Purposely did not post last night because I wanted to be able to sleep on it without having all of the emotions clouding common sense. I am gonna stay clear of all the fire the coach rhetoric.  I will say that you wanted more emotion out of him an dyou got it last night. Strangely I did not see a parade of Buffalo players going to the box after CJ threw his tantrum. But I am sure that word will spread around the league officials that Claude is now angry at them and they best watch their step.

I felt that our team competed well last night actually. Defensively we played a very good game (outshot, however scoring chances were even at 10-10 according to RDS). I felt that with what we had last night the dmen did a good job keeping Buffalo outside. Two stupid penalties by Bonk and Zednick cost us. Both have been guilty numerous times of taking one hand off the stick and grabbing a guy by the shoulder. Both Bonk and Zed have spent ample time in the box because of this and should now get the message. What is really furstrating i sthat both penalties were in the OFFENSIVE zone. I can live with Souray grabbing a guy in his own end because he has been beaten and wants to nullify a scoring chance, but the penalties that Bonk and Zed took last night were just plain D-U-M-B.

The other major problem we had last night was finish, or lack of. Had we been able to score the 3rd goal it would have made a hug difference. It has been eluded to that we need to work on the power play. Yes. However when you take Kovalev, Koivu, and Markov out (who play on average 1:30 of every 2 minute power play) you are left to rebuild it with kids. Bonk has been given ample time out there on the power play to do what he was brought here for and can't seem to put the biscuit in a soccer net.

Streit is playing big minutes now because they have no choice. But I really feel that the team showed a huge effort last night in spite of the result. I wonder, had we buried some of our chances and Theo stopped the puck and we won 4-1 would the tone be different here today? Probably. Lats night's game was not about coaching or systems. It was about a team that is very thin in terms of talent, has no one to finish a scoring opportunity, and are very fragile in terms of confidence right now. Will a change in coaches help? It may. However when the new guy is here the same problems will exist. No scoring, a defence corps that resembles something out of the AHL, and a goalie who is inconsitent.

By the way I caught CJ's interview on the TEAM 990 this morning and he was repeatedly asked by reporters if he felt that goaltending was the problem. I will quote him here as best I can:

"Look guys you know by now I am not the type of coach to point fingers or call out players in public. So please stop trying to get me to do that. I have too much respect for my guys for that. I have dealt with, and will contine to deal with, my players in private. Do we need better goaltending? Of course we do. But there are many others on this team who need to step up too and they know who they are. "

"We have alot of injuries now, key injuries. But we have some good players here who need to step up and they have not done it and I am addressing that with them. The effort was there last night. But there are guys who can be better, me included".