Pimlach

Sometimes you say the hard truths that many don't want to hear. Okposo is so highly respected. Girgensons is a sentimental favorite for being a good soldier on a dysfunctional team. Krebs is a kid we have hopes for, especially being a piece from the Eichel trade. After 10 games one thing that is apparent is that our bottom 6 needs to be better, and harder to play against, and willing to the dirty stuff. Our 4th line especially is not doing a lot - we have Kyle with 3 assists. Girgs with 2 goals. Krebs with 1 assist. Probably not even all the points come from playing together. Krebs has hit a wall and he needs to keep working. There is no coincidence that Biro and Rousek are being looked at before Kulich and Rosen. They need more from the 4th line.

Going with the hot goalie is a tried and true NHL coaching technique. If Levi were to lose tonight there would be lots of second guessing. Especially if UPL returns to old UPL form against the sharp shooting Leaves. I think we are better off with a refreshed Levi versus the Leaves.

Don't tell that to people in Buffalo though.

You are correct in that he started slow just like Thompson did. He started to play better since the first fight. He was just starting to get on the score sheet a bit and he now has 7 points (1G + 6A) in 10 games. He is hitting and enforcing, something we need a bottom 6 or bottom 3 guy to do.

This is where Ryan Johnson and Novikov come into play. Can they be top 4? R Johnson - 6' 1" and 195 at 22 yrs old, he can skate and can make that good first pass out. Novikov - 6'4" and 210 right now at just 20 yrs old. Could be a beast out there someday.

Who is not playing if Rousek is playing? Hope Tuch is playing, we need him.

Consistent near sell outs will happen if we keep winning, scoring, and playing exciting hockey - but competing with the Bills for entertainment dollars is not easy. After the football season, if we are still in the thick of it, they will come.

I don't see a Torts team coming out slow. Philly will be hitting and working hard. No doubt they looked at the film and saw some things about UPL and they have at least a few guys that can score. I think we should bury them but we have to play a lot better than Wednesday. Goat Heads, home, a chance for 3 in a row - they better be motivated.

How does bus fare compare to a flight from NYC to Buf?

Sorry to clutter the thread with this, but thanks for all the kind responses and prayers. 🙏 They did a whole bunch of tests - found no damage, no blockage. They are adjusting meds and we move on with maintenance and monitoring. Slept like a bear last night.

I pick Cozens. Mitts should be extended and he will be.

I didn’t sleep. Took my wife to the hospital last night, heart trouble. She is being tested right now and I am waiting … I must be escaping the stress. Sleep can wait.

True. The Power Play is by far the worst aspect of their game. It’s shockingly bad and they give up odd man rushes against us. Pressure - the opponent just puts pressure on whoever has the puck. The last thing they will do is stand and defend, and let us pass the puck.

Samuelsson had 6 hits. The team total was 13. Joker had a nice game after a bad start, he blocked 5 shots.

Not awful, but sheltered. He played 8 minutes. He got pushed around at times and finished -1, he was credited with 1 hit and 2 blocked shots. He did ok, mostly invisible. The Sabres blocked 18 shots as a team. Joker, Power and Dahlin all saved goals IMO. I still cannot believe how slow and lifeless they were.

They did a nice tribute during a break in action. I don’t recall if it was late first period or early second. It started with the Brad May replay, the goal, the frantic May Day call, they then switched the camera to the RJ emblem on a Sabres players jersey - zooming into the emblem from a distance to up close. Last, they showed a shot of him in later years, headset on calling the PBP. They talked about him passing away, his long time service with the Sabres, the iconic calls, the friendly personality, the knowledge, the great players he saw over 50+ years in NHL, the many people he knew, Hall of Fame, Hewitt award, etc. It was well done IMO. Ed Olczyk mentioned RJ was big into horse racing, something they both have in common, and he will miss talking to him. It was good, very nice of them, sincere, and not overblown.

Friday will be a different game altogether. We have to play better, it would be hard not to. But will we get this level of goaltending?

My Three Stars are: UPL TNT Joker honorable mention to Beer-o

Me too. Go Rangers

These TNT guys won’t let the Kale Makar hit go. He lost an edge more than anything else. This happened all the time in hockey.

Last year I recall our first game in Philly and we were slow, shut down, and beaten. Philly played same game but this time we stayed alive with goaltending and some puck luck. Outshot 40 to 15 and win 5-2. I’ll take it.

1K, 2K, 3K, 4K, 5K, .. WE WANT 6K!!!