game discussion thread GDT - Sabres at Leafs

[Derrico]

 

You did see hodgson's saucer pass to Grigs for the goal right?

 

I didn't watch all of the game but he almost made a beauty pass on a 2 on 1 to Stewart but the d made a sprawling play to just deflect the pick enough.

[dudacek]

I've really enjoyed watching Chris Stewart. Not only does he give this team a nice jolt of testosterone, he also looks dangerous offensively.

He seems to have good chemistry with Hodgson, who was much better tonight, showing off his great passing skills.

A real beneficiary from the play of those two was Girgorenko, who stood out on his own right. He has outplayed Reinhart all camp. That might have been his best game as a pro and he has to still be in the mix as the third line centre.

 

Like most of the lineup tonight, he was fighting for a job.

• Deslauriers should also survive the next set of cuts after his game tonight.
  
• Dalpe will be sent down, but he has shown he can fill in in a pinch.
  
• Armia will also be sent down, but he has added more battle to his game. I think he will be back before year-end.
  
• I feel bad for Larsson, who was showing some real sandpaper before getting hurt. And for Kaleta, who went down too fast to show much.
  
• Flynn and Mitchell were Flynn and Mitchell and are surviving what looks like a war of attrition.
  
• So long, Ellis, Strachan, Petrecki and Bagnall, none of whom embarrassed themselves.
  
• And good-bye Schaller, who I like as a long-shot fourth-line prospect.
  
• Makarov looked much better tonight, showing good athleticism. Maybe between him and Lieuwen and Johansson and Ullmark someone will eventually emerge.
  

Murray said he was going to fix the bottom two lines. I'm starting to think he may have done that.

 

EDIT: Loved how Weber stayed in there with Orr; I want the guy to succeed. Meszaros improves our team. Risto is never going to see Rochester again.

Edited September 29, 2014 by dudacek

[TrueBlueGED]

My game notes:

 

- I did not like what I saw from Hodgson. All of his passes seemed off the mark. If he can't create offense with his passing then he doesn't have much to offer.

 

You did see hodgson's saucer pass to Grigs for the goal right?

I've really enjoyed watching Chris Stewart. Not only does he give this team a nice jolt of testosterone, he also looks dangerous offensively.

He seems to have good chemistry with Hodgson, who was much better tonight, showing off his great passing skills.

A real beneficiary from the play of those two was Girgorenko, who stood out on his own right. He has outplayed Reinhart all camp. That might have been his best game as a pro and he has to still be in the mix as the third line centre.

 

And people wonder why I like stats and have issues with the "eye test" :nana:

[dudacek]

Hodgson wasn't perfect with all his passes, but he did connect with some beauties.

What I liked best though was the authority, timing and decisiveness with which he was attempting those passes.

He was making passes other players wouldn't have even seen, let alone attempted.

[inkman]

The 80-25-19 line looked like a legit NHL scoring line. Guys giving and receiving the puck in a position to score. It was noticeable.

[...]

The 80-25-19 line looked like a legit NHL scoring line. Guys giving and receiving the puck in a position to score. It was noticeable.

 

Agreed. Stewart stood out as a very well-rounded forward, Grigorenko's back-checking and physical play stood out just as much as his scoring attempts, and Hodgson, God bless him, he did make some good plays in the offensive zone. Grigorenko, to me, made up for Hodgson's lack of defensive play, so that line could clear the zone along with the D. It was a dynamic line, fer shure.

[X. Benedict]

 

 

- I did not like what I saw from Hodgson. All of his passes seemed off the mark. If he can't create offense with his passing then he doesn't have much to offer.

 

 

Not quite all. Hodgson did have a pretty nice pass on the Grigo goal. Backhand pass tape to tape through three leafs on the rush.

[Huckleberry]

Lets make this clear, Grigorenko will never be in the mix for 3rd line centre.

 

80-25-19 looked good together, and If Mikhail makes it with the big club it will be as a 2C.

Oh and yes i thought he did very well defensively, a bit dissapointed on that with hodgson. Especially with the phil kessel goal.

Grigs picking up the slack from hodgson and trying to cover bozak.

You might say hell it was mikhails man, but hodgson and grigs switched positions alot. <--- wich i actually liked alot.

 

Reinhart will get his 9 games, but likely in between foligno and gionta then.

Still have a feeling they'll send Grigs to the AHL though, but like i said before. If he keeps this up he won't stay there long.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Heimdall

[biodork]

I read on twitter that they are waiting on X-rays for Kaleta, and Larsson may have a concussion.

 

:(

[dudacek]

Lets make this clear, Grigorenko will never be in the mix for 3rd line centre.

 

 

This is true, at least in the sense of roles. I should have said third centre, with Ennis and Girgensons being one-two.

[X. Benedict]

Lets make this clear, Grigorenko will never be in the mix for 3rd line centre.

 

 

I'm not counting him out. He has been pretty impressive on the dot. He could certainly be in the situation mix if he shows consistency in just that.

If I'm not mistaken, Nolan was matching him against JVR and Kessle - I liked that Nolan tried that.

Edited September 29, 2014 by X. Benedict

[nfreeman]

Not quite all. Hodgson did have a pretty nice pass on the Grigo goal. Backhand pass tape to tape through three leafs on the rush.

 

That is a pretty generous description of that pass IMHO. I agree that it was backhand and through traffic, but it wasn't tape to tape. A true "saucer" pass would have gone over the defensemen's sticks and then landed back on the ice by the time it got to Griggy. OTOH, when Hodgson's pass got to Griggy, it was a foot above the ice. Griggy had to spear it out of the air, get it down to the ice and shoot it off the bounce. It was a great play by Griggy -- the best thing I've seen him do as a Sabre. But it was a low-percentage play because of the high degree of difficulty due to the pass being off of the ice.

[X. Benedict]

That is a pretty generous description of that pass IMHO. I agree that it was backhand and through traffic, but it wasn't tape to tape. A true "saucer" pass would have gone over the defensemen's sticks and then landed back on the ice by the time it got to Griggy. OTOH, when Hodgson's pass got to Griggy, it was a foot above the ice. Griggy had to spear it out of the air, get it down to the ice and shoot it off the bounce. It was a great play by Griggy -- the best thing I've seen him do as a Sabre. But it was a low-percentage play because of the high degree of difficulty due to the pass being off of the ice.

He made the pass. It was a good one, especially on the backhand. Disagree on the DoDifficulty or percentage. He put it right on Grigos forehand.

 

Grigo did a nice job handling it. But a pro should.

[darksabre]

 

He made the pass. It was a good one, especially on the backhand. Disagree on the DoDifficulty or percentage. He put it right on Grigos forehand.

 

Grigo did a nice job handling it. But a pro should.

 

Exactly. It was a good pass because Grigorenko is not Drew Stafford.

[That Aud Smell]

He made the pass. It was a good one, especially on the backhand. Disagree on the DoDifficulty or percentage. He put it right on Grigos forehand.

 

Grigo did a nice job handling it. But a pro should.

 

I agree with the assessment on it being a nice play by Hodgson (not a perfect one -- but a good one), but that pass was made to Grigo's backhand (he's a lefty who was coming in on the right side). Grigo did a very nice job knocking it down (on his backhand) and putting it onto his forehand -- all in the blink of an eye. There are many plugs in the league who would kill to have those hands.

[sicknfla]

 

 

Exactly. It was a good pass because Grigorenko is not Drew Stafford.

 

And that is why I think Grigo should stay. Unfortunately though I think he is headed to Rochester. Armia and him can start building a chemistry. That is not all bad but I hope he keeps up the positive attitude and works hard.

 

Bigger question - IF we get one of McEichel this June where do we put these guys? McEichel is your #1, Grigs 2, Reinhart 3, and Girgs back to wing??

[That Aud Smell]

IF we get one of McEichel this June where do we put these guys? McEichel is your #1, Grigs 2, Reinhart 3, and Girgs back to wing??

 

Lord, let that problem descend upon like us a heavy, steady rain across a parched farm valley.

[Derrico]

Amen.

[sicknfla]

 

 

Lord, let that problem descend upon like us a heavy, steady rain across a parched farm valley.

 

If we do not have that problem then I feel the TANK was a failure.

[North Buffalo]

Lord, let that problem descend upon like us a heavy, steady rain across a parched farm valley.

 

Agreed, plus Sabres need guys who can put the puck in the net. Armia is not there yet and Centers can be moved to wing but rarely the opposite. With McEichel and Girgs, Grigerenko at 3, you could also move could Reinhart or whichever works best. You can't have enough goal scoring centers and God knows the Sabres have had a dearth of both goal scorers and centers. Not necessary to make decision now.

[sicknfla]

 

 

Agreed, plus Sabres need guys who can put the puck in the net. Armia is not there yet and Centers can be moved to wing but rarely the opposite. With McEichel and Girgs, Grigerenko at 3, you could also move could Reinhart or whichever works best. You can't have enough goal scoring centers and God knows the Sabres have had a dearth of both goal scorers and centers. Not necessary to make decision now.

 

Grigo is not a 3. Girgs yes.

[North Buffalo]

Grigo is not a 3. Girgs yes.

Sorry my bad, yes you are correct as usual :)

[X. Benedict]

 

I agree with the assessment on it being a nice play by Hodgson (not a perfect one -- but a good one), but that pass was made to Grigo's backhand (he's a lefty who was coming in on the right side). Grigo did a very nice job knocking it down (on his backhand) and putting it onto his forehand -- all in the blink of an eye. There are many plugs in the league who would kill to have those hands.

 

 

You are right of course on his handed ness. I'm slightly concussed myself.

[sicknfla]

Sorry my bad, yes you are correct as usual :)

 

Finally!! Now if everyone else can just recognize I am always right life would be a lot easier around here.

[That Aud Smell]

You are right of course on his handed ness. I'm slightly concussed myself.

 

I sorta hated to say anything (and almost did not) -- I've tried (with middling success) to get away from correcting people on inconsequential items (here and elsewhere).

 

I watched it again a few times. Again, I think that's a good play by Hodgson and a great (borderline excellent) play by Grigo.