GDT: Vancouver Canucks @ Buffalo Sabres 4 pm MSG radio 550 am

[steveoat87]

I don't know if this has been mentioned but there was an article (either in the Buffalo News or Bleacher Report) where Dahlin has been trying to figure out what's wrong with the team and how he can help.  I believe he mentioned that the guys on defense have to commit to defense, even if this means less scoring on their part.  What surprised me about this is that Dahlin, who is not a coach, is try to take on the coaches job.  If so, its clear we don't have coaches.  I hope more players make comments like this and confront Adams with this reality.  I really think the most pressing need is a new coaching staff.  I think this group of players could be performing much better with a knowledgeable coaching staff.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

I had the same thought.  EJ had to be thinking, I’m too old for this *****.

We really need someone designated to respond when our skill players inevitably get taken advantage of.

Agree 100 %.   EJ probably did it on his own too.  I doubt anyone asked him.    

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, eman said:

Bring Gallant in anyhow (if he would sign here) I want it and I would bet, things would change here. Talent is there, just completely poorly coached.

The team would get better, Gallant would eventually ask for more control of the roster, then problems will start.  But we need that first step that Gallant could bring.  The team would learn they are actually better.  Like NJ last year, and Vancouver this year.  
 

We have a whole bunch of good players already in place. Success would help them get even better.  It’s a shame there is no urgency at the top of the organization to win.  

Edited January 14 by Pimlach

[Taro T]

22 hours ago, ExWNYer said:

They have to find a way to at least scratch out a 'loser point'. Can't let this effort go to waste.

They can't get a mf'n loser point because they can't score a goal 6 on 5.  Because their 6v5 play is not even as good as their 5v4 play is.

For the love of all that's good and Holy, PLEASE bring in a real PP coach at the AS break (at the latest).

[Taro T]

22 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Is Quinn our best F? 

At this point, no.  Ask again in about 2 years and there's a great chance that answer changes.  (Though the year after that, Benson might have something to say about it as well.)

[Taro T]

22 hours ago, rickshaw said:

If only granato challenged the actual goal? UPL head was hit. As it stands it’s the winner.

Those of us in the building thought it was a good non challenge.  While UPL did get bumped, it was before the guy set up for the shot and didn't seem to affect his attempt at the save.  Can't see the league ruling in Buffalo's favor 2 times within a week on goaltender interference immediately after an overturned goal due to off-sides.

Fully expect that the call would've stood and the Sabres would not have withstood the immediately ensuing PP.  

[Taro T]

22 hours ago, Billznut said:

I would really really love to see the arena empty on Monday. Between the storm recovery and the Bills game at 4:30, there is a perfect chance for Sabres fans to embarrass Pegula and legitimately refuse to show up for Monday’s game. I’d give anything to see it. But I know there are still too many Sabres fans that are gluttons for punishment and keep going to these games. Pegula won’t change anything until he is embarrassed enough to where he feels he must make a change. Please stop going to these games. 

How many people's tix you going to buy to keep the building empty?  

[Pimlach]

22 hours ago, Billznut said:

I would really really love to see the arena empty on Monday. Between the storm recovery and the Bills game at 4:30, there is a perfect chance for Sabres fans to embarrass Pegula and legitimately refuse to show up for Monday’s game. I’d give anything to see it. But I know there are still too many Sabres fans that are gluttons for punishment and keep going to these games. Pegula won’t change anything until he is embarrassed enough to where he feels he must make a change. Please stop going to these games. 

Pegula will be at the Bills game basking in the glory.  He won’t think about the Sabres that day and by the time he does it won’t matter. 

[Taro T]

22 hours ago, zow2 said:

Say it every week of every  year. They just cannot get enough losses to OT to at least get a point. Especially at home. So many regulation losses.

Because the mf'n 6v5 is very likely the absolute worst in the entire league.  Fix that and steal some loser points.

They have exactly ONE 6v5 goal so far this year.  They've lost more than 1/2 of their games so they've had at least 20 chances at it to date.  PLEASE get a PP coach with a f'n clue.

[Taro T]

22 hours ago, Getpucksdeep said:

A large portion of the crowd was attempting to do the wave w/ 10 minutes to go in 1-0 game.  I struggle to understand.  

Lots of kids in the building because of all the MLK weekend tournaments in the area.  The guy trying very hard to get the wave going was with one of those groups.  (His kids team was one of the ones that was down in the 100's and taking their shirts off after some kids in the 300's got onto the Jumbotron for taking theirs off.)

Just trying to keep the kids into the game.  And they all seemed to be even though the result wasn't the one the majority of the fans wanted to see.  But there were more 'Nucks fans in the crowd than expected.  At least 5%, maybe even 10% were wearing some variant of the 'Nucks sweaters through the years.  (There was one really sweet green and black one that a bunch of people were wearing.  No idea when they wore that nor what special occasion it was for, but that one was really sharp.)

[Taro T]

21 hours ago, ExWNYer said:

One of the big failings of KA and this organization is that they inexplicably and foolishly seem to be clinging to the belief that there will be a linear progression with all of their prospects and players. That is not only arrogant, it's unrealistic. As you stated...and most of us have echoed...they needed/need to make some moves in the off-season and now in-season which are more than merely window dressing. It's just asinine that Pegula finds the last decade to be acceptable and is fine with the status quo. Even the most inept of franchises (I'm looking at you, Buffalo) should not miss the playoffs this many years in a row. This 'Groundhog Day' fiasco is a big 'F U' to the fans.

Don't know that they expected a linear progression of improvement.  They sold that concept, but not sure that they actually believe it.  Their definitely trying to land Chychrun and likely trying to add Pesce indicate that they did (and one has to believe they still do) believe the team can still use reinforcements.

But do believe that they expect that this team is still going to be overall on an upward trajectory via more of a random walk.  Which IMHO is why Adams hasn't been willing to "overpay" for those reinforcements.  And it's why it's so friggin' frustrating that the team missed the playoffs by 2 points last year and essentially stood pat this offseason.  Had they made the playoffs last year, this season wouldn't be so exasperating.  Had they made additional moves in the off-season or even during the season fans would at least have those to show, in GA's words, that Adams is DOING SOMETHING.  

For this kid, the most exasperating part is bringing the coaching staff back intact.  The PP was, with a 6-7 week exception when they were by far the best in the league, hot trash all last year.  The fact they WERE the best in the league for that 6-7 week window proved that there was too much talent on the roster for it to be hot trash.  If it ain't the talent, it has to be the coaching.  (It's not simply bad luck when it's BAD for 3/4 of the season.)  Additional changes should've been made as well; but that one was an absolute no brainer even with all the kumbaya they were selling last year.  It's a business and the hockey department's job is to win.  The PP was flat out not just not helping that effort for the majority of the season it was actively detracting from it.  A change needed to be made and it wasn't.  Bob Wood is available.  Bring him in over the AS break and have that right for the end of this year and moving forward next year.

[Taro T]

18 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Another Buffalo Sabres loss. The bottom line is this Sabres core of Jack, Samson, Risto aren't good enough. In the offseason the Sabres need a major block buster trade like when the Sabres moved................................

Did I make my point?

It's the coaching, and the team culture that comes from that coaching failure and the lack of leadership along with that. 

It's not enough. It won't change much if anything. 

Removing and replacing Ellis (and maybe one or 2 other assistants) very well may not be enough.  But making those changes now will lend some data towards whether your contention is in fact correct.

[Getpucksdeep]

25 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Lots of kids in the building because of all the MLK weekend tournaments in the area.  The guy trying very hard to get the wave going was with one of those groups.  (His kids team was one of the ones that was down in the 100's and taking their shirts off after some kids in the 300's got onto the Jumbotron for taking theirs off.)

Just trying to keep the kids into the game.  And they all seemed to be even though the result wasn't the one the majority of the fans wanted to see.  But there were more 'Nucks fans in the crowd than expected.  At least 5%, maybe even 10% were wearing some variant of the 'Nucks sweaters through the years.  (There was one really sweet green and black one that a bunch of people were wearing.  No idea when they wore that nor what special occasion it was for, but that one was really sharp.)

Was happening Thurs too but at least we were up 4-1 or something.  I get it vs kids & average fan, just contradicts my delusions of playoff intensity / important games.  

[Taro T]

11 hours ago, Quint said:

I checked The Buffalo News online edition today and there was absolutely no mention of yesterday's Sabres-Canucks game anywhere on the front page. It was as if it never even happened. There was, however, a story about "KenmoreGI-Port shuts out Williamsville" in HS hockey.

Are the Sabres becoming irrelevant to the Buffalo News? It seems that way. I just get a strange feeling the Sabres are being phased out. I would not be surprised if in five years, it's only the Bills in Buffalo. 

A long time ago, I worked at my dad's store. He decided to sell the business and he and his partner eventually settled with a guy who had no experience in the business. So they trained him for about six months. The guy was an a-hole. He seemed mental; and did everything he could to alienate the customers, like being abrasive, telling them they could not park in our lot, etc. Fast-forward a couple years, the guy ended up being a front for a group of lawyers, who sold the business to a local chain in an unrelated business. Moral of the story, sometimes these "new owners" buy a busniess with the intent of destroying it and selling it to another concern.

The Snooze is printed in Cleveland.  In order to make the print edition, the deadline for events is stupidly early.  With the (at the time) impending travel deadline, it was likely even a few hours earlier than normal.  (It seems in general to be even earlier than the old Courier Express' deadline used to be.  And that complete lack of scores from the west coast and news from overnight is why the (former) Buffalo Evening News is the one (kind of) remaining newspaper in Buffalo.

[JohnC]

It's amazing how perceptions vary with people watching the same game. Of course, I'm disappointed that the Sabres didn't win, or at least get a loser point out of this hard-fought game. But from an overall standpoint, I thought this was one of our best games of the season for a variety of reasons. The effort was at a high level for most of the game. There were few interludes of lackluster play. The intensity was there from the start to the finish. 

We had excellent goalie play by UPL. Vancouver's goalie was even better. His stop on Mitts's shot from the side of the net was tremendous. 

I thought our two-way play was as good as it has been all seasons. One player who stood out to me was Girgs. He played hard and fast. He even gave a credible effort as a defenseman when Dahlin was being examined for a head hit. Should a penalty have been called on that hit? I would say yes. However, the elbow hit to the head on Samuelsson should have been called. No penalty was called on that play. 

The more I see of Ryan Johnson, the more I am impressed. 

The major complaint about our play that I see is the same valid and obvious complaint than many others are citing, i.e. not enough net presence in our offensive zone. Their goalie always seemed to have an unobstructed view when we shot. This was a tightly fought game where the defenders got on the shooters. However, we had enough scoring opportunities to win. We simply missed on our shots when those opportunities existed. 

If the Sabres played like they did in this game for most of the season, the Sabres would have at least 3-5 more games. (My opinion.) This was a good game to watch between two teams that in my opinion played an even game. I'm certainly disappointed with the outcome but not with the play.  

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Removing and replacing Ellis (and maybe one or 2 other assistants) very well may not be enough.  But making those changes now will lend some data towards whether your contention is in fact correct.

Depends who replaces them.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

The Snooze is printed in Cleveland.  In order to make the print edition, the deadline for events is stupidly early.  With the (at the time) impending travel deadline, it was likely even a few hours earlier than normal.  (It seems in general to be even earlier than the old Courier Express' deadline used to be.  And that complete lack of scores from the west coast and news from overnight is why the (former) Buffalo Evening News is the one (kind of) remaining newspaper in Buffalo.

Love the days when we had the Courrier Express in the morning, and the Buffalo Evening News in the evening.  Two sports sections!! 

[Quint]

14 hours ago, Taro T said:

The Snooze is printed in Cleveland.  In order to make the print edition, the deadline for events is stupidly early.  With the (at the time) impending travel deadline, it was likely even a few hours earlier than normal.  (It seems in general to be even earlier than the old Courier Express' deadline used to be.  And that complete lack of scores from the west coast and news from overnight is why the (former) Buffalo Evening News is the one (kind of) remaining newspaper in Buffalo.

I'm not talking about the print edition. I'm talking about the online edition. Wonder what's the excuse for that?

[eman]

20 hours ago, Pimlach said:

The team would get better, Gallant would eventually ask for more control of the roster, then problems will start.  But we need that first step that Gallant could bring.  The team would learn they are actually better.  Like NJ last year, and Vancouver this year.  
 

We have a whole bunch of good players already in place. Success would help them get even better.  It’s a shame there is no urgency at the top of the organization to win.  

Exactly. I do believe the talent is here and in Rochester. That's why it bothers me so much to see it wasted. If things don't change soon, some of this talent will want to be elsewhere, and I hate to see them perform well for another club and wish what could have been here. Look at the Flyers this season also under Torts. Basically the same lineup as last season, but so much better structurally and it shows in the standings. It's time for Don to move on and I have no animosity for the man. I wish he could have been 'the guy" but it is all too apparent, he just isn't.

[eman]

22 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I was one of the only people here (and took much flack for it) who wanted Torts before Philly got him but I'd be happy with Gallant since he's available now. idk if Gallant would want the job but I think we need to commit to an experienced proven hockey guy and give him the power. Five year contract and player movement influence. Let him dissect the team and then rebuild it as necessary.

Myself, if I was owner, I would hire a senior advisor like Rick Dudley (for Sabres ties) and let him hire an experienced GM and coach who have the proper mindset and motivation. Someone like that who knows the game and the people far better than we do. and definitely better than Pegula does. 

Truth! Time to bring in experienced hockey people. Some on here thought Torts and his ilk might be too old school for the newer younger player but I beg to differ. These are very young men who need some discipline to reach their potential and Torts has done a great job in Philly and I would have loved him here also. The newer, fresher coaches and GM hirings are not working out for this hockey club (13 years staright now) so let's kick it "old school". 

[Stoner]

8 hours ago, Quint said:

I'm not talking about the print edition. I'm talking about the online edition. Wonder what's the excuse for that?

You're gonna find out.

[TageMVP]

Good win. Just start with a small streak. Even a five game winning streak puts them right back into it the thick of it. 

UPL looks great, imagine if he keeps this up. A good goalie can carry a team, we've all seen it. 

I'm not giving up yet 

[Taro T]

12 hours ago, Quint said:

I'm not talking about the print edition. I'm talking about the online edition. Wonder what's the excuse for that?

Have only checked the full online edition a couple of times (basically setting it up for the 'Rents from their print subscription so they can get the "extras" from the paper) but the main section of the online edition those couple of times was identical to the print edition.

Have they changed how the online edition is set up?