...

That was sweet.

I hope Krueger brought a chaise longue to go with the espresso machines. The lack of ES scoring and return to 2018-2019 form is alarming.

Penalties are a part of hockey. Let's re-visit ES metrics after 10 games.

For a three game tally, so far, yes, the top two lines are giving us points. Only Vlad has no points. On the second point...it's a good point. I think the objective this season for RK, at least (let's forget about Botterill a moment), is to get into the playoffs. If specific line combos get you there, so be it. If they pack away points and are looking like a lock for the playoffs, then I can see messing around with lines to address what you're talking about - that would only make sense. I don't believe that's the immediate objective for RK, though; you have to make it to the playoffs, first, and we're not guaranteed that, yet (he says with hopeful eyebrows).

No way this happens. If you have two lines that produce, why change it? The easier thing to do is replace Vlad with someone who can contribute more offensively to the second line. Otherwise, unless there is an obvious net-negative problem (other than Vlad), moving pieces around on the top two lines only breaks up the mojo they have been working to build up. Shuffling line mates around for no good reason does not at all seem like RK's modus operandi.

ERod gets his long-term appointment.

I would say ERod has his moments. Vlad has his moments as well, but those are usually in the negative. ERod's moments swing more toward the positive. Vlad can hit, and actually does from time to time. ERod doesn't hit. ERod attempts to go to the net. Vlad, well that's not really on the menu.

The heavy game CBJ threw at us takes its toll.

At this point, who are we willing to give up? I'd give them Bogo but that doesn't help them now. Do we still want to give up Risto? Is Gilmour a suitable replacement for Risto as McCabe's partner?

Nice and dark. Like a good cup of coffee, except this looks more like a cup of black ink.

I think a bag skate would be the wrong approach. My impression is that RK agrees.

"We played too complicated..." ~ RK postgame. Says it all.

Ullmark gave them enough goalie-ing to win. At leazt they got a point, but it was a sloppy outing all around. Eichel, like others have noted, was too...Eichel all night. The entire team really lacked the mojo of the first two games. So is this normal? Is this what they are and the first two games were outliers?

The Emperor wears no clothes!

Who else but Angry Larry can do garbage possession like that and eat seconds?

Olofsson. Money.

There he is.

Yes, in a perfect world each team plays a physical, fast, skill game with goalies stealing games and coaches out-coaching each other.

Somebody wake up Scandella.

There go his minutes for the rest of the period.

They are missing the jump of the first two games. If CBJ wins, the early book will be to play the Sabres heavy, which was the same book last season.

Skinner is not 100% dialed in, yet.

This game isn't the Sabres vs. Columbus, it's Krueger vs. Torts.

I think we would have to measure this year's performance against the metrics from last year when Olofsson was playing with the big club. Historical data is used to make assessments of the season at-hand, I can't see throwing that data out because we like what we see.

Playoffs are, what, six months away? This makes no difference to the playoffs.