Doohickie

I'd trade VO straight up for Johnny Hockey if the Jackets retained 50%.

RyJo.

Not exactly a Casey Mittelstadt, are ya?

Oh, that's already old enough to be fashionable again.

Why is this so hard to understand? They wanted to to give RyJo a game but against Toronto they wanted the luxury of not having to give him a regular shift. He did well in limited minutes, a +1 with an assist on a great pass. It also allowed them to limit Bryson's minutes. And face it, we knew whatever line Olofsson was on would get limited minutes so why make it a line at all? It will be interesting to see who this develops going forward. Will the 11F/7D alignment continue? Or will they go back to 6D and if so, does RyJo play in Bryson's place?

"Can I take your order?"

It was the kid, Ryan Johnson. The New Muel.

I think there will be a season-long carousel of prospects nibbling around the roster. We've already gotten glimpses of Benson, Biro, Rousek, now RyJo, and possibly Savoie and Kulich on the way. I don't think Kevyn will ditch Olofsson and Bryson for those guys, but when injuries occur up the roster, the brain trust feels better bringing someone up from Rochester to play up the lineup than to hand it to the 13F/7D. So I kind of expect the carousel to continue for now, with VO and Bryson staying on the roster to step in if someone has a hangnail in the pre-game skate.

I think RyJo is the Sabres 7D at this point, but they feel it more important for him to play every day than to sit him on a shelf. So when the Sabres D are all healthy, he plays in Rochester. I kind of expect that by the end of the season he will be in the Top Six. I don't think I have that much influence, but I think RyJo is the shortest combination to type that doesn't confuse him with a hall of fame announcer but makes it clear who I mean.

This would be a top line on a few teams I think.

A good summary but one thing that I think needs to be mentioned is that, like the Avs game, the Sabres effectively swarmed the puck, forcing errant passes and turnovers. TO did the same to us, actually. But in the end putting the Skinner-Tage-Tuch line back together, and a very effective (and bruising/hard to play against) line of JJP-Mitts-Greenway gave us the edge to TO's very, very good top line. I'm adjusting my Concept of Peterka to include physical play. He's not big like Greenway, but he plays a strong-on-his skates game like Mitts does.

I can't argue with the three stars, but I still feel Greenway and Tage were both robbed somehow.

Maybe, but I think the goals allowed would have been different goals. For instance on the hat trick deflection, UPL would have covered more of the net. But there was that diving play back to Levi's left that I don't think Oopie would make.

I'm gonna rescind that statement. It's almost like I jinxed him in a good way because he seemed to get stronger as the game progressed. I think it's being back with Skinner and Tage.

JJP has a man body now. His tenacity reminds me of Skinner when they're both dogging the puck, but JJP can weather a hit far better, and give back besides. Speaking of hits, at one point in the third period Dahlin got absolutely crushed behind the Sabres goal, but the puck never left his stick. He bounced off the hit and passed the puck up ice. That's gotta be demoralizing to get all of a check and it has no effect on the play whatsoever. On the plus side, VO drew a penalty. Krebs had a good close-in look and almost scored but he didn't have a lot of options.

They got the band (Skinner-Tage-Tuch) back together tonight and it made all the difference. I suggested that last game when Donny was juggling lines. It was only a matter of time before they ended up back together. I can see breaking them up now and again, but that is the most natural line this team has had in a decade.

He passed across two blue lines to catch Skinner in stride who ripped a slapper for a goal.... so yeah, first assist. He looked pretty good in limited minutes.

Toronto? No problem.

Really smart. Could have cleared it or shot for the EN right away but carried the puck down.

RyJo with the apple!

It seems like opponents are always getting a step on Tuch.