Let's Go Amerks!

Its officially time to get real serious. I hope Monday's practice after Sunday's horrible effort against the Sens has sunk in with these guys. Can't take anymore days off. The reality is, once again the Crunch have tied the Amerks for 1st with one game in hand and a big showdown weekend looming again.
While Belleville has played 3 more games than the Amerks, they only trail by 7 points and are on a red hot streak. Toronto and Utica are only a few points behind.

What this means is that incredibly, a playoff spot, for the team that has been in 1st place most all the season, is not a lock. If they take their foot off the gas now, it could have ugly consequences. This is not to say that this team is floundering. What is true however is that some of the major flaws that have dogged them all season still exist. Their inability to hold leads; giving up goals in bunches; taking entire periods off; and inconsistent goaltending...still rear their ugly heads from time to time.

The personnel on this roster is good enough to take a long playoff run. We have (if everyone is present and healthy) 5 potential 20+ goal scorers. Two have already reached that threshold. We have toughness. We have some very strong 'd'. We could have an awesome PP. We have done well on the PK. And on many nights, we are getting real good goaltending. The problem is that first round best of 5 is very unforgiving. There is zero room for error and the Amerks have not advanced past the first round in many years.

We should be able to beat Utica tonite. However the Comets have given the Amerks all they can handle so far this year. If we win, we go back ahead of the Crunch by 2. Crunch then play Friday and we don't...leading up to our 2 game showdown Saturday and Sunday. After these games, Crunch will still have one in hand. On March 6th the Crunch will play that game in hand. They will briefly get another GIH during the week of March 11th but then the Crunch go to Charlotte for a pair and from that point on, they will no longer have any GIH on the Amerks for the rest of the season.

Amerks must bring their A+ game to Utica tonite. No excuses. No lapses. No periods off. And definitely no goals allowed in bunches. Can they rise to this occasion? Are they the playoff team we hope they are? In my mind, it all starts tonite.

Site had some issues this morning if anyone tried to stop by.

With things falling apart in Buffalo (the torches and pitchforks are being removed from storage) I hope the Sabres don't just decide to 'audition' various Amerks down the stretch keeping our team in a state of turmoil. the rationale will be...well you'll have everyone back for the playoffs...and we've seen how good that goes. If we were running away with the division, or if a playoff spot was not in question...perhaps we could live with all the disruption.
But that doesn't appear to be happening. These teams will be scrapping all the way to the finish line in all likelihood.

Sabres are now 8 points behind a possible playoff spot with a few teams behind them gaining fast. Already Philly has now passed them and florida is only a game behind. Too many teams to pass, unless Sabres go on another 10 gamer. since they haven't won back to back games in over 2 months...that doesn't seem likely. Sabres chances at post season appear to be all but over.

so whats next?

Buffalo needs at least 13-14 wins in their final 19 games to have a realistic shot at a playoff spot, it's not going to happen.

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/East ... ffalo.html

They'll be all but mathematically eliminated in a week or two.

What's next? As I've said before, it's time to start selling hope and season tickets for next year, which means call up the "prospects" for their yearly March/April tryouts.

Yeah. Sabres are cooked so all the attention turns to the Amerks.

People on here say that building a winning AHL team helps develop prospects for the NHL. And as of right now the Amerks are tied for 1st place and the Cyclones are 1st place.

So we're in a better situation under Botterill then we were under Murray.

so it will be interesting to see what he does with this. will he recognize the value of having a winner or two in the organization, or will myopia set in and it will all about the Sabres all the time. Sabres actually do have a lot of youth already up there.

Interesting that Guhle fell out of favor as quickly as he did. why then hasn't Nylander done the same? His 'development' has been a lot worse than Guhle's. Maybe its because #92 is a forward. surely though, they can't be happy with his performance this year. 25 points is hardly 1st round territory.

Doesn't someone else have to want a player in order to trade them?

keithLGA wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 27, 2019 3:45 pm

Doesn't someone else have to want a player in order to trade them?

Yes, Guhle likely had much more value and they were able to trade him. Unfortunately there's this "Let's Go Amerks" guy who absolutely murdered Nylander's trade value on Twitter.

hahah joked about that with someone else...

GM - Hey I guess we'll give this kid a try
GMJB - Cool. He's only 20, 2yrs left on his ELC, you'll get more from him
GM - Sounds good. Thanks for taking a RFA we haven't done much with
GMJB - Document is on its way, just sign it and send it to the NHL
GM - whoa. whoa. what's this new LGA article
GMJB - $hi*
GM - Deals off. BYE!

I liked Smiths comments about being here. I'm no longer concerned about him!! The guys have recognized the importance of this week. So far tonite, they are hanging on, but not real strong...as I had hoped. Dalton's ill-timed penalty cost us the tying goal. We have one period to make our point tonite. We can't let this one slip away.