GDT: Sabres at Wild, Sat 11/17/18, 6:00 pm

[nfreeman]

Alrighty then. 

After a lengthy nuclear winter, the Sabres are making us all irrationally happy and reminding us why we love this team.  Even those of us who grew cold and dead inside due to years of neglect are allowing ourselves to daydream about playoff hockey.

They gave us another thrilling comeback win vs a top-echelon team last night, then got on a plane, flew to Minny, probably arrived at their hotel after midnight and are playing another high-quality opponent in the Wild, this time on less than 24 hours' rest.

If they can pull another one out, I and many others here are going to make some outlandish proclamations.

Some snippets:

- The Wild are 4-1-0 in their past five games and 11-3-0 in their past 14. They have allowed two goals or fewer in four of their past five games.

- Wild forward Mikael Granlund has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past five games and is one assist away from 200 for his NHL career.

- Zucker has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past four games. … Koivu has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past two games. … The Wild are 6-1-2 at home and one of three teams with one regulation home loss.

- NHL.com projects Ullmark to start in net and TT and Beaulieu to remain in the lineup, with ERod and Nelson scratched again.

 

 

 

Minny's line combos look like this:

 

LW	C	RW	Forwards
Jason Zucker Rating: 79.1#11 LW	Eric Staal Rating: 80.8#14 C	Mikael Granlund Rating: 79.7#19 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 79.85#7 FL1
Zach Parise Rating: 76.1#26 LW	Mikko Koivu Rating: 75.1#49 C	Nino Niederreiter Rating: 73.1#61 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 74.78#8 FL2
Marcus Foligno Rating: 70.1#115 LW	Charlie Coyle Rating: 71.1#134 C	Jordan Greenway Rating: 71.7#83 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 70.99#26 FL3
Matt Hendricks Rating: 68.5#133 LW	Eric Fehr Rating: 69.4#107 C	J.T. Brown Rating: 68.7#115 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 68.88#29 FL4

 

 

Defensive Pairings		Defense
Ryan Suter Rating: 79.1#6 LD	Mathew Dumba Rating: 77.8#16 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 78.45#2 DL1
Jonas Brodin Rating: 74.7#31 LD	Jared Spurgeon Rating: 78.2#15 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 76.43#3 DL2
Nick Seeler Rating: 72.1#66 LD	Greg Pateryn Rating: 71.3#73 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 71.74#15 DL3

[Wyldnwoody44]

Getting it in under the wire, I didn't see a gdt and was wondering if the game was still on, I also forget I'm 5 hours ahead lol so I thought the gdt was made at 5:55pm

[inkman]

Not a lot of top end talent up front but they make up for it with the D core. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Nice job, nfreeman.

We all know the rules anyway.

MUST WIN!!

GO SABRES!!

We should see Linus this evening.  6:00 PM start time?  What's up?

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by New Scotland (NS)
did Marcus get his dad's #?

[Hoss]

Oh yea there’s more games to play after last night. Winnipeg is better than Minnesota but can’t underestimate this team. Dubnyk always tough to beat.

Not feeling great about this one but eventually you just gotta believe.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Tage is gonna score tonight, he will learn from his gaffs last night and come out playing better, eichel will net one with Skinner and Dahlin getting the assists and okposo will score one in a hard fought 3-2 victory in regulation. 

[darksabre]

I don't know why, but I feel like something unusual is going to happen tonight. 

[Brawndo]

I have a feeling Mittelstadt goes off tonight for 2 Goals and an Assist for his hometown crowd. 

[Brawndo]

Dubnyk in net tonight for Minnesota.

[bob_sauve28]

37 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Tage is gonna score tonight, he will learn from his gaffs last night and come out playing better, eichel will net one with Skinner and Dahlin getting the assists and okposo will score one in a hard fought 3-2 victory in regulation. 

I think Larry gets a goal tonight. He deserves one 

[Andrew Amerk]

Musty winny 

[Eleven]

About time! (I didn’t start one because they lose when I do.)

[Doohicksie]

4 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

Musty winny 

2 minutes ago, Eleven said:

About time! (I didn’t start one because they lose when I do.)

I was thinking about starting another one last night, but I don't want to be the Jeff Skinner of GDTs.

[...]

35 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I think Larry gets a goal tonight. He deserves one 

I was going to write last night that Larry has been performing like an elite fourth liner lately.  It makes me wince on the one hand, but happy on the other.

[nfreeman]

I was thinking the same thing about Larsson.  I was even thinking about a 2-year extension for him.  I really need to take a step back here. 

Separately:  Marcus Foligno has 1-3-4 in 19 games this year and gets about 12 min per night.  

[Hoss]

3 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I was thinking the same thing about Larsson.  I was even thinking about a 2-year extension for him.  I really need to take a step back here.

It’s always good to check yourself lol

[Brawndo]

 

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

So, what the heck is going on behind the scenes that causes Housley to have such a radically different opinion about Rodrigues than the rest of us?

[Hoss]

Just now, Taro T said:

So, what the heck is going on behind the scenes that causes Housley to have such a radically different opinion about Rodrigues than the rest of us?

I like Rodrigues’ energy but I still don’t feel like he’s bringing much more than Berglund or Sobotka and am completely fine with those two drawing in over him.

[Brawndo]

Berglund has 18 points in 37 games versus Minnesota 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Berglund has 18 points in 37 games versus Minnesota 

I didn't say Berglund was the guy I'd sit.

[nfreeman]

1 minute ago, Brawndo said:

Berglund has 18 points in 37 games versus Minnesota 

Good sample size vs a former division rival.  Interesting.

[Brawndo]

Just now, Taro T said:

I didn't say Berglund was the guy I'd sit.

That post wasn’t a shot against you Taro, I saw the stat on Twitter and thought I would share it.

Sorry if it came off any other way. 

[nfreeman]

I too am OK with sitting ERod and playing TT (which I assume is whom Taro was referring to), but if Sobotka-Bergy-Pommer doesn't start scoring soon, I'd be happy sitting Pommer and playing ERod.

[bg17]

No Erod? Who will drive events? Here’s hoping he gets back in the lineup soon and drives an event into the back of the net.