WTF did that have anything about this thread?!?!
Anyways...
Amazing series. All the games were tight. The officiating in Game #5 in the first and 2nd period was VERY sketchy. They were making shitty calls, or lack thereof on both teams, and they got in the way of the play 3-4 times at least that I counted.
The strangest part is that series coulda gone either way. Miller was spectacular in net for the Sabres. He made some big key saves when needed. And our defense did an excellent job with the rebounds and getting them away from the front of the net.
I don't think Emery played bad really. He made some key saves at times that prevented some big goals. Namely the Dumont glove save in Game 4.
I think what killed Ottawa is the lack of production from Alfreddson and Heatly. Thse 2 are your big name guys. If they don't net goals, it's hard to dominate the way Ottawa did in the regular season. And the arguement can go both ways on this...
I'm gonna give the credit to the Defensive line of Tallinder and Lydman. They have been amazing all season long of shutting down the top lines. They make solid plays, they clear the rebounds and play the puck smartly in the zone. And if something slips by them, Miller is often there.
Miller IS a top level goaltender. He won't get as much recognition as he deserves because he never makes the Highlight reel save because his positioning is top of the line. He is nearly always in the right spot, and because of that, his saves look rather ordinary often.
It was a good series. Tons of fun. But boy am I glad it's over. You guys had a hell of a team this year in Ottawa, and you should be proud of them either way, because that series really could've EASILY gone either way.