...

You have to forgive their start on this one. 3 difficult opponents in 4 nights.

Who gets pushed off the puck, or over completely, by players a foot shorter than he? Who blows their nose and wipes in on their arm sleeve?

I like the way you think.

Unlike you (at least your state position here), I like HCPH, but his antics as you describe them do drive me crazy. I happen to think that his in-game tinkering is the best we've seen in a while, perhaps as good as Lindy's was when Lindy was good at it. I also like Phil's system. But his roster selections pre-game are just stupid. So, that said, it occurred to me Sunday that what if...stay with me now...what if the analytics guy the Sabres have feeding the coaches data just plain old sucks at his job. Or, worse, and this is where you really, really need to stay with me...what if the analytics guy is a MOLE!

I don't know, it looked to me that Foligno was a bit hard on Eichel and Dahlin. Coincidentally, the players that we tanked for.

Seems odd. How does the NHL come by players, then, if only 30 a year are likely to stay in the NHL long term? There's a potential for 713 active NHL players a year. Even over a 10 year period as an average career, that only accounts for less than half of active players.

My theory is that, given what the core has been through (except Dahlin and Skinner), they under-estimate their ability to hang with the better teams, so, as HCPH has said several times recently, they give the other team too much respect in the first, until they figure out they CAN hang with them.

Agreed. His post-game interview was pretty much exactly that. Criticized the team for being asleep during the first, or something to that effect. I was like "woah...alright".

We're buyers at the deadline only if the return is exactly what the team needs long term. Just making it into the playoffs this year would be enough success all things considered. If that can be done with the assets on hand, why mess with the magic formula? It is absolutely clear right now that whatever parameters JBott and HCPH are operating under are working and they need to stick with the plan. And if keeping the first round picks we have gives us depth for the next decade - you stay with that plan instead of some heroic run into the second round that in the bigger context will mean nothing. You don't make a move right now unless it's a move for the long-term...period. That's it. There's no need to think about it any further IMHO.

Yeah, that's the first and only thought through my head when I read the question.

When did the game end? I'm still online talking about it. They're about as fun as it gets.

If they're relying on Nylander to make it out of the AHL, then this is all they'll ever be. JBotts needs a better plan than Nylander (and I suspect he has one).

I don't care about Risto's stupid plays, he's a core member of the team - I think he's part of the "character" and "soul". They can't get rid of him.

I love all of the responses!

You could land a spaceship on Rob Ray's forehead.

What a f$#king game.

That was fricking awesome! Trade Samson! Send down Tage!

Larry get the empty net!

Did I say that was awesome? That was AWESOME!

POMMERS! That was awesome!.

KO is looking pretty good.

Sam, how the F*** do you miss that pass.

I saw that. Too bad the goalie did, too. It would have been pretty.