GDT / Anaheim Ducks @ Buffalo Sabres Monday Feb 19th 12:30pm ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

[CallawaySabres]

Carolina, Florida, Tampa, Vegas, Winnipeg and Toronto coming after the next 3 "easier" games. There is a good chance this team will be 16 points out of 8th place by March 6. This is exactly why these possible wins mean absolutely nothing to me. The 6 game stretch starting with Carolina will hopefully be the death knell for management. 

[Believer]

56 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

The Sabres better be ready to play hard, be positive role models, put on a good show, win a home game, and acknowledge those kids in the crowd afterward.

Skinner hasn’t seemed himself lately…

The camera has caught him a few times before faceoffs looking flat… Wonder if the locker room virus has troubled him… He’s lived through worse in the Eichel years, but still…

Today would be a great day for him to breakout and show his leadership… 

[Brawndo]

 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, sweetlou said:

I'm going with another big win...6-2 home team.

 

Assuming the Sabres can overcome playing in a hostile environment.

[Stoner]

 

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Assuming the Sabres can overcome playing in a hostile environment.

Children can be very perceptive.

[Night Train]

We interrupt our high quality scheduled programming to show you a rare Monday afternoon hockey game !

[skaught]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I hate hate hate HATE   Monday afternoon games.

Could you imagine being a fan on the left coast having to tune in at 9:30 am?

I like morning games, I'm used to watching football at 10am

[Porous Five Hole]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

I think this is the first President’s day off in my entire career.

should I spend it watching the sabres?

 

2 hours ago, Indabuff said:

Taking my son and I'm torn about how I'm supposed to be reacting.   Am I cheering or heckling?  Both simultaneously?

Cheer.  Today is a new day. 

[spndnchz]

2 hours ago, Indabuff said:

Taking my son and I'm torn about how I'm supposed to be reacting.   Am I cheering or heckling?  Both simultaneously?

It’s a kids game. Hopefully the crowd acts accordingly. 

[ExWNYer]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

A quick google search tells me only 20% of Americans have today off.  I know kids have it off, so is everyone else using PTO for today?  

I am among that 20%...and I will spend the middle part of the last day of my three day weekend watching my favorite hockey team play a meaningless game. I am broken.

[mphs mike]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

It’s Youth Hockey Day in Sabre Land.  

Since the early 70’s the Sabres PR department, under the excellent leadership of Paul Wieland, started a free afternoon open Sabres practice for the kids.  Many kids that I knew never went to real Sabres game back then because every game was sold out, 16,433 in The Aud every game.   So this was a way for kids to see the team and for the players  to reach out.   They practiced drills,  played a blue gold scrimmage, and Paul would put on his pads.   These were great events, lots of fun, and always filled to capacity.  

Perhaps some of the old timers here attended one, they first occurred over Christmas break when schools were closed.  The community really loved this team, Gilbert, Rico, Rene, Schoeny, Kong, Luce, Rammer, etc.    

I guess all this died out and morphed into matinee games, kids day, and today’s matinee targets specifically - Youth Hockey Day.  

The crowd today will consist mostly of young families with kids.  Lots and lots of local youth hockey boys and girls will be there wearing their team’s jersey and cheering for the Sabres.   Within those kids there may possibly be a few future players, and hopefully even some future fans.  

The Sabres better be ready to play hard, be positive role models, put on a good show, win a home game, and acknowledge those kids in the crowd afterward.   If that’s not the tradition anymore then it should be.  

Can't count the number of open practices I attended during the 70's. Those Christmas break practices likewise filled the Aud with 16,433 children and accompanying parents.

Somehow, the scrimmage virtually always ended in a tie

[Marvin]

1 minute ago, spndnchz said:

It’s a kids game. Hopefully the crowd acts accordingly. 

I hope that this is what we get.  I have the nasty suspicion that, at some point this season, it is going to get ugly.

[LabattBlue]

6 minutes ago, mphs mike said:

Can't count the number of open practices I attended during the 70's. Those Christmas break practices likewise filled the Aud with 16,433 children and accompanying parents.

Somehow, the scrimmage virtually always ended in a tie

The open practices were not only a big deal for kids, but also adults who couldn’t get game tickets. If you weren’t around for the 70’s, you have no idea how crazy Sabres Mania was during that time. 

Edited February 19 by LabattBlue

[Stoner]

11 minutes ago, Marvin said:

I hope that this is what we get.  I have the nasty suspicion that, at some point this season, it is going to get ugly.

Define accordingly.

[Brawndo]

Tokarski was called up to backup UPL, Comrie is dealing with an illness 

[Stoner]

14 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

It’s a kids game. Hopefully the crowd acts accordingly. 

I still remember how confusing and somewhat troubling my first game at the Aud was. Late in 77-78. The honeymoon for the Sabres was ending. The fans were surly toward both the team and especially the ref, Bruce Hood. The Sabres lost 4-2. I didn't see Rick which was one of my hopes. I needed glasses but hadn't gotten them yet. Innocence lost.

[bunomatic]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I hate hate hate HATE   Monday afternoon games.

Could you imagine being a fan on the left coast having to tune in at 9:30 am?

I just roll out of bed. Easy peasy. 

[Stads]

3 hours ago, sweetlou said:

I'm going with another big win...6-2 home team.

 

Sabres rattle off four in a row by beating MTL and CBJ on the road to get fans believing again before losing three in a row to CAR, FLA, and TBL! 

It's just what this team does.

Calm down with the four in a row crazy talk. That would require having 3 in a row for the first time this year

[bunomatic]

1 minute ago, Stads said:

Calm down with the four in a row crazy talk. That would require having 3 in a row for the first time this year

Agreed. It ain’t happening. We know what they are. There’s no switch to flip with this team. They aren’t built that way.

[inkman]

2 hours ago, OverPowerYou said:

I used to be excited about Sabres games… now I associate it with emptiness and sadness

It’s like when you go from dating to marriage 

[Sidc3000]

2 minutes ago, inkman said:

It’s like when you go from dating to marriage 

[nucci]

55 minutes ago, mphs mike said:

Can't count the number of open practices I attended during the 70's. Those Christmas break practices likewise filled the Aud with 16,433 children and accompanying parents.

Somehow, the scrimmage virtually always ended in a tie

Loved those. They were great.

[...]

1 hour ago, spndnchz said:

It’s a kids game. Hopefully the crowd acts accordingly. 

Heckle it is!

[ExWNYer]

8 minutes ago, ... said:

Heckle it is!

[TageMVP]

Who's in net? 

5-0 Sabres regardless