GDT - Sabres @ Capitals - January 3, 2023 - 7:00 PM (EST) - MSG and WGR

[Doohicksie]

31 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Power still plays like a rookie at times

He just needs a little more meat on his bones.  It'll come.  But yeah against a physical team he has trouble handling the pressure.

22 minutes ago, drnkirishone said:

Anyone watch the game on espn+? For some reason the replay is not listed on the site and Google searching for the espn stream does not play it

It'll show up there eventually.  I wanted to rewatch some of the goals with the Caps coverage and I noticed it wasn't there either.  It's in the netherworld of no longer live but not yet in the replay section.

EDIT:  It's up now.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Doohickie

[drnkirishone]

5 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

It'll show up there eventually.  I wanted to rewatch some of the goals with the Caps coverage and I noticed it wasn't there either.  It's in the netherworld of no longer live but not yet in the replay section.

EDIT:  It's up now.

Strange. The other games from earlier had already posted.

[PromoTheRobot]

6 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He just needs a little more meat on his bones.  It'll come.  But yeah against a physical team he has trouble handling the pressure.

Maybe, but I'm talking about his very casual attempts to clear the puck. Almost assisted on a Caps goal that way.

[PerreaultForever]

Well I think it's official. Sabres hockey is fun to watch again. Finally. 

Started okay and then it looked like we might fold under the physicality but we didn't. We bounced back. The Eichel/Reinhart teams would rarely hold up to that sort of play. Some of our guys got hit hard, but some of them also hit back. 

idk what the final peak of Cozens will be but he is just getting better and better each game, developing confidence, asserting himself, becoming an absolute complete hockey player. Some of his back checking was a delight to see on a Sabres team. Tage was Tage. He moves his feet he's a lethal weapon. Tuch was very good tonight as well. As was UPL aside from some poor rebound control which is still a weakness of his but it should get better over time with coaching. 

The D pairs are communicating so much better than they used to, and although they did get us running around a few times with their assertiveness for the most part they stayed positionally sound. Power struggled with the physicality but you can't fault that for a young kid. Asking too much of him maybe. 

The only dumb moment for me, which was like watching old Sabres games, was when the Mitts line ended up matched against Ovi  and VO showed how absolutely useless he is on coverage and defending. That line scored a goal late, but overall they are the weak link. 

The pros outweigh the cons though and that's just pleasurable. Now, how do I make sure I'm not dreaming??????????

[pi2000]

10 thoughts....

What exactly is Thompson's ceiling?   It's getting to a point where it's considered a bad game if he doesn't score at least 2 or 3 points.

The trip on Skinner was as obvious as it gets.   Kuznetsov slashes UPL in the mask, undoing the snap and play has to be stopped... all within arms reach of the referee.     That's a penalty every day of the week.     

Samuelsson a -2, his worst outing of the season. 

Owen Power wears glasses off the ice.   That said, I assume he wears contact lenses during games... why not wear them all day or get Lasik?  

Who was Granato yelling at during the timeout?

UPL made some spectacular saves, but continues to struggle with rebound control, high glove and catching the puck.    Washington scouted him and took advantage.

Bryson needs to sit.

JJ Peterka looked dangerous all night, yet logged a team low 12 minutes of ice.

Mittelstadt is German for "Middle City".

That Ovechkin guy can shoot the puck,  he'll be a good one.

 

[matter2003]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well I think it's official. Sabres hockey is fun to watch again. Finally. 

Started okay and then it looked like we might fold under the physicality but we didn't. We bounced back. The Eichel/Reinhart teams would rarely hold up to that sort of play. Some of our guys got hit hard, but some of them also hit back. 

idk what the final peak of Cozens will be but he is just getting better and better each game, developing confidence, asserting himself, becoming an absolute complete hockey player. Some of his back checking was a delight to see on a Sabres team. Tage was Tage. He moves his feet he's a lethal weapon. Tuch was very good tonight as well. As was UPL aside from some poor rebound control which is still a weakness of his but it should get better over time with coaching. 

The D pairs are communicating so much better than they used to, and although they did get us running around a few times with their assertiveness for the most part they stayed positionally sound. Power struggled with the physicality but you can't fault that for a young kid. Asking too much of him maybe. 

The only dumb moment for me, which was like watching old Sabres games, was when the Mitts line ended up matched against Ovi  and VO showed how absolutely useless he is on coverage and defending. That line scored a goal late, but overall they are the weak link. 

The pros outweigh the cons though and that's just pleasurable. Now, how do I make sure I'm not dreaming??????????

Cause they've been doing it for almost a year now?

[Doohicksie]

Against Darcy Kuemper, Tage has 6 goals in 3 games.

23 minutes ago, drnkirishone said:

Strange. The other games from earlier had already posted.

Eh.  It happens.

[PromoTheRobot]

8 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

What exactly is Thompson's ceiling?   It's getting to a point where it's considered a bad game if he doesn't score at least 2 or 3 points.

 

Remember when people were worried Tage couldn't score 30 goals again?

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, matter2003 said:

The only comparable thing I have ever seen while watching sports live when you suddenly realized a person's life was on the line if medical professionals didn't act quickly where every second counted was the Clint Malarchuk incident with the Sabres.  It was traumatizing to see.  Still have not eaten after seeing last night's incident with Damar Hamlin and feel sick to my stomach when I even think about food.

As an athlete you never consider the chance that you might die on the field. You understand injuries happen and are a part of the game and do your best to minimize them happening, but dying is never a part of what you signed up for.

Well I certainly hope Hamlin doesn't die, and I do remember watching the Malarchuk incident which I think felt scarier at the time due to all the blood. 

Back in 1975 I was in high school and watched Hamilton Tiger Cat Tom Pate actually die on the field against Calgary. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pate

Football has always been a brutal sport of questionable value, but even after that I played on my high school team. When Ryan Shazier was near paralyzed I thought to myself why do I still watch this thing, it's brutal. There were other reasons I stopped watching football as well, but you do have to accept it is a sport of absolute violence all the time. 

In any event, none of that really matters. Hopefully the guy pulls through. 

9 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Cause they've been doing it for almost a year now?

Nope. Totally disagree. What I'm seeing now, last few weeks or so, is different hockey. Very different. 

[dudacek]

Sabres on a 9/2/1 run over the past month.

That’s the NHL’s 4th best record over that stretch, which includes road wins over 2 of the teams (Bos, Was) ahead of them.

They are 11th in defence over that stretch, allowing 2.75 goals per game, and easily 1st in offence, scoring 4.42 goals per game, a full goal per game more than all but 6 other teams.

Tage leads the NHL with 15 goals over the 12 games he’s played during that span, and is 2nd with 23 points.

Tuch also in the NHL top 10 with 7 goals and 19 points in that stretch.

Are you having any fun yet?

 

[Doohicksie]

19 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Tuch was very good tonight as well.

Tuch had an amazing night as a playmaker.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Honestly it’s a little bit freaky. Hopefully Damar gets the game puck.

i also believe that the Sabres are now 3 for 3 in OT.

3-2 in OT.

1-0 in SO.

[Doohicksie]

20 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Owen Power wears glasses off the ice.   That said, I assume he wears contact lenses during games... why not wear them all day or get Lasik?  

Duh.  Clark Kent can never reveal his alter ego.

[Doohicksie]

7 hours ago, matter2003 said:

As a driver you never consider the chance that you might die on the road. You understand accidents happen and are a part of driving and do your best to minimize them happening, but dying is never a part of what you signed up for.

Perspectived it for you.  Basically... life isn't safe.  No one gets out alive.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/kevyn-adams-1323/t-277437090/c-14532715

Not seeing adam’s link? 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Tuch also in the NHL top 10 with 7 goals and 19 points in that stretch.

Tuch was a name I never even noticed when he was with VGK.  I know (now) he was a first round pick (same year as Reinhart) but he was a nothingburger to me.  He tips the ice with his hard skating, power forward style but I still figured he'd be a middle six guy.  I eventually realized he was a natural and necessary component of Thompson's line, but this last little stretch he's been really demonstrating really what a high skill player he is.  His assist on Tommer's second goal was about as impressive as some of Tage's stickhandling.  He received a pass at the blue line with a Cap on his back, bumped down to the corner to try to find space; instead he got double teamed and even though the Cap defenders got touches on the puck he still managed to maintain enough control to slide it out to Tage.  Not very many players in this league can make a play like that.

He's second in goals, second in points on a team that's scoring the most goals per game in the league.  Kind of crazy.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Doohickie

[Doohicksie]

16 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Not seeing adam’s link? 

Really?  When I click that link this is what I see:

Without rewatching it, my take was he was very reserved and talked about the importance of the team being a bright spot for the city when the city's suffered setbacks this year, that it was kind of a duty of the team to give back to the city in tough times.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Doohickie

[Taro T]

 

[Turbo44]

48 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

10 thoughts....

What exactly is Thompson's ceiling?   It's getting to a point where it's considered a bad game if he doesn't score at least 2 or 3 points.

The trip on Skinner was as obvious as it gets.   Kuznetsov slashes UPL in the mask, undoing the snap and play has to be stopped... all within arms reach of the referee.     That's a penalty every day of the week.     

Samuelsson a -2, his worst outing of the season. 

Owen Power wears glasses off the ice.   That said, I assume he wears contact lenses during games... why not wear them all day or get Lasik?  

Who was Granato yelling at during the timeout?

UPL made some spectacular saves, but continues to struggle with rebound control, high glove and catching the puck.    Washington scouted him and took advantage.

Bryson needs to sit.

JJ Peterka looked dangerous all night, yet logged a team low 12 minutes of ice.

Mittelstadt is German for "Middle City".

That Ovechkin guy can shoot the puck,  he'll be a good one.

 

Picking on the wrong D tonight. Dahlin and Samuelsson were the problem (combined -3 and a lot of d zone sloppiness). Power and Bryson were fine; +1 each 

[Doohicksie]

21 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Not seeing adam’s link? 

Twitter link:

 

[dudacek]

32 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Tuch had an amazing night as a playmaker.

Four of these 2022/23 stat lines belong to Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner.

• 1.17 points/game +14
• 1.16 points/game -2
• 1.16 points/game +19
• 1.13 points/game 0
• 1.07 points/game +17

Which one of them belongs to Alex Tuch?

Only 2 Sabre RWs have ever topped 90 points over a full season. Tuch is within striking distance of 100 and Rene Robert’s status as having the second most productive season by a RW in Buffalo Sabres history.

[Broken Ankles]

7 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

Picking on the wrong D tonight. Dahlin and Samuelsson were the problem (combined -3 and a lot of d zone sloppiness). Power and Bryson were fine; +1 each 

Bryson may have been a +1 but wasn’t fine.  Horrible pinch/decision to pinch, out of position multiple time and still loses more puck battles than he wins. I bench him before Clague, when Joki is healthy.  Not like it hasn’t been said consistently on multiple threads, but the Sabres need to trade for a RD. 

[Doohicksie]

I thought Bryson played one of his better games as a Sabre.

[Taro T]

And whoever (if anybody) picked Lyubushkin with a 3 game points streak, please remember to fill the little sterile cup with the lid & label on your way to collect your prize.

(Great call, but there's no way you were sober making THAT call.)

[triumph_communes]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

10 thoughts....

What exactly is Thompson's ceiling?   It's getting to a point where it's considered a bad game if he doesn't score at least 2 or 3 points.

The trip on Skinner was as obvious as it gets.   Kuznetsov slashes UPL in the mask, undoing the snap and play has to be stopped... all within arms reach of the referee.     That's a penalty every day of the week.     

Samuelsson a -2, his worst outing of the season. 

Owen Power wears glasses off the ice.   That said, I assume he wears contact lenses during games... why not wear them all day or get Lasik?  

Who was Granato yelling at during the timeout?

UPL made some spectacular saves, but continues to struggle with rebound control, high glove and catching the puck.    Washington scouted him and took advantage.

Bryson needs to sit.

JJ Peterka looked dangerous all night, yet logged a team low 12 minutes of ice.

Mittelstadt is German for "Middle City".

That Ovechkin guy can shoot the puck,  he'll be a good one.

 

Don’t they tell you to wait until you’re 25 for LASIK?