GDT: Buffalo @ Toronto, 7:30 pm ET, 3/7/2016

[Norcal]

I literally forget ###### 5 minutes after it happens. I don't know how people can hold grudges on teams that haven't done anything to warrant hatred since I was a yout.

I don't lose any sleep win or lose nowadays but em, em all.

[Kruppstahl]

Hey Robin Egg!

 

"CFTO, Toronto.  Channel 9; Cable 8"  Remember those spots? 

 

I can relate to the snow effect and the antennas.

 

It was cool growing up with CHCH Channel 11 from Hamilton, CFTO Channel 9 from TO, and CBLT Channel 5 (CBC affiliate in TO).

 

I remember a kid's show where a guy would draw things like birds using pastels on Saturdays.  That was on one of those channels.

I think it's amazing we've only played Toronto once in the playoffs in the history of our existence (during the '99 cup run).

 

As a mostly life-long 30 year old fan, I consider the Sabres biggest rivals to be the Bruins, Phylers & Senators. Not that I don't consider the Leafs a rival, it's been drilled in my head that way since forever and there is a heightened atmosphere at those games, no denying that, I'm just shocked there's not much playoff blood to back that up.

Don't forget TO was always a Norris Division team while we were in the Adams.

On top of that, both organizations have been mediocre for decades with spots of excellence now and again.

 

The 2 teams just never emerged from their respective divisions often enough to be frequent playoff rivals.

 

BTW:  My fantasy for when Bettman dies "tragically" in a plane crash and is replaced by someone who actually cares about hockey is that we go back to the old named conferences and divisions.

 

The more this sport bends over backward to appeal to the average American fan, the worse the TV ratings get.

The league really botched the schedule this season didn't they?

It has been a belief and reoccurring theme with Paul Hamilton all season that the NHL deliberately created a crazy and difficult schedule for us this year as retribution for our first class tank job last year.

 

What we recently did in California is a great example.  Fly to LA, play there, leave for the Bay area, fly back to LA.

 

I actually think there is some merit to this theory.  Our schedule has been more than a bit unusually difficult this season.

[Mustache of God]

Hey Robin Egg!

 

"CFTO, Toronto.  Channel 9; Cable 8"  Remember those spots? 

 

I can relate to the snow effect and the antennas.

 

It was cool growing up with CHCH Channel 11 from Hamilton, CFTO Channel 9 from TO, and CBLT Channel 5 (CBC affiliate in TO).

 

I remember a kid's show where a guy would draw things like birds using pastels on Saturdays.  That was on one of those channels.

Don't forget TO was always a Norris Division team while we were in the Adams.

On top of that, both organizations have been mediocre for decades with spots of excellence now and again.

 

The 2 teams just never emerged from their respective divisions often enough to be frequent playoff rivals.

 

BTW:  My fantasy for when Bettman dies "tragically" in a plane crash and is replaced by someone who actually cares about hockey is that we go back to the old named conferences and divisions.

 

The more this sport bends over backward to appeal to the average American fan, the worse the TV ratings get.

 

Bolded point #1:I never considered that...I was too young to remember how those divisions worked. The Sabres have always been a North East divisional team to me.

 

Bolded point #2: The NHL has just announced "body checking", "scrums" and any sort of instance where "business" is "given" will be removed from games where there has been animosity in the past. It's what the fans want.

[Randall Flagg]

We could wind up climbing to 23rd, tonight, which is in line with a lot of preseason predictions.

[That Aud Smell]

We could wind up climbing to 23rd, tonight, which is in line with a lot of preseason predictions.

 

Son of a gun. 

 

Thanks for that tidbit.

[MattPie]

Oh, yeah. The Good Friday game always comes to mind.

 

 

I'm confused by a couple things in that. Fairly early, the announcer says "player X can't come off the bench or he'll be suspended", while there are 75 guys fighting on the ice. Where did everyone but the initial 12 guys on ice come from? During the penalty announcements, they must have thrown 6 guys out. Do you think Carbonneau got ribbed a bit that he only got 2 minutes for roughing while everyone else got 4, 5, 10, or games?

 

I don't think the reason is either of those things. We don't have any rivalries because we have sucked for too long for anyone else to care about us.

 

Kings/Ducks is a great current rivalry

 

And, none of the teams we consider rivals consider us their main rivals. TOR/MON, BOS/MON, PIT/PHI, NYR/NYI. Maybe Ott'wa does, but I'd guess MON holds that place for them.

 

Hey Robin Egg!

 

"CFTO, Toronto.  Channel 9; Cable 8"  Remember those spots? 

 

I can relate to the snow effect and the antennas.

 

It was cool growing up with CHCH Channel 11 from Hamilton, CFTO Channel 9 from TO, and CBLT Channel 5 (CBC affiliate in TO).

 

I remember a kid's show where a guy would draw things like birds using pastels on Saturdays.  That was on one of those channels.

 

I had a great conversation with some dude at a party once about Curling (before it was in the olympics) as I used to watch it on CBC on Saturdays. Good times. :)

[That Aud Smell]

I'm confused by a couple things in that. Fairly early, the announcer says "player X can't come off the bench or he'll be suspended", while there are 75 guys fighting on the ice. Where did everyone but the initial 12 guys on ice come from? During the penalty announcements, they must have thrown 6 guys out. Do you think Carbonneau got ribbed a bit that he only got 2 minutes for roughing while everyone else got 4, 5, 10, or games?

 

I'm not sure. Maybe he'd already received a misconduct, whether a 10-minute or a game. He was evidently in a different class/status than everyone else who was pouring off the benches.

[Stoner]

Son of a gun. 

 

Thanks for that tidbit.

Oh yeah, the low 20s.

[WildCard]

DROP THE PUCK

[darksabre]

I hope Evander scores a bunch of goals tonight.

[JJFIVEOH]

Sparks Vs Johnson in net tonight

 

This game has blowout or shutout written all over it.

[#freejame]

Furiously googling for a video clip of that Geoff Sanderson goal...

Did somebody say Geoff Sanderson?

 

Goal

 

Game 5 Highlights

 

Bonus goodness

 

Can't wait for the Leafs to be good again, that series is problem my favorite Sabres memory. The Leafs aren't my most hated team but there isn't a team I would rather beat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

[Doohicksie]

Dude sounds like Caruso.

[WildCard]

So. Slow.

Well, Ristolainen couldn't have played that any worse

[Randall Flagg]

Come on boys.

[Brawndo]

Seriously???

[#freejame]

Would have liked to see Gorges do something there...

.

[Randall Flagg]

Risto has to do a better job than that

[sodbuster]

Lol typical.

[Tondas]

Glad we got that one out of the way.

[darksabre]

Weak back check by Kane coming out of the Leafs zone.

[WildCard]

3rd game in 4 where we've given up a goal in the first 3 minutes

[JJFIVEOH]

This game has blowout or shutout written all over it.

 

Or both....................

[WildCard]

The Leafs look like a very well coached team

[#freejame]

3rd game in 4 where we've given up a goal in the first 3 minutes

I'll be expecting to lose in OT then