Post Game Reaction: Death of A Blue Jacket

If you know any of the writers here on Fansided, you know we are a close knit group.  We fight, we bicker – we banter a lot, and we bet each other using our bullet-proof bravado of fandom as our sheild.  Sometimes though, that gets us into trouble.

At the end of last season, the Buffalo Sabres played the Columbus Blue Jackets in their barn, on their fan appreciation night.  No CBJ fan appreciated the way the Buffalo Sabres came in and completely disrespected a team headed for the golf course, while we continued to gear up for our first round playoff destination, which at the time had not been determined.  So Mary from Fire that Cannon decided that no team should lose in their building on Fan Appreciation night, stuck out her skin for her team, and lost – decidingly having to ink herself with some Sabres love.

I didn’t think that it would be an issue receiving payment, because of the hell Mary gave another Fansider for not paying up in due course in a debt owed to her.  Mary decided to be defiant, and after a long and boring off season, I was finally able to reap the benefits of winning a bet.  Not only did Mary pay up, but she did it during a CBJ event, and here are the results of that “inking“.   When the debt was paid, the picture was on the internet, and then off as soon as I saw it.  I won’t let that mistake happen again.  I have ensured that I have a reminder that some good old Union Blue was spoiled by true Blue and Gold. 

I wasn’t afraid of the Blue Jackets last night prior to the game.  Yes, Wiz was back, but I still think that the Sabres were going to finally put the win up at home this year, taking advantage of a team that had only won once since the start of the season.  Columbus came out and played a solid game against the Buffalo Sabres, and well – if it were not for our power play clicking the way it did late in the game, we probably should have lost that game as well.  

Jhonas Enroth – cold and off the bench faced a career high 43 shots, saving; again a career high 41.  Tell me again why this kid can’t start in the NHL?  Ryan Miller is still an all world goalie, and the Buffalo Sabres will win more games with him than they will lose – but at this point all Enroth is doing is showcasing his abilities.  If I were a betting man, he’s going to want a starting gig when this contract he’s on runs out.  Prospal’s wrister could have been stopped, but I have to agree with Jeremy White from WGR – you can’t always blame the goalie, yes Enroth should have had that shot – but sometimes you just have to credit a shooter for a goal.  Same thing on the second Columbus goal.  I would have loved to see Enroth play that one differently, but he made a play for the puck.  Credit Tyutin for staying with the play and making the goal happen for his team.  Enroth makes that save, and the outcome of the game is different and his pedastool gets higher. 

Tim Connolly is gone, and Jochen Hecht is still sidelined by injury.  Fans need a whipping boy, enter Ville Leino.  The Buffalo Sabres overpaid money for the former Philadelphia Flyer role player.  There is no way in hell that the Vanek-Adam-Pominville line gets broken up, so we continue to shuffle Leino until he finds the niche where he can be successful.  He might need a game or two in the press box while he figures out what role he wants to play on this team.  It would be the perfect setup to see how Kassian or Foligno fit on this roster. 

Oh Mike Weber, it would be nice to know what you said to Lindy Ruff to draw his ire.  There are only two options to bring Weber into the lineup, and that is to either sit Sekera or Gragnani.  Sekera battled hard last night, and took some penalties.  I agreed with the boarding call.  He took several strides to make that hit, and that was his intention – he was making that hit regardless.  I am more frustrated with the play of Gragnani that Sekera, so I would rather see him sit and let Weber take a crack at the game.  Your defense isn’t playing lights out, so there is no reason why you can’t rotate your sixth and seventh defensemen.  Weber has to be doing something wrong in Lindy’s eyes, or he would have seen some game time.

Tyler Myers  is playing like the sixth defenseman at times during the games.  Somehow the team needs to do something to boost the kids confidence.  He set the bar high his first year winning the Calder trophy.  Many fans are expecting the Norris to follow soon after.

What was Bass thinking last night?  I know you want to try and spark your team and build momentum, but getting your ass kicked twice in the same period did little to help your team out.  Cody Bass picked fights with Patrick Kaleta and Cody McCormick, failing in both attempts.  He got a couple of lumps in, but was body slammed by Kaleta, and throttled by McCormick.  Those are the types of fights that hockey needs in its game.  Emotional battles with reasons behind them.  The days of staged fights between goons are long gone. 

Sabres have today off from game action, and will play the Florida Panthers on Saturday.  Thanks to all who joined us in the live chat last night.  We are hoping interest in that picksk up and more superb Sabres and hockey talk develops.  As we work out the schedule, tune in more as we are going to try and get those setup for as many games as we can.