GDT- Devils at Sabres, 12/29/2021, 7 pm ET, MSG, WGR

[bunomatic]

50 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Well I also posted it in this GDT.

Great minds think alike I s’pose. I think page 15 was the first I waded into the GDT shortly after the game ended. 

[Doohicksie]

29 minutes ago, gilbert11 said:

Where did he come from?  Never heard of him.

From Sauk Rapids, MN.

The long road to the NHL:

6 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

Great minds think alike I s’pose. I think page 15 was the first I waded into the GDT shortly after the game ended. 

@The Ghost of Doohickie made the same remark about a page after I did, so I'm inclined to agree with you 😉

[PromoTheRobot]

Once again a few bad plays sunk us. But a nice effort overall. They'll be fine. Still very excited for this team.

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, ubkev said:

I can't believe Dahlin went 5 feet behind the red line for that shoot-in.

Not smart.

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

Any idea why the faceoff came all the way back down the ice. Dahlin looked to be close enough to the red line and everyone looked onside.

He was over by the Teddy Roosevelt Inauguration site.

[gilbert11]

50 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

From Sauk Rapids, MN.

The long road to the NHL:

@The Ghost of Doohickie made the same remark about a page after I did, so I'm inclined to agree with you 😉

I like the 2nd team listed, the ‘Team Kowalski’s’.

[Taro T]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Who's screeching in the building?

It was pretty much every kid in the building.  Was curious if the sound engineers would've tried to filter it out of the broadcast; guess not.

Unfortunately, it starting coincided with the Sabres losing the momentum they'd generated.

[Taro T]

4 hours ago, Norcal said:

New lines already 

Well, the F lines had to be adjusted to cover for Murray's absence for 17 minutes.  After he was available the lines went back to how they started.

The D was adjusted to still roll 3 pairs, but having either Dahlin or Pysyk taking an extra shift to make sure Butcher & Prow never were on the ice together again after the 1st period.  

[Taro T]

4 hours ago, OverPowerYou said:

Looks like the attendance in the building is growing. Nice to see 

Was over 6k in the building IMHO.  Not sure if this one or the Roswell ticket splurge for HFC night had the bigger crowd.  But both were huge by this season's standard.

Q for @Brawndo:  was it an NHL thing to have a buffer of blanked off seats around the team's doctor's usual seats, a Sabres thing, or on Erie County/ NYS?  Had not noticed it any of the earlier games this season.  Thought w/ your background you might know who drove that decision.  (Just curious, not a big deal either way.)

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Time for Pysyk to score... even if it's like this:

 

Was at that one.  Fun times.  Have never seen one quite like that one before or since.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Once again a few bad plays sunk us. But a nice effort overall. They'll be fine. Still very excited for this team.

I think there wasn't much time to get the line combinations set, and even less time for the lines to practice together.  Due to that there were definitely some missed connections at both ends of the ice.  But overall I liked what I saw.

Prow:  Didn't look lost, scored a goal.

Tuch:  Displayed the big body, skill and grit we were promised.

JJ:  Got pushed around a little bit but didn't shy away from ugly areas and used his speed effectively.

Krebs:  He was probably the least bright spot.  Seemed kind of invisible most of the night; when I did notice him he always seemed to be coasting.  Maybe the game was moving too fast for him and he hasn't absorbed the system yet.

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Indabuff said:

CARDS!

THAT'S what was thrown at UPL?  We couldn't figure it out.  Seemed like some sort of plastic cup that shattered from where we were.

🍺

[Doohicksie]

6 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Was at that one.  Fun times.  Have never seen one quite like that one before or since.

It's on my short list of favorite goals, along with the Leopold goal against the Leafs that force OT where the puck was loose in the crease for an eternity before he found it, the Mayday goal, and the Pommer SH goal that eliminated the Sens.

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

THAT'S what was thrown at UPL?  We couldn't figure it out.  Seemed like some sort of plastic cup that shattered from where we were.

🍺

Yeah, it was a deck of cards or something.  I think I saw at least one die cube too.  I have no idea where they came from.

Edited December 30, 2021 by The Ghost of Yuri

[Doohicksie]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Was at that one.

I have never seen a game at KBC.  I saw a few at the Aud with my dad when I was a kid.  I've seen the Sabres play the Stars several times in Dallas.  I haven't been to a Sabres home game in decades though.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

I think there wasn't much time to get the line combinations set, and even less time for the lines to practice together.  Due to that there were definitely some missed connections at both ends of the ice.  But overall I liked what I saw.

Prow:  Didn't look lost, scored a goal.

Tuch:  Displayed the big body, skill and grit we were promised.

JJ:  Got pushed around a little bit but didn't shy away from ugly areas and used his speed effectively.

Krebs:  He was probably the least bright spot.  Seemed kind of invisible most of the night; when I did notice him he always seemed to be coasting.  Maybe the game was moving too fast for him and he hasn't absorbed the system yet.

Being at the game & not being forced to watch just what the producer asked the camera crew to show got to watch Krebs a bit.  Actually liked his game a lot more in person than watching his play in Ra-cha-cha.  When the play was behind him, which wasn't often, he hustled back hard.  He seemed to have a knack for knowing where the puck is going & getting there.  He also is quicker than I'd realized.  He's not Peterka, but his quickness was noticable.

4 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

It's on my short list of favorite goals, along with the Leopold goal against the Leafs that force OT where the puck was loose in the crease for an eternity before he found out, the Mayday goal, and the Pommer SH goal that eliminated the Sens.

Yeah, it was a deck of cards or something.  I think I saw at least one die cube too.  I have no idea where they came from.

It seemed to come from the section near the Sabres FO circle.  A couple of ushers came down & talked to people, but didn't look like the culprit got kicked out.

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

He seemed to have a knack for knowing where the puck is going & getting there.

I noticed him coasting but I can't say he was ever out of position.  Maybe he's just smart enough to get to the right place at the right time.

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

I have never seen a game at KBC.  I saw a few at the Aud with my dad when I was a kid.  I've seen the Sabres play the Stars several times in Dallas.  I haven't been to a Sabres home game in decades though.

Never saw a hockey game in Dallas, but saw 2 preseason games in the old Summit a couple of hours away from you.  Also saw the Kings beat the Stars in the Staples Center.  THAT was satisfying about 3 years after that horrible travesty in Buffalo.  Turns out Kings fans hated Dallas, too.

[Doohicksie]

5 minutes ago, Taro T said:

the old Summit a couple of hours away from you

[dudacek]

Lot of uneven play tonight I thought, almost across the board. Effort was there, but also rust and a lack of cohesion.

Okposo and Pysyk have been two of our steadiest, but tonight each had one of their least effective games.

Peterka and Krebs each showed pieces of why I like them, but neither slipped fully into the NHL groove.

Tuch and Tage each did many nice things and a few not-as-nice things, but their chemistry was off as much as it was on.

Eakin was good for Eakin, Hayden lost the step he was gaining prior to break and Bjork was a non-factor.

UPL looked more like October UPL in the way he was carrying himself. He made a lot of saves, but I also think he was also in the right side of a few Devil whiffs.

Prow and Butcher were a disaster together but had some decent moments apart. Happy for Prow, but not looking forward to watching him on a regular basis. Missing Hagg is a big blow for the PK. Adding Bryson and Miller to that is scary.

That said, Fitzgerald did not look out of place even if he was probably less effective than his debut. He plays like there is no doubt is his mind that he belongs.

Dahlin was our best player, again. I dream of a day when Dahlin and Power bombs to spring Tuch and Peterka become the Sabres identity.

Murray was mostly quiet other than that devastating final punch, but the shift or two he got with Tage and Tuch must have been the largest mass of a line ever iced by the Sabres.

Like the spirit, hope we see more connectivity tomorrow.

[thewookie1]

Arguably the saddest part of this game was that a career AHLer in Prow looked more competent than a supposed NHLer in Butcher. Butcher has left me baffled and disappointed throughout this season; I expected at very least a solid offensive defenseman with a burr in his saddle after getting traded via a literal bribe. Instead he’s been merely offensive to watch.

Hagg, Pysyk, Miller, etc all have their warts but always seem to at least be making an effort to surpass their shortcomings. Butcher seems to revel in his warts and keep banging his head against a wall instead of looking for the door.

 

I hope we can get Girgs and Cozens back soon, in regards to forwards. Those two are arguably our best 2-way centers and Thompson ends up somewhat neutered by having to play both roles during the entire game. Eakin had an ok game, but he still leaves so much more behind. The line of Eakin, Hayden, and Bjork was torturous to watch since almost any offensive output felt impossible. Hayden works his ass off, but can’t score for the life of him. Bjork is fast, sometimes looks like he might do something but typically screws up. Eakin plays 1 of 2 ways, horridly with endless pain inducing gaffes or occasionally ok with 3/4th of the meat still on the bone. Put them together and you get at best skaters moving fast and existing 

 

[LGR4GM]

I'd remind everyone that 50% of the defenders won't be here in April. 

We're watching an incomplete team with flaws. They aren't talented enough to be consistently good and we're at least another full season away. Sucks but that's reality. 

Dahlin looks better. The only gripe is that Hughes goal you'd like him to tie up the stick but unlike earlier in the year, he was at least in position. His defensive play has improved and hopefully he keeps working on it. Baby steps. 

[steveoath]

Some good moments and, as mentioned some disappointments. For me,  R2 has been most disappointing  Perhaps because I really wanted him to 'stick' and become a useful player.  At the moment he seems lost.

And,  are we playing again tonight and tomorrow?

Edited December 30, 2021 by steveoath

[Huckleberry]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I'd remind everyone that 50% of the defenders won't be here in April. 

We're watching an incomplete team with flaws. They aren't talented enough to be consistently good and we're at least another full season away. Sucks but that's reality. 

Dahlin looks better. The only gripe is that Hughes goal you'd like him to tie up the stick but unlike earlier in the year, he was at least in position. His defensive play has improved and hopefully he keeps working on it. Baby steps. 

Think they should keep Pysyk as 3RD though.

[Indabuff]

7 hours ago, Taro T said:

THAT'S what was thrown at UPL?  We couldn't figure it out.  Seemed like some sort of plastic cup that shattered from where we were.

🍺

[inkman]

11 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Why is the draw in our zone. ??

I think Dahlin’s dump in lifted out of play

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

I have never seen a game at KBC.  I saw a few at the Aud with my dad when I was a kid.  I've seen the Sabres play the Stars several times in Dallas.  I haven't been to a Sabres home game in decades though.

Why not do a trip to Buffalo and see a few games?   Maybe combine Bills and Sabres.  

The city is much nicer now. 

4 minutes ago, inkman said:

I think Dahlin’s dump in lifted out of play

Apparently they called it icing.   I didn’t notice it.