...

This game is not disappointing.

So, we really need to update our game-day presentation.

Can't win more solidly than that. I thought Eichel's post-game interview showed a different Eichel than the one we had here. Time does amazing things. Yup. Both teams have highly competent forward groups and hot goalies. It's going to boil down to which team is grittier.

How much of Krebs game did he learn from KO?

I'm not Paul Maurice, sorry.

Paul Maurice wants to tell you a quick story.

Vegas has nothing left in the tank. Dallas has dug deep and found a well to tap into. Pretty interesting to witness the momentum swing. I wonder if Hill starts the next game.

He has a lot of assets on hand at this point to make a real splash.

Yeesssss...

Situations like these are like personality or psychological tests. We really have no idea why the event did not unfold in a traditional manner and therefore we fill in the gaps with our imagination, unable to bear the burden of not recognizing a pattern that makes sense. We thusly put on display the contents of our psyches through whatever we choose to fill the gaps with and also show how much (or little) we can suffer a non-linear narrative. Maybe we should just wait until Johnson and KA talk to the press about the process they went through instead of painting either into this or that corner.

Technically I believe it'd be called an abusive ad hominem fallacy.

Hmm...a lot of people are not going to be pleased to read this.

Dallas won by the skin of their teeth. Are we surprised McNabb cost them that goal? Vegas will win this but neither team is a match for Florida. We could see a sweep in the SCFs.

This game will be going down to the wire the way it's going.

This is interestin':

At this point in the exchange you're asking me how I "know" something when it's pretty clear I don't know anything. Like you don't know anything. We are making assumptions based on our observations and individual abilities to string together a narrative from available data and experience. In fact, you allowed yourself an out in every statement you've made in this exchange: "I'd[sic] he's such a strong leader, why the alleged problems in the locker room before? He's getting credit for a good locker room when it's good, but no blame when it's bad." Alleged. And, by the the by, it reads to me, here, like he is getting blamed for the locker room being bad - by you. "...why didn't he do anything about the alleged cancers in the room?" Alleged. "I personally think the cancer claim in[sic] BS, the whole organization was a large tumor." I personally think. Note that I posited my thoughts as questions since I am aware that, in the end, I really don't know for certain what was going on inside or outside of the group. If the entire organization was cancerous at the time isn't it pretty easy to presume that the GMs and coaches weren't supporting Okposo - or anyone in particular - in an effort to fix the locker room? Or, if they were supporting a particular person, that person wasn't Okposo since we know that what Okposo has done for this group has worked?

Not surprising. Relative to the other discussions about the roster next year, this is a perfect opportunity to collect data on where this guy is at and whether it's realistic that he has a shot of being on the NHL roster next season.

Great post. To add: where are you going to find that kind of guy with veteran NHL experience for the paltry price you'd pay to re-sign him? Again, if you look at the Panthers and Vegas - they have guys just like Z. Z is a prototypical grinder who can shut down offense while providing the potential to capitalize on opportunities if they arise. He will have offers if the Sabres don't re-sign him. Remember, the Sabres' really don't have a problem generating offense. Acquiring a solid second or third line forward would be icing on the cake to the team we had this past season.

Because he didn't have the backing of the coaches and GMs to accomplish anything meaningful to the average observer?

Not sure what you're asking. Are you suggesting Okposo take the players with the bad attitude and cliquey mindset out behind the arena and learn them a good one?

I mean, we got to see this filthy, filthy move from Barkov this series. So tasty. I hope the SCFs go more than four games.

Boy, this thread has it all! Just want to point out that every successful team has their vet. Eric Staal - age 38 - regular season 29 points (and a -5). Phil Kessel - age 35 - regular season 36 points (and a -7). We have ours, we know that what he has contributed to the team behind the scenes works, and he wants to be here. I would say, too, as a fanbase we owe him this shot at a playoff season.

That was some good hockey. Was it Carolina that went 3 lines at the end or Florida? It looked like it was Florida but I don't understand why they would have done that (the win notwithstanding).

Going to quote myself from earlier. I think a lot of us called this in some manner or other. "There is absolutely no dismissing how important it is to have that atmosphere in there and my impression is that it took not only Meatballs doing his thing, KA cleaning house of the locker room cancers, but also KO putting his foot down and showing the way. Is that worth giving the guy a shot at a final season of a glorious playoff run for ~$2.5mil for the year? I think so. I think KO has more to teach these guys and he can help make sure there are no embers of locker rooms past. If we carry two goalies there's room for him on the roster and still add a solid player to the third line."