[6 game winning streak - interesting statistic]

I was doing some research and discovered that the team that is winning during the 2nd intermission has ~80% chance of coming away with 2 points.  During the Sabres 6 game winning streak, they trailed entering the 3rd in 5 of the 6 games (Tampa Bay was the lone exception).  Winning 6 straight alone is an impressive feat.  Winning 6 straight playing with your backs against the wall really makes me think this team has what it takes to make an extended run. 

Note the odds of winning 5 consecutive games when trailing entering the 3rd is about 3100 to 1. 

[Ullmark vs Hutton]

Goal 1 from Montreal was autrocious.  Should be a routine save. 

[Ullmark vs Hutton]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Yea, fringe starter seems right. Considering he was drafted in the 6th round I will take that. 

I think Hutton has played good and his team has screwed so there isn't a good reason to not play him. Ullmark will probably get more starts as we progress. 

... ummm Ryan Miller. 

Ryan Miller was always a weak goalie IMO.  He was forever overrated. Goalie is a political position and he fit into coaching politics well.  Goalies who are deemed starters or high draft picks maintain their status as long as they are average or better. Ryan Miller was average who was expected to be good, but never got there. 

[Ullmark vs Hutton]

37 minutes ago, LTS said:

I don't think it's accurate to say he has not been given a fair shake to start.  The organization has evaluated Ullmark since Day 1 of him coming board.  They know who he is and what he can do at this moment.  He has proven to be quite capable and a player with promise. However, I don't think he's done anything to win a starting job yet and with the way this team is playing it might be better if he's only in the backup role right now.

There is a sense, I think, that changes must be made because of where this team is at. I understand why people feel that way. I hope there are a few changes made but I don't think the goaltending situation is where it should happen. I think Hutton is the right goaltender for this team right now.

A handful of games and practice is not a fair assessment. His past in game peformance deserves more playing time.  As a parent of a goalie, a hot goalie who makes one or two key saves could be the difference in momentum and swing the whole game in other direction.  I have seen both sides of the coin too much.  Hasek almost didn’t get the opportunity back in the day. Not saying Ullmark is Hasek, but I have seen enough of him to think he warrants more starts.  Once given the opportunity, he may be the best goalie we’ve had this millennium (which isn’t saying much). 

[Ullmark vs Hutton]

Can someone tell me why Ullmark has not been given a fair shake to start?  Every time they have brought him up over the past few years he has been stellar.  Then in the off-season, they go and bring in an average journeyman goalie to be the starter.  Albeit he is an upgrade over Lehner (which I never understood that signing), I don’t believe he nearly as good as Ullmark.  This team has been failing over the past few seasons badly as a result of bad play combined with bad goaltending.  If we want a playoff team we need to give a fair shot to a young goalie who is a potential all-star, not a known commodity who will play .500 hockey. 

[The ".500" record and playoff race thread]

I primarily post on TBD. I try not to post, as when I get going it absorbs way too much time. But every so often I like to chime in.

[The ".500" record and playoff race thread]

Furthering my thought process, my adjusted standings are as follows:

WSH +22

CBJ +21

PIT +18

MTL +16

OTT +16

NYR +15

TOR +8

PHI +4

---------------

BOS +3

NYI +3

CAR +2

BUF +2

FLA +1

DET +1

TB 0

NJD 0

 

Realistically 9 teams are vying for that 8th spot, barring one of them going on a major run or a collapse by Toronto.

[The ".500" record and playoff race thread]

The easiest way to think of the playoff race is Wins minus Losses (excluding OT losses) as once the games played get equalized that's where the points will end up. Right now we are +2, which puts us 2 games behind Philly, who is 9th in points but 8th when you adjust for games played. Toronto who is 8th is +8, so they are actually way ahead and Boston who is 7th is +3, so their high rank is a fallacy.