GDT - Lightning @ Sabres - October 17, 2023 - 7:30 PM (EDT) - ESPN & WGR

[matter2003]

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Even both Tampa goals were on shifts where they weren't getting a sniff of a high danger area the whole time, until the puck suddenly squeaked out. It was honestly the best defensive effort I've seen from these guys since Winnipeg last year (which was really more of a game where the Sabres just never left the offensive zone) 

 

Tampa zone time was high but I only had my heart jump 3 or 4 times all night 

I thought they were exceptionally solid on D last night, even after Samuelsson went down.  Tampa Bay had like 12 shots on goal almost halfway thru the 3rd period.

[Randall Flagg]

2 hours ago, Radar said:

And this couldn't have anything to do with our teams play? Some of you come into this looking to find something to be negative about.

Exactly. Tampa wasn't walking into the slot and then shattering the glass. They weren't getting clean looks and were taking shots of frustration after having the puck awhile and bring stuck on the perimeter. I've never seen Kucherov have so little run from his spot on the half wall at ES or on the PP. we just knew how to play them.

 

Guys, the Tampa Bay lightning know how to hit the net lol. The Sabres played good defense. Let it flow over you

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Stats don’t lie 

My friend

Edited October 18, 2023 by Randall Flagg

[matter2003]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Stats don’t lie 

Neither do my hips.

[French Collection]

2 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Cozens absolutely ripped that shot...Sabres dominated in OT including Power off the bar before that...

Don't even think the Lightning ever even got possession of the puck.

Deserved to win in regulation, they played a very solid defensive game for the most part last night frustrating the hell out of the Lightning and killing penalties with authority.

 

 

3vs3 is something the Sabres should be top of the league at. The talent available is top notch. 
I was surprised to see Greenway out there, DG must be rewarding his good play or it’s just a display of trust in his ability to shield the puck with his big body and his defensive awareness. He got an assist on the game winner.

I love Cozens recognizing he is 1 on 1 with Sheary and taking advantage of a weaker player to go to the net.

Edited October 18, 2023 by French Collection

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I love Cozens recognizing he is 1 on 1 with Sheary and taking advantage of a weaker player to go to the net.

I remember the days of having to watch Connor Sheary on the ice in extra time.

Suck it tampa.

[LabattBlue]

3 more winnable games in the next week…all at home.  Let’s see if they have put the “home game blues” behind them.  🤞🏻

[Mustache of God]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Levi’s nickname on the team is Beast. I missed that until last night. 

The line of thinking goes: The Sabres didn’t dominate time of possession as the SOG would suggest. Shot attempts (Corsi) were actually dead even. So, more of an even game than one the Sabres controlled.

It beats Lev-sie or Dev-sie, that's for sure.

[...]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I’m having trouble following the “shots that missed the net” narrative.  This is a bad thing? Shouldn’t we hope all the opposition misses the net each game?

It's the same as the "Clifton sucks" narrative where we're supposed to not like the player and the signing despite the positive fancy stats.

[That Aud Smell]

Just now, Mustache of God said:

It beats Lev-sie or Dev-sie, that's for sure.

For sure. And I like that it probably arose organically from his teammates -- maybe during a practice session. Maybe one of the forwards - unable to finish a chance on a rush drill - remarked "dude's a beast."

[Sabres Fan in NS]

A good effort all round.  A good win.

[bob_sauve28]

16 minutes ago, ... said:

It's the same as the "Clifton sucks" narrative where we're supposed to not like the player and the signing despite the positive fancy stats.

But who else will fans hate on, if not Clifton? 

 

I guess as soon as a different goalie plays there will be a new whipping boy

[inkman]

50 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:My friend

They can be manipulated and used to support uniformed opinions but numbers are numbers. 

48 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Neither do my hips.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Some thoughts and observations from last night and comments on some of the posts i see:

- Defense played very well last night. Not having Muel at the end definitely hurt with the tying goal. Both TB goals were flukish. Clifton had a great game!

- Offense needs to stop being so pretty and just shoot!!! Too much passing and delays causes blocked shots. That should right itself.

- Levi looked great!!! Finally some steadiness in the net!

- Same problem crept in of the Sabres being on their heels. You almost knew TB was going to tie that game. Team needs to stop taking foot off of the gas! But to put it in perspective, NYR, TB are better than the Sabres right now, and the Isles i believe are about the same as the Sabres. As the maturity comes we will surpass.

 

Not going to flip out on this team as they are still settling into the season. Will be more critical if we are not doing well by game 10. Until then i see a Sabres team playing better every game and the defense and goalie settling in nicely. 

[LGR4GM]

I don't think that Tampa is very good at all right now and without Stamkos they are a step below Buffalo. Without Vas and Stamkos, they are two steps below. They have been massively outshot in their first 4 games. 

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

2 hours ago, inkman said:

I’m having trouble following the “shots that missed the net” narrative.  This is a bad thing? Shouldn’t we hope all the opposition misses the net each game?

The line of thinking goes: The Sabres didn’t dominate time of possession as the SOG would suggest. Shot attempts (Corsi) were actually dead even. So, more of an even game than one the Sabres controlled.

I would say based on my eye test, the truth is somewhere off from that.  Perhaps the Bolts had so many missed shots because of pressure from Sabres defenders.... or something like that?  So yeah, the Lightning got a lot of shots off but not nearly as many quality shots on goal because the Sabres were harassing them and preventing open shots.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Clifton will settle in.

I can already see the improvement.  He had a couple of gaffs yesterday (like getting caught in between on the first goal and not preventing the pass) but really if Krebsie covers the slot a little better that would not have been an issue.  On the whole I thought Clifton played well last night, especially after Muel left the game (as did Johnson).

[French Collection]

51 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

But who else will fans hate on, if not Clifton? 

 

I guess as soon as a different goalie plays there will be a new whipping boy

Clifton will look good when Bryson draws back in. Hopefully Mule is not out too long.

[matter2003]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

^ This.  
 

Some fans blame whoever is closes whenever there is a goal, they do it without looking at the play.  Sometimes the opponents have good players that make good plays, but let’s just blame whoever we see on the tv screen  

The complaints about Power are nuts. The kids maturity level at 20 is incredible.  

Johnson is a guy we needed.  Clifton will settle in.  

The thinking that new players are going to play their best right away and won't improve as they gain familiarity with their linemates and style of play has always been mind boggling to me.  Like how is that not the default common sense thinking process people have?

Johnson is just hammering people left and right...seems like he is bringing that nasty the D has been missing...Lyubushkin had it sometimes and Dahlin has started becoming menacing to a surprising degree, but neither are a "lay the lumber" guy like Johnson is consistently.

Edited October 18, 2023 by matter2003

[French Collection]

33 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think that Tampa is very good at all right now and without Stamkos they are a step below Buffalo. Without Vas and Stamkos, they are two steps below. They have been massively outshot in their first 4 games. 

I think their run is done.

The cap has affected their depth. With a healthy lineup they can still do some damage but I can’t see them going all the way without guys like McDonagh, Killorn, Palat, Goodrow, Colton, Maroon etc…

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

The thinking that new players are going to play their best right away and won't improve as they gain familiarity with their linemates and style of play has always been mind boggling to me.  Like how is that not the default common sense thinking process people have?

Johnson is just hammering people left and right...seems like he is bringing that nasty the D has been missing...Lyubushkin had it sometimes and Dahlin has started becoming menacing to a surprising degree, but neither are a "lay the lumber" guy like Johnson is consistently.

Johnson has been both stable and assertive.

You get the sense that he might be lacking a bit in what he can do, but he knows what to do and does it with authority.

I was a bit skeptical when we signed him, but I like what I've seen so far.

6 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I think their run is done.

The cap has affected their depth. With a healthy lineup they can still do some damage but I can’t see them going all the way without guys like McDonagh, Killorn, Palat, Goodrow, Colton, Maroon etc…

They were my pre-season answer to the "yeah but who are they going to knock out?" question.

[Porous Five Hole]

15 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I think their run is done.

The cap has affected their depth. With a healthy lineup they can still do some damage but I can’t see them going all the way without guys like McDonagh, Killorn, Palat, Goodrow, Colton, Maroon etc…

Right on. They’re top heavy and that’s what happens when you have to pay everybody.
They’re still good if healthy. Kuch, Stammer, Hagel and Point are all 80 point plus players. 
However, if secondary guys like Cirelli, Nick Paul or Jeannot aren’t sticking out every night, they’re in real trouble.  
 

Also, Hedman isn’t the same. 

[eman]

23 hours ago, SDS said:

Yeah. I didn’t smell anything but a victory the last couple minutes. 
 

I mean they couldn’t even enter the zone for two minutes. I don’t know how you’re smelling a game tying  goal there.

when they were running around in their own end with under 20 seconds left- it's an instant replay of a show we have seen way too many

times with this team, that's how I smelled it coming. And it did. The D is going to have to get way better for any serious improvement this season.

[JoeSchmoe]

12 hours ago, ... said:

It's the same as the "Clifton sucks" narrative where we're supposed to not like the player and the signing despite the positive fancy stats.

Just wondering what fancy stats show Clifton to be a good signing, or are you just going by this year's play?

Granted I'm not an expert, but all the stats I've looked at are average to below average which is really hard to do on a team that was a good as Boston. 

He's sub 50% for 5 on 5 Corsi.

His expected goal % was 50.7 on a team that had a +128 goal differential.

His actual goal differential (+/-) was 17... which is better. But that's not necessarily a fancy stat. 

[Porous Five Hole]

1 hour ago, eman said:

when they were running around in their own end with under 20 seconds left- it's an instant replay of a show we have seen way too many

times with this team, that's how I smelled it coming. And it did. The D is going to have to get way better for any serious improvement this season.

This is not an excuse, but an observation that this team is still super young. There will continue to be improvement, but also situational growing pains (especially in moments like this against a multi Cup winning team). 

[Thorner]

22 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

His advanced stats on Boston last year were not good. Take him off one of the best regular season team of all time and put him on a team that struggles defensively, you'll get what you're seeing here.

It was a terrible signing. Adams should have traded forward depth for a legit #4 solid defensive defensemen. 

One bad / one good re: Clifton and Johnson wouldn’t be the worst thing

Krebs to me is pretty underwhelming just in general 

His D has been good but there’s nothing wrong with wanting more than a one dimensional player