matter2003

It most certainly is not, lol...at least for most people

Fasching...didn't have to wait long for his first NHL goal...

I was reading the BN article about it and got to this part: "The Sabres, who will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season, have used a clause in the collective bargaining agreement to justify their repeated increases. The CBA dictates that clubs that receive revenue sharing must keep pace with the league’s average ticket price. If the teams fall below 75 percent of the average they “shall be required to submit to the league and Revenue Sharing Oversight Committee a forward-looking three-year business plan to establish a framework for improving its financial performance.” However, NHL teams that have missed the playoffs in recent years have declined to raise their prices. The Toronto Maple Leafs stayed flat this year, and the Calgary Flames announced earlier this month they will not raise next year’s prices." Well no kidding...Toronto, one of the priciest tickets in the NHL doesn't have to raise its prices to keep up with the league average?? Wow, that's not common sense or anything. Its the height of ridiculous that he tries to pair these two things together.

Now I see why Murray was so high on this kid...don't get me wrong, Eichel is going to be a great player and in some ways already is, but what McDavid is doing is pretty ridiculous. Now part of me thinks that Bylsma's system is holding the offensive players back, forcing them to be defensively responsible before offensively risky. I don't like it, but I understand it. With so many young players, they have to learn properly that you cannot trade scoring chances for an entire game with teams(kinda like Edmonton does), or you end up losing games 6-4 and 7-4, 6-3, etc...you aren't going to win in the NHL like that. So he is drilling it into their heads to be defensively responsible while throttling a lot of their offensiveness I think. Don't like it, but at this point it's a necessary evil. Edmonton just seems like they don't really care and will just try and out chance you...which is why they probably are at the bottom of the standing even with 1st overall picks all over their roster. But McDavid is just crazy...the man has 38 points, 10 fewer than Eichel in 36 fewer games. McDavid is averaging more than a point a game and if he had remained healthy for the year might be threatening the scoring lead, and would likely be blowing away rookies in scoring. The metrics in this article make it even more impressive.... http://thehockeywriters.com/connor-mcdavid-just-give-him-the-calder-already/ I love Eichel but can't help to think how good McDavid is going to be...

Broken foot? High ankle sprain?

I think he has been very good so far...he had one or two bad games but has been very solid, if not spectacular in many of the others...

Lol, Columbus announcer called Reinhart, Sam Bennett twice...

Make it 9 straight...

That was one slick ass goal by Marchand...

I'd probably chalk that up more to the team being too amped up at home and trying to score for the fans which means they are probably missing some assignments which lead to mistakes versus it being line combinations...

Per Elias Sports Bureau, a franchise record...pretty impressive considering how young this team is and all the really good teams of the past... http://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/695081414782509056/photo/1

well that didn't take long after missing 37 games... http://nesn.com/2016/02/oilers-connor-mcdavid-scores-amazing-goal-in-return-from-injury-video/

And there is the makeup call...

Toronto called and told them Chicago can't lose in regulation...

Refs making sure Blackhawks don't lose in regulation...of course Chicago doesn't get called for anything...Hossa with a blatant slash no call...

Looks like they made a good decision not resigning Miller... Both Sabre's goalies have a lower GAA(2.33 and 2.64 for Johnson/Ullmark to 2.70 for Miller) and better save percentage(.918 for Johnson, .911 for Ullmark and .910 for Miller) Miller has been well below average for a lot of the time after he left Buffalo.

Ok, and he was on the ice for all 4 Sabre goals since he had an assist on each of them. That makes him a +2 right?

They are missing point blank chances LAST year's team would have scored on

4th lowest scoring team in the NHL this year, averaging 2.09 goals...its only up .13 goals from last year, which is really pathetic...

Now we are 1/4 way through the season...STILL can't score. When do we consider this a problem? 1 and 2 goals aren't going to win many games. Neither are 0.

Sabres have a lot going for them right now...in top 10 in Corsi, top 3 in shots for/shots against differential, and are tied for the fewest penalties in the NHL with Carolina. Unfortunately their goaltending has been abysmal, with a team save percentage coming in at under 88%, and a league worst penalty killing percentage coming in at an embarrassing 69%

Sabres also have one of the best Shots For/Shots Against differentials in the NHL(top 3 after tonight), and are tied with Carolina for the fewest penalties in the NHL. Unfortunately their team save percentage is absolutely atrocious at under 88%, in the bottom 3 of the NHL, so that doesn't help much...

Sabres have great Corsi stats...they routinely are outshooting the other teams and completely bombarded the Penguins tonight with 53 shots...eventually this will translate into wins. Sabres were 8th in Corsi before tonight but could jump 2 spots after tonight's performance... So they might not be winning or scoring enough yet, but they are light years ahead of last year's Corsi numbers already. It's only a matter of time before it starts translating into wins.

Its 5 games now...still the same problem. And we are in an all too familiar place in our division...the basement.

So how much has changed? We still can't score goals. I know it's only 2 games but c'mon. Lets see something resembling offense.