***Official Buffalo Sabres 2006-07 Thread***

[Zurvan]

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Ovechkin, who I loved last year and this year and was excited by the goal he scored on Miller in the first (boy, he turned Paetsch inside out), is going to be another Darcy Tucker, a pest who will take a cheap shot when he can and then refuse to back it up with his fists.

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Wow, what a dumb sentence.

Yeah, it was a bad hit, although not as bad as it looked. He hit him in the upper back, not the neck.

First of all, I would say it's very unlikely Ovechkin has ever been in a fight on the ice... you can get hurt doing that if you don't know how, especially against a guy who does fight. It would be stupid of him to do anything but turtle, so he doesn't get hurt.

Second, Tucker fights, when he has to. He also doesn't take nearly as many "cheap shots" as some people claim he does. And when he does, he fights. For a guy who's 5'7", he does pretty damn good.

[ofwolves]

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Ovechkin, who I loved last year and this year and was excited by the goal he scored on Miller in the first (boy, he turned Paetsch inside out), is going to be another Darcy Tucker, a pest who will take a cheap shot when he can and then refuse to back it up with his fists.

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Wow, what a dumb sentence.

Yeah, it was a bad hit, although not as bad as it looked. He hit him in the upper back, not the neck.

First of all, I would say it's very unlikely Ovechkin has ever been in a fight on the ice... you can get hurt doing that if you don't know how, especially against a guy who does fight. It would be stupid of him to do anything but turtle, so he doesn't get hurt.

Second, Tucker fights, when he has to. He also doesn't take nearly as many "cheap shots" as some people claim he does. And when he does, he fights. For a guy who's 5'7", he does pretty damn good.

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I'll meet you halfway on this. Tucker doesn't avoid fighting, you're right, I'm wrong. Doesn't make him not a pest. I don't watch the Leafs that often but when I do I see the way people react to DT when he's on the ice...they tend to brace for a cheap hit, which probably annoys them, which also probably causes any hit the guy causes to set it off. So you're probably right about him, he doesn't take as many cheap shots as his reputation makes it seem, annd he does fight most of the time when called upon. Reputation is a bitch, huh?

As for Ovechkin not fighting cause he might get hurt...man, if that's going to be his defense, then whatever...I'm sick of people talking about the Sabres like they're a team of soft players who constantly dive and turtle. If you're not going to fight, you shouldn't make a hit that has a high percentage of causing a ruckus. Decking a $5m captain in the neck/upper back (whatever the difference between those are) on his way to the bench counts.

Like I said, reputation is a bitch and any time Briere or Roy goes down there's this discussion about whether or not they dove. I saw Ovechkin mouth it in the penalty box and heard Caps fans say the same thing and it just drives me nuts. The guy couldn't be a bit shaken up after thinking his shift was over than heading face first into the wall by the bench? Did he take off his own helmet on the way down too?

You'll probably agree with me though Zurvan that the instigator rule is a pile of crap, right? Both Mair and Gaustad got it...how do two people instigate one fight?

[cognito20]

The Caps play the Sabres again on the 26th. All Lindy Ruff has to do to move up into God status on my all-time hockey list is start the following line against Ovechkin's line....Mair, Gaustad, Peters. Have the goon squad out there as much as possible when that little wuss is out there, at least until one of them knocks Ovechkin on his ass for what he did to Briere last night. A couple quick rights to the face from Gaustad wasn't enough retribution. It's time for some headhunting, before any other little punk thinks they can just run over Sabres players at will and then smirk about it on the sidelines later. Brashear isn't going to be able to protect you against everybody, pretty boy.

[Zurvan]

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The Caps play the Sabres again on the 26th. All Lindy Ruff has to do to move up into God status on my all-time hockey list is start the following line against Ovechkin's line....Mair, Gaustad, Peters. Have the goon squad out there as much as possible when that little wuss is out there, at least until one of them knocks Ovechkin on his ass for what he did to Briere last night. A couple quick rights to the face from Gaustad wasn't enough retribution. It's time for some headhunting, before any other little punk thinks they can just run over Sabres players at will and then smirk about it on the sidelines later. Brashear isn't going to be able to protect you against everybody, pretty boy.

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Wow, Steve Moore much?

IT WASN'T THAT BAD

Ovechkin plays physical. He throws hits, he takes hits, but he doesn't fight. There's a lot of guys in the league that don't fight,and Ovechkin does not have a reputation for cheap hits. He made a mistake, he got punched in the head for it. Gaustad, a fighter, attacking Ovechkin was as bad as Ovechkin hitting Briere from behind. Neither one was in a position to defend himself.

[Zurvan]

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Like I said, reputation is a bitch and any time Briere or Roy goes down there's this discussion about whether or not they dove. I saw Ovechkin mouth it in the penalty box and heard Caps fans say the same thing and it just drives me nuts. The guy couldn't be a bit shaken up after thinking his shift was over than heading face first into the wall by the bench? Did he take off his own helmet on the way down too?

You'll probably agree with me though Zurvan that the instigator rule is a pile of crap, right? Both Mair and Gaustad got it...how do two people instigate one fight?

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That wasn't a dive, not a chance. Of course caps fans will say that... just like you have Sabres fans acting like Ovechkin tried to kill Briere.

Yes, the instigator sucks. There were two instigator penalties, because there were two fights. Ovechkin/Gaustad (if you wanna call that a fight) and Mair was fighting somebody else (don't remember who... tsn.ca has the clip).

[DZgroundhog]

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Gaustad, a fighter, attacking Ovechkin was as bad as Ovechkin hitting Briere from behind.

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I didn't realize a right cross to the face could paralyze someone.

[CrazyPsycho]

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Like I said, reputation is a bitch and any time Briere or Roy goes down there's this discussion about whether or not they dove. I saw Ovechkin mouth it in the penalty box and heard Caps fans say the same thing and it just drives me nuts. The guy couldn't be a bit shaken up after thinking his shift was over than heading face first into the wall by the bench? Did he take off his own helmet on the way down too?

You'll probably agree with me though Zurvan that the instigator rule is a pile of crap, right? Both Mair and Gaustad got it...how do two people instigate one fight?

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That wasn't a dive, not a chance. Of course caps fans will say that... just like you have Sabres fans acting like Ovechkin tried to kill Briere.

Yes, the instigator sucks. There were two instigator penalties, because there were two fights. Ovechkin/Gaustad (if you wanna call that a fight) and Mair was fighting somebody else (don't remember who... tsn.ca has the clip).

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I'm glad everyone's weighing in things.

Ovechkin has fought before(this preseason), pussied out this time. If he's going to do that, he better be ready to defend himself. That said, I have no problems with Gaustad being tossed. Mair and Muir mutually dropped the gloves, no reason for mair to get an instigator. I think that's what upset Lindy the most.

Obviously, no suspension because Briere didn't get hurt.

[MacGuyV]

Yay - a game on TV!
Sweet play by Briere/Afino - up 2-0 in NJ.

[gjv76]

Another Win 2-1

[GambleGamble]

Selling 1/11 Toronto at Buffalo Tickets Section 322 if anyones interested