GDT: Buffalo @ Pittsburgh, 10-3-2019, 7pm EDT

[Doohicksie]

2 minutes ago, Ducky said:

Is Bogo hurt again???

Still.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-zach-bogosian-hip-surgery/c-306971902

He had the other hip done.  He should be good when he comes back.

Edited October 4, 2019 by Doohickie

[SwampD]

5 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I have a theory that RFK's system creates more open passing lanes than XHCPH's.  You don't have to thread the needle with every pass if you know that your teammate is moving, and where he's moving to.  Instead of passing to a player, in RFK's system you pass to the open area where you know the player is moving to.  I think it's that simple.

I thought it actually started last year with him.

[nfreeman]

Great game tonight and great GDT boys.  

Hutton was terrific and made a huge save on the PK that was discussed up thread and another with about 1:10 to go in the 3rd that was also critical.  

They looked balanced, fast, much more skilled on D and in the middle 6 and well coached.  

If they keep it up at home against another young fast team looking to move up the excitement will start to build.  

Go Sabres.  

[Randall Flagg]

I use and enjoy many hockey fancy stats. 

But I have a lot of twitter accounts to unfollow if we're going to get corsi updates and shot charts every 7 minutes.

My first trip to NST for anything other than seeing what lines were used against whom, and ice time distributions, will be sometime in mid-November

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, #freejame said:

We caused a bunch of turnovers and forechecked like crazy. Not to mention all the breakaways. How was this game boring and dull?

Sorry, defensive hockey is always more boring than offensive hockey - but as I said, it can WIN, and that's the bottom line. 

I looked at 3 or 4 games at the intermissions, and after, and ours was the slowest. Bruins/Stars game was really fast and more intense.

Don't get me wrong though, it was great to see. The team looked confident, well organized, disciplined. There was a solid game plan. Winning, in that sense, is not dull. 

I'm going to repeat my key point. This was very similar to what Vegas looked like in their first year. This is winning hockey in this league. 

[dudacek]

I really liked a couple tank-era Sabres tonight: McCabe and Girgensons seemed to find their groove in the style and role Ralph is preaching and delivered their best performances in ages. Risto looked engaged and strong, but more within himself; it was a nice direction to trend in.

And keeping with the whipping boys, Scandella looked pretty good too. And his partner had his best game since the prospect tourney.

Sobotka was OK, which is a big improvement. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still no threat, but he had more edge to his game than I’ve seen in Buffalo - mostly I mean he was more physical, but there was also an element of at least trying push the attack in his game that was painfully absent last year. His line was OK, but they didn’t have much chemistry though.

Conor and Casey had good jump and produced in their limited opportunities and didn’t scare me with turnovers. 

Really though, with the possible exception of Jake, no one played out of their minds. They were asked to do things they were capable of and pretty much to a man they delivered. I’ll echo what somebody said above: the best way to describe them was that they looked remarkably well coached. And, to borrow a phrase, connected.

(I’m surprised though, that some thought Jack was quiet. I thought he was sublime. Very much in control at both ends and his line dominated the best player in hockey. It was Barkov-ian performance.)

[Thorner]

21 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I use and enjoy many hockey fancy stats. 

But I have a lot of twitter accounts to unfollow if we're going to get corsi updates and shot charts every 7 minutes.

My first trip to NST for anything other than seeing what lines were used against whom, and ice time distributions, will be sometime in mid-November

I get this. Especially because advanced stats are meant to be predictive, right? If you focus too much on the analysis of what might happen in the future it can stop you from appreciating the more visceral excitement of enjoying the game in the moment. That's how it can affect me, anyways. 

[Kelly the Dog]

2 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Gonna call line 2 Jobotker.

Also Skinner looked exactly how he did in the seven games before moving to Jack's line last year. Not, like, bad, but he's gonna be sniping goals with Jack before too long.

IIRC Skinner was not on the first PP line last year early in the year. If he is there, he will get his Jack time and opportunities to score. I thought he had a couple chances but not nearly as many as he normally does. But we had two PP? Maybe three? Plus a lot of PK that screws up the ice time.

[hockeyhound]

The Sabres haven't had a positive identity for a long time; however, if tonight's performance is indicative of what's to come, then the Sabres are going to be to hard to handle on most nights, and as for their identity, "Buffalo" are Fast And Furious, so stampede their azzes and don't look back. Let's Go Buffalo!  

Edited October 4, 2019 by hockeyhound

[IKnowPhysics]

The puck support (proximity of teammates away from the puck to give targets for short passes and give close help with turnovers) at both ends was better than I've seen in years.  Really good and obviously coached.  Made breakouts and zone entries a thousand times more effective while hampering the opposing breakout and minimizing own-zone turnover risk.

[MODO Hockey]

fml. 

I'm so tired @ work, jesus.. BUT

all worth! ?

 

Go sabres!

[That Aud Smell]

Small sample size and all (1 game; I saw about 2/3 of it on a phone screen), but I’m getting tingly wondering if RaKru is in fact gonna Juergen Klopp the roster. Sorry for the EPL (soccer) reference. The team looked better than the sum of its parts.

6 hours ago, ... said:

I was also impressed by how calm the entire team was.  I mean, their calm was palpable.  It was kind of weird.

Great word choice. RaKru’s pre-game vibe set the tone (?).

6 hours ago, SDS said:

I’m gonna wait for the charts…

No better way to celebrate a huge season opening road win than with a gratuitous potshot.

5 hours ago, pi2000 said:

And the defense was challenging PIT players in the neutral zone instead of just conceding the blue line on every rush... gaps were much tighter all over the ice than I've been used to seeing from Sabres hockey the past few years.     

It’s good to match a hockey term with a mental impression: Gaps.

LFG, Sabres. L. F. GO!!

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2019 by That Aud Smell

[That Aud Smell]

One more thing: That third goal. 

[Huckleberry]

6 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

And I know Swamp's going to disagree with me, but though I enjoy the chippiness in Risto's game, he can't take a penalty like that with two minutes left in the game. Just skate away. Or at least don't let your stick whack the guy in the face, be physical without that part.

He shouldn't have done it, but Hornqvist had it coming though and I'm glad someone stepped up to him.

[TrueBlueGED]

 

 

Call me crazy, but I bet these charts get met with far less ridicule because they show what people want to see: we smoked 'em last night. 

[Huckleberry]

Our second line is still an issue though, Johansson is a nice player and he brings a certain calmness I like.   He did set up Skinner a few times but I'm missing something on that line.

Personally i'd like to see oloffson - johansson - reinhart there.

[Stoner]

6 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Mostly just trying to get this to 1000 for PA at this point. 

Okposo's hair is cut pretty short.

I think we still have a shot.

[Huckleberry]

I do get he went for balance though.

Mittelstadt and Sheary need a guy like Vesey on there line.   He tried Sobotka there for a bit but it didn't work out so well.

And if you do put Samson on line 2 , you still got that gaping RW1 hole.

[North Buffalo]

Would rather have Lazar up instead of Sobotka... but maybe not defensively?

[miles]

I'm still so excited from last nights game. It was such a dominant performance all around. The played defensively well, offensively coordinated and the goaltender came up big when needed. 

 

It was not something I have seen from the Sabres in a long time 

[#freejame]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Sorry, defensive hockey is always more boring than offensive hockey - but as I said, it can WIN, and that's the bottom line. 

I looked at 3 or 4 games at the intermissions, and after, and ours was the slowest. Bruins/Stars game was really fast and more intense.

Don't get me wrong though, it was great to see. The team looked confident, well organized, disciplined. There was a solid game plan. Winning, in that sense, is not dull. 

I'm going to repeat my key point. This was very similar to what Vegas looked like in their first year. This is winning hockey in this league. 

But that’s just it, neutral zone disruption and strong forechecking is offensive hockey. Buffalo got the puck deep and created confusion and frustration. When Pittsburgh was able to leave the zone, they were met by more Sabres. Buffalo dominated offensively, I don’t see how that means they played boring defense first. Compare last night to a trap team. That’s boring, defensive hockey   

[North Buffalo]

Good win, watched first 2 periods til nausea got best of me.., finally settling down... Go Sabres

[WildCard]

Was out so I couldn't watch it as closely as I wanted to, but how was Risto?

[LTS]

Now the euphoria has worn off.  I'm still working through the first cup of coffee.

They were good.  Now they need to prove they can be consistently good.  They will still struggle against top teams, but they have to believe that changes they've made to their game play can lead to success.

It's just game 1...

[nfreeman]

10 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

 

 

 

Serious question:  shouldn't this be the song that is played in the arena at the end of a home win?  Either when the final horn sounds or when the game has been locked up (e.g. via ENG)?  With the crowd joining in for "RaaaKruuuuuuuuu"?

It would be awesome.