DarthEbriate

Now... no flat start ... GIRGS!

Nice! With 1 second left on the original PP. Good timing.

Let's just think back to Krueger's preferred lineup (once Okposo got back to health after missing the opener) and where everyone in terms of their development. Here's the forward lineup on 1/24/2021. Note: This was a 4-3 SO win over the Capitals. Hall - Eichel - Reinhart Mittelstadt - Staal - Olofsson Rieder - Eakin - Okposo Skinner - Lazar - Sheahan (scratches: Thompson, Cozens) INJ: Girgensons

His teammate takes a major in the opening minute of the game. Savoie scores almost immediately and helps finish the PK tied 1-1.

Yup. Lots of opportunities throughout the season to pick up 3-6 more points. By my count the Sabres had 11 regulation losses where they scored 3 or more goals. 6 more times they scored 3+ but at least got a loser point in OT. For comparison, Toronto had 6 regulation losses and 5 OT losses in similar 3+ GF. Poor team defense and goaltending gave away a handful of points -- whether the team was young, inconsistent, streaky, etc.

UPL is subject to waivers beginning this summer based on years since signing his ELC. It's Buffalo or lose him to any team needing a backup goalie or facing injuries. Edit: This could be the lone reason why Levi starts the year in Rochester to get all the starts. Let Comrie and UPL hold the fort until a trade can be brokered because someone loses a goalie... OR... one of them is terrible and you can slip them through waivers. But based on what I've seen of Levi in the Northeastern games, WJC, and now NHL... he's not going to give GM Sheevyn the chance to send him down.

Good catch. The Sabres need any 2 of the 3 others to lose two or more games in regulation. (And go 5-0-1 or better themselves.)

Except the Tkachuk goal. That was a high-talent, practiced deflection that would have beaten any good goalie who aggressively played the shooter. (Maybe a big, slow goalie makes the save simply because they were still stuck in the net... but then they're leaving space for the shooter to pick corners.) However, --- that deflection is also a low percentage play. If the d-man boxes Tkachuk out or disrupts the stick, it's just a harmless shot off the backboards. Levi is a very good goalie. He makes difficult shots look routine and makes the easy ones look like a taunt at the opposition.

With the BUF-FLA outcome the Sabres no longer control their own destiny. The current field's maximum points they can reach: NYI 95, FLA 95, PIT 94, BUF 93. If the Sabres win out, they still need 2 of the teams to end below 93 points (I think they might own 1 tiebreaker if they win out, but that's too much effort). Basically, if NYI or FLA wins 3 of their 4 remaining games, they're in. The Sabres need 2 or more losses from everybody (all with 4 games remaining).

He looks like a legit #1 goalie. As the forwards learn to play better defense next season, and the D-corp grows up, Levi will post above average numbers. Above-average goaltending and a decent offense (which the Sabres have) is definitely playoff-capable. It might look dicey down the stretch as teams clamp down, but the first 2/3 of the season could be silly good vibes. They've been the best team down the stretch. And it's odd to say it, but losing their #1 and #2 goalie was the best thing for them. Lyon's been excellent for them.

Well, shoot. One awful shift at the start of the third, and then unable to push for a tying goal. The season isn't over, but the hope for playoff hockey will have to wait.

Terrible sluggish start from the top line. No jump and an egregious TNT giveaway and then Skinner with poor position for an easily lost puck battle. Turn it on, gents!

Oh gross and then gross again. And then in the net.

The Sabres have a turbo mode waiting in the third. The kids are just warming up.

Panthers took over with possession for a bit, but the Sabres responded well at the end of the period with their own push. Good game. Both goalies playing hot.

Someday Rasmus is going to bury that.

The skaters need to start skating again. It's nice for a goalie to steal you a game, but they need to become themselves again and move.

They did setup both Tuch and Cozens in front of the net at one point, but didn't bother to shoot.

Score on the PP, don't retaliate and give the refs the opportunity to even it up.

Gents, you're going to pressure Barkov a bit better than that. But then, you do have Levi, so it's all good.

Every call has been obvious thus far. High-stick and hold were good. The two Jost calls were terrible on him, not on the refs. Just as long as the refs are consistent.

Jost... you sit and think about what you did. Start using your head, buddy.

Well killed. Clean.

Jost you know better than that. That was brutally obvious.