GDT: Calgary at Buffalo, 7:00 PM ET, 11/21/2016

[Doohicksie]

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
 
The Sabres took a step in the right direction Saturday, beating the Penguins in the SO.  They need to continue in that direction tonight against the CalGARY Flames.  The Sabres are in 8th place in their division, a condition the Flames aren't even capable of in their 7 team division.  In spite of that, the Sabres are actually earning more standings points per game than the Flames.  In short, they ain't no better than us; this is a very winnable game.
 
Things that have to happen to win this game:
1. The Sabres need to score more than one goal in regulation.
2. Lehner has to be the goalie GMTM thinks he is.
3.
 
I think all three are possible.
 
On the Calgary side, the Flames have been splitting the goaltending duties and since The Big Johnson played in Calgary's 3-2 win over the Red Wings Sunday, chances are the Sabres will see Brian Elliott who is 3-8 with a 3.36 GAA and an .882 SV%.  So tell me, Magic 8 Ball, will the Sabres win?

 

Cool! 

 

 

Let's go Sabres!

[Huckleberry]

Nice thanks , we need our centers back though :p

[That Aud Smell]

^

 

Word on the centres.

 

I read yesterday (for the first time) that ROR is out with an oblique muscle injury. That's sounding even more like a sports hernia.

 

Nice job on the GDT.

 

I'll be there tonight -- a shame not to be seeing Johnny Hockey.

[SabresBaltimore]

Man I hope we can put up back to back wins. I was pleasantly surprised when we held on to beat the Pens. I must say I wasn't surprised we only scored one goal and let them tie it up though. I did expect us to give up another goal and lose 2-1 or 3-1 with an empty netter. That's an awful state to be in again. Expecting to lose.

 

I didn't feel confident we'd make the post season this year, but I was cautiously optimistic about it. It's certainly still possible, but we need to get a win streak going here. I agree that Calgary is pretty beatable, but we've shown that so are we. Let's hope we can get some goal scoring going..

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Nice time to have a 2 game winning streak.

 

Just win, not matter how.

 

Nice GDT, chicken head.

 

GO SABRES!!

[bob_sauve28]

Nice time to have a 2 game winning streak.

 

Just win, not matter how.

 

Nice GDT, chicken head.

 

GO SABRES!!

Agreed on everything here ^ 

 

 

Let's go Sabres! Winning streak! 

[LGR4GM]

I suppose I shall watch. I do enjoy Sean Monahan and maybe Reinhart will take another step tonight. He has been inching closer to being better.

[darksabre]

Two AHL teams duking it out tonight.

[woods-racer]

Puck luck is sure to be in our favor tonight. We will triple our goals in tonight's win.

 

Sabres -3

 

The other AHL team- 2

 

Another fun game like the Pitt game is really what I'm hoping for. That was fun hockey will a good amount of scoring chances.

[That Aud Smell]

<bump>

 

When will they announce that ROR is having surgery to repair a sports hernia? It won't be today, apparently - ROR skated today, and Hot Daniel tersely said O'Reilly remains day-to-day with what's been reported as an oblique injury.

[bob_sauve28]

http://www.wgr550.com/Sabres-O-Reilly-skates-but-no-word-on-if-he-ll-pla/22940403

Buffalo, NY (WGR 550)  -- Only a few of the Sabres took the ice on Sunday as the team prepares for Calgary on Monday.
 
I was in studio with Howard Simon for the Bills Roundtable, so I was not able to attend. Thanks to Sabres.com, I was able to listen to Dan Bylsma and will be able to summarize today.
 
Ryan O’Reilly was one of the players that was on the ice, but it isn’t known if he’s going to be able to return against the Flames. Bylsma said, “He’s been on the ice the last few days and today it was only a handful of players on the ice, he was skating with players for the first time.” Bylsma added, “I’ll tell you he’s day-to-day.”
 
There were many nursing minor bumps and bruises that didn’t skate on Sunday. On Saturday, Marcus Foligno was cross checking into the back wall and the NHL made him go through concussion protocol before he could return. Foligno also blocked a shot very late in regulation time to preserve the tie. Bylsma said, “I think Marcus earned his pay check yesterday in a lot of ways in taking the hit and having two huge blocked shots plus, he had seven hits in the game. So he was a big factor.”
 
“I thought Sam Reinhart, especially in the third period dug in hard and battled against Crosby’s line. There were numerous stages in the third period where I thought that was the hardest and the best battle I’ve seen out of Sam and he did it against one of the best players in the game.”
 
I mentioned on Twitter during the Penguins game that I thought Josh Gorges played one of his best games. In my mind his two best games of the season have come against Crosby and Connor McDavid in Edmonton. Bylsma said, “I thought Risto and Gorgie had to check two lines last game with the Malkin line and the Crosby line and 30 minutes for Risto in the game and Gorgie exchanged a few words with Crosby throughout the game and played him tough."
 
Ristolainen played 29:56 while Gorges played 21:54.
 
Taylor Fedun put in over 15 minutes in just his second game as a Sabre. Watching Fedun and Justin Falk play, there is absolutely no reason why one of them couldn’t have been up here being the seventh defenseman while Casey Nelson went down to Rochester and learned the pro game. First Nelson sat and watched and when he did get his chance, he was so bad I was wondering if it was going to destroy the youngster. Buffalo is so good at player development, but I think this one was handled very poorly.
 
Fedun also has an assist in both games he’s played. Bylsma said, “I thought he showed a ton of poise in the game right from the first shift where he makes a play coming out of the D zone, to the play he makes coming up the ice to Carrier wide for the shot that lead to the forecheck and a turnover and the goal, the pass by him on the goal. On the power play his shot is no better than average, but he’s very good at finding ways to get it through to the net.”
 
A huge criticism of this team both by fans and people who work for this team is they don’t stick up for each other. Bad hits often are not addressed and Bylsma said, “We want to be a group that sticks together and has our backs together when we’re on the ice in how we play and in those situations. I think that’s something we can be better at and we need to be better at and we were when all five guys were in there last night and all five of us on the ice at that time were in that together.”
 
Bylsma wanted nothing to do with releasing who the goalie will be on Monday. Anders Nilsson is coming off a shootout win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins where he made 46 saves.
 

[WildCard]

Just keep O'Reilly out until Jack gets back

[That Aud Smell]

Just keep O'Reilly out until Jack gets back

 

If he had the surgery now, his timeline might be about the same.

[Brawndo]

Calgary got a 3-2 Win over Detroit last night with Chad Johnson in net, wonder if he gets the back to back

[SabresBaltimore]

I'm sure RoR wants to come back now, but if he's hurt and needs surgery, he should get it. I'd rather lose another season, or for the month of December then rush him back and lose him again later when it would matter more.

[That Aud Smell]

I'm sure RoR wants to come back now, but if he's hurt and needs surgery, he should get it. I'd rather lose another season, or for the month of December then rush him back and lose him again later when it would matter more.

 

I take an unnatural amount of pride in being the source for this rumour.

 

Also: I take it as a poor omen that we can't get this GDT pinned.

[woods-racer]

Are the SS Mods a superstitious bunch?

 

Last time a GDT didn't get pinned till late we won the game. 

 

The ritual is just fine with me as long as it helps us win. :beer:

[LGR4GM]

Oh great and mighty Chz, we need some moderator powers from on high. Please grant us a pinned GDT, we beseech you this request.

Edited November 21, 2016 by LGR4GM

[Sabel79]

Per Paul Hamilton, ROR practicing with the team this morning. 

[darksabre]

I think he should only play in-conference games if he's hurting so bad but doesn't want to get fixed. 

[hsif]

“I thought Sam Reinhart, especially in the third period dug in hard and battled against Crosby’s line. There were numerous stages in the third period where I thought that was the hardest and the best battle I’ve seen out of Sam and he did it against one of the best players in the game.”

 

I also noticed a better 3rd period from Sam, but I keep having flashbacks to Hodgson......... He get's caught out of defensive position quite a bit, and I've never seen him hit anybody. It must be a luxury to have Sam defend you as you'd never have to worry about being physically checked. We keep hearing of his hockey IQ, but it seems to be offensive minded only ....... I've been in support of him since his draft, but he's starting to lose the lustre in my eyes....

[Brawndo]

Sabres' power play:

Moulson-Reinhart-Okposo, with Ristolainen-Fedun.

Kane-C. O'Reilly-Gionta, with McCabe-Franson.

ROR is not participating in line drills

 

Lines the same as Saturday night:

9-22-21

82-23-12

28-19-26

48-27-10

4-55

29-6

41-38

Edited November 21, 2016 by BRAWNDO

[North Buffalo]

^

Word on the centres.

I read yesterday (for the first time) that ROR is out with an oblique muscle injury. That's sounding even more like a sports hernia.

Nice job on the GDT.

I'll be there tonight -- a shame not to be seeing Johnny Hockey.

Oblique is and ab muscle attached on the side i think to the ribs, but its not a sports hernia.

[bob_sauve28]

Sabres' power play:

Moulson-Reinhart-Okposo, with Ristolainen-Fedun.

Kane-C. O'Reilly-Gionta, with McCabe-Franson.

ROR is not participating in line drills

 

Lines the same as Saturday night:

9-22-21

82-23-12

28-19-26

48-27-10

4-55

29-6

41-38

Any word on Kulikov?? 

[wjag]

Question..  Where should they apply their one goal to, first period, second period, third period or in OT?

 

I think they should save it for the third period.