GDT Blue Jackets at Sabres 2/13/20, 7pm MSG, WGR

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, shrader said:

I associate that team with the 90s for whatever reason, so I hadn't thought of them when reading this.  One thing you left out was the 8-0 massacre to eliminate Philly in the first round.  What Sabre fan doesn't love something like that?

But man, that Pittsburgh series is way up there on the list of painful results.  Down 2 games to 0, storm back to win the next 3, then lose the last 2 in OT.  And then you mix in that it was the end of the Hasek era and the whole thing just stings.  We had our brief run a few years later, but it really was the start of the darkness around these parts.

And on a side note, the recently deceased Vlad Tsyplakov was on that team.  I hope they acknowledge him, even if they already did back when he died.

That '01 squad was, except for lacking Peca, basically a continuation and an improvement over the '90's era teams.  And if they had Peca or equivalent as well, that would've been their best team ever.  (Really believe that team would've compared favorably to '74-'75, '92-'93, '98-'99, & the 2 coming out of the lockout.)

People forget that heading into the regular season finale in Buffalo that Filly & Buffalo would finish in the 4 & 5 slots and would definitely meet in the 1st round.  The only question was who would be the 4 seed.  The winner of that game would host game 1.  As both teams were very evenly matched, really was happy when Filly won game 82 2-1 because there was serious doubt that either team could win 5 of 8 from the other.  That, and the Sabres seemed to be very good in game 1's on the road and that had set the tone in a lot of playoff series during their '98 & '99 runs. 

And, yes, finishing the Phlyers off in 6 (or 7, counting that 82nd game, ? ) by 8-0 was a very good time.

[Gatorman0519]

52 minutes ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

 

I agree about he 2005-2006 season. I know some consider No Goal the hardest loss to deal with in Sabres history, not for me. That Sabres team had Hasek riding them, I think we all knew Dallas was the better team when being brutally honest with ourselves about it. The loss to Carolina in Game 7 still stings today. Jeff Jilsson and the staff infection still haunt me as a fan. Not sure about all of you, but I really felt that Sabres team was the one that was going to deliver the Cup to Buffalo, without hesitation, I felt like that one was stolen from us by Carolina.

 

 

Tim Connelly and Jay McKee in that line up in game 7 and it would of been Cup fellas.  I was heartbroken after because after the Ottawa series I was certain this was the ride.

[shrader]

7 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Tim Connelly and Jay McKee in that line up in game 7 and it would of been Cup fellas.  I was heartbroken after because after the Ottawa series I was certain this was the ride.

The way our defensemen were dropping like flies, there's no way I'd ever assume a cup win if they had escaped that game.  At the rate things were going, the Sabres would have been forced to hand second pairing minutes to 2007 4th round draft pick in game 4 of the final.

That's why 99 will always sting more for me.  That team only needed to win one more game instead of a full series.

[Kristian]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

As you mentioned, Okposo takes his spot back from Wilson.

Doubt Olofsson plays tonight, but if he does, he bumps Vesey out (obviously). The question becomes, who does Vesey bump?

He doesn't play C, and Krueger had a lot of good things to say about Lazar playing with Johansson, so it's unlikely those 2 get broken up and if they don't then there are only 3 C's not counting Rodrigues, so Rodrigues likely stays in the lineup.  Which means 1 of Sheary (who was on the 2nd line and scored a goal and had 3 scoring chances), Girgensons (who has been a stalwart on the checking line primary PK pairing and is 4th in GS), Frolik (who was recently traded for and is Lazar's partner on the PK), or Skinner (0 goals in last too many to count games, worked his way to the 4th line) goes assuming Vesey doesn't go from 10 minutes in the 3rd 2 games ago to benched.

The safe bet is Frolik.  It could be Skinner.  Still expecting they give Olofsson a couple more days to get ready.

I would love to have Vesey sit, but I know that’s not gonna happen.

Would settle for him off Jack’s line though, I’m sick of seeing him miss open nets. Someone else can do it.

[bob_sauve28]

4 minutes ago, Kristian said:

I would love to have Vesey sit, but I know that’s not gonna happen.

Would settle for him off Jack’s line though, I’m sick of seeing him miss open nets. Someone else can do it.

I wonder how many goals Zemgus would have this year if he played on that line with Jack full time. 

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Add a well rested Peca back in December to that roster like they should've had the crooks not been in early stages of having their house of cards collapse and it isn't even that close.

Sabres w/ Hasek would've beat the Avs (they'd won in OT in Denver w/ Biron between the pipes). Who knows how the rest of the decade shapes up had the crooks signed Peca or at least had they let Regier get fair value for him (Iginla anyone?); but Hasek doesn't end up a Wing as he either retires after the '01 Cup win or he stays in Buffalo until he gets tired of winning or gets pissed off when the crooks start selling off players ala the Buffalo Braves to try to keep Adelphia afloat long enough for them to avoid jail.

Interesting 'what if.'

If into the security recordings potentiality of Sabres teams of 00-01 and 05-06 you go, only pain will you find...

[Taro T]

25 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I wonder how many goals Zemgus would have this year if he played on that line with Jack full time. 

Interesting question.  Would rather have seen how many Olofsson would have getting 82 with Eichel.  

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

He got Skinner in the same way st Louis got ROR.

Carolina fans will rue the day Skinner wins a Conn Smythe with us and Pu and the picks haven't accomplished anything for them. Rue it, Carolina!

[bob_sauve28]

26 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Interesting question.  Would rather have seen how many Olofsson would have getting 82 with Eichel.  

Me too, just an interesting thought exercise. 

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

35 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Carolina fans will rue the day Skinner wins a Conn Smythe with us and Pu and the picks haven't accomplished anything for them. Rue it, Carolina!

Rue the Pu, has a nice ring to it

[shrader]

41 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Interesting question.  Would rather have seen how many Olofsson would have getting 82 with Eichel.  

Missing a couple games could cost him a few dollars on the next contract.  We have to find the positives where ever we can.

39 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Carolina fans will rue the day Skinner wins a Conn Smythe with us and Pu and the picks haven't accomplished anything for them. Rue it, Carolina!

Pu's already been dumped.  That trade is listed as future considerations, so they may in fact have gotten nothing for him.

[rakish]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Interesting question.  Would rather have seen how many Olofsson would have getting 82 with Eichel.  

Eichel stopped passing the puck to other players around game 29 against Calgary, so Olofsson became an assist guy between 29 and when he was injured. I'll be watching to see if Eichel goes back to how he played at the beginning of the season.

[DarthEbriate]

44 minutes ago, shrader said:

Pu's already been dumped.  That trade is listed as future considerations, so they may in fact have gotten nothing for him.

Researching...   Pu is now a Swamp Rabbit in the Panthers org.

CAR dealt one of the picks for James Reimer... so a 2G with a .917 sv% on the season. With the 2019 2nd CAR picked G Pyotr Kochetkov who's playing in the KHL and CAR still has a 3rd in this year's draft. It's not over yet. But they'll still rue!

[Claude Balls]

They are re-playing some of the highlight goals from the early 2000's playoff teams on WGR when returning from breaks. The building was so loud back then. It's sad how much things have changed since then. Now it's a morgue half full of opposing teams fans. Oh, how I miss good ole entertaining playoff hockey. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, rakish said:

Eichel stopped passing the puck to other players around game 29 against Calgary, so Olofsson became an assist guy between 29 and when he was injured. I'll be watching to see if Eichel goes back to how he played at the beginning of the season.

He's made at least 1 (and typically 2-3) of those "move the goalie" passes each of the last 3 games at a minimum.  Wondering if we have differing definitions on what constitutes that pass?

[PerreaultForever]

I always felt the Peca for Connolly trade was the beginning of the end for the Sabres, it just took a while to go down. I know I won't get much agreement on that but whatever.

After the initial childhood group from my youth where I was a fan of the entire FC, Gare, Ramsey, Luce, Dudley, King King and so on.........Mike Peca was my favorite player by far. We add a Mike Peca in his prime to this roster as 2C and I guarantee you everything changes. That guy was a captain!

If Columbus plays heavy we lose big. If they take us lightly anything's possible but I doubt it. 

 

[Brawndo]

 

[Tondas]

Sitting BOGO is smart.  Too close to the trade deadline to take a chance on an injury.

[PerreaultForever]

Likely means Skinner gets a shot on the PP with no Johanson. 

[...]

8 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Sitting BOGO is smart.  Too close to the trade deadline to take a chance on an injury.

[erickompositör72]

6 hours ago, shrader said:

I associate that team with the 90s for whatever reason, so I hadn't thought of them when reading this.  One thing you left out was the 8-0 massacre to eliminate Philly in the first round.  What Sabre fan doesn't love something like that?

But man, that Pittsburgh series is way up there on the list of painful results.  Down 2 games to 0, storm back to win the next 3, then lose the last 2 in OT.  And then you mix in that it was the end of the Hasek era and the whole thing just stings.  We had our brief run a few years later, but it really was the start of the darkness around these parts.

And on a side note, the recently deceased Vlad Tsyplakov was on that team.  I hope they acknowledge him, even if they already did back when he died.

My brother and I bought tickets for that game from a scalper- something like $30/ea for 4th row (we held out till the game started). Audette was literally right in front of us with that top-shelf slapper.

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, ... said:

[Kristian]

36 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I always felt the Peca for Connolly trade was the beginning of the end for the Sabres, it just took a while to go down. I know I won't get much agreement on that but whatever.

After the initial childhood group from my youth where I was a fan of the entire FC, Gare, Ramsey, Luce, Dudley, King King and so on.........Mike Peca was my favorite player by far. We add a Mike Peca in his prime to this roster as 2C and I guarantee you everything changes. That guy was a captain!

If Columbus plays heavy we lose big. If they take us lightly anything's possible but I doubt it. 

 

I hated that trade from day 1, especially because Darcy went so far out of his way to let the fans know he won that trade before TinMan Timmy, and Taylor Quiet had played a game for the Sabres.

If something needs talking up, it’s a pretty good indication the product is crap.

I don’t have the statistics to back it up, but I’m pretty sure Darcy Regier is among the very few to lose a trade to Mike Milbury.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Kristian

[PromoTheRobot]

#GoatheadsForever

[DarthEbriate]

35 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Mike Peca was my favorite player by far. We add a Mike Peca in his prime to this roster as 2C and I guarantee you everything changes. That guy was a captain!

Can you imagine someone running Miller ala Lucic on a Peca-led squad? I can't.

Peca couldn't do it alone, but if we had an Selke candidate who also doled out punishment as opposed Lady Byng-candidate ROR the past couple seasons, we'd be in a very different state. Remember, Peca also put up 20G/season in the thick of the clutch-and-grab dead puck era while still in a shutdown role against the opponents top line night in and night out.