GDT - Montréal @ Buffalo - Monday, October 23, 2023 - 7:00 PM (EDT) - MSG (?) & WGR - RMNH (SportsNet TV - CANADA) & SportsNet+ (pirate satellite)

[Rasmus_]

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

When it's 3 - 1, the goalie had nothing to do with the outcome.

It's still early in the season. It was actually a pretty good hockey game, from both teams' perspective.

 

So giving up three goals didn't have anything to do with the outcome.  It seems like a typical Comrie clunker.  

[SDS]

2 hours ago, ... said:

Either we have a bunch of lazy players who can not for the life of them comprehend simple instructions to keep the game simple and go to the net or we have a coaching staff who despite the mythology built up around their capability can not for the life of them get through to the players.

I am being to agree with @SDS in his assessment of #19. That kid really seems to bring nothing to each game.

he’s a puck hound that has some positive individual attributes, which none of them benefit his linemates.

[PerreaultForever]

33 minutes ago, Rasmus_ said:

I haven't watched the game.  But losing to a bottom feeder like Montreal, pisses me off.  Get a real goalie in.

Comrie pack your bags.  Get out.

So an analysis of what happened without seeing the game, excellent. Spot on. 

I actually saw your other post first and was going to say "anyone who blames Comrie for this game clearly didn't see the game or doesn't understand hockey" but then I saw you saying you didn't see it so that answered that. 

Comrie was average. Didn't do anything great, didn't do anything bad. Average should have been good enough as Montreal isn't very good, but only if we'd have played well and we didn't. Shot totals mean very little in a game like this. 

[Kristian]

2 hours ago, Believer said:

Bowling night so missed the game, but read the board… Lot of frustration bordering on anger…

Board agrees we outplayed them… Stats say we outshot them… by 37% and our PP did not perform… Fact is we ran into a hot goaltender… It happens.

No need for panic… 

Team could use a shake up… If I were KA and DG… I would approach KO and make him Player/Coach… Give the C to Dahlin.

Fresh start.

To some teams, more than others…

And this makes zero sense. Because he’s an older player, he’ll automatically make a good coach?? Why?

If he’s no longer an asset on the ice, he can watch from the pressbox.

Edited October 24, 2023 by Kristian

[MISabresFan]

I watched the game; there were a lot of shots. Comrie played well enough, but Allen was better.   Ice seemed tilted in Buffalo's favor.  One thing, they seem to be missing a net presence on offense.  They need someone to block the sun from the opposition's goalie to make life miserable.  

[Scottysabres]

8 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I feel the opposite, @Scottysabres.  I thought this was a great game by the guys, and fun game to watch (until the end).  Totally outplayed them, didn't get the bounces is all.  Just keep playing like that and they'll be fine.

I agree that they controlled large portions of time in the game. And yes, sometimes you run in to a hot goalie, but I re-watched the game last night. Allen didn't have to make but 2, maybe 3 difficult saves. For the most part the shots were either dinged off of players in front of the net or were easily handled by Allen as they hit him directly without him moving much. He was vulnerable a number of times, the Sabres failed to capitalize. I saw 6 cross ice passes by Sabres, 3 by Tage, that were just straight up bad decisions. I'm not riding any particular players play by the way, but to control the play is one thing, if you don't show finish on some of them, this is the result you see. Imho.

[inkman]

8 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

The Sabres will be fine.

Probably but will we the fans survive it?  They are making it tough on us. 

[HOUSE]

Well, It's the end of October and the Sabres are in the basement cleaning the furnace..... again

 

Edited October 24, 2023 by Shoot da Puck

[#freejame]

9 hours ago, Thorny said:

Why do we win in the goatheads

like enough kidding around, someone explain this to me. Tell me it’s just small sample size randomness please

Because our team is made up of children who play better when they think they look cool. 

[Stoner]

6 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Because our team is made up of children who play better when they think they look cool. 

This is probably on the outskirts of Truthtown.

[zow2]

Didn't get to watch the game since i don't have NHL Network.  As soon as I saw the score was 1-1 going into the 3rd period I had that sinking feeling.  I knew the Canadians would get the tie breaker goal and win in regulation.  That's the routine in Key Bank Center.  The opponent scores the big 3rd period goal and we don't seem to get these tight home games to OT.  Lose way too many in regulation.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

It was a great effort that was thwarted by a very hot goalie.  Poop happens.

The same effort will end up in more results than not.  It's a game of inches.

I think some here would be pissin' in everybody elses Cherrios if the Sabres win 10 zip.

[Stoner]

18 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

It was a great effort that was thwarted by a very hot goalie.  Poop happens.

The same effort will end up in more results than not.  It's a game of inches.

I think some here would be pissin' in everybody elses Cherrios if the Sabres win 10 zip.

Come on. Allen was fine but faced only four high danger chances according to one fancy stats site. It matches the eye test. As Thorny snarked, Allen likes to embellish his glove saves. It was one and done most of the night.

Great effort? I didn't see it.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Come on. Allen was fine but faced only four high danger chances according to one fancy stats site. It matches the eye test. As Thorny snarked, Allen likes to embellish his glove saves. It was one and done most of the night.

Great effort? I didn't see it.

Save your piss for when the Sabres win 10 zip tonight.

You see what you see and I see what I see.  Whatever.

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

Because our team is made up of children who play better when they think they look cool. 

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

This is probably on the outskirts of Truthtown.

Hmmm.

From my Chet and Muffy perch, there were several times where I winced (groaned) at an attempt to do something slick in the O-zone (toe drag, low percentage pass), when there was a simpler play available.

7 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Come on. Allen was fine but faced only four high danger chances according to one fancy stats site. It matches the eye test. As Thorny snarked, Allen likes to embellish his glove saves. It was one and done most of the night.

Great effort? I didn't see it.

The volume of shots and shot attempts were encouraging. But, yeah, the MTL goalie wasn't overly troubled by most of those. In point of fact, MTL had a much larger share of dangerous scoring chances - that was according to the eye test and a subsequent check of Natural Stat Trick's game log.

[Stoner]

How did the alpaca scarf work for ya?

[Stoner]

An image is burned into my brain. The Sabres called time out, desperately needing a goal. Matt Ellis drew it up while Hamsammich's cousin watched. Don Granato was trying on frames at Pearle. Don't we deserve better?

[eman]

50 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

It was a great effort that was thwarted by a very hot goalie.  Poop happens.

The same effort will end up in more results than not.  It's a game of inches.

I think some here would be pissin' in everybody elses Cherrios if the Sabres win 10 zip.

Keep that optimism going into the Sens game. Can't see the Sabres winning it (I'll be happy if they're even in it) Ottawa looks really good this season (and Detroit even better) This game could be ugly.

[nfreeman]

11 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Switch to red and black all the time. This is the answer. 

idk why, but when we wear them we play proper hockey and when we don't wear them we don't. It's actually kind of freaky weird but it's true. 

Greenway was the only one who brought it the same as against the Islanders. A few isolated decent plays here and there but overall it was back to the same. One team went to the front and got a greasy goal, one team didn't. We simply have too much individual play and take too many easy unscreened shots from low danger areas. Tage is over thinking and telegraphing everything he does for example. Sabres just don't pay the price and do the little hard things you need to do to win. 

If I'm Granato I'm putting that David Savard PK moment on a loop and making them watch it for an hour or two. That is how it's done. That sort of thing is infectious and becomes a standard. 

The bottom end of this roster is garbage and VO is an absolute disaster in his own end, but we already knew that. 

It's once again, the same. 

Which is exactly what happens when you build a team backwards and teach offense first. 

I don't agree with some of this post but the bolded is spot on.  DG himself said after the game that they didn't take it to the net with conviction or determination.  That was the difference in the game last night, and a big step down from their effort vs the Islanders.

If they want to be a real team, they need to bring it like they did vs the Islanders. 

 

[That Aud Smell]

42 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Allen was fine but faced only four high danger chances according to one fancy stats site.

At even strength. It was twice that (8) if you count the power plays.

MTL tracked as having 13 high danger chances for at even strength; 17 if you include power play (3) and penalty kill (1).

[nfreeman]

8 hours ago, SwampD said:

You and @PerreaultForever are idiots. 
I know you are supposed to criticize the post, not the poster, but c’mon!

Dude. 

Do you want people saying this to you after you once again blame the refs for another Bills loss in which they play terribly?

You can do better than this.

[Pimlach]

9 hours ago, Rasmus_ said:

I haven't watched the game.  But losing to a bottom feeder like Montreal, pisses me off.  Get a real goalie in.

Comrie pack your bags.  Get out.

You didn’t watch and you’re blaming Comrie?   Why? 
 

The Sabres outplayed and outshot the Habs.  They dominated for long periods.  But they did not finish. Despite all the shots, they had very few high danger scoring chances.  They are still playing way to cute.  Too many shots were  passed up looking for a perfect play.  
 

Comrie was not the problem.  

[LETSTUCHINGO]

I hear most people complaining about the players and I understand why, losing sucks and we have a long tradition of losing here in Buffalo. October has SUCKED, the Bills and Sabres are not living up to expectations AGAIN! Winter is coming and doldrums of winter grey are just around the corner! Truth be told, IDK what is going on with the Bills besides injuries. With respect to the Sabres, come on people! If you can't see that this organization is headed in the right direction you have had your head buried in the abyss of losing to long, pull it out and take a breath! Our schedule has been tougher than most, hell look and the cupcake schedule they gave Boston to start the season! The team is playing way better team defense, they are playing physical, they are hustling and playing fast, multiple lines are playing well, they are taking the easy shot and not playing cute, their PK is top 5 (huge change from last year), our FA additions (Greeny, JE, Clifton) and draft pick (Benson) are playing better than expected, and we ARE still the youngest team in the league with a plethora of talent percolating in Rochester. The issue, there's a lid on the net. It happens, it will come off soon! The other issue is that the current players, who are not responsible for the 2 decades of losing prior, are feeling the effects of that losing from the fans. We wonder why "home" wins are hard to come by? They have no home! Who's to blame, look in the mirror! Every time we play a rival or a bigger market team, those fans fill the arena, last night was a perfect example and hell, the Habs fans didn't even come out like they normally do. Still, it was everything we could do to "boo" out the "Let's go Habs" chant! Fans can't do much else to help their teams win, but they sure as hell can show support! Season tickets holders need to stop selling their tickets and single game fans need to start showing up more! THESE PLAYERS DESERVE THAT FROM US, they don't deserve the whining and to not have a "HOME" barn to play in! Leave the past in the past and start supporting the future. Change is hard and not always pretty, but change is happening people. SUPPORT IT, SABRES WILL BE FINE!!! Rant over..........

[Stoner]

4 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Dude. 

Do you want people saying this to you after you once again blame the refs for another Bills loss in which they play terribly?

You can do better than this.

FWIW I've given you some flak on how you moderate. Not as much as someone else, who directs armed drones at you. But I think this kind of response is the right way to do it. You made your point without descending into the behavior you're trying to discourage. Keep it up. Hopefully it's not bc Swamp is a MFP.

[SwampD]

54 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

It was a great effort that was thwarted by a very hot goalie.  Poop happens.

The same effort will end up in more results than not.  It's a game of inches.

I think some here would be pissin' in everybody elses Cherrios if the Sabres win 10 zip.

Rewatching this morning. It was an okay effort. I think the Sabres are a better team (has more talent) that at times got outworked last night. And it was still a tie heading into the third. They old saying held “Hard work beats skill when skill doesn’t work hard.”

I thought there was plenty of net front presence, it just never came to anything.

Their issues on offense are mostly Tage. He really needs to get his ego back. Why he keeps deferring to other players is maddening. 

A lot of their issues on defense seem to happen within 10-12 feet of the blue line. They’ll make the right play behind the net, get the puck to the guy on the half wall, and then either just fling it out hoping for a Hail Mary type breakout pass or worse, a half hearted push into the neutral zone to get picked off to do it all over again. Dig in and skate!

One more pushback. That glove save on Cozens was really nice. Allen did have a pretty good game. I think we have to get used to the idea that this is what it’s going to look like playing starting goalies this year.