GDT: Panthers @ Sabres 10/28/24, 7:00 PM EDT; MSG, ESPN+, WGR

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

If all we’ve known for the last decade is pain, misery and suffering, why keep up the MW shenanigans?  It’s not like it’s funny.  

 

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

At this point, I think it’s mostly just to annoy those of us who don’t like it. I’ve never been able to stand what it represents. 

 

1 hour ago, Weave said:

????

To me it always represented an opportunity to be light hearted during heavy times.

 

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

It really isn't that serious. Or snarky. Or heavy. It's just a bit of fun.

It's mostly not my cuppa (I burned out on it, I think). But for those who still participate, it's just a bit of goofin'.

 

59 minutes ago, Doohicksie said:

Because at this point I love the tradition of you complaining about it.  Every.  Single.  Time.

I like the MW references.   Some folks come up with clever ones that make me laugh. 

Since the team is often on the cusp of falling out of relevance, and desperation is a normal state,  MW usually seems appropriate.   

Tonight’s game will be a big test.  Looking forward to it.  

[inkman]

1 hour ago, Doohicksie said:

Because at this point I love the tradition of you complaining about it.  Every.  Single.  Time.

First time this season.  Hoping it would dissipate but alas here we are.  
 

My intolerance of it is rooted in superstition.  If it was directly correlated with winning, I’d be all for it.  But it’s not, it just represents the fecklessness of the franchise.  

[DarthEbriate]

The Sabres won the first one without facing Tkachuk or Barkov and getting a very leaky Spencer Knight. 

Barkov isn't guaranteed to be in, yet. But Tkachuk is back and it's going to be Bobrovsky on three days' rest. The Panthers will look to set the tone very early and put these young whippersnappers in their place.

[Idemo Buffalo]

Winning the first two of the homestand takes a lot of pressure off here.  Sabres have to play well, but not necessarily win. A win gives us the 6 points we want out of this 4 game homestand and sends a message that the Sabres are a legit threat to grab 1 of the top 3 spots in the Atlantic. 

The formula to the playoffs is still playing .500 hockey on the road and winning 3 out of every 4 at home.

Edited October 28 by Idemo Buffalo

[Indabuff]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

It really isn't that serious. Or snarky. Or heavy. It's just a bit of fun.

It's mostly not my cuppa (I burned out on it, I think). But for those who still participate, it's just a bit of goofin'.

Always looked at it as a way for some people to drop in, let others know that they're around and aware the team is playing that day. 

Edited October 28 by Indabuff
Medium Wings

[#freejame]

Sabres in years past would wilt in a game like this. There’s still a lot of monkeys on our backs. A win here takes off a big one. 

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, Doohicksie said:

Because at this point I love the tradition of you complaining about it.  Every.  Single.  Time.

So you’re just being a dick.

Thats as good a reason as any to do it. 😂

 

Not sure I’m going to catch this one tonight. Going snowboarding, and then I have to get up early to get my head cut open again.

 

At least I’m getting out of having to cover this stupid ***** election. I’m hoping the drugs wear off around the 8th.

[Idemo Buffalo]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

How many games above true .500 before the arena is packed? My guess is around 5 games. The fan base is hungry. Everyone I talk to wants to believe, they’ve just been burned in the past.

On a weekday? Maybe sometime in March before it is consistently packed and that is if they are really in a playoff spot. Weeknights are tough for a lot of people and inflation has hit a lot of people pretty hard.

As for the weekends, it will be full this Friday night against the Islanders, and full for Calgary and Montreal on Veterans Day weekend.  

Fans will come back if they win. They always have.

[bob_sauve28]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

I’m reading Malcolm Gladwell’s new book (it’s fine), and in it he talks about the recovery of the Florida Panther (animal, not the team) and how inbreeding after mass extinction events had basically destroyed the population to unrecoverable levels. So to flesh out the gene pool, they brought in Texas panthers to breed. Apparently it’s been a very successful program. Florida officials have mixed feelings about their bastard panthers, but most think it’s a good thing. 

Im not positive any of this ties in to hockey, but I’m sure someone here will be able to make it relevant. 

I'm actually reading one of his older books now, Outliners. Did you read what he wrote about Junior Hockey and how the players are picked? I'll make a post thread about that later, really interesting 

 

 

And... 

 

Much Whining! 

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Curious to see the lines.... Do not think Benson is back tonight, but sounds like NAK is back. Not sure a 2nd line fit is best but i know he is wicked fast. Buffalo needs to come out playing hard north south hockey with some serious confidence. They have honestly earned it with their play as of late. 

[Jorcus]

2 minutes ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

Curious to see the lines.... Do not think Benson is back tonight, but sounds like NAK is back. Not sure a 2nd line fit is best but i know he is wicked fast. Buffalo needs to come out playing hard north south hockey with some serious confidence. They have honestly earned it with their play as of late. 

 

The question is do they put Benson on IR, Send Juri to the Amerks or try to get one of the D men through waivers to make the space they need for NAK? We will know very soon.  

[#freejame]

39 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I'm actually reading one of his older books now, Outliners. Did you read what he wrote about Junior Hockey and how the players are picked? I'll make a post thread about that later, really interesting 

 

 

And... 

 

Much Whining! 

This is the first time I’ve read anything yesterday, so I can’t say I have. Had some airport issues and picked it up for the down time. 

[nfreeman]

OK, so they've played 4 home games, and played better in each one than in any home game last season that I can remember.  Lindy has them focused and determined from the opening faceoff, not to mention playing with much more speed and structure.

They've found a good chunk of their scoring touch, and the top line looks terrific.  Quinn and Cozens are still out to sea, though, and goaltending has been spotty after a strong start.

Now they're facing the defending champs who have one of their stars back and will probably start their top goalie and bring their A game.

They had a bigger crowd on Saturday than in the previous game, and the fans had a good time and went home reasonably happy and excited.  I'm guessing they'll have a decent crowd again tonight.

Come on boys.  Play hard from the get-go, give the fans another W, maybe dress Gilbert so he can pummel a bastard panther and we'll be on our way to a home ice advantage, with loserville getting smaller in the rear-view mirror.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Idemo Buffalo said:

Winning the first two of the homestand takes a lot of pressure off here.  Sabres have to play well, but not necessarily win. A win gives us the 6 points we want out of this 4 game homestand and sends a message that the Sabres are a legit threat to grab 1 of the top 3 spots in the Atlantic. 

The formula to the playoffs is still playing .500 hockey on the road and winning 3 out of every 4 at home.

This sentence is everything wrong with the Buffalo Sabres organization from top to bottom. They act like every game they don't "necessarily need to win" when in reality, they do. 

[Big Guava]

1 hour ago, Idemo Buffalo said:

Winning the first two of the homestand takes a lot of pressure off here.  Sabres have to play well, but not necessarily win. A win gives us the 6 points we want out of this 4 game homestand and sends a message that the Sabres are a legit threat to grab 1 of the top 3 spots in the Atlantic. 

The formula to the playoffs is still playing .500 hockey on the road and winning 3 out of every 4 at home.

The formula is simply getting to 95ish points however you gotta do it.

Getting 18 loser points like the Isles did to make the playoffs can get it done too.

[Flashsabre]

Panthers D corps is their weak link. Get in on the forecheck and pressure them. Play physical. And keep the PP results coming.

[Weave]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

So you’re just being a dick.

Thats as good a reason as any to do it. 😂

 

Not sure I’m going to catch this one tonight. Going snowboarding, and then I have to get up early to get my head cut open again.

 

At least I’m getting out of having to cover this stupid ***** election. I’m hoping the drugs wear off around the 8th.

I sure hope this is the last time they give you scars.  You’ve earned beating this to the curb.

[K-9]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

????

To me it always represented an opportunity to be light hearted during heavy times.

Magnanimous Weave.

[LGR4GM]

 

[K-9]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Good. I welcome him to the fray because it will be nice to kick their ***** with their best lineup. 

[Believer]

3 hours ago, Doohicksie said:

Because at this point I love the tradition of you complaining about it.  Every.  Single.  Time.

Funny stuff taking sides.

Every time I see it I’m reminded of bad graffiti

[Idemo Buffalo]

18 minutes ago, Big Guava said:

The formula is simply getting to 95ish points however you gotta do it.

Getting 18 loser points like the Isles did to make the playoffs can get it done too.

Agreed, but the Sabres need to learn to dominate on their home ice. They have done ok on the road,the last two years,  but you can't be 17-20-4 and 21-19-1 on your own home ice. Those home records are not getting them to the playoffs. They need to grab 60 points at home.  

[R_Dudley]

Like the momentum they have started building back and a legitimate positive home record.

Looks like Fla is back at full strength, so hoping to see the compete level and results they have been getting work against one of the top contenders.

Let's Go Bflo, we want four, keep the winning streak alive.

[triumph_communes]

If the knock on Cozens is low hockey IQ ever since concussion then having Kubel on his line would help enormously. 

Edited October 28 by triumph_communes

[Doohicksie]

5 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

Like the momentum they have started building back and a legitimate positive home record.

Looks like Fla is back at full strength, so hoping to see the compete level and results they have been getting work against one of the top contenders.

Let's Go Bflo, we want four, keep the winning streak alive.

Since the season-opening 0-3, the team has played with desperation.  You might think that, having beaten the Panthers once already, they might let up a bit, but with Barkov back they know they have to play desperate hockey to have a shot at winning.  Barkov returning could actually work in the Sabres favor.