nfreeman

That works for me!

Another great win, in a season in which we've already seen plenty of them with 25 games still to go. My game notes: - Anderson was terrific, although it seemed like the shot and save totals were a bit misleading. I thought the Sabres had somewhat of an edge in carrying the play and Anderson wasn't called upon to steal the game for them -- just to be solid, calm and effective -- although a few of his saves were indeed outstanding (and TBF I did miss the end of the 2nd period and the start of the 3rd). - Still, a performance like that by Anderson has to give the team confidence for the next time he starts. - I think DG will make sure Anderson plays once a week, but I don't see him ramping up Anderson's workload beyond that. I think they've concluded that they can count on solid play from him when he's rested and recovered, so, he'll end up starting about one of every 4 games. Otherwise they think he'll probably burn out and then they won't get anything out of him. - The top line is really firing on all cylinders now. When they play like that, they are good enough to be the best line in any game, or any playoff series, which is a major factor. - Still not liking VO's game much, and I've been a longtime VO supporter. Cozens-VO-JJP, on paper, should be producing much more than they actually are. - Krebs isn't faking his intensity. He burns inside, just like Cozens. It's a great quality to have added to the top 9. That line is getting closer to producing more offense -- if they can get there, it will be a huge help. - Overall I thought they played pretty good team D. - That was a nasty crosscheck into our crossbar that Dahlin caught. He seems like he's getting banged up. - Another big game with playoff implications tomorrow at home vs the Caps, then another home game vs CBJ. They are 2-7 in their last 9 at home and absolutely need to find some mojo at home if they want to make the playoffs. This is a good time to start. Go Sabres.

Barkov and Bennett missing this game, which is pretty important in the playoff race, after 3 days off, doesn't bode well for their health for the rest of the season.

BTW, Eichel is currently tied with 5 other guys for 98th in scoring in the NHL.

I too am expecting UPL.

Mine is beating Boston, in Boston, on 12/31/22. Going into that game, they had won 5 in a row, most recently a home win vs Detroit, to climb to 1 game over Deluca .500. They could end the year by either losing to their longtime tormentors and falling back to .500, or killing the beast in its lair to enable them to start 2023 2 games over .500 and in good position to finally break on through to the other side. They took a 2-1 lead into the 3rd. Bergeron tied it on the PP, and freaking Marchand scored on a breakaway with less than 8 minutes left to give Boston a 3-2 lead. The Sabres pulled the goalie with a couple of minutes left to try to tie it, but the Bruins got possession in their zone and passed it to Pastrnak -- one of the best goal-scorers in the NHL -- near the Sabres' blue line. Pasta aimed for the ENG, but Dahlin blocked it, took two strides and sent a home run pass off the boards in the Bruins' zone for the perfect ricochet to Tuch, who left a nifty drop pass for Cozens, who immediately rifled in the GTG. Then, in OT, Cozens neatly stripped it from Bergeron in the Sabres' zone, rushed it up the left side and made a beautiful pass to Tuch for the GWG. It was a fantastic win. Hopefully we'll look back on it this summer as a milestone on the way to something great.

In any case, if TT stays healthy I think he's gonna get 50. If he does, it will be the first time since PLF and Mogilny did so in 92-93 -- 30 solid years.

Don't you wanna dance? Say you wanna dance!

Now this is a big game. On the road, 2nd night of a B2B, against a team that’s had their number…there are plenty of good excuses for a young, not mentally tough team to fall back on. Here is opportunity.

That was a thrilling win. My game notes: - the superfly TNT is all the way back, which is a great development for the Sabres. - I didn’t like Mitts’ game (among many lousy plays, right before the too many men penalty was called, he butchered a clean 2-on-1 and turned it into an easy TB breakout, which led directly to the penalty), or VO’s. Both of them were much too soft on the puck. Bryson was a bit of a train wreck at times too. - Overall I thought the play was pretty even. I was glad to see them not go to pieces after the early Tb goal. - Another typical Comrie game — quite a few good saves, and he didn’t really give up any bad goals, but you can’t say he was really good either. OTOH, neither was Vasiliyefsky. - The Sabres showed plenty of heart and grit and stuck up for each other tonight. - Rayzor after the GWG: “Lyubushkin is a real nimmisss” - that elbow on KO was suspension-worthy. - I don’t know what the delay of game rule is on the Joki call at the end of regulation but I’d guess it was the right call. There is no discretion in that rule — it is either a penalty or it isn’t. - It looked like Stamkos was trying to draw a penalty on the GWG — dumb play by him, although he had a great game. - what a great play by Krebs on Quinn’s goal. - Why can’t they play that way at home??

True enough, although for dinner I can put away a much larger amount.

2 slices of NYC pizza is too much lunch for me, but 1 slice isn't enough.

Orlov would be great, but he seems more likely to be a rental that a contender pays a handsome price for. I think I read in the Athletic the other day that he's the top defenseman on the trade market after Karlsson. As for getting my hopes up, while I don't expect an Orlov or Chycrun or Meier-level move at the deadline, I think it's about 60% likely that KA brings in a vet defenseman, probably with term remaining, in a lower-profile, lower-cost move. He's not going to part with a #1 or a top prospect but I can see him giving up a #2. We'll see.

Awesome. Exercise is, by far, the best way to deal with stress. You'll be happier and relaxed, and you'll sleep better -- until of course the little one arrives, at which point you will never sleep and will wonder WTF happened. Good luck to you and your wife.

FWIW, which isn't much, I have generally thought of him as a hopefully better Mark Pysyk.

IMHO this team lacks mental toughness. This is the shortcoming that has produced so many poor starts at home. I thought they actually started out fairly well last night for the first few shifts, but after the Leafs' first goal, they panicked and fell apart, which has happened many times this year and which is also a result of the lack of mental toughness. Not every team will stretch a 1-0 lead to a 4-0 lead during a Sabres panic but the Leafs will. It's hard to watch, but it's not surprising for a team this young and inexperienced, and with this franchise's woeful recent history, to have this flaw. Meatballs needs to figure out a way to get them to overcome it, and guys like Cozens, Tuch, KO and Dahlin have to figure out a way to keep themselves and their teammates calm during the storm. Unfortunately, unless they figure it out pronto, they aren't going to make the playoffs.

The article about Savoie in the Athletic that was quoted in the prospect thread got me thinking that a guy like James Patrick, who is Savoie's coach and who spent the last 6 seasons of a 20-season NHL career with the Sabres, would be a great pickup. Smart, calm, still a really good skater, previously a major NHL star who moved a bit lower into the lineup but still a very valuable contributor -- that kind of guy. Teppo Numminen filled the same type of role very well for the Sabres after the lockout. Not sure if there is a guy like that out there who's available in the next couple of weeks, but I'd love to see something along those lines.

The key to a good meatball: - use a 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground pork - mix a decent amount of ground parmesan in with the meat, egg, bread crumbs and seasoning before rolling up. - don’t make them too big. They should be slightly smaller than golf balls.

No. Don't just throw a bunch of free association at a wall to see what sticks. Briere did want to stay, but he did NOT say that Drury backed out. Drury did NOT "lead them on." The Sabres screwed the pooch by not trying to keep Briere AND by jerking Drury around until he got PO'd and left. It was 100% on Golisano and Quinn. They took the best Sabres team in a generation and butchered it -- and not just with Briere/Drury but with a bunch of smaller terrible moves as well.

Novikov was drafted in 2021, so he's finishing his 2nd season post-draft -- so does that make him AHL-eligible next year? Is he under a KHL contract? He's 6'3", 207 lbs and turns 20 in July. That sounds like a defenseman I'd like to see in Rochester next season.

Things we needs: - Show up at home and play hard from the opening faceoff. - More from the Cozens line and the Krebs line - Better execution on the PP

I agree that to advance in the playoffs and generally to step up in class from bubble team to contender the D needs to improve substantially. I think that kind of change is less achievable and less likely to occur this season, to get them into the platyoffs, than PP improvement and home ice improvement.

Eichel may or may not have been popular, but trading him was absolutely a difficult decision for any GM. And I'd guess that Reino, Risto and Montour were reasonably well liked. Respectfully, I think there is zero possibility that they trade Rosen for this little value. At this point they would only trade him in a package for a guy like Meier or other star.

IMHO they will make the playoffs if they improve in 2 areas: - playing at home like heads are not lodged in rectums - power play. They might make it if they only improve in 1 out of 2, but fail in both and they’re out, and succeed in both and they’re in. TT has looked more fluid and less injured to me in the last couple of games, which bodes well form the PP. It is indeed great that it still matters. Win 3 out of the next 4, and we’ve bought at least another 2 weeks of relevance and excitement.

I was fine with the holding call. Probably also would've been fine if it hadn't been called. I also thought the 2nd fumble was a fumble, and that the non-catch along the sideline was a catch. C'est la vie. More importantly, it was a great game, as you point out.