DarthEbriate

Was watching the NFC championship game and it's first time I saw this one. You know what else the Sabres lost when they lost Will Borgen in the expansion draft? His ability to be a billboard. Also, props to the mic setup (or foley artist) to get some serious crunchiness on the pads.

After Eichel's third-period hat trick against the Sabres, the Knights were 13-2 and on pace with Boston at the top of the standings. Since then, they're 16-16-4... not a playoff pace. Eichel was re-cursed by Buffalo. Curse onward!

Central Road Trip (opposition standings within their division) + the 1st half finale: 1st place DAL: W 6th place STL: W 2nd place WPG: W 3rd place MIN: OTL 1st place CAR: Tonight is a good start. This is a very good start. I see you Wedge, good work. Someone must have told them about my little maneuver at the Battle of Taanab.

Try it. Put Rheaves out on defense against Tage and see how that works for you.

WHOA! On the Wild broadcast the projected boards had hidden the goalie behind the net. And then he just... blipped into existence... to play the puck. That was awesome.

What'd I miss? Picking up right where the 6-5 game left off, I see.

Another name to consider (Eichel should easily outproduce him... but if he stays in Vegas' bottom 6 for a couple years or has ongoing injuries, he might not)... Matt Duchesne. Both started out on garbage rebuild teams, had a couple point-per-game level seasons with said garbage teams, and eventually were dealt for a newer core. Duchesne's best season was just a couple seasons ago, but his cap hit has basically been a burden on Nashville every season. He had a couple flashes of promise, but never held onto a top-15 center spot in the league, even if he was a 1C on his own roster.

The Minnesota game is what got the 7s all going. Olofsson had been ice cold going into it (0 pts in 6 gms), Mitts and Jost had combined for 2 pts in the previous 3 games. And then... Minnesota. Jost with a prove-it game against the team that waived him. Mitts with a show-the-folks-back-home game. VO with some overdue goal bills to pay. Combined for 2G and 4A. Including MIN, they're a combined 11-13-24 and +0 in the last 12 games. It's not fantastic, but it's a solid -- not a liability -- third line. They've canceled out the opposition, gotten their points, and scored 3 GWG in the process (yes, one of the GWG was PPG for VO last game, but he got going with the 7s, not because of the PP). And they've had one or two shifts a game where they've controlled the offensive zone had dangerous in-the-slot scoring chances or had time to start the next line change with possession. Mitts dipsy-doodled into the slot vs. Winnipeg which could've easily become a goal if the puck hadn't rebounded right to Hellebuyck lying a few feet outside the crease. Some posts for Mitts too this month. Let's hope they bring it again tonight.

Stop adjusting the goalie reactions, AI adoption, and injury settings! A 34-0 beatdown where only 8 opposing skaters finish the game because you're hitting them with your checking values turned up to maximum isn't any fun.

Asplund is with them morning practice skate, but I could see Krebs joining them if we were to get down a couple goals early, then reserve the veterans as a checking line against their top guys. It'll be fun to see how this team adapts to no Cozens.

Giving Cozens the day off (and a few days until the home game with Carolina) is the right move. But one thing is certain, the 2nd line is the 4th line tonight.

I don't care. I truly, deeply... ...hope that Lyubushkin goes on an absolute second-half scoring bender. At home games.

I hope he falls to 20th. You know... only one pull-up at the combine, tells the Ducks he hates Disney, tells Vegas he hates sand, and will only play for a city known for a specific preparation for chicken wings.

Agreed. Just going by the COVID shutoff year where they would've picked the 16 playoff teams by percentage points if they hadn't elected for the play-in round.

Technically, we're already ahead of the Caps by points percentage. The Caps are chasin' us. But yes, it would be pretty slick to get into the All Star Break with a spot in the playoffs in both points in the standings (officially) and by points percentage.

"Generational" just means that the player is able to generate clicks online when mentioned as a possible pick for your team in upcoming mock drafts.

And much better defensively.

Notes: Last matchup, the Sabres had the dreaded 2-goal lead and gave up a late 2nd period goal and an early 3rd period goal to tie it. They then gave up a PP goal to fall behind 5-4.... woke back up and won the game. Zuccarello didn't play in their last matchup. On the Sabres side, Joker hadn't yet returned from injury. In their most recent game Thursday vs. PHI, the Wild engaged in 4 separate fights. Recently, Boldy has moved up the lineup and has responded with 6 points in the last 3 games.

Yay! More Eichwalker talk. Looking at tonight's stats vs. NYR... he only skated 15 shifts (hopefully not injured). If not injury-related, then the demotion is in full effect (12 minutes 5 on 5 and 3 minutes PP time). -3 for what it's worth. Cassidy's message was received loud and clear.

Bring 'em on. I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.

Doesn't even need to be a direct blow to the head. Whiplash and getting your noodle jostled can result in a concussion, too.

A little side conversation for a Friday. On 3/1/2022, the Sabres were 16-30-8. Their next game they convincingly beat Toronto 5-1. What was unique about that 3/2/2022 game? Ontario had just repealed COVID attendance restrictions and Toronto's arena was full. Every "big" or "event" game since, the Sabres have shown up. And they've played better and better in regular games as they've gone along. Stay on target. The Sabres have played 76 games since 3/1/2022. 6 games left in the arbitrary season cutoff. (Aside: 2/21/23 vs. Toronto starts the next "new" season as a coincidental bookend.) The Sabres are 42-28-6 for 90 points in those 76 games. They only need 8 points in 6 games to reach 98 points over 82 games -- guaranteed playoff pace. This includes an 8-game losing streak this year and a stretch of 8 losses in 12 games last March/April. Yes, the stretches like that have to get eliminated, but they haven't kept the the Sabres off a playoff pace. The Sabres are good now? The Sabres are good now.

The Sabres are up by 2 goals in the third period. How many goals are they going to give up? 2. How many goals are they going to score? Somewhere in the 1 to 7 range. The Sabres have a lead in the third period? Go strap yourselves in; I'm going to enjoy the third period and another win.

I fail to see the problem with this. Since Toronto's core was reconstituted (drafting Matthews) they've made the playoffs 7 out of 7 seasons in the toughest division in hockey. Sign me up for some of that. Toronto's leaguewide GF/GA rankings in those seasons: 5th/22nd, 2nd/11th, 4th/18th, 3rd/27th (coaching change), 6th/7th, 2nd/18th, 9th/4th. Their defense may have had some blips but it's overall improved year-by-year. They possess the puck and score enough to win regardless of the defense. And they don't have a Dahlin/Power/Muel. This Sabres team is a bunch of 20-24 year-olds who will learn defense as they gain experience. They have no playoff history. Who's can say how they'll react? They might fold. They might be a bunch of playoff monsters. Get into the playoffs every year, play better team defense as your core ages, get a hot PP or a hot goalie in April/May/June, and take your chances. And in the meantime, be fun to watch night in and night out in the regular season. Enjoy the ride.

Disappointing, but it's not going to matter. The Sabres are going to sprint past both of them (technically already ahead of the Caps).