Playing Like You Want It, Postgame 3-3-11.

It's too bad that this postgame is actually going to be the opposite of what my title says.

The Sabres came out playing well in the first and for the beginning part of the second. There were a lot of Sabres fans in the crowd and I'm sure it made the Sabres feel right at home. There were plenty of hits and some good, missed chances. For instance, Thomas had a great chance that he just missed to put in the net since it went behind Cam Ward and across the crease. There were huge saves at each end of the ice but the first period turned out scoreless. You go to the second period, and Steve Montador scores the first goal of the game. Then the Canes came right back on a horrible, defensive breakdown. Brad Boyes managed to get his second in as many games as a Sabre to make it 2-1 again and then - you guessed it! - the Canes came back after Ryan Miller mishandled the puck and got stuck spun around in his net and facing the other way. If you look at both of those goals, they were terrible reads by Miller himself but the defense gave him no help at all, either. I just wonder how Ryan reacted to this on the postgame...I never listen to the WGR postgame after away games but perhaps I should start to hear what the players have to say. I'm sure it wasn't at all pleasant.

The game unfortunately went to overtime and it wasn't even a minute in when McBain scored the game winner for the Hurricanes. The shot easily went through his pads (five hole) and into the net. People saw my Twitter reaction to that goal...let's just say, that damn five hole needs to stay closed, Ryan. Seriously.

I am significantly less angry than I was as soon as the game had ended just so I could write this blog post with some logic. I realize, you Miller apologists out there that Ryan has played 38 of the Sabres last 39 games. You know how crazy that is? I bet his body is fatigued. It isn't his fault that Lindy is making him play, but maybe he should step up and say 'hey, maybe this is taking a toll on my body. I believe that my backup can win a game or two for us.' ...Or he's a hockey player, and a lot of fans don't believe that they're human in the slightest.

The Leafs won tonight so they're one point behind us, while we are now two points behind the Rangers. Looks like it's time to catch the blue shirts if anything. Also, just read on Alex's Facebook status that Ryan had indeed admitted to playing the puck badly. You sir are starting to realize that you can indeed make mistakes. Hopefully your fans start to realize the same.