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Colorado and Dallas are wagons. Must be fun to be a fan of those teams.

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Statistically regarding UPL. And yeah, I know defenders of him are going to say stats aren't perfect. I agree, they aren't, but they are what we have other than our 'eye test'. Looking at his play a little differently..how many goals does he actually allow vs the 'exected goals' allowed for each game? Expected goals being statistically the quality of all shots he took translated into a league average of how many goals would/should be scored. (again, it may not be perfect but its probably the single best stat we have) And yes, last night might be an indication of the fact the stat isn't perfect, the expected goals allowed doesn't take into consideration blatant bad plays by the defense. But over the course of a period, a game or even a series of games, the number tends to 'even out'. Vs Pitt: 3 goals allowed, 1.09 expected goals allowed Vs Car: 1 goal allowed, 2.71 expected goals allowed Vs Chi: 3 goals allowed, 1.86 expected goals allowed Vs Col: 3 goals allowed, 2.97 expected goals allowed Vs StL: 2 goals allowed, 0.67 expected goals allowed Vs Wash: 3 goals allowed, 2.02 expected goals allowed Vs Tor: 4 goals allowed, 1.58 expected goals allowed. So with the exception of the Carolina game, he has allowed as many, more more goals compared to the quality and quanity of the shots taken against him. Ellis has a a negative expected goals above average stat right now, just like UPL does. The difference is most of Ellis' bad number comes from one game that brought his whole season down. UPL is just pretty consistently below average.

Sure, but goalies let in goals all the time, and players don’t need to turn the puck over. Lindy Ruff’s teams have failed to make the playoffs in 7 of his last 10 years as a HC, and over those years have consistently been at the bottom of the league in defensive and goaltending metrics. The teams he coaches simply do not play with a repeatable and sound structure that players can reliably fall back on. And here we are, dead last in the East on Thanksgiving, with a team that struggles to play with any consistency or structure. It is fair to criticize UPL as it has been a year now since he was consistently good (and for most of that year he has been bad). It’s hard for me to point the finger at individual players though. In my view, it is far more likely that UPL eventually becomes a good goalie on another NHL team (or under a different HC), than it is that the Sabres become a playoff team with Ruff as HC.

It is more that it is a "good indicator" Every year, at least two teams per conference that were NOT in a playoff spot by american Thanksgiving make it in. Last year Montreal was in dead last and rallied to make the playoffs. Do I think the Sabres will do that this year? Not really - but it could happen, I suppose.

Owen Power will never be dominant.

Thankfully there is more to life than buffalo sabres hockey. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

Bingo. Thompson rarely commands our team on the ice. Too self-absorbed. Zucker leads on the ice and pulls guys with him. We need one of this type leader on each line. High energy. High compete. High skill. Players who can’t stand losing and aren’t afraid to say so and expect the same from their teammates.

While this is true, UPL got 0 help from those in front of him on nearly all of those chances. The 5 hole goal is where I can point to UPL, but this teams players constantly pull the puck toward their own end then give it away or have it taken away by being out hustled, it has achieved such regularity that its no longer a religious act analogy, these players, or at least some of them, do it so often that I now refer to them as the own zone turnover machine religious zealots. it boggles the mind how often they do it, just maddening.

I've said this before. The goalie will win or lose you more games than any other player on the ice. The good goalie will steal games for you. Rarely if ever do our current goalies accomplish this None of our current three goalies are playoff team caliber goalies. GMKA continues to fail at this most important position and yet is rewarded by still being here.

During a year of Olympic hockey, and both Thompson and Tuch being players that could earn a spot on team USA, I find it hard to believe that those situations should depend on anything but weak defensive awareness. But who knows.

The constant talk about the defense and goaltending despite all the turnover we’ve experienced closely resembles the discussions over on TSW about the Bills and their wide receivers and defensive line. The Bills don’t have a Dahlin though. So, the goaltending is like the Bills WRs, where management keeps bringing in mediocre low cost veterans instead investing a top talent The Sabres defense is also similar to the WRs, where there are too many LHD & not enough RHD, like the Bills keep bringing in guys that are slot receivers and not outside guys.

UPLs issue is that he basically never makes the big save. So many times we control possession and pressure for an extended period of time, only to allow a partial breakaway or an odd man rush and the opponent scores, and all the good hockey the Sabres have played is worth nothing. His issue is not that he is a mediocre goalie, it's that he kills the momentum of the team.

Could be coaching. Could be trying to play themselves off the team. Could be they just don't care (or care enough). Thompson's always had these lazy moments. he also has really good ones. The Detroit game was the best example of what he is capable of, but he's rarely shown the desire to be that all the time. imo you need to surround a guy like that with hard working vets. You can't expect a guy like that to be the leader of others, especially youngsters.

Thompson has been committing a bunch of, what appear to be lazy or uncommitted plays. IDK if he's out of shape or fatherhood is just kicking his ass. Our hometown hero isn't too far behind old Tommy dangles in his play, either IMO. If this is how he shows he's worth a fat new contract, me thinks he should reconsider the strategy 🤔 Outside of a couple of the kids, this whole team is on some sort of manic depressive wave this season? Maybe it's coaching???

I'm with you 100% on Power It's just (yet) ANOTHER pick that looks like a blunder. Another, in what's becoming a LONG list of damnable offenses GM Adams has executed, with ZERO accountability taken. Matter of fact, whenever Adams is interviewed he has that smug/condescending expression on his Opie-looking face, and I want to choke the guy!!! That Power is a blundered #1 overall pick, just makes it burn more IMO Think of the other teams' #1's (McJesus, in particular as HE really felt like he was OUR destiny. The look on his face when the card flipped over to reveal the EDM logo, tells me he was just as shocked and upset as we were) and then think of ours (Dahlin is great, but....). It's a sad state of affairs, and it feels like it's been a lifetime since the Drury/Brierre days, the LAST time this team was relevant/competitive/entertaining! Uncle Terry has effing RUINED this team!!! What's worse is he doesn't behave how I believe a guy who's as passionate about hockey as he claims to be, considering just how GD AWFUL his run as owner has been! Pagula going to eradicate this franchise before he ever surrenders control, or sells to someone with a clue, and there's no GD mother effing thing any of us can do about it! Hate is a strong word, yet I believe at this point I really do HATE his ass!!! So yeah, I'm holding out for the promise of conceptual Power becoming actualization Power, for longer than my logic mind is saying is realistic. All in the hope that whatever light this cream puff might have inside of him, finally goes off, however unrealistic my hope is... Sorry for the rant

and this is why you don't jump on the bandwagon with this team after a few decent games. The disappointment always follows eventually. There were some good things but overall for much of the game it didn't feel to me like they had a chance at all. Only in the third when it was still close. Now, the thing I really want to point out is WTF is Thompson doing on the second Pittsburgh goal? I see some of you bitching about UPL out of position (and he was) but go look at it again and look at Thompson. He's right in front, perfect position to get his stick in the lane and prevent or block the shot and he just floats around between players achieving nothing. Big guy like that with his reach, how does he just do nothing there? These details boggle my mind with this team cause they happen over and over again. Power of course was weak on the third goal but nothing new there. The other thing that bugs me is the 6 on 5. I also watched the Islanders Bruins and in that game Islanders pulled the goalie early and they had 3 guys in and around the paint. Three. Sabres have one guy in there. Just one. Who tf designs this? Is it Appert? It's the dumbest softest most futile 6 on 5 in the league. You just can't give away 4 point spreads to teams you are trying to catch and hope for the playoffs, you just can't.

@Thorny your laughter is not needed

Quit with facts! They are ruining the narrative on UPL over the last 18mo! Lyon & Ellis = Sabres Saviors!!!

The only hope I have left is in Josh Norris

I expect a home win against Devils. After that they play 7 of 8 games on the road. They better figure out how to win on the road, and fast!

Did you actually see the turnover? He (Timmins) put it right on the stick on the penguin player in the slot. I'm not defending UPL Im saying that the argument that's it's all in him is too simplistic. He's 0-3-1 on the road with a .874 save percentage. That's not respectable

This team constantly takes until the 2nd period to get their compete going! That is absolutely a coaching issue!

Lyons overall numbers are respectable. I wonder why they seem to have abandoned the idea of him being the #1 unless he's nursing something minor that won't go away.

UPL contributed more on goal #2. Your defense of him is curious. Players turn pucks over all the time. It doesn’t have to result in a goal.