GDT Detroit at Buffalo 2/6/20 7pm NBCSN, WGR 550

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, pi2000 said:

He didn't even skate, he pulled up at the top of the circles.   Just inexcusable.   

And why is Risto trying to stick check Fabbri when Larkin is about to go backhand shelf?

If you watch the replay you hear somebody yell "keep movin!!" right after the goal is scored.

I'm guessing it was Montour. The voice sounded North American, and he was the only other North American on the ice. It could have come from the bench, I suppose.

[Randall Flagg]

9 hours ago, Pimlach said:

When Reinhart, or any Sabre,  gets to a game 7 of a Cup final let me know.   
 

I don’t  know what you saw in the SC game but I do recall Marchand was very upset about his Game 7, and he didn’t need a reporter to ask him if he should be.   

Uh, what I saw was talked about for weeks - the eventual game 7 GWG was scored while Marchand lollygagged to the bench while the Blues were rushing, abandoning his man who eventually scored the goal. It was ripped on by national media in real time during the game and intermission, and is one of a million examples of the fact that bad effort plays are universal to all levels of hockey ability and all qualities of organizations, even on the biggest stage.

I'm just not interested in THAT play, in which Sam was well aware he wasn't going to catch the fastest skater in the east even if he hadn't been out for a minute and forty seconds, becoming some bullsh*t watershed moment for us to pretend it's okay to lose another good player for pennies on the dollar, like some people cackling over the ROR trade tried to explain at the time.

[Randall Flagg]

52 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

It's an old story here and goes back to Bucky and Jerry. If the Internet had been around then, Mike DeGeorge would have been SS Public Enemy Number One. And Kelley, too, because he was often tough on the team. The premise is: we can rip the team because we are family, but if someone steps through that door and goes after Uncle Sam... we swarm.

Can @Randall Flaggconfirm the team was booed ONTO the ice? It was in Harrington's article.

I pondered this in the arena. The thing is, the music was louder than I've ever heard it, so I thought I heard some boos, and was depressed by them (I honestly got close to tears once or twice last night, though I'm a pretty emotional guy) but couldn't be sure because of the music. That this was the case made me wonder if they were anticipated, and being covered up on purpose.

[triumph_communes]

1 hour ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

Isn't that what people said about Jack last year? I get it that people are frustrated, hell I am, but channel the frustration at the right thing........GM JB. You make enough bad decisions and it comes back to haunt you! Poorly constructed team, don't let him off the hook by blaming Reinhart, he has generally played pretty well. Some are even taking shots at Jack for being 95% of McDavid, Dahlin not being the best D in the league at 19 etc.....those things are not the problem.

I'm not sure Mark Messier could lead this group of clowns.

 

jack improved body language

 

Reinhart has gotten worse personally, while openly blaming his teammates to the media.  The following game he wants to play victim after openly blaming his teammates for not trying hard enough?  Cry me a river and get this kid his own bike

[Tondas]

12 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’m trying Tondas. I’ve only missed I think 4 games since 1998. 

Im at my breaking point. I spend money on tickets, parking, food, jerseys, TV, and trying to raise my kid to love them, but I really feel like the people in charge really don’t care at all. I feel like the Sabres are now the winter car getting neglected and rusty with no oil changes, while the Bills are the shiny Rolls Royce. If the people in charge don’t care about the people supporting the team, then maybe I shouldn’t care either. 

I Am Duane. 

We both agree that Heart Means Everything.   Why can't we find players that  have it???

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

22 hours ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

I envision a 4-3 Wings victory

Wish I was wrong about this but let the tank commence

[Cheektorado]

5 hours ago, Sabre fan said:

Could it be that Sam is pulling a O'Reilly and saying things to purposely get traded and out of this mess? I am amazed jack can pout up with this crap. Losing to Detroit is as bad as it gets. 

I've brought up the point of Sam not wanting to waste his career in Buffalo and got zero replies.  Fans just want to argue whether he should be signed or traded.

Would anyone (if in Sam's shoes) WANT to stay in Buffalo for another 7 years?  Why?  

If it was me I would do whatever it takes to move on to a team that I might get to play in a post season game.

FTR I'm "neutral" on Sam.  Good player but he does "float" too much.

[apuszczalowski]

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

jack improved body language

 

Reinhart has gotten worse personally, while openly blaming his teammates to the media.  The following game he wants to play victim after openly blaming his teammates for not trying hard enough?  Cry me a river and get this kid his own bike

I think it looks really bad and probably brought up because of his comments about the team the game before. If your going to comment about the effort of the team, you better not get caught looking that way at any point afterwards or else your gonna get called for it. You better be giving 120% out there or else your going to look hypocritical.

[spndnchz]

12 hours ago, SwampD said:

Blaming Sam for that goal is the height of hockey ignorance.

He ??(The team) should have just tossed it back to JoJo. There was nothing there for a shot on net. Kill the last 5 seconds and be done with the period

[SwampD]

Just now, spndnchz said:

He ??(The team) should have just tossed it back to JoJo. There was nothing there for a shot on net. Kill the last 5 seconds and be done with the period

With that said, The optics are really bad for Sam.

... even though he just had a chance on net and had to skate the entire 200' from the far corner because nobody else on the entire freakin' team was near the play for some reason.

[pi2000]

Nobody is blaming Sam for the goal.

We're blaming Sam for not trying to stop the goal.

Big difference.

From a young age you're taught to backcheck all the way to the puck... Keep your legs moving until you are at the puck, not the coattails of the player with the puck.   If you're at the end of a shift and tired, at minimum you need to keep your legs moving and get to the net front as best you can to clear a rebound, check the opponent, or block an attempt.  

Sam stopped skating at the top of circles, pulled up, stick off the ice, turned his skates towards the corner... just an absolutely pathetic effort for somebody who is at the top of their profession.  I would've told my boys to cover their eyes if they were watching.   Poor example and even poorer effort. Inexcusable at that level.

[TrueBlueGED]

The play was a real bad look for Sam, but the question was still dopey. Tim Graham had a very good explanation of why the question was poor journalism. 

[Kruppstahl]

6 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

The play was a real bad look for Sam, but the question was still dopey. Tim Graham had a very good explanation of why the question was poor journalism. 

Just found the string of Tim Graham tweets blasting Harrington.  Wow, some bad blood between those 2 colleagues! 

I agree it was a tad douchey but that is a different issue to whether or not Sam floated on the play.  This conversation started with fans defended Reinhart, as though he did nothing wrong.

In conclusion: Reinhart is a talented floater; Mike Harrington is a confrontational reporter who pisses off hockey fans; and the Sabres suck.

 

[SDS]

40 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Nobody is blaming Sam for the goal.

We're blaming Sam for not trying to stop the goal.

Big difference.

From a young age you're taught to backcheck all the way to the puck... Keep your legs moving until you are at the puck, not the coattails of the player with the puck.   If you're at the end of a shift and tired, at minimum you need to keep your legs moving and get to the net front as best you can to clear a rebound, check the opponent, or block an attempt.  

Sam stopped skating at the top of circles, pulled up, stick off the ice, turned his skates towards the corner... just an absolutely pathetic effort for somebody who is at the top of their profession.  I would've told my boys to cover their eyes if they were watching.   Poor example and even poorer effort. Inexcusable at that level.

The period was over - there was not going to be a rebound.

9 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

The play was a real bad look for Sam, but the question was still dopey. Tim Graham had a very good explanation of why the question was poor journalism. 

annnnnd....?

[Eleven]

6 minutes ago, SDS said:

 

annnnnd....?

Just look at Graham's twitter feed.  There's too much to copy and paste, there's good fan dialogue in there, and there are a couple of words that you wouldn't want on this board.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Eleven

[bob_sauve28]

15 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I think RK really does not like Skinner.

Seriously! How in the hell does he not see the ice in OT? 

[Torpedo Forecheck]

53 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Nobody is blaming Sam for the goal.

We're blaming Sam for not trying to stop the goal.

Big difference.

From a young age you're taught to backcheck all the way to the puck... Keep your legs moving until you are at the puck, not the coattails of the player with the puck.   If you're at the end of a shift and tired, at minimum you need to keep your legs moving and get to the net front as best you can to clear a rebound, check the opponent, or block an attempt.  

Sam stopped skating at the top of circles, pulled up, stick off the ice, turned his skates towards the corner... just an absolutely pathetic effort for somebody who is at the top of their profession.  I would've told my boys to cover their eyes if they were watching.   Poor example and even poorer effort. Inexcusable at that level.

Does everyone move their feet 100% of the time and all the way to the puck? As for the coattails, you don't think he knows thats' Dylan Larkin who skated a 13.1? You really think he gave a pathetic effort to skate all the way back from the corner and that he didn't give the obligatory team effort? I mean it looked like he skated his ass off and human nature kicked in and he realized I ain't catching this guy. Happens a million times every game, when its a problem is when a rebound exists-which it didn't because the clock was running out and everyone knew it. Hockey players know and coaches know this situation occurs all the time. Making way too much of this.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

3 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm guessing it was Montour. The voice sounded North American, and he was the only other North American on the ice. It could have come from the bench, I suppose.

Mr. Montour should focus on not leaving the front of the net player wide open to chase the player facing him with the puck behind the goalline! That was perhaps the worst play I saw all night. That was a squirt play.

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, TrueBlueGED said:

The play was a real bad look for Sam, but the question was still dopey. Tim Graham had a very good explanation of why the question was poor journalism. 

Mike asked a question that tons of fans wanted to know the answer to. I thought he pressed a bit too much, is all. I'm curious how it's bad journalism but maybe not curious enough to want to see Tim Graham's Twitter feed.

[Doohicksie]

41 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Seriously! How in the hell does he not see the ice in OT? 

Hey, we needed ERod out there more!

[Mustache of God]

4 hours ago, Doohickie said:

The Sabres are not a good hockey team.  Why are you confused though?

The message is being sent to management.

We are all Duane.

My statement was meant to be dripping with sarcasm. :)

[pi2000]

34 minutes ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

Does everyone move their feet 100% of the time and all the way to the puck? As for the coattails, you don't think he knows thats' Dylan Larkin who skated a 13.1? You really think he gave a pathetic effort to skate all the way back from the corner and that he didn't give the obligatory team effort? I mean it looked like he skated his ass off and human nature kicked in and he realized I ain't catching this guy. Happens a million times every game, when its a problem is when a rebound exists-which it didn't because the clock was running out and everyone knew it. Hockey players know and coaches know this situation occurs all the time. Making way too much of this.

OK coach, so if the guy is faster than me and has a step, I have the to green light to just pull up and coast? 

What if the puck skips over Larkins stick, or he hits a rut and slows down, or doesn't see you coming so he slows down, or he slows down to put a move on the goalie cutting all the way across the crease to go backhand.... this is why you don't quit on plays.    2nd, 3rd, 4th effort make the difference between winning and losing hockey.   

 

58 minutes ago, SDS said:

The period was over - there was not going to be a rebound.

The period wasn't over, Larkin received the pass on his forehand, cut across the front of the net to his backhand, scored, and there was still a face-off at center ice.   Reinhart used the clock as an excuse to coast.    You know what's hard?   Pushing yourself when you're tired. 

 

[Doohicksie]

Just now, Mustache of God said:

My statement was meant to be dripping with sarcasm. ?

Oh I read that fine.

[Stoner]

So I'm reading Graham's feed... lol... and it all seemed reasonable. Then I got far enough to see that Tim sent out "much love" to Jerry Sullivan on the occasion of his last radio show and praised his passion and career in journalism. Jer' asked questions like Mike did last night, a million billion times.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

25 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

OK coach, so if the guy is faster than me and has a step, I have the to green light to just pull up and coast? 

What if the puck skips over Larkins stick, or he hits a rut and slows down, or doesn't see you coming so he slows down, or he slows down to put a move on the goalie cutting all the way across the crease to go backhand.... this is why you don't quit on plays.    2nd, 3rd, 4th effort make the difference between winning and losing hockey.   

 

The period wasn't over, Larkin received the pass on his forehand, cut across the front of the net to his backhand, scored, and there was still a face-off at center ice.   Reinhart used the clock as an excuse to coast.    You know what's hard?   Pushing yourself when you're tired. 

 

I get the blood and guts that every coach tries to instill in his players. The reality is the play people are complaining about happens multiple times every game. Keeping your feet moving all the time may a nice goal, but it doesn't occur. Players have an internal instinct at work, especially strong offensive players, they skate hard to a spot and then analyze where to go next. For all we know he started gliding to see his next move towards a rebound after realizing the shot wasn't going to be prevented. Gliding is sometimes the right play. I could see Jack doing the same thing or not catching Larkin going full speed.

Look  ideally everyone skates and moves their feet all the time, won't happen. And, if this was the biggest problem the Sabres have we'd be all set as a franchise. It is an ongoing battle between players and coaches when a player stops and comes up short and a rebound goes in. It happens on teams as good as the Bruins with Marchand. Coach gets on them, they focus on it for awhile, drift away from when there's no goals against, no harm no foul and then bingo it happens. Cycle repeats. Again I wish this was our biggest problem.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Torpedo Forecheck