn't mean much when it comes to the NHL. I still say Buffalo wins 2 games, they are talented, Miller has been good (except the last three games), and Lindy Ruff is an excellent coach.
Now I am going to start off by saying I Love the Sabres I really do, but a once promising run for the cup, isn't looking a whole to promising now. The Sens were one team that I was hoping that the Sabres didn't have to face. They've got a great team, but the Sens have a better advantage with thier size. Hopefully the Sabres can pull out of this rut...
Not that I endorse fighting, but I felt the Sabres should have been more physical in a "not in our house" manner in Game 2. Instead, Ottawa was the more physical team. Winning a series after dropping the first two at home can be done (I remember the Flyers doing it in 2000 against the Penguins), but it's rare. Momentum can change so quickly, there could be a lot of series left. As for the officiating, I think it's unanimous the Alfredsson hit should have been a penalty. It was one of those hits you just see coming 3-5 seconds beforehand, yet the refs somehow don't. I still think the refs are reluctant to make certain calls in the playoffs, as they want to leave the game in the hands of the players, but it's going to make people mad either way. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.
flyers82: just to add, the Canes beat the Habs last year after losing the first 2 at home
Jason: as much as I'd like to agree, I can't. I've been watching and cheering against the Sens the entire playoffs and this is definitely a different team than past ones. The Sens have been consistently good throughout the playoffs, while the Sabres have yet to really get going and play their best game. I don't know what changed, but unfortunately the Sens' choking days look like they are coming to an end.
Although, I would really enjoy watching the Sens blow this.
Take of your shaded glasses. There is no Curse here.
Ottawa is a much better team. They are forchecking the #### out of you and you can not even get out of your zone. Drury is playing like he belongs in the pressbox and Briere is taking to many stupid penaltys
The Refereing has been bad both ways. As it has been poor for the entire playoffs. It could be worse you could have Mick McGough and Andy Von Hellamond call the games 2 of leages worst of all time.
So Sabre fans for the love of god Stop Wining. You guys and Oiler fans complain about every little thing.
Face Facts the Sens are BETTER then you
The Snes have a better forecheck and are killing the sabres in the faceoff circle.
Like I said from day one Ottawa will win the East because no one is talking about them and the Sabres are too soft.
So lets Buy Briere and Drury one way tickets to there next NHL teams and Stick a sock in Rick Jennerette's mouth Because Sabres are DONE!!!
Last edited by True_kings_fan on May 13th at 2:31 PM.
Spec, if the sens do win and Buffalo gets sent home, do you think this will affect them re-signing both Brier and Drury?
Ottawa is a stronger team, they have dominated the sabres like a bully in grade school who used to beat me up every day and take my lunch money and embaress me every stinking day till he finally went to a new school and I finally got to eat a luch..........WOW, I kinda went off on a tangent there, but in this series I think I can. I'm not sure if its going to be a sweep, but the sens look to be the strongest team left in it right now.
I'm kinda all over the place here, but at least Canada just beat out the Finns for the gold!
If it comes down to a choice, I think the Sabres re-sign Drury and cut Briere loose, simply because Drury is a strong two-way player and has that winning pedigree. Still, I don't rule out the possibility of Regier dumping some salary (Kotalik and Kalinin, perhaps?)to make room to retain those two.
True King Fans.........couldn't agree more!!! It seems that Sabres fans think they are entitled to the Stanley Cup this year. It won't be the first time a great regular season team got exposed in the playoffs.
Spector I think Drury goes and Brier stays In Buffalo.
Tkf-I really love reading your stuff. You come in and say the same thing I have already said and also add things that just aren't true.
First off, I have said the Sens are better. Go re-read what I said. I said they are marginally better because in Game 1, the Sabres were tied with about 12 minutes to go in the game and had a chance of winning. In Game 2, they were just as good if not better then the Sens.
Secondly, you say Briere is taking too many penalties....HE HASN'T EVEN TAKEN A PENALTY THIS SERIES. Are you watching this series? This is why I asked if watched hockey in the previous blog by Spector.
Excuse me if I don't read too much into your insight of the game. You seem to be caught up in past series.
Also, as for your inflammatory comments at the end....Where are the Kings? Exactly.
Seniahs-We act like we are "entitled to the Cup"? We've never won the Cup so how can we act like we are entitled to it? Thats one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Last edited by LetsGoBuffalo on May 13th at 4:51 PM.
I think thus far the Buffalo-Ottawa series has actually reinforced the legitimacy of the regular season. The Sens grabbed 11 out of a possible 16 points from the Sabres during their regular season duels.
No team in the NHL has given the Sabres more fits than Ottawa has the last two years. If you really look at these two clubs post-lockout, the rivalry is less evenly-matched than all the recent headlines would have you believe. At this point it looks like that 4-1 series victory last year was maybe a matter of catching the Sens at a good time. They, along with Toronto (two division rivals) seem to have a better idea of how to handle Buffalo than any other teams in the league.
Stop living in the regular season. Teams have about 24 to 48 hours to prepare for the next game. In the playoffs you have days to prepare for the same team you ply over and over again. The Sabres play a very simple style of hockey. Easy to figure out and simple to beat. Contain the speed contain the Sabres.
You need to read your own stuff.
Ottawa is Margnally better?
Put down the Crack pipe.
Ottawa has Dominated the entire series. Not just a period here and a few minuted there.
They were not outskates in overtime. They were outskates the entire game.
Where are my Kings? Same place your Sabres will be By the end of the week. Golfing.
And whe Briere and Drury leave for a real city. Your guys will struggle to be an 8 seed next season
And all of you Sabre fans Have thought from the day training camp opened that "oh this is the year" I am sure the parade was already planned.
3 simple reasons why it won't happen this season
1. Ottawa is better
2. Presedents Throphy (Kiss of Death)
3. Your the Buffalo Sabres.
Face it This was your best chance for the next 10 years and in typicall Buffalo fashion
The Sabers have a good team, but there's some things that they don't have.
Where's the checking line? Ottawa's top line was able to produce even when up against New Jersey's system, and they've pretty much written the book on having a stingy defense.
Alfredson, Heatly and Spezza have been playing like God's and Buffalo's playing a style of hockey which takes to many offensive risks that it will ultimatly hurt them at least a few times.
Buffalo has a great team and they even have a group of defensemen who play really good positional hockey, but the Senators have some grit, they play a lower-risk style of hockey, and they also have better defensemen.
I'm not saying that the Saber's can't win. But Buffalo's forwards is going to have to kick things up a few notches and stay there for the rest of the series.
TKF- They have been only marginally better. The difference in this series is special teams. Thats it. 5-on-5 the Sabres have been the better and since most of the games are played 5-on-5, that would make the Senators marginally better.
Again, excuse me if I think your insight is just awful. According to you, Briere needs to stay out of the penalty box....
Thadd-You're right, Buffalo's forwards do need to step up. They need to show they aren't afraid of getting hit and that the can hit back. Its like they are getting punched in the mouth and just accepting it.
The Senators HAS line has only scored one goal 5-on-5, although they were on the ice for the OT game winner, so the Sabres aren't struggling against that line. They are struggling on special teams. Thats it.
If the Sabres shore that up, which is no easy feat, they could very well take the next four games. And since TKF is a complete ####, I'll go on the record and say that I don't see it happening. But it could happen.
Spector-No offense, but what were the bad calls against the Sens?
I have never seen so much complaining by a team in one playoff. The Sabres lost game 2 because they don't have any defence, period. As I staded before, you cannot win a championship without a defence that plays well together and compliment the goalie. Ryan Miller is the better goalie (because of experience) but the defence is leaving him out to dry. Buffalo was up 2 goals in the first, in the playoffs that means you have exploited your opponents weakness. They should've continued doing what they did but as soon as something goes the Senators way, the Sabres seem to deflate faster then one of Bud Bundy's date! I think Buffalo had a better team last year (with McKee and Grier) because those guys added jam to the mix which this year, is lacking.
P.S. Shame on the Buffalo Fans at HSBC for vandalizing Ottawa media vans and for the radio stations in Buffalo giving out the hotel name and floor number where the Senators are staying. Total lack of respect.
The late game penalty on Mezaros looked like a make-up call. Didn't matter. Ottawa has to be smiling every time they go to the box right about now. 2 minutes in which their lead is safe. Any coach would take that deal.
1. Only 1 team in the history of the league either in the confrence finals or stanly cup finals has lost the first 2 games at home and came back and won (66 Montreal)
2. The Sabres have never come back from behind 0-2 in a series in there Franchise history (0-13)
And if you want to complain about the refs. How bout the non call on Brian Campbell about 5 seconds before Briere tied the game. He Ran over Chris Kelly
Lets go Buffalo,
You are worse than my wife,
Now your saying 5-5 the Sens are Margnially better. Last time I checked Hockey is a 60 Minute game and each team on Avarage will spend 20 mins of the game either shorthanded or with a man advantage.
Your just searching for an Excuse. In typicall Sabre fan fashion
Last edited by True_kings_fan on May 14th at 8:32 AM.
TKF: I don't mind the back-and-forth debate you're having with LGB but you seem to be veering into disrespect with your recent comments.
I have no problem with your critiques of the Sabres but your remarks are getting close to personally insulting. Please try to keep the discourse respectful, OK?
I agree that 5-on-5 is a much better deal for Buffalo. Whether it's the Isles, Rangers, Senators or Little Sisters of the Poor: when a penalty gets called for either team, it's trouble for the Sabres.
It's sad that it came to this even with all that talent and skill.
As good as that Sabres team has been all year and as loyal as their fans are, I'm surprised at how quickly the fans have lost hope. I was reading the message boards on the team website yesterday and many of those people sound about ready to jump ship and wait for football season. I would think that a fanbase that proud would be a little more dedicated.
But the good news is that Chris Drury is going to look awesome in orange and black next season.
TKF-Maybe I am biased but I really do believe the Sabres are playing better than the Sens 5-on-5. Lets just call it a truce and say that we have differing opinions.
Flyered-I think its hard for others to understand. As TKF pointed out, the Sabres don't come back when they go down in series. Granted the last time the Sabres went down 0-2 they were 1:15 away from winning the series in 6 games, but the Sabres aren't playing their best and the Sens are.
Last edited by LetsGoBuffalo on May 14th at 10:31 AM.
People are reading way too much into this series right now. Ottawa has been FAR from dominant.
The Sabres are down 0-2 for one reason and one critical reason only; special teams.
Buffalo is ZERO-for-11 on the Power Play, while Ottawa is 4-for-10. The Sens also have a shorthanded goal.. It starts and ends there.
Game one saw the Sens tally twice on the power play and once shorthanded, the difference in a 4-2 win.
Game two saw the Sens tally twice more on the power play, including a 5-on-3 score after a ridiculous call. Meanwhile, the Sabres power play again choked in a big way.
5-on-5 the Sabres have been the better team. But it doesnt matter because in the playoffs you need good special teams. In that area, the Sens have been solid while Buffalo has flat-out choked.
As much (Sabres guy) hate to admit it, I think the series is over. Buffalo needed game two and didn't get it done. The Power Play is in shambles and they won't get it done on the road with a unit playing like that. This could easily become a sweep.
Hey Spec, great article ! But why do you think that dis-allowed goal should have counted early in game two? Please ellaborate. Isn't the final decisions made in toronto?
Well, Ottawa owned the sabres tonight, good thing Miller showed up to play. I said it'll be a 5 game series, unless Buffalo steps up, i can actually see the brooms coming out soon, as in, wed. night. I never yell and cheer for any team to totally collapse and lose in 4 games, i love to see great series, but, this series, i just can't see it. Good luck next year LGB, sorry, but, it looks likes that's how it's headed.
lonewolf-Its all good. The Sens are worthy winners and if they do indeed knock out the Sabres as we all forsee coming, the Sabres have nothing to be ashamed of from thier year.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
