DarthEbriate

The hidden sneaky part is playing the Isles twice as the second game a back-to-back with travel (albeit only cross-state). Meanwhile, the Isles have 2 days off before the matchup on the 7th. (They're also on the 2nd of a back-to-back on the 25th.) The schedule for those potential 4-point swing games favor the Isles. It'll feel all the better when the Sabres win.

I was babysitting and didn't catch the game live. Based on stats, I skipped to Power's goal and only watched the 3rd on streaming this morning... Excellent 3rd period! Beating the bottom feeders is what good teams do and the Sabres managed it. Next up, a stretch through the top of the division. It should be fun and filled with entertainment and apprehension.

I think this team can make the playoffs, but there are three things I need to see that will tell me they will make the playoffs: 1) Only one bad period every few games. They can't get outshot 20-4 through the first 30 minutes of a game. It's permissible to get outshot 12-4 in a period, just start the next period well. We can't be yelling "Wake up!" on Sabrespace every other game. This is the way. 2) Beat the competition. Win the majority of remaining games vs. NYI, WSH, and DET. (And FLA, see 3). This is a distinct possibility. 3) Do something, anything, against the teams from Florida. 4 games left vs. TB and FLA. Get points versus these teams. This is the uncertainty.

This is a good pickup for Toronto. It definitely makes the 2 remaining games against the Leafs more challenging for the Sabres in their quest for a playoff spot.

What did Nadeau do to the old captain, eat him?

Thank you --- I will need to go back and watch more consolidated highlights. I think there are two parts to this. One is team-related and the other is individual confidence/aggression. For Tage, I see him holding position partially to not get beat. That's good as he's growing his center game. It also means he's not challenging opponents. I admit, this next sentence is completely unfair. Watch Bergeron -- he doesn't stay in the slot, he's everywhere at once. And he can get away with it because a) yeah, he's awesome, and b) his linemates slide for him subconsciously, they're a defensive hive-mind team. Thompson has Skinner who is way less tenacious in his own zone than on the forecheck, though he's quite improved since his Eichel-line days. They're just not defensive players. Granted, it all has to work together, I don't want Thompson to abandon the slot, but to learn to apply pressure when it's the right time, when his linemates can cover for him, etc. With his reach he can eliminate time and space so quickly, but right now he's too consistently passive. He should be casually deflecting a shot off his stick and into the netting once a game. I still have tons of faith he'll get better and better at this in the next few years. For Cozens, I believe teams do use his aggression against him. He also still needs to learn to protect the slot and not go Risto-wandering; however, his intention is to go and get the puck and many times he does. For him, I see a big part of the recent improvement as you mention as his linemates getting used to that and also acclimating to the NHL game. He hasn't had Tuch/Skinner, he's had JJP/Quinn so when he goes to add pressure and attempt the turnover, he's got kids who aren't quite NHL speed yet looking to provide the cover. It's magnified by everyone on that line looking for the breakaway first and foremost. They're all works in progress.

You just can't be afraid of Levi (even though he's going to be a hockey god! heck, he's got 2 simultaneous Sabrespace threads about him) because he's an unproven kid, just like Portillo. And with goalies, there are always nicks and scrapes along the way. No one plays their goalies like Ruff used to anymore. As for Leinonen, Portillo will be on his 2nd contract before he even sniffs the NHL. Nothing to fear there, either. Join an up-and-coming team with an obvious goaltending need... be a hero!

I wanted to take Kulich at 16 instead of Östlund, in the event we weren't going to go for super high-risk/reward for Miroshnichenko or Yurov.

We also need to remember the notable center acquisition this offseason. The Sabres needed a veteran center to take d-zone draws and play defensive-minded hockey. That was Sheahan. And while his legs were shot and Jost made him expendable in the best way, he did win 70% of his draws this year (miniscule sample size). The issue remains that they still need a defensive center who can take a draw and negate top scorers and players going to the net. Jost (37.2% in the dot!) and Mitts (46.7) taking many of the draws for the 3rd line are not really that guy. Cozens is OK in the dot (49.3%) and he's going to get Selke votes, but he wasn't deployed as a defensive forward this year like he was last season. Last year, he'd get matched against the opposition's best. This season, 'til recently he's been with JJP and Quinn and while their underlying numbers are good, Granato hasn't been matching them against the McDavids of the world. Cozens will be that guy going forward (and especially as his linemates mature). Krebs (45.7%) could also become a decent bottom six center and he has been deployed as the defensive center this season with Girgs/Ok. The upside of Cozens/Krebs is they can become better defensively quite easily and that's what the team needs. The liability at center is Thompson. Per the Athletic Player Cards (it's fine as a 30,000' view summary), Tage is in the 100th percentile offensively. That's amazingly good. And he's in the 3rd percentile defensively. That's absolute garbage. He's a 41.3% faceoff guy which is awful for someone taking as many draws as he does. He's loses coverage constantly in his own zone despite his reach. The saving grace is this is his 2nd year playing center since college. He'll get better in all aspects of defense... but he'll probably never be truly reliable in his own zone. If he could get to... say... 45% draws and 33rd percentile defensively... then he'll be a superstar and he'll be safe to play against the best opponents and survive in playoff-style hockey games. (But I still believe Cozens will be the 1C and Tage will be the protected 2C and I'm fine with that if Tage scores 35+ goals each season.)

Hopefully the forwards commit to some team defense and one of the goalies gets hot through the next 10 games. It'd be nice to see the team click on all cylinders for a month and kick the playoff door down.

We was fresh out of the box, it wasn't by design.

Padding the stats will make him feel better.

I know Shattenkirk is washed up from what he was and he probably only wants to finish on a contender. But I'd sign him to be a 3rd pair guy next season. He still seems to have enough speed to hang on for a couple more seasons. Great pass, Quinner!

JJP needs to speed his game back up again. There's not time and space to doodle around in the o-zone like that.

Wild muffed shot for a goal.

Maybe he'll only be a backup to Levi... but where else he going to go that he won't be a backup first? Here he'd have a great opportunity to stick in the NHL within 2 seasons.

Can't decide what's more annoying with the Ducks broadcast. The flags that appear over each Sabres' head on the PP or the puck trail.

No skating on the first two shifts, just flailing and reaching sticks.

Yes. And I can't believe Portillo looks at the current setup and thinks that he'll have a better opportunity elsewhere. He has to believe he can beat out UPL and Comrie. If not, what's the point?

Please don't start the third without energy and give up a quick goal. Remember the Alamo Death Star. Keep on with possession and attacking.

Mitts with fantastic placement.

There goes the save%

Grant with the crosscheck, no penalty. Dahlin gets ripped to the ice by his helmet, no call. Instead, it's an Anaheim powerplay? That is nonsensical.

Huh. So... if they don't have that money, and no one else steps up to replace the TV revenue, it's really good to lock up your core to cheap contracts because the cap will have another hold or even a substantial drop.

All the coordinates are set. It's now or never... (this season)