SabresBaltimore

The leagues needed to be combined, but not like this.. The NWHL was the first to pay it's players and I think it kind of forced the CWHL to follow suit. I'm not sure if that's what led to it's downfall or what. I watched most of the Beauts games this year, and while Harbor Center was pretty full for most games, some of the away games were not. I have no idea what attendance for the CWHL looks like. I'd happily attend some games if there were any down my way, and I'm still hoping to make a Beauts game next season when I come in for a Sabres game or the holidays depending on what the schedule looks like. I had been worried about Clarkson's top player (Loren Gabel) going to a Canadian team instead of the Beauts next year, so on the plus side maybe she'll want to come here now. Apart from 2 teams in Boston, there is little overlap in markets. Maybe too much in and around Toronto, but it can handle it if anywhere can. Although I don't see the NWHL taking on that Chinese team. Calgary seems a bit out there compared to most of the teams, but it's not too far for Minnesota perhaps. They could at least go from 5 teams to maybe 8, although I don't know how you'd split them. I'd take on Toronto, Montreal and either Calgary or Markham maybe and skuttle the rest. I don't know if they could do 10, which would involve keeping 5/6 of the CWHL. You'd have to move a franchise somewhere.

Booo..

And...overtime...

I feel like the play-by-play alternates between fine and tongue tied. When she makes a mistake, she doesn't recover well and compounds it a few times. They didn't have sound for the first few minutes of the game too. I'm bummed Szabados was hurt and won't be playing. Thankfully we have a really great backup in Nicole Hensley. Buffalo scored first, but gave up a bad goal. And they have been in the box too much. The Whitecaps were the better team in the 2nd. Thankfully the Whitecaps have finally been taking some penalties. Our first full power play wasn't great. Hopefully this new one gets us the lead...

4-0! The Beauts are heading to the 4th consecutive Isobel Cup Final. If the Rivetors can pull off the upset tomorrow at Minnesota, the final would be at Harbor Center. Otherwise we'll be on the road. I started following the Beauts more closely this season with the addition of the former captain of my Alma Mater, and it's been a lot of fun to watch. It helps all the games have been free to stream, but I'd probably pay for a streaming package if it was reasonably priced. Maybe next year I can make a game up in Buffalo, especially since they drafted another Clarkson player this year.

3-0!

2-0 Beauts!

Finally a Beauts goal! 1-0 Buffalo

Live on twitter now. Go Beauts! https://twitter.com/NWHL/status/1104539450699337729

I'm good with trading Beaulieu. He wants to be playing and we're not playing him. What do we think we could get for him though? A prospect? More picks? Probably nothing that would help us this season, right?

I could buy that. Especially if the the Leafs wanted him too and JBots didn't want to lose him to them.

I hated that Rob Ray was talking up our great effort in our shootout loss to Tampa on Thursday, but we came out looking really good against the Caps. Tampa is the best team in the league, but at this point we need wins, not just garbage points. Tonight's game will be that much more important. Plus I hate the Leafs and would love to beat them in their own barn. Hopefully Montour makes it in..

I do, because I'd guess (without looking, so I could easily be wrong) that Boston or Islanders scoring is lot more balanced than ours. If Skinner had gone down with a season ending injury on Saturday we'd be screwed. Reinhardt is finally showing he can produce without Eichel again, but apart from him, who else is going to score if Skinner is gone? Mitts is too young/inexperienced and should have spent the year in Rochester. Svobtka is a waste of a roster spot. Berglund was supposed to fill that role for now, but we saw how that worked out. I don't want to spark the holy war that's become O'Reilly but I wonder how this team would have played if he was our #2 this year. Also, I'm not saying I think we should trade Risto, but we don't have anything else that would get us a good enough offensive player, ideally a #2 center. Personally I'd rather keep him, but JBots is going to need to make some kind of move this offseason if not later today. I don't know. I don't pretend to be a GM, so I have no idea how JBots is going to improve both our Offense and Defense for next season unless he pulls off another Skinner-type robbery. Although to me the Skinner deal only really comes off looking great if we resign him. Otherwise we just helped Skinner earn a big payday somewhere else on our way to another mediocre season. It made it a lot more fun to watch than it would have been without him, but 1 season isn't enough.

I also think people overvalue late first round picks. To me all that should mean is someone who plays a high number of NHL games. It doesn't mean someone who instantly plays in the NHL or who is slated to play in the top 6 on offense or top 4 of defense. Teams needs depth and role players. Of course everyone wants that next 1st round draft pick to be a star player, but that's just not realistic IMHO.

Yeah, our defense needs help too, but not as much as our offense IMHO. I think this is a good move for us longer term, but I don't see it doing much this season. We're not anywhere close to a cup contender, so it's going to take more moves and some time for younger guys to mature. I still think the timing of trading for him now feels like the first step towards another trade to me. Maybe I'm wrong though.

So I don't know Montour. I tend to be pretty oblivious to players on other teams outside the division, especially those in the Western conference. I do like adding an NHL ready player to our RHD since we're thin there and a lot deeper at LHD. I'm not sure I like giving up a first, but no way we get this guy for Guhle straight up and in the scheme of things a 1st may be a little high, or it might be a wash. It's always so hard to gauge because whoever gets picked with that first isn't likely to be playing in the NHL right away anyways. Mostly though, I don't get the timing of the trade. We need offense right now. Is this the first step towards trading away someone else (Risto seems to be the most likely that anyone would want to trade for to me) today for some offense? Does Jbots like this guy so much he thought it wouldn't be a move he could make in the offseason? I guess we'll see if anything else happens today. If nothing else happens, I'll be kind of confused. Personally while I wouldn't mind losing Risto longer term if we get someone good offensively back in his place. Right now though, I don't think we have anyone to fill the minutes or toughness he brings. I already feel like we're too soft if we're building a cup contender as is. And, if we're trading him for prospects or picks though, no thanks. We have enough of those, even after trading away a 1st on this pick.

I was hoping to see Skinner signed by the trade deadline. I feel like if he's not (which it appears may be the case now) we're going to lose him in the offseason. Not to mention as we continue to lose, does he really want to stay here? Yes, he's having a great year paired with Eichel, but he's spent years losing in Carolina, does he really want to be part of a rebuild here? Then again, I worry he'll get a huge contract and then regress/get hurt. That seems to be what happens with most big contracts we've signed of late. Personally I want JBot to stay fairly quiet unless he can pull off a con to get rid of dead weight or somehow get us a non-rental #2 center. The latter is more likely for an offseason move though and the former is not likely to happen without us giving up someone I'd rather keep or giving up draft picks (which I'd also rather keep at this point).

Yeah, the signs of that were there last year when the Bills finally made the playoffs and fans came out in droves to welcome them home from Jacksonville even though they had lost. This town is itching for ANYTHING to cheer for. That doesn't mean he's entirely wrong though. I was pretty young back in the four superbowl years, but there was A LOT of bitching in my experience. It was just drown out by those who looked forward to next season because most fans (rightly) believed we could do it again next year. And that I think is the real difference. There is no belief anymore, just doubts.

Bump! Today's gameday. 12pm EST on NHL Network in the US and in Canada: TSN 3 and 5, RDS plus streaming on TSN eStreaming apparently. Beauts goalie Shannon Zabados is supposed to be starting for the Canadians, so it's going to be a tough one.. Let's go U-S-A!

I don't know you, so I may be generalizing, but In my experience Buffalo fans LOVE to urinate in Buffalo's own cereal. It's easier than holding out hope we might win and let ourselves be disappointed. Again. Better to just expect the worst so you won't be let down because you expected it all along..

It's easy to get down on squandering that 10 game win streak from back in November, especially after that collapse on Friday night. However if you told me before the season started we'd be in the Wild Card race, I'd be really happy. I think Buffalo sports fans thrive on being miserable and complaining about their teams. It's about all we have some seasons. But not this season. At least not yet... We may make the playoffs. We may not. But at least we still have a shot. As NS said, it's been at least 5 years since we had a meaningful game this late in the season. I'm going to enjoy it and hope for the best. I think this is a team moving in the right direction even if not as fast as we'd like because we're all sick of waiting for "next season". Rochester is also looking better too, so hopefully that means we'll finally have a proper pipeline of new talent in the coming years. It's easy to be a fan when your team wins all the time. Buffalo fans know what it means to be a die-hard. I'm going to send them positive vibes... We've been saying it all season, but as the number of remaining games continue to dwindle it because more and more important: MUST WIN!

Yeah. 12pm. I did say that in my original post, but it maybe didn't stand out..

Anyone else been watching/following this? I've been following the Beauts a lot closer this year with the addition of Savannah Harmon from my alma mater (Clarkson) and the Rivalry series includes her playing for the USA for the first time along with several other former Golden Knights (and their head coach) on the Canadian side. Plus there are a few other Beauts playing (I think 1 more American, plus Shannon Szados). The first game was played in London, Ontario (I think?) and the Americans won 1-0. I'm not sure if that was televised, but if so I missed it. Last night's game in Toronto was very different with the Americans losing 4-3. I thought it was a great game and I'm really looking forward to the last game in Detroit on Sunday afternoon (12pm). Last night's coverage was on NHL Network in the US, but it was just the TSN coverage. I suspect Sunday will be the same (NHLN lists it again)

If we win tonight that's 9/14 points for this homestand and a 4-2-1 record. It's not enough to put us back in the Wild Card, but it goes a long towards keeping us in the picture. Winning tonight: puts us ahead of Caronlina if they lose tonight, and if not we'll remain 1 point back with a game in hand. puts us 2 points behind Pittsburgh puts us 4 points behind Montreal (although they'll have a game in hand) Really at this point we need as many wins (or garbage points) as we can get. All that means. MUST Win!

I'm voting yes with my heart, even if the math tells me head we probably won't. Either way, I'm just happy to be thinking about if we'll make the playoffs this late in the season..