GDT: Panthers @ Sabres 10/15/2022, 1pm, MSG, ESPN+, BSFL, WGR

[Pimlach]

36 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I caught only chunks of the game. I thought Thompson’s line looked better than in Game 1. Nah?

Nah 

[Nitro60]

I watched the game.  Found the team played well but needs to stay out of the box.   Skinner was "robbed' by Knight.  SHould have gone top shelf where momma hides the cookies.  This is going to be a joy to watch this season unfold.  

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

Power has shown nothing nor have I seen much from Quinn.  I hope DG isn’t gifting them a spot because of draft status. 

So you want to bring Fitz or Pilut in and send Power to the AHL? 

[Broken Ankles]

39 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Just a heck of a breakout by Dahlin for the secondary assist on Girgensons’ goal. Dahlin continually providing examples for why not all secondary assists are created equal. 

 

Agreed.  But it’s consistently  a struggle for those D men not name Dahlin to exit a zone. What is the best fancy stat site to rate zone exits? Dahlin must be above average and the others below. 

[Radar]

To sum it up. It's two games. I might say two entertaining games. We stood up for each other on the ice. I'm looking at a very young team making mistakes but not folding. The only player I'm very doubtful of is Mitts.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, FanaticSense06 said:

So your telling me he was too tired? Only 2 minutes left in the game.. what is he saving his energy for?

Did you ever play?   

[LabattBlue]

41 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

So you want to bring Fitz or Pilut in and send Power to the AHL? 

For a week or two yeah.  What would that hurt?

 

…but it is a moot point.  No matter how he plays, his draft status will allow him a roster spot.  

Edited October 15, 2022 by LabattBlue

[Digger]

Today's game is what it is.  Losing to the Panthers sucks but they are a great team.

My only criticism after listening to Granato's comments are that he said we just need time to get the powerplay going.  In my opinion the last two preseason games could have been better utilized to help the final roster in preparing for the season (instead of the first few regular season games).  The last two preseason games, we played quite a few of the Rochester bound guys.  (I know that this can still pay off with having Rochester get off to a good start but).

[Thorner]

Gonna agree with Kev here. Was furrowing my brow at the lack of pull 

[aristocrat]

Thought the game was tonight. Whoops. Kept it close against the presidents trophy team. 

[Cal Naughton Jr]

I’m just glad hockey is back. Been happy with the effort from the team so far

[Radar]

Oh,oh the darts coming out. DG two games in it's starting.

[Thorner]

39 minutes ago, Radar said:

To sum it up. It's two games. I might say two entertaining games. We stood up for each other on the ice. I'm looking at a very young team making mistakes but not folding. The only player I'm very doubtful of is Mitts.

Keeping Tuch on line 2 in an effort to balance out a top 6 doesn’t appear to be working. Thompson I think needs Tuch, and Mittelstadt leaves a lot to be desired as a 2C looking to centre a 2nd scoring line in compliment to line 1. We just don’t have the high end talent right now to balance the lines I don’t think, at least for now I’d return to a loaded up top line and hope the rest can capitalize under the shelter of a working first unit 

[Radar]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

Keeping Tuch on line 2 in an effort to balance out a top 6 doesn’t appear to be working. Thompson I think needs Tuch, and Mittelstadt leaves a lot to be desired as a 2C looking to centre a 2nd scoring line in compliment to line 1. We just don’t have the high end talent right now to balance the lines I don’t think, at least for now I’d return to a loaded up top line and hope the rest can capitalize under the shelter of a working first unit 

Agree. But it's early with only two games in. Frankly Mitts is a big concern for me.

[jad1]

10 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Keeping Tuch on line 2 in an effort to balance out a top 6 doesn’t appear to be working. Thompson I think needs Tuch, and Mittelstadt leaves a lot to be desired as a 2C looking to centre a 2nd scoring line in compliment to line 1. We just don’t have the high end talent right now to balance the lines I don’t think, at least for now I’d return to a loaded up top line and hope the rest can capitalize under the shelter of a working first unit 

I think Granato is sheltering Cozens and Peterka a bit.  He can swap Cozens and Mittelstadt's minutes to load up the top line.  Would like to see that adjustment on the west coast trip.

[K-9]

3 hours ago, Believer said:

Laughable going after Tkachuk after the game ended… We needed more clean aggressiveness during the game… Beat by an elite team…

Showed our youngsters how to play, get a lead, and finish for the win…

DG is a very good Development coach… Jury still out as a Game coach, imo… 

Did you see what Tkachuk did to warrant that response by the Sabres? I doubt it because otherwise you’d know exactly why they went after him. 

[bob_sauve28]

Dirty? 

 

 

[bob_sauve28]

 

[mjd1001]

Florida's first goal, Bryson didn't make a bad play but he rushed the chip/pass form behind the net. It was Krebs who lost control of it at that point and gave it away.  Not all on him, but a little sloppy/rushed/not winning a battle by Krebs/Bryson that caused that goal.

Florida's 2nd goal, both Power and Bryson were at the front of the net with just one Florida player, but FL got the goal.  No major mistake by them, but a little more awareness with expereince might have helped.  The bigger issue was abourt 10 seconds before the goal Thompson could have cleared the puck or carried it forward, but he blindly threw the puck in front the the Sabres net,  Where it went right to Forsling to had a great shot that the reboud was put in.  That goal is on Tage.

Ekblads PP goal was a case where Girgensons went in deep, Lyubushkin stayed at home instead of moving up to cover Girgensons spot.  To me, it looks like a possible mistake was made by Girgensons going in so deep to 'stay with his guy' where the Sabres already had 2 guys there, but it could have been covered up y Lyubuskin moving up, which he didn't do. SH goals allowed are tough to place responsibility on, but Girgs went deep to stay with someone, and the rest of the PK unit didn't adjust to that quick enough.

Montours goal was just a case of a couple of minor things. Comrie being a bit sloppy with the rebound is the main one. You would hope with the puck in front of him AND 3 Sabres players surrounding him that the puck would not get out away from all of them but it did.

None of the goals allowed to me were goals where Florida's talent just overwhelmed the Sabres. All of them are either correctible or a result of bad breaks/luck.  The opportunity that led to the first goal was 30% on Bryson and 70% on Krebs. 2nd Goal is 90% on Tage. But those thing are (hopefully) correctible.

Krebs worries me a little so far, and yes I know it is early.  We were always told he thinks the game well and is skilled, but lacks speed and size.  The first FL goal today was a result of him giving away the puck on the boards. The only goal they allowed against Ottawa wasn't his fault directly, but he was 1/2 step faster, he would have been able to interfere with Tkachuk (the goal scorer).

Edited October 15, 2022 by mjd1001

[Zamboni]

40 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Dirty? 

 

 

Meh. Tkachuk is gonna Tkachuk. It should always be expected. And if it doesn’t happen, it’s a surprise. It’s something Sabres will attempt to address in different ways. But the most effective is on the scoreboard. Not tough guy pushing and chasing him. That literally does nothing to Tkachuk. And there will be no “lesson learned” by attempting to go after him.

[Flashsabre]

41 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

 

So he is trying to justify the scum ball stuff he will do each game. Got it.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Keeping Tuch on line 2 in an effort to balance out a top 6 doesn’t appear to be working. Thompson I think needs Tuch, and Mittelstadt leaves a lot to be desired as a 2C looking to centre a 2nd scoring line in compliment to line 1. We just don’t have the high end talent right now to balance the lines I don’t think, at least for now I’d return to a loaded up top line and hope the rest can capitalize under the shelter of a working first unit 

This is what I’ve seen as well, in terms of deployment strategy. 

Olofsson isn’t getting Tage and Skinner the entries or the turnovers.

Mitts is working hard and getting to the right spaces, he just isn’t making plays or connecting with Tuch.

Not sure how soon Donnie mixes it up, but his early plan hasn’t worked.

[inkman]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

 

[grinreaper]

5 hours ago, FanaticSense06 said:

I dunno what you guys expect, TT just signed a huge contract extension, all eyes are on him to repeat what he did last season.

 

So far he has put up two STINKERS of a game, his corsi has been terrible, his shots on goal terrible, no points, his body language does not look good...

 

Until he starts being the player we signed him to be I am going to be very critical as I did not agree with signing him to that extension in the first place.

Easy fella. It's early. You act as if you'd get rid of your car because it ran out of gas and couldn't tough it out and get you home. I've been a fan since '72 and even the great Sabres teams took a good deal of time to gel. 

[Gatorman0519]

It is early but personally I am just "meh" over this line up.  Lots of work to be done.  Not seeing special from Quinn, but it is early.  Peterka another story.  Dahlin looks like a number one pick.  Mitts is on thin ice...lots of guys will be looking for his spot behind him.  Thompson has been an absolute shell of what he was last year.  Honestly I think there is still significant roster turnover to go.  And sadly we seem devoid of any super star forwards, which regardless of the justification we do not need them, it is still nice to have and sells tickets and merchandise.  Looks like we are striving to build a fast, attacking 4 lines of the same types of guys and win like that.  I am not crazy about the future at this point as I was when I saw what Beane was doing with this Bills.  You could sense it.  I don't have that sense yet...but....it is a long season.  Call me skeptical...