GDT: Blackhawks @ Sabres - Thu Jan 18, 2024, 7:00 pm ET MSG-B, NBCSCH 📺 WGR 📻

[Rasmus_]

It's crazy how much they missed Quinn. Now get Skinner back out there so Thompson can find his mojo.

[Weave]

After EJ twice came to the aid of teammates previously, I really wanted to see someone step up and do the same for EJ last night. 
 

EJ gonna think twice next time.

[HOUSE]

2 in a row...

 

T

[sabrefanday1]

Just read that we have 5 more wins in regulation time then the Leafs  and are 11th in NHL in regulation wins overall! Strange stat... 

[Spoonman]

10 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I've seen it called before.

Yeah, but you are 102 yrs old.

[That Aud Smell]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Boy is Chicago ever a big bag of nothing.

I tuned in a little late and wasn’t immediately aware that they didn’t have Bedard in the lineup. As I watched, it steadily dawned on me: The Blackhawks look every bit the part of an AHL team. I mean woof.

There were times when Sabre players were carrying the puck and wound up looking like a star from the 80s Oilers. Several Blackhawk players were just pylons out there.

[Kristian]

6 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I tuned in a little late and wasn’t immediately aware that they didn’t have Bedard in the lineup. As I watched, it steadily dawned on me: The Blackhawks look every bit the part of an AHL team. I mean woof.

There were times when Sabre players were carrying the puck and wound up looking like a star from the 80s Oilers. Several Blackhawk players were just pylons out there.

And yet, we managed to give up at least 5 premium scoring chances on breakaways and odd-man rushes.

UPL saved the Sabres butts last night, defense was every bit as suspect as always.

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Story?

There's a Czechia and Slovakia Sabres fan group that has been here for a week and the Sabres have done a bunch of stuff with/for them. They've been very fun at games if anyone has seen them. 

 

 

Edited January 19 by LGR4GM

[Archie Lee]

45 minutes ago, Weave said:

After EJ twice came to the aid of teammates previously, I really wanted to see someone step up and do the same for EJ last night. 
 

EJ gonna think twice next time.

I don’t know what to think about the retribution stuff. On the one hand, it’s just what teams do and it’s what’s expected in today’s NHL. On the other hand it’s just kinda silly. Kurashev got 5 and we scored the goal that iced the game during the penalty. I’m not sure why that isn’t retribution enough. 
 

I can’t say I know much about Kurashev, but his PM totals suggest he isn’t doing this sort of thing too often. It looked to me like he was trying to pinch EJ off and EJ turned at the last second. Lots of people will say that a vet like EJ should know better than to put himself in that position. The mood and tone of the game combined with how the play unfolded didn’t really make it feel like the sort of thing that required a major response. 
 

In short, I get that some teams might have gone after Kurashev. It just seems kind of ridiculous though. 

Edited January 19 by Archie Lee

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Was a weird game to watch. Buffalo pretty much dominated possession, and controlled the game for most of the 60 minutes. Even when Hawks were controlling the puck in our end, the Sabres boxed them out well. 6K made the saves when he needed and was calm and cool. Overall our defense has been pretty rock solid the last 4 games. Our offense should get a slight boost when we get Cozens and Skinner back. Like to see our offense get a bit more consistent and start scoring a bit more. The Sabres played well against the teams we should beat. They need to keep this up and be consistent as even though they are winning more, they are not making up ground for the playoff race. They are not losing ground either as the games in hand are finally catching up and that is a very good thing.  

[Spoonman]

10 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

The exact opposite of the Nolan teams

If looking for a good Ted Nolan interview - check out After the Whistle (not a paid endorsement, Adult f***ing language) 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/after-the-whistle/id1590573108?i=1000639835929

[Spoonman]

1 hour ago, Shoot da Puck said:

2 in a row...

 

T

Ted Cruz celebrating turning in his gralls & man card to

[Spoonman]

10 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Again. This team could really use line brawl. Just to gain the confidence in their strength, to build camaraderie, and entertain the home fans.

These two Are Free Agents GMKA….

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

After EJ twice came to the aid of teammates previously, I really wanted to see someone step up and do the same for EJ last night. 
 

EJ gonna think twice next time.

Don’t think these stories don’t travel around the league either.  
 

I missed that potion of the game.   Was this Kurashev the guy that Greenway was messing with the last few shifts?   

[Pimlach]

27 minutes ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

Was a weird game to watch. Buffalo pretty much dominated possession, and controlled the game for most of the 60 minutes. Even when Hawks were controlling the puck in our end, the Sabres boxed them out well. 6K made the saves when he needed and was calm and cool. Overall our defense has been pretty rock solid the last 4 games. Our offense should get a slight boost when we get Cozens and Skinner back. Like to see our offense get a bit more consistent and start scoring a bit more. The Sabres played well against the teams we should beat. They need to keep this up and be consistent as even though they are winning more, they are not making up ground for the playoff race. They are not losing ground either as the games in hand are finally catching up and that is a very good thing.  

Weird game because we play to the level of our competition.  We play better hockey against be better teams, just usually not for 60 minutes. 
 

Last night did they play good defense in the first period for only giving up 4 SOG, or was it bad defense for giving up 3 high danger chances?    They could have been down 2-0 after the first.  UPL won that game.  
 

I happy for the win but this team is not impressing me.   I did not see the boarding on EJ but it still appears like we are not a team that has the full commitment of its players.   I don’t want to see videos of road trips, golf games, and snowmobiles.  

[Sabres Fan in NS]

6K !!

6K !!

[JohnC]

9 hours ago, K-9 said:

I pretty much feel the same way. This team is missing pieces. But as one of his harshest critics since he was playing like crap with the Amerks, I’m that much more happy for Oopie’s recent turnaround and I hope he continues to make a liar out of me. 

Your deep doghouse has rehabilitated a number of players on this team. Mitts was chained to the house, and due to your constant whipping, he successfully rehabbed. Clinton was chained to your punishing shack house for a spell, and then he seemed to recover his game. UPL is a big fellow who required a bigger dog- house to get in. Your rehab tools (whip?) seemed to have worked on him.  Who is your next candidate to occupy your rehabilitation facility? It's working. Keep up the good work. The old school stern schoolmaster is a catholic school tradition. It works. I got the scars to prove it. 😃

[JujuFish]

15 hours ago, Sabres73 said:

UPL on a 157:55 shutout streak, second longest in the NHL this year and ninth longest in Sabres history.

For anyone who's curious, Marty holds the Sabres record with 3 consecutive shutouts in January 2003 and a total of 221:58.

[Getpucksdeep]

26 minutes ago, JujuFish said:

For anyone who's curious, Marty holds the Sabres record with 3 consecutive shutouts in January 2003 and a total of 221:58.

From Hoppe 

Longest streak since 2010, Miller.

Impressive in this era and as noted above the 1 against from Van was borderline interference. (But to be fair 1 called back because offsides)

https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/ukko-pekka-luukkonen-posts-another-shutout-win-sabres-stay-hot-playing-with-mojo-right-now/

[Getpucksdeep]

6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

There's a Czechia and Slovakia Sabres fan group that has been here for a week and the Sabres have done a bunch of stuff with/for them. They've been very fun at games if anyone has seen them. 

 

 

Enjoyed them at MLK game.  Loud and cheering some unconventional cheers for our rink.

I'd love for their UPL cheer to stick.  It is fun.  I think:

Uuuu kaa (slow and low)

Uuuu kaa pekka

Uuuuu kaaa pekka luuuu ka nin (fast and repeat)

[That Aud Smell]

6 hours ago, Kristian said:

And yet, we managed to give up at least 5 premium scoring chances on breakaways and odd-man rushes.

Yeah - I saw that as well. It's one of this team's main storylines. They can be defensively good, good, good, good, good, HORRENDOUS, good, good ... and so on. Just huge lapses.

[Marvin]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Don’t think these stories don’t travel around the league either.  
 

I missed that potion of the game.   Was this Kurashev the guy that Greenway was messing with the last few shifts?   

I think Kurashev was nailed to the bench for the last few minutes.

[Kristian]

5 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Yeah - I saw that as well. It's one of this team's main storylines. They can be defensively good, good, good, good, good, HORRENDOUS, good, good ... and so on. Just huge lapses.

Yeah, tough to know what to expect. Thankfully, UPL has been strong.

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, Kristian said:

And yet, we managed to give up at least 5 premium scoring chances on breakaways and odd-man rushes.

UPL saved the Sabres butts last night, defense was every bit as suspect as always.

We did, but it's hard to judge a game like that because when it comes that incredibly easy it does have a tendency to make teams slack and thus a chance gets given up. Chicago's been lulling good teams to sleep as well and occasionally wins one as a result. If you're a better checking team you get an early lead and then coast through a shutdown but since we play wide open most of the time we also give up dumb chances. 

Worst part was the feeble PP. Showing zero signs of improvement. We should have buried them early with those chances. 

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

Worst part was the feeble PP. Showing zero signs of improvement. We should have buried them early with those chances. 

I somewhat recently heard Granato say that the principal difference between this year's team and last year's team is the power play. That the even strength goals are about the same.

Is this true?

It's incredible to me that there's been no change with the assistant coach who's responsible for the power play.