DiPietro stones Sabres, Fans Panic!!!

Well, I am feeling a bit pessimistic this morning.

It's April 16th. It is tax day. It is snowing...hard.
Worst of all I just listened to Sabres fans panic for 1/2 hour straight on WGR55.
Perfect! It is absolutely not the way I needed this week to start.
Did I mention it is snowing on tax day?

Anyhow, enough of that.
The Sabres lost a game Saturday that they did not deserve to win. They failed to show up for the first 15 minutes of play and went down two goals. It was hole they clawed out of well. In fact they dominated much of the rest of the game but couldn't score in the clutch.

I have got to hand it to Ted Nolan and the Islanders. They had a plan and worked it well. They collapsed down on DiPietro and took advantage of a Sabres team that didn't come top play.
After they got their two goal lead they played tough defense and refused to panic in the face of pressure. I myself have criticized Nolan's game planning prowess in the past, but not today.
He refocused a team who's confidence had been dented and had them play their game.
Heck, even Miroslav Satan was forechecking and playing physical.
That is worth the Jack Adams in and of itself.

Now for the Sabres. Did they play poorly? Not really. They started bad and were dominate after. They sseem to have forgotten that this is the playoffs though and that you have to play 60 minutes to be a champion. it shouldn't have been all that surprising though as this has been the MO of this club all year. Play haphazard hockey and turn on the jets when the other team gets ahead. Well, it didn't work this time. Is it the end of the world?

Nope, just a bump in the road.

The Islanders and DiPietro played their absolute best and barely held on.

Some of the Sabres need to look in the mirror and decide if they are ready.
Daniel Briere has looked mediocre an Ryan Miller was shaky at best Saturday.
These are trends that need to reverse or this team could find itself in an Edmonton Oilerish nightmare.
That being said pretty much every other player is firing on all cylinders and the Vanek-Afinigenov-Roy line is proving just how good it is.

I fully expect the Sabres to come out blazing tonight and break the Islander's will. That has been another hallmark of this team.
Any adversity has been met with determination and often domination.

It is what I expect tonight. Buffalo still wins in 5.