GDT : Wild at Sabres 7:00 March 4, 2022

[HumanSlinky39]

12 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

What a great team win!

Some takes from the game:

Man I have to start mentioning more players who havent been playing well. Mittlestadt played lights out tonight, best game I've seen him play as a Buffalo Sabre. 

Dylan Cozens is turning into my favorite player, he didn't score but got robbed by the goalie, Tch, Cozens, Samuelsson and Fitzgerald are really bringing the boom to this team and I'm loving every second of it, I NEED MORE!

How can anyone not love the resurgence of Jeff Skinner? He's on fire and his passion is contagious.

Tell me that the Casey Fitzgerald fight didn't hype everyone up? I'll argue until I'm blue in the face that it sparked the comeback.

Cozens has been my favorite Sabre since he dropped the gloves with Lindgren last year.

 

 

[thewookie1]

I really love when they play like this; a group of guys all pulling the same way and fighting the opponent at every step. 

Skinner will forever curse Krueger for utterly crushing him for two years.

Dahlin being an ass, like all 1Ds tend to be, I love it lol 

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, DarthEbriate said:

That Mitts shift with 2:30 to go where he braced for the Spurgeon hit and sent him sprawling...  then stuck with the puck, then absorbed a retalitory charge from Kaprizov, then another crosscheck attempt from Spurgeon.... That was beautiful. That's the Mitts we love and need. Totally wish he'd have buried the empty-net chance he had. If Mitts and VO get back to what they can be, this is a legit up-and-coming team next season.

That was such a great shift.  That's why you don't put the Eakin line out after a goal.

[JohnC]

Some instant impressions about the game: 

Mitts is regaining his offensive instincts. He made a number of impressive offensive moves in tight spaces. On top of that he is adding a lot of grit to his game. His battling behind the net to keep the puck in play was a consequential sequence in this win. 

Skinner's tenacity in getting his shot off inspires his linemates. Tuch made a lot of plays for his linemates because he is drawing a lot of attention.

 I thought our top three lines all played well. Krebs has incredible vision and playmaking ability. Olofsson is playing so much looser and isn't reluctant to shoot as he had been. I thought that line played well. 

How can one not be happy for Okposo? He is playing with so much more quickness compared to prior years. He is playing up to his contract. 

Minn plays a rugged game. There are few long rushes on offense. Their offensive game is mostly playing hard behind the net. Considering that they played a tough game yesterday, you have to give them credit for maintaining that hard style of play on consecutive nights. Their goalie made some exceptional stops. The stop on Krebs was a highlight stop. 

The Sabres of late are playing a tougher brand of hockey that is reflected by the number of shots they are blocking. You can see more unity by the way players stick up for one another. I'm not one who likes fighting but unquestionably the Fitz fights pumped up his teammates. 

The MVP in this game was Skinner. The most important takeaway and encouraging thing in this game was the play of Mitts. 

This was an entertaining game to watch. 

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by JohnC

[Doohicksie]

2 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Dahlin being an ass, like all 1Ds tend to be, I love it lol 

Dahlin has really blossomed.  I think it started before the All Star Game, but the ASG was definitely an up-tick for him.

[JoeSchmoe]

30 minutes ago, Spoonman said:

Genius.

Never gets old! Let's see more of them next year!

[Believer]

Ten tough games ahead against top teams…

Kings, Panthers, Knights, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Flames, Canucks, Penguins, Capitals, Rangers…

What a great test for us… Our crucible is coming as we are beginning to find our game … Speed and Grit… 

Can’t wait to see how we respond…

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

Mitts is regaining his offensive instincts. He made a number of impressive offensive moves in tight spaces I On top of that he is adding a lot of grit to his game. His battling behind the net to keep the puck in play was a consequential sequence in this win. 

Mitts-Cozens-Okie just seems like such a heavy line to play against.  Opponents must hate them.  And all of them have a decent offensive hockey IQ so it's not just a shutdown line, it's a more of a scoring line with jam.

[woods-racer]

My biggest take away from the game..

 

Mitts's mom still has it going on!

 

 

[LGR4GM]

Eakin line is complete *****. It's worse watching live. 

[Huckleberry]

I'm drunk and I'm buying a skinner jersey 😛

[Eleven]

Honestly, two fun-to-watch games in a row.  I'm hoping for the trifecta on Sunday afternoon.

[Doohicksie]

Just now, Huckleberry said:

I'm drunk and I'm buying a skinner jersey 😛

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get a Tage.  In fact I may order with with No. 72 but instead of THOMPSON on the nameplate, have them put TAGE.  😉

[LGR4GM]

I sang party in the USA, I don't regret it. 

[DarthEbriate]

Just now, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Mitts-Cozens-Okie just seems like such a heavy line to play against.  Opponents must hate them.  And all of them have a decent offensive hockey IQ so it's not just a shutdown line, it's a more of a scoring line with jam.

It's where you realize that, yes, the GLO line was great and scored a tiny bit. But Okposo is capable of more, and if you take the Girgs-Larry and make them a 4, and bring Okposo up for more minutes it will all work out.  Mitts-Cozens-Okposo as a 2nd line isn't great, but it's a line capable of playing against the opposition's top line and winning the battle. Then you get a dynamic 3rd (Asp-Krebs-VO) and an energy 4th (Hayden-Girgs-Hinostroza to end this year, for example... although it's more likely Girgs-Eakin-Hino/Hayden) and you can see the progress being made.

If ex-HCRaKru is reading this thread... you done messed up, RK. You were as inept as any Imperial Star Destroyer Captain.

Just now, LGR4GM said:

I sang party in the USA, I don't regret it. 

Never regret a bit of Cyrus. They say Cyrus is the one and only. Can you dig it!

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I sang party in the USA, I don't regret it. 

tbh I don't even know the song.  I played it once on Youtube when they said Skinner had it as his goal song and I can't even remember what it sounds like.

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Mitts-Cozens-Okie just seems like such a heavy line to play against.  Opponents must hate them.  And all of them have a decent offensive hockey IQ so it's not just a shutdown line, it's a more of a scoring line with jam.

I didn't think that Mitts had the gritty style of play to fit in with Cozens and Okie. I was wrong. I think playing with Cozens and Okie has helped round out his game even more. The coach is good at assembling lines. I'm sure when more talent is added the lines will be altered. But the three lines he has put together work well together. How Krueger went about putting together lines in comparison to Granato is ridiculous. I'm sure Skinner has some scathing thoughts on that subject! 

[Zamboni]

4 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

I'm drunk and I'm buying a skinner jersey 😛

It’s ok. I see the end result of a drunk jersey purchases when I go to games (over two years ago now) all the time. And I laugh and laugh and laugh. And glad I’m not that guy 😂

[woods-racer]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Eakin line is complete *****. It's worse watching live. 

I'm going to disagree with you.

Hayden on at least three shifts had possession of the puck in the O-zone when the next line came on. Twice it was the Thompson line and once it was the Mitt's line. Giving your top Offensive lines possession in the o zone on a line change may not be on any stat sheets but it's a big deal, and he did it on shear will.

[That Aud Smell]

7 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Honestly, two fun-to-watch games in a row.  I'm hoping for the trifecta on Sunday afternoon.

My post-game bathroom stop yielded this exchange with a fellow fan:

”70 shots on goal …? 9 goals …?”

”And a win?”

”Happy Friday.”

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I didn't think that Mitts had the gritty style of play to fit in with Cozens and Okie. I was wrong. I think playing with Cozens and Okie has helped round out his game even more. The coach is good at assembling lines. I'm sure when more talent is added the lines will be altered. But the three lines he has put together work well together. How Krueger went about putting together lines in comparison to Granato is ridiculous. I'm sure Skinner has some scathing thoughts on that subject! 

He was getting physical last year.  I think the style of his linemates tends to bring it out of him more.

Agree on Granato and line combinations.  He kept lines together for a long time early on but when injuries happened he started tinkering and I think he's really developing some line chemistry.

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

It’s ok. I see the end result of a drunk jersey purchases when I go to games (over two years ago now) all the time. And I laugh and laugh and laugh. And glad I’m not that guy 😂

I wore my Stafford Slug to the Stars game Sunday.

[DarthEbriate]

When Skinner scores... remind me to post this:

[Porous Five Hole]

Honestly I loved the post-horn retaliatory slash by Dahlin on Spurgeon. 
 

It was one of those, “don’t eff with me, punk” moments. 
 

He has worn his big boy pants as the year has gone on. He’s embraced contact and played more physical. His mix of physicality and skill is in a good place right now.   

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

I'm going to disagree with you.

Hayden on at least three shifts had possession of the puck in the O-zone when the next line came on. Twice it was the Thompson line and once it was the Mitt's line. Giving your top Offensive lines possession in the o zone on a line change may not be on any stat sheets but it's a big deal, and he did it on shear will.

Hayden was the only part of that line that was not grade A trash

Edited March 5, 2022 by LGR4GM
Not*

[DarthEbriate]

3 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

It’s ok. I see the end result of a drunk jersey purchases when I go to games (over two years ago now) all the time. And I laugh and laugh and laugh. And glad I’m not that guy 😂

I have a Dominic Zombo Toledo Walleye "Don Cherry Night" jersey for exactly this reason.