GDT.... Sabres vs B.Bruins 5pm ET Dec.16, 2018

[SABRES 0311]

Finally some primary scoring. Can’t remember the last time Eichel and Skinner scored. 

Beating the bruins is like seeing your wife in those holiday pajamas that fit juuuust right. Gives you a warm feeling all over.

[MODO Hockey]

Wooohooo!!! ? 

[SABRES 0311]

5 hours ago, nfreeman said:

My game notes:

-  That was the kind of win a team produces when it has a lot of heart.

-  Ullmark has had a few so-so games this year, but he's also had quite a few very-good-to-great ones.

-  Hunwick looked pretty decent.  Guhle a bit over his head but not a disaster or a Tennyson.

-  Howie needs to reshuffle the middle 6.

-  WTF is wrong with Bergy for not wanting to be a part of this? 

-  Zemgus and Larsson are both making strong bids for another NHL contract, either from the Sabres or elsewhere.  Good for them.

-  It's happening with Eichel.  Amazing.

I don’t know much about it but I can’t see it being locker room issues. My guess is he doesn’t like his ice time. If so his response is not in line with the current culture of this team. 

Z and Johan have found their niches. They can keep the play going in the O-Zone and are possibly the best defensive minded forwards on this team IMO.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

10 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Gotta run.

Hold the fort for a bit, eh?

Thanks.

NS reporting for duty.

+++++

Any win is great, but against these guys they are always FANTASTIC!!

my coffee is just about ready and I have to pray the dawn prayers.  Back in a few.

[Neo]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

Pacing for 46 points, second all-time behind Phil Housley’s 66 and ahead of Bobby Orr’s 41. Orr’s was in 61 games. Rasmus is already 15th on the all-time list in less than half a season .

The amazing thing is only 12 defencemen in NHL history have scored 20 points that young. 

The caveat is that list includes such luminaries as Rick Hampton and Jim Benning.

https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/player-age/18-year-old-nhl-defensemen.html

I liked Jim Benning!

[PalmTreeMafia]

Quick note: 20 of our first 34 games this season (59%) have come against the top 15 teams (that is, teams positioned to be in the playoffs at this very moment). 27 of our next 48 (56%) come against the other bottom 15 teams. So our schedule does get noticeably easier now. This certainly helps our chances of ending the 7-year streak without playoffs. The border between making and missing the playoffs is currently 34 points, so we do have an 11-point buffer.

[Marions Piazza]

3 minutes ago, FuhrUrsinne said:

Quick note: 20 of our first 34 games this season (59%) have come against the top 15 teams (that is, teams positioned to be in the playoffs at this very moment). 27 of our next 48 (56%) come against the other bottom 15 teams. So our schedule does get noticeably easier now. This certainly helps our chances of ending the 7-year streak without playoffs. The border between making and missing the playoffs is currently 34 points, so we do have an 11-point buffer.

Just win baby!

thanks for the break down, certainly helps the confidence going forward. here's to hoping that we don't 'play down' to our competition in these coming games agains the lesser teams.

[Eleven]

10 hours ago, LawnWranglers said:

Nice to see so many Sabres sweaters on the way out of the building.

Just came here to ask whether there was an inordinate number of Sabres fans there, because it sure sounded like it.

Sounded like that in DC, too, but I'm used to that building being full of opposing fans.

[...]

8 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Eh.  He's had his share of blowouts.  I want to see more consistency out of him before I name him King Linus.

FWIW, I said he'll be ready when...insinuating that he'll work out the bugs and, ideally, learn a lot more from Hutton, by the time he takes over as number one.  We have at least a season and half before that happens I think.  Ullmark will be fine.

[jsb]

5 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Just came here to ask whether there was an inordinate number of Sabres fans there, because it sure sounded like it.

Sounded like that in DC, too, but I'm used to that building being full of opposing fans.

I'm trying to remember the last away game that it didn't sound like there were a large and vocal group of Sabre fans at the game. Alot of ex-patriots are about and we've been spread pretty evenly it appears everywhere

My takes of the game:

1. Jack has entered the superstar fraternity, not just his scoring but his work ethic getting back on defense and along the boards has been nothing short of outstanding
2. The Bogosian hate community needs to disband, he's been a rock since he's been back, protecting his teammates, playing stout D and has been nothing short of outstanding on the PK. Haters don't have to hate on Zach any longer. The bunker needs to close and be Condemned for health reasons.
3. How far has the back line improved over last year?? Guhle no longer is considered a savior to be, let him further develop with the Amerks, his speed is enticing though
4. The Jack-Sampson-Skinner line may be deserving a name soon, they have to be at the least considered in the top 3 in the league right now
5. Girgensons and Larrson have earned their way back in the lineup and have also been outstanding on the PK
6. The 2nd and 3rd lines aren't exactly lighting it up but they're not getting lit up either. I'm not sure the LGR line hasn't become our 3rd line. 
7. I've gone from promoting Phil H to wanting him fired last year to liking him alot again
8. Mr. Smith has not only improved the back line but the entire Sabres defensive game
9. Sobotka's role is to be the faceoff man in the defensive zone and that's about it
10. It appears that Okposo's role is to be the protector of Casey and Sheary and anything else is an added bonus
11. Hutton and Ullmark are the real deals

[Doohicksie]

I keep going back to the Mike Vernon-Chris Osgood tandem in the mid-90s and this situation seems somewhat analogous. 

[Brawndo]

I’m wondering if Botterill should call up CJ Smith and/or Nylander to shake up the middle six. Send Thompson to Rochester if needed. 

[LTS]

17 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

I thought it was an exciting game, we got a loser point against the SC champion and we could have even beaten them in regulation in the last 2 minutes of the game.

Jack and Samson both hit the post.

The Sabres were lucky. I grew tired of the Caps continually exposing the poor defensive zone coverage of the Sabres.  Saw it again last night in the Bruins game.  Look at both goals and where players are looking and standing.  The Sabres looked slow and sloppy most of the night.

16 hours ago, inkman said:

Were your balls in a vice?  I enjoyed it thoroughly. 

 

I don't think any sport can be so subjectively watched as much as hockey.  

What is the point of your question?  What kind of response did you hope to elicit? I'm not entirely certain but I'll attempt an answer.  No, they were not. 

I would agree with your last statement. There are things people see and things people don't see which will influence their enjoyment of the game. Some people find the all-star game entertaining.  Then again, some people think Taylor Swift has talent.

 

 

[inkman]

2 minutes ago, LTS said:

The Sabres were lucky. I grew tired of the Caps continually exposing the poor defensive zone coverage of the Sabres.  Saw it again last night in the Bruins game.  Look at both goals and where players are looking and standing.  The Sabres looked slow and sloppy most of the night.

What is the point of your question?  What kind of response did you hope to elicit? I'm not entirely certain but I'll attempt an answer.  No, they were not. 

I would agree with your last statement. There are things people see and things people don't see which will influence their enjoyment of the game. Some people find the all-star game entertaining.  Then again, some people think Taylor Swift has talent.

 

 

Just wondering why you didn't enjoy it?

[PromoTheRobot]

11 hours ago, LawnWranglers said:

First game at TD Garden in several years. Jack was simply terrific.  All over the ice the entire game.  

Nice to see so many Sabres sweaters on the way out of the building.  

I haven't been to the TDG in years myself. I was shocked to see a skyscraper going up where the parking lot (that was where the original Boston Garden) was.

[LTS]

Just now, inkman said:

Just wondering why you didn't enjoy it?

I mentioned it in the above quote.  Hopefully that answered it.  Basically, shoddy defensive zone coverage and no real speed.  They looked much better in the Bruins game although the Bruins aren't half the team the Caps are at the moment.  Even then, the defensive zone coverage has to improve as they gave up both goals last night on poor coverage.

Given where the team has climbed to this season I am happy.. how could you not be. But that game was not enjoyable for me to watch with them playing so poorly.  A year ago I would have been ecstatic with the outcome.

 

[PromoTheRobot]

57 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Just came here to ask whether there was an inordinate number of Sabres fans there, because it sure sounded like it.

Sounded like that in DC, too, but I'm used to that building being full of opposing fans.

It wasn't a ton of Sabres fans but a nice showing. Don't forget Boston has one of the largest Bills Backers chapters in the country. So a lot of ex-WNYers there. Most of them were at the Harp before the game. Gotta love a 1pm Bills game followed by a 5pm Sabres game.

[grinreaper]

42 minutes ago, ... said:

FWIW, I said he'll be ready when...insinuating that he'll work out the bugs and, ideally, learn a lot more from Hutton, by the time he takes over as number one.  We have at least a season and half before that happens I think.  Ullmark will be fine.

I think we have 2 1/2 years of Hutton. He signed a 3 year contract at 8 million and change.

[North Buffalo]

Jack, Sam, Skins line... hmmm The tricycle?

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, WildCard said:

I need more. This deserves a thread

Me too. Phil had 66 points as a rookie.

[Huckleberry]

27 minutes ago, LTS said:

I mentioned it in the above quote.  Hopefully that answered it.  Basically, shoddy defensive zone coverage and no real speed.  They looked much better in the Bruins game although the Bruins aren't half the team the Caps are at the moment.  Even then, the defensive zone coverage has to improve as they gave up both goals last night on poor coverage.

Given where the team has climbed to this season I am happy.. how could you not be. But that game was not enjoyable for me to watch with them playing so poorly.  A year ago I would have been ecstatic with the outcome.

 

yeah we gave up some chances, but I can be excited for following reasons.

• We have two goalies that can bail us out
• Our top line creates those chances to, try looking at it like a fan of opposing teams.   They are scary.
• Our D is much improved, Ristolainen is playing like a beast, Bogosian is much better to.
• Dhalin still makes mistakes and Pilut will have a spot as soon as next year.  I think he still gets send down.
• Our 4th line is one of the best in the league.
• Fixing our middle six would be nice, but signing skinner is a priority for now and we don't need to go on a Stanley cup run this year.
• We got a GM and a coach that seem to know what they are doing.
• I don't think they are playing that poorly, If you can't enjoy them now while they are in the top of the league, I don't know what else to say.
• The last 5 years were really painful for me, being up at 01.00 am for start of game trying to stay awake.   Its a lot easier this year to be motivated to watch these guys.

[Stoner]

8 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I'm shocked they didn't give a star to one of their goal scorers.

I'm pretty sure there's no "they" there. nhl.com usually has the source of the Three Star selections, and every time I've seen it's been a media member. Now, sometimes it's someone from a radio station, which could be someone from the team's radio network. So semi-team related.

 

[...]

45 minutes ago, grinreaper said:

I think we have 2 1/2 years of Hutton. He signed a 3 year contract at 8 million and change.

...and one and half years left as the number one.

[Eleven]

42 minutes ago, ... said:

...and one and half years left as the number one.

One and a half years, period, because Seattle is going to grab him.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Eleven said:

One and a half years, period, because Seattle is going to grab him.

So, he'll sit on a shelf for a year (preferably not due to a full season lockout) waiting for the expansion draft?