Jsixspd

From a near record winning streak to a borderline serious slump. 5 game losing streak and 2 out of 10 points. Well, that's what Buffalo fandom is all about; ups and downs, mostly downs.

It almost looked like the Sabres figured "we're going to the shootout" and sat on their heels for the last 10 seconds of the OT. I couldn't believe they just let them come down the ice and take a whack at the goal. It's all about playing a full period, a full 3rd period, a complete game etc etc etc. Sitting on their heels is a bad habit the Sabres learned in their tank days that I had hoped they'd fully exorcised, but some remnants apparently linger unfortunately.

Number 1 in the NHL......!!! My God..... it's full of Stars...........

WOW!!! FIRST PLACE in the ATLANTIC!!!! and number 2, overall, in the NHL. Some GREAT stuff right there. Hard to believe I'm typing this. ?

Checked the standings - Buffalo in 8th place in the league. That's amazing, especially given the crappy start to this season. We're playing at a 100 pt season pace. I'm guessing that just can't last - but if we can finish at an 85-90 pt level that would be very nice, and good stuff to build on for 2019.

To me, a more concerning stat is Eichel's scoring - he's tied for 76th in the league in goals scored, and he'd project out at 25 goals for the year, which would have put him about 60th place in the league last year. So far, he's been below his pace last season (he only played 67 games but scored 25). That's definitely 2nd line stuff. Just hoping he ups the ante in his 5th season next year as he matures, or even later this season.

I hope this game dispels the notion I've seen floated a few times here that "we wouldn't have lost if we started Ullmark" Let's have some faith in both goalies - and try to remember that every goalie has a bad game/games. We're playing at a 96 pt season pace right now - which would be tremendous if we finished the year in the 90s. Heck, if we make it thru 2018-19 with an 85-90 pt pace, I'll be satisfied - especially with so many young players on the roster who should only get better and contribute more next year and beyond. And Eichel is only at a 22 goals for the season pace - I would hope he can pick that up substantially before too long.

As far as O'Reilly goes, every indication was he was poison in the locker room. At the end of the season he even said ""I feel throughout the year I've lost the love of the game multiple times and just need to get back to it because it's eating myself up and eats the other guys up too." and that he was "being OK with losing." Those are NOT the words of LEADER - whether sports, or business, or in personal life. You need to ELEVATE those around you to excel, especially a group of young guys looking to vets like O'Reilly for some leadership. This sort of Eeyore imitation of his is totally unacceptable - he could have the greatest personal stats on earth, but if he demoralizes his line and his team, then he's no good. It's called being a locker room cancer - and one can't quantify the effect, but it's a huge negative nonetheless.

Oh no - I hope we lose then. It's a jinx! lmao!!!!

What a strong effort, on the road, against a solid division leading team. They were looking good even at the point Anaheim was up 2-0 - just a couple bad breaks but they were playing harder than Anaheim, and making more shots.

Let's see if a good performance against a 2-4-1 Kings team (their record entering the game) carries over tonight against the Pacific Division leading Ducks, who are 5-2-1

Interesting. The Jekyll and Hyde Sabres were at it again. They either get blown out, or blow out, the opposition. I am pleasantly surprised - I figured we'd be two games below .500, instead of back at .500 8 games in. Great stuff - we'll take it whenever we can get it. However, the Kings have been Sabres' bad this season - at or near the bottom of the league stats in every important regard - they're the sort of team we CAN beat, if motivated. Wonder if Bogo's brawl at the end of the Sharks' debacle sparked some kind of fire that carried into this one?

Maybe she SHOULD tell Philly 'how to run his power play', since the Sabres are 0-20 at it in their most recent 3 games? LOLOLOL!!!!!

Well, in general, I only like the idea of change if it helps resolve a problem or accomplishes something. Another issue - I think it could make an organization appear more inept and clueless to release a coach with no real better option waiting to fill the vacancy - which can make it harder to attract talent in the future. And Buffalo sports definitely have an image problem nationally.

Enough important stats are already worst or near worst, in NHL that Housley should be on the hot seat in a week or two. After all, it's essentially a continuation of what we saw all last season, which was supposedly an 'evaluation' season for both Beane and Housley. Well, evaluation is over - time to piss or get off the pot. 20 consecutive PPs in 3 games - scoreless. After going on 8 years of this team going down the toilet since the Pegulas took over, it's very hard to be patient. But the other issue with mid-season replacement - no sense in canning him if we don't have a better option. Do we need another Ron Rolston?

Can Housley effectively coach Eichel into becoming our Patrick Kane? Our Crosby? Our Ovechkin? That's what we thought he would be - but this is the start of his 4th season, and he's a mid-tier producer by overall league standards. If Housley can't, the Sabres need to make a change sooner, rather than later. Doesn't look like anyone is improving on this team, let alone Eichel. How did we not end up getting Claude Julien again, and instead settle for Housley, a guy who no one was certain would be good as HC? Oh yeah - Bylsma - who the Sabres kept for another 7-8 weeks before firing him. LOL! They could have at least brought Julien on in the front office (thinking of Quenneville's resume with the Blackhawks) and then made the move after the end of the 16-17 season.

Sabres are now down to a dismal 1.8 goals per game; that's Tank Season caliber stuff. That is just horrible - the only team worse in the league is the perennially horrible Coyotes at 1.1 goals for

Basically, that set the tone early for the entire game. Just a DUMB penalty, especially with a team that struggles on the PK this season (26th in the league kill %). Okposo has only 3 pts so far this season - and the MOST penalty minutes on the Sabres. I turned it off at that point and decided to go to bed. Fast forwarded thru the game before work this AM - didn't miss anything - more of the same 'suffering', the last 2 games reminiscent too much of the 2017-18 season.

"Reino"? It can't be that bad already, is it? LOL!!!!

Eichel has not yet evolved into one of those guys who you think can make something happen every time he's in the other team's zone - like a Crosby or a Ovechkin. He's had flashes of brilliance, but its not consistent. I haven't watched last night's game yet (recorded) - but the box score - 6 PPs and nothing from them? How can the team captain, and team all-star, be given 6 opportunities to engineer a PP goal with his team and come away empty handed on all 6? And the goalie apparently pulled with 4 or 5 minutes left, and still nothing from the Team Captain? Not even an assist? Flagg mentioned "Vegas Flu" - if truly a contributing factor to this listless performance, that's totally unacceptable.

36 saves for Linus - quality shutout for him! And, we're above .500 again! 3rd game already this year I've had happy feelings afterwards about the Sabres, and it's only the 13th! Let's keep it up as long as possible.

As long as you're commenting on an honest personal experience you had with the concessions, the quality of the food you ate, etc, there should be no consequences.

That's pretty bad management when the starting pitcher in a critical PLAYOFF GAME doesn't realize the game is at 7:40 pm and not 8 pm - and gets about 5 minutes of warm up as a result. Not sure if that's on Boone or Rothschild, or all Severino's fault or some combo of the 3, but the old 'Buck Stops Here' adage applies to MLB managers too.

That's a good point. Also, my personal outlook on the Sabres is also much brighter with Lehner gone, and Hutton in the crease! So it's a win win for all!

So McDermott still thinks he can make a silk purse out of Peterman's sows' ear?