DarthEbriate

And get one of those big travel trips out of the way early so you can do lots of short eastern jumps for a few months. The other western road trips this season are Dec (COL, ARI, VGK) and then February in California (which sounds pretty nice).

Now there are two of them! Nice goal. But uffda, 38 can't just let the most dangerous player on the other team drift down in front of the goalie like that. Savoie's not that short.

I want to give STTVO one road game so see if they relax or get a spark, but I'm also of the mind that the opposition is being extra diligent to take away Skinner/TT space. VO is a crafty guy and makes good passes to them into space, but he's not a transition or puck carrier. That's Tuch. Historical note: STTVO worked last year. After the initial hot start and then VO's injury, this top line was united and Tage/Skinner did really well from it. VO hung around and continued to get assists until Tuch arrived and the line looked great as well. Then, at season's end, after VO was able to shoot, HCDG reunited STTVO and finished the season strongly as well. So this is a known and successful commodity and it allows Tuch to be the puck carrier for another line. That said, Skinner/TT can put up 70 goals between them and if that needs Tuch, then by golly, Tuch it up.

Dang that was a good shift by the Panthers. Just bled the clock down with possession. Good timeout, don't leave it.

It's early in the season so no doldrums yet, but one thing is obvious today: Florida did not take Buffalo lightly. They put the petal down early and are keeping it going all game. And despite the youth, this Sabres squad looks resilient against a top-end offensive squad.

Mitts - Cozens - Olofsson together now. Tuch was with the top line. Adjustments happening.

Skinner needs to get a little crazy here now that the whistles have been put away.

Tage and VO on the 4-on-3. With Dahlin. That's the framework for a good PP1 Ekblad is a stud. He and Cozens are fun to watch.

Which one? Also of note: Dahlin's a top-end player. He gets the tripping call.

Mitts is high on the time on ice today because he's on the PK.

Rousek could easily finish the season in Buffalo. (Moreso than the 19-20 year olds who are still a couple seasons away.)

C'mon, no one is suggesting putting Bjork in the lineup. 😇

To be fair, that was mostly JJP's effort possessing the puck, and not so much Quinn or Krebs. Though that could become a dynamite line next season.

He did. But he's not a skill forward that the refs are looking to protect.

Puck luck today is very pro-Panthers. That bounce just eluded Muel right to Montour. And the Panthers have earned it, too. Rasmus the Younger!

Can't let the stick get between a skill forward's ankles, they'll topple and earn the call every time.

Totally agree. But for the PNW trip coming up I'd have Hino and his wheels in the lineup and Quinn... probably heading back to Rochester.

Has JJP been the best forward so far this season? Yes. He's been fantastic. He just never loses the puck or knowledge of where it is.

Are we being outshot while on the PP this season?

Need a little more haste coming back defensively while on the PP there. There shouldn't have been a 2nd opportunity for Reino.

Whoops. JJP served it. My feed is way behind anyway. We probably already scored 2 to take the lead.

Florida trying to get cute. Gotta make them pay with a SHG here, or one for Boushh right out of the box. For his goal song.

That's not going to help get that make-up call, Boushh.

Damn what a fantastic save. Edit: gotta elevate just another 3 inches.

Quinn - Krebs - Peterka together after the PK.