Sabres snap what might have been the longest consecutive sub .500 stretch in sports history

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Jsixspd said:

I don't know what lit the fire in this team between the 1st and 2nd game,  but it was an amazing bounce-back!  

Honestly, the first game wasn't that bad.  Skinner was with Eich and Reino, no chemistry.  No scoring. 

On the other side of the puck, Boston scored one legit goal on Hutton.  The second and third goals were miscues by the defensive coverage where he was hung out to dry (one could say even the first goal was a defensive miscue).  They just tightened up the D a bit and played with a bit more desperation.  The first game wasn't too different from the second and third; the only difference was the scores.

[Andrew Amerk]

9 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Honestly, the first game wasn't that bad.  Skinner was with Eich and Reino, no chemistry.  No scoring. 

On the other side of the puck, Boston scored one legit goal on Hutton.  The second and third goals were miscues by the defensive coverage where he was hung out to dry (one could say even the first goal was a defensive miscue).  They just tightened up the D a bit and played with a bit more desperation.  The first game wasn't too different from the second and third; the only difference was the scores.

I can appreciate the optimism, but they were complete garbage in the first game, outside of Hutton. 

[matter2003]

12 hours ago, Taro T said:

So javelin tossing & pole vaulting aren't sports?

Nope. Games of skill. Same as Bowling.

[inkman]

12 hours ago, JJFIVEOH said:

NASCAR? NHRA? Motocross?

When the "athlete" runs on gasoline, is it a sport? 

[darksabre]

14 hours ago, darksabre said:

The last time the Sabres were .500, in January of 2013, I was killing myself at the worst job I've ever had. 

It's been a while. 

PS thanks to Ink for saving me from that job and getting me in to a better one, which has led to better jobs since. 

[SwampD]

34 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Nope. Games of skill. Same as Bowling.

 

[IKnowPhysics]

Sabres are getting handily outshot 5v5, including high danger corsi for/against, and it's evidenced in 5v5 goals:

BOS SF-SA 27-23, HDCF-HDCA 5-6, GF-GA 0-2

NYR SF-SA 19-30, HDCF-HDCA 5-9, GF-GA 0-1

VGK SF-SA 15-25, HDCF-HDCA 5-8, GF-GA 3-2

Total so far: 61-78, 15-23, 3-5

(CF% 44.2, HDCF% 39.4, 5v5 GF 32.5%)

 

It's early yet, but the wins like this are unsustainable.  And if they are sustainable, Hutton will win a Vezina and Eichel will win a Hart using only the PP.

 

[SwampD]

51 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Sabres are getting handily outshot 5v5, including high danger corsi for/against, and it's evidenced in 5v5 goals:

BOS SF-SA 27-23, HDCF-HDCA 5-6, GF-GA 0-2

NYR SF-SA 19-30, HDCF-HDCA 5-9, GF-GA 0-1

VGK SF-SA 15-25, HDCF-HDCA 5-8, GF-GA 3-2

Total so far: 61-78, 15-23, 3-5

(CF% 44.2, HDCF% 39.4, 5v5 GF 32.5%)

 

It's early yet, but the wins like this are unsustainable.  And if they are sustainable, Hutton will win a Vezina and Eichel will win a Hart using only the PP.

 

Why do we constantly have to hear stuff like this?  Aren't the extremes a part of averages, as well? Maybe they are unsustainable year after year, but every year there is a team that wins unsustainably. Just ask Vegas.

Also, don't we expect that from jack at some point? Most teams that contend for a SC need one or both elements of that last sentence. 

[IKnowPhysics]

Because we're building a dynasty, not a lucky one-off, so we need to master fundamental five on five hockey.

There's no doubt special teams can win you the few games that you'll need to edge other teams out on the way into a playoff spot, but being bad at the core game will be exposed one way or another.

The good news is it's early and we're getting Ws anyways to stay relevant, positive, focused, and improving.

[Randall Flagg]

We're going to win and lose games where we don't have 2+ goal leads for more than half of the game. In plenty of those games, we are going to outshoot our opponents, because we'll still be trying to win too, and not coasting out the clock. Those games won't be "better hockey" than the games we were outshot in after having such a nice lead that we can afford to kill the clock, even though I hate killing the clock. But it takes more than 3 games to have enough games like that to smooth out wonky shots for/against that are happening all around the league through 2 or 3 games. 

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

The good news is it's early and we're getting Ws anyways to stay relevant, positive, focused, and improving.

This.

4 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

wins like this are unsustainable

Perhaps not, but they are bankable.  They count for 2 points just like any other win.

[JJFIVEOH]

10 hours ago, inkman said:

When the "athlete" runs on gasoline, is it a sport? 

I think so. The gasoline can't do anything without somebody to control it. 

[Thorner]

23 hours ago, Hoss said:

Can we change the thread title since it’s just an assumption without any research?

Also, the title references a sub-.500 streak, but the 5 years thing was about finally getting OVER .500. Nitpicking, but still. 

[SwampD]

Aaaaand, we're back.

[Randall Flagg]

10 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Aaaaand, we're back.

Hey, we are NOT sub-.500. 

Yet.

[SwampD]

3 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Hey, we are NOT sub-.500. 

Yet.

Hey, wasn't the record that we went the longest without a winning record. This whole thread is out of line!