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

[Doohicksie]

The Hockey Guy's recap (cued up to our game).

"Luukkonen is a really good goaltender."

 

[Huckleberry]

Important win too, 8 points behind with 4 games in hand for first wildcard spot.  If you lose its 11 points. Still need to win those but we are in range of it now 😉

[Sidc3000]

Just watched the third period since I fell asleep last night. Just imagine of they won that faceoff with 16 seconds left. The game could of ended in regulation but faceoffs don’t matter. 
 

Although this team really sucks at faceoffs, they still won! This team is finally fun to watch again and you can’t count them out
 

 

[NAF]

Jost continues to impress me. I feel bad that he's stuck with 71 and 37. I wouldn't mind seeing Jost centering Asplund and Hinnostroza. Krebs had a great first period but struggled in the latter two. Luukkonnen needs to work on rebound control and getting his glove hand up higher, but other than that he was good last night.

[LTS]

32 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

Just watched the third period since I fell asleep last night. Just imagine of they won that faceoff with 16 seconds left. The game could of ended in regulation but faceoffs don’t matter. 
 

Although this team really sucks at faceoffs, they still won! This team is finally fun to watch again and you can’t count them out
 

 

They don't matter enough to ignore other things in building at team at the expense of improving face-offs.  That's the key to the statement that face-offs don't  matter. Certainly they do matter, but you don't keep someone like Cody Eakin on the team because they don't matter enough to put him on the team at the expense of everything he takes away from the lineup compared to someone else.

I guess it's the difference between good and good enough.

[Stoner]

8 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

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

There's room on the aggrievers' bandwagon!

[That Aud Smell]

8 hours 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.

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?  

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

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

Good stuff. As for Thompson, I'm not sure. He's presumably got some cold streaks coming in his future, but I don't think he's at his ceiling yet. It's especially exciting to realize that he's doing this over a significant sample size of games, after opposing teams have had a full opportunity to scout him, and generally against the opponent's best competition. Oh, and add to all of that his intangibles of being a super grounded, likable player and teammate. Incredible.

Dahlin and Samuelsson generally had a rough night in their own end. In this regard, see your note about that guy who wears #8 for the Caps. Him and his line were pretty good.

As for Power, maybe he's got a weird and/or wicked correction. Not everyone is a candidate for lasik.

As for JJ, I don't disagree but I thought I also noticed the baby wingers getting banged around quite a bit. And I believe he and Quinn got stapled to the bench in the 3rd against ... Ottawa? Granato is sheltering them. Which is fine.

One more thing on Power: At least we've moved past the era where they'd have to stop the game to search for a player's hard contact lenses. Good God. Remember that? (I don't think anyone actually has to wear hard contact lenses anymore (?).)

[GASabresIUFAN]

8 hours 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.

 

What Thompson is doing in the NHL is unprecedented.  I’m not sure there is another case in NHL history of a player of his age going from bust, to 30 goal scorer to NHL Superstar in 2 years.  Think about it this way.  He had 18 goals in his first 145 games, 38 in his next 78, and 30 in 36 games this season.  That means for the 2nd year in a row he is on pace to double his career goal production in a season.  Crazy.  
 

UPL clearly still needs work, but the biggest development is his compete level.  I think the consistent effort is one of the things management wanted to see and UPL is finally delivering.  When Comrie returns, UPL needs to go down, continue his compete level and work on some fundamentals like high glove side.  Fyi Det is carrying 3 goalies and they just waived Vrana because of it.  

[Quint]

From TSN:

Quote

That added up to some incredible symmetry: Thompson scoring three goals, including the third exactly 3 minutes into 3-on-3 OT, on Jan. 3. One of the new faces of the Sabres franchise, Thompson now has 30 goals this season.

 

[ddaryl]

Got to watch the entrie game last night... Great 1st period, Where did that team go in the 2nd period ?  And they didn't wake up it seemed like till they fell behind in the 3rd

Forecheck seems pretty ferocious at times, 

Tage is amazing with his ability to be patient when there are defenders swarming around him in front of the net, that OT goal was a sight to behold.... again

When was the last time we had a winning record in January ?

[Pimlach]

7 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

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

Usually.  And not everyone is a candidate for LASIK ?  And maybe contacts bother him so he only wears them during a game?
 

I don’t care if he wears glasses.  He looks fine in them.  Whatever works for him is best. 

[LabattBlue]

Only saw the 3rd period and OT.  Thought the Sabres were toast when the Caps went ahead.  Great comeback. 
 

🎉🎉🎉

[Pimlach]

37 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

What Thompson is doing in the NHL is unprecedented.  I’m not sure there is another case in NHL history of a player of his age going from bust, to 30 goal scorer to NHL Superstar in 2 years.  Think about it this way.  He had 18 goals in his first 145 games, 38 in his next 78, and 30 in 36 games this season.  That means for the 2nd year in a row he is on pace to double his career goal production in a season.  Crazy.  
 

UPL clearly still needs work, but the biggest development is his compete level.  I think the consistent effort is one of the things management wanted to see and UPL is finally delivering.  When Comrie returns, UPL needs to go down, continue his compete level and work on some fundamentals like high glove side.  Fyi Det is carrying 3 goalies and they just waived Vrana because of it.  

He was never a bust.  He was a young prospect that was rushed into a line up with limited talent, and poor leadership, and bad coaching.  He needed more time in Rochester and he had a few injuries to deal with.  Don’t forget the Covid year and the position change. 
 

Brett Hull was a player that went from “fat and lazy potential beer league guy” to a star player and leading scorer. 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Pimlach

[LGR4GM]

So tell me again about the veteran Capitals being able to close out games or something? 

[SwampD]

7 hours ago, Doohickie said:

The Hockey Guy's recap (cued up to our game).

"Luukkonen is a really good goaltender."

 

I want to know how many people work on this. I know he wants it to look like a one man show, but there is no way he is doing that all alone. And why can’t ESPN In The Crease cover hockey (the only sport in the show) this in depth? I miss On The Fly where they told the story of the games, not just show some of the goals.

 

It was a great game, and correct me if I am wrong, but did the Sabres get a timely power play last night? I guess the have arrived.

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

So tell me again about the veteran Capitals being able to close out games or something? 

Well they were 8-1-1 in the last ten, make that 7-1-2 now.  That is a pretty good clip.      

Do they have another level beyond what we saw last night?   I do not see enough of them to know.  They used to have it.  

 

As long as our goaltending and team defense holds up we should challenge for wild card.  

[LGR4GM]

 

[matter2003]

8 hours ago, Doohickie said:

The Hockey Guy's recap (cued up to our game).

"Luukkonen is a really good goaltender."

 

It's almost like the light switch flipped on for him after the first 5 or 6 games...he has been playing very well lately.

18 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I want to know how many people work on this. I know he wants it to look like a one man show, but there is no way he is doing that all alone. And why can’t ESPN In The Crease cover hockey (the only sport in the show) this in depth? I miss On The Fly where they told the story of the games, not just show some of the goals.

 

It was a great game, and correct me if I am wrong, but did the Sabres get a timely power play last night? I guess the have arrived.

They got a 5 on 3 to close out regulation.

[matter2003]

Sabres still have not lost in Regulation when leading after 3 periods...their last 2 wins have come after the other team ties and takes the lead in the 3rd and then we rally to win.  Good to see from this team...they never give up and just keep playing.

Edited January 4, 2023 by matter2003

[inkman]

3 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

Just watched the third period since I fell asleep last night. Just imagine of they won that faceoff with 16 seconds left. The game could of ended in regulation but faceoffs don’t matter. 
 

Although this team really sucks at faceoffs, they still won! This team is finally fun to watch again and you can’t count them out
 

 

Yet you still found a way to find the poop covered lining.  Congrats!! 

[inkman]

22 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Well they were 8-1-1 in the last ten, make that 7-1-2 now.  That is a pretty good clip.      

Do they have another level beyond what we saw last night?   I do not see enough of them to know.  They used to have it.  

 

As long as our goaltending and team defense holds up we should challenge for wild card.  

They should be adding a dman & two forwards (to take 37 & 71s spots).  Every time they are on the ice, it’s a liability for the Sabres.  They had a better game last night and have been better overall with Jost but if Adams is serious about the playoffs (nothing I’ve heard says he is), he’ll make moves prior to the deadline to give this team reinforcements. 

[bob_sauve28]

9 hours ago, Doohickie said:

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.

That was just such a great, tough nosed hockey play. And then Tage's shot was great. 

[nfreeman]

Well, after going a long stretch without beating any good teams, they’ve now beaten Vegas, Colorado, Boston and the Caps in the last couple of weeks, and have won 7 out of 8.

Separately, I was mentally composing another “Mitts stinks” post last night, as I thought his line got caved in on every shift yet again, and then he made a nice play on the GTG with 8 or 9 min left.  I still think DG needs to separate Mitts and VO though.

Also, I’m sure it’s happened, but I can’t recall the last time a Sabre was as hot as TT is right now.  

[Pimlach]

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Always interesting to hear the opposing announcer's comments on the Sabres.  No doubt Thompson is getting a lot of attention around the league. 

 

We were talking about faceoffs last night.  Lots of people think they are not that important.  They are. 

The Sabres gave up goals #2 and #4 because of poor play on the faceoffs.  On goal 2 they lost the faceoff cleanly and two guys failed to cover OV and his  shot - the goalie had no chance.   On the fourth goal they were very aware of the problem on the second goal.  You saw them talking before the faceoff.  They put so much focus on covering the shot from OV that they did not retrieve the puck.  They actually won that faceoff cleanly and no one made a play for the puck, when they did finally go for the puck both 26 and 23 failed to get possession.    Call it flukey but these are the mistakes we cant afford to make.  

Faceoffs are important.  Especially in your defensive zone.  

We don't need to trade for a faceoff specialist, we just need to be better with the players we have.   This can be taught and it can be practiced.  This is an area of the game that needs more attention.   Now that we are challenging for a playoff spot it is time to clean up the fine details.   

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Usually.  And not everyone is a candidate for LASIK ?  And maybe contacts bother him so he only wears them during a game?
 

I don’t care if he wears glasses.  He looks fine in them.  Whatever works for him is best. 

Lasik, though mostly safe can go bad.   And I think the eyesight of people under 25 can change a lot so that is why Lasik isn't done.