GDT: Sabres @ Islanders - Mar. 7, 2023, 7:30pm, ESPN+/Hulu WGR

[LGR4GM]

 

[LGR4GM]

Tyson Jost will be in tonight. They wanted to give him an extra day and not force him to do back to backs (which they didn't think his injury would allow him to handle). 

Granato says he knows already who is sitting but the player hasn't been told yet. I would guess that means we will find out later today, I assume there is no morning skate.

[inkman]

I hope one of the injured D is back.  I don’t think I can watch another Bryson Clague adventure.  

[WhenWillItEnd66]

This is pretty much a must win. A loss and a NYI and Pit win, just starts the decline as the sked does not get any easier. 

[Crusader1969]

Since Jan 28th, with Bryson playing, the Sabres are 2-7. Over the same time they are  4-1 without him in the lineup. 
coincidence?

When we look back at this season, if they miss the playoffs - I think Bryson will be main culprit.  Or Adams for not adding 1 more depth Dman.
 

[FrenchConnection44]

Gotta go with Comrie. Huge game with playoff ramifications. 

Good to see Jost is coming back. Would be great to get Tillman, and Samuelson back. At least one to get Bryson off.  The lineup I’d like to see ASAP (while Tuch is out):

Skinner-Thompson-Quinn

Mitts-Cozens-Hinostroza

Greenway-Krebs-Peterka/VO

Girgs-Jost-Okposo

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Power-Joki

Tillman-Lyubushkin

I don’t have a lot of confidence in VO. Too much of a liability defensively. But perhaps he could be better if Greenway and Krebs were both out there? 

The worst thing that happened last night was having Bryson and Olafsson on ice at the same time. They are the only two double digit negatives in plus/minus on the team. And -21, -20 at that! Have to avoid that if possible. 

But when one considers that Peterka has 21 points with a -9 +/-, Olafsson has 32 points and a -21, the sieve-like defense of Olafsson is even more apparent. 

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Not thinking Stillman is going to be back. Maybe Muel, but Stillman has a concussion me thinks

 

[Scottysabres]

Largest game of the season to date. No word salad today, just a straight up earnest statement, MUST WIN!

Get it done boys!

Go Sabres!!!

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Gotta go with Comrie. Huge game with playoff ramifications. 

Good to see Jost is coming back. Would be great to get Tillman, and Samuelson back. At least one to get Bryson off.  The lineup I’d like to see ASAP (while Tuch is out):

Skinner-Thompson-Quinn

Mitts-Cozens-Hinostroza

Greenway-Krebs-Peterka/VO

Girgs-Jost-Okposo

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Power-Joki

Tillman-Lyubushkin

I don’t have a lot of confidence in VO. Too much of a liability defensively. But perhaps he could be better if Greenway and Krebs were both out there? 

The worst thing that happened last night was having Bryson and Olafsson on ice at the same time. They are the only two double digit negatives in plus/minus on the team. And -21, -20 at that! Have to avoid that if possible. 

But when one considers that Peterka has 21 points with a -9 +/-, Olafsson has 32 points and a -21, the sieve-like defense of Olafsson is even more apparent. 

It appears every player who ends up on the line of Olofsson sees a decrease in their playing. Mitts saw that earlier this season and now JJP is experiencing that now. I get that Adams wants guys who want to be here but you also have to play well enough to deserve to be here. 

[Taro T]

12 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

It appears every player who ends up on the line of Olofsson sees a decrease in their playing. Mitts saw that earlier this season and now JJP is experiencing that now. I get that Adams wants guys who want to be here but you also have to play well enough to deserve to be here. 

Mittelstadt didn't just get Olofsson as a linemate, he also got Asplund a fair amount of time as well.  And, as his was the 2nd scoring line, he also got saddled with whatever pairing was the 3rd pairing for ~1/2 of his shifts.  No, he didn't play well the 1st couple of months, but he really wasn't exactly set up for success either.

[Crusader1969]

Biggest game since? 

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Mittelstadt didn't just get Olofsson as a linemate, he also got Asplund a fair amount of time as well.  And, as his was the 2nd scoring line, he also got saddled with whatever pairing was the 3rd pairing for ~1/2 of his shifts.  No, he didn't play well the 1st couple of months, but he really wasn't exactly set up for success either.

There always seems to be a need of a target. As you astutely point out that when playing with better players his production unsurprisingly goes up. What I can say from my observation of him this season is that his effort level all season long has been consistently good. Even when he was being unfairly scorned by the reflexive critics what no one could deny was that he was one of our best battlers on the boards. He is a good example that when elevating the surrounding talent you also elevate the individual players. And that shouldn't be a surprise. 

[DarthEbriate]

11 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Biggest game since? 

2/24 v FLA; 2/26 @ WSH?   

This team has been in playoff mode for a couple weeks. There are still 20 games left for the Sabres and plenty of time to make up a 4-point swing vs. the Isles, including another game against them. But every one of these games against wildcard competition is as important as the last one and the next one.

[OverPowerYou]

17 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Biggest game since? 

Game 7 vs the flyers 2011

[DarthEbriate]

[RochesterExpat]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Tyson Jost will be in tonight.

Jost went from being a waiver claim to a player who is noticeable when he's absent. Pretty awesome for him.

[FrenchConnection44]

It is a big game. But we have them again and we also have other tough games coming up in which we will need to scrape out points. But it could go a long way to building momentum for a playoff run.

[nfreeman]

Well, I'm attending my first in-person Sabres game tonight since pre-pandemic.  It will also be my first visit to the Islanders' new arena (it's much easier to get to the new arena than the old one is, as the new one is a 10-minute walk from an LIRR station, which is about a 30-min train ride from Penn Station in NYC, while the old one had no train accessibility).

This is also the first meaningful Sabres game I've attended in who TF knows how long.

Go Sabres. 

[Mustache of God]

50 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Biggest game since? 

Yesterday.

[LGR4GM]

58 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Biggest game since? 

March 6, 2023

[bob_sauve28]

I bet they win this one. They just seem to thrive on no rest. The more games the better 

[TageMVP]

10 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I bet they win this one. They just seem to thrive on no rest. The more games the better 

Plus, on the road 

Big win incoming 

Refuse to get Sorokin'd Sabres. Just refuse 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

Since Jan 28th, with Bryson playing, the Sabres are 2-7. Over the same time they are  4-1 without him in the lineup. 
coincidence?

When we look back at this season, if they miss the playoffs - I think Bryson will be main culprit.  Or Adams for not adding 1 more depth Dman.
 

Hard to blame 1 guy in a team sport.  The record you show says something, so does his -20 +/-, and I am sure the fancy stats track the +/- rating. 

I think the goaltending is still suspect.  Some very good performances have been sprinkled in with a lot more mediocre play.  Team defense has been talked about at length - a few better defensive players, more defensive depth, and the forwards working harder - it all has to happen.  

But, we have what we have.  Adams did what he did and DG has gone on record as supporting the plan.   

This late in the season it becomes a battle of attrition.  Now it is up to DG to put them in position to succeed and the players to respond with big plays.  

 

[That Aud Smell]

As close to a playoff game as we've had in some time. Let's get it.

Let's Go, Buffalo!!

[Pimlach]

42 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Well, I'm attending my first in-person Sabres game tonight since pre-pandemic.  It will also be my first visit to the Islanders' new arena (it's much easier to get to the new arena than the old one is, as the new one is a 10-minute walk from an LIRR station, which is about a 30-min train ride from Penn Station in NYC, while the old one had no train accessibility).

This is also the first meaningful Sabres game I've attended in who TF knows how long.

Go Sabres. 

Bring us a win and wear your Rico #7.