After a disappointing loss and with the Ottawa Senators breathing down their neck in the Northeast Division, the Buffalo Sabres certainly didn't come back with a fiery effort in their next game.
Jussi Jokinen's soft slap shot from the point ate up Ryan Miller with just over three minutes to play, catapulting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 win over the Sabres at HSBC Arena on Friday night.
The Buffalo bunch were a visibly flat group to start the contest, getting just five shots on net through 20 minutes. Fortunately for them, one of them got past Carolina goaltender Manny Legace to force a 1-1 tie through the first period.
After a scoreless second period, goals were no longer at a premium in the third.
Carolina found themselves back on top of the contest just 34 seconds in to the final stanza thanks to captain Eric Staal. But just 24 seconds later, Drew Stafford connected to even the game back up.
The Sabres broke through to get their first lead of the game, when a deflection made the puck go sky high, with it landing right off the back of Legace and in to the net. Stafford's pair of goals give him 14 on the season.
From there, it was all downhill for Buffalo. Carolina tied it back up thanks to a goal from Tom Kostopolous, and just minutes later Jokinen netted the game winner.
It's only the Hurricanes seventh road win of the season, and gives them 47 points for the season. The Sabres drop their record to 32-17-7 and still lead the Northeast Division by only a point. They're back in action Saturday night, on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Should be embarassed. The entire team should be embarassed. I hope one of you over played players reads this. You're embarassing. You guys have huge potential and you guys put in a lack luster effort. Maybe if you guys put in a game's worth of effort, you could win one or two. You deserved to lose, and even though I don't want to see you lose to another terrible team, it would be nice so maybe you guys and Lindy could get a giant reality check that you're not going to go ANYWHERE with effort like that. Embarassing.
02/05/2010 10:15PM
ouch
time for some drama...fire lindy of course!
02/05/2010 10:17PM
lifeless...no pulse
maybe this will inspire Darcy to action
02/05/2010 10:23PM
krueg
SURPRISE!!!! The Sabres fall apart per usual...
02/05/2010 10:30PM
average
an average team that only excells when miller does
02/05/2010 10:32PM
sinking ship
is what the sabres are right now
02/05/2010 10:38PM
trade time
Our G.M. needs to trade for a boost of life to this team that is currently on life support.
02/05/2010 10:42PM
This is sad
This is sad and it is typical Buffalo! I just knew the "fold" was coming, just didn't know when...looks like now. Kiss of death came when the Sabres announced playoff tickets went on sale.Can't even beat a team that is in last place 20 point behind. Time to get someon who can score goals...we have no snipers...What's the buffalo saying....wait until next year
02/05/2010 10:49PM
Disgusting
Tonight was quite an eye opener -- this is the team Regier believes is improving from within. He refuses to make trades -- only Miller and Myers should be off the trading block. Regier is a gutless GM and his team plays like he manages -- soft, passive, and without emotion. Darcy is our Dick Jauron. The sooner he leaves, the better.
02/05/2010 10:57PM
Um... Darcy?
Time to shake up this team a little. This is pathetic.
02/05/2010 11:06PM
So Sad
Ha ha ha the sabres are so sad. I wonder why they have any fans. The word "loser" defines buffalo. It's a scab team. The Sens own you!! Soon it will be our division!
02/05/2010 11:08PM
Miller Sucks
Enough said - hope he doesn't start for U.S. He shouldn't even be there!
02/05/2010 11:08PM
Sens Rule
Go Sens, they will take the division!
02/05/2010 11:16PM
Darcy says we have a Superstar!
Yes and it's Mr Softee! hasn't he played well lately? I guess a superstar by Darcy definition is one who has a half a year of great Hockey and not much else! How many cups does Ryan have Darcy? So All Hail our great Superstar Ryan Miller! Seehow well he does against a horrible Carolina team? What's the excuse this time? No staff infections to excuse your way to a loss Cryin Ryan
02/05/2010 11:19PM
Bow down to your king
The Senators are impregnable. They cannot be subjugated. The sabres are feeble and desultory. They will perish under the gallantry of the great Ottawa vigor. And the underlings, that are the sabres, will bow down to their dominions – just like their president. It will be another 15 games before the lowly Sabres win another against the powerhouse Sens! Ha ha ha ha
02/05/2010 11:27PM
SOFT
SOFT owner, SOFT gm, SOFT coach, SOFT team!!!what a joke
02/05/2010 11:32PM
waste of money
i went to the game tonight expecting to see a sabres team come out flying and they did absolutely NOTHING for the first 40 minutes of the game. boring hockey, terrible coaching, brutal crowd. what a waste. this game did nothing but show how bad a coach lindy ruff is. sekera has three points and yet he gets benched while his D partner butler doesnt miss a shift. the pp goes o-fer AGAIN and NJ finds a way to beat a crappy team and move up on us. just disgusting, there is no accountability, effort or passion on this team and that stems from the coach. miller starts to slip back to normal and its clear that without him playing at a vezina caliber the sabres and LINDY (yes buffalo hes actually accountable) do nothing but fail. pathetic
02/05/2010 11:39PM
are they really in first?
is buffalo in first? that game looked like watching two last place teams play lackluster, emotionless hockey.
02/05/2010 11:39PM
Trade
Make atrade Darcey, this team needs a shake up. Stafford, Lydman and Tallinder needs to go and Kennedy needs to go back to Portland.
02/05/2010 11:40PM
LETS GO....
STATUS QUO!!!! keep up the great work lindy!! but wait....ITS NOT LINDYS FAULT!!! ITS NEVER LINDYS FAULT!!!
02/06/2010 1:24AM
Sux
I'm off to columbus in the morning to watch this bunch of lifeless losers and what I thought should be a great roadtrip is looking like its going to be a waste of a weekend. I'd rather be a leaf fan rite now.
02/06/2010 1:26AM
Here comes mental toughness.
I can take losses like the ones on the west coast when the team was going hard. I can't take ones like the last two that seem to lack focus, intensity, and mental preparedness. MAKE A MOVE TO SHAKE THINGS UP! THEY"RE STALE!
02/06/2010 5:21AM
wow...
trade anyone?
02/06/2010 6:35AM
horrible
horrible play and not a good way to take advantage of a lower team...time for a shake up darcy
02/06/2010 7:39AM
time to worry
The Sabres look like last years edition. They look good in spurts but no consistency. Give Miller a rest - he needs it.....
02/06/2010 8:00AM
as predictable as snow in january!
we were treated to the usual, soft, uninspired play of the sabres last night. seems like this scenerio is becoming way to ritualistic for the fans. sabres start out reasonably well, then just tail off. of course the usual "we like our team" crap is usually brought forth by regier around this time also.i think "we like our team" should be translated to :"the sabres are too cheap and unwilling to try and upgrade the team ...when we are selling out the building regularly , why should they?..of course the fans are being played royally here, but just never seem to get it!
02/06/2010 8:02AM
Ummm.... Mr Regier,
So what's our record in the last month? Maybe it's time for a trade? Maybe we're not okay? Maybe we can do most of the team building from within but not all? I'm just asking.
02/06/2010 8:28AM
ridiculous
This team has no heart, no backbone. Get a clue Darcy!
02/06/2010 8:41AM
Home grown talent.
Regier is so set on his Home Grown Talent. Lets see how far we can get. Lets see, who were our two best players in 05-06 conference finals? Drury and Briere, great home grown talent. Both were acquired via trade already into their careers.
02/06/2010 8:47AM
Ruff & Regier
Are the only ones left who don't know that Miller shouldn't start more than 65 regular season games. He now looks to be out of gas heading off to Vancouver. Should be in great shape for round one of the playoffs....if we ever get there!
02/06/2010 8:50AM
Fire Ruff!
He lost this team. They are done unless Ruff gets canned. This system sucks and the players think so as well.
02/06/2010 8:55AM
Why bother!
Nobody is going to beat the Capitals this year anyway. Not Buffalo, Not NJ, not Pittburgh, not Chicago, nor San Jose. The cream has clearly risen to the top. To the jokester who keeps touting Ottawa. Nice try loser. You guys had 3 superstars and couldn't win when you were supposed to, you won't be doing it this year either. Your team is just as bad as the Sabres. End the season now and just give Ovie the cup!
02/06/2010 9:16AM
same ole same ole
same stuff every year with the sabres same stuff every year with miller elite ya right,gotta get rid of the dead weight on this team,roy,pominville,stafford,as soon as you give them the big contract they disappear...really regier the teams comming together....
02/06/2010 9:20AM
Maybe
Maybe we're all wrong. Many people think that hockey is a Canadian/Northern US game. Look at the past cup winners and, just maybe we're all wrong. It's been 15 years since a Canadian team has won a cup (Montreal 92-93). Traditional Northern US hockey markets aren't much better except Detroit over the last decade. I say move the whole league south of the Mason-Dixon. Nobody likes the Sabres anymore anyway. Last cup win: Ottawa-83 years, Chicago-47 years, Toronto-41 years, LA-41 years(I know they're southern but are a traditional market)(never), St. Louis-41 years (never), Buffalo-38 years (NEVER), Vancouver-38 years (never), Boston-36 years, Washington-34 years (never), Philly-33 years, Winnipeg/Phoenix-29 years(never), NYI-25 years, Calgary-19 years, Edmonton-18 years, San Jose- 17 years (never). And yet Carolina, Anaheim, Dallas and Tampa have all won it recently. I guess Sabres fans aren't the only SUCKERS out there.
02/06/2010 9:40AM
Why go?
WHY DO THE FANS CONTINUE TO GO? Has everyone hit their head & forgot about 39 years of history with this team? They do this every year. After tonight Ottawa will be in first place in the division & if any other teams in the East actually start winning the Sabres will once again be fighting for 8th place while management & coaching follow the status quo!
02/06/2010 9:45AM
This is what I expected.(Now we are the real thing)
Average goaltending and an average team. Mediocre is the bottom line. It is what it is and they are what they are. (Borrowing a line from Paul Hamilton)
02/06/2010 10:06AM
so boring
the sabres are so freakin boring to watch...i remember the days when ray and may and barnaby made the team fun and watchable. these guys today dont hit, fight, or have any passion whatsoever. i would be really afraid of our defense, oh no wait, no i wouldnt. why be afraid of someone who moves out of the way when you go to the net. razor, suit up, we need some passion. our only player with passion is kaleta, and he just runs around, and wont drop his mitts and back it up. better bring some toughness and passion. time for a trade, these guys have gotten too comfortable apparently. and dick jauron ruff, come on, show us something. remember how you used to play?
02/06/2010 10:17AM
new blood
The team just looks all too the same. No one looks to be skating hard maybe call up some young guns and see if they can bring the energy that is needed bc this team doesnt kno how to kick it up
02/06/2010 10:22AM
trifecta
This is the same team we've watched for 3 years and nothing has changed. They can't play hard for 20 minutes a game. too many 3rd and 4th liners.
02/06/2010 10:37AM
Terrible
Yes, this team has no heart and backbone which is exactly what the GM is. It is built in his image.
02/06/2010 11:34AM
Crazy
I dont even know why i even read these message boards. Most of you people are flippin' idiots.
02/06/2010 12:04PM
Remember
keep your expectations low in this town people. dont ever get your hopes to high in buffalo.
02/06/2010 12:18PM
No Playoffs
This team guaranteed will be in 10th place by March 31
02/06/2010 12:42PM
goaltending
Ruff obviously has no trust in Lalime and thus why he rides Miller so long, here's an idea, Marty Biron...Isles are ready to deal him, get a dam backup.
02/06/2010 12:47PM
Burn-out
Lindy as usual has burned out his goalie with his back-up lieing idle for weeks on the bench. How could a 6'3" 125 lb goalie possibly be burned-out.
02/06/2010 12:53PM
And the bandwagon collapses in...
5....4....3.....
02/06/2010 12:53PM
WHY TRADE?
darcy can get the entire blackhawks roster and its not going to matter. its the coach who practices with this team, its the coach who sets the ice-time, its the coach who decides who should play or not, its the coach who is supposed to motivate his team, its the coach who is supposed to punish poor effort AND LINDY DOESNT DO ANYTHING!!!! the team plays soft becuase thats how lindy wants them to play, he talks about "playng the system" after every game!! ITS HIS SYSTEM!!!this team is still soft even when they are winning, they still show no effort even when they are winning and now its right out there for everyone to see when they are losing! ITS THE COACH!!!
02/06/2010 12:54PM
Miller...
Wasn't L.A.Lime supposed to play both weekend games?
02/06/2010 1:14PM
Let's Go Bandits!
Bandits--Now that's a team I could learn to root for.
02/06/2010 1:51PM
RUFF!!!
For all that is worth living for in life, work this team 'till their legs from sprinting and arms from shooting become jello. Bring in some tackle makers or practice dummies onto the ice and teach these pansies how to check and play f'n HOCKEY!!! Do it!! Or resign.
02/06/2010 1:53PM
Tell Me about Mr Softee
That 13 goals against in 3 games is elite! Trade him!
02/06/2010 1:54PM
Not worried...
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I’d like to think that this rough stretch is a blessing in disguise. I really do. Every team goes through it and they’ve already met/exceeded expectation for the year so… Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be content until a championship is won, but it’s not like they’re getting blown out of these games. They will make the playoffs this year so I guess the management of the goalie situation ought to be the primary focus. I know it’s hard but ya gotta have some faith to be a fan of this town’s sports teams. After all, that is truly the only thing we do have.
02/06/2010 2:04PM
Keep the pressure on Regeir
Just keep on losing baby! WE SUCK!
02/06/2010 2:28PM
CHEER BANDITS
Yeeeup, BARFALO MINOR LEAGUE ALL THE WAY!
AND GO BISONS!!!
02/06/2010 2:44PM
ELITE MY AZZZZ!!!!!
LOSSSSSSERRRRRSSSS!!!
02/06/2010 6:30PM
What did u expect people???
This team is he same team it was last year with the addition of a number 6 defenseman in Montador and a potential really good but not yet D in Myers( well call him good for now). Max was replaced by Kennedy and an aging role player Grier is back. This team has no real number one line....no team is going to get nervous when Connolly, Hecht, and Pominville step onto the ice...Im pret certain of that. They dont have talent to create a true 1st line...thats why we hear the ongoing crap of rolling 4 lines....of average at best players...launch a bunch of crappy shots at the net and hope a few go in. Same story for 2 decades now....a bunch of 3rd and 4th line guys along with decent goaltending ( excellent when Hasek was here) All that said I will admit that I still pay money to go see them and I guess thats what ultimately makes a business successful...not championships.....unfortunately. Make the most money u can with the lowest overhead you have to pay.
To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 1 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 2 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; tournament; WGR; Jeremy White; Golf; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 3 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 4 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 5 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 6 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 7 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 8 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala;
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