Buffalo Sabres

[Flyer Fan]

Hey Bomm, looks like were finally get the series we expected!
A Best of three death match awaits!

I'm surprised you don't like Kaleta, ...to me he and Gerbe have been the biggest pain in the asses to the Flyers thus far,

Here's a link to a clip of him opening the bench door to let Zherdev fall into the bench:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHOAUNRXAB8



( ...and where the hell did this Gragnani person come from? and how has been magically transformed into Erik Karlsson? dammit, we Flyer Fans demand Sekera be inserted back in the lineup immediately! )

[AtlantaSportsFan]

And Buffalo has the advantage!

That Ennis is one hell of a player. Wow!

[Flyer Fan]

Yeah, great game by the Sabres tongiht! Ennis was impressive.

(the bastard. )

Congratulations Bomm!

(...and to any other sadly misguided Sabres fans too.)

[Bomm Bastic]

Thanks Flyer Fan!!

Uhhhh.... game on Easter Sunday will be something and I will bat at it!!! IT is a hell of a series!

[Bomm Bastic]

I've been so caught up in the UHL draft I haven't had time for anything else.

Good to get back to Dobber!!

[STONE.]

I must say, after watching the pre-game skate, Gerbe's beard o'pubes is filling in rather, well...patchy.

This is just good reporting!

I'm pulling for you buddy. Well...actually... I'm pulling for the 4 Sabres I took late in my annual playoff pool (including Ennis BTW!). But regardless, Go Sabres!

[Bomm Bastic]

These games are gettin to be something. Last night, at the local watering hole, Ennis scores in overtime, and I grab the guy next to me and plant one on his bald dome.

True story.

Yep.....

Anywhooooo....I will be at the game tomorrow, Easter Sunday. So I'm more or less sacrificing my soul for this, but hey....I can take a life of eternal damnation if it means the Sabres move on to the next round. That's just how I roll...

Pominville is out with a leg laceration (got cut with a skate just above the boot on the ankle). Consequently they called up Ellis and are reporting that Hecht and Roy may be back w/in days. Color me apathetic about Hecht comin back. I'm sure the Flyers are plotting and scheming right now, shaking in their skates.

This game is over in one or two games and I'll be honest, I look a forward to Flyer Fan's Op-Ed for a longtime comin....very cool s.o.b.

Listening to Since I been Lovin You. Gotta tell ya these head phones I got are marvelous.

Yeah I'm babbling....good night.

[Bomm Bastic]

Alright, biznitches!!! I have a slight reprieve form the UHL, before I have to prep for the prospect draft in June. Gonna have to knock that outta the park if I'm going to have any chance at icing a competitive team. If A&E had a show about my team it would be entitled Flip This Roster.

But I digress....

So.

This is what it all comes down to, eh? Bias aside, my absolutely fav first round battle. It's had everything: hits, head-games, fights, shutouts, come-from-behind victories, a new liver for yours truly, etc...

Statistically, it's a virtual dead-heat.

GF - Buf (2.67), Phi (2.83)
GA - duh....figure it out, knuckleheads
Shots/Game: Buf (30), Phi (35)
PIMS/game: Buf (14.5), Phi (13.67)

With one glaring stat discrepncy...the power play.

PPG - Buf (6), Phi (3), however, when translated into a % we have 22.2% and 9.7%, respectively.

Oh, and one more important stat:

Goalies per Team - Buf (1), Phi (I hear Lavs is suiting up tonight???)

Some player stats to tickle your fancy:

G Thomas Vanek 5 Danny Briere 5
A Marc-Andre Gragnani 6 Claude Giroux 6
PTS Marc-Andre Gragnani 7 Claude Giroux 7

Yes. You read that correctly. Gragnani has 7 pts, tied w/ Giroux. I take back everything I've said in other posts about this cat. He is awesome to watch - a combination of puck-poise, passing ability and a virtual set-up man.

I snooped around at the game on Sunday, and found out that this last pre-season he injured his knee. Otherwise he would have had a permanent roster spot....heh-heh....who knew? [ahem]

Draft him.

Sooooooo lines at practice today looked like:

Gerbe-Gaustad-Mancari
Ennis-Roy-Stafford
Vanek-Niedermayer-Hecht
Ellis-McCormick-Boyes

LOVING that first line!

First unit PP: Stafford-Ennis-Vanek-Gragnani-Myers
Second unit PP: Boyes-Butler-Myers, with Mancari sub-ing for Myers

A lot of talk around town since Sunday's debacle re "experience" (ie, what the Sabres lack, and Flyers do not). I agree. To a point...

I said at the very start of this to all the Flyers would be a very difficult team to close a series. That's the experience the young Buffalo squad is lacking - how to put the boot to the neck of team gasping it's last breath.

When the Sabres have played w/out care or concern (see: no pressure) they dominate. Whether it be defensively or offensively, they are able to put the screws to Philly.

HOWEVER....and this is a biggee....they not only have been unable to play with a lead they, in fact, have an entirely different style of play. They completely retract, allow Philly to skate wherever they so desire, become bedazzled by the puck instead of taking the body, allow Philly to collapse the perimeter....etc...I could go on.

Point being, this game is it, boys-and-girls. They Sabres need to go out and play a fully consistent 60 mins as if they have absolutely nothing to lose.

Only then will they win.

On a side note, no matter the outcome, it has been my absolute pleasure to have a go-around this series with Flyer Fan. Very insightful and one funny m-fer!! Good luck tonight FF!!

[ridinryan44]

Wow. Interesting lines!!!!! I am stoked to see if Ennis and Roy can get some chemistry. Did they play together much at the beginning of the season?

[Big Ev]

let's go Buffalo!

[Bomm Bastic]

@RR44, I really can't recall (sadly). IF Roy does play he's going to need a few shifts to get some pep to his step, some pop to his lock, as it were. Gotta be tough being off that long only to be plunked in the middle of....nay, the do-or-die game of a playoff series.

@Ev....yeah thanks, brother. They're gonna need all the RAH-RAH they can get. Years past I would have put them down for tanking this game. This year, not so much.

We shall see.

[Dutch]

good luck Bomm

Gonna be one hell of a game. I hope Kaleta suckers the crap out of Richards...

Altho I like the Flyers usually, I am a fan of the underdog story. So I hope Sabres move on.

[Bomm Bastic]

good luck Bomm

Gonna be one hell of a game. I hope Kaleta suckers the crap out of Richards...

Altho I like the Flyers usually, I am a fan of the underdog story. So I hope Sabres move on.

Thanks, Dutch, unfortunately (or not) Kaleta's out. It's really going to be something to see how these kids respond. It's not only an age/experience thing, remember they're thin up front.

I love the Gerbe-Goose-Mancari line, but when that's your top line....well, something's wrong. At the same time that's what makes them so great to watch, and a win (ideally) that much more special.

[TK12555]

C'mon Buffalo!

[TK12555]

Nearly midway through the 2nd, the Sabres have gotten 6shots...c'mon guys!