GDT- Sabres at Islanders, 12/30/2021, 7:30pm ET, MSG, WGR

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

 

 

[bob_sauve28]

Buffalo Sabres (10-16-5, sixth in the Atlantic) vs. New York Islanders (8-12-6, eighth in the Metropolitan)

Elmont; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Islanders -208, Sabres +171; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders host Buffalo after Tage Thompson scored two goals in the Sabres’ 4-3 loss to the Devils.

The Islanders are 4-9-2 in conference matchups. New York averages 11.4 penalty minutes per game, the third-most in the league. Zdeno Chara leads the team serving 57 total minutes.

The Sabres are 3-4-2 against opponents from the Atlantic. Buffalo ranks 20th in the Eastern Conference with 29.3 shots per game and is averaging 2.7 goals.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mathew Barzal has 17 total points for the Islanders, five goals and 12 assists. Oliver Wahlstrom has seven assists over the last 10 games for New York.

 

[bob_sauve28]

The New York Islanders are looking forward to getting back into game action as they host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at UBS Arena. 

The matchup against the Sabres marks the Islanders' first game since Dec. 19, as their last four games were postponed, due to a cross-border pause, a league-wide extended holiday break and COVID-19 outbreaks. The Islanders were scheduled to travel to Buffalo on Dec. 27 and were slated to host Detroit on Wednesday night, both of which were postponed. 

Like many teams, the Islanders' lineup coming out of holiday break will look different, as they've added five players into COVID-19 protocol. Anthony Beauvillier, Cal Clutterbuck, Zach Parise and Oliver Wahlstrom all entered protocol on Dec. 26, while Brock Nelson was added to the list on Dec. 28. 

In their last game on Dec. 19, the Islanders picked up a point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Nelson (power play), Kieffer Bellows and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders, while Ilya Sorokin made 31 saves on 34 shots. 

 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

The New York Islanders are looking forward to getting back into game action as they host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at UBS Arena. 

The matchup against the Sabres marks the Islanders' first game since Dec. 19, as their last four games were postponed, due to a cross-border pause, a league-wide extended holiday break and COVID-19 outbreaks. The Islanders were scheduled to travel to Buffalo on Dec. 27 and were slated to host Detroit on Wednesday night, both of which were postponed. 

Like many teams, the Islanders' lineup coming out of holiday break will look different, as they've added five players into COVID-19 protocol. Anthony Beauvillier, Cal Clutterbuck, Zach Parise and Oliver Wahlstrom all entered protocol on Dec. 26, while Brock Nelson was added to the list on Dec. 28. 

In their last game on Dec. 19, the Islanders picked up a point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Nelson (power play), Kieffer Bellows and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders, while Ilya Sorokin made 31 saves on 34 shots. 

 

So, the Sabres with having had the opportunity to work off their own rust, might actually have the edge against these guys?  Cool.

Will expect Subban between the pipes, hopefully he's up to the task.

Take it to 'em boys.  Run roughshod up & down the Aisles.

[DarthEbriate]

Check this side of the state. This door game is locked, move on to the next one.

[Pimlach]

21 minutes ago, Taro T said:

So, the Sabres with having had the opportunity to work off their own rust, might actually have the edge against these guys?  Cool.

Will expect Subban between the pipes, hopefully he's up to the task.

Take it to 'em boys.  Run roughshod up & down the Aisles.

Agree.  As rusty as they were yesterday it will be interesting to see how they play on a back to back. 
 

They need a a huge game from their goaltending, assume it’s Subban. 
 

Maybe Krebs gets on the score sheet too 

[Spoonman]

For context on yesterday’s game, Sabres had 11 season starting players out due to injuries & COVID-19 (along w Meatballs). Additionally, 4 newest additions included Tuch (first game back after long term IR & on new team), Krebs first game in Buffalo & 14th NHL game, JJP & Prow first NHL game. Time off for extended holiday & limited practice with new group. We will have to see what happens tonight (@ any retuning COVID-19 list guys). 

[Marvin]

13 minutes ago, Spoonman said:

For context on yesterday’s game, Sabres had 11 season starting players out due to injuries & COVID-19 (along w Meatballs). Additionally, 4 newest additions included Tuch (first game back after long term IR & on new team), Krebs first game in Buffalo & 14th NHL game, JJP & Prow first NHL game. Time off for extended holiday & limited practice with new group. We will have to see what happens tonight (@ any retuning COVID-19 list guys). 

Welcome back to the board.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

GAME ON!!

(I hope) ...

MUST WIN!!

GO SABRES!!

[Zamboni]

The Sabres kept it close last night. I was pleasantly surprised. But the loss, I expected.

Tonight won’t be any different. 

 

Isles … 6

Sabres … 2

Peterka, Olofsson or Joker with a goal

 

[Zamboni]

This is the first of three meetings between the Sabres and Islanders this season. 
• Last meeting: Buffalo defeated New York 4-3 (SO) in Buffalo on May 4, 2021. 
• Next scheduled meeting: Saturday, April 23 in Buffalo. 

• The Sabres are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games against the Islanders; 1-7-2 on the road. 
• This is the 182nd game all-time between Buffalo and New York; Buffalo has a 84-72-25 series record. 
• The Sabres are 36-41-13 on the road against the Islanders all-time.

• Tonight's game wraps Buffalo's seventh of 16 sets of back-to-back games this season, which began last
night with a 4-3 loss vs. New Jersey. 
• The Sabres are 3-3-0 in the first game of back-to-back sets and 0-2-4 in the second game so far this season. 
• Buffalo's point breakdown in back-to-back sets this season is: four points (0), three points (2), two points (1), one point (2) and zero points (1).

[bob_sauve28]

39 minutes ago, Spoonman said:

For context on yesterday’s game, Sabres had 11 season starting players out due to injuries & COVID-19 (along w Meatballs). Additionally, 4 newest additions included Tuch (first game back after long term IR & on new team), Krebs first game in Buffalo & 14th NHL game, JJP & Prow first NHL game. Time off for extended holiday & limited practice with new group. We will have to see what happens tonight (@ any retuning COVID-19 list guys). 

Crazy!! And we still fielded (iced) a pretty decent team last night. Having that strength in depth is a nice thing going forward. 

[nfreeman]

They certainly had quite a bit of lineup disruption last night, especially on D, but still.  They got dominated by a non-playoff team, and UPL looked pretty shaky.  thought in particular their passing was off target, their forechecking was meh and NJ was able to keep the game in the Sabres' end most of the game.

I'm hoping for a much better performance tonight.

[Flashsabre]

56 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

They certainly had quite a bit of lineup disruption last night, especially on D, but still.  They got dominated by a non-playoff team, and UPL looked pretty shaky.  thought in particular their passing was off target, their forechecking was meh and NJ was able to keep the game in the Sabres' end most of the game.

I'm hoping for a much better performance tonight.

But still, at one point Eakin, Hayden, Bjork, Butcher and Prow were the 5 man unit on the ice. Terrifying. Ellis has never been a head coach.

I’ll give em a pass on last night but agree they need to step up tonight. They had a game to adjust to all the changes and Isles haven’t played in a while.

[Norcal]

 

[Weave]

MOSTLY WINNABLE 

[Randall Flagg]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

The Sabres kept it close last night. I was pleasantly surprised. But the loss, I expected.

Tonight won’t be any different. 

 

Isles … 6

Sabres … 2

Peterka, Olofsson or Joker with a goal

 

It takes the Islanders about 5 games to score 6 goals this year. Check out their stats. You really think they'll pot 6?

[French Collection]

Dahlin remains hot and will get a couple of points again tonight. He looks confident with the puck and I get the feeling it will get out of the Sabres end and/or gain entry every time. He still needs work on the other side of the puck but I see improvement. He uses his body more and has a decent stick.

Tuch will find his legs and chemistry to improve his performance. JJP will figure out how to best deploy his speed and get some chances. I thought Krebs was OK and I like the comparisons to Gilmour, hope he gets there. 
 

As a team they need better exits and entries than last night in order to generate some chances.

Let’s go Buffalo!

[pi2000]

Pysyk continues to shine. 

 

==============================================================
BUF even strength goal differential through 31 games = -21
BUF even strength minutes played through 31 games = 1626.13
exp+/- is a function of %min played at ES and team ES goal diff
TRpm(team relative +/-) is the diff btwn actual+/- and exp+/-
%min is % of ES minutes played
==============================================================
Team  Player                   TRpm    GP    +/-  exp+/-  %min
BUF Mark Pysyk                10.77    31     4   -6.77   32.2
BUF Colin Miller               6.10    28     0   -6.10   29.1
BUF Mark Jankowski             3.56     4     3   -0.56    2.7
BUF Tage Thompson              1.93    31    -4   -5.93   28.2
BUF Kyle Okposo                1.63    31    -4   -5.63   26.8
BUF Casey Fitzgerald           1.44     2     1   -0.44    2.1
BUF Arttu Ruotsalainen         1.34    17    -1   -2.34   11.1
BUF Brett Murray               1.22    13    -1   -2.22   10.6
BUF Vinnie Hinostroza          1.21    30    -4   -5.21   24.8
BUF Alex Tuch                  1.20     1     1   -0.20    1.0
BUF Ethan Prow                 1.20     1     1   -0.20    0.9
BUF Rasmus Dahlin              1.11    31    -7   -8.11   38.6
BUF Henri Jokiharju            0.57    15    -3   -3.57   17.0
BUF John Hayden                0.15    24    -3   -3.15   15.0
BUF Rasmus Asplund            -0.67    31    -6   -5.33   25.4
BUF Drake Caggiula            -1.01    18    -4   -2.99   14.3
BUF Anders Bjork              -1.09    27    -5   -3.91   18.6
BUF Zemgus Girgensons         -1.23    30    -6   -4.77   22.7
BUF Jeff Skinner              -1.45    30    -7   -5.55   26.4
BUF Victor Olofsson           -1.69    23    -6   -4.31   20.5
BUF Peyton Krebs              -1.79     1    -2   -0.21    1.0
BUF Christian Wolanin         -1.89     1    -2   -0.11    0.5
BUF Will Butcher              -1.98    23    -7   -5.02   23.9
BUF Cody Eakin                -3.85    26    -8   -4.15   19.7
BUF Dylan Cozens              -4.63    30   -10   -5.37   25.6
BUF Jacob Bryson              -4.64    29   -11   -6.36   30.3
BUF Casey Mittelstadt         -5.40     4    -6   -0.60    2.9
BUF Robert Hagg               -7.03    25   -12   -4.97   23.7
==============================================================

 

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, nfreeman said:

They certainly had quite a bit of lineup disruption last night, especially on D, but still.  They got dominated by a non-playoff team, and UPL looked pretty shaky.  thought in particular their passing was off target, their forechecking was meh and NJ was able to keep the game in the Sabres' end most of the game.

I'm hoping for a much better performance tonight.

True but “they” was not the same “they” that we saw play decently hockey two weeks ago. 

I hope Ellis gets them fired up.  The Isles are down this year but usually hard to play against. 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

He looks confident with the puck

The moment just before he stole the puck and airmailed the breakaway pass to Thompson, I thought he was about to get burned and the Devil would get the breakaway.  Ballsy move by Rasmus.

[Zamboni]

2 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

It takes the Islanders about 5 games to score 6 goals this year. Check out their stats. You really think they'll pot 6?

OK OK… 

isles 5

Sabres 2

 

😂

[Dreams Burn Down]

Moldy Wieners

 

Go Sabres. Fry those Gorton Fishermen.

[sabresouth]

3 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

It takes the Islanders about 5 games to score 6 goals this year. Check out their stats. You really think they'll pot 6?

Well we do seem to be able to fix other teams problems 😎

[PerreaultForever]

Haven't seen the Islanders play but something has clearly gone wrong with them this season. No idea what it is, but their record is about the same as ours and most people thought they'd be a lot better. Whatever their problem is, I hope it continues tonight.