DarthEbriate

Rossi got injured in their last game and is a maybe to play. If he’s out, it’s basically an Iowa Wild lineup with all their injuries. So, that’d mean a shutout for Gustavsson or Fleury.

The Sabres have 3 games in hand. They'll catch them.

I like Cozens and I had way too high expectations for him as a Sabre, but I chalk this up to the post-trade bump. He is scoring points, and that's good for him and the Sens. However, the player I saw in first 20 minutes of the Sens/Avalanche game last night was the same Cozens I saw in Buffalo. Good at transitioning the puck. 1 turnover inside his own blue line instead of just skating it out. 1 letting Makar walk into the slot for a PPG. 1 bad penalty taken trying to be physical (also led to a goal). The Sabres game had started so I didn't see it, but his goal was on the powerplay with 10 minutes remaining in the game... trailing by 5. 17 of those hits came in the first two games post-trade at home where the statistician was crediting Cozens with a hit for breathing on someone. His maximum hits in a game since is 3.

If Pittsburgh were to extend a 1st-2nd-3rd level offer sheet this summer for JJP, you take the picks in a heartbeat. (Benson can play in JJP's spot next year.) With their cap and contracts, Pitt is set up to tank for McKenna, even with a good amount of cap next summer -- they have gaping roster holes to fill and the core of Karlsson/Letang/Malkin/Crosby is locked up and sinking. (I do think JJP would be a good move for them in a trade, but not in giving up their 1st round pick.) With Pitt's draft luck, their 2026 pick will likely be #1-2 overall for their next franchise reset to learn from Crosby for the handover. (I strongly believe Pittsburgh moves up in the lottery this year or next: maybe a Schaefer/McKenna, or Misa/McKenna double-feature.)

Did he give a speech in the locker room after the 1st period?

Absolutely, they could still match, but it's only for another season. And Adams is the "I don't want to be here" GM who would panic and start looking for trades. Especially since now he has two of "his new guys" in McLeod and Byram who could also be getting sizeable extensions this summer. The 6.8 is the top limit of the 1st and 3rd compensation on the offer sheet. Anywhere from 4.5 up to 6.871 will be a 1st and a 3rd round pick. This is what Kotkaniemi did to get out of Montreal and to Carolina. He signed a 1-year $6.1M offer sheet that the rebuilding Habs didn't want to match, and then he signed a long-term extension at only $4.8M. The Jets would be good team to pull off this maneuver. Winning team, nice big Ehlers-sized hole in the top 6 this summer. Offer sheet JJP $6.5M, then sign him to a longer extension. Replace Ehlers with an up-and-coming winger who needs to learn defense, but has 30G/60P potential which is a 1-to-1 Ehlers swap. (Note: I don't think this would happen because WPG wouldn't have any 1-4 picks the following draft and JJP has to want to sign long-term.)

The Bills also didn't trade Josh Allen to Minnesota after his 2nd season for Stefon Diggs, Sean Mannion, and a couple draft picks.

At least one of the teams scored 3 times in the third.

Dahlin a cool -3 in the third period tonight. One whiff on a bouncing puck, one carom off a glove on an empty net, and one maybe a bit of a misread on the own empty-netter.

How typical.

Kozak couldn't get back up after blocking the shot and the rebound went right to the open tap-in.

Alright. Score 1 four-on-four, then add a PPG, then an empty-netter and continue on the season.

Just getting outhustled on every loose puck the last 3 or 4 shifts.

I saw a city shorty in McLeods!

Sabres are dominating o-zone faceoffs leading to some nice chances.

But not in the 1998-99 regular season.

They're only just now announcing the Utah goal? It's 20 minutes later.

Huh. No goal, I would think, because contact takes place above the blue paint.

Two turnovers and a Malenstyn?

The announcers didn't elaborate, but I'm guessing the contract, draft pedigree, tenacity, and defensive game have much to do with the comment. Note: Power may be younger but he's played a full season's more games than Kesselring so he should have better offensive stats.

But it's kinda nice that he wants to be here.

Peterka... forgot about him, didn't you!

Utah announcers just admitted they'd rather have Kesselring over Power. Normally, announcers are shameless homers, but that's probably just straight-up honesty.

The leverage is the GM's "want to be here" message. If JJP wants to be in Buffalo, but the negotiations are stalling, he can look for an offer sheet with term like the one Montreal gifted to Carolina for 5 years. Easily matched. But JJP wants out, find a suitor to offer $6.8M for one year --- and tell them you're willing to sign a long-term extension. All Buffalo would get is a 1st and a 3rd as payment. It sets the clock ticking on Adams to make a move and get what he can because he will only sign one-year contracts until it's UFA time.

Colorado taking the Sens out behind the proverbial woodshed this evening. 5-0 after two and it doesn't feel that close. Cozens 2-7 on the faceoff with two losses leading directly to COL goals; one hit, and one sloppy late interference penalty that led a COL PPG in the opening minutes of the 2nd period. He's looked like he looked in many a Sabres game this season.