GDT: Sabres at lightning 11-5-2022, 7pm WGR MSG

[spndnchz]

1 point ahead of Tampa

[#freejame]

Need to bounce back in a big way.

Why is last nights GDT locked? 

[steveoath]

36 minutes ago, #freejame said:

 

Why is last nights GDT locked? 

If we lock it up it can't get out and find us.

Boo Skyfarts, Yay Sabres. 

Hope for a bounceback game to get on a bit of a roll before the return of he who shall not be named on Thursday.

[Weave]

This is a team that has bullied us while we wandered around in the darkness. Would be nice to get a measure of comeuppance.

I think if there is a night for our first major penalty, this is the one.

[NAF]

Skinner was pretty bad last night. I watched him skate the puck into the offensive zone and then lose it immediately about 5 times. He needs to pick it up and tonight would be a good time to do so.

[North Buffalo]

24 minutes ago, Weave said:

This is a team that has bullied us while we wandered around in the darkness. Would be nice to get a measure of comeuppance.

I think if there is a night for our first major penalty, this is the one.

Problem is neither Mule is here nor Bush

[Contempt]

[Curt]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

Why is last nights GDT locked? 

@spndnchz

[FrenchConnection44]

We have to be the worst rated face off team in the NHL. Or at least near the bottom. Maybe we need a “face-off coach.”  
 

But another deeper issue there is the lack of physical power in our center men. Those guys and several others need to get bigger and stronger. Become more physical players. Cousins is an example. Love Cousins game but if he were 6’3 195-200 with good weight and in great shape, instead of 6’3 183, he’d be a more physical player and should improve several areas including face offs. 

[FrenchConnection44]

A comment about the Canes game. They are a really good team. Three things:

1) We had no answer for Aho. The guy is super talented. Has been from the start. Hard to believe he was a 2nd rounder. We should be so lucky. 
2) Their forechecking and defensive press coverage on our defenders made a difference. Our defense struggled to get the puck out of the zone at times. Really missing Samuelsson and Jokiharju. Can’t wait til they get back. Depth is not there. 
3) Carolina was great at disrupting passes in their zone. Seemed like we had no open passing lanes. They are a sound team. We had no answers.
 

They are just ahead of us defensively and physically. And have Aho. 
 

Another big test tonight. Love our team but these are barometer games as to where we are right now. Will be interesting to see if we can. 

[Indabuff]

24 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

 Maybe we need a “face-off coach.”  
 

 

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, steveoath said:

Skyfarts

This is just awesome.

[Contempt]

47 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

We have to be the worst rated face off team in the NHL. Or at least near the bottom. Maybe we need a “face-off coach.”  

I've been told many many times that faceoffs dont matter.

[Stoner]

Nice job. More blood on hands

[Brawndo]

The Sabres were dead last in FO% last season at 46%, Toronto lead the league at 55.1.

 

This is where it gets really interesting, the Team that finished 28th was at 47.3 and they won the Stanley Cup last year. 

This season the Sabres rank 24th at 46.6 in FO%, two of the teams behind them are Colorado and Tonight’s Opponent Tampa Bay.

They certainly do need to improve Faceoffs, particularly on the PP,  but as the Avs prove, puck retrieval after losing one, is just as important, if not more so. 

Tonight should be an interesting test for them.

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

The Sabres were dead last in FO% last season at 46%, Toronto lead the league at 55.1.

 

This is where it gets really interesting, the Team that finished 28th was at 47.3 and they won the Stanley Cup last year. 

This season the Sabres rank 24th at 46.6 in FO%, two of the teams behind them are Colorado and Tonight’s Opponent Tampa Bay.

They certainly do need to improve Faceoffs, particularly on the PP,  but as the Avs prove, puck retrieval after losing one, is just as important, if not more so. 

Tonight should be an interesting test for them.

Puck retrieval is definitely important as the 1st goal last night proved.

But winning faceoffs CLEANLY in the offensive or defensive zone is more important than that IMHO.  That's where defenders get forced into chasing and set plays can actually kind of work because the puck carrier has space and time and new holes almost automatically open up as the defenders chase & react.  Thing is, the public faceoff stats don't seem to track that because clean wins happen so infrequently.  Probably an issue w/ defining a clean win too, though if you've watched hockey, even if you can't define it, you know it when you see one.

[Huckleberry]

3 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

A comment about the Canes game. They are a really good team. Three things:

1) We had no answer for Aho. The guy is super talented. Has been from the start. Hard to believe he was a 2nd rounder. We should be so lucky. 
2) Their forechecking and defensive press coverage on our defenders made a difference. Our defense struggled to get the puck out of the zone at times. Really missing Samuelsson and Jokiharju. Can’t wait til they get back. Depth is not there. 
3) Carolina was great at disrupting passes in their zone. Seemed like we had no open passing lanes. They are a sound team. We had no answers.
 

They are just ahead of us defensively and physically. And have Aho. 
 

Another big test tonight. Love our team but these are barometer games as to where we are right now. Will be interesting to see if we can. 

• We did score 3 goals on them, not many teams will do that
• Our PP being better could have won us the game
• Refs weren't so good, lets some of the canes trips pass.

[Indabuff]

At least it's on MSG tonight.   Hopefully not a bloodbath.  Let's f'n go!

[LTS]

Pilut & Fitzgerald were -3 last night.  They seem to always be on the ice when even strength goals are being scored against the Sabres.  You can't afford that big of a drop when you lose a few D players.  It's that simple.

Tonight could be more of the same.. one of them needs to leave the lineup and I'd start with Pilut who doesn't appear to add any value.  At least Fitzgerald will hit someone.. except last night.

Oh well.. I'll still be watching and hoping for a better outcome.

[Huckleberry]

Won't be watching tonight, only free night so will be at bar 🙂

[Believer]

4 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

We have to be the worst rated face off team in the NHL. Or at least near the bottom. Maybe we need a “face-off coach.”  
 

But another deeper issue there is the lack of physical power in our center men. Those guys and several others need to get bigger and stronger. Become more physical players. Cousins is an example. Love Cousins game but if he were 6’3 195-200 with good weight and in great shape, instead of 6’3 183, he’d be a more physical player and should improve several areas including face offs. 

Players must have strength coaches and nutritionists… Wonder if they employ their own or the team does??…   Probably a combination under team supervision

[bob_sauve28]

DraftKings Line: Lightning -1.5 O/U 6.5

Preview:

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s winning streak ended after a shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, but their point streak still continues. Tonight the Lightning will look to rebound in a game against the Buffalo Sabres.

A good sign for the Bolts is that after missing two previous games, Victor Hedman might be ready to return to the lineup. Yesterday he appeared on morning practice alongside with Erik Cernak. That doesn’t, however, mean that the Lightning will be in an optimal lineup against the Sabres, as Nick Paul, who barely played in the second half of the game against the Hurricanes, left the yesterday’s practice early. In his absence, Vlad Namestnikov moved to his spot at second line and the team continued practicing with 11 forwards. If the Paul isn’t available tonight, the Lightning will likely run a 11/7 lineup.

The return of Hedman should take off some workload from Mikhail Sergachev’s shoulders. During the absence of the Big Swede, Sergachev played more than 25 minutes per game, including over 29 minutes in the previous game against Carolina. The Russian defenseman, who signed a huge contract last summer, has already experienced an increased role on this team and it’s not only indicated by his higher ice time, but also by his stats. Sergachev currently has 10 points in 11 games, which is tied for the fourth most amongst all defensemen in the NHL.

https://www.rawcharge.com/2022/11/5/23441773/buffalo-sabres-at-tampa-bay-lightning-preview-and-game-day-thread-odds-starting-lines-goaltenders

[bob_sauve28]

 

 

Here are some of the top Game Notes, courtesy of @SabresPR: 

• This is the first of four meetings between the Sabres and Lightning this season. 
• Last meeting: Tampa Bay defeated Buffalo 5-0 in Tampa Bay on April 10, 2022. 
• Next meeting: Monday, Nov. 28 in Buffalo 

• The Sabres are 1-8-1 in their last 10 games against the Lightning; 2-7-1 on the road. 
• This is the 110th game all-time between Buffalo and Tampa Bay; Buffalo has a 56-44-9 series record. 
• The Sabres are 29-22-4 on the road against the Lightning all-time.

• 24 of the last 27 meetings between Buffalo and Tampa Bay have been decided in regulation, including each of the last seven contests. 

• Buffalo has recorded a power play goal in each of their last five games. 

• The Sabres are 5-1-0 in games decided by three or more goals. 

• Rasmus Dahlin has recorded six points (2+4) in his last four games and is riding a four-game point streak. 
• Entering play on Saturday, Dahlin ranks second among NHL defensemen in points (15). 
• According to Natural Stat Trick, Dahlin has been on the ice for 89 Buffalo scoring chances in the Sabres' last five games. 

• JJ Peterka is riding a three-game point streak (1+2). 
• A point in tonight's game would give Peterka his second four-game point streak of the season. 

• Jack Quinn recorded the first multi-assist game of his career on Nov. 4 and has recorded three points (1+2) in his last three games. 

• Vinnie Hinostroza enters tonight's game with a point in three of his last four games against Tampa Bay (2+1). 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-tampa-bay-lightning-game-preview-november-5-2022/c-337233668

[FrenchConnection44]

2 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

• We did score 3 goals on them, not many teams will do that
• Our PP being better could have won us the game
• Refs weren't so good, lets some of the canes trips pass.

PP struggled with their aggressive D. 
 

Yes on the officiating. I think a big game changer was the no call on the slash on Cousins’. Terrible miss! That would’ve given us a big advantage, and a great chance to score a goal.

[Porous Five Hole]

No Vasy tonight. We get Brian Elliott. 

Hedman and Paul are both questionable and will be game-time decisions.