DarthEbriate

Just like HCDG said (paraphrased) Somehow, the scoring returned...

UNNNNLIMMMITTTTEDDD POWWERRRRRR!

Pinball to Okposo!

Theodore is normally pretty quick, but Cozens exploded away from him. (on the SHG highlight) I thought you said this Theodore was fast!

The Sabres forgot how to skate for a few minutes after Cozens scored the shorthanded goal, but they've been on the attack the last 5 minutes.

Locomote that!

"Luuka Luuka Luula Luuka Luuka!"

Based on the offenses they played against in the 3rd quarter breakdown... nothing yet. We need to see if they can keep it going for the next month -- basically Feb 25th (FLA) through March 30th (TOR). Keep this stretch of offenses under 3.0 gpg and now we're talking.

Hmmm... Should I go to Savoie v. Ratzlaff tonight? I should. Can I convince my wife that a junior hockey night will be the perfect Saturday date night?

Yup. If you want anything from Vancouver, it's the understanding of how to fill out a roster so that your Petterssons and Millers look like top-line players (again). Correctly fill out the bottom 6 and add a top-4 defenseman, etc.

On the one hand... if we think it's intelligent to sit around waiting for Levi, Power, and Benson to reach 25 years old before there are any sustained playoffs, then we're in luck. On the other hand...

Good job, NHL. Way to make your product accessible.

Sometimes you need to drop a little trade talk to the media to speed up the discussions and clear up the distractions. And winning makes the PNW winters a lot sunnier.

Exactly! He's going to crush his numbers vs. expectations this year. 😇 You just have to have patience for expectations to reach zero.

Kane, Tanev, even second-rate veteran goalies like Matt Murray last season. It's just the cycle of lack of accountability within the franchise's ownership and front office. GM Sheevyn can cry about players wanting to be here. But this is a franchise that willingly tanked (and rushed prospects/gutted their farm system, too, to make that happen). First, they fired a GM for being there too long and being reasonable with the directive to tank, then they fired a GM for being daft, then fired a GM for not being willing to fire his AHL staff to save money, then hired a GM who'd been... a guy they liked.) And each GM says: "Give me my rebuild timeline to get the players I want." Through all that they've tanked again and hired "hockey university" coaches and cheap re-treads, and Krueger who defies all categories but talks a good sales pitch. They've done it to themselves. Darth Pegulas (the Wise) is paying the price for his lack of vision. What self-respecting player who wants to win wouldn't have Buffalo on their no-trade list? (And all that can change in a season if they stop churning GMs and make 2 or 3 intelligent moves in the staff and roster and make the playoffs.)

Just gotta be patient with the young guys, right? And... cycle through 4 NHL teams and 3 AHL affiliates.

4-on-3. The Matt Ellis of power plays. Still, it was a really effective S-curve attack by Dahlin and great pass from Mitts. UPL's been solid from the very start of the season. He's gotten roughed up very few times (same as any of the top 'tenders) and he only had a single rough stretch after Thanksgiving. Otherwise, solid. If Levi hadn't been unready (the whole team wasn't ready) for the start of the season, and if Comrie and his 1-6 .868 sv% aren't on the roster but instead an average backup... then tonight's game would have had a very different feel.

All too easy. Nice goal for the winner.

A late PP opportunity. Nice drive by Tuch to force the issue.

Ha-hey! Guess who took the penalty.

The Tampa broadcast is just fascinated with Kucherov's flubbed shot. dang.

Sign of coaching at work: Benson and JJP on the ice. Tampa immediately gets Kucherov, Point, and Hagel on the ice. Dahlin needs to play the body and ignore the puck for a few minutes.

Yet another Skinner backhand whack pass to nowhere at mid-ice leads immediately to a TB rush and a good chance for a goal. Either possess it and make a pass, or get it deep.

Dahlin... where you going there?

Enjoy the show! It's a pretty good gig.