GDT: Buffalo @ Detroit, 7:30 pm est, 12/14/2015

[WildCard]

Your Buffalo Sabres will head into Joe Louis Arena to face the Detroit Red Wings for a Monday night clash between divisional foes. The Sabres will look to build on what was a fantastic Saturday night win against one of the best teams in the league as they were able to pull out the OT win thanks to ROR. As Flagg noted, ROR not only leads the team in points, but has more than Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, and Tavares, all while playing a better overall game as well. Ristolainen showed he can play the tough game as he stood up Lucic more than once, and was constantly making life rough for LA's stars. McGinn continued to be hot with another goal, Linus Ullmark came up huge when it mattered, and Matty Moulson looked to be improving, hopefully indicated his goal-less drought is at a finish.
 

 

The Detroit Red Wings have been one of the hottest teams in the league as of late. Coming in at 7-0-6 in their 13 game point streak, the Red Wings sit at 2nd in our Atlantic Division. No strangers to OT, the Red Wings beat the Sabres 5-4 in OT in Detroit in their first meeting of the season, one that saw the Sabres climb back in the 3rd only to relinquish the lead on some poor defense, despite Linus making 42 saves and Risto having 3 assists. The Red Wings are notorious for fast starts and bad finishes, and are no strangers to OT.

 
 

The Red Wings are sorely missing Drew Miller, who's absence due to injury has caused Detroit's pk to be at 66.7% ever since. Likewise the Sabres desperately miss the offensive catalyst that is Pysyk, and the forward depth and dynamic that Ennis can bring.
 
Given Ullmark's performance last Saturday and Mrazek getting the majority of starts in Detroit, look for both of them to start. Good luck with that guess though
 
 
Game Preview
 
STATS:
All Stats Buffalo @ Detroit, 1st meeting; 5-4 OT loss
All Team Rankings
Team Comparison Chart
 
Sunday Practice Report; the friendship of ROR and McGinn
 
 
Forwards:
 
88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O’Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart
 
9 Evander Kane – 15 Jack Eichel – 26 Matt Moulson
 
28 Zemgus Girgensons – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta
 
44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand/19 Cal O’Reilly – 82 Marcus Foligno
 
Defense:
 
4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
 
25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 47 Zach Bogosian
 
6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson
 
(McCabe maintenance day)

Victims:
35  Linus Ullmark
31 Chad Johnson

 

Edited December 14, 2015 by WildCard

[TrueBlueGED]

Moulson seems to be improving? But I thought nobody says anything nice about poor innocent ol' no longer shiny veteran Matty Mo!  :rolleyes:

[WildCard]

Moulson seems to be improving? But I thought nobody says anything nice about poor innocent ol' no longer shiny veteran Matty Mo!  :rolleyes:

I mean, he's no Larsson or Foligno, but maybe someday he'll get there. 

 

I really did like his game a lot last Saturday, and so did Flagg IIRC. He had more jump, and made some real nice defensive plays. I'm going to keep starting these damn things with predicting he'll snap that streak until he does 

[JJFIVEOH]

Larsson or Mo. Who scores next?

[Randall Flagg]

Larsson or Mo. Who scores next?

I take Matt. Larsson looks like he might never score again.

[qwksndmonster]

Moulson seems to be improving? But I thought nobody says anything nice about poor innocent ol' no longer shiny veteran Matty Mo!  :rolleyes:

Can this please not become a thing?

 

Moulson hasn't looked better to me.

[Hoss]

Wait I missed a game yesterday? ;)

 

(Appreciate the thread as always, WC)

[WildCard]

Wait I missed a game yesterday? ;)

 

(Appreciate the thread as always, WC)

Dammit, so close  :D

Larsson or Mo. Who scores next?

Matty Mo. Believe!

[MODO Hockey]

Thanks for this WC.

Hard nut to crack, Detroit that is.

[Huckleberry]

Won't be able to watch, stuck at work tonight :p

If they play like the last one anything can happen :D

[LGR4GM]

Larsson or Mo. Who scores next?

Moulson's married, so Larsson.

[That Aud Smell]

Cripes. When do we get to play some so-so teams and maybe pile up a few W's?

 

That said, the game the Sabres had against Detroit a few weeks ago was a real sparkler.

[TrueBlueGED]

Can this please not become a thing?

 

Moulson hasn't looked better to me.

Watch out now, you're about to be accused of only saying that because you're young and Moulson isn't a shiny toy.

 

Snark aside, I do think he showed signs of life last game. But the bar is pretty low for that right now.

Edited December 14, 2015 by TrueBlueGED

[Mustache of God]

Larsson or Mo. Who scores next?

Gotta go with Moulson considering who he's playing with.

[dudacek]

Gotta go with Moulson considering who he's playing with.

 

Well, for the record, Kane and Eichel have a combined 9 assists.

Girgensons and Gionta have 10. :ph34r:

[Rasmus_]

Moulson is playing with Eichel where belongs.  Unfortunately he's A) being paid like a top two line player and B) still has the skill to be it.  Although he's lost some of his polish he needs to be in the top 6.  I'm excited again to see Eichel and company against Larkin who if I could have one other young forward in the league on our roster he would be that player! 

[Randall Flagg]

Cripes. When do we get to play some so-so teams and maybe pile up a few W's?

 

That said, the game the Sabres had against Detroit a few weeks ago was a real sparkler.

We are the so-so team that everyone gets to play, and our last road trip, we lost to all 3 so-so teams in a row :(

[Doohicksie]

Larkin who if I could have one other young forward in the league on our roster he would be that player! 

 

He is an exciting player, no doubt.  I wonder how he would look on the Sabres, and how Jack would look on the Wings?  Would Larkin struggle similarly to what we've seen in Jack if he were on a less-established team?

[TrueBlueGED]

He is an exciting player, no doubt. I wonder how he would look on the Sabres, and how Jack would look on the Wings? Would Larkin struggle similarly to what we've seen in Jack if he were on a less-established team?

I don't think I'm being overly bold to suggest that Eichel would look a lot better playing on Zetterberg's wing than he has centering Gionta and Larsson.

[bob_sauve28]

 

 

 

The Detroit Red Wings have been one of the hottest teams in the league as of late.  

Again?????? Every team we play has a ten game winning streak! 

[darksabre]

Odds this game goes to overtime? 

[Wyldnwoody44]

I'm waiting to see jack jack actually use his size and not poke check from a mile away, he doesn't battle on the boards and stays away from contact like the cowardly lion.

 

Sure he can dangle when he wants/sometimes and maybe he'll grow into that role of the physicality, but color me disappointed in the overall game/effort to this point

Odds this game goes to overtime?

78%

[Huckleberry]

Odds this game goes to overtime? 

 

about the same odds as having a challenge screw us over :D

[Doohicksie]

I don't think I'm being overly bold to suggest that Eichel would look a lot better playing on Zetterberg's wing than he has centering Gionta and Larsson.

 

Exactly.  I'm willing to let Jack struggle a bit though if that's what it takes to learn the big game.  I don't think he's mentally frail to the point that it will harm his development.  And he's got some great mentors, from his landlord, to ROR, to yes, even Samson.  I think Reinhart, probably more than anyone else on the team, can understand Jack's struggles.  He was even more frustrated in 9 games last year I think, and came back strong this year.  I hope Jack and Samson are talking about the transition to the NHL level.

 

And even with his struggles, Jack looks pretty good as a true rookie. 

[Stoner]

The idea that Jack Eichel is garbage is killing me. And I'm the contrarian...