GDT: Buffalo Sabres @ Anaheim Ducks 10:00 PM EST Victory+, MSG-B, KCOP-13, ESPN+ (for those out of the Buffalo area), WGR550

[ska-T Chitown]

Just now, That Aud Smell said:

Please do not use a nickname for that brittle plug.

lol - i felt shame doing - but the caffeine had not kicked in and there was no way in ferk I was gonna be able to spell his last name. 🤷‍♂️

[Sabres Fan in NS]

A good team win.  On the road. 

Sure it's the Ducks, but last time it was the Kings, who are not the Ducks.

[JohnC]

33 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

But I’m also saying 2 good games is not enough to waive a player when we don’t have to.  Let’s see some more good games from kulich first.  I need to see more. 

We are agreeing. I also need to see more. Let's just see how this plays out. More likely than not, he will be sent down. And no doubt, his experience in the NHL will enhance and accelerate his development. 

Side note: I see Quinn getting incrementally better. In the first period, I was encouraged when he made a move to the middle to get off a good shot in the danger zone.  Let's hope that he becomes the player we thought he would become based on his previous play. Patience is a hard to take virtue. 

[SwampD]

4 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

lol - i felt shame doing - but the caffeine had not kicked in and there was no way in ferk I was gonna be able to spell his last name. 🤷‍♂️

At least use Mule next time.😂

[JujuFish]

10 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Yes.  We scored the last 3 in the game.  I think the two fights did help wake them up.   
 

We are tied with Boston for 8th, and we have a game in hand. 

Unlike Boston, we actually have a .500 winning percentage.

[Mr Peabody]

Two hard clean hits by the Ducks - glad Benson and Clifton did not end up on IR after their scraps.  Our past  reputation has been to fold like a cheap lawn chair after hits like that so expect to see more of them.  Regardless of the fights we haven’t been backing down from a heavy game so it’s major growth.  Would like see more of the heavy hits coming from our new bigger, faster 4th line. 

[Pimlach]

39 minutes ago, JohnC said:

We are agreeing. I also need to see more. Let's just see how this plays out. More likely than not, he will be sent down. And no doubt, his experience in the NHL will enhance and accelerate his development. 

Side note: I see Quinn getting incrementally better. In the first period, I was encouraged when he made a move to the middle to get off a good shot in the danger zone.  Let's hope that he becomes the player we thought he would become based on his previous play. Patience is a hard to take virtue. 

Quinn and Cozens need to get better because Lindy is going to give their ice to Kulich if they don't.   This is how it is supposed to work.  

[Crusader1969]

3 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

but how many giveaways in the corners and not moving guys out of front of the net...

And how many zone exits?  How many tape to tape passes, leading to scoring chances?   He's 22, give him time to improve  defensively

5 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Quinn and Cozens need to get better because Lindy is going to give their ice to Kulich if they don't.   This is how it is supposed to work.  

I'm starting to think Quinn already has gotten a lot better.   Was fantastic last night after a few games of being pretty good ! 

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

I have no clue what your above comment is asking or who this goal scorer is.  
 

I disagree with the notion that you think the fights were an abomination because the hits were clean.  The fights were excellent responses for the situation at the time.  We were down 2-0 and the Ducks were starting to take liberties.  The play of the Sabres team changed at that point.  We won.  Build on it. 

 

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

 

Also, it’s not goal scorers who are making those hits.

But if it is, then yes, they need to answer, as well. 

A good, clean hit is a great part of the game and something that in and of itself is meant to shift momentum to your side. Why should a player have to answer for it and perhaps suffer a TBI?

If you think that hit should be avenged for some strategic game flow advantage, why wouldn't you support grabbing a guy who just dingled and dangled and put it top shelf and beating the everloving ***** out of him to teach him a lesson and take away the energy boost of the goal?

Of course the league would come down hard on it. It wants goals. Apparently it doesn't want good clean hits.

[_Q_]

15 minutes ago, Stoner said:

 

A good, clean hit is a great part of the game and something that in and of itself is meant to shift momentum to your side. Why should a player have to answer for it and perhaps suffer a TBI?

If you think that hit should be avenged for some strategic game flow advantage, why wouldn't you support grabbing a guy who just dingled and dangled and put it top shelf and beating the everloving ***** out of him to teach him a lesson and take away the energy boost of the goal?

Of course the league would come down hard on it. It wants goals. Apparently it doesn't want good clean hits.

I think you just answered your own question.

The retaliation was meant to change the momentum of the game, and it worked.

The fighting is part of what makes hockey great.

[Believer]

12 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

We getting veteran leadership plus an effective middle 6 player.

Zucker is leading by his example and experience. Same with McLeod. Great education for our young players. Terrific pick ups. Kudos, Adams.

[Crusader1969]

2 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Bailey and Nick Baptiste

I'm 100% guilty thinking both would be good.  
I remember going to a few Kitchener Rangers games to watch Bailey thinking he was destined to be a star 

[Archie Lee]

Up until last night, I would describe Kulich as having “held his own” at the NHL level. Sometimes he was better than that, sometimes he was exposed, but in general he showed that he could get by as an NHL player. Of course, that’s not what we need or what we want from Kulich (eventually). Last night was the first time he was consistently impactful over a full game (in my view). That is great and hopefully he continues to have an impact. If he does, there is no barrier to him staying in the NHL. If everyone suddenly gets healthy at once, you just waive Gilbert and sit your two worst forwards. 

My best guess though is that Kulich will struggle to be consistently good and that the best thing for him and the team long-term is that he go back to the AHL and work on having this sort of positive impact game-in and game-out there. 

Which brings me around to another point. Kulich is now appearing to be on the “too good and important to trade” list. This is a problem. Assuming, perhaps misguidedly, that Adams is actually trying to make a deal for a legit top-6 forward, it should be noted that giving up the sort of asset that hurts a bit, is more likely to return the player we need. Some combo of a struggling Quinn, Rosen, Östlund and Jokiharju is less likely to get you a difference-making player, than trading someone you don’t want to give up (recalling that until recently, Quinn was, and likely still is to some, an untouchable asset who was going to be the catalyst to any leap we were about to take in the standings).

You trade someone when their value is high.