MattPie

Probably 6-5, but in a division with the 10-1 Patriots and a couple 8-3 teams currently in the wildcard spots but games against those teams. If the Sabres somehow win out, they'd be at 106 points and in. If they take 3 of 4 points for the rest of the season, they'd have 95 and on the bubble. Anything less than that and nigh well impossible. Presidents Trophy pace for a month and a half. I agree, it's not often 6-5 teams win 3 of 4. If they did, they wouldn't be 6-5.

Pretty much. I take no joy in doing this.

It's the bye week. The Sabres have played 60 games and have 62 points. Using the 93 point mark as a reference for the playoffs, the Sabres need 31 points in 22 games, or put another way, they can only miss out on 13 before the playoffs become incredibly unlikely. I'll bump and update as the games go on.

For those lamenting that the bye week is letting teams get away from us: it wasn't that close anyway.

Thanks. The numbers don't look much better getting to 93 points either, so it's moot. What I'm seeing here is the Sabres can only lose 7 games (or miss out on 14 points) tops for the rest of the season before it's very unlikely they're getting in. That's a pretty steep order.

That being said, changes to increase PP scoring will likely reduce the number of Penalties called.

I'd take one or the other: full two minute penalty or icing rules, including no change, in effect for penalized teams. I think both would be too much. Also, more no-change situations, such as puck out play (perhaps instead of the 2-minute delay of game unless it was deemed intentional), goalie freezing the puck, etc.

Heh, that is awesome. IT reminds me of this, although I don't know this clip's provenance:

Yep, I'm with you, left his feet.

Gomez -> Gionta the Younger (played together in NJ, right?) -> Gionta the Elder is plausible, but it could just be him following Twitter and guessing too.

I think I made one at some point, but I don't remember with who or what it was about. I think it'll be determined at the end of this season (one of those "player X will do Y by the end of next season" deals).

Dude, that sucks. I was talking to a Solar City person at Home Despot the other day and I thought of you, and how the energy policy changes might affect.

Mo' goals, mo' problems.

Sign him for two years. It's unlikely the Bills will be in any big games.

I'm just going to pick out the bolded: Keeping the puck on our own sticks would reduce the number of times the D have to go back and get pucks, you can't get beat to the puck when you're skating it into the opponent's zone.

I seem to remember a relatively recent Lindy Ruff-coached team that got mercilessly booed to the end the second and then came out with their hair on fire to start the third. I think they even won the game. I don't think this is the game I'm thinking of, but Sabres booed at home in the 2007 playoffs. https://www.thestar.com/sports/2007/04/27/sabres_3_rangers_2.html

I thought more a slash.

I think we'd need to sweeten that deal.

I'd move Dan for a bag of pucks.

Thanks for the numbers. I'll add another of my own: if I'm reading that right, they need(ed) 40 points in 27 games to get to 96. If you run that over the entire season, that's 121 points., or a record of something like 50-11-21. Does this team look like they can sustain a that's better than the last few President's Trophy Winners for two months?

Ugh, this is all pretty dispiriting. Let's lay it out: - DD's system appears to be Chip, chase, and grind. The leopard doesn't change its spots. - There are players yearning to break free and, well, play. - If this keeps going South, would GMTM bring in a possession coach or DD his "right" coach and any replacement will be more of the same? - Do the Pegulas feel the same way? There's nothing to say they can't fire GMTM and DD and bring in a new regime. I will say I'm not all that interested in watching the games lately. If grinding is the look of the Sabres going forward, that's not going to get any more desirable. Fire DD; if this is GMTM's plan, fire him too. If this is the Pegulas' plan, I may just give up on the team.

It sounds closer than it is. I don't have the numbers handy, but the Sabres are at the point where they have to start winning something like 2 of every 3 games for the rest of the season to get to the mid-90s in points, where 8th usually falls. I have no reason to believe they're going to start winning at that pace for 2 months. I'm pretty sure they're not even going to go out and win at that pace for the next 2 weeks. I'm not saying fire sale, but if a good deal comes along to get a solid prospect for one of our older players, I'd be listening.

Landed over three hours ago and hasn't left yet, Bar Bill must be busy today.

I think here they ask ranch of blue cheese.

It's the best. Terry and Kim have a hankering for Bar Bill and suddenly coaches are getting kicked to the curb. :)