The First Five Games

[Doohicksie]

They've been staring at me from the sidebar since the site was upgraded.

Boston Bruins @ Buffalo Sabres
New York Rangers @ Buffalo Sabres
Vegas Golden Knights @ Buffalo Sabres
Colorado Avalanche @ Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres @ Arizona Coyotes

How do you think the Sabres will do?  I'm going out on a limb here and say the Sabres will go 3-1-1, with a big loss vs. Vegas and OTL against the Rangers.

So the first 5 games will be:

Boston Bruins 2, Buffalo Sabres 3 (OT)
New York Rangers 5, Buffalo Sabres 4 (OT)
Vegas Golden Knights 8, Buffalo Sabres 2
Colorado Avalanche 0, Buffalo Sabres 2 (Ullmark shutout)
Buffalo Sabres 5, Arizona Coyotes 1

 

Prove me wrong.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Doohickie

[sabills]

The Sabres haven't had a winning record at any point in a season in something like 5 years, so this would be promising.

 

No way I'm picking them over the Bruins, though.

 

If they beat the Bruins and lose to the Rangers back to back I'll have no idea what to expect from this season

 

Edited July 17, 2018 by sabills

[Eleven]

I mean, "prove me wrong" is pretty much impossible!

I could see the Sabres starting anywhere between 0-5 and 3-2.  I think they're going to drop those first two, and maybe even the first three.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Eleven

[Doohicksie]

Just now, Eleven said:

I mean, "prove me wrong" isn't going to happen.

Just a provocative conversation starter.

[Doohicksie]

Here's my thoughts regarding Game 1:  We're so used to the Sabres coming out of the blocks slowly at the beginning of the season.  At some point they will be well prepared coming out of camp.  This is HCPH's "prove it" year I think, and he will push the team hard to win the first few games.  They will catch the Bruins by surprise and win on a fluky OT goal.  They do something similar against the Rangers but fall behind and tie it late before succumbing in OT.  Vegas will blow them out, but then they rattle off a couple wins against the other western teams.

[erickompositör72]

I think they come out of the gate with a fire lit under their collective ####. I think there will be a new energy in the organization, and a new sense of "if I don't get it done, there's somebody waiting in the wings to take my spot and put me on the AHL bus"

I think this will actually bring positive things out of a Zemgus Girgensons type character. Not saying he makes it out with his job- that depends a lot on how Wowie uses him.

Edited July 17, 2018 by erickompositör72

[erickompositör72]

Another thought- Vegas did so well because they had the right mix of both talent, and an attitude of "I'll show you that you should have protected me."

JBot is doing well to fill the pipeline with players who have that attitude- players who want to prove what they've got. Ruff and 90s Nolan new how to get that out of players. I think JBot is trying to recreate that same spirit, from the GM side of things.

We also have elite talent on the team. It's going to click soon.

[Randall Flagg]

We only win IN Boston, so that game is a 4-2 L. 

We smoke the Rangers 5-2. Jack goes ham as he always does against them.

Dahlin gets his first but it isn't enough as Vegas beats us 3-2 in the shootout.

Buffalo beats Colorado 3-1 in a boring game, and then beats Arizona 5-1. The best start since before I could drive a car!

[darksabre]

This squad has turned over quite a bit. It's going to take a while for them to figure things out. 

I think we could easily go 1-4 with the first win coming against the Yotes. 

[ubkev]

19 minutes ago, darksabre said:

This squad has turned over quite a bit. It's going to take a while for them to figure things out. 

I think we could easily go 1-4 with the first win coming against the Yotes. 

Yup

[WildCard]

4-1 lost to Boton

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I think they run the table.  Yup, I said it.

[Randall Flagg]

22 minutes ago, darksabre said:

This squad has turned over quite a bit. It's going to take a while for them to figure things out. 

I think we could easily go 1-4 with the first win coming against the Yotes. 

If I had to actually put money down on something, it would be exactly this. But I'd switch the Yotes and the Rangers. 

[pi2000]

1 W
3 L
1 OTL

[Weave]

Cheez, youz guys aren’t making it more likely I start the season actually tuning in, are you?

[jsb]

1 hour ago, WildCard said:

4-1 lost to Boton

??? Now I understand how you got lost in a supermarket ?

I'm going to go 2-2-1. A respectable start for this franchise. Beating Boston and Colorado will be a chore though.

Edited July 17, 2018 by jsb

[Taro T]

REALLY not happy w/ that row of opponents to start the season.  While all 5 are theoretically winnable, expecting the best case is 3-2 & 2-3 or 1-3-1 are far more likely.

Don't see them beating the B's nor Vegas.  Would be surprised to see them lose to the Yotes.  The other 2 are toss ups.

Would much rather they start the year on the road or at least have 4 probably winnable games rather than 2 if they have to be starting at home.  Hoping Housley has them ready on day 1; but don't expect it.  And could see a slow start really take a good 20-30 games to start to overcome.  By then, they're toast.

[apuszczalowski]

With all these recent signings how could they not go at worse 4-1? 

So far they traded away talent and brought in role players/mid level talent to go with a giant question mark in net.

Going 0-5 is quite possible, 2-3 best case I think

With Vegas, they all had the attitude of they were given away by their previous team in the draft and had a solid goaltender. This team lacks top end talent and is filled mostly with depth caliber players, they will not be viewed as being talented or favourites to win much because they have shown they lack talent and arent good enough....

[CallawaySabres]

Just win the goddamn opener for once so my kids can see a victory against a team they despise. These shiit starts over the last few years have been beyond depressing...

[Derrico]

5 hours ago, Eleven said:

I mean, "prove me wrong" is pretty much impossible!

I could see the Sabres starting anywhere between 0-5 and 3-2.  I think they're going to drop those first two, and maybe even the first three.

Isn't that what you lawyers do all the time :)

4 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

We only win IN Boston, so that game is a 4-2 L. 

We smoke the Rangers 5-2. Jack goes ham as he always does against them.

Dahlin gets his first but it isn't enough as Vegas beats us 3-2 in the shootout.

Buffalo beats Colorado 3-1 in a boring game, and then beats Arizona 5-1. The best start since before I could drive a car!

That's the most optimistic take you've had in months....

3 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

If I had to actually put money down on something, it would be exactly this. But I'd switch the Yotes and the Rangers. 

Ok, that's better ;)

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, Derrico said:

That's the most optimistic take you've had in months....

Imagine his outlook after he’s hit Weave’s age and Sabres experience.

[Weave]

15 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Imagine his outlook after he’s hit Weave’s age and Sabres experience.

Even I can’t go that low.

[Ottosmagic13]

2-3 

Wins over Rangers and Coyotes. Close loss to Boston in the opener 4-3 and then Colorado 3-2 after going up 2-0. Vegas 4-1 loss, with a meaningless PP goal in third, empty netter for vegas. 

Eichel - 2 goals and 2 assists. 

Middlestadt - 1 goal, one secondary assist

Dahlin - 3 assists, a post and a blown tire leading to a shorty against. 

Sheary and Berglund - 6 Garbage style points between them

Hutton - .920 save percentage, 9 goals against. 

[Huckleberry]

we will win all 5 and this place will go bananas.

[pi2000]

44 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

we will lose all 5 and this place will go bananas.

fixed