Miller Critical Of Teammates (sabres)

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Miller Critical Of Teammates

By GARTH'S CORNER

Nov 8, 2015 • 8:44 am

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The Vancouver Canucks began a seven game, fourteen day road trip in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon.

It's going to be a long, frustrating trip if teh Canucks cannot solve their defensive zone problems and play better in the third period.

Ryan Miller was not happy with the poor defensive effort by his D-men and forwards on Rasmus Ristolainen's game-winning goal on Saturday afternoon. The young Finn scored with 16.8 seconds in regulation to give the Sabres the 3-2 win.

Miller was beaten by a 50 foot wrister for the winner after Sabres water bug Tyler Ennis dangled four different men at the Vancouver after he stripped the puck from Daniel Sedin.

There's no question about it. The five Canucks skaters were guilty of puck watching om the Ennis entry. It's as if Ennis cast a Harry Potter magic spell on them with his magic twig.

Afterwards, Miller voiced his displeasure in the losing locker room.

Thanks, Canucks TV

“A bad turnover on my part and it cost us the game,… Sedin said after the game.

Miller was less diplomatic in his evaluation of the defensive zone fire drill on the game winning goal.

“We’ve got to have better awareness,… Miller said “I don’t think a D-man can be in the slot and walking down and then get contested by your D-man in the last minute. It’s a pretty critical error.

“We tried to back check and I don’t want to fault them, but we had two and maybe three guys looking at the puck.…

Miller said that the Canucks have been negligent of soft play in the hird period of play all season long.

“It’s been the script for our third periods and at some point we’ve got to take issue with it,… said Miller'

The former Vezina Trophy winner said that his teammates have to be accountable for their third period lapses.

“We’ve talked about it but it’s becoming a bigger issue. Maybe that one will be a wake-up call.…

I bet you that h the Canucks D and forwards would like to tell Miller to be better and make the save on Ristolainen game winning goal.

It's not a good look for Miller to be publicly chastising his teammates.

It sounded to my ears like Miller was calling out Daniel Sedin for his terrible giveaway that Ristolainen buried for the game winner.

Will there be fall out in the Canucks room as a result of Miller's criticism?

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Rasmus Ristolainen spoiled Ryan Miller's long awaited return to Buffalo by scoring two goals in Buffalo's 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

 Jamie McGinn and Ristolainen scored to stake Buffalo to a 2-0 leadJack Eichel picked up the first two assisted on both goals, his first career NHL assists.

Henrik Sedin and Chris Higgins scored to tie the game and make the waning moments of regulation a real nail biter.

With 16.8 seconds remaining in regulation of a 2-2 game, Ristolainen scored the GWG from his perch at the point.

With his goal at 19:43 of the third period, Ristolainen scored the latest Sabres regulation GWG since Mike Grier did it at the 19:55 mark of the third period on 3/11/06.

Thanks, Bill Wippert

Ristolainen has quickly established himself as one of the most reliable D-men on the Buffalo blue line. Head coach Dan Bylsma seemingly praises the kid's play after every game and practice. Mature beyond his 20 years, Ristolainen has already established himself as one of the young Sabres team whose average player age is 21 years old. Unlike his former first round draft choice buddy Nikita Zadorov, Ristolainen has quickly established himself as one of the best young D-men in the NHL. He is a horse when it comes to blocking shots, playing against the other team's top players and being counted on to get big defensive stops in his own end of the rink. Risto has been all that and more. Risto has lived up to teh advanced billing and truly is a tower of power. By the way, Zadorov, who was the focal point in the Ryan O'Reilly trade with Colorado, was demoted to AHL San Antonio on Saturday. More on that later.

Ristolainen skated 21:17 TOI and took 5 shots on Saturday, scoring two goals.

His biggest contribution was defending against two future Hall Of Famers in Henrik and Daniel Sedin. He told me that playing against the Sedins was a difficult task.

"They are so big and so strong. The cycle the puck well and they know how to pull defenders out of position. We had to be patient and not get chasing them. I thought we did a good job against them".

You sure did, Risto.

Ristolainen told me that he is embracing the leadership role that Dan Bylsma and his veteran teammates have bestowed upon him.

"I'm trying to be a leader by leading in my own way. I'm trying to earn a lot of ice time and play against the other team's best (players)."

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