Game Discussion Thread

[Derrico]

I think Buffalo takes this one tonight but does give up another shorty. This one is going the distance and obviously Buffalo cannot take the injury excuse against a team already nicknamed MASH Unit.

 

Ya I knew Crosby and Malkin were out but didn't realize some of those other injuries as well. I originally looked at this game and thought a point would be great but with their injuries let's take both points!

[Weave]

Adam is a center so...... which "center" has the flu?

 

 

nm- I see it is Hecht that is out.

[Weave]

Is Mancari still with the team? Do we have Mancari, Adam, Parrish all in tonight?

[spndnchz]

Is Mancari still with the team? Do we have Mancari, Adam, Parrish all in tonight?

 

yup.

[thesportsbuff]

Is Mancari still with the team? Do we have Mancari, Adam, Parrish all in tonight?

 

Yep, that's what it sounds like. But ok -- Mancari Adam and Parrish in for Hecht, Grier, Kaleta right? So if this player with the flu can't play there still might be another call up? Or am I missing something?

[ROC Sabres]

Is Mancari still with the team? Do we have Mancari, Adam, Parrish all in tonight?

Dare I say, that might be our 3rd line?

 

Or are we going with 2 4th lines.

[SabresMojo]

5-0-2 in our last seven, including wins over some pretty good teams. Meanwhile, the Guins are still without their two best players. Dare I say we have the upper hand in this one?

 

We can say we have the upper hand, but with the multiple callups and injuries/illness, etc. It could be about even.

Despite Pitt not having Malkin or Crosby and whoever else is out, Im still scared of this team.

So what if they havent been streaking, the Pens last FOUR games have gone to OT/SO (2-0-2).

Buffalo needs another two points tonight, simple as that, who cares how its done, OT, Shootout, Regulation...we need two points.

 

 

Good post. Pittsburgh has struck me as a very physical team all year. I think the Sabres though are more physical than the hit stat would indicate.

 

Interesting point on Weber. I'd like to see Weber back in, especially against Pittsburgh (both so he can play against his hometown team and because it will be a physical game), but Lindy doesn't usually break up a winning combination. I'm also not sure who he'd bench. Butler has held up his end as Myers' partner, and Myers has been playing pretty well, so I don't think Lindy will want to break them up. Monty-Reggie have been terrific. I haven't liked Leopold's game much since he returned but I think he led the team in ice time vs Minnesota, so Lindy must be happy with him. They could put Weber in for Morrisonn, but that's not really a net gain in the physicality department (in that regard I really liked the Weber-Morrisonn pair).

 

Interesting. Between the Mancari callup and the potential Parrish callup, that tells me that Lindy wants experience in the lineup down the stretch. Byron and Adam may have to wait until next year to get their next shots.

 

I hope the Sabres keep the pedal down. They're finally in the playoffs and I can see them letting up a bit -- but that could change real easy.

 

Obviously he has learned from the previous years of injuries and how they affect the team.

Getting guys experience in crucial "playoff-style" games is def. a good thing to help this team.

 

The Sabres should keep the pedal down, with Pegula in and what seems to be a craving for the Cup soon, why would this team let up?

[Weave]

Yep, that's what it sounds like. But ok -- Mancari Adam and Parrish in for Hecht, Grier, Kaleta right? So if this player with the flu can't play there still might be another call up? Or am I missing something?

 

Probably see 7 d-men and a short 4th line.

[shrader]

Yep, that's what it sounds like. But ok -- Mancari Adam and Parrish in for Hecht, Grier, Kaleta right? So if this player with the flu can't play there still might be another call up? Or am I missing something?

 

Portland's at home right now, so if they're going to call anyone else up, they probably have to do it relatively early so that the player can make it in time. They could dress all 7 d-men if they really had to, and in fact, that might not be a bad idea.

[thesportsbuff]

Portland's at home right now, so if they're going to call anyone else up, they probably have to do it relatively early so that the player can make it in time. They could dress all 7 d-men if they really had to, and in fact, that might not be a bad idea.

 

Then Sekera could play forward :lol:

[SwampD]

We can say we have the upper hand, but with the multiple callups and injuries/illness, etc. It could be about even.

Despite Pitt not having Malkin or Crosby and whoever else is out, Im still scared of this team.

So what if they havent been streaking, the Pens last FOUR games have gone to OT/SO (2-0-2).

Buffalo needs another two points tonight, simple as that, who cares how its done, OT, Shootout, Regulation...we need two points.

 

 

I would also like to add that Pittsburgh's last regulation win came on Feb 4th against, you guessed it, the Sabres.

[LGR4GM]

http://www.tsn.ca/fantasy_news/rankings/nhl/ here are TSN's power rankings for the week. Its interesting to see that they moved the pens up a spot (11th) but mention that hey haven't won in regulation in a month.... the penguin love affair... its sad really.

[X. Benedict]

Drew Stafford traded in his Keanu Reeves shtick and is sounding like a hockey player these days:

 

On eight place:

 

"It feels pretty good but we're not done yet. We're not stopping there. We're not happy with just being in eighth place. The way this team is playing, the way we can play and the way we know how we can play, we're going to keep going."

[kishoph]

I'm interested in seeing what PARRISH can do tonite, he's a little long in the tooth, but throughout his NHL career he was mostly good for 20+ goals.

A lot has been made of NJ Devils winning, but it was brought up today that since JACQUES LEMAIRE has took over as HC ( a little over 30 games) the Devils have a .689 winning percentage, in the same period of time (2 games fewer) the Sabres have a winning percentage of .690 I hope this continues.

[LGR4GM]

so pegula is 5-0-2 as the new owner, does his ethusiasm transfer in some way because this team is not acting the same or even saying the same things it did a couple of weeks ago? Its now we have won, we must win, we will win... Guess its time to ask "Do you believe" Shades of 05-06 season are creeping in...

[Calvin]

Then Sekera could play forward :lol:

I would not mind seeing him play wing on a forward line, a la Paetsch, only with much more speed and finesse. I would worry about him getting pounded in the corners though, the Pens are playing pretty mean.

[Calvin]

http://www.tsn.ca/fantasy_news/rankings/nhl/ here are TSN's power rankings for the week. Its interesting to see that they moved the pens up a spot (11th) but mention that hey haven't won in regulation in a month.... the penguin love affair... its sad really.

so the Sabres haven't lost in regulation since Feb 20th against the Caps, but all that is only good enough for 21st place on his power rankings?

 

that's fine, i'd rather we went into the playoffs as underdogs than being highly touted.

[nfreeman]

Probably see 7 d-men and a short 4th line.

Good call.

 

Drew Stafford traded in his Keanu Reeves shtick and is sounding like a hockey player these days:

 

On eight place:

 

"It feels pretty good but we're not done yet. We're not stopping there. We're not happy with just being in eighth place. The way this team is playing, the way we can play and the way we know how we can play, we're going to keep going."

I too think that he has sounded more mature in interviews this year. I expect being healthy-scratched in the playoffs last year was a humbling experience.

[X. Benedict]

so pegula is 5-0-2 as the new owner, does his ethusiasm transfer in some way because this team is not acting the same or even saying the same things it did a couple of weeks ago? Its now we have won, we must win, we will win... Guess its time to ask "Do you believe" Shades of 05-06 season are creeping in...

 

I'd say no. But there is one similarity...it wasn't until the Spring '06 that the defense really started skating like crazy.

 

Sekera-Montidor

Meyers-Leopold

Butler-Morrison

 

Are probably as fast as and have better shots than -

 

Campbell-Numinen

Tallinder-Lydman

Kalinin-McKee

 

Although the 06 version were better passers, and better on the PK.

This group is moving extremely well.

[thesportsbuff]

I'd say no. But there is one similarity...it wasn't until the Spring '06 that the defense really started skating like crazy.

 

Sekera-Montidor

Meyers-Leopold

Butler-Morrison

 

Are probably as fast as and have better shots than -

 

Campbell-Numinen

Tallinder-Lydman

Kalinin-McKee

 

Although the 06 version were better passers, and better on the PK.

This group is moving extremely well.

 

That's funny, I could have sworn our defense in 06 was more like:

 

Campbell - Lydman

Doug Janik - Jeff Jillson

Nathan Paetsch - Rory Fitzpatrick

[X. Benedict]

That's funny, I could have sworn our defense in 06 was more like:

 

Campbell - Lydman

Doug Janik - Jeff Jillson

Nathan Paetsch - Rory Fitzpatrick

 

Voice of Ross Perot:

 

In Rochester you can hear a giant sucking sound, those are jobs heading down the 90.

[Weave]

That's funny, I could have sworn our defense in 06 was more like:

 

Campbell - Lydman

Doug Janik - Jeff Jillson

Nathan Paetsch - Rory Fitzpatrick

 

 

Depends. Start of the playoffs, or end?

[spndnchz]

No Vanek on the ice this morning. Is he the one with the flu?

 

Crap

[dumb_dumb88]

Vanek not on the ice in morning skate

 

http://twitter.com/BillHoppeSabres

[thesportsbuff]

No Vanek on the ice this morning. Is he the one with the flu?

 

Crap

 

The same Vanek who was praised by all last week for his comments about how "you can't miss games this time of year" after he was injured blocking a shot but didn't miss any time? That Vanek? Yeah, I'm betting he'll be ready by game time.