Buffalo Boy's Blog

I'm sorry, I usually respect what Mike Schopp and Bulldog have to say and the general vibe on WGR but listening today and reading about Miller's run in with reporters after the game yesterday made me sick.

Stop stirring up controversy when there is none. Ryan Miller yes, he had a bad game yesterday but look at the goals he gave up. This team has been awful in front of him all season. Even their best wins featured horrendous play making resulting in plays that makes the hair on your arms stand up.

I haven't watched a game this year where I haven't seen at least several turn overs either in their own end directly ending in scoring chances or goals or turnovers off of dipsy doodle behind the back passes made by Tim Connolly and even though offensively he was having a good season...Derek Roy. Is it any wonder this team started a hot streak after Roy went down for the season? Its one less turnover machine at center ice for the defense and Miller to worry about.

So, if you watched yesterday for every lead this team had, they had that many turnovers and defensive break downs in front of Miller to give that game away to the Islanders.

Which leads into my next point and the title of this post: Miller can't be tired. Think about this for a second. Look at this teams schedule since late November. Miller has played 31 games in a row since then. Six times they have played back to back nights and they have had a six day break from November 27th to December 3rd, unheard of unless its an All Star break, a four day break around Christmas and from January 25th to February 4th they had a 10 day break around the All Star break, and Miller didn't play in the All Star game, so there was no hockey for him.

Since that All Star break they have had back to back games only once. So don't tell me that Ryan Miller is tired. The media needs to check the schedule, look at the pace of last year which was seemingly non stop for Miller and realize the amount of hockey this guy has played has not been what has made him seem average some nights including last night. Its been the team in front of him.

How many games this season do you think Ryan Miller has wanted to shove the wide end of his goalie stick up Tim Connolly's and Craig Rivet's arses is beyond me. Believe me they are not the only two, every single player on this team is guilty of poor defensive play including a ill advised pass by a usually dependable Paul Gaustad yesterday.

I don't blame Lindy Ruff for playing Miller, last year we saw Ryan Miller play unbelievable hockey despite a massive work load. This year he has looked average because the team in front of him is average. If anything he has stolen some games for them over the last 20 or so games that has gotten them back into shouting distance and with a real chance to make the playoffs.

Add to the fact that the Sabres have played 3-5 fewer games than just about everyone in the conference and you can't say Miller is tired. You just can't. Should Lalime have played more? Maybe, but we need to stop being so judgemental over Ruff's handling of the goalies, this team has had to be in desparation mode since December after a horrendous start. In order to get to where they are now, just three or four points out of a playoff spot, they had to be the best team in the league for the last 20 or so games.....they have been, thanks in large part to Miller who has covered up for their defensive flaws and offensive zone give aways.

Miller can't be tired physically, but the team in front of him is probably making him sick to his stomach nightly.