DarthEbriate

Always two there are: the master and the apprentice. The fool and the fool who follows him.

But you’re thinking rationally about teenage prospects and high picks. That’s not how the Sabres braintrust operates.

Took on 4.5M and gave up Hall, the lottery-winning cheat code, for pick 65-67? That seems kind of weak.

It is amazing how shoddy a PP looks without Zucker on the ice. Unless you can get a 2-on-1 rush goal by catching the PKers on a change, the PP strategy is as follows: 1) No matter where you are on the ice or the situation, pass it back to your own blue line or behind your net. 2) If behind your net, stand there for 5 seconds to allow everyone to get where they need to be, and start the winger on the big loop back. 3) Get to mid-ice and make a drop pass all the way to your own faceoff circle. 4) Pass to far wing and enter the zone. Immediately turn your back to the middle of the ice and get caught along the boards and lose possession. 5A) Repeat. 5B) Or, possibly chip the puck down low, then back up, and make a weak cross-ice pass for a turnover.

He played tonight and McDavid is out, so I think his coach will dress him for the Sabres. He should be motivated to show up the team that bought him out.

We'll see if the Sabres are all friendly toward Skinner or if they try to run him at every opportunity.

One good half-period of hockey (first half of the second). One uffda-style carom off Dahlin for the SHG, a weak goal by UPL, Power on the guy but not really tying him up for the GWG, and then Calgary simply skating circles around them for the final 20 minutes. This team needs a goalie to steal them one. Wolf was excellent. He's played 100 more AHL games than Levi has.

Kadri was out of the box so it was 6 on 5. Waiting until very late in the PP to pull Luukkonen was a choice, though. Lafferty smartly kills the PP before they can give up another empty netter.

How many teams do a drop-pass deep into their own zone for every single power play rush?

Kadri sloppy penalty. Gotta make him pay for the old Gaustad maneuver.

Good save by Wolf on JJP.

So many PP passes have nothing on them, and then they'll have one or two lovely passes. Then right back to weak passes that allow easy deflections and breakaway opportunities. Pull Wolf! Make him pass a concussion protocol!

Tage is really struggling tonight. Missed two easy pass receptions. He had to take a faceoff in the o-zone when (Krebs?) got waved out... easiest win of the season for the Flame. Nothing on his passes. He deflected a goal and that's good, but he's their 1C, not Tomas Holmstrom.

Kozak a wild shift. Put into the Flames bench, then dives to stop a goal.

Play it back, keep possession, and that goal never happens. The Flames are winning every single puck battle the last 5 minutes, whether it's a footrace, or just outmuscling the Sabres' stick-waves.

Kozak gets the double shift: Cozens-Tuch and Malenstyn-Lafferty Whatever Thompson's injury is is seriously aggravated right now. Can't even handle a pass.

And Kadri kills the PP with a free-arm tackle.

An a PK for good measure.

Tough goal, especially since they basically had the Flames running for 6+ consecutive shifts.

Calgary broadcast just said, "the Sabres have found a different gear." What is happening? Outshooting them 9-2 this period.

Muel just dropping apples (though one was his own goal)

Nothing at all. They're all older.

Andersson from Samuelsson!

That's just it; there's no planning necessary. Trades are hard, because palm trees, but being the Sabres GM is easy. And if any of the RFAs signs an offer sheet -- take the picks. Because that means they don't want to be here.

The refs won't matter if the Bills play with the purpose they showed against, say, Detroit or KC. The Chiefs don't have the weapons to keep up. Go win by 20.