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Thompson blocked that shot about 1-1/4 - 1-1/2 minutes into OT. That 1st unit wasn't passive the 1st minute of OT but looked to be getting tired pretty soon after that and after Thompson was hobbling around they were fortunate to even get Tuch off the ice.

That and he was very clearly throwing to the guy standing directly next to him. I swimming if it hit the lineman there with no one anywhere near him then they call it. If you take a look at the top of the running and passing stats you will see exactly what this team needs to be. Cook and Kincaid led the way. It’s a completely different game with Kincaid back and healthy.

It's also about goalies being able to see pucks and defending the net front area. Timmons and Samuelsson have been very good on the PK.

Awful is a SLIGHT exaggeration, but not by much. He was very bad in the 1st 60 minutes, though he did improve slightly in the 3rd. He wasn't moving well, gave up huge rebounds, was playing small, slow to react. Would say he had 1 nice NHL caliber save that wasn't shot into his logo in the 2nd period and would give him about 3 of those in the 3rd. And, good for him, his teammates did a very good job of getting to those huge rebounds after the 1st few minutes of the game and did a good job of limiting the true high danger chances against. But, OT went about as well as he could've hoped for and with any luck at all that and the SO will get him the self-confidence he needs so much because it is so evident how much his game changes when he's playing with confidence vs when he has little to none. Surely there are other guys in the NHL that are hit or miss as much as he is but particularly like he is with large stretches of 1 or the other not really a true good today, bad next game, so so the next after that and so on and so forth; but don't watch enough non-Sabres games to indentify who they are.

It's a combination. His size and how he plays together.

I know about the blocked shot with Thompson but it was even before that. It was almost the whole OT.

Why is the PK so much better this year? Except for one single aspect, its not. Last year (per 2 minutes PK 4 on 5): -1.68 shots allowed, 0.24 expected goals allowed, 1.70 scoring chances allowed, 0.71 high danger chances allowed. This year (per 2 minutes PK): -1.86 shots allowed, 0.28 expected goals allowed, 2.05 scoring chances allowed, 0.80 high danger chances allowed. So far per PK, this years PK is allowing more shots, more 'expected goals', more 'scoring chances' and more 'high danger chances' (better quality shots from the prime scoring areas. In every metric that can be measured, the PK is kinda the same as last year, but slightly worse in all those areas. Why are they the top rated PK then? The goalies. Last year: .830 saves percentage short handed This year: .943 save percentage short handed. So again, the PK "looks" better this year but the numbers show the skaters aren't really playing much different. They are allowing the same (or more) number of shots. Same (or more) shots from the prime scoring areas. What we think of as 'good PK' is really just the goalies making a lot more saves than last year. The good news...the goalies ARE better than last year on the PK. The bad news....its is unlikely their PK save percentage is going to stay at .943 https://www.naturalstattrick.com/teamreport.php?season=20242025&team=BUF&stype=2 https://www.naturalstattrick.com/teamreport.php?team=BUF https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerteams.php?fromseason=20252026&thruseason=20252026&stype=2&sit=pk&score=all&stdoi=g&rate=n&team=BUF&pos=S&loc=B&toi=0&gpfilt=none&fd=&td=&tgp=410&lines=single&draftteam=ALL https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerteams.php?fromseason=20252026&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=pk&score=all&stdoi=g&rate=n&team=BUF&pos=S&loc=B&toi=0&gpfilt=none&fd=&td=&tgp=410&lines=single&draftteam=ALL

Very well could be. Had never really paid that much attention to the opponents on the bench before; but it was REALLY noticable after having initially noticed it and it seemed odd that during each period (don't believe he did it in OT because he only had the 1 shift; was too busy watching the action to pay attention to where he was on the bench after his shift ended) he sat amongst his teammates between 1 single pair of shifts. He didn't not sit there in a period and he didn't sit there more than once coming back from a shift. Very well could be something he's always done, or has done for a very long time. And when he was sitting at the end of the bench in the 1st and 3rd, he was at least being a good teammate and opening the door for guys coming back to the bench.

Good for him. I wish him well but don't want him back.

Gotta wonder if Bishop having Poyer back there with him helped steady the young man a bit.

That's why you hear about linemen reporting eligible in goal line offenses. If they are an offensive lineman, they are not allowed to catch a pass. But if they report eligible, they can catch a pass (and more importantly for most of these plays, they can line up as a receiver or tight end and it's not an illegal formation).

Cole Bishop's 4 passes defended is tied for 4th most ever by a Bill. Nate Clements (5, 2002), London Fletcher (5, 2006), and Terrence McGee (6, 2008) are the only Bills with more.

Thanks, didn't remember that.

That’s the most I’ve seen the Bills D get to Mahomes in a game. Hairston can be a difference maker if he keeps developing. Best game I have seen Bishop play. Still think they need to add an impact WR.

Joe Ferguson with Kelly was legend of the game. Anybody see Fergy

Bills with a really great win. Best game the defense has played in a while. Mahommes passed for 44% today, his first time ever under 50%. Hairston and Bishop both really stepped up. I hope what we saw is their new normal If it is they will elevate everyone. Unfortunately we will lose Hoecht, he made a big impact in 2 games. Allen had a fine game. So did Cook and Kincaid. The offense did good, but it still feels like the play calling is holding them back. The last offensive series leading to the missed FG was just too conservative. Perfect time for Allen and run/pass options. One more first down and you’re comfortably taking knees. Overall a great win. The Bills can make a run for the Super Bowl. I Billieve! Oh, and Sabres-Bills weekend W’s feel fantastic!

Kinda. Shooters are better but teams and goalies are better at not giving them open looks. That's where the baseball part breaks down. I can't speak to stick tech. Idk if that's peaked in terms of flex/load they can put into a stick. Shot location and selection is really important. The slapper only has limited uses versus a wrister which gets a bit more play. Guys can load that wrister with more power and accuracy. But location is key according to all analytics and eye tests. Also, idk, I'm spitballing here.

I asked my friends who has reffed amateur sports. He said there's some discretion there. The ball hitting a player isn't automatically an illegal touch and since the lineman had his back to Mahommes it wasn't considered an illegal touch. Illegal touch. A lineman is not allowed to catch the ball.

His best game as a BIll. Noticeable for all the right reasons.

Ineligible receiver. Can't touch it first.

Yep. One of two blunders that McDermott made (in my opinion). The other was the overly conservative play on the last set of downs. If they'd made a first down they would have had to attempt the field goal and KC never gets a last crack at tying it. Fortunately the defensive secondary held firm at the end and the Bills got the win.

Sorry, but Yahoo's app is absolutely broken. It gave me a team I never signed up for. I know how to read names and pick the right people. But you? You don't have an excuse for being a puerile ass.

Sounds like Achilles from what internet is saying but we'll see. Night Train beating me to it. What penalty do you think it should be?

Side note, Luke Osburn is such an interesting prospect for me. He's 6 days shy of being 2025 draft eligible, so he goes late in the 2024 draft. Plays great as a D+1 in the USHL and is now doing well? At college. Haven't seen any games of his this season but stats look okay. If you treat last year as his dy and this year as his d+1, he's tracking like a top 4 lhd. Should be fun to watch but we're talking 3yrs in college, another 1 or 2 in Rochester before we even start to think about him.