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I'm not offended by these two losses. Unlike recent Sabres teams, this version of the Sabres has potential IMHO. They're some roster moves away from being a very good team. Prior versions lacked cohesion, had talent deficits and had no spirit. That doesn't describe the core of this team at all - just the opposite. They're kind of stuck, even though they have $16M to spend right now. That has to be frustrating for Kevyn Adams.

Are the Peguins playing their best near mid-season game right now? If so, we have a chance.

Skinner has been putting on a season-long clinic in patience and you can tell the padawans are paying attention.

No. He needs to be traded now. I don't care what they get for him. The long-term experiment is over.

Yes, and you couldn't focus on the problem with a larger lense. The Sabres are at the point where they are in dire need of goaltending that compliments the rest of the team. I'm not going to say this season is a guaranteed dud without better goaltending, but if they make it in they won't last for long if something doesn't change. UPL and the goalie coaches need to address his high glove side double-ASAP - if he can fix that weakness things would look better.

Did you need one to understand what I wrote?

I don't care for Dan. He's not new to the Sabres - he had many seasons co-PBP'ing with RJ to get comfortable and a career before that. He's just not good. He's as flat as a blank sheet of copy paper, characterless as a flipped house with a grey interior, and as inspiring as a dry sponge. He's a leftover from the dumb decisions management made during the Tank years and perhaps, like the rest of those decisions, management will rectify the situation. Then again, I don't like Brian Duff, either.

That's the key and what the organization has been missing in what seems like forever. When this particular group of guys play like this I'm inclined to attribute it to a solid and realistic evaluation of individual talent, the team and the synergy between those two.

Nice!

Nice. These young players are so different from the old young players.

I haven't followed closely enough lately, so I don't know where he's at in his development, but boy is UPL making a statement in this game.

They look so good again.

That's probably the most fun home Sabres game to be at in over a decade.

I'd like to see more, say, let them be consistent through November, and then I'd be happy to agree fully. This team this year definitely has somewhat similar vibes as that team so far.

That depends on who you ask.

The Pegulas are energy vampires and feed/thrive on the fans' misery.

I called this "ages" ago.

He was weak and uninspired. That's basically how he plays. I don't care about his stats, his game is uninspired. Trade him for a good 2C.

And there's your excuse for the season: we'd would have been in the race for a playoff spot if our starting goalie hadn't been injured.

FACT: anytime someone listens to Jason Botterill speak, their IQ drops a full 10 points or more.

Yeah, fireworks, Dan. Fireworks.

Boooooo.

So, listening to ERod's pre-game comments, I wonder if it's a simple matter of the Sabres' culture not understanding, not respecting, and not prepared for the grind of an NHL season. Like, from the owners down to even the support staff, the equipment guys, the rink crew, maybe everyone complains and suffers an entire season badly, which would, of course, bleed into the locker room. That would explain how the problem has transcended GMs and coaches.

That's right, a Sabres loss followed by food poisoning always makes for a great evening.