1) The title to this post alludes to a commonly seen poster seen at Buffalo Sabres home games this season. The placard reads "Scary Good", meaning that their team is so amazingly talented/great that its 'scary'. Well after losing the first two games (at home) of the Eastern Conference Final to the Ottawa Senators, AND having struggled against apparent inferior opponents to get this far, one has to ask if the Buffalo Sabres were/are overrated?
2) To be fair, the Sabres did win the Presidents Trophy for being the team with the league's best regular season record, so it makes sense to have high expectations, but thus far in the playoffs we have NOT seen the team that dominated the regular season. Perhaps they are not constructed to be a great playoff team? Maybe they aren't well coached after all?
3) Ottawa's strength seems to be their defensemen who are doing a great job at controlling the Sabres forwards. The same can not be said of the upstate NY rear guards. Lydman/Numminen have been dreadful. Spacek/Tallinder/Campbell/Kalinin have been mediocre at best. Additionally, special teams have been HUGE! The Sabres simply can NOT stop the Senator PP unit. Thus far the boys from Kanata have scored 4 with the extra skater while the men in Blue are a dreadful Zero for 12!!
4) Obviously if these trends continue it will be a VERY short series. After watching the Sabres play 13 playoff games we do NOT believe they possess the ability as a team to change the current situation. While the Senators seem to gain confidence with each passing game, and seem poised to finally get to the next level. While we at FAUXRUMORS do not have a rooting interest in either team we would prefer a competitive series. Therefore we hope the Sabres prove us wrong and come back in Ottawa and make a series out of this after all.
By the way, can someone explain how Lindy Ruff is a Coach of the Year Finalist???
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6 comments:
Interesting that you did pick the Sabres in 7! It will be a long road back for them!
The Sabres of 2007 remind me a lot of the Senators of past seasons. Have all the talent to succeed but seem to lack something. For the Sens it was grit and they have gritted up more now then ever in the past. For the Sabres, it may be grit too, but I also wonder about the leadership on the team. How many Stanley Cup Winners do they have on their team? How many guys do they have that have had a deep playoff run? How many guys do they have that have been through disappointing playoffs and know what it takes to make the next step?
I have no idea about the answers these question. I am not trying to guess these things, simply wondering aloud!
Several good points, Shuck... With the exception of Chris Drury, I do not see a plethora of playoff leaders in that locker room... I also have asserted for some time that the Sabres appear to be a little arrogant, stemming from a sense of entitlement... They feel as though they would have won the Cup last year, had it not been for a rash of injuries - Lydman, McKee, and Numminen... I am not buying any of that crap... Firstly, if McKee were so good, he'd still be there... Secondly, Buffalo would be BETTER without the old Numminen and the over rated Lydman...
With regard to Lindy Ruff and his Coach of the Year title, I believe he's unworthy of such a distinction... HIS special teams are pathetic - isn't it the coach's responsibility to have P.P. and P.K. strategies? And, Lindy cannot blame it on lack of talent... Ottawa has won NOTHING yet, but they are playing better right now, and I would rather be up 2 than down 2...
1) The Lindy Ruff as a 'great coach' nonsense should rightfully and finally be put to bed IF they get should get bounced easily/early by the Senators
2)AS Antz correctly points out, Special teams are all about coaching. The Sabres would seem to have the talent, but for some reason do not execute well when up/down a skater
3) We won't count the Sabres out yet, but they will have to DRASTICALLY change the complexion/dynamnic of this series, and do it on enemy ice!
As 'antz' has consistently pointed out in the past, it's all about the man between the pipes. My prediction for the Sabres (and that of others) was predicated on Miller outplaying Emery. The only thing more surprising than the ineptitude of the Sabre PP has been the competitiveness of Emery. Even if the goaltender matchup is a draw, the Sens win based on a mauch stronger defense. Buffalo has no answer to Redden and Volchenkov. Looking at game 2 five-on-five play, the Sabres easily played well enough to win. The difference was Emery.
1) So when did Volchenkov become the Russian Scott Stevens? Think anyone in Ottawa misses Chara/Pothier? Don't think so!
With the emergence of shot blocking extrordianire Anton Volchenkov, and the additions of Joe Corvo and Tom Preissing, this Ottawa d-corps is significantly better than last year... Chara may be a bit overrrated, and after getting my fill of Pothier this season, I have deduced that he is limited in what he can accomplish - especially as a top 2 d-man...
Ottawa was good last year, this year they may be great - let's see how Ray Emery holds up in the Finals... Also, kudos to Bryan Murray, who apears to be doing a fantastic job... While I have never been a fan of his, I give him a huge amount of credit this season...
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