Buffalo Boy's Blog

Well another loss and another pity point. Another game with Max in the line up and though he didn't do much to hurt the team, he did nothing to help either. He has done nothing all season long and until they take him out for good and trade him out of Buffalo, I will continue to drop meaningless Anti-Max stuff in my Sabres' posts every game they put him on the ice. That is because he is pretty much meaningless right now. I'd rather have a role player or some hungry young kid up from Portland, Mark Mancari for instance.

But, I digress. For the second game in a row they blew a lead. Two leads actually. A two goal and a late game one goal lead. Up 2-0 they squandered power plays and failed to put away a Pittsburgh team that was ripe to be beaten tonight considering they were bused into Buffalo today because they couldn't get a charter in the air.

Jochen Hecht is another player I feel the need to vent about. He is a shadow of his former self and has become excessively lazy. How can a stead player like him go sour so fast? Actually, this down turn dates back to last season. Its becoming more and more apparent that there are glaring needs and even more importantly there are several players that stand out on this team that need a change of scenery making it easier by the day for Darcy Regier to go out and shop these guys for a deal.

I know Max is at the top of everyone's list of players that need out but right now what could you reasonably expect in return? Leftover Christmas cookies and a glass of milk? You'd be lucky to get that milk cold right now for Max straight up.

The last two games the Sabres have gotten points in yes, but when they squander three leads against the Canadiens and a two goal lead against the Penguins, two teams you have a realistic shot at catching, you are coughing up points against important conference teams that you still have a reasonably good chance to catch. 

Buffalo had 6 power plays tonight and scored on one. They out shot the Penguins 35-22. Max and Hecht had a grand total of none of those shots despite both having time on the powerplay. The point here is that they had absolutely no finish, no drive, no interest in sending in a second, third or fourth attacker to the net to drive in rebounds and pay a price in front of the net. Sure there were a few swipes but no one to go in there and really take on opposing defencemen in the crease.

There is a Christmas break now and coming out of the break the Sabres face off against the Capitals, another team they could catch in the standings. After Christmas, time believe it or not, is not on this teams side anymore. January quickly turns to February and before you know it the playoffs are here and a point squandered here and another given up there quickly lead to another lost season and a 10th place finish.

Finish.....Thats what this team has to start doing. Finishing.