GDT / Islanders @ Sabres, Thurs 3/14, 7pm MSG, ESPN+ & WGR Radio

[nfreeman]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Adams gifted him the 3 man rotation. That’s the functional issue 

Do we know this?  Or did Adams just tell DG, "here are your 3 candidates -- do as you like?"

[Thorner]

8 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

It was only the first 6 games where he didn't play. Since game 7, he has started 39 of 67 games (almost 60 percent basically being the starter since then).  And as far as those first 6 games, UPL wasn't playing well in the beginning of the year.  Even after he was installed as the De-facto starter in late October getting the majority of the work, he had a GAA of 3.13 and save percentage of .892 through the end of the calendar year.  Maybe he was battling a nagging injury, maybe the team in front of the Sabres goaltenders was playing awful Defense...but I don't think he would have made an appreciable difference in the standings if he played those first 6 games.

After he did take over, he played 7 of the next 9 games, winning 3, losing 4 and having a GAA of over 3 in those starts. He, and/or the team, wasn't playing well at the beginning of the year.

Yes, listening to Jake Allen on TSN was an eye opener: he as asked about playing in a 3-man rotation and went out of his way to say how difficult it makes it for all 3 goalies for a myriad of reasons. Said it affected performance of all 3. It’s not even just UPL who suffered from it early on, but all the goalies 

it’s just a glaring misfire of a set up by the GM and I’m glad it won’t be there going forward 

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, hockey said:

Varmint will never quit.

They're like the VC.

Varmint Cong.

Makes you wonder where this passion was the first 3/4 of the season.

[Thorner]

11 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Great win tonight.  

Personally I think it was Okposo.

It’s not 

[pastajoe]

12 minutes ago, hockey said:

Casey Mittelstadt was clearly a cancer.

Cancer Mittelstadt.

Perhaps breaking up their fraternity gave them a kick in the ass and made them realize they have to be more serious.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Do we know this?  Or did Adams just tell DG, "here are your 3 candidates -- do as you like?"

No like he literally set the roster with 3 goalies 

sorry, do we not attribute roster construction to the GM anymore? 
 

The GM sets the roster. Burden of proof is on the other side. If there’s some sort of quote saying Granato demanded all 3, i’d like to see it. Otherwise, Granato is presumably on the hook for WHO played but that he’s picking between 3 is a GM issue 

Edited March 15 by Thorny

[Pimlach]

I watched it out tonight.  Really good game.  They came out strong at home and although they didn’t score in the first they stayed at it and outplayed the Isles.   They stayed patient and intense and the goals came.  

UPL was excellent, great to see the fans treated to a shutout.   

Lots of contributors tonight.  Cozens and Greenway stood out to me.  Benson too.   Clifton gives up 4 inches and 37 pounds to Anders Lee but holds his own.  

Big one on the road Saturday in De-Troy-it. Keep it going boys. 

[JohnC]

In this NHL link is a recap of the game and highlights of some scores. 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/

[Doohicksie]

3 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

4 minutes ago, ... said:

Anyone have a working estimate of points needed to make the playoffs this year?

1 more than the 9th place team.

If you assume that the team in 8th place now represents the pace, that would be 91 points.  If the Sabres get 92 I think they will get in.  To get 92, the Sabres would need to get 77% of the position points available to them between now and the end of the season.... so 10-2-3?

[Sabres73]

I just disagree with that. They needed to determine what they had with their three goalies and the only way to do it was play them for a short period of time. I'm perfectly fine with that. And many here would have traded UPL early in the season, and then where would we be?

[Flashsabre]

I would call Levi up for the west coast trip. Can’t play Comrie even one game.

[Slack_in_MA]

7 minutes ago, hockey said:

Varmint will never quit.

They're like the VC.

Varmint Cong.

 

I smell varmint poontang. And the only good varmint poontang is dead varmint poontang.

I think.

[nfreeman]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

No like he literally set the roster with 3 goalies 

sorry, do we not attribute roster construction to the GM anymore? 

So you don't think DG was able to go to KA and say that a 3-goalie setup wouldn't work and one of them needed to go to Rochester?  Or do you think he did so and was overruled?

[Doohicksie]

3 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Adams gifted him the 3 man rotation. That’s the functional issue 

Do we know this?  Or did Adams just tell DG, "here are your 3 candidates -- do as you like?"

Even if Adams abdicated his decision to Donny, it was still his responsibility and his call to make.

[Pimlach]

37 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Oopie stoned them, to their souls.

Just like jelly rolls. 
 

 

[JohnC]

Just now, Pimlach said:

I watched it out tonight.  Really good game.  They came out strong at home and although they didn’t score in the first they stayed at it and outplayed the Isles.   They stayed patient and intense and the goals came.  

UPL was excellent, great to see the fans treated to a shutout.   

Lots of contributors tonight.  Cozens and Greenway stood out to me.  Benson too.   Clifton gives up 4 inches and 37 pounds to Anders Lee but holds his own.  

Big one on the road Saturday in De-Troy-it. Keep it going boys. 

As you smartly point out, the Sabres didn't get frustrated not scoring in the first period. They stayed patient and kept at it. This team is playing with a lot more maturity over the past dozen games or so. 

[Believer]

17 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

I thought that too, but when it comes down to it, Adams needs to be driving that bus. A small part of me even thought TP coulda been calling for Levi to play. 

I doubt seriously DG asked for three goalies… Had to be Adams and or Pegula… Just like using final three preseason games to audition prospects who had no chance of making the roster instead of playing regulars to get ready for the opening games… Cost us a month… 

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, Sabres73 said:

I just disagree with that. They needed to determine what they had with their three goalies and the only way to do it was play them for a short period of time. I'm perfectly fine with that. And many here would have traded UPL early in the season, and then where would we be?

There’s no rule you need to run a competition with 3. There’s no rule UPL had to be the one dealt because some “fans” wanted it. You conflate at random. There’s a reason most teams don’t run a 3 man rotation:

it’s notably tough on all involved. If we had poor goaltending early in the year, and we did, ruling out the rotation as a factor given first hand advice of nhl players saying how hard it is seems very unreasonable

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

So you don't think DG was able to go to KA and say that a 3-goalie setup wouldn't work and one of them needed to go to Rochester?  Or do you think he did so and was overruled?

So your argument is a wild hypothetical about if Granato could have raised a big stink 

yes, i suppose he could have 

[Claude Balls]

3 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

If you assume that the team in 8th place now represents the pace, that would be 91 points.  If the Sabres get 92 I think they will get in.  To get 92, the Sabres would need to get 77% of the position points available to them between now and the end of the season.... so 10-2-3?

Yikes.....not impossible, but also a tall task. 

[hockey]

2 minutes ago, Slack_in_MA said:

 

I smell varmint poontang. And the only good varmint poontang is dead varmint poontang.

I think.

My favorite part of that scene is that he's got the prongs right in that kid's neck.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

I would call Levi up for the west coast trip. Can’t play Comrie even one game.

I tend to agree 

[Doohicksie]

2 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

So you don't think DG was able to go to KA and say that a 3-goalie setup wouldn't work and one of them needed to go to Rochester?  Or do you think he did so and was overruled?

It doesn't matter.  It's Kevyn's responsibility.  It's his duty.  It's part of his job description, not Donny's.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Even if Adams abdicated his decision to Donny, it was still his responsibility and his call to make.

That’s what I mean. It by default fails to Adams. We are going down a road here we usually don’t with player promotions / roster construction and i have no idea why 

roster construction is GM 

Edited March 15 by Thorny

[Sabres73]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

There’s no rule you need to run a competition with 3. There’s no rule UPL had to be the one dealt because some “fans” wanted it. You conflate at random. There’s a reason most teams don’t run a 3 man rotation:

it’s notably tough on all involved. If we had poor goaltending early in the year, and we did, ruling out the rotation as a factor given first hand advice of nhl players saying how hard it is seems very unreasonable

I think you're overstating how "hard" it is on them. They're pro athletes, they'll be fine.

If you don't know what you have with your goaltending, the way to find out is playing them, simple as that. Otherwise you could make a terrible mistake, such as trading UPL.

[Thorner]

Just now, Sabres73 said:

I think you're overstating how "hard" it is on them. They're pro athletes, they'll be fine.

If you don't know what you have with your goaltending, the way to find out is playing them, simple as that. Otherwise you could make a terrible mistake, such as trading UPL.

I’m not overstating it, I’m listening to the words of someone who knows way more about it than me 

I’m sorry if it doesn’t fit the side you’ve already chosen in advance to come down on