GDT : Sunday, March 6th - Kings @ Sabres. 1pm ET

[JohnC]

When commenting on this game there isn't much to say. You can't criticize the Sabres for their effort. It was there throughout the game. Toks was good in the net. 

LA executed the trap all game long. It flummoxed the Sabres. They had no remedy to that suffocating brand of hockey. We had few shots and scoring opportunities.  

The style of game that LA played today is a recipe to kill interest in hockey. It was like watching the Devils of old where the league had to change the rules to force more flow. 

LA was the better team. On the other hand, the difference between these two teams isn't so great that it can't be bridge with a few upgrades. 

I hope that Tuch isn't hurt too badly. He was in a vulnerable position when he slid into the net. 

For most fans this game had little entertainment value. It was tough to watch. 

The kids on the broadcast were cute and charming. 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Believer said:

Tokarski and D played great… Granato outcoached… Lines outplayed… 

Can you expand on the coaching aspect?   

[Radar]

3 hours ago, SabresVet said:

When the team is paying you, there's gonna be reaches like that.  I doubt most people would go full negative mode in they were in Rob's shoes. 

True. That's why I don't listen to very much most of them say. 

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Can you expand on the coaching aspect?   

Doubt he can.

[Stoner]

38 minutes ago, Radar said:

True. That's why I don't listen to very much most of them say. 

Doubt he can.

I can expand on it. The biggest move the team could make to signal to the fans/players and hockey world that there's a commitment to winning next season would be to get an NHL coach in here.

Edited March 7, 2022 by PASabreFan

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I can expand on it. The biggest move the team could make to signal to the fans/players and hockey world that there's a commitment to winning next season would be to get an NHL coach in here.

You are off the mark. The current talent level is insufficient. This organization is in position to make some moves to add talent to the roster. Will it do so? You demonstrate a commitment to winning by being proactive in addressing your deficiencies. 

[Weave]

11 minutes ago, JohnC said:

You are off the mark. The current talent level is insufficient. This organization is in position to make some moves to add talent to the roster. Will it do so? You demonstrate a commitment to winning by being proactive in addressing your deficiencies. 

And PAs contention is that coaching is one of the deficiencies.

[Porous Five Hole]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

And PAs contention is that coaching is one of the deficiencies. 

29 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I can expand on it. The biggest move the team could make to signal to the fans/players and hockey world that there's a commitment to winning next season would be to get an NHL coach in here.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=6965

I am sure must know DG’s history, but it isn’t for a lack of experience. 

Was he a cheaper option? Probably.
 

But I don’t know how attractive the job was to established veteran coaches in the market, I do believe in the Krueger stench, and the Sabres are among the least talented teams in the league. Just recently has a top line emerged as a legitimate top line and just recently did we regain our replacement level NHL goalie. 

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, Weave said:

And PAs contention is that coaching is one of the deficiencies.

I'm aware what he is saying. I'm saying that it isn't. 

[Porous Five Hole]

I’m far from a Granato apologist, but I guess I don’t know what y’all were expecting from this team or this head coach? 

[woods-racer]

So let me get this straight.

The Sabres lose a game that they where supposed to because they are not as talented. They battled hard all game. Coaching kept them in the game. But we need to fire the coach?

 

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Can you expand on the coaching aspect?   

[Stoner]

29 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

So let me get this straight.

The Sabres lose a game that they where supposed to because they are not as talented. They battled hard all game. Coaching kept them in the game. But we need to fire the coach?

 

It's not about this game.

[Doohicksie]

 

[thewookie1]

15 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

To be honest, there isn’t a coach in the league that doesn’t have 1 or 2 players that he latches to. For whatever reason Granato likes Eakin.

Hell it could be as simple as KA told him to keep Eakin in the lineup for trade reasons. Remember last year he benched Eakin 3/4th the time he was coach.

Another possibility would be that Granato is becoming confused by Eakin’s lack of improvement no matter what he does with him. And/or trying to find what made him play better for the 1st 10 games or so.

[PromoTheRobot]

Boy, you can sure tell the Sabres lost a game.

[Believer]

4 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Can you expand on the coaching aspect?   

Seemed to me Granato used his ability to make the last move on a line change to little advantage…  Mostly late… Mostly slowed the transition back up ice… with no better offensive play… Lines looked off balance most of the game even with him getting the last move…

Know some criticized Granato for pulling Tokarski with 2 minutes left… Not me… Have to believe their Data Guy knows exactly the optimum time to pull the goalie for the extra man based on thousands of data points…

[Pimlach]

41 minutes ago, Believer said:

Seemed to me Granato used his ability to make the last move on a line change to little advantage…  Mostly late… Mostly slowed the transition back up ice… with no better offensive play… Lines looked off balance most of the game even with him getting the last move…

Know some criticized Granato for pulling Tokarski with 2 minutes left… Not me… Have to believe their Data Guy knows exactly the optimum time to pull the goalie for the extra man based on thousands of data points…

Interesting comment.   One of my few complaints about granato is match ups as well. 
 

The Kings executed their game perfectly and their goalie came up big the few times tested. 
 

I liked the way they are retooling and still kept their Cup winning core (Kopitar, Doughty, Brown).  

[sabremike]

In the early 90's the Pat Riley Knicks perfected a brand of basketball that was closer to an MMA bout that unless you were a Knicks fan was almost impossible to watch. Teams began to copy this style and NBA ratings began to plummet. The league responded by essentially legislating that style out of the game.

NHL: "Nah we're good."

[dudacek]

Attendance listed at 10,775. 
Is that a season high?

[That Aud Smell]

16 hours ago, JohnC said:

The style of game that LA played today is a recipe to kill interest in hockey. It was like watching the Devils of old where the league had to change the rules to force more flow. 

It was brutal.

17 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Attendance listed at 10,775. 
Is that a season high?

I'm thinking so.

[nfreeman]

I was pretty disappointed in Mitts-Cozens-KO being a complete no-show after being so good vs Minny.