nfreeman

There's been a fair amount of discussion on the Zemgus-Larsson-KO line in the Habs GDT and elsewhere, so I thought I'd start a thread. My 2 cents: - This line, and not Vesey-Mitts-ERod, is clearly the "3rd line". Larsson's line gets substantially more ice time and adds substantially more value than Mitts' line. - Larsson's line also plays the traditional "checking line" role that a 3rd line has been thought of as. - As @Randall Flagg and others have noted, this line is doing a fantastic job of muscling the puck out of the D zone (despite a heavy D zone start %age) and into the O zone, and maintaining a strong and punishing forecheck in the O zone. - What I haven't seen though is how often this line is matched up against the opponent's 1st or 2nd scoring line, as opposed to "easier" opposition. - My pinch of salt on this is that although they are highly effective at establishing an O-zone forecheck, they are not at all effective at converting the forecheck into actual production. I think they had one good scoring chance last night vs the Habs. I generally don't expect them to score a goal more than once every 3 or 4 games -- and I think they have one goal between them this year so far in 4 games. If that continues to be the case, are they really that valuable? i.e. certainly there is value in limiting goals against if they are able to consistently get it into the D zone and establish the forecheck -- but is that enough value given how much ice time they get, especially if they aren't shutting down the opponents' top lines but rather their bottom lines (which as mentioned above I don't know is the case or not)? Discuss.

It was on the between-periods show (with Marek, Burke and Friedman -- pretty good crew there, btw) on the Canadian sportsnet feed.

I thought Risto committed a major gaffe on Montreal's 2nd goal -- although he was contested by a Hab, Risto didn't push hard enough to get the puck out along the wall and it ended up on Armia's stick for an easy PPG. (Good for Armia, btw, getting 2 goals and an assist in his return to Buffalo and coming very close to a natural hattie.)

As I've said previously, that goal was a nice goal and an excellent play by Reino, but it had zero to do with "good skating".

My game notes: - Eichel started the game like Godzilla, then scored 2 sweet goals in the 2nd and was a major threat the entire game. He did make poor plays on the SHG and the GTG though. - Reino had his 2nd lousy game in a row. He was the only one of the big 5 forwards who was ineffective. And his allegedly good skating betrayed him on the GTG. - As I was hoping would be the case, the top PP is freaking great. They look like an elite NHL unit. - Skinner is a great player. And MoJo is looking that way too. He has to be JB’s best FA signing, right? Am I missing anyone? - Mitts has been completely ineffective since game 1. A few more like this and I’ll be ready to send him down in favor of Asplund. - VO is a gift from heaven. - I can’t quite put my finger on the reasons/tactics that CBJ and MTL were able to apply much more offensive pressure than Pitt and NJ were. It could’ve just been more intensity and talent, but it seems like there is something going on with the opposing forecheck that the Sabres aren’t adjusting to. - it was an exciting win, but the Sabres easily could’ve lost that game. They didn’t play a defensively responsible game, and that includes experienced leaders like Eichel and Risto.

Well, I'm not advocating for any change other than Eichel bearing down and playing better. I have not seen early-last-season-emerging-monster Eichel yet. I've seen a very good player, playing hard and responsibly but not dominating. Do you think he's playing as well as we should expect/as we need him to play?

But they don't have any extra forwards now. I don't think they will want to head out on a road trip without at least one extra. It will probably be TT, but maybe Asplund.

Does TT get called up already?

I too have not loved Eichel's start to the season.

I think Dom was a better goalie than Gilbert was a center, in terms of being at or close to the all-time best at the position. However, I think a franchise, HOF-level center is harder to find, and thus more valuable, than a franchise, HOF-level goalie. In other words: if I were constructing a team, would I rather have, say, the 2nd-best goalie of all time or the 9th-best center of all time? I think in a draft I'd take the center because I'd still get a great freaking goalie on my next pick, while the dropoff from the center I would get in the first round to the one I would get in the next round would be greater and more debilitating to my team. So I'm taking Gilbert.

Well, Sheary is hurt, innit? I suspect at least 90% of Sabrespace agrees with you though.

ERod could elevate that line.

Not much offense from the top line tonight, and zero from Mittsie’s line. CBJ came out determined. Skinner’s goal was awesome. Montreal will be an interesting test.

They also haven't yet played a good team that took them seriously. But they do look different. They are faster, they transition from D to counter-attack smoothly and consistently and they play with more skill in the offensive zone. And they are getting very good goaltending Adversity will come, possibly as soon as tonight. Will RK keep them cool and confident? Or will the fragile little children re-emerge? It's impossible to know, but the more games they play like the 1st 2, the more used to it they'll get, and they'll start to expect it of themselves and to deliver it more often. As someone noted upthread I am freaking psyched for the games again.

And here is opportunity.

Excellent field goal defense today.

Holy mackerel.

3rd down debacle.

That's a 2nd TD taken off the board by "the refs! the refs!" to help the Bills, in the 4th quarter of a tied game. OK, that's enough. I need to let this go.

Big 3rd down here. They poop the bed -- but guess who bails them out immediately thereafter? Those dastardly refs!

Glad Allen slid on that one. O-line injuries are having an effect.

Was Nsheke inactive?

Calling the TD to Lee Smith, in his return to his home state, is exactly the kind of move that gets the players to buy in to McD and The Process. And great touch and accuracy by Josh on the entire drive. Duke Williams is about a million times better than Zay Jones.

So my wife and I saw "Dolemite is my name" last night. It's the new Eddie Murphy movie, based on a true story of a 1970s blaxsploitation actor/producer trying to get his movie made. (It's going to be on Netflix in a few weeks and is in a few theaters now.) We really enjoyed it. Very funny and with some good, intelligent, adult stuff too. If you liked Eddie Murphy during his SNL/Beverly Hills Cop years, you will like this movie. It will probably get some Oscar nominations. Solid A-minus and maybe an A.

2 drops by the TEs so far.