GDT: Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres, 1:08 p.m., February 9, 2019

[Pimlach]

8 minutes ago, SDS said:

 Not to take anything away from the Erod’s effort, I just can’t believe it is not better to just take three seconds and skate to the bench to get a stick than it is the stay out there for a minute without one.

To quote a fighter pilot, “Never Leave Your Wingman”! 

 

Erod with only  his body can contain a point man.  He leaves and both point men are open with only one forward between the two.  Not to mention they had 6 skaters on 4.  

 

He blocked a pass and he almost made a clear with just his glove.  

Edited February 9, 2019 by Pimlach

[Thorner]

Nice win. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I gave a 'thanks' to SDS before I remembered that it happened on the PK.

No problem, though, SDS you can keep your beer.

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I gave a 'thanks' to SDS before I remembered that it happened on the PK.

No problem, though, SDS you can keep your beer.

Where’s my beer?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

21 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Another fine PK play by Rodrigues to jam the puck out to center.

Chi Chi is my first star for his penalty killing work in the third alone.

Yup.  Players need to get 'stars', but you know who gets an honourary star ...

You do, for the awesome thread that got us all going.

2 - 0 in GDTs.  You are up again until you are down.

MUST WIN!!

GO PA!!

[Huckleberry]

oh nice early game tomorrow to 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Where’s my beer?

You must have missed it.  Look again ... cheers!!

[dudacek]

Roger was so good today.

The top line isn't as good without Sam, but all four lines did something, which is what the "move Sam' guys were hoping.

I'm not surprised to see Mittelstadt and and Sheary play better with Reinhart. Nobody should be.

Scandella had has best game in a while, as did Thompson — possibly the best I've seen Tage play in terms of protecting the puck and playing sound positional defence.

But the key was actually scoring on on the PP.

[SDS]

4 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I gave a 'thanks' to SDS before I remembered that it happened on the PK.

No problem, though, SDS you can keep your beer.

 There probably isn’t much historical data to go back and analyze, but I think I would still take a couple seconds of him getting a stick than having to do what he did there without one.  It was the third period so they were the near bench. 

[dudacek]

42 minutes ago, MODO Hockey said:

Jack is so off tonight.. wth

Offensively yes. I think he misses Sam.

Defensively though Jack showed a lot more strength and determination.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

 There probably isn’t much historical data to go back and analyze, but I think I would still take a couple seconds of him getting a stick than having to do what he did there without one.  It was the third period so they were the near bench. 

I think you are probably right.  I am just happy that it all worked out.  He would have been beaten up on here if he had gone to the bench and the Wings had scored.  Instead he is the hero, which is deserved.  He played very well all game.

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Offensively yes. I think he misses Sam.

Defensively though Jack showed a lot more strength and determination.

And a very nice set-up on the PP, too.

[Eleven]

4 hours ago, Tondas said:

I guess I'll have to get used to the fact that PH will NEVER healthy scratch Sobotka.  No meritocracy on this team.

 

2 hours ago, jame said:

Why do we have to suffer Sobotka anymore? Why Phil? Why??????

Sobotka looked pretty good today, especially without the puck.  Watching him at a game is an entirely different experience than watching him on TV.

2 hours ago, jame said:

I’ll take the softie 

That was no softie.  Sheary recognized that he could use the defenseman who was shadowing him as a screen and pulled the trigger.  It was a heads-up play.

52 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Erod!!!

Judging from the timing, I'm guessing this is when he held the puck in the Wings' zone on the PK for a good ten seconds, then managed to steal it back and hold it for a few more.  The crowd went nuts over it.

31 minutes ago, SDS said:

 Not to take anything away from the Erod’s effort, I just can’t believe it is not better to just take three seconds and skate to the bench to get a stick than it is the stay out there for a minute without one.

 

16 minutes ago, SDS said:

 There probably isn’t much historical data to go back and analyze, but I think I would still take a couple seconds of him getting a stick than having to do what he did there without one.  It was the third period so they were the near bench. 

I remember an article from a couple of years ago.  You are right in a 5-on-4 situation.  I don't know about 6-on-4, though.

Edited February 9, 2019 by Eleven

[SwampD]

5 out of 6 points.

Let's keep this going.

[Tondas]

I really like watching Tage.  There's an anticipation when he gets the puck.  For a big man, he stick-handles in a phone booth very well.  At 21, I think his future is bright.

[Thorner]

6 minutes ago, SwampD said:

5 out of 6 points.

Let's keep this going.

The Jets are in a bad stretch right now, and have dropped 3 straight. Including 5-2 in Ottawa this afternoon. Especially with them having to travel, you'd think tomorrow would present a great opportunity for the Sabres to get their first back to back wins since December, and maybe even in regulation, which they haven't done since October. 

It could backfire and we get an angry and determined Jets team, but as we're sitting only 2 points back from the playoffs currently, I think a win tomorrow could go a long way towards kindling a playoff push for these guys.

I hate losing to the Jets, would love to avoid that this season.

[Tondas]

From Sabres PR:

After making 28 saves on 29 shots in today's win, Linus Ullmark is 21-18-6 with a .914 save percentage through 50 career appearances. Ullmark's .914 mark through 50 games is the best by any goaltender who played his first 50 games with the Sabres.

I would assume that this list includes Barrasso, Edwards, Sauve, Miller.  Pretty good company and puts Linus' performances in perspective.

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by Tondas

[That Aud Smell]

21 minutes ago, Tondas said:

I really like watching Tage.  There's an anticipation when he gets the puck.  For a big man, he stick-handles in a phone booth very well.  At 21, I think his future is bright.

I was at the Devils game a while back - his last really good game, I think. He can dangle and move pretty well, and, man, he did so in that game.

Consistency will determine whether he can make it long-term.

[Huckleberry]

Tage sometimes is reall good at breaking up an attack, when he plays well he is good on defense.

[inkman]

2 hours ago, SDS said:

 Not to take anything away from the Erod’s effort, I just can’t believe it is not better to just take three seconds and skate to the bench to get a stick than it is the stay out there for a minute without one.

I concur. The Sabres have been plagued by these for eternity. If the bench extends into your zone, it almost always has to be worth it. 

[jame]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

 

Sobotka looked pretty good today, especially without the puck.  Watching him at a game is an entirely different experience than watching him on TV.

That was no softie.  Sheary recognized that he could use the defenseman who was shadowing him as a screen and pulled the trigger.  It was a heads-up play.

 

Any goal from 30 feet out with no deflection and no one around the net is soft.

yes, great job by Sheary to get the shot off through a D.... still soft on Howard.

lol Sobotka comments.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Reinhart completes the Mittelstadt line.  Mitts has some great skills, but with a player on his line to clean up his high risk maneuvers (he likes to carry through the defense), they are much more dangerous.  It also seems like Sheary has a lot more room out there with Reino playing the dirty game.

Yes. We need two scoring lines and although the top line is a little less for now with Pommers, Mittlestadt is a lot better with Sam. makes us harder to defend and spreads things around a bit. I've said it before, we are only a couple wingers away from being a good hockey team. Imagine how good we would be right now if Nylander was actually any good and maybe Bailey or someone else had been better. 

We will likely not make the playoffs this year but we are much closer than we were this time last year. 

[Stoner]

What was really cool about the whole stickless Erod sequence was that from the time he started to go to the bench to get a stick, the puck was on said stick in the corner in 3.2 seconds — and he turned and cleared the puck. It was about a two-minute shift. Incredible. By the way, Erod didn't break his stick. Risto did in the corner and demanded Chi Chi's twig.

[Tondas]

3 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

What was really cool about the whole stickless Erod sequence was that from the time he started to go to the bench to get a stick, the puck was on said stick in the corner in 3.2 seconds — and he turned and cleared the puck. It was about a two-minute shift. Incredible. By the way, Erod didn't break his stick. Risto did in the corner and demanded Chi Chi's twig.

Risto and his damn balsa wood sticks again.  He's going to cost us a game because of that.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Larsson and Erod were great.    

I think tage deserved more as well,  he created some nice chances.

Tage was originally a center.  There are definitely times he plays like one.  I wouldn't mind seeing him center a line for a game or two.