Pimlach

My Medicare costs went up. My Part C supplement cost went up by a lot. Just wife is still too young for Medicare and her he insurance won't pay for a needed orthopedic surgery (fine print hidden cost "gotcha"). So we went back to the ACA market and the price is staggeringly high, more than it was in 2023, but with no tax benefits either. At least this insurance will accept the pre existing condition an not kick us out.

I am like the Sabres. 0-1 so far.

Is KoShack hurt again?

Tage @ Wing: Tage @ Center: Tage Norris Tuch Benson Tage Tuch Benson McLeod Doan Zucker Norris Doan Zucker Östlund Quinn Östlund McLeod Quinn Malenstyn Kozak Greenway Malenstyn Kozak Greenway

My worst nightmare is that you are correct and yet they trade UPL and he is in fact a solid goalie on a good team, like Ullmark. We know what UPL is. At best he is a streaky guy that can win games if he plays a lot and if he gets support, but he will eventually stumble and cost you games. We know what Lyon is. At best he is a short time 1B that can get hot, but the reality is that he is a journeyman #2 We are learning about Ellis.

It was tongue in cheek, just want to keep in mind that Expected Goals is not the same as actual Goals. You have guys who bury the puck and guys that do not. Another poster here used analytics to argue that Errson had a better game than Ellis. Did we not see that by watching the game? I also saw him throw his stick to make a save, and I saw him make back to back pad saves, giving off huge rebounds, while being so far out of position that he never knew were the puck was or when the shot was coming. Do they have analytics for good luck and bad luck too? I see the value of these analytics and its mostly when you look at them over an extended period of time and the lucky/flukey stuff can balance out.

Goals scored needs to be better, no?

Sure. Only you stop the photos in the frames that best proves your point. "begin the unnecessarily slow moving dipping mechanism" ...

Taro, to me it is easy to read into last nights game. It shows something massive about the character and maturity of the team. They are a work in progress. Still lacking some key pieces, and we saw example of good game day coaching (Tochett) and bad game day coaching (Ruff). How many times have they won 2 in a row and failed to show up to get a 3rd win? Did they look hungry? They expect teams to roll over for them. All the events that preceded the 3 goals in 59 seconds says a lot. Their inability to regroup and come back, they had a lot of time to get back in the game. By far the worse line out there was Benson-Thompson-Norris, the line you expected to carry the team was not at all in sync. The only line I liked all night was Östlund's line. So, after two games I am ready to break up Thompson and Norris to see what else they can do. I think Tage is mediocre center, but as a winger he doesn't seem to know how to get himself open for a clear shot. So put Norris with other players and see what else we have. I also think its time to move Benson off of the 1st line. ZERO goal production and the season is more than 1/4 over. That is not first line worthy. Maybe Benson can work with Östlund? Try a savvy vet like Zucker with Norris? On a side note: I find it odd that Dunne challenges Deslauriers once before the game, and again during the game - only to have Deslauriers pass. My interpretation is that Dunne is viewed as insignificant, and Deslauriers did not want to risk losing a fight and letting Dunne influence the games momentum which turned to all Flyers after the first 5 minutes and 30 seconds - the time that Tage Thompson took a lazy penalty on a power play after playing lazy in his own zone. Note to Dunne, stop looking for silly staged fights. Fight only when it means something, and don't wait for an invitation or for clearance. Just go. Deslauriers waited until the game was all but over to get involved in any scrums, he took an extra 2 minute roughing penalty on Dunne, and then watched as our PP failed to put a shot on net for 2 minutes. Tochett told the TNT guys he wanted to control the ice in front of both nets and they did. That is were hockey games are won.

When the team plays a game like last night its easy to blame the goalie. The Flyers game result was more about the Sabres leadership and focus, about playing smart hockey, and keeping self control. Brutal mistakes were made all night and usually by the best players on the team.

Interesting commentary. Pretty much everything went wrong and the Sabres once again failed to handle adversity. The best players did not step up once again. Thompson’s lazy effort on a PP leads to his hooking call that nullified the PP. Tuch’s failure to clear the puck on a PK leads to a goal. The failed challenge, and another goal. The coach not calling timeout to settle things down, then another goal off of a Benson-Thompson give away. 3 goals in 59 seconds is a BIG problem. After that it was still dysfunctional. Missed opportunities, the goalie throws his stick, a power play that does not shoot. The Sabres finally score and then give up a goal immediately afterwards. Then the Benson goal comes off the board, for offside - Tochett shows Ruff how it’s done. Dahlin’s match penalty. Hell, Dunne couldn’t even convince Des Laueriers to fight. The team lacked cohesion and maturity last night. This road trip will either make ‘em or break ‘em. Terry knows him.

They don’t get the little things, they take short cuts, and they play without passion much too often.

Of course. No goal.

Wha5 a terrible power play.

Well TNT just saw once again why this team doesn’t win. They nailed it. The problem tonight was way beyond Ellis.