andydrmm

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

Sabres vs Islanders- How Hockey Shouldn't Be Played

Let’s do a little free association shall we? I’ll say a word, and then you say the first thing that comes to mind. No hesitation ok? Let’s give it a try.

Awful- “Sabres”

Sloppy- “Sabres”

Lackadaisical - “Sabres”

Passive- “Sabres”

Hmm, you seem to be preoccupied with the Sabres, and you seem to have a negative view towards them at the moment.

You think?!?!

As I sat in 317, (the guy who hollers “Fire Regier!!” sat right in front of us), I listened to the boo birds cascade down to the ice after the 2nd period of play tonight in Buffalo. I honestly can say that I didn’t boo at all tonight (My dad did, my wife and my mother just shook their heads in shame). However, while I don’t boo, I don’t blame the rest of the fans for doing so.

I did offer up several suggestions though as for players that should be traded...

What positives can be taken from tonights game? We tried to identify some as we left the arena tonight. Aside from Ryan Miller, it’s hard to pick out things to get excited for when talking about the Buffalo Sabres. I’m personally concerned that he’s going to start demanding a trade, because he’s fed up with the play in front of him. There’s nothing positive on this team. There’s several issues with this team, but one big one I feel.

There’s no heart. No willingness to win.

And the fans are fed up with it.

Can you blame them? I personally feel that this is about as bad as I have ever seen it in Buffalo regarding this hockey team. There’s nothing to get excited about. There’s no drive, no electrifying plays, and no willingness to win on the part of the team. Each night, I get closer and closer to buying one of those shirts that says; “Buffalo; A drinking town with a hockey problem.” This team is a disgrace.

All around us tonight, I heard snide comments from the fans. I myself yelled several as well. My wife’s favorite? An Isles fan screamed “1, 2, 3, 4, WE WANT FIVE!!!” To which I responded- “We want ONE!!!!” After Tavares scored for the Isles at the 4:24 mark in the 3rd period, fans started to file out of the arena, with Buffalo in a 3-0 hole. We stayed for the whole game. However, the hallway, which is normally packed following a game (regardless of the outcome), was deserted. This was the quickest that we have ever gotten out of the arena. There wasn’t even a big line at the escalator as we descended from the nose bleeds. Fans just aren’t putting up with it anymore.

I even tried to get the “Let’s go Buffalo!” chant going. Didn’t work. By the end of the game, I had my head in my hands, doing a head clutch, thinking that thank God there’s only 2 months left in the season.

My highlight of the night? The several fights that occurred in the last 10 seconds of play. And I feel that that’s pathetic.

You can’t blame the fans for being frustrated. Tickets are an arm and a leg, food is a small fortune, (7 bucks for a beer is insane), and the product that you’re there to see, is absolutely atrocious. The fan favorite coach gets fired, and the team continues on it’s downward spiral into oblivion. If my nephew came to me, and wanted to see how hockey was played, I’d have him watch a Sabres game, and tell him to do the exact opposite of what the Sabres do.

I don’t blame Rolston. Heck, I’m wondering if he’s going to Darcy Regier and asking if he can get sent back down to Rochester. Rolston definitely has his work cut out for him. I still think it was the right decision to can Ruff. However, I feel that if these players keep playing this way, it’s time to start trading players. And fast. Remarkably, this season is still salvageable. Buffalo is only 6 points out of 8th place. Plus, there’s over half a season to go.

I wonder where Pegula is in all of this. He’s supposedly this huge Sabres fan. But unlike us, he actually has the ability to try to make some moves to improve this team.

To sum this up, I feel that that Chevy Chase put it best in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. After another disaster, he turns to his wife, and screams; “Worse? How could they get any worse? Take a look around you Ellen! We’re at the threshold of hell!”

I feel this sums up the Sabres right now.

In my season preview this year, I said “I stand by the fact that if Buffalo makes the playoffs, it’ll be in the 7 or 8 seed. They will finish the season somewhere between 7-10 place. I’m leaning more towards 9th again”. I didn’t have high hopes, and I didn’t really think that they were going to be that good.

But I really didn’t think that the Buffalo Sabres would be this bad.

Follow me on Twitter- @SabresBTB

Update 9:20 pm on 2/24 (Site won't let me comment)

Quick response to JesusPrice31 here... Read my season preview. I said that if Buffalo was to make the playoffs, they'd barely get in. I didn't expect them to be this bad though, but I didn't think they would be winning the division... Like one of the "Official" Sabres bloggers on here.

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