GDT: Buffalo @ Tampa, 7:30 pm EST, NBCSN, 11/10/2015

[WildCard]

Three innit?

3 assists indeed. 2 primaries

[Doohicksie]

$11 gets you into the Stars game. So what's your excuse for not going? Did all those Stars fans buy up the tickets?

 

Actually I'm infiltrating the American Airlines Center on Nov. 21.  :ph34r:

So, who do we think gets the start for next game? Johnson or Ullmark? Personally I go with Linus

 

Either way, it's nice to have choices, innit?  I want to see the Swede.

[darksabre]

Well, I'd like to be celebrating this win but I'm currently sitting with Josie at Highland Hospital in Rochester because she broke her right ankle 15 seconds into her hockey game tonight. Spiral fracture. Season ending.

 

She's fine. She's tough. I'm sure she'll update you guys at some point here.

[Doohicksie]

Oh ouch ooh.  That sounds like it hurtz.  Screws and plates?

 

Feel better soon, Josie!

[MattPie]

Ummm... if you just let it run on gifsound, it goes indefinitely. (Don't ask me how I know :angel: )

Ryan Callahan was the 2nd Star.  I don't remember ever hearing his name.

 

On the radio call, I think he was mentioned as part of a great PK in the 1st (the NBC guys were probably talking about player sock rituals), but I don't recall anything later. I wasn't paying that much attention though.

[dudacek]

Well, I'd like to be celebrating this win but I'm currently sitting with Josie at Highland Hospital in Rochester because she broke her right ankle 15 seconds into her hockey game tonight. Spiral fracture. Season ending.

 

She's fine. She's tough. I'm sure she'll update you guys at some point here.

 

Yeah, but what does the other guy look like?

Get well soon! The team needs you.

[darksabre]

Oh ouch ooh. That sounds like it hurtz. Screws and plates?

 

Feel better soon, Josie!

No screws or plates. She's gonna get a full cast next week I think.

[MattPie]

Well, I'd like to be celebrating this win but I'm currently sitting with Josie at Highland Hospital in Rochester because she broke her right ankle 15 seconds into her hockey game tonight. Spiral fracture. Season ending.

 

She's fine. She's tough. I'm sure she'll update you guys at some point here.

 

Well, that sucks. I wish her a speedy recovery with no lasting effects.

[Andrew Amerk]

Wtf the linesman punched him in the face

Glad I wasn't the only one who saw that.

[beerme1]

$11 gets you into the Stars game. So what's your excuse for not going? Did all those Stars fans buy up the tickets?

 

Maybe I go to more games than you? Maybe not but I only have one game available for this season. Of course I've sold quite a few and one at a loss. The game I have left is against St. Louis on a Monday night when the Bills play. I'm more than happy to go to that game and watch the Bills game when I get home. I'm not selling that game for less than cost.

Perhaps you need more friends which gives you a bigger pool to sell to. My friends get my tickets at cost. In good times, and bad. And your comment about $11 tickets is all well and good but you get what you pay for. I don't mean to sound like a snob but $11 puts you up on the roof no? Still, for $11 the top row in the arena does provide a lot of entertainment. I know because I've sat there many times but it is it's own world up there.

Well, I'd like to be celebrating this win but I'm currently sitting with Josie at Highland Hospital in Rochester because she broke her right ankle 15 seconds into her hockey game tonight. Spiral fracture. Season ending.

 

She's fine. She's tough. I'm sure she'll update you guys at some point here.

 

 

Sir, I hope you both get better quick!

[WildCard]

Glad I wasn't the only one who saw that.

I missed it, what happened?

[Andrew Amerk]

I missed it, what happened?

I believe 3putt is referring to when a linesman did his Apollo Creed impression on Eichel. Yikes was going after a puck along the boards near the blue line. Jackie them gave the ref the 1000 yard stare all the way back to the bench.

[dudacek]

To elaborate on a couple points well-made above:

 

• Easily Jack's most dominant game. I think it might have had a lot to do with finding a pair of wingers he clicked with. He and Ennis both moved the puck better, maybe because each trusted the other guy? Whatever the reason, they never got in each others way the way we have seen it happen with previous linemates. And McGinn is the perfect complement: straight lines, ill humour and just enough skill to keep up. Guy is really growing on me.
• Huge step forward for Reinhart tonight. He went from not getting knocked over so much, to doing nice work shielding the puck with his body. He went from just being in the right spot, to using those spots to actually pick off passes and pick opponents' pockets. What I really appreciate about him is how he seems to adapt instantly to any linemate. That's going to be such an asset down the road. His game tonight actually reminded me of O'Reilly's. Between shielding Jack and mentoring Samson, ROR may prove to be the most important Sabre trade acquisition since Drury, if not Hasek.
• That said, you can't put all the blame on Moulson and Gionta for that line's struggles tonight. Ryan wasn't great at all, muffing several chances to get the puck out. He really looked tired out there. Dan has to dial his minutes back or he will be dead by Christmas.
• And we need to preserve ROR because he is going to be needed in the playoffs. I say that because I am convinced the playoffs are a legitimate goal this year. After 15 games I see a deep, fast, resilient, relentless team, that continues to find itself. The meme is still strong on this board that this is not a good team. This is a good team, that can skate and forecheck with any in the league.  Bylsma has done a helluva job instilling an effective, entertaining system, the players are starting to buy in and the chemistry is coming. I'm not sure yet how good we can be, but I know Tim Murray has replaced the softies and the idiots with real hockey players.

 

These guys are fun to watch. I love this team.

Edited November 11, 2015 by dudacek

[TrueBlueGED]

The fun: Lightning fans are losing their minds. Slow start to the year and they want to fire Cooper and don't care if Stamkos gets traded because he's not a $12 million player (which may be right, but with UFA approaching I can't imagine you'd get enough value in a trade to be preferred over just paying him).

[WildCard]

The fun: Lightning fans are losing their minds. Slow start to the year and they want to fire Cooper and don't care if Stamkos gets traded because he's not a $12 million player (which may be right, but with UFA approaching I can't imagine you'd get enough value in a trade to be preferred over just paying him).

Do you think he's worth that? I'm honestly asking, I don't know if he is

 

Others keep mentioning the playoffs. I say, ###### it, we deserve to have some damn fun. Take a look at those Wild Card standings. We're 3 points out of the WC and Division, and the teams behind us look real, real bad. Tampa will get out of the funk, but NJ, Detroit, Boston, Florida? These are teams we can very realistically compete with. Keep in mind, we don't even have our full team yet. Having Bogosian back will make a world of difference, and Kane back means one Moulson or Gionta can return to realistic roles. 

And, just because I hate Edmonton, they are once again DFL in the West and tied 2nd last in the NHL, with the Laughs. 

Edited November 11, 2015 by WildCard

[TrueBlueGED]

Do you think he's worth that? I'm honestly asking, I don't know if he is

 

Others keep mentioning the playoffs. I say, ###### it, we deserve to have some damn fun. Take a look at those Wild Card standings. We're 3 points out of the WC and Division, and the teams behind us look real, real bad. Tampa will get out of the funk, but NJ, Detroit, Boston, Florida? These are teams we can very realistically compete with. Keep in mind, we don't even have our full team yet. Having Bogosian back will make a world of difference, and Kane back means one Moulson or Gionta can return to realistic roles. 

And, just because I hate Edmonton, they are once again DFL in the West and tied 2nd last in the NHL, with the Laughs. 

 

Honestly I don't think he is. Stamkos' problem is he's one-dimensional so if he's not scoring (or his offense is starting to decline), his value is significantly diminished. I'm certainly not ready to declare his demise, but he's going to be 26 in February and we're going on 1 season + 2nd half of playoffs + 16 games of trending in the wrong direction. The signs are certainly there that investing 8 years and $11 million+ per may not be wise, or at the very least, carry some real risk. Of course, I don't think the signs are strong enough that I'd be willing to stake my career on it either :lol:

 

The problem for Yzerman is what kind of return can he realistically get with Stamkos approaching UFA and heavily rumored to want to play in Toronto? I'm not sure any team is willing to make a Godfather offer unless they know Stamkos will re-sign, but teams are generally hesitant to let a player control the process if they don't have to. Even Toronto, if they're confident they can re-sign him...if they think he's going to UFA, why would they give up something like Nylander/Marner, Rielly, and their 1st? If I'm Yzerman I overpay Stamkos rather than accepting a second rate offer (obviously this changes if Stamkos makes it clear he wants out).

 

Add in Stamkos' alleged rocky relationship with Cooper, and I am utterly captivated by this situation. 

[...]

I was saying over the summer that on paper this looks like a wildcard team. You can factor in all of the new-ness-ness of the team's situation and call that a negative, which I think is fair. That seemed to be part of the "they're not a playoff team" reasoning, anyway. That and the fact that it would take an enormous point leap from the prior two seasons.

 

The latter argument didn't and doesn't sit well with me simply because of all of the new parts on the roster and surrounding it. How can the prior years' numbers reflect anything about the current team? They can't, simply. There is no reliable predicting number you can hang your hat on because of the significant changes to the hockey departments.

 

So, other than looking at them on paper, and subtracting for new-ness-ness, which, again, is fair, you have to factor in coaching. I think no one could have predicted the effect Bylsma would have, but I'm loving his influence on this team and I believe whatever he's doing is negating the negative effect of new-ness-ness, putting us squarely on track for a wild card spot.

[JJFIVEOH]

I don't think Stamkos is worth $8mil/yr much less $12mil/yr. Tampa is a soft, soft team. Last year's playoffs was on the soft side, very unphysical after 1st round compared to recent years. Who knows, that might be the trend. If not, and we get another physical playoffs, Tampa isn't going anywhere. Like Blue said, he is very one-dimensional. In his career his GPG average in the playoffs is almost half the regular season (.557 vs. .313) We just spent three years of hell building a team for the future, now we have a centerpiece. No way I'm even dishing out $8mil/yr for a complimentary piece that disappears in the playoffs. (Relatively speaking of course)

[Norcal]

Bylsma and his assistants have installed systems that work and the players are starting to play instead of think. Jack said as much after the game on msnbc. Legwand was caught flat footed it seemed all night, it would be nice to see Schaller some b4 Kane returns

[GoPre]

This has been mentioned countless times, but man, Eichel is breaking out. He looks so relaxed. Eichel is playing the NHL game as if he's been in the league for a few seasons. Defenders almost have an "oh crap he's coming my way" mentality. Eichel practically embarrassed  Harrison w/ the use of his speed. Anyone else see a jock strap on the ice after that play? All in all Eichel is playing at a level many hoped for to start the season. Awesome thing is he seems to be progressing every game. Rookie year is off to a fantastic start!

[X. Benedict]

Jack is really backing teams off with his skating. Although Franny the Sloth made a great shot, Jack created the time and froze the d.

Bert could do that.

 

I can't remember any Sabre scoring from below his own goal line. Risto's goal might be the longest goal in team history. I know Harry Neale would have tagged it in feet.

 

And Ocho ends up with some spectacular looking saves, mostly because he's slow to arrive for the play once he's not square. He ends up with more teetering highlight saves in a single start than you'll see from a Lundquist in a season. That said, he's giving the team a chance to win, and he's been smart holding the puck because he's not a great handler. Good to see him get the win.

Edited November 11, 2015 by X. Benedict

[wjag]

Well, I'd like to be celebrating this win but I'm currently sitting with Josie at Highland Hospital in Rochester because she broke her right ankle 15 seconds into her hockey game tonight. Spiral fracture. Season ending.

 

She's fine. She's tough. I'm sure she'll update you guys at some point here.

 

Yikes...

[Kruppstahl]

My game notes:

 

- Eichel! A star is born.

 

- Jackie boy was my #1 star, of course. My #2 was Ocho Cinco and Risto was #3.

 

- I loved seeing Risto tangle with Hedman in front of the net. He cleared the crease with an edge all game.

 

- I didn't see the strong game from Reinhart that others saw. I thought he was mostly ineffective.

 

- Moulson was even less effective than Reinhart though. I'd like to see Foligno get a shot with ROR and Gionta.

 

- that win has to be a nice confidence booster for Ocho.

 

- it's starting to happen.

 

Go Sabres.

Reinhart is now my favorite developing kid to keep an eye on.

 

He has the mental component we were hoping for in spades, but is still lagging behind physically, and that is hurting his game. 

 

He is going to need more time.

[That Aud Smell]

Duff's goal calls are pretty good. I asked earlier — why no Dunleavy?

I'm not sure. And am wondering too.

 

Is this tied to Black's departure? Brandon's arrival?

 

Is RJ not riding off into the sunset as had been contemplated?

Edited November 11, 2015 by That Aud Smell

[Stoner]

I'm not sure. And am wondering too.

 

Is this tied to Black's departure? Brandon's arrival?

 

Is RJ not riding off into the sunset as had been contemplated?

Did you miss the news? Rick is not retiring after this season. I wouldn't blame Dan for being ticked. I am adding 1 and 1 and getting 3,289 but Hoss' claim that someone on the broadast team was ready to go to Rick about his Yeichel call made me think there's some dissension in the ranks, although I didn't immediately think it would be Dan doing that, but Duffer.

 

I know I have a good imagination. I could swear Dunleavy looked ticked off the last time I saw him on the air, and he didn't sound, well, like Dan when he did a game recently with Peters. No chemistry ah-tall.

 

All that said, maybe Dan has the flu. But without some explanation from the Sabres as to why the heir apparent didn't do a big road game, I have to wonder what's really going on behind the scenes. I know this. Duffer is not the answer if Dan isn't. NIce guy and a really good broadcaster, but play by play will eat you up, and it had a feast last night.