GDT: Sabres @ Penguins, Nov. 16, 2021, 7pm, MSG, ESPN+, WGR

[Doohicksie]

41 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Toker … 1st star 

because of course he was!

[7+6=13]

To my eye Dahlin played poorly.   It's frustrating to still see him so timid.  

[Doohicksie]

43 minutes ago, Cheektorado said:

What is the reasoning for ESPN+ not to televise the post game reports?

They're *****.

[PerreaultForever]

1 minute ago, 7+6=13 said:

To my eye Dahlin played poorly.   It's frustrating to still see him so timid.  

Especially in the 3rd. When the intensity picks up he looks a step behind and even confused. I'm starting to think that theory that he is a really slow thinker might have some merit. 

[Doohicksie]

28 minutes ago, Norcal said:

37 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

When Mitts, VO, Tuch, and Joker come back they too will need to blend in.  These four players should help us put together another scoring line and a better PP.  

Those three would look nice on a line together tbh

Those three together might be our #1 line.  If the team in hanging in there without a #1 line maybe they can actually excel with VO/Mitts/Tuch to provide more scoring punch.

[pi2000]

12 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

The bad 3rd periods seem to happen much more on the road.  Could be matchups.  Put VO, Mitts, Tuch, and Joker out there and we should hold up better.  

IMO it's not a matchup issue.  It's a system issue.   They're not making any in-game adjustments to counter aggressive offensive pushes.

[Doohicksie]

35 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Replace a 4th line with a first line.  I like it.  

Yeah.  Right now we have no first line.  When the injuries clear we won't have a fourth line.  Cool.

[K-9]

8 minutes ago, 7+6=13 said:

To my eye Dahlin played poorly.   It's frustrating to still see him so timid.  

I wonder how much he was hurt. He’s athletically limited as it is, but he was even a tic or two slower in the third. All six D men struggled in the last period tonight especially with poor decision making. They looked panicked more than anything. 

[JoeSchmoe]

15 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I think you're dead wrong on this. I want them to play the full season in Rochester. We can call them up end of the year for look sees but that's about it. They are fixing this team and the culture, but we need to be patient and go with this. There are 2 mistakes they can make now and shouldn't. 1. calling up young guys now rather than letting them develop properly and 2. the Murray trade away your picks and prospects for now route. Big NO to both. 

 

My opinion is that IF they keep playing the way the way they are now, keeping them in Rochester past mid-season would actually hurt their development.

[Doohicksie]

26 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Color me concerned about Don Granato.    This is already 3 or 4 games in this young season where they've been severely outplayed in the third after holding a lead.    

So far he hasn't shown the ability to make in game adjustments to counter the onslaught.   

He's pulled several rabbits out of hats already this year.  It's like whack-a-mole though:  You fix one thing and something else pops up.  I'm pretty sure Donny Meatballs is already thinking about how to fix it.

[pi2000]

23 minutes ago, SwampD said:

You know they don't have as much talent as their opponents, right?

The fact that they had a lead at all should be "the lead."

A better coach would be able to make the necessary in-game adjustments. 

They're blowing multi goal leads. It's a concern because they're not improving at protecting the lead. 

Hope he figures it out and installs a system these guys can execute.

[Stoner]

17 minutes ago, 7+6=13 said:

To my eye Dahlin played poorly.   It's frustrating to still see him so timid.  

He had a left lane to the net with Grandma in the right lane with her blinker on and he turned around.

[SDS]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

A better coach would be able to make the necessary in-game adjustments. 

They're blowing multi goal leads. It's a concern because they're not improving at protecting the lead. 

Hope he figures it out and installs a system these guys can execute.

What a weird comment after a 2 to 1 victory.

[Doohicksie]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

A better coach would be able to make the necessary in-game adjustments.

I think it's a miracle the team is even in situations where in-game adjustments even matter.

6 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

A better coach

Remember that Granato is a rookie NHL head coach.  He's still learning too.

[GASabresIUFAN]

11 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

IMO it's not a matchup issue.  It's a system issue.   They're not making any in-game adjustments to counter aggressive offensive pushes.

I could also be a personnel issue.  To many JAGs at both forward and D.  They just don't have enough quality players to withstand such a charge. 

[Doohicksie]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

I could also be a personnel issue.  To many JAGs at both forward and D.  They just don't have enough quality players to withstand such a charge. 

Yes you are a personnel issue.

But to your comment:  If you don't roll four lines evenly, you hold back the Ruotsalainen line because it's too JAGGY, the other three lines are that much more tired.

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

A better coach would be able to make the necessary in-game adjustments. 

They're blowing multi goal leads. It's a concern because they're not improving at protecting the lead. 

Hope he figures it out and installs a system these guys can execute.

Can you imagine at the start of the season that the likes of Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner would be tasked with bringing a tight game home in the last two minutes?

Its not about coaching to win tonight, it’s about putting players in challenging positions asking them to go for it, so they can learn and grow.

We’re seeing exactly what Adams and Granato promised we would. I guess you’re surprised because you aren’t used to hockey execs telling the truth?

[pi2000]

6 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

I think it's a miracle the team is even in situations where in-game adjustments even matter.

Remember that Granato is a rookie NHL head coach.  He's still learning too.

"Better" is probably the wrong word, "experienced" is the word I'm looking for.

[Doohicksie]

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/dustin-tokarski-postgame-111621/t-277443402/c-9552073

Toker is just cool as a cucumber.  No high from the win, just a lunchpail guy doin' a job.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

TOKER!!

[dudacek]

After tonight I am starting to wonder if Dustin Tokarski could be on the verge of something rare and unexpected.

He doesn’t look like a modern NHL goalie, but he’s making every stop he should and many he shouldn’t.

The two points tonight are entirely on him.

[pi2000]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Can you imagine at the start of the season that the likes of Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner would be tasked with bringing a tight game home in the last two minutes?

Its not about coaching to win tonight, it’s about putting players in challenging positions asking them to go for it, so they can learn and grow.

We’re seeing exactly what Adams and Granato promised we would. I guess you’re surprised because you aren’t used to hockey execs telling the truth?

I really hope Granato figures it out... how to protect a lead in the third.    By the looks of it, they don't appear to have spent much time practicing it.   

Perhaps that's just growing pains of a young team, but as someone who's played it's not exactly rocket science either.  There are subtle adjustments you can make to choke teams off in the neutral zone and give yourself the best chance to hold a lead.   The Sabres aren't even close, they got absolutely caved in in the third.   Not even a timeout by Donny to calm the boys down and talk some sense into them.   

[PromoTheRobot]

51 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Color me concerned about Don Granato.    This is already 3 or 4 games in this young season where they've been severely outplayed in the third after holding a lead.    

So far he hasn't shown the ability to make in game adjustments to counter the onslaught.   

[Doohicksie]

13 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

"Better" is probably the wrong word, "experienced" is the word I'm looking for.

Absolutely.  And yet here he is, in the top league in the world with no HC experience at this level, with a team of youngsters and JAGs, and he's got the team competitive most nights. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by The Ghost of Yuri

[PromoTheRobot]

31 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

IMO it's not a matchup issue.  It's a system issue.   They're not making any in-game adjustments to counter aggressive offensive pushes.

How do you adjust to when the Pens decide to start trying hard?  We bottled them up for two periods. Sorry it wasn't perfect.