DarthEbriate

But I can still complain that they got it wrong by calling it interference instead of tripping.

And miss the playoffs by 4 points.

If the Sabres lose by a goal today (or are down a goal with 30 seconds remaining and give up an ENG), and then win tomorrow, it could be legitimately argued that they lost 2-4 points in the standings because Toronto refused to call a lifted foot and movement of the leg toward the net (and intentionally done by both skaters) as a kick. It's not an unwitting deflection/carom in either case.

Anderson looks like he hasn't played in a month or so and the Sabres look like they're starting to show their [edit:] resignation. And a kicked goal... I take Anderson out at the first stoppage in the third period. Let him take this time, get a curtain call... and galvanize the team, (with Levi very aware he's going in and the team can prepare for it during the intermission), and let the crowd get wild, then use that energy for the comeback.

Don't say "the PP" on the air, Rayzor.

Fasching lifted the leg off the ice to make contact. Giroux independently moved one foot forward (lifting it off the ice) to make contact in the desired direction. I really can't think of a word in English that describe a motion of a willful lift of the leg to make contact with an object.

There was quite a bit more forward movement than a stationary carom.

Nobody worries upsetting a droid...

We're tied. We're all tied here, now, thank you. How are you? --- Uh, negative! We have a zero goal lead now. Give us a few minutes to get it back. It was a large lead, very dangerous. --- Boring 2-goal lead anyway.

Beautiful backcheck by Tuch but he couldn't complete the possession and it's in the net.

He definitely perked back up recently. Started the season beautifully. Disappeared. Great end Nov-begin Dec. Disappeared. Back to life in March. A kid growing and learning consistency.

Either trade value, or alternately depth scoring if he can learn to be a bit of defense. Love these jerseys. Skinner feels like he should have 2 already tonight.

GOALOFSSON! All he does is score garbage goals that don't get respect but allow us to dance to ABBA. And that's OK.

Joker! He used the deflector screen! He used the screen!

Tuch has the deflectors on for every pass on the PK.

That's not interference.

I think the question is: Comrie or UPL? And the one who doesn't start tomorrow is not on the opening day Sabres roster for 2023-24.

They do. I'd still take our core and pipeline without hesitation. This will be a fun offseason side-by-side exercise. Offhand, I would say the only player the Sabres don't have is a Chabot equivalent (if Chychrun is their top PP guy), but a top-4 D can be signed (or acquired) in the offseason for 60% of what Chabot is making on the cap.

Do or do not. There is no try. The question is which team is better poised for success next season or the season after? Ottawa or Buffalo? I'd say there are a couple players on the Sens better than their Sabres equivalents, but for the most part position-to-position, the Sabres are younger, with higher ceilings, and a better pipeline still to arrive.

Ah. Ville, Ville, Ville.... Now there's a 4th liner with one good season his entire career and one advantageous playoff series (conveniently against a novice owner with shiny-toy syndrome looking to make a splash [we'll call it "Concept of Ehrhoff Except Ehrhoff was a Legit Top-4D and PP1 Guy Syndrome"]). The Leino signing may have single-handedly led to the tank, because although the Ehrhoff contract became a liability if he retired, the cap hit was fine and if you keep on the building path instead of tanking, you keep him on the roster for its duration and he doesn't have any cause to ever consider retirement. Outside his career season, Leino's highest points total was 25 his first season with Buffalo. Contrast that to VO, who even with two COVID-shortened seasons hasn't been below 32 except in his 4-game call-up year. VO has been poorer defensively though, for sure. Addendum: We shouldn't have drafted G Leinonen last season on surname alone.

If you don't want to block the kids, then you don't do anything goalie-wise in the offseason apart from selecting one in the draft. Levi wins the job, UPL is the backup and you waive Comrie in hopes he makes it to Rochester to provide them a 'tweener-level goalie.

But we need that (near-3rd) pick to replace Josh Bloom! Or, I suppose, the Vegas #2 pick traded for Greenway.

WHL 2nd round starts Friday. Savoie and the ICE vs. Moose Jaw. Lindgren and Red Deer vs. Saskatoon (the slayers of Bedard). Bedard finishes the playoffs as the points leader with 20 in 7 games. The next closest scorers on non-Bedard-lines have 10 points. I am hopeful for a Savoie v. Seattle showdown in the final so I can see the kid vs. another elite WHL squad.

The key is having him rolling and still fresh when the playoffs hit.

It won't be 3. Comrie could get waived and maybe get through to Rochester, though he has a pretty cheap salary even as a backup. UPL would get nabbed by somebody. Very likely one them is traded. Or Levi starts in Rochester waiting for one of them to grab the reins or get moved. I'd guess we'll see UPL and Levi and a bigger emphasis on team (forwards) defense. Personally, I don't overload Levi. I probably max him out at 41 games (NHL [and AHL if necessary] combined) while his body is developing, he's getting accustomed to cross-country travel and managing time zone changes against his routines, 2-week long road trips, building up his dossier on shooters and they on him, and being a celebrity.