andydrmm

Canandaigua, NY • United States • 29 Years Old • Male

When Is Enough Enough???

This is, plain and simple, unacceptable hockey from the Buffalo Sabres. I can’t reiterate this enough, but NO LEAD IN HOCKEY IS SAFE. I don’t care if you’re up by 2, 5, or 20. All it takes is a split second, and boom, someone’s back in the game.

Now, certain people on here are blind to this... Let’s just be honest. I can love line combinations too, but given the current state of things in Buffalo, is that what’s important?

Buffalo was supposed to be better this year. The goal was clear, Win. The. Cup. There are no more excuses. No one can believe anymore that this can be straightened out and that this team, as it is right now, can win hockey games, and bring a championship to the city of Buffalo.

Within 14 minutes tonight during the second period, the Flyers netted 4, count em FOUR goals. Buffalo played a good first. Picked up 2, and shocked everyone with a 2-0 lead after 1 period, against one of elite teams in the league. Why would you go to sleep against a team like this? Why wouldn’t this be a moral booster, and get you playing harder, and want to really take it to the Flyers and pick up 2 much needed points?

Instead, what happens? Flyers come out motivated for the 2nd period. Buffalo comes out thinking a 2-0 lead against the team in 4th place of the Eastern Conference is a safe lead, with 40 minutes to play. Even if Buffalo wasn’t playing Philly, this is a horrid game plan!

Does Ruff use a timeout after Philly comes out and get 3 quick ones? Does anyone wake up after Buffalo pulls Enroth and puts in Miller? NO! Nothing happens. Buffalo is lucky to walk into the locker room down by 2 after 2.

Even after the 2nd period, does Buffalo reach down and find some motivation to come out and put up a fight? A 2 goal lead with 20 minutes to play is not an insurmountable lead. What happens? 3 more goals for the Flyers.

Let’s cut the bull, eliminate the fluff that others try to throw on this, and stop looking at little menial things that distract from the real problem.

The Buffalo Sabres, cannot win, and cannot compete in the NHL at this point in time.. I don’t care about the line combinations, and whether Vanek looks good with Ennis and Gerbe, in practice!!!. Practice doesn’t count!!! The fans of Buffalo no longer care about such menial things. One thing matters right now if you’re a Sabres fan. WINS. And this team right now can’t get them.

I always root for this team. I always have and I will never stop, no matter how frustrated I get with them. My fiance asked me, why we were still paying attention after they were done 7-2. It’s because, I love this team! This type of play pains me, as it pains the city of Buffalo. So why detract from the actual problem here? This team has one of the highest salary caps in the NHL, and they are 1 point out of last place in the East. How can anything positive be coming out of this? The management, and some others on hockeybuzz, keep trying to shovel some fertilizer on this and hope something beautiful will grow... I don’t have my hopes that high. I’d consider it lucky if a weed grew right now.

And why should myself, or anyone else rooting for the Sabres think anything different? We can cling to the great run that the Sabres made last year to make the playoffs. That was definitely some exciting hockey, there’s no denying that. Was it a disappointing end? Yes, but it was one heck of a ride getting there.

That was then, this is now. Just because Buffalo did it last year, does not mean they are going to pull it off now. Deal with it. Players and management keep saying that they think Buffalo can do this, make the playoffs, and squeak into that last playoff spot. As of right now, after a humiliating loss, and 10 points out of 8th place, lets be honest; it’s probably not going to happen. Every game needs to be played with desperation, as if it’s game 7, every single night. It’s not happening. It pains me to write this, but it needs to be said. It’s not going to happen.

This all causes another problem too as we push towards the trade deadline in 11 days. Who in their right mind is going to want to come to Buffalo? Wasn’t that what Pegula and Black wanted to accomplish? Hockey Heaven in Buffalo!!! I don’t think so! Not right now at least. Same thing for free agency too. If I’m a player, who gets traded to Buffalo, I’d feel as though I just hopped on board a sinking ship. No one who is good and has a no trade clause is going to waive it to come to Buffalo. The only way someone comes here, is if they are young, up and coming stars. The argument? “Come to Buffalo, we’re rebuilding, and we think you can be a star, and we want to build this team around you.” Other than that, it’s not going to happen.

Yes, things improved (briefly) after the All-Star Break. Like a diehard fan, I got pumped thinking that things were starting to straighten out, and Buffalo was going to get on track. Well, guess again! Buffalo puts together a nice little point streak, and then drops 3 in a row. That point streak was a blip on the radar. There for a moment, and then gone just as quickly.

Which begs the question, when is enough enough? When does management step in, take the reigns, and get this team back on course?

I think right now, the better question is will they?

Again, I don’t care about the line combinations, which player did what, who’s got the flu, whether someone’s hurt. These are all excuses and fluff, pulling away from the real problems that lie in “Hockey Heaven” right now. That’s it. I care about getting points, getting to the playoffs, and a Stanley Cup in Buffalo.

To get a Cup, the team has to make the playoffs. To make the playoffs, the team has to get points. To get points, the team has to win games. The Buffalo Sabres cannot win games.

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