GDT: 1/14/21 7pm ET Washington at Buffalo, MSG, ESPN+, WGR

[SwampD]

Not sure what all this talk is of ESPN+ only. I see all thre options listed:MSG, NBCSWA, and ESPN+.

I’m in the NYC area. I have NHL.TV. I’ll be watching the MSG feed from Buffalo and listening to RJ.

[LGR4GM]

 

 

Edited January 14, 2021 by LGR4GM

[Derrico]

32 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

holy ***** waffle...

Carter Hutton is your starting GT tonight

I'm not as pissed about Skinner as most.  But this?  There are no words.  Is there room in the fire RK bunker?  

Only explanation I can think of is they are playing back to back so Hutton would get a game anyways so it won't matter who plays which game.  I really really hope that's the case and he doesn't actually think we should be riding Hutton over Ullmark.  

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Derrico said:

I'm not as pissed about Skinner as most.  But this?  There are no words.  Is there room in the fire RK bunker?  

Only explanation I can think of is they are playing back to back so Hutton would get a game anyways so it won't matter who plays which game.  I really really hope that's the case and he doesn't actually think we should be riding Hutton over Ullmark.  

Back to back is my logical explanation 

[Derrico]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

 

Excellent looking top 6 but their bottom 6 doesn't exactly look dominant on paper.  We know what Sheary is all about....

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Derrico said:

Excellent looking top 6 but their bottom 6 doesn't exactly look dominant on paper.  We know what Sheary is all about....

Honestly on paper I think Buffalo is better and deeper. 

[inkman]

3 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Excellent looking top 6 but their bottom 6 doesn't exactly look dominant on paper.  We know what Sheary is all about....

Ending up on his ass 74 times a game?

[PromoTheRobot]

22 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Not sure what all this talk is of ESPN+ only. I see all thre options listed:MSG, NBCSWA, and ESPN+.

I’m in the NYC area. I have NHL.TV. I’ll be watching the MSG feed from Buffalo and listening to RJ.

The game will be on ESPN+. (The subscription streaming service, not regular ESPN.)

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, Derrico said:

I'm not as pissed about Skinner as most.  But this?  There are no words.  Is there room in the fire RK bunker?  

Only explanation I can think of is they are playing back to back so Hutton would get a game anyways so it won't matter who plays which game.  I really really hope that's the case and he doesn't actually think we should be riding Hutton over Ullmark.  

There is a logic to it.  The team is at 0.500 right now effectively.  They have back to backs and therefore plan on going with both goalies.  One gives a better chance to win than the other.  By going w/ the weaker goalie in game 1, you still get to use your better goalie in game 2 should you win or lose.  But lose game 1 with the good goalie & you have to go w/ the good one again in game 2.

It's the coach forcing himself to give Hutton starts because he knows Ullmark can't play all 56 but his hand could get forced to a spot where he needs to do just about that.

While most look at it as unwarranted faith in Hutton, pretty sure it's actually warranted lack of faith in him with a realization that Linus HAS to rest at least every 4th game and ideally every 3rd game and there are no other options available to him to make that happen.  Regardless of what Ralph says about his goalies, he doesn't trust the backup.

[Derrico]

Good points Taro.  He must know Ullmark is the starter though right?  I know there will be a ton of back to backs and the second string will play a lot.  But if we go near a 50/50 split there's no way this team has a chance at the playoffs.  Hutton is terrible.

[LGR4GM]

Gonna wait to see how this game goes first before getting upset. Maybe they will surprise us all and be a well coached team that executes. 

[dudacek]

58 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Is it actually dissing Skinner or all the taxi squad guys and Sheahan that Krueger is putting a rookie on the 3rd line which is expected to be responsible in its own end & able to play 2 way hockey?

 

I look at it as the desire for balance LGR keeps talking about. Cozens and Skinner are each the token O guys on their lines, with Cozens getting the more skilled pair because Skinner is better able to make it happen himself.

Ralph is planning to ride Hutton's season-starting hot streak for as long as he can.

I expect lots of goals.

Edited January 14, 2021 by dudacek

[steveoath]

New season. Let's go. Can't wait for this. Woooo!

[dudacek]

Cozens is in the lineup because Okposo is hurt.

Let's hope he plays so well he never comes out of the lineup again.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Good points Taro.  He must know Ullmark is the starter though right?  I know there will be a ton of back to backs and the second string will play a lot.  But if we go near a 50/50 split there's no way this team has a chance at the playoffs.  Hutton is terrible.

If the team stays in a playoff spot, expect there will be close to a 50/50 split and the better goalie will be relatively fresh in the 1st round.

If the team slides out of the playoffs, they'll be forced to play the better goalie.

My expectation is Linus gets 65-80% when all is said & done.

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

I look at it as the desire for balance LGR keeps talking about.

Cozens and Skinner are each the token O guys on their lines, with Cozes getting the more skilled pair because Skinner is better able to make it happen himself.

Ralph is planning to ride Hutton's season-starting hot streak for as long as he can.

I expect lots of goals.

Would not be at all surprised that he (& Bales) have been telling Hutton it's due to his great starts that he gets the call tonight.  But have to believe Bales is smart enough to ride the better goalie overall.  He gave Murray starts over Fluery in Pittsburgh, right?  And gave Linus the starts over Carter, too when Hutton went south.

(IIRC, Krueger lets Bales choose the starter, right?)

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Cozens is in the lineup because Okposo is hurt.

Let's hope he plays so well he never comes out of the lineup again.

We shall see soon.  Likely by the 4th game at worst if Okposo truly is dtd.

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

If the team stays in a playoff spot, expect there will be close to a 50/50 split and the better goalie will be relatively fresh in the 1st round.

If the team slides out of the playoffs, they'll be forced to play the better goalie.

My expectation is Linus gets 65-80% when all is said & done.

Would not be at all surprised that he (& Bales) have been telling Hutton it's due to his great starts that he gets the call tonight.  But have to believe Bales is smart enough to ride the better goalie overall.  He gave Murray starts over Fluery in Pittsburgh, right?  And gave Linus the starts over Carter, too when Hutton went south.

(IIRC, Krueger lets Bales choose the starter, right?)

My post was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but Ralph hinted pretty strongly the goalies would split the first two starts.

And yes, that's my recollection regarding your Bales question.

[I-90 W]

It’s gonna be so weird seeing Chara tonight. 

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, I-90 W said:

It’s gonna be so awesome seeing Hall burn Chara tonight. 

 

[LGR4GM]

 

[tom webster]

42 minutes ago, Taro T said:

There is a logic to it.  The team is at 0.500 right now effectively.  They have back to backs and therefore plan on going with both goalies.  One gives a better chance to win than the other.  By going w/ the weaker goalie in game 1, you still get to use your better goalie in game 2 should you win or lose.  But lose game 1 with the good goalie & you have to go w/ the good one again in game 2.

It's the coach forcing himself to give Hutton starts because he knows Ullmark can't play all 56 but his hand could get forced to a spot where he needs to do just about that.

While most look at it as unwarranted faith in Hutton, pretty sure it's actually warranted lack of faith in him with a realization that Linus HAS to rest at least every 4th game and ideally every 3rd game and there are no other options available to him to make that happen.  Regardless of what Ralph says about his goalies, he doesn't trust the backup.

Hutton has been great through camp. You can’t keep talking about earning spots and not play Hutton. If he plays well to start, it will reinforce their position on the price they are willing to pay for an upgrade. If camp was an illusion, they might be quicker to up the ante.

[Taro T]

Just now, tom webster said:

Hutton has been great through camp. You can’t keep talking about earning spots and not play Hutton. If he plays well to start, it will reinforce their position on the price they are willing to pay for an upgrade. If camp was an illusion, they might be quicker to up the ante.

Only got to see the 2nd scrimmage.  Hutton was his 2nd 1/2 self in that.  1 really bad goal to kick things off, only made 1 difficult save all game (maybe he had additional, only saw 1), and ended up giving up a ton in total without having faced Eichel, Hall, Dahlin, nor Skinner.

[Mustache of God]

I feel like Connor Sheary gets at least one goal tonight. 

[dudacek]

17 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I feel like Connor Sheary gets at least one goal tonight. 

It will mark a profound shift in the universe if he doesn't

Edited January 14, 2021 by dudacek

[Derrico]

24 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Hutton has been great through camp. You can’t keep talking about earning spots and not play Hutton. If he plays well to start, it will reinforce their position on the price they are willing to pay for an upgrade. If camp was an illusion, they might be quicker to up the ante.

JFC.  I know I haven't watched much camp (not sure any of us have been able too).  He looked horrendous in the last scrimmage.  He looked vintage 2019 Hutton.

[Mustache of God]

Just now, Derrico said:

JFC.  I know I haven't watched much camp (not sure any of us have been able too).  He looked horrendous in the last scrimmage.  He looked vintage 2019 Hutton.

The only internal justification I can come up with in my head is that Linus had a shorter camp and since its' back to back vs the same team it really doesn't matter, however, if we're considering Linus as the starter for the team then why on earth wouldn't he start the season?