Remember when Bob Cole would call a game? When a team was being barraged by shots he would keep saying, “again”, “again”, “again”! It was actually an artist who didn’t need to master his craft. He had already done it years before. Besides a guy named Rick, in my opinion he was one of the best ever. Original, off the cuff, entertaining, and just plain brilliantly Canadian. At the end of contests when you watch Buffalo, it happens all of the time.
Oh yeah, I am supposed to talk about my team. The one I grew up with, the one I am so passionate for that I can barely stomach writing about the perplexing disaster that unfolds game after game, year after year.
After seemingly digging themselves out of a month to forget, they once again folded in the third period, which has happened way too many times this season. The opponent sees them sweat, and the net behind their suspect goaltender gets wet, by pucks.. After a dismal losing streak, they could have milked a point out of Dallas, but at the waning moments when the biscuit could be professionally cleared, there is a bombardment of dumb plays. The fragile eggshell mind constantly creeps in after it appears that they have fortitude. It is unacceptable, embarrassing, heartbreaking, and sole crushing to us that continue to choose to tune in. I am at another loss in the column to try to explain it to any of you. This might be one of the most cursed franchises in NHL history. The collapse again in Denver raises red flags. Can we find the survivors beneath the snow? Do any of our boys remember fundamental hockey in regards to milking out a period? Holy bleep. This is getting just plain weird.
For those of you who were engaged in watching the time bomb instead of going to bed after a comfortable two goal lead when the first frame whistle blew, I am sorry that you decided to witness the against the odds weather storm that transpired once again. Same team, same impending doom. Folks, this just does not happen in the pro league. If I was Lindy, and this wasn’t the modern era, I would have corralled the team naked in the shower, and unleashed the coldest and powerful firehose on the planet. Consistent brain cramps aren’t allowed when you represent our city and your profession. You could see it coming in disbelief that it wouldn’t transpire once again, let alone in such a short time when lessons should have been learned.
It is like a crescendo of a song when you know the build up is happening. It is a cold front coming that you can’t seem to dodge. It is being unable to escape the inevitable polar eclipse. An Avalanche under the surface when there are easy steps to save the family. Body yourself, and cradle the object that is the most important thing in the game, understand what possession is. Plain and simple, foil up when everything is on the line. Avoid the tumble of frozen water coming from the top of the mountain. Back to you guys from up north who have a grasp on the sport and some decent music, Matt Good seems to have a message here. If you understand the deep metaphor, then we might get along. Engaging in a Sabres game is like sitting on the beach when a tsunami is seen in the distance.
To our beloved Sabres. Please get it together. I was going to do some midseason grades, but I am going to hold off. I would like to however give a shout out to Jason Zucker who has been trying to pound this team out of the paper bag of despair. The guy has been playing his tush off, and contributing way more than management expected. In can be hard when you can’t score more than UPL let’s in. We have some major problems and I hope we can figure out why our components can’t cohesively embrace a unilateral plan. Too many nights it is different guys showing up when others don’t.
More notes from the nightmare that has been unfolding before our eyes since anticipating the delicious stuffing and potatoes. We expected a December of gravy, and we couldn’t even get some scrapple.
Once again, our goaltending is suspect. I championed the contract of our number one, but he seems to not be able to sustain any consistent play. Are we making a mistake not giving Levi a stretch of games since the season is pretty much lost? What are we doing here?
Thank god Jack Quinn started contributing, but his defensive prowess and physicality is obviously deficient. This dude is an enigma, and we have paid the price while he has sleep walked himself through the first thirty or so games. I don’t want guys like this who can’t elevate when everything is on the line. It seems to be contagious, and even our best players are having a problem with consistency.
To Tuch, and Thompson. You have to do it every time the referee throws it on the dot. I understand that the stats are there, but so is your ice time. You have to be leaders and bring it every game both mentally and physically. Too many disappearances before the curtain drops. One of these days we will see you during the national anthem with a black eye, and your army just might follow you into battle.
My crush on Benson continues and he seems to be bringing Kulich along. Thank god for minimal prospect hope.
Don’t know how many of you believe in the plus minus, but we have some soldiers who are on the wrong side. Quinn -14, Cozens -10, Samuelsson -8, Power -8, Peterka -6. This stat means a lot to me. I am just saying. Power might be the only one I give a free pass to.
Game 39
Buffalo Sabres (14-20-5) vs. Golden Knights (26-9-3)
Saturday, January 4th, 10:00 pm
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vagas, NV
Are you going to hang up after the first period watching the team that Jack built?... Or Kevyn…
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