Taro T

If all 3 of the healthy guys continue to play well over the next 2-44 games, a BIG if, wonder if they'd hold off on getting UPL any game action in the preseason to be able to send him down to Ra-cha-cha on a conditioning assignment buying themselves a bit more time to make a move with one of the 3 guys that would have to be waived to play for the Amerks. Of course, with Reimer getting claimed last year trying to send him down late, they might decide its best to waive goalie 4 (Levi is 3 unless he earns 1) at the roster cut down day to try to sneak him through when there are literally 100's of names on the waiver wire. Will be interesting to watch either way.

Umm, do they perhaps know something about Adam Mair's status that hasn't been made public yet? That's one possibility.

Yes. They're slightly different than most served in Buffalo as the base hot sauce isn't Frank's but it's sill a traditional "Louisiana" hot sauce (like Frank's). They have a good menu; it's bar food, but it's good bar food.

Realize that the analytics say that Kulich and Thompson were very good together and they were in the offensive end and against middle of the pack teams. But, from the eye test, Kulich got absolutely stomped in his own end against teams with very good top lines. The Sabres didn't face many of those down the stretch, which IMHO skews their results. Completely expect Kulich to get better at that; but IMHO at least against teams w/ GOOD top lines, he is NOT a top line C. Maybe the guy to play with Thompson and Benson is McLeod; then Norris gets Zucker and Tuch or Doan and Tuch; and Kulich gets Quinn (until Helenius steals his spot 😉 ) and Doan/Zucker. McLeod is very defensively responsible and showed more in the offensive zone last year than people expected. Especially if opponents are keying on trying to take away Tage, then maybe McLeod's offense last year wasn't just a mirage.

It's time to put on our gear. It's time to light the light. It's time to get things started on the Sabres show tonight! To introduce our goal scorer, that's what I'm here to do, it really makes me happy to introduce to you ... Mr. Tage Thompson!!!!! Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! It's the most sensational, inspirational, Sabresnational, this is what we call the Sabres Shhhhhhhooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww. (Then have Ray and Biron make a little snide remark to each other like Statler and Waldorf always did.)

Great work by Helenius to keep the BJs off-balance with the CB net empty and he eventually clears the zone.

Yep. And pretty sure the BJs were all over the faceoffs yesterday. Funny how having your top C's in the lineup affects that stat. 😉 Yep. And pretty sure the BJs were all over the faceoffs yesterday. Funny how having your top C's in the lineup affects that stat. 😉

Not sure. But he has the inside track to be the 1st skill F brought up when injuries or a need to shake things up strikes.

Far wall to Helenius across the crease to Zucker. Sabres up 2 - 1.

BJs had 2 shots in the 2nd; both on the PP. Sabres now have 26 shots for the game through 2. And they've had at minimum 6 high danger chances this period. So, yeah, kind of inevitable.

For a preseason game, that live in the area and didn't care enough to buy $10 tix, that actually want to watch the game on a Tuesday? Well, it's slightly hyperbolic, but not by much.

Thompson from Benson(?) 1-1 w/ 2 to go in the 2nd.

There goes the season-long shutout. Deflection on the PP of a shot from the point. BJs - 1 Sabres - 0 Just over 11 minutes left in the 2nd.

No, you're right.

Speaking of Muppets. Rosen with some great chances about 1 minute into the 2nd. Couldn't bury any of them but at least he got the chances.

Because they could use Kermit's voice for the introducing the Guest Star part but instead of a Guest Star like John Denver, it could be whoever scored the goal. Mr. Zach Benson!! Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaa!!!

The Muppet Show theme! Now, THERE's something we can work with!

Again, fully expect the Sabres would love to have all 314 people that want to watch the game be able to watch it, but MSG isn't selling any ads because advertisers don't want to pay for 314 sets of eyeballs and MSG has the exclusive rights to the Sabres games that don't end up on ABC, ESPN, nor TNT, so they aren't exercising their rights and they also aren't subletting the rights to any other carriers. One more way the Sabres deal w/ MSG stinks for the fans.

Am guessing it's more on the NHL's & the individual teams' "broadcast partners." They likely aren't going to get enough viewers to be able to sell advertising at any reasonable rate and they have "exclusive" rights to games in the team's barn. Since the BJ's were showing last night's game on TV, the Sabres were allowed to do so as well. And because the game was on the regional networks that ESPN+ has rights to broadcast, they showed it as well. MSG wanted nothing to do with tonight's game, so the Sabres are showing it to all 36 of us in the area that want to watch but not attend and the BJ's website is showing it as well. Expecting you have to be in the greater C-Bus area to watch their feed; just know it isn't available here in WNY.

And it's on.

Expecting it has to do either with the way their contract with MSG is written or the league's contracts with Disney and TNT are written. This has been SOP for a while now. Which stinks for the OoTers.

Just for clarification, he meant that as in at this moment in time Benson doesn't belong on the 1st line with Thompson THIS year, right? Not that he's implying he doesn't see Benson ever belonging there.

Presuming the league and PA don't implement the BF-LTIR revisions on an expedited schedule. Guess we'll have to wait to see which teams might still try to use that loophole this year to figure out whether that change comes in this year or next.

Thought they had pills to cure that issue. 😉

Actually, figured out what they SHOULD be using: Rush's 2112 - The Temples of Syrinx. Can start at either "... and the meek shall inherit the earth" (which technically is the end of the 2112 Overture) OR when Geddy Lee is screeching "oh what a night ...." Bonus points for ticking off Loaf fans by stealing a song from their local boys. All the gifts of life are held within our walls.