DarthEbriate

With Asplund injured and Hino in the box, do any of these combinations move you? (Only one option with Mitts+VO) Girgensons - Mittelstadt - Okposo Olofsson - Krebs - Jost Olofsson - Girgensons - Okposo Krebs - Mittelstadt - Jost Girgensons - Jost- Okposo Krebs - Mittelstadt - Olofsson

That boarding hit on Asplund did some lingering damage. Good to see their dad get back in the lineup. Will be curious see how they roll with Okposo and Jost and where Girgensons lines up - do they go JOG? Hino or Krebs out?

One extra note on Andor for us Sabres fans. The first name of the actor who plays Cinta (the rebel covert/disguise lady): Varada.

Sports day! Some morning soccer in the background, some early-evening Sabres (late start though, which is odd), and then Portland (no Kozak, yay!) at the T-Birds as a nightcap. Now... how will the Sabres matchup with a red-hot Devil squad? You may fire when ready.

Back on thread target. The Jost pickup didn't and still doesn't wow me -- ask me again sometime (after the initial shine wears off in another 10 games). What Jost does do though, is build a redundancy of Mitts/Jost/Krebs. Center/wingers who could be on the PP half-wall trying to feed Tage/VO/Quinn or be PKers. You don't need all 3 dressed with a similar skill set. Jost is the furthest along in progression and might be the most stable this season. Jost is who Mitts is in a another season (Jost has 150 more games played) and who Krebs could end up being in another few years. And that might mean Krebs goes to Rochester while he's still eligible (as opposed to waiving Jost when Okposo returns). The plus side to Jost is that the league has been filled by 1st rounders who never met the "top 6" expectations with their first team, then found their game and a niche, and contributed for years on teams on the 3rd line or lower. Dan Paille, Tim Connolly, Curtis Lazar, Erik Rasmussen, Joel Armia, even the Concept of Kassian. Maybe he's our Paille.

Re: VO. For VO (or any middle-6 winger on any roster in the league who has shuffling linemates or an inexperienced center, or plays fewer minutes, etc.) the consistency won't always be there. Would we be happier if he were more consistent, or not had a bum wrist/hand for 1/3 of the season last year, and was more physical? Sally Struthers says: "Sure, we all do!" Will Quinn take his place in the top 6 (yes, he should, and just did it appears if the Cozens line keeps playing well), and that's good because Quinn is a 1st round talent and VO was a 7th with a laser blaster. VO absolutely needs someone on his line to carry the puck and do the transition work for him. But one thing we all need to remember the past 2 seasons: when Goalofsson scores -- this team wins. Some players can rack up points during losses. VO... not so much. And no, it's not just empty-netters. It's game-winners and rally-starters (i.e., the big comeback vs. Chicago last season). Splits courtesy of hockey-reference.com (and note: only 29 wins are tallied last season, so there must be 3 shootout wins in there that got counted as ties in the Splits breakdown) 2021-22: In 29 wins -- 34 points (14-20-34); in 43 losses/"ties" -- 15 points this year: In 9 wins -- 10 points (9-1-10); in 11 losses -- 2 points

Nah, there's too much toxic fandom in the world especially in SW. You do you and rank 'em however you enjoy them. One might say: you must rank what you feel is right, of course.

Of note: Quinn was on the ice with Tage at the end of the first when they all got caught with an icing and then knocking the net off and couldn't make a change. Quinn had a 1:30 shift there which would skew his time. But that said! Quinn earned a bunch more ice time for the NJ game. Is it because they're both top-10 pick Minnesotans? Dawe-Zinger-Audette looked competent last night. Fast, at least. Good penalty killing by Dawe-Audette. Come on! Dahlin had Risto scoring 40 in his rookie season. 😇

That's a wrap on season 1. And that's a darn fine Star War right there. Cute post-credit stinger, too. Search your feelings: you knew they were building something relevant and sinister.

Happy (U.S.) Thanksgiving, 'Spacers! In true '90s spirit, don't forget to watch an MST3K-marathon tomorrow. Next up: Ruff and the Devils who just had their 13-game winning streak snapped. They're due for some regression to the Muel.

Unfortunately, Bryson didn't skate in the 3rd, which... that's not how we want him to play less.

Holzinger and Sarich and Primeau?

Comrie (was it Edmonton?) and Anderson (1st game) each had one great game. Add UPL to the list. Now, for some consistency, please. Comrie should move much better laterally -- he's 6'1" 175# to UPL's 6'5" 217#. But, UPL shouldn't be sliding around as much with that frame, he's already there. Very pleased with his game tonight. Now, how will he handle teams after they get a dozen games of video on him... this is where the fun begins.

Primeau fakes to Gratton, then doodles around the goalie and buries it!

You said it. Again...

UPL is.... better than Comrie or Anderson has played yet this season.

I'm watching the Sabres broadcast for the goathead-hype, but I'm guessing Panger is over on the St. Louis broadcast yelling "Jeepers!" and "Jumpin'!" a lot at the Sabres' skill display tonight.

In the last 12, Cozens has 9 points and VO has 6. Sure, it'd be nice to get more, but .75 ppg is pretty darn solid and 60-point pace, and VO has the potential to rack up lots of points in bursts Quinn with the patience! He was so very overdue tonight. I don't think either of them were the issue during the skid. It was more of who was in the lineup for Okposo/Girgs and the befuddlement of the team with the rotating D injuries. As we see --- Muel and Joker and Boushh all being back solves many problems. They should have 4 tonight themselves. But 2 isn't too shabby.

What are Cozens and Olofsson?

Skinnnnnnnnnnerrrrrrr!

Hulu/ESPN+ is way behind once again, it would appear.

Skinner on the bench saying, "This is my goal song next year."

I've never seen the black and red Sabres look so nice. Last time I saw them on TV was on a 27" JVC. This is sweet. (I like the new original better. But these should be routine alternates.)

Blur my gimme, gimme, gimme!