GDT: Oct 4 Sabres v Devils in Prague 1pm EST New Season... LETS Go!!!

[matter2003]

10 minutes ago, Believer said:

Sabres were uptight from the start. Put too much pressure on themselves. Couldn’t match Devils intensity. Didn’t play aggressively until late third period.

This is on the Coach and the Captain, imo

Better days ahead.

 

 

Looked like they were thinking too much honestly, which is the enemy of trying to play fast. Going to probably take a little while before they understand how Ruff wants them to play and where they should be in various situations without having to think.  

Edited October 4 by matter2003

[SabresBillsFan]

2 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

I wasn’t a fan of the Lindy move. Need fresh blood running the team not nostalgia. But we’ll see. Hopefully I’m wrong. 

I agree, I wouldn’t have brought him back. The whole coaching staff would of been replaced if I owned the team.

[mjd1001]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well if that's representative of Lindy Ruff hockey we might as well start talking about the draft. 

I don't know why I thought one man (Ruff) could come in and make these guys into something different but he didn't, they looked exactly the same. Virtually no physicality, no forecheck, turnovers, lost puck battles, limited net front and weak around their own net. Exactly the same. Even Clifton doesn't hit any more. 

The heralded new bottom six was not impressive and added no spark at all. If that's it, they are going nowhere. 

Coming off the ice their expressions looked like they'd all already lost their love for hockey. I'm happy for them that they had fun bonding in Germany, they certainly haven't gotten ready for regular season NHL hockey. 

Disappointing. 

Clifton wasn't great, but I thought, when he was out there, he played a good game for a 3rd pair guy. I haven't looked at the final stats, but I'd bet he threw at least 2-3 hits.  Again, not stellar, but better than most of the guys on the ice tonight.

[SabreFinn]

A dissapointing start. But not that unexpected. With a preseason like this, a brutal wake up call could happen, and it sure did. The only thing that did not work for Devils last season was goaltending, while it was the only thing for us. So much easier to get going for them.

[PerreaultForever]

2 minutes ago, #freejame said:

If you swapped coaches would the score have changed? 

No. I would suggest these players are not doing what Lindy wants them to do. They certainly did not play the style he claimed they would be playing when he was interviewed. 

[PerreaultForever]

2 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Looked like they were thinking too much honestly, which is the enemy of trying to play fast. Going to probably take a little while before they understand how Ruff wants them to play and where they should be in various situations without having to think.  

Because (aside from Benson) they step away from contact rather than driving through. 

[mjd1001]

Ok, I don't know if I want to re-watch this game, I have better thing to do but...

They did outshoot and equal hits with the devils on the scorecard.

The goals they allowed, one was a dumb play by Samuelsson that Zucker didin't handle his side of and it was a blatant turnover. Another goal allowed was a lucky tip.

Yeah, they didn't play well, and on in the offensive zone they were awful. But in the D-zone, they weren't 'awful', just...average...breakout passes need work.

Edited October 4 by mjd1001

[Sidc3000]

Well at least it wasn’t a shut out 🤷‍♂️

[North Buffalo]

Came out slow, D  zone even the third was pathetic to meh... clearing zone left a lot to be desired... way to fancy for a hard forechecking team... they played like it was an exhibition game of shinny in the first... not the effort I was hoping for til the third...

[HILLsabre]

9 minutes ago, SabresBillsFan said:

This doesn’t look like a playoff team

Huh?

[matter2003]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

Because (aside from Benson) they step away from contact rather than driving through. 

So does Carolina...nobody seems to talk about it as a problem with them.  

Overreactions are the norm in Buffalo after one game tho...Bills are going to finish 3-14 because of what happened last week to them if you listen to half the posters on the Bills board.

[Pimlach]

21 minutes ago, Stoner said:

I made a zucchini bread and glued down some wallpapers seams before reading the last chapter of War, What is it Good For?

 

[Brawndo]

NAK will not play tomorrow 

[PerreaultForever]

8 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Clifton wasn't great, but I thought, when he was out there, he played a good game for a 3rd pair guy. I haven't looked at the final stats, but I'd bet he threw at least 2-3 hits.  Again, not stellar, but better than most of the guys on the ice tonight.

Threw hits? Yes, they add them up as "hits" but I'm talking about separating a guy from the puck and changing the flow of the play. Real hits. Hits that disrupt the other team, not just the basic follow through on a check that is often a nothing burger.  We had zero aggression in this game. Zero forecheck. We did nothing. 

[Night Train]

It's still just one game, Yes ? 

 Lindy saw the game. I can almost hear the ass chewing from here. So called leaders need to show up. We'll see real soon. 

[Taro T]

16 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

Last place in the league. 😩

True.  But win tomorrow and they're tied for the lead in the race for the Presidents Trophy.

Ugly game.  Seemed they weren't ready for the Devils speed which is the downside of playing all preseason against 3rd liners and AHLers.  Come out tomorrow ready to get push back and let's see what happens.  As much as we've been hoping that they'd come out flying these 2 games and it'd set a tone for the full year; these 2 games weren't likely to set the tone for the full year.

Win tomorrow and then do their normal shellacking of the Kings in Buffalo and all is back to doable.  The plus coming out of tonight is the Devils MIGHT come out a little flat expecting it'll be a cakewalk based on how this one went.

Not throwing in the towel before the league season has even officially begun.

[PerreaultForever]

3 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

So does Carolina...nobody seems to talk about it as a problem with them.  

Overreactions are the norm in Buffalo after one game tho...Bills are going to finish 3-14 because of what happened last week to them if you listen to half the posters on the Bills board.

Not true. A lot of guys on Carolina drive through and they forecheck aggressively. Speed is great, essential even, but open ice speed is nothing. Speed mixed with physicality is what you need to win. Carolina has it. Not enough of it so far so they lose in the playoffs, but they handle the physical side better than this. 

[thewookie1]

Rough game but more importantly they need to bounce back with vengeance tomorrow and show us this was more of an aberration than something that will rear its head constantly. Some good things to note:

We were throwing hits

Players were going to the front of the net

UPL looked good

 

Most of the players seemed hesitant and the ice seemed to further exasperate the situation. Throw in there a huge Markstrom save and it makes a bit of sense; NAK's puck goes in and we may have seen a completely different team.

It's 1 game, now go win Game 2

[Mustache of God]

12 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

That's Jiri Kulich's music!

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

NAK will not play tomorrow 

Considering he was seen in a leg brace, not surprising.  Guess Krebs gets to show what he's got.  😞 

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, matter2003 said:

So does Carolina...nobody seems to talk about it as a problem with them.  

Overreactions are the norm in Buffalo after one game tho...Bills are going to finish 3-14 because of what happened last week to them if you listen to half the posters on the Bills board.

Bills, Sabres = Apples to Oranges. Sabres don't have a Josh Allen, although, I think the Bills D is better, and that's saying a lot.

I firmly believe Sabres faithful, those that are left anyways after these past 13 years, are well within the norm to expect their team to come out firing on all cylinders. They didn't. If that doesn't concern you I'd ask where you've been these past 13 years. Cut those of us distraught, concerned, disappointed, down right p issed some slack. We've been through a historical ringer here. Just sayin.....

[mjd1001]

The play in the offensive zone was obviously the problem. 

Not many great chances.  Nothing 'creative' that worked.  They either didn't have room to operate or didn't make their own room. Lots of bad decisions in the offensive zone (Thompson passing the puck to Tuch when Thompson had a better shot....Cozens had time to do ANYTHING with the puck and he shoots it into the legs of a defender from the blue line).  It goes without saying, but play the same game from the red line back but with a couple better plays in the offensive zone and a lot of us are talking much differently about this game.

[PerreaultForever]

1 minute ago, Mustache of God said:

That's Jiri Kulich's music!

I bet it's Krebs. 

[Pimlach]

I think it too soon to react to this one game.  Lindy has had little time in preseason to play his top players against other teams top players.  
 

The team has a long way to go.  I think they will get better as the season goes on.  That said, it would be nice to see Lindy change a few players for tomorrow’s game.   Another slow start and poor play tomorrow would be a concern.  

[matter2003]

Just now, Scottysabres said:

Bills, Sabres = Apples to Oranges. Sabres don't have a Josh Allen, although, I think the Bills D is better, and that's saying a lot.

I firmly believe Sabres faithful, those that are left anyways after these past 13 years, are well within the norm to expect their team to come out firing on all cylinders. They didn't. If that doesn't concern you I'd ask where you've been these past 13 years. Cut those of us distraught, concerned, disappointed, down right p issed some slack. We've been through a historical ringer here. Just sayin.....

 

It doesn't concern me because:

1) It's one game

2) They are playing under a new coach and a new system and have different things they are being asked to do.  It looked like they were thinking too much instead of just playing, which isn't surprising. Likely is going to take a little while for them to be able to just go play and know what Ruff wants them to do and where they should be on the ice.