dudacek
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Posts posted by dudacek
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One bad game, one mediocre game, one good game.
Not a lot to go on.
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Eichel, Moulson, and (Bogo?) dressed up as Batman villans for Halloween
http://www.diebytheblade.com/2015/10/31/9651228/buffalo-sabres-happy-halloween-eichel-moulson
What the hell?
Bogo with his nose covered?
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Ullmark's angles cutting off the shooter are just about perfect. He really isn't giving shooters much to look at. Strong game last night.
Unusual in a guy fresh to the smaller rinks.
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Indeed, he's much more the type to rail against such rocky behavior
My only concern is the misconducts he could get from so many high hits
Yep. Team defence suffers when he's taking a powder in the penalty box.
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He'll definitely make our lines a little more exciting
And a modest guy. You rarely hear him tooting his own horn.
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Even when he's back our defence will still blow.
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This team really needs a bump defensively.
Bogo is the hard-nosed type they need.
He's in line to help this team.
Plus he'll be right there if the other team decides to snow our goaltender.
I just hope this injury isn't something serious (i.e. I hope he didn't blow his knee).
The Sabres have a sweettooth and Bogo is the sugar to fulfill their needs.
Since Bylsma is such a line tweaker we might have to look into the eightball to see who Bogo is paired with.
He's also got an awesome personality, occasionally making teammates snort with laughter.
I can wait for him to come back, the hero riding his white horse.
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My bet on that is no pp/pk for Risto tonight
I don't think I worded that clearly. Risto still led the team with a sick amount — think it was over 26 minutes, despite no special teams.
Gorges though was only about a half-minute behind him tonight.
Jack and Sam down because of no PP team too. Jack still got 16 minutes though.
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I know Gorges has his detractors, but I like the combination of he and Risto.
Seems to be a good match and they've been pretty effective against some tough matchups.
The McCabe/Franson combo has also looked like a pretty good complement.
My question is what happens when Bogo comes back?
If it's me, I stick with the above pairs, shift Pysyk to the left side and match him up with Zach.
McCabe and Risto's maturation is actually creating some depth.
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No power plays, tight game reveals a lot about what Bylsma thinks about his players five on five.
Eichel and Reinhart with their lowest, or close to their lowest ice times of the season.
After Risto's perennially ridiculous workload, Gorges leads the team.
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I think the only difference of substance would have been the existence of an actual powerplay. They didn't have enough talent to score many more goals but it certainly would have looked like there was a plan behind it.
They would have been a heck of a lot better at getting the puck out of our zone.
Probably moving it through the neutral zone as well.
Wouldn't that have been swell. I'm over the Nolan situation. I like the guy and know he was set up to fail. I believe he knew it and he ended up getting handsomely rewarded for throwing himself on the grenade. No sad face for Ted. I just don't want this historical revisionism to take hold that goes something like, "Ted was a dumb dumb, look how genius Bylsma turned them around." Totally unfair.
Some truth in all of this.
I don't want this historical revisionism to take hold that no one could have done a better job with those players.
Totally unfair.
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Does O'Reilly count as a surprise?
A lot of people called him an overpaid second-liner who wouldn't produce surrouned by mediocre talents in Buffalo.
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How great does that Ottawa trade look?
Legwand rocks and Colin White has done all for the Senators.
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How nice is it to have a dominant faceoff man to close out games? ROR won at least 3 in the last two minutes. That is huge.
O'Reilly's weakest game in a long while and he still made a difference at the end.
So far, this year, I'd say he's already earned his first million and is closing in on his second.
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Found the heretic
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It's OK to criticize Jack.
It doesn't mean you're losing your faith in Jesus.
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And how many points would Bylsma have gotten with last year's Sabres?
Maybe 10 points more at the most, but the games wouldn't have been so embarassingly bad.
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Anyone else think Jack's trending slightly downwards?
Jack has to trust his teammates and take what the game gives him.
Moulson Eichel Foligno?
Moulson Eichel and anyone, really.
It makes so much sense and it's one of the few DD hasn't tried.
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Ullmark wasn't pretty, but he made the saves he had to.
Chad hasn't done enough of that.
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Sure feels good to win a game we were outplayed.
No, check that. That was pretty much every win last year.
Legwand continues to be an asset. Matty Mo and Gorges with good veteran efforts too IMO.
It needs a name. Ullmark Moment?
That's a keeper.
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When your net comes off like that can you pull your goalie with no repercussions?
Interesting. I have no idea.
I haven't had much of a problem with this game so far. The only thing that jumps out is how having Ennis back totally spoiled the lines.
It really seems that way. None of the lines have great chemistry tonight.
Way too many defensive errors. On for another goal tonight, sliding on the ice and taking himself out of the play.
Yep. Looks like I jinxed him in the second.
I haven't noticed many defensive issues earlier in the season.
I'll have to take a closer look.
We are really looking like a team playing its fourth game in six nights.
They say the Isles are ill though, so hopefully we can push through.
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Cody Franon has the fast-twitch reactions of a tree sloth.
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Am I the only one liking Foligno's game again?
And I've been able to say that 8 or 9 times this year.
I think the kid has become a veteran.
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Ullmark hasn't looked any better than Johnson, but I suspect he's more talented.
Big chance for him.
2005-15 Buffalo through 12 games
in The Aud Club
Posted · Edited by dudacek
Hope this is not too far off topic
3 Pysyk — C
He's been fine in the number five slot, but has the skillset to do more. Hasn't been a difference-maker and doesn't seem to have really tried to be one.
4 Gorges — C+
He should be in over his head on the number one pair, but Gorges has actually been pretty effective. He's been positionally sound, rarely beaten to the outside and generally made things unpleasant for his opponent. He lets Risto move the puck and the giveaways and bad penalties that we saw during the tank have been kept to a minimum.
6 Weber — C-
We've seen this before. As usual, when Weber is forced to play higher than the 3rd pairing, his game suffers; his battle is good but his skillset betrays him. He played second pair for the early part of the season and that's why he now sits.
9 Kane — B
Kane hasn't used his linemates enough and failed to bury a handful of glorious chances. Otherwise, his play has been outstanding; he's a load on the forecheck, responsible in his own zone and he consistently creates chances. The ice tilts the right way when he's out there.
12 Gionta — F
His effort and positioning are solid, but I think it was WildCard who called it, Gionta has been where plays go to die. If he was on the fourth line, I'd give him a passing grade, but he's the captain and getting 18 minutes a game. Hope he's just shaking off his injury.
15 Eichel — C
He's scored the prettiest goals of the season and he usually does something every game that makes you go "wow!" But he hasn't quite figured out the NHL game yet, and his goose egg in the assist column is embarrassing. He's starting to push. As a result his game is regressing and he is making rookie decisions.
17 Legwand — B
Really can't ask for much more from a fourth-line centre. He's dependable defensively and does the little things well, but still has enough skill to make plays.
22 Larsson — C
He's been inconsistent, but when he keeps the arms and legs churning he's been effective in traffic. Solid defensively and good at pissing off opponents. He can read the game, but needs to move the puck faster if he wants to stick with the more talented guys.
23 Reinhart — C
So much better than last year, he's proving wrong those who said he was too slow and too weak. Still, he is outmuscled more than most and can get caught watching the game instead of playing it. He has surprised with his netfront presence and has made some of the season's prettiest passes.
25 Colaiacovo — C
Low expectations, but he certainly hasn't embarrassed himself. Seems OK in the role of spare part defenceman.
26 Moulson — B-
I think he has quietly been one of the better Sabres. He's battled hard, played positionally sound hockey and made some big plays when he's had to, and he's done it without being matched with any of the team's playmakers.
28 Girgensons —C
Probably the biggest disappointment of the early weeks, he's starting to find his game now. The hustle was always there, but he's recently started to look comfortable in the system. I will be surprised if he doesn't break out soon.
29 McCabe — C+
He's gone from the Amerks to the second pairing the old-fashioned way, by earning it. Unlike Pysyk, he is willing to make mistakes, and has tried to make a difference. Has made plays and both ends of the ice and in both the skill and physical games. Seems to have elevated the play of his new partner, Cody Franson.
31 Johnson — C-
Has battled hard and had a few good moments, but simply hasn't made enough saves. A capable backup should be able to sustain a team for a short while when the starter goes down and he didn't deliver.
35 Ullmark — Incomplete
One shakey start, followed by an OK start, followed by a good one. Too small a sample size, but at least he is trending the right way.
44 Deslauriers — B
He's supposed to be an 8-minute fourth-liner, but he's played more like a solid third-liner, and hasn't embarrassed himself on the top line. He's skating, hitting, helping drive possession and has even done a little finishing.
46 Franson — C+
He's pretty much exactly as advertised: painfully slow but very good at making quick, smart passes, good at the offensive blueline, not so good at ours. He's also added a few choice hits and has been generally effective in sheltered minutes.
55 Ristolainen — B-
He's being ridden like a number one defenceman and seems to be improving under the workload. He has had a few brainfarts, but big plays have been coming more frequently — smart breakout passes, big hits, carrying the puck on the attack. No defenceman on the team is stronger with the puck under pressure.
59 Schaller — Incomplete
Competed and played smart in limited appearances. Looks like he could be a capable fourth-liner.
63 Ennis — C
This may seem a little low, given all the time he's spent carrying the puck, but I had very high expectations. He's only had a few games where he's found that groove where his effort and skill have combined into results. He needs to be more purposeful and more than a 20/20/40 man.
82 Foligno — C+
He's played tough, created turnovers, made some nice passes and has been more engaged on a game-to-game basis. He's matured, and is making better decisions. I think he has been an effective bottom-six guy and a real key component to this new relentless identity the team is starting to establish.
88 McGinn — C+
He started slowly, but has been tough on the forecheck and willing to go to the net. Another guy who has helped create this new wolf pack mentality and has some offensive skill to add to his grit.
90 O'Reilly — A
He's been a legitimate first-line centre. He's scored goals, created plays, made the power play work, killed penalties, won faceoffs, matched up against the other team's best players and driven possession. I don't know if I have ever seen a more effective Sabre at taking the puck away from the opposition. More importantly he's really set the right tone and been the best leader we've seen here since Drury.
Grades are relative to role and expectations.
Have at 'er.