GDT:The Season Opener! Montreal at Buffalo 10/14/21 7pm MSG, WGR550

[LabattBlue]

Switched over to football and baseball after the 1st period. Not sure how much the no name goalie contributed to the final score, but a nice opening game! 👍

[PromoTheRobot]

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

But he won't... so we can probably limit eichel comments to the 300 page thread about trading him.  He'll never play here again.

just say, "no" to gatekeeping! 

[JohnC]

59 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Having my coffee after a Sabres opening season win, combined with a Jets season opening loss - 'tis a good day. 

Was there any individual performance last night more positive for the team LT than Skinner's? He mas making plays all night and it showed up with apples on the scoresheet, and he was back to drawing calls as well. And I mean drawing. He suckered that official right in

If we can get some sort of reasonable positive value from that deal, for the majority of what's left, we'd be in a much better spot 

I made an effort to focus on Skinner in this game. Your description of how he played is spot on. The determined effort to play a two way game was in stunning contrast to his usual loose and floating style of play. As you noted although the stat sheet doesn't indicate it he played well. What this game showed me is that the player cares and coaching matters. 

[Drag0nDan]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I made an effort to focus on Skinner in this game. Your description of how he played is spot on. The determined effort to play a two way game was in stunning contrast to his usual loose and floating style of play. As you noted although the stat sheet doesn't indicate it he played well. What this game showed me is that the player cares and coaching matters. 

I liked how active sticks were in the neutral zone, just pressuring in general.  I feel like we constantly gave up the zone last season.  And when we did give up the zone in this one they put more sustained pressure on buffalo.

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I made an effort to focus on Skinner in this game. Your description of how he played is spot on. The determined effort to play a two way game was in stunning contrast to his usual loose and floating style of play. As you noted although the stat sheet doesn't indicate it he played well. What this game showed me is that the player cares and coaching matters. 

I agree, the magnitude of the ineptitude of Ralph (bless him) as a 2020 NHL coach is being revealed more and more as time goes by. 

The scoresheet did reflect Skinner's performance though, believe he had a couple assists/apples. 

Just now, Drag0nDan said:

I liked how active sticks were in the neutral zone, just pressuring in general.  I feel like we constantly gave up the zone last season.  And when we did give up the zone in this one they put more sustained pressure on buffalo.

You have to hand it to Granato. Interestingly, he was one of the few on here I can recall who has/had almost unanimous support. 

[JohnC]

9 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I just got to watch the 9 minute highlight reel.  Impressive.  Great leadership from the vets Okposo, Anderson and Big 7.  

From the highlights it looks like we were the better team from the opening faceoff, plus we got some great and timely saves from Anderson.  Gives one hope.

If you only watched the highlights you won't get an accurate sense of the tenor of the game. What was most impressive was from the first drop of the puck to the concluding horn is that the Sabres kept up with the same unrelenting style of play throughout the game. There were no significant lapses and lulls in play. That was the most revealing takeaway I got out of this game. And that makes me upbeat and hopeful about the future. Coaching matters!

[Wyldnwoody44]

There may be nights when the team won't be able to give That much motor, or they simply get outplayed by better talent in the league, but if they can keep this up 8/10 games, we could make a run. 

The wild card will be the GT situation, Anderson isn't a young lad and I'm not sure Toker can keep us together in a more expanded role, should anything happen. 

Tonight def peaked my interest a lot more than I expected it to. 

[dudacek]

13 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

I liked how active sticks were in the neutral zone, just pressuring in general.  I feel like we constantly gave up the zone last season.  And when we did give up the zone in this one they put more sustained pressure on buffalo.

Defensively, the Sabres were seeing and moving into the holes before the attackers were. They were getting sticks on pucks and snuffing out everything. The Habs couldn't complete passes and they were getting caught from behind constantly on the rush.

Offensively, the puck never stayed in one place long enough for the Canadiens D to use their size advantage.

Edited October 15, 2021 by dudacek

[dudacek]

What did people think of Cozens? I thought he looked good.

I saw no signs of the troubling tentativeness from the preseason. He looked fast and hard on the puck.

It occurred to me that he is pretty much the poster child for the game style Donnie wants this team to play.

[HoosierDaddy]

6 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Switched over to football and baseball after the 1st period. Not sure how much the no name goalie contributed to the final score, but a nice opening game! 👍

Anderson played well. The lone goal that he gave up was not on him. FWIW, I wouldn't really call him "no name." He was a starter in this league up until last year. He's just old, so it was a strange signing. If we had signed him 5 years ago when he started 40 games, winning 25 of them with a .926 SV%, I would have understood the move. Signing him when he ad one foot in retirement was a bit of a head scratcher.

 

[SDS]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Didn’t get a chance to watch.   Was looking forward to reading this thread after that kind of game and it’s turned into another Eichel thread.  This place is almost unreadable.  

Piss off.

[Drag0nDan]

12 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

There may be nights when the team won't be able to give That much motor, or they simply get outplayed by better talent in the league, but if they can keep this up 8/10 games, we could make a run. 

The wild card will be the GT situation, Anderson isn't a young lad and I'm not sure Toker can keep us together in a more expanded role, should anything happen. 

Tonight def peaked my interest a lot more than I expected it to. 

Someone on twitter was like - Montreal was on a back to back.... 

It's the 2nd game of the season.

[Cal Naughton Jr]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

What did people think of Cozens? I thought he looked good.

I saw no signs of the troubling tentativeness from the preseason. He looked fast and hard on the puck.

It occurred to me that he is pretty much the poster child for the game style Donnie wants this team to play.

At the game I told my wife to watch #24 because that’s our new favorite player. He didn’t get on the score sheet but I think he had a solid game. Really nobody had a bad game. It was really fun to watch 

1 minute ago, Drag0nDan said:

Someone on twitter was like - Montreal was on a back to back.... 

It's the 2nd game of the season.

I mean when you lose a game to Buffalo like that you definitely gotta find excuses. It would be really cool if this wasn’t a fluke game..

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Didn’t get a chance to watch.   Was looking forward to reading this thread after that kind of game and it’s turned into another Eichel thread.  This place is almost unreadable.  

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

This was exactly my reaction.

WTF guys? Enjoy the moment.

Just read the game portion of the thread.

[PromoTheRobot]

31 minutes ago, Thorny said:

. 

You have to hand it to Granato. Interestingly, he was one of the few on here I can recall who has/had almost unanimous support. 

Edited October 15, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[JohnC]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

What did people think of Cozens? I thought he looked good.

I saw no signs of the troubling tentativeness from the preseason. He looked fast and hard on the puck.

It occurred to me that he is pretty much the poster child for the game style Donnie wants this team to play.

Paul Hamilton was on WGR and commented on Cozens. Your observations are the same positive observations that he had of Cozens. He said he played strong and carried the puck into the offensive zone. And although he was credited with any points he was a factor in the goals scored by his line. Or to more simply state: your observations were spot on. 

[nucci]

7 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

Someone on twitter was like - Montreal was on a back to back.... 

It's the 2nd game of the season.

Rob Ray said it too...They had to travel all the way to Buffalo to play

[Thorner]

11 minutes ago, dudacek said:

What did people think of Cozens? I thought he looked good.

I saw no signs of the troubling tentativeness from the preseason. He looked fast and hard on the puck.

It occurred to me that he is pretty much the poster child for the game style Donnie wants this team to play.

 

[bob_sauve28]

10 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Jack’s talent has never been the problem. It is what comes with it. The Sabres don’t want him around these guys. He will be dealt and they will move on.

If he wants to come back, I’d welcome him 

[PromoTheRobot]

@ThornyI wouldn't call support for Granato near unanimous. A good number wanted a name. Gallant and Boudreau come to mind. Most who were okay with Donny considered him a caretaker until a "real coach" came along. Few saw him as the answer.

 

[bob_sauve28]

16 minutes ago, dudacek said:

What did people think of Cozens? I thought he looked good.

I saw no signs of the troubling tentativeness from the preseason. He looked fast and hard on the puck.

It occurred to me that he is pretty much the poster child for the game style Donnie wants this team to play.

Looked like he belonged. Almost had a goal at end of first. Made a nice rush to set up another goal. Love him! 

[Thorner]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

@ThornyI wouldn't call support for Granato near unanimous. A good number wanted a name. Gallant and Boudreau come to mind. Most who were okay with Donny considered him a caretaker until a "real coach" came along. Few saw him as the answer.

 

He wasn't everyone's first choice, but he was reasonably high on nearly everyone's list and once it became clear what Adams' plan was, is when I think a strong consensus emerged he was the right man for the job.

Whether or not he's the "answer" is not a question we are close to answering, imo

[Pimlach]

15 hours ago, SDS said:

I’m just asking a serious question. In no way shape or form am I denying his speed (when he chooses to use it), his puck protection, his vision, his passing, his shot, etc.… 

I also have a terrible memory. If people say he’s a relentless forechecker and someone who hounds the puck like what we just saw. I’ll gladly accept it.

Eichel could definitely play Granato style of hockey.  I think he would have played his best hockey, if healthy, under Granato.   Reinhart played excellent hockey without Eichel while  under Granato.  
.  

Edited October 15, 2021 by Pimlach

[Sabel79]

12 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

Someone on twitter was like - Montreal was on a back to back.... 

It's the 2nd game of the season.

 

10 minutes ago, Cal Naughton Jr said:

I mean when you lose a game to Buffalo like that you definitely gotta find excuses. It would be really cool if this wasn’t a fluke game..

 

4 minutes ago, nucci said:

Rob Ray said it too...They had to travel all the way to Buffalo to play

I got yelled at for mentioning it during the game last night, but I watched them vs. the Laffs Wednesday night as well and Montreal may just be genuinely terrible.  I'm not sure how much emphasis should be given to their results last season, as that was a anomaly for all sorts of reasons.  

Still, lest it get lost in my observations about the other team, last night was fun.