Boston/Buffalo issue

So last night was the first game since the Lucic/Miller incident

Lucic hits Miller : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TERA-GY2K1o
Sabres fans react badly : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaL_jGayBsw

There were many mumblings of retaliation and revenge being dished out in last night's game. It didn't take long for Lucic to be called out, and by Paul Gaustad.

Gaustad calls out Lucic : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ2v3-XuZWg

Does anyone spot the deliberate mistake here? Lucic is the agressor in this war, and yet I thought that revenge was supposed to be served cold. Gaustad should drop Lucic with a one-punch knockout. But what actually happens, is that Gaustad realises about 10 seconds in, that he's bitten off more than he can chew, and barely lands a punch, whilst Lucic clatters the Sabres' man's skull on at least 6 occasions.

There's then another barney a bit later in the first. Funny to watch Nathan Gerbe, one of the smallest players in the NHL. He disappears in the mound of players, and doesn't emerge until the refs have removed all but the last player!

Chara fights Regehr : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOZnrNLCX3Y

There's again, a distinct lack of damage to the Boston player, and I can't help but feel like Chara let Regehr off here.

So there you have it, Boston win in a shootout, and do not let Buffalo push them around. Despite all the jawing beforehand, the Bruins stood up tall, and were prepared to accept that gloves would be dropped. More importantly, they not only accepted it would happen, but dominated the fights.

It doesn't pay to wind up the Bruins, it seems.

I think the problem lies with Buffalo not being able to put out a strong enforcer, and can be viewed as 'weak'. If Lucic was to pull that trick on Reimer, a line of Phaneuf, Schenn, Brown, Orr and Rosehill would make the Bruins think twice. Similarly, any team with a renowned enforcer would be exempt from Bostons bully boy tactics. I'm not one for the physical side of the game, but if you must go down that road, then you've got to have the players to do it. Boston do. Buffalo don't. In a physical battle, Boston will always win, so if the Sabres want revenge they'll have to put more pucks in the slot to do it, as thats the only way they can beat Boston. But like I said earlier, if you pull the physical bully boy trick on a team with some enforcers, and tasty ones at that, you better be on your toes. This is the way it was years ago, and still is now.

In part, I agree with my safari animal friend above, but I must play advocate.

Yes, Buffalo have no real hard man to take down someone like Chara or Lucic. They need a Carkner, Orr, Konopka, Scott type player to take him out good and proper, and Gaustad just doesn't fit the bill.

However, I do notice that Buffalo have 12 majors this season, whilst Boston have just 1 more. There's not a huge chasm in terms of fighting frequency, and so surely the Sabres must have known they weren't going to take Lucic and Chara down. They do retain a lot of respect however, for having the love spuds to take on Lucic and Chara in the same game...although quite how much Robyn Regehr knew about it is debateable!

Ill have to watch the Regher fight when i get home from work. In all the years he played in Calgary, i can't remember him ever fighting. Starting with Chara isn't sensible!

Gettin' Iggy with it wrote:Ill have to watch the Regher fight when i get home from work. In all the years he played in Calgary, i can't remember him ever fighting. Starting with Chara isn't sensible!

On the contrary. On the plains, to get noticed one must stroll up to the largest lion in the pride and give him a slap in the chops. People will take notice of this fact and think twice before approaching you to slap in the chops. Being Giraffes, this is what we have learned, and this is what we do.

Small print: Being sensible sort of Giraffes, we try and make sure largest lion in pride is asleep, and there is a buffalo to hide behind. Or run quicker than. Or we're friends with the tigers. You get the idea.

Gettin' Iggy with it wrote:Ill have to watch the Regher fight when i get home from work. In all the years he played in Calgary, i can't remember him ever fighting. Starting with Chara isn't sensible!

I think Chara is well aware that the guy he's paired off with out of the melee is no fighter. Regehr holds on, and doesn't get pounded, but I think that it's more Chara backing off, than Regehr being tough. Proprs to Regehr for being prepared to throw a punch at Chara though.

On that note, something that only ever happened once. Nick Lidstrom fights!

Lidstrom vs Tinordi is secondary in this old-school brawl, but he throws a couple and takes more than a few! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNYRhR86dp0

Ok ive seen it now.

Regher had to jump in, and should get a lot of credit for that. He is way out of his depth though. It was nice to see Chara sort of pick him back up of the ice afterwards though

Looking at youtube, he has had a couple of fights before. None of them are that imprseive or against anyone the size of Chara!

It was an interesting game but if they cant respond physically they had to do it some other way. They came close in the goals department but only with significant help from the ref's. Then they decided to balance it by helping us out and we somehow managed to score on the power play. Interesting spectacle but ruined by too many non-calls, I still miss the awesomeness of that Game 7 against Tampa.