GDT Buffalo Sabres @ Winnipeg Jets 8:00pm ET 11/16/2018

[darksabre]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

I was saying to my Dad, he's the true hero of the game. He's the only one that HAD to score. Nerves of steel. Hutton too, but that's a more common situation for a goalie.

 

Just now, Doohickie said:

Cool as a cucumber.

It made me so happy. Like, here's our guy back again to be the hero. 

[bunomatic]

If Mitts would have roofed that shootout attempt they'd all be talking about him again. So close.

[Thorner]

Let it be noted that Hutton reamed the Sabres out in the second after their slow start, proceeded to stop a point blank, grade-A Trouba chance moments later, and his team responded. We do not win this game last year. They responded to Hutton in a way they never respond to Lehner, and a big part of it was Hutton putting his money where his mouth is with that Trouba save. Guy is a stud, and a leader. Kudos to Botterill. 

Also, they respond to the attitude from Hutton because he's normally such a level headed guy normally and a picture of poise. It was different when it came from Lehner, unfortunately. 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Thorny

[...]

Just now, bunomatic said:

If Mitts would have roofed that shootout attempt they'd all be talking about him again. So close.

If TT would have made it, we'd all be like...

 

[Ducky]

39 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I believe all teams get a bye week now. 

The Jets are on the road for 4 games in 6 nights starting Monday.

Also, I have to give credit where credit is due and it isn't easy. Myers and Morrow (M&M) didn't play half as bad as they usually do.

[darksabre]

1 minute ago, Ducky said:

The Jets are on the road for 4 games in 6 nights starting Monday.

Sorry, not "now" as in "right now", but "now" as in "at some point during the season".

[Randall Flagg]

Only saw the first two periods, then I got to hang out with my girlfriend for the first time in 4.5 months. 

Those two periods were worse than dozens and dozens of periods that were played by last year's Sabres. So were some of the Tampa ones. 

But this year's Sabres have goaltending, and when they get that goaltending, their work and effort and talent can find a way to pull through. 

It's the one position that can drag teams up and down the standings. And until we (apparently randomly luck back into) lines that make guys like Berglund and Pominville 60% shot share guys instead of below 25% (yes Winnipeg is a great team, but there are iterations of this current roster that wouldn't have played as badly as the mindless nonsense we put together culminating so beautifully in Berglund's PP1 penalty, Tage's secondary assist on WPG's goal, and then the revival in the 3rd), it's going to apparently keep saving our bacon. Those are two dreary losses last season that didn't turn out that way this season solely because of the best single offseason move we made - the one that fixed the goaltending. (Skinner, of course, is 1b.) 

And if you read GDTs from good Sabres teams early on in 2005, they read a lot like this one. Frustration in the coaches, in the players, but damned if they didn't figure out how to get the thing that mattered. 

And they played OUTSTANDING hockey for a ten game stretch before the last three or four - if they're finding wins and jumping to 11-6-2 playing like they did today, they're setting themselves up so, so well for when they can get that hockey back again (hint to Phil - 71-10-29 isn't the missing link you're looking for, you already had the best lines we can make right now and had them for a good string of games there, goooooo baaaaaaaaack). 

The Sabres would have to lose five straight games in regulation to get back to NHL .500. What on earth 
 

[Thorner]

8 minutes ago, Ducky said:

The Jets are on the road for 4 games in 6 nights starting Monday.

Also, I have to give credit where credit is due and it isn't easy. Myers and Morrow (M&M) didn't play half as bad as they usually do.

 

 

[...]

3 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Only saw the first two periods, then I got to hang out with my girlfriend for the first time in 4.5 months. 

Like you, they scored in the third.

[Randall Flagg]

Oh, and I'm not saying go out and trade all our picks and prospects. Far from it. 

But this team is 11-6-2. NHL team success is fleeting. Darcy didn't make any moves in 05-06 because that wasn't their contention window, that was going to open the NEXT season, they weren't ready yet. The only thing that wasn't ready for a cup that spring was the AHL defense they had to trot out because of that decision. 

All's I'm saying is, you can always help your team, and you can almost always help your team without harming the future in a significant way, and we might have a good hockey team buried somewhere in our lineup choices. 

And Skinner is 0-18 in the shootout since 2013, since people were talking about that

[Taro T]

12 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Oh, and I'm not saying go out and trade all our picks and prospects. Far from it. 

But this team is 11-6-2. NHL team success is fleeting. Darcy didn't make any moves in 05-06 because that wasn't their contention window, that was going to open the NEXT season, they weren't ready yet. The only thing that wasn't ready for a cup that spring was the AHL defense they had to trot out because of that decision. 

All's I'm saying is, you can always help your team, and you can almost always help your team without harming the future in a significant way, and we might have a good hockey team buried somewhere in our lineup choices. 

And Skinner is 0-18 in the shootout since 2013, since people were talking about that

Yep, and fairly certain Eichel was ridiculously bad prior to this year (1 of 9?) and he nailed 2 of 2 this year.

And things that are different are different & right now Skinner is different.  Should have given him Thompson's shot at worse.

[Randall Flagg]

And people can say all they want about Rodrigues' "risky" plays, but Tage has directly assisted, like, would have recorded an assist, on two offensive zone decisions that lead to immediate goals against in his last three games. Like, handed teams goals on a platter from the offensive zone in two of the last three games. 

IMO, that's pretty 'risky.'

Glad he apparently had a better third than the trainwreck of the first two periods. But this became comical a month ago

I think this game shows exactly why both goaltending and player skill management through lineup choices matter so much, and I don't think it's being too negative to expect more from the only guy who's underperforming his own abilities in this organization right this moment, the guy behind the bench.

Now fix the lines and beat the f*cking Wild for five wins in a row!! 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Randall Flagg

[PerreaultForever]

Hutton! Hutton! Hutton! 

Wow, we have a good goalie, and one who can actually play in shootouts. What a change!

We are now in 3rd place and only 4 behind god's gifts to hockey (according to Canadian announcers) the Leafs. Who'd have thought that?

No idea if this continues. No idea if we will be ok if we get injuries, but it's just finally FUN TO WATCH HOCKEY AGAIN!!!!!

Looks like they've taken time to practice the 3 on 3. Puck possession was really good.

 

Minor critiques/questions. Tage Thompson in the shootout? Umm, ok. 

Don't understand why Housley is juggling lines. Eichel-Skinner-Pomminstein and Zemgus-Larrson-Berglund were two solid lines why not let them stay together and keep developing chemistry? Tweak the other two lines. I just don't get that but whatever, we won. We are ahead of Boston.:)

 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

And people can say all they want about Rodrigues' "risky" plays, but Tage has directly assisted, like, would have recorded an assist, on two offensive zone decisions in his last three games. Like, handed teams goals on a platter from the offensive zone in two of the last three games. 

IMO, that's pretty 'risky.'

Glad he apparently had a better third than the trainwreck of the first two periods. But this became comical a month ago

Well in fairness, Beaulieu's inability to play a 2 on 1 guaranteed Thompson's assist.

And, going the other way and piling on, Tage nearly set up 2 other rushes the wrong way.  Considering he probably only had 12 minutes of ice time; that's horrifyingly impressive.

[nfreeman]

My game notes:

- The Sabres almost got blown out of the building in the 1st 26 min or so of the game, recovered and made it pretty even in the rest of the 2nd, and had the better of it in the 3rd.

- Hutton was fantastic from start to finish.

- TT's giveaway was a dumb play, but one of the Sabres' defensemen (I think Scandy but not sure) got caught in the offensive zone, which was also a major factor in Winnipeg getting that 2-on-1.  And I thought TT, and that checking line, had a pretty decent game overall.  I do not expect him to be scratched tomorrow.

- I strongly disagree with RF that Howie is underachieving, as I think he is a huge reason for the Sabres' newfound ability to overcome deficits and beat good teams, but, like RF, I would like to see some line tinkering.  I do not think Reino is working on the top line.  That line has dropped off at ES, and Sobotka-Berglund-Pommer has been pretty ineffective too.

- The Jets have a very strong mullet game, especially Perreault.

- That turnover by Bogo at the end of regulation was something to behold.

- Dahlin also had a few shaky moments, but played the 2nd-most out of the D group -- almost 23 minutes.

- I know people claim not to like the shootout, but can anyone really say they wish that game had ended in a tie after OT?  That shootout was thrilling.

- As has been noted upthread, Mitts almost won it in the SO -- off the crossbar.  Reino's move, OTOH, was pretty weak.

- Berglund is a huge guy. 

- Ullmark should start vs. Minny. 

 

Now I'm going to say a few things.

1.  This team has heart.

2.  Hutton is a no-BS top-tier starting goalie.  He's the new Tim Thomas -- a guy who by dint of hard work, perseverance and maturity has become an elite goalie relatively late in his career.

3.  If Hutton, Eichel, Skinner, Dahlin and Risto stay healthy, the Sabres are going to be in the playoff hunt all year.

Go Sabres.

[Peace Frog]

This team's resilience is impressive.  I might actually start liking them again.  ?

[Wyldnwoody44]

Due to the time difference, I didn't see it, but in reading the thread, I notice that no one mentioned risto basically all game, I'm assuming this is a good thing? 

[MODO Hockey]

Dear god, we won again!! Just opened my eyes, could not stay awake, i tried, i really did but i fell alseep at maybe 1 at nigh..

 

So glad to see they won! Whooohooo

[inkman]

8 hours ago, Ducky said:

 I am about to strike up a great big gagger for the ride home. 

This sounds wonderfully Canadian

[Hoss]

8 hours ago, darksabre said:

I believe all teams get a bye week now. 

Yea, I think it’s been a thing for the past two seasons.

[That Aud Smell]

7 hours ago, ... said:

Like you, they scored in the third.

/spit take.

 

 

(Um, that’s maybe not quite what I meant.)

[Sabres Fan in NS]

So, they looked pretty bad for much of the game, but Hutter kept them in it.  I will say it ... he should be and is our stating goaler, at least for now.

They found a way to scratch and claw to a road win.  I am starting to like the SO, so long as the Sabres win ... no, actually, I still hate it.

Bogo just about cost them the game in the dieing seconds, but ended up saving it by shoving the loose puck under Hutter, with Jets all around, as regulation expired.

I'm really starting to like this team.  I have always been a fan, but I have not always like the teams over the years.  These guys are pretty darn good and are getting better.

Edited November 17, 2018 by New Scotland (NS)
I don't type very goodly ... still

[sabills]

So playoffs have to be the goal now, right? Not in the mix, playoffs. I'm not saying it's guaranteed; they still need more from secondary scoring, and if Jack or Skinner get hurt all bets are off.

[PromoTheRobot]

9 hours ago, darksabre said:

Can we talk about how electric that Pommers shootout goal was?

Now do you believe!? Now do you believe!?

[Ross Rhea]

Liking the Larry, Girgs and Bergs line alot. 

I would rather see ERod over TT right now

Pommer needs to go back with Jack and Jeff

Mitts is understanding what he can and can't do and is getting better every game

I still think they need some more grit, sandpaper type guys, just a couple, not a whole team full

Hutton has dialed it in and has been phenomenal as of late

PH is doing well, he has got these guys believing and playing well, it's refreshing to see a good Sabre team