If there ever was a more crucial time for a gut check it is this weekends home stand against two very formidable opponents. The trip to the Sunshine State had some positive aspects, but no ground was gained. We are finding out that our coaches can constrict the game for a competitive tilt, but it can be frustrating to be a Sabres fan. The smallest of mistakes that lead to a goal in a 3-2 game are monumental, especially in the opening frames when momentum is established. I realize that they are trying, but we are missing that extra edge. Regardless of checking becoming more unnecessary or not, physicality and intimidation will never go away, and ultimately creates more offensive zone time. There is still grit to this sport, but it is underlying. It all comes to the surface when points are essential, and the playoff picture is starting to be realized. Like I have said many times before, we have been robbed as fans for too many years in October and November. Why is this the time in the season when we have to wake up, when other organizations get to breath and lick their wounds, preparing for the post season? This is a familiar place that we don’t deserve to be anymore. There is just something missing. Why is it that teams with some worse statistics have ten more points than we do? We work on one aspect of our game, but start to fail in another. Too much analysis and not enough punching people in the chicklets. Of course, I am speaking metaphorically…Perhaps… You have to foil up and be ready for the whole duration of the 82 games. I am dumbfounded as to why this is not forced and ingrained. I am perplexed as to why management doesn’t continually tweak things to get it right when the hump is sagging on the buffalo. Can anybody help me here?
It was truly awesome to see Don Granato stop preaching and teaching. Instead of trying always to do the right thing, he finally got poked and ticked off. Take the fines, challenge the league and its possible agendas against you, call out bad refereeing when you feel like it. You may not be at this professional pulpit again. Although I personally would like to see this work out for you, patience is a verb that everyone has heard, you need to start getting grumpy. You need to push buttons and call people out. The modern-day mentor is constricted by the media, get old school and reveal your scars. This is your chance on stage, you are in charge, you are the leader of young men, but not actual adults. Showing a little crazy is still respected in each of us when we are threatened. The hot seat is a simple term in regards to where we are at this point in the organizations’ future. Time to show ballistic and hope the troops follow. Time to not be politically correct when it comes to what you are told is accepted, and what is not. Be the hammer and not the nail. Be the innovator and not the follower. Be the brave guy that we can be proud of because you aren’t taking any guff. What do we have to lose? Put us on the map, break the internet with your passion for Buffalo. We don’t need a new ceiling or scoreboard to give us a better fan experience. We need wins, not replays. We need passion, not lights and music for the kids.
Maybe we could use some of this since nobody talks about us anyway –
Maybe some inner Don Cherry –
Game 61
Buffalo Sabres, 28-28-4, vs. Vegas Golden Nights, 33-20-7
Saturday, March 2nd at 7:00 pm
The Crossroads, Buffalo, NY
The home franchise that Woolworths built. God bless the
Knox family.
Doesn’t seem like the child we raised to be a champion will be playing tonight. Hopefully he is hanging with some friends and realizing it wasn’t all that bad. We are a breeding ground for talent that we send elsewhere. Perhaps we can figure it out one day. The stable of calves that we have won’t take us to the next level. Too much meat and not enough bulls. Hopefully the trade deadline or the offseason can address it.
Notes from wondering if our guys can pull off a four-point weekend and then take it to the Leafs.
Austin Matthews is a complete animal. He has thirty plus more goals than any of our players. Toronto would be lucky to be where we are without him. NHL anomalies make you think. Sometimes our perspective on what we see makes a team successful is overrated. Give me a dominant guy and all of the other stuff goes away at times. We had a few of them last year and it made us complacent in the summer. Strange sport for sure.
I know I bust on our assistant coaches and rightly so, but the year is long and you have to be consistent. You just can’t figure it out in the late stages of your schedule and get a pat on the back. 356 games played, 21 goals, 28 assists, and a minus 20. Thanks for getting our power play on track against Tampa. This is what we currently remember you most for. Perhaps you woke up from it?
Here’s Johnny –
I am just playing…
Perhaps this week will make me bite my tongue. I hope so.
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • 
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