GDT: Edmonton Oilers @ Buffalo Sabres 3/6/2023 at 7:30PM EST on ESPN+

[HumanSlinky39]

Much like the Sabres, the Oilers defense had been a problem all season. Well, that and Jack Campbell. They went out and got Ekholm on the blue line and it has transformed them.

[LGR4GM]

 

[HumanSlinky39]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

 

Meatballs needs to scratch him. Let him watch from above for a couple of games and hope that kickstarts him. Worked for Quinn.

[LGR4GM]

Just now, HumanSlinky39 said:

Much like the Sabres, the Oilers defense had been a problem all season. Well, that and Jack Campbell. They went out and got Ekholm on the blue line and it has transformed them.

We outshot them 39 to 37. It didn't transform anything, they got great goaltending tonight. 

[Mango]

I have some individual criticisms (*cough* Bryson *cough*). But as an overall team I thought we played well. 
 

We suck at moving the puck low to high in the offensive zone. Teams are starting to force us to and we have no answer. 

[CallawaySabres]

We have not had a goalie that can steal games like Edmonton did tonight for 10 years. I really CAANOT believe that there is not somebody else in the system that has more hockey skill than Bryson...he is really losing games on his own. Victor has zero, and I mean ZERO ability outside of a gimmick one timer (which does not exist anymore). He absolutely cannot play anymore in these important games. 

 

Penguins will find a way into the playoffs so it's either Ottawa, Isle or us. a 4 point swing on the wrong side of things tomorrow could be the dagger. 

[Taro T]

Can somebody please explain 1 thing about tonight's game? Wtf did Granato when coming back from a "media timeout" watching the McDavid line come out along with Nurse's pairing decide it was a good time to put the originally constituted Krebs line along with Dahlin and neither Power nor Jokiharju but Bryson?

The Girgensons line had been out before the TV timeout and Lyubushkin and Clague had been the D. He literally had every other forward & D combination available to him and he chose that.  Really like Granato overall, but that was a painfully bad decision and it ended up being the difference in the game when all was said and done.

[Pimlach]

12 minutes ago, JohninMinn. said:

Nobody talking about Clague because he played well.

He was better than Bryson but he still is not good.

[Wyldnwoody44]

The Bryson and Olofsson hate is strong and sadly, I can't argue it... They were terrible. VO tried lazily taking the puck out of the zone at the end of the 2nd and then wasn't able to back check and that goal was a dagger. In the 3rd, he threw himself into the wall like a 8 month old learning to walk. 

Bryson is just not physical enough to play D, sure he can skate sorta well, but his decision making and actual Defensive ability are beyond subpar. Tonight coulda been an even closer game if we had, Muel, Tuch and Stillman, alas. It was the McDavid show and now we have an actual Must win tomorrow night. Hope the boys are up for the challenge, Sorokin is a stud GT

[K-9]

We missed everyone not in the lineup tonight. Can’t wait for Bryson and Clague to sit permanently. Also can’t wait until VO is no longer a part of this team. I pray KA trades him in the offseason. Hopefully, he will reach 30 goals so his stock will be high. But then again, GMs across the league are seeing the same one trick pony so maybe they can’t be fooled so easily. 

[Thorner]

27 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I thought it was a good game.  Edmonton goalie was the difference.  We had many chances to score and just failed. 

*gm hat off* 

we’re in a playoff race for the first time in a decade. I want to win. Sometimes I watch as..ya know, a fan. I get that they played pretty decent 

I’m mad they lost. crap game. 

[Taro T]

42 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

I am desperately hoping that Ryan Johnson will sign before the end of the season so that we can finally wake up from the Bryson nightmare....I never want to see him play on this team ever again.

If they weren't down 2 D-men they wouldn't have Bryson in there tonight.

[Thorner]

32 minutes ago, TageMVP said:

Crappy result 

Yes

and the result is what matters most to me currently 

it’s not an abstract or unfair concept even if people don’t currently share it 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Thorny

[Thorner]

10 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Can somebody please explain 1 thing about tonight's game? Wtf did Granato when coming back from a "media timeout" watching the McDavid line come out along with Nurse's pairing decide it was a good time to put the originally constituted Krebs line along with Dahlin and neither Power nor Jokiharju but Bryson?

The Girgensons line had been out before the TV timeout and Lyubushkin and Clague had been the D. He literally had every other forward & D combination available to him and he chose that.  Really like Granato overall, but that was a painfully bad decision and it ended up being the difference in the game when all was said and done.

Didn’t like him sending out the second PP unit after a break either 

[Taro T]

25 minutes ago, JohninMinn. said:

Nobody talking about Clague because he played well.

Never noticed Clague on the ice against McDavid.  That is likely a big part of why nobody is talking about him.

[CallawaySabres]

The injury excuse is absolutely pathetic around here. It’s not llike we were missing two All-Stars. Every team has injuries and the Sabres should’ve won tonight without them, Plain and simple.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Didn’t like him sending out the second PP unit after a break either 

That at least a case can be made for.  (Not a particularly strong 1 but a case nonetheless.)   No way can the decision to stick Anderson and Dahlin with the Krebs line and Bryson against McDavid's line be justified in a game they had to win.

Get that he wanted to keep Power and Jokiharju together at that point, but if he's putting Bryson out there (heck, even if he isn't, he CAN'T put Krebs, Peterka, and Olofsson out against McDavid) he has to put either the Cozens line out there or the Thompson line.  There was 1 line and 2 D-men that couldn't be called there.  At least Clague wasn't the other D-man out against them.  Hooray for microscopically small victories?

[Thorner]

13 minutes ago, Thorny said:

*gm hat off* 

we’re in a playoff race for the first time in a decade. I want to win. Sometimes I watch as..ya know, a fan. I get that they played pretty decent 

I’m mad they lost. crap game. 

Feel pretty strongly about this tbh. 20 games left in the season - we came into this “in” a spot by way of points % (even though some didn’t like looking at it that way) and now we aren’t - I’m fine with my lasting reaction not being, “that was a good game.” 

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

The injury excuse is absolutely pathetic around here. It’s not llike we were missing two All-Stars. Every team has injuries and the Sabres should’ve won tonight without them, Plain and simple.

Agree they aren’t an excuse. Wouldn’t say “should’ve” as Oilers are pretty good but I agree it’s one we “had” to have. They all are, now. Disappointed we didn’t get it. GDTs are fitting for that type of reaction, personally, imo. In the moment threads. 

[SABRES 0311]

Good game. I’m not mad at losing a game like that. Disappointed though.

[CTJoe]

3 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Good game. I’m not mad at losing a game like that. Disappointed though.

He seems to be getting a pass but Anderson absolutely has to save that weak 3rd goal.  12 minutes left, game tied, a relatively weak 5 hole shot needs to be saved, mcDavid or not.  1st goal was unlucky but he did score on himself.  Skinner outplayed Anderson

[Doohicksie]

16 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

The injury excuse is absolutely pathetic around here. It’s not llike we were missing two All-Stars. Every team has injuries and the Sabres should’ve won tonight without them, Plain and simple.

It was a pretty evenly matched game.  The difference really was puck luck.

[PromoTheRobot]

2 minutes ago, CTJoe said:

He seems to be getting a pass but Anderson absolutely has to save that weak 3rd goal.  12 minutes left, game tied, a relatively weak 5 hole shot needs to be saved, mcDavid or not.  1st goal was unlucky but he did score on himself.  Skinner outplayed Anderson

Maybe Bryson can start to play back a split second sooner considering it's McDavid, you know? Second time I notice 78 get a late start then getting behind the play.

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

It was a pretty evenly matched game.  The difference really was puck luck.

Who knew Ted Lasso was so good in net?

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

It was a pretty evenly matched game.  The difference really was puck luck.

Difference was McDavid 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, CTJoe said:

He seems to be getting a pass but Anderson absolutely has to save that weak 3rd goal.  12 minutes left, game tied, a relatively weak 5 hole shot needs to be saved, mcDavid or not.  1st goal was unlucky but he did score on himself.  Skinner outplayed Anderson

The shooter on that "weak" goal was Connor McDavid.  There is a reason he is lapping the field this year.  

There is no such thing as a weak goal scored by him.  Not unless it dribbles off his stick or goes in off his helmet.

And yes, Skinner outplayed Anderson.  Didn't mean Anderson didn't have a good game.