GDT: Sabres @ Lightning, 7:30pm, February 21, 2019

[Weave]

So..... who wants to be the one to tell Eleven that he missed a decent game?

[thewookie1]

I honestly can't be mad with the Sabres tonight. They played hard, and took it to the best team in the league. We had a few lucky breaks with posts, their goal was started off a lucky bounce too though, and Hutton played like he had in November.

Eichel was dog tired in the OT and I'd assume he expected Sheary to go to the net on that pass in OT. He also should of drawn a call on Killorn the one time seeing as he was being held up like crazy around the net.

Dahlin scored

Risto played great for the first time in a month and a half. 

 

I just wish they'd play this way against all the other teams as they do against the Lightning, Jets, and Leafs.  

 

 

[Andrew Amerk]

25 minutes ago, bobs0108 said:

For the shoot out it doesn’t matter if you are in the box at the end of OT. 

I know that. 

But why?

[LGR4GM]

On 2/20/2019 at 9:17 PM, PASabreFan said:

Yep. Why would you want an undefeated GDT format (when allowed to post on game day)?

I think I did pretty good. 

[Andrew Amerk]

29 minutes ago, Weave said:

I mentioned earlier in the thead, this is the game plan they should have run all season.  This roster doesn’t have the horses to play the way Phil has been trying to get them to play.

Wrong. Phil never has a solid game plan for every game, and never adjusts. It’s not the players. 

[SDS]

25 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Agree.  Phil doens't have the experience to fit the scheme to his players, so he tries to fit his players to his system.  Inexperience.

So, let’s just be clear on what you just said. Weave says Phil SUCCESSFULLY changed his scheme tonight from what he usually runs and you agreed with him by saying Phil CAN’T fit a scheme to his players because he is too inexperienced. 

I’m pretty sure I read that correctly. 

[LGR4GM]

... lawyered

[SDS]

32 minutes ago, Weave said:

I mentioned earlier in the thead, this is the game plan they should have run all season.  This roster doesn’t have the horses to play the way Phil has been trying to get them to play.

Or what if this team has been operating in a different mode other than win by any means? What if coming from last place, the point of this season was to see who is capable of doing what and who is not capable?  What if Phil wants to train his youngest stars to play the way he wants them to play instead of having them play to the lowest common denominator on a team that is not ready for prime time? 

[Neo]

13 minutes ago, SDS said:

Or what if this team has been operating in a different mode other than win by any means? What if coming from last place, the point of this season was to see who is capable of doing what and who is not capable?  What if Phil wants to train his youngest stars to play the way he wants them to play instead of having them play to the lowest common denominator on a team that is not ready for prime time? 

I’ve had the same thought.  Perhaps there’s a “scheme” this talent would be more successful in, today, but HCPH/GMJB are ignoring that.  Instead, they’re running the scheme they see better players in, waiting for them to develop.   I know, your thought with my words.  It helps me think.

Remember “Hoosiers”?

For the record ...  I do that with my team and have had wonderful results and God awful results.  While struggling, the mantra is “aspirational, people.”. The key HERE is not to lose the room during the struggles.

Lastly, isn’t this what a GM with a plan would do?   

Edited February 22, 2019 by Neo

[SwampD]

16 minutes ago, SDS said:

Or what if this team has been operating in a different mode other than win by any means? What if coming from last place, the point of this season was to see who is capable of doing what and who is not capable?  What if Phil wants to train his youngest stars to play the way he wants them to play instead of having them play to the lowest common denominator on a team that is not ready for prime time? 

Then fire him tomorrow. Do we really want yet another preseason season? Wasn't last year the year for assessment?

Evrntually we are actually going to try to win, no? Please tell me we are going to try to win at some point.

[SDS]

2 minutes ago, Neo said:

I’ve had the same thought.  Perhaps there’s a “scheme” this talent would be more successful in, today, but HCPH/GMJB are ignoring that.  Instead, they’re running the scheme they see better players in, waiting for them to develop.   I know, your thought with my words.  It helps me think.

Remember “Hoosiers”?

For the record ...  I do that with my team and have had wonderful results and God awful results.  While struggling, the mantra is “aspirational, people.”. The key HERE is not to lose the room during the struggles.

Lastly, isn’t this what a GM with a plan would do?   

It’s also possible this why you don’t see the front office panicking. They appear to be staying the course, regardless of record, streaks, or what radio hosts or fans say. My guess is that they have a different figure if merit in the short term than wins and losses.

It is my opinion that they agreed to do this the “right” way which is whatever way they agreed-upon when they hired these guys. 

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Then fire him tomorrow. Do we really want yet another preseason season? Wasn't last year the year for assessment?

Evrntually we are actually going to try to win, no? Please tell me we are going to try to win at some point.

 I am arguing from my own personal theory, I don’t have any actual information that this is what’s happening. 

 I’m not sure if you tried to paraphrase what I said, if you did I think you missed my point. It’s not that they are not trying to win it’s that they’re not trying to win by any means. My guess is that they are unwilling to coach to the worst player on the team and instead are coaching to the best player on the team. I would assume you don’t want to waste the early years of all these great young players coaching bunker hockey simply because you haven’t had the time to acquire all the pieces that you need. 

 I’ve posted video before of my daughter’s soccer team when they were very young. Those girls suffered a lot of losses, trying to possess the ball, to teams had who had great athletes. That’s because playing possession soccer is difficult and mistakes are often harshly penalized. But they are all incredible soccer players now despite the losses they suffered when they were younger. 

Again, just my theory. 

[Neo]

3 minutes ago, SDS said:

 I am arguing from my own personal theory, I don’t have any actual information that this is what’s happening. 

 I’m not sure if you tried to paraphrase what I said, if you did I think you missed my point. It’s not that they are not trying to win it’s that they’re not trying to win by any means. My guess is that they are unwilling to coach to the worst player on the team and instead are coaching to the best player on the team. I would assume you don’t want to waste the early years of all these great young players coaching bunker hockey simply because you haven’t had the time to acquire all the pieces that you need. 

 I’ve posted video before of my daughter’s soccer team when they were very young. Those girls suffered a lot of losses, trying to possess the ball, to teams had who had great athletes. That’s because playing possession soccer is difficult and mistakes are often harshly penalized. But they are all incredible soccer players now despite the losses they suffered when they were younger. 

Again, just my theory. 

Can they skate?

[PerreaultForever]

Look, I know we lost in a shootout, but that was the best team in hockey right now and we played a pretty good game against them. penalty kill against the #1 power play was outstanding. If we had a PP we'd win that game and there'd be no shoot out to decide it.

That was a solid entertaining effort and, for all the haters out there, I think it should be noted that that effort came right after JBot's words saying he wouldn't fire the coach and he liked the progress and direction. So what you take from that is that this team has a better attitude and locker room than last year, they are more unified, and they like Housley. In this day and age that's essential.

Hutton played like the Hutton of the win streak. If he'd played like this all year we'd be in the playoffs right now, and heck if he plays like that for the rest of the year we might still miraculously make it.Even if we don't, it's clear the future is much brighter. 

[erickompositör72]

I did see some of the "progress" JBott was alluding to in this game.

 

Unfortunately, no one seems to care about any progress on the power play. Maybe they're so focused on coaching other elements of the game that they don't care about the power play now, either?

Isn't there some assistant coach we can bring in to fix it?

We will not compete for anything if this is what our power play looks like, and we have some talented players on it.

[North Buffalo]

Best game Sabres have played since the Islanders.  I liked Erod up on Eichel's line because he is better defensively.  Still that line needs a bigger guy who can score.  D pairings worked tonight as well.  They only have 2 lines up top and and partial 3-4 lines... Based on what SDS was saying and I happen to agree with that theory.  Phil and JBots realize a 1 year playoff team is not what they are after.  They are after what Tampa is now... gonna take time and gaining of experience and a few more draft picks developing and another signing of a free agent or trade of one the many D.  

[Wyldnwoody44]

So I recorded it and just finished it, and that was a damn good hockey game, even with us losing. 

Tossing Kucherov around was awesome, about time our guys actually threw the body around, and you could see it throw the lightning off. 

I disliked the officials overall, they had no handle on the game, but it made for a fun game. 

If this sabres team showed up every night, win or lose, we'd be a whole lot happier (and we'd probably win more) 

6 hours ago, Indabuff said:

You've been around the entire world and couldn't find any replacements for some of  these sorry sacks that call themselves Sabres?!

I've been looking at the other gender ?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Any time that any team plays the team that is by far the best team in the league in their building comes out of it with a tie, they must have been doing a lot of things right.  That, or the other team was just playing with them.  Maybe a bit of both.

I think the ratio last night was probably around 80 / 20.

[Kruppstahl]

Phil needs to demonstrate by the end of the year that he knows how to make this team play on this level every game or he should be replaced by someone who does.  

 

[North Buffalo]

44 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Phil needs to demonstrate by the end of the year that he knows how to make this team play on this level every game or he should be replaced by someone who does.  

 

Take away their xbox's and phones if they don't.  Guys are so young... thinking treat them like teenagers...

[Carmel Corn]

Good showing last night...definitely some positives.  That being said, what I'd like to see is a consistent continuation of last night going forward.  Too much "two steps forward, one step back" lately.  The Florida game was almost 3 games in one....first period was pure lack of interest and fire.  Second period was fantastic...even had a lead going into the third.  Third period was a complete collapse. 

Last night was strong game (except maybe the 3-on-3 part).  The question is whether this team can avoid the Jekyll and Hyde personality.

[...]

 

1 hour ago, Kruppstahl said:

Phil needs to demonstrate by the end of the year that he knows how to make this team play on this level every game or he should be replaced by someone who does.  

Surely Phil can find the magick button, and if Phil can't find it, bring in another Lord who may find it!  

[SABRES 0311]

Could you imagine Tortorella as the coach. He would stroke out.

[Huckleberry]

this feels like having mustard after dinner.

[inkman]

27 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

this feels like having mustard after dinner.

Delicious?