Where is the Desperation and Desire?
Posted 3:14 AM ET | Comments 4
It is going on 5 hours after the Sabres lost to the Islanders and I am asking myself the question: Where is the desperation and desire from this team? Perhaps they hurt more than helped themselves by winning so many games early in the season. Did this allow them to coast into the playoffs? This team seems to need a fire to be lit under them to get motivated. It has been shown in the games they have fallen behind by 1-2 goals and come back to win. They need their backs to the wall to start to fight and claw in games. I hate to place this at the feet of Lindy Ruff but he has to have his team ready for a sixty minute game. This team needs to see the big picture and realize winning takes desire and passion and it hasn't been in their game for a full sixty minutes in quite some time.
It is also the equivalent of preseason for 2-3 Sabres. Max, Connolly and to a lesser extent Kotalik are playing themselves back into shape and trying to regain the timing they had prior to their injuries. The playoffs aren't the most appropriate time and place to be doing this. Daniel Briere is not playing like a leading scorer, Thomas Vanek has to produce goals and not just chances. This team has scored six goals in the playoffs and four of them have been by defenseman. I hope this group starts to feel the pressure. It seems that is the only mechanism that they use to gain the desperation and desire needed to win. That is not the characteristic of a championship team.
This team better realize that they may never have a team as well stacked as the one they are playing on now. If they want a Stanley Cup ring, they better realize who they are and what they need to do to accomplish the goal they have had since they lost to Carolina last Spring. There are no excuses now. No injuries to use as crutches. They will only have their character and desire to blame if they fall short this year.
It is also the equivalent of preseason for 2-3 Sabres. Max, Connolly and to a lesser extent Kotalik are playing themselves back into shape and trying to regain the timing they had prior to their injuries. The playoffs aren't the most appropriate time and place to be doing this. Daniel Briere is not playing like a leading scorer, Thomas Vanek has to produce goals and not just chances. This team has scored six goals in the playoffs and four of them have been by defenseman. I hope this group starts to feel the pressure. It seems that is the only mechanism that they use to gain the desperation and desire needed to win. That is not the characteristic of a championship team.
This team better realize that they may never have a team as well stacked as the one they are playing on now. If they want a Stanley Cup ring, they better realize who they are and what they need to do to accomplish the goal they have had since they lost to Carolina last Spring. There are no excuses now. No injuries to use as crutches. They will only have their character and desire to blame if they fall short this year.
great points. truer statements have never been said. we'll see what this team is really made of next game at nassau coliseum. until then........
I wouldn't be so quick to show concern. That your defensemen are stepping up and scoring is a really great sign; proof that you don't just need a handful of forwards to carry the weight. As for those forwards, the chances are coming, which is also a good sign. If they were being stymied at every turn it would be worrisome. Briere is not having a great series thus far but he has time. Drury has stepped it up after seeming a little timid after getting blown over by Neil last month. Vanek will get it done, and he did make a beautiful play last night. The loss to the Islanders is completely chalked up to DiPietro. he played a stellar game and he made some glorious saves...ones that DoubleWhiff would have missed out on. Ruff has this team ready. They'll be more than pumped for Game 3 and will win in fine fashion.
Millertime thanks a lot..Zholtok33, I'm not pushing the panic button yet, but they have to come out from the first minute to the last. That is where I have had a problem with this team all year. Besides the Pittsburgh game towards the end of the year, I haven't seen many games where they have played a full 60 minutes. I also haven't seen the desperation from them. I just hope this game has opened their eyes and the loss made them come down to earth. There are no easy teams, games or series in the playoffs...especially when you decide to show up only after falling behind by two goals.
Just one game and last time I checked you have to win 4??