Buffalo Boy's Blog

What a pathetic first 10 minutes last night. I hate to say it but this team will make the playoffs and thats unfortunate because Lindy Ruff has run his course as this teams head coach.

The problem hasn't been the goaltending, the problem has been the play of the team in front of Patrick Lalime and Ryan Miller. It goes back to last year when Patrick Lalime had to fill in for the injured Miller and for the better part of March last year Lalime gave this team a chance to win every night but the offense and the team fell short.

Its the same old story, not enough finish and too little aggressiveness. Too many give aways and odd man rushes leaving their goalies hung out to dry.

Send Tim Kennedy back to Portland, yeah he scored last night but so what. Thats his first since 2009? Mark Mancari is bigger and looked  a hell of a lot better in his own end and looked as if he could stand in front of the net in the offensive end.

The best medicine for this franchise would be a total tanking of the last part of this season and them missing the playoffs. They probably won't, but how about finishing in 8th spot? That could happen, the Bruins are just 8 points back. We'd get Washington who would crush us in the first round and that might be enough for Lindy's firing.

Its been three years since the last playoff run and over those three years Vanek has gone from a 40 goal scorer to a shadow of his former self, he'll be luck to get to 30, for a player who should be entering his prime and getting better hes gotten worse. You can also say that about Jason Pominville, Derek Roy and Max Afinogenov. All regressed since the last playoff run. I call that coaching's fault.

Want proof? Max scored last night and has 22 goals and 54 points. Last year he was sitting on the bench because Lindy Ruff couldn't put him into a position to succeed on the ice.

Either Lindy Ruff's message is falling on deaf ears or the message sucks. Its time for a change.