GDT: Penguins @ Sabres, Friday, 12/9/22, 7pm MSG

[LGR4GM]

Just now, JohnC said:

Mitts had a good game. He had three assists and was a plus 2. It seems that some people are reluctant to give him credit when it is due. 

I think he had a good game. 

[Sidc3000]

So suspension or no suspension for skinner. It almost looks like the last time he was suspended was 10 years ago. I’m sure he’ll get fined

[JohnC]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

I think he had a good game. 

There were many games where it was warranted to criticize this particular player. This is not one of them. I thought he played a very tight and focused game. This is how he needs to play on a more regular basis. 

[SwampD]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Well this is an image and text based medium so you literally never have to listen to me. 

Believe me, I hear you loud and clear way too often.😂

[Quint]

Mittlestadt worked well with Jost and Olofsson. Could be a thing.

[Carmel Corn]

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

27 games in. About 1/3rd of the way. 

Goes fast. 

Too bad we can't have a mulligan for November!

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, JohnC said:

There were many games where it was warranted to criticize this particular player. This is not one of them. I thought he played a very tight and focused game. This is how he needs to play on a more regular basis. 

Yep.  He was arguably the best Sabres forward tonight and he needs to play with this kind of drive, energy and physicality every night.

Edited December 10, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[grinreaper]

1 minute ago, thewookie1 said:

Wow, and I'm completely unsure how to judge them this year. They aren't terrible by any means but they aren't world beaters either. While the standings may not show it, they are definitely improving.

They dominated for well over half of the game. Puck luck and good goaltending went against them. Pittsburgh had to be wondering what hit them before the officials started giving them Power Plays. I'm not saying those penalties weren't deserved but the Penguins got away with several that should have been called. For quite some time the Sabres moved the puck very quickly, forechecked and got in the lanes defensively to frustrate those ******. Offensively the Sabres look like one of the top teams in the league.

[K-9]

6 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Mitts had a good game. He had three assists and was a plus 2. It seems that some people are reluctant to give him credit when it is due. 

When he proves it to be more the rule rather than the exception, I’ll be first in line to give him credit. Until then, he had a good game for the first time in a long time, nothing more. 

[Thorner]

I feel like their record in these uniform sets is poor 

[Carmel Corn]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yep.  He was arguably the best Sabres forward tonight and he needs to play with this kind of drive, energy and physically every night.

Don't disagree with you....I might add that VO seemed more engaged as well and Jost has been showing up about every game...aside from TNT, no other forward can dominate a game by himself, so I'd say the whole line had a fairly decent showing.

Just now, Thorny said:

I feel like their record in these uniform sets is poor 

Amen....and aren't they undefeated in the retro Black?

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yep.  He was arguably the best Sabres forward tonight and he needs to play with this kind of drive, energy and physicality every night.

If Olofsson would have scored a goal instead of hitting the pipe this line would have been considered the top line in this game. I have been pleased with the play of Jost. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Imagine how dangerous this team will be if we can get 3 lines chipping in.  

I thought the D was better tonight and I just realized why.  I looked at the box score and Fitz and Bryson played a combined 15 minutes tonight.  The big 4 all played 24 to 26+ minutes tonight.  

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Quint said:

Mittlestadt worked well with Jost and Olofsson. Could be a thing.

The coaches have put them in a position where they may succeed.  Expecting them to play well tomorrow too.  Will it come to fruition?  Hope so.  The Sabres have a much better chance of pulling that one out if they do.

And they'll need some sort of a boost w/ UPL facing a very veteran squad.

[JohnC]

3 minutes ago, K-9 said:

When he proves it to be more the rule rather than the exception, I’ll be first in line to give him credit. Until then, he had a good game for the first time in a long time, nothing more. 

This is a game that he deserved credit for his play. When he plays poorly then he deserves criticism. When he plays well he should be given his due. I thought in this game that he was one of our better forwards. Nothing flashy about his play other than it wasn't consistently solid throughout the game. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, JohnC said:

If Olofsson would have scored a goal instead of hitting the pipe this line would have been considered the top line in this game. I have been pleased with the play of Jost. 

I think he's been a solid pick up. DG also limited Casey's line's minutes tonight.  Casey, Jost and VO only played 11 minutes tonight.  

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I think he's been a solid pick up. DG also limited Casey's line's minutes tonight.  Casey, Jost and VO only played 11 minutes tonight.  

This line certainly didn't have excessive minutes. But even with the limited minutes this line played as a very responsible line. There was never a time where I thought this unit was a liability in this highly contested game.    

[Taro T]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

I think he's been a solid pick up. DG also limited Casey's line's minutes tonight.  Casey, Jost and VO only played 11 minutes tonight.  

This is the 6th consecutive game their minutes were limited.  Or, in the case of the BJ game, limited when the game was still in question. 

In this game they played very little w/ the 3rd D pairing.  That might've helped them play a little looser knowing any oops (even in the offensive zone) didn't necessarily have to have a 50% chance of becoming a high danger chance against.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Taro T said:

This is the 6th consecutive game their minutes were limited.  Or, in the case of the BJ game, limited when the game was still in question. 

In this game they played very little w/ the 3rd D pairing.  That might've helped them play a little looser knowing any oops (even in the offensive zone) didn't necessarily have to have a 50% chance of becoming a high danger chance against.

Everyone played limited minutes with the 3rd pairing guys.  They only play about 7:30 each.  Also they didn't play together.  Power played with Fitz and Joki with Bryson.  

It's pretty clear the DG views them as a serious liability, but he also can't play the big 4 25 minutes each a night.

[Gatorman0519]

It is fun when they blow out lesser teams 7-2 and 9-4, but realistically they need to learn how to win 3-2 games against good teams, and regularly to become a contender.  They are getting closer.  Nor do we have the goaltending or defensive depth.  But at least they are fun and entertaining again.  It is not our time yet. Lots of young guns still in the stable that will arrive the next few years.  The main question I think is goaltending.  

[Believer]

38 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I sure hope they use this as a learning tool. It's how veteran teams beat A team of puppies. This isn't the first time we have seen this against them. They better learn how to deal with it better.

Couldn’t agree more… Veteran team that knew what to do to break the momentum after we scored… Part of the Pen game

[K-9]

14 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This is a game that he deserved credit for his play. When he plays poorly then he deserves criticism. When he plays well he should be given his due. I thought in this game that he was one of our better forwards. Nothing flashy about his play other than it wasn't consistently solid throughout the game. 

Yes, he had a good game and was perhaps our best player on the ice. Kudos to Casey. 

Now, have another, then another, and another, and another, and another …

2 minutes ago, Believer said:

Couldn’t agree more… Veteran team that knew what to do to break the momentum after we scored… Part of the Pen game

Id that’s the case, then it’s on Donnie G to step up his game.

[Taro T]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

Everyone played limited minutes with the 3rd pairing guys.  They only play about 7:30 each.  Also they didn't play together.  Power played with Fitz and Joki with Bryson.  

It's pretty clear the DG views them as a serious liability, but he also can't play the big 4 25 minutes each a night.

He splits the 3rd pairing up quite often after the 1st period of close games.

The 2nd line seems to spend quite a bit of time with the 3rd pairing when it's together (pretty much when the 2nd line aren't out against the other team's top line) and the 3rd line seems to get the bulk of that other 1/3 of the 3rd paoring's time on the ice.  But since becoming the 3rd line, it seems whenever they get caught out w/ the Bryson bunch that bad things happen.  It was good to keep the 3's away from each other.  That should stay the plan until the Mitts line has demonstrated they have confidence back.  MHO.

[Believer]

3 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Yes, he had a good game and was perhaps our best player on the ice. Kudos to Casey. 

Now, have another, then another, and another, and another, and another …

Id that’s the case, then it’s on Donnie G to step up his game.

DG doesn’t know how to win at the NHL level… He is learning along with the team

[John Tucker]

Tomorrow nights game just became a lot more interesting!  Should be some angst!!