GDT: Sabres @ Kings - Wed Jan 24, 2024, 10:30 pm ET MSG, ESPN+ Bally Sports West 📺 WGR 📻

[LETSTUCHINGO]

I started watching, but turned it off when it became 3-1. It appeared the writing was on the wall. They again looked slow, sloppy, and lackadaisical! I went to bed thinking they are ruining Levi and Meatballs has lost the locker room (still not sure he hasn't). It was a pleasant surprise to see that they showed some fortitude and came back against a good team. I realize LA has been slipping lately, but this was the game I expected to lose. I figured we'd go 2-1 on this trip. The problem I have is again another wasted opportunity against a lesser team, losing to the Ducks. If and we should beat the Sharks, with last night's win, we should of went 3-0!! I love that Levi finished strong after an awful start to get the win. JJ and Mitts have been our best players this year! Here they are again, doing just enough to keep me vested and maintain my season tickets! FML!!!

[JohnC]

13 minutes ago, Believer said:

Levi was very shaky start of the game… Gave up two quick goals on four shots… Another soon thereafter… Almost got pulled, but he settled down after the Sabres scored… Watch Granato’s postgame interview…

It's a tough juggling act for a young goalie when he doesn't regularly play. I can't fault a coach for mostly sticking with the hot goalie. 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/don-granato-postgame-at-lak-6345542462112

[Mustache of God]

The Sabres are 4-0 with Byrson in the lineup.

[ska-T Chitown]

18 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

Went to sleep after the 3-1 first period.  Great to see the Kid’s line leading the comeback and Levi getting the win.  Speaking of kids…..sure looked like they were taking over the GDT conversation while most of the adults went to sleep.

If everyone would just ignore those two clown shoes mf'ers, they would get bored and leave ... but NOOOO - everyone keeps thinking they can out troll the trolls.

[Night Train]

2 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

The Sabres are 4-0 with Byrson in the lineup.

Adams has a stack of blank 7 year 50 Mil contracts on his desk !  Hands them out like candy ! 

[Getpucksdeep]

2 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

If everyone would just ignore those two clown shoes mf'ers, they would get bored and leave ... but NOOOO - everyone keeps thinking they can out troll the trolls.

Maybe. Its more entertaining than the mw posts tho.

[Pimlach]

I feel asleep watching during the 2nd and woke up to see it tied at  3-3, put myself to bed and woke to a 5-3 win.  
 

Looks like a big game from 77 and 22.  Also nice to see contributions from 89 and 24.  
 

Go Sabres.  I’ll take the 2 points.  

Edited January 25 by Pimlach

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Nice wake up call and come back win.

I hope they know the way to San Jose.  They have a few days to figure it out.

There isn't much to figure out. Play hard and play a simpler and more basic game. Instead of trying to dazzle on offense by hanging on to the puck and dangling, just shoot the freaking puck. The Sabres have to be one of the worst team in the leagues in positioning players in front of the net to obstruct the goalie when we shoot. Our two best players in that tough area are Benson and Greenway.  It's not about outsmarting anyone. Just play tougher and harder throughout. 

[PickaPecaPickles]

49 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I didn't watch the game but saw the recap this morning so it would be fraudulent of me to act as if I knew what transpired. Based on the recap, it looked like Mitts was on a line with Quinn and Peterka. In one of the goals I saw Mitts make a subtle move and nice pass to Quinn for his score. It seems to me not putting Mitts on a line with scorers is wasting his set-up talents. 

Watching the replay this morning, and just before the goal, Cozens got hurt, and Casey came on the ice to get the assist.

[Scottysabres]

They got the 2 pts, that's all that matters

[Ctaeth]

Didn't get to watch the game, but I did see the highlights.  Why did Tage get first star of the game?

[bunomatic]

2 minutes ago, Ctaeth said:

Didn't get to watch the game, but I did see the highlights.  Why did Tage get first star of the game?

Mmmm. Perhaps for missing the net ? Tage seemed to take an aweful lot of shots and most went wide. Don’t have the numbers to back that up but I seem to remember it that way. You don’t get a star for attempting to register shots but I have no clue why he’d get it over anyone else.

[SwampD]

Did Girgs ever come back in the game?

[Hawerchuk]

Just now, SwampD said:

Did Girgs ever come back in the game?

No. Upper body injury. 
 

and it makes no sense why Tage was number 1 star? It should easily been Peterka. Dude had 2 goals 1 assist and drew 3 penalties. It’s bizarre he didn’t get any star! Ridiculous. 

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, Hawerchuk said:

No. Upper body injury. 
 

and it makes no sense why Tage was number 1 star? It should easily been Peterka. Dude had 2 goals 1 assist and drew 3 penalties. It’s bizarre he didn’t get any star! Ridiculous. 

Gotta be a mistake.

[PromoTheRobot]

😂

 

26 minutes ago, Ctaeth said:

Didn't get to watch the game, but I did see the highlights.  Why did Tage get first star of the game?

Most likely explanation? LA media confused 72 with 77.

[DarthEbriate]

2 minutes ago, Hawerchuk said:

and it makes no sense why Tage was number 1 star? It should easily been Peterka. Dude had 2 goals 1 assist and drew 3 penalties. It’s bizarre he didn’t get any star! Ridiculous. 

It's the unfamiliarity and perceived star power. Thompson's their best forward? Check. He took a ton of shots although most were not on net. He also took penalties and was a bit physical. So... he was noticeable. He's very tall.

It should have been JJP 1 and Quinn 2 if you're obsessed with handing out the automatic home team star.

[PromoTheRobot]

58 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I feel asleep watching during the 2nd and woke up to see it ties at  3-3, put myself to bed and woke to a 5-3 win.  
 

Looks like a big game from 77 and 22.  Also nice to see contributions from 89 and 24.  
 

Go Sabres.  I’ll take the 2 points.  

The Kings didn't know what to do about JJP all night. 

[Doohicksie]

11 hours ago, Doohickie said:

The Sabres are undefeated this year with Bryson in the lineup.

...and they still are.

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Well i'm certainly shocked to wake up

fify 😉

[mjd1001]

I didn't watch the whole game last night, saw some of it, rewatched the highlights.  I like to take a look at the goals allowed and see what went wrong.

Today, I'm not spending much time on it, it is the SAME THING over and over. The forwards do not know how to position themself in the defensive end.  The ENTIRE team will look at and follow the puck instead of being where they should be.  They do not hold the box in the PK. It is the same thing, game after game after game after game that allows goals scored against.

1st goal allowed: Mitts, Greenway, and I have no idea who the other forward was.  Kopitar comes in on the near wing, no one picks him up. He scores.  Look at the screenshot below.  4 Sabres players in the D-zone. No one at all on the entire near side of the ice except Kopitar.  ALL FOUR sabres players looking at the puck, no one with any awareness to the WIDE OPEN half of the ice Kopitar is on. Easy pass to him, easy shot, easy goal.D-men, including Bryson, were  OK, Forwards, its the SAME THING. (see Screenshot below)

2nd goal allowed: Both Tuch and Greenway chase the puck near the blue line. I guess BOTH of them could justify going after the puck from where they were, but they have to know that BOTH of them can't. They both chase the puck take themselves both out of the play, Puck comes to Kempe with NO ONE around him where he has all day to skate in, set up the shot, look for the opening, easy goal.  The Sabres D-men were tied up with other Kings players down low, again I don't blame them. It was the Forward chasing the puck AGAIN that caused this.

3rd goal:  I say this game after game on the PK. When the Sabres hold the box on the PK, they do well.  The other team controls the puck sure, but they simply pass it around the perimiter and waste time and then eventually take a shot the goalie clearly sees and stops.  WHEN the Sabres allow a goal it is almost always then they start chasing and the PK box collapses (lately a lot with Cozens on the ice). So guess what happened here? Well, this time it was Greenway and Cozens. They almost kill the entire penalty, but right at the end, the guy has the puck on the blue line on the near side (Greenway's side).  He is drifting toward the far side (Cozens side).  Greenway starts to follow him to the other side, leaving the near boards WIDE open. I put this more on Greenway, but Cozens could have stepped up a bit so Greenway had no where to go. Anyway, once Greenway is out of position, the puck gets moved to the area he vacated, the entire Sabres team has no clue what to do, collapses down low into a mass of humanity and the goal is scored.

 

Greenway had an awful game defensively. The entire forward group is bad in their own zone.  The Defensemen again, not great but not as bad as many think.  They appear to have won this game due to some good quick wrist shots and suspect goaltending by the opposition.

The forwards on this team have their eyes and their bodies follow the puck like a magnet.  This is playoff team if you get a fraction of the missing scoring from Cozens and Tuch back, and if the Forwards can learn to play positionally in their own zone, and not just chase the puck like a pee-wee team full of 6 year olds does.

 

See below picture. Every single player is looking at the puck. Does anyone know there is an entire other side of the ice? Anyone care to even glance over and look to not hang their goalie out to dry? guess not.

Edited January 25 by mjd1001

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Based on the recap, it looked like Mitts was on a line with Quinn and Peterka.

It was Cozens centering that line but Cuzzy missed part of the game (2nd period); I think he had a split lip or something.  He returned later.  But his goal had assists from from JJP & Quinn, and JJP's first goal came of a Cozens rebound.

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

I would appreciate it if those who watched the game could give me an assessment on the play of Levi. 

Levi was marshmallow soft in the first but made several very good saves in the 2nd and 3rd.

[PromoTheRobot]

8 hours ago, Spoonman said:

You know, if you keep this up, I am going to proclaim you a fan full of positivity and promise!

[Porous Five Hole]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

The Sabres are 4-0 with Byrson in the lineup.

That’s a fun stat, but Bryson was a -1 and only played ten minutes last night.  

[Weave]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

Me too.  Certainly mixed emotions about it.   I HATE the fact that there is a part of my brain that hopes the Sabres lose !!!  And believe me , it has nothing to do with getting a better draft pick!

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.