Buffalo Boy's Blog

If there is any hope that Sabres fans can take from last nights game is that Ryan Miller has looked good if not great in their last three.

Other than that, I have nothing good to say about last night. Before the third Toronto goal I was willing to say that Raycroft got the best of them and stopped 30 Buffalo shots. That was far from what happened though.

Buffalo looked like a team in the third period that gave up. How sad is that? Drury and Briere or not has any player on that team learned anything from playing with Drury and Briere the last three plus years? Has any of their influence rubbed off even a bit?

I can't believe this team depended on them that much for guidance and leadership. This team quit last night in the third. The third goal of the night featured one of the sloppiest plays I have seen this team make since the year they were bankrupt and they were lucky to have the place half full.

They hung Miller out to dry on the last goal plain and simple. When is Ryan Miller going to stand up to his team mates and let them know that their play is simply unacceptable? I consider him to be the next Drury on this team. He has stuggled early and understandably so after losing his cousin, but after watching these last three or so games, hes looking sharp again and like hes ready to start playing hockey again.

They need him now more than ever, not just to play out of his mind but to give his team mates a piece of it. These performances can not continue. I still believe this team is the most talented team in the Eastern Conference, the question is, are the willing to work again and will they find the leadership and mindset to use that talent before it gets to crunch time.

I would be shocked if this team accepted anything short of the playoffs this year and I would be even more shocked if they allow this play to continue. IF this heads into December I expect a move or two of the major variety from Darcy Reiger. I have said it earlier, Jovo Cop may be the guy to bring in here and provide some hard nosed grit and leadership to a team that is sorely lacking it.