Saturday, November 8, 2008

Game 14 Recap: Bruins 3 Sabres 1 WOOOO

Kobasew IN.

Makes all the difference.
NHL.com picked Rick J. for the recap, they don't like NESN for some reason. Dafoomie will have the good stuff later, I'm sure.

In net for Boston: Manny Fernandez. From talking to people in the game, the consensus is that he's a solid goalie, but he's no Tim All-Star Thomas. Still, solid game from Manny.

I said I sent out some questions to a Sabres Blogger before the game. I didn't lie.
Here's Ryan from the Goose's Roost from before the game:
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, but I'd be glad to answer some questions. Very cool idea.
Q1: Who has impressed you so far?
1) If there's anyone on the Sabres who has impressed thus far it's Thomas Vanek. The last dozen or so games last year he took it to the next level, and he's carried this team at times to the point we call him "Atlas". As far as the Bruins, Marc Savard terrifies me at all times. I'm pretty sure he still averages over a point per game against the Sabres.
(Actually, Marc Savard scares you because he is a hypnotist.  He also has 1.19 pts/game against Buffalo lifetime, in 27 games, including last night's goal.)
Q2: How much easier is the loss to Atlanta to take when the Blue Jackets beat Montreal and Carolina beat the Senators last night?
2) Scoreboard watching helps after a tough loss, but it's still hard to be okay with how the team played last night. Montreal is going to be there all season, so it's good to see them lose to the West. I worry about giving up the extra points in the first place, but it's nice to stay atop the division for another day.
Q3: How much longer will Lindy Ruff Coach the Sabres for? Is that too long or not long enough?
3) Sabres GM Darcy Regier has said before that as long as he has a job Lindy will keep his. Both have their weaknesses, but Ruff really is a good fit for the team. Last year I had some complaints about leadership and direction, but so far he's handled the team really well. He hasn't worn out his welcome yet, and I don't expect it to happen for at least few more years.
Q4: Sucide wings: delicious or stupid-hot?
4) Suicide wings, as is the case with all wings in Buffalo, are delicious. The "buffalo wings" you get at other places have nothing on the Anchor Bar.
Q5: Who will win Tonight's game?
5) I think the Sabres have a good chance to win even if Lalime plays. It will depend on the defensive effort, which was pretty sad last night. Let's say 4-3 Buffalo in the shootout.

Thanks again to Ryan from The Goose's Roost for participating!  Sorry it didn't go to shootout for you.

Here's you post-game review, complete with video. Sorry if I'm crashing your browser. Please let me know if you are. RSS feeds and email readers may need to click through to get the full video goodness.

Ok, here's the first goal of the game and Rick Jeanneret's only Buffalo Goal call of the game:

0-1.
Dafoomie, get me some NESN highlights so I don't have to hear from not-jack-edwards.
Chuck Kobasew, in his second game of the season, decides to get on the assist board again in his second game of the season:

1-1.
So ends the first period.
Solid effort from Manny and Miller. Manny says "no mas" and means it.
Second period:
Chuck Kobasew is feeling good, decides "hey, why not score a goal" and keeps himself at 2 points per game:

2-1.
Then Kessel comes down, meaning business. Shoots, not quite there.

...but wait! That was just a sneaky pass to Savard, who buries it, check out how pumped Rick is in this clip:

3-1.
You almost feel sad for Rick. I want more NESN on nhl.tv, just for the Jack "SAVE BY (Manny) THOMAS" Edwards calls.

Anyhow, the third leaves us with no goals, no fights, one quasi-highlight-reel-worthy save by Manny. This image basically tells the story:

Here's the full game recap for the stuff you missed:


Thoughts from after the game:
  • Manny had to play eventually. The night after the Ottawa Citizen is talking about Thomas is as good as any.
  • Manny managed to win that game solidly. Aside from the first goal, he was in net and the pucks weren't. If you really want more from a goaltender, you're either crazy or not paying attention. C'mon, manny-bashers, tell me that he played a crappy game. Buffalo fans don't count.
  • Pominville's a joke. There were two Manny on NHL.tv, both on him. I'd post them, but the page would run EVEN SLOWER.
  • There was a Canadiens fan dressed in a banana at the game. Apparently, they celebrate Halloween a week late up in French Canadia.
  • Due to the way tie-breaking works, and because our loss to buffalo was in the shootout, we're currently tops in the division, but really it's just very close between Bruins, Sabres, Habs.  The Habs also haven't played as many games, and I wonder what effect that will have overall.
Record: 8-3-3
Home Record: 4-1-1
GO BRUINS!

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