GDT: Tampa vs Buffalo, 12-2-2014, 1930, NBCSN

[Eleven]

Enroth's save percentage the last five games:

 

.963

.932

.968

.923

.977

 

Enroth has turned back into ETHRON.

[Doohicksie]

3 straight against 2 of the best teams in the NHL no less...

 

That statement right there gives me wood.

[Eleven]

WTF is this team doing???

 

Tim Murray must be swearing up a storm like the owner/GM in Major League...he put together a team that he thought would be last place easily and they are starting to win too many games now...3 straight against 2 of the best teams in the NHL no less...

 

Nolan found one line, two defense pairings, and ETHRON is out of his mind right now. Watch and enjoy.

[Robviously]

WTF is this team doing???

 

Tim Murray must be swearing up a storm like the owner/GM in Major League...he put together a team that he thought would be last place easily and they are starting to win too many games now...3 straight against 2 of the best teams in the NHL no less...

No, he didn't. He brought in Gionta to be the captain and Gorges and Moulson to make us good.

 

If he wanted to be a little more respectable this year but still tank, he F'ed up. Now let's see him find some superstars later in the draft or through trade.

[Doohicksie]

Let me expound on that: If they, the Sabres, know they can beat the league's best, it's going to give them a boost of confidence that they've been lacking for a long time now. They played a gutsy game tonight and didn't wilt after TB scored first.

 

Girgensons is the new Drury - Captain Clutch. You can follow him or you can go play somewhere else. I'll also point out Benny & the Mess, and Staff infection, didn't play tonight. I think those D guys know they're not part of the long term for this team, but Staff will probably step it up a level when he starts playing again.... just in time to attract some trade bait.

 

[MattPie]

I can't fight this feeling any more.

[Iron Crotch]

Zemgus is a 10-foot-tall beast man who showers in Vodka and feeds his baby Shrimp Scampi...

[...]

 

 

Nolan found one line, two defense pairings, and ETHRON is out of his mind right now. Watch and enjoy.

 

 

I think there is more than one line going. The top two are doing pretty ###### okay.

 

Look.. if they are going to play like this and beat teams like Montreal and Tampa before their deep prospect pool gets there then why are we worried? The Kings model has worked well hasn't it?

 

Just remember, no matter what happens. They have 3 first round draft picks, in a deep draft.. the kind that see players like Getzlaf and Perry taken with those kinds of picks.

 

Thanks!

 

This is very hard to resist. They have to make it through December before officially earning The. Hardest. Working. Team. v II moniker.

[Weave]

It moved.

[Tondas]

Myers was a top 2 defenseman tonight, on any team in the league.

[Doohicksie]

Myers was a top 2 defenseman tonight, on any team in the league.

 

Meanwhile, Strachan looked meh paired with Weber. I wonder how Gorges and Weber would do together?

[drnkirishone]

i heard Zemgus uses steel wool as his loofah

[LastPommerFan]

First: Zemgus Girgensons. He's not a power guy who can score, he's a 6'1" Chris Drury.

 

Enroth's save percentage the last five games:

 

.963

.932

.968

.923

.977

 

Totally Sustainable. Enroth is definitely the best goaltender ever to play the game.

 

My two cents: I'm absolutely loving this, but i will be ok if it comes crashing down. I'm ok with 9th place if we're in the hunt. I just don't want to finish 20th in the league. If we stay within 3-4 games of 8th, keep the FAs and let the the kids experience the battle of a playoff push. If they're 4-5 games out at the deadline, sell everything, goalies included.

 

Lastly:

 

Deluca was right.

[Doohicksie]

i heard Zemgus uses steel wool as his loofah

 

All kidding aside, it's hard to remember a Sabre that worked that hard in all phases of the game and had the talent and size to back it up. He didn't drop the gloves, but he did get into some post-whistle extracurriculars. The guy is pretty incredible. I like to think that once the prospects and future draft picks mature, Zemgus will be middle-of-the road, better than most, but not the best of the team. And if that happens, man, this is gonna be a good team.

 

First: Zemgus Girgensons. He's not a power guy who can score, he's a 6'1" Chris Drury.

 

Precisely correct.

[drnkirishone]

All kidding aside, it's hard to remember a Sabre that worked that hard in all phases of the game and had the talent and size to back it up. He didn't drop the gloves, but he did get into some post-whistle extracurriculars. The guy is pretty incredible. I like to think that once the prospects and future draft picks mature, Zemgus will be middle-of-the road, better than most, but not the best of the team. And if that happens, man, this is gonna be a good team.

the underlined is never going to happen. If the sabres get someone better at something then Zemgus he will simply work harder to surpass said player. the whole chuck norris meme was simply laying the groundwork for humans to be able to accept and understand the Zemgus

[Doohicksie]

No one will out Zemgus Zemgus, that's for sure. But think about it - you get a number of high draft picks, even if they all work to the max of their ability, some will be better than others. Reinhart could be just as hard of a worker, but possess slick Ennis-like moves.

 

Looking at it another way, if Zemgus is the best Sabre in the system, just hang the C on him and be done with it.

[TheMatrix31]

Great win. Great freakin' win.

 

All the "tanking" losers are pissed and it's glorious!

 

Be the team that people say "damn, AND they have all those picks?!" rather than the team that people say "well, at least they have picks."

 

 

[dudacek]

Nolan found one line, two defense pairings, and ETHRON is out of his mind right now. Watch and enjoy.

 

Plus the the Little Latvians (Giontas, Flynnos and Mitchellsons) have really looked like an effective third line.

 

And, as somebody (Swamp?) pointed out upthread, the Hodgson first decision was inspired and vintage Nolan.

Teddy believes in redemption and genuinely wants players to succeed.

[bunomatic]

Plus the the Little Latvians (Giontas, Flynnos and Mitchellsons) have really looked like an effective third line.

 

And, as somebody (Swamp?) pointed out upthread, the Hodgson first decision was inspired and vintage Nolan.

Teddy believes in redemption and genuinely wants players to succeed.

 

That and if he doesn't get Cody H going he's absolutely worthless to this franchise at an exorbitant wage and cap hit. And impossible to trade.

[Huckleberry]

hah crap, lost internet connection last night, so only got to watch till the end of the first.

 

From what i saw, zadarov and ristolainen looked very good again, and Myers was a force everytime he skated up the ice.

Only negative thought i had was, we still aren't winning any faceoffs, can't wait for grigorenko to come up next year just for that alone.

edit: the faceoffs must have been better in 2nd and 3rd looking at stats.

 

Hodgsons shootout goal was nicely done, hope he gets more confident again.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Heimdall

[X. Benedict]

hah crap, lost internet connection last night, so only got to watch till the end of the first.

 

From what i saw, zadarov and ristolainen looked very good again, and Myers was a force everytime he skated up the ice.

Only negative thought i had was, we still aren't winning any faceoffs, can't wait for grigorenko to come up next year just for that alone.

edit: the faceoffs must have been better in 2nd and 3rd looking at stats.

 

Hodgsons shootout goal was nicely done, hope he gets more confident again.

 

Actually...a sighting of the great white Buffalo last night. Buffalo scored off the draw. Wahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Edited December 3, 2014 by X. Benedict

[nucci]

That statement right there gives me wood.

You need to get out more.

[X. Benedict]

First: Zemgus Girgensons. He's not a power guy who can score, he's a 6'1" Chris Drury.

 

 

 

Totally Sustainable. Enroth is definitely the best goaltender ever to play the game.

 

My two cents: I'm absolutely loving this, but i will be ok if it comes crashing down. I'm ok with 9th place if we're in the hunt. I just don't want to finish 20th in the league. If we stay within 3-4 games of 8th, keep the FAs and let the the kids experience the battle of a playoff push. If they're 4-5 games out at the deadline, sell everything, goalies included.

 

Lastly:

 

Deluca was right.

 

I'm really enjoying this, and it was actually something closer to what I was expecting (not the wins but the style of play). I don't expect this run to be sustained for long. However, liking the play much better especially the play of Myers and the d-pairings.

 

Enroth is locked in. If I'm in his locker room I don't even talk to him for fear of breaking the Majestic Bubble of Faz from Kevlar 7, Gift of the Gods that Enroth is living in. These things are fragile.

[LaLaLaFontaine]

This was a good game. First period was defensively very sound. We allowed only 2 Tampa shots.

 

Great D, great goaltending and Nolans system seems to be understood and working.

 

And we have pciks and awesome prospects in our pipeline.

[kishoph]

Smart move putting Hodgson out there.

 

I have to admit, that's not the first thought that crossed my mind when I saw Hodgson. In hindsight it was a good move, hopefully it'll give Cody a little confidence. Ennis 2 of 4 on SO's with 2 pipes hit.

The Gus line is starting to look dangerous, they're becoming fun to watch in the offensive zone.