...

They give our skill guys a chance to rest without worrying that resting period will put them in a hole. Additionally, as @Randall Flaggpointed out, they keep the momentum going in favour of our team, and allow our skill guys to get on the ice usually with possession, and, again, with momentum in the team's favor. If the Angry Larry line is out there fore-checking, tiring down the enemy D, and the enemy can't change players out, but we can, who has the advantage? Hell yeah. That's super high value, right there, that is not exposed in any metric.

There is no "fourth line".

Did they now? Interesting.

We most certainly need to trade some players and add offense. Vlad is bad. BAD, I say. The best offense he can provide we may have seen from him last night and he's still at 0 points. The fact that he has no assists only means his face-off presence isn't all that meaningful. He does not belong on any NHL second line.

Risto looks like Risto. I think the only thing I have seen less of from him, but not by much, is errant dump-ins.

He's found a role that he can contribute to in the twilight of his career. It's not his fault he was signed to that contract - some around here like to make the argument that these guys should get paid a lot of money to set themselves up for retirement. Well, we have our dude getting paid a lot of money, setting himself up for retirement. At the very least he's effective.

I was complaining about Vlad. Vlad is bad. Paul Ham-Sammich said this morning that RK has pulled Victor late in the third when we're nursing a lead in prior games already. I suspected this was the case and agree that's probably the reason. The Angry Larry line is effectively the third line, maybe even the second line in TOI (haven't checked). I barely noticed Mitts line expect the one pass from Mitts that could have been a goal, and then Mitts following that with a no-look pass that resulted in another turn-over. skip, skip I think I agree with you on Tage. I don't want to, but I think I do.

I had this impression, too. It seemed MTL was doing something similar to what CBJ were doing. Something to the effect of pressuring the Sabres D at the same intensity the Sabres pressure the opponent's D. I think maybe the added pressure by the enemy causes panic and they break-down individually in various ways, so RK will have to fix it by addressing each player individually, not as a unit and then bring it back together. Just a guess - I think it's a pressure/panic thing.

I hear you. The game looked relatively even, except for he moments when the Sabres played like they did in the first two games, and the moments when they looked like the Sabres in February last season.

I like the thinking behind making that pass.

Yup, take it in.

Eh. This is all true. I am not sold, though. It could have been an ugly loss.

He almost shot it high.

Johansson deserved an OT winning goal.

Dahlin? Oh, Rick.

RK is pulling this out for the OT strategy scrum...

Yeesh.

Seriously, one minute to go and they dump it in?

Vesey, Eichel, Samson a line now?

It's not even the end of game four and Girgensons already has a shiner.

No let's take a look at Sabres' coach Ralph Krueger behind the bench...

Ugh. So much for our improved defense.

That there sums up Vlad's offensive potential.