GDT - Sabres @ Blues - January 24, 2023 - 8:00 PM (EST) - MSG and WGR

[Doohicksie]

Quote

67.2 Minor Penalty – Player - A player shall be permitted to catch the puck out of the air but must immediately place it or knock it down to
the ice. A player shall be assessed a minor penalty for “closing his hand on the puck”:
(i) If he catches it and skates with it, either to avoid a check or to gain a territorial advantage over his opponent;
(ii) If he places his hand over the puck while it is on the ice in order to conceal it from or prevent an opponent from playing the puck;
NOTE: When this is done in his team’s goal crease area, a penalty shot shall be assessed (67.4) or a goal awarded (67.5).
(iii) If he picks the puck up off the ice with his hand while play is in progress.
A minor penalty shall be assessed for “delay of game – face-off violation” to a player taking the face-off who:
(i) Attempts to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand.  NOTE: The two players involved in the actual face-off (the centers) are not permitted to play the puck with their hand without incurring a penalty under this rule until such time as a third player (from either team) has at least touched the puck. Once the face-off is deemed complete (and a winner of the face-off is clear) hand passes shall be enforced as per Rule 79 – Hand Pass

Note that it doesn't say anything bout whether the hand is on the stick or not.

Page 98 at https://cms.nhl.bamgrid.com/images/assets/binary/335473802/binary-file/file.pdf

Edited January 25, 2023 by Doohickie

[Doohicksie]

8 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I think the biggest thing is we finally have some continuity and lines where people compliment each other and are communicating better and simply running around less. less selfish individual play and more structured team play.

One thing that happens fairly routinely now is that the Sabres will control the puck in the offensive zone continuously long enough that they will do a line change while they're still controlling the puck.  So it's not just continuity within a unit but a hand-off from one unit to another.  If done right it wears out the defense and can lead to a good scoring chance.

Other teams used to do that to us all the time but we rarely did it to other teams before Granato.

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Had to watch this one in replay so late to the party but the biggest difference really was it seemed Tage wanted to show St. Louis they shouldn't have traded him or maybe he had old friends in the stands, but he seemed especially motivated to stick it to them. 

In many ways they tried to blow this one and UPL had to make some big late saves but still, overall, a good road game by a real hockey team. I think the biggest thing is we finally have some continuity and lines where people compliment each other and are communicating better and simply running around less. less selfish individual play and more structured team play. It's been a long time coming. It speaks to Granato doing a good job, but also to the "individuals" being gone from the roster. 

Still don't like how we just give a stern talking to (along with a little push and shove) to opponents who take liberties and deliver cheap hits, that'll bite us one night I just know it, but it's improving. Slightly. We could still use more toughness though. 

otherwise, what's not to like? 

I saw Peterka several times away from the play "getting involved".  It looked more like a few Blues players either didn't care for him, or they just wanted to put fear into him, or maybe get a fight just to do something (just like their coach used to do).  It didn't work, and at the time we were all over them and he probably did not want to do something to inspire the Blues team which at that point looked like big gold pylons compared to the Sabres.   I can see JJP is getting close to answering the bell.   Like Dahlin finally did last season, and then Krebs this season, I think JJP is going to snap one day.  

But keep in mind these 3 players are not ever going to be fighters, but they do need to make it known and established around the league that they wont take that crap either.  

 

 

[triumph_communes]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You're looking at this all wrong. We held off a very good Blues team and earned a win. In years past, the Sabres would just go to pieces. Now if the other team scores first, we come back. If the other team comes back, we hold them off. THAT is what a good team does. 

A non playoff Blues team with a -20 goal differential that we had a two goal lead within the first minute who managed to score 3 almost 4 of the course of the next 59 minutes is a severely worrisome sign. Especially when you look at the dozen two goal leads this team has blown this season, it’s a trend. They can’t defend a lead they can only hope to out score. That’s not gonna work in no playoff series. 

[That Aud Smell]

19 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I saw Peterka several times away from the play "getting involved".  It looked more like a few Blues players either didn't care for him, or they just wanted to put fear into him, or maybe get a fight just to do something (just like their coach used to do).  It didn't work, and at the time we were all over them and he probably did not want to do something to inspire the Blues team which at that point looked like big gold pylons compared to the Sabres.   I can see JJP is getting close to answering the bell.   Like Dahlin finally did last season, and then Krebs this season, I think JJP is going to snap one day.  

Funny you should mention that. There was a moment in the 2nd when the teams were scrumming because Dahlin had done something to aggravate the Blues (and the refs, clearly (they hate Dahlin)). And Peterka skated towards the scrum. And someone from the Blues - not sure who, but he had the look of a thick NHL veteran - just stuck a glove into Peterka's mid-section as Peterka arrived and sent him backwards onto the ice. It was kind of amusing.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

Note that it doesn't say anything bout whether the hand is on the stick or not.

Page 98 at https://cms.nhl.bamgrid.com/images/assets/binary/335473802/binary-file/file.pdf

Pretty clearly the right call based on that.

Dumb rule. Wonder why it’s there?

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

One thing that happens fairly routinely now is that the Sabres will control the puck in the offensive zone continuously long enough that they will do a line change while they're still controlling the puck.  So it's not just continuity within a unit but a hand-off from one unit to another.  If done right it wears out the defense and can lead to a good scoring chance.

Other teams used to do that to us all the time but we rarely did it to other teams before Granato.

Yup, there's better puck possession and better awareness of where other players are. More use of a 5 man unit as well. Even Skinner is passing the puck better and I never thought I'd see that. 

[Pimlach]

5 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

Funny you should mention that. There was a moment in the 2nd when the teams were scrumming because Dahlin had done something to aggravate the Blues (and the refs, clearly (they hate Dahlin)). And Peterka skated towards the scrum. And someone from the Blues - not sure who, but he had the look of a thick NHL veteran - just stuck a glove into Peterka's mid-section as Peterka arrived and sent him backwards onto the ice. It was kind of amusing.

Several times he took a shove after the whistle while skating back to the bench for a line change.  They were goading Peterka, but not Quinn.  Maybe JJP talks trash out there? 

Edited January 26, 2023 by Pimlach

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

I saw Peterka several times away from the play "getting involved".  It looked more like a few Blues players either didn't care for him, or they just wanted to put fear into him, or maybe get a fight just to do something (just like their coach used to do).  It didn't work, and at the time we were all over them and he probably did not want to do something to inspire the Blues team which at that point looked like big gold pylons compared to the Sabres.   I can see JJP is getting close to answering the bell.   Like Dahlin finally did last season, and then Krebs this season, I think JJP is going to snap one day.  

But keep in mind these 3 players are not ever going to be fighters, but they do need to make it known and established around the league that they wont take that crap either.  

 

 

That's true, and I do think Peterka has that style of game in him. I was thinking mostly about when Krebs got pasted into the boards. Kyle shoved the guy a bit and Krebs was yapping at another guy after but on most teams somebody would have come in a pasted the guy. I don't want to get into a long debate over it with the non violence contingent though. It's just something that to me, is moving in the right direction, but still has a ways to go and I do think this team would get bigger and braver all over if it had a so called policeman on the bench. 

[That Aud Smell]

3 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Several times he took a hit after the whistle while skating back to the bench for a line change.  They were goading Peterka, but not Quinn.  Maybe JJP talks trash out there? 

maybe. or maybe they see him as someone who can still be intimidated. both quinn and peterka will get through this phase of their career - of that i am sure.

[matter2003]

LMAO!

 

 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Pretty clearly the right call based on that.

Dumb rule. Wonder why it’s there?

Because the league got tired of centers trying to win faceoffs by tying up their opponent's stick and then gloving the puck to a teammate behind him essentially making faceoffs look like rugby scrums.

That rule was probably put in a year or 2 before covid.

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

A non playoff Blues team with a -20 goal differential that we had a two goal lead within the first minute who managed to score 3 almost 4 of the course of the next 59 minutes is a severely worrisome sign. Especially when you look at the dozen two goal leads this team has blown this season, it’s a trend. They can’t defend a lead they can only hope to out score. That’s not gonna work in no playoff series. 

Second night of a back to back, with the Blues getting two key players back for the first time. Calm down.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

LMAO!

 

 

I don’t even understand this, is it real? Twitter/Stan twitter has just so passed me by nowadays. Getting old.

[matter2003]

4 hours ago, Thorny said:

I don’t even understand this, is it real? Twitter/Stan twitter has just so passed me by nowadays. Getting old.

I think the Sabres sent that pic to them in a group chat and those were their responses to it

[Doohicksie]

9 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

That’s not gonna work in no playoff series. 

No but the Sabres team of January will not be the same team in April.  The younger guys have been developing all along and will continue to develop.  Donny will continue to tailor his system to the talent at hand.  There could even be a trade deadline surprise... the Sabres do, after all, have a lot of cap space.

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

Pretty clearly the right call based on that.

Dumb rule. Wonder why it’s there?

Because someone was tying up the opponent's stick then reaching down and pushing the puck.

[Doohicksie]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Yup, there's better puck possession and better awareness of where other players are. More use of a 5 man unit as well. Even Skinner is passing the puck better and I never thought I'd see that. 

You know, he used to be all Mohawks and pirouettes as he tried to dance through defenses.  He's a much more straightforward skater now.  It suits him.  He still occasionally dances around a crowd but it's not as common as it used to be.  I guess he finally started listening to Krueger  😉

8 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Maybe JJP talks trash out there?

If he does, good on 'im.  It's good to have players that get under the other team's skin and gets them off their game.  Skinner does that.  Dahlin does it in a more physical manner.  Maybe JJ just as a potty mouth, eh?

[dudacek]

49 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Because someone was tying up the opponent's stick then reaching down and pushing the puck.

Which clearly wasn't happening here.

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

A non playoff Blues team with a -20 goal differential that we had a two goal lead within the first minute who managed to score 3 almost 4 of the course of the next 59 minutes is a severely worrisome sign. Especially when you look at the dozen two goal leads this team has blown this season, it’s a trend. They can’t defend a lead they can only hope to out score. That’s not gonna work in no playoff series. 

The did defend the lead and they won the game.  Calm down, they are a young team and a work in progress.  They just came off a game the night before.  
 

[Doohicksie]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

Which clearly wasn't happening here.

Within the rule, though, it was a violation.

[JohnC]

17 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Several times he took a shove after the whistle while skating back to the bench for a line change.  They were goading Peterka, but not Quinn.  Maybe JJP talks trash out there? 

Before and during the game Rob Ray said that St. Louis was going to goad the Sabres into scrums and retaliations. He repeatedly said that the Sabres shouldn't fall into the trap. The Blues are a demonstrably slower team that wanted to break the flow of the faster and quicker team. Rob Ray is old school and has no problems with hitting back. But in this game he recognized even before the puck was dropped that it would be a mistake to fall for cheap tactics. Playing tough and smart is the best response.