NAO

Sorry(!) Please forgive my "shouting"and "trolling"(!) Shouting was a novice mistake. Sorry. Trolling was not my intention. Sorry. I have followed the Sabres -- as my team -- since I was 11 -- in 1970. Being obnoxious was not intended. Perhaps I have been affected by all the losing these past so many seasons? All the "under-achievers" that have come and gone? And all the fine players that should have stayed(!) All the disappointment. I thought I was being clever commenting on another Sabres "firsts" -- in the same category as flying bats and the Tokyo Katanas -- something to laugh at when the Sabres finally hoist the cup?(!) No offence ever intended. Plus -- I am only able to be online every now and then -- so I will always be late in replying. Sorry, again. Please + Thank You But still... it was awfully close to being a "first"... only a single win in potential loss number 8... in the "BS" (Betman Shootout -- I am not a fan of the shootout) prevented the sweep -- AND it was my post -- prior to potential straight loss number 8 -- that must have "jinxed" the 7-game losing streak and brought it to and end. I will have to jinx this current 4-game losing streak too -- because -- with 6 games remaining -- the team that has discovered all manner of ways to lose games -- still has a chance to lose 10 straight. Losing 4-0 to the Ottawa Romans means that they can lose to anyone. No playoffs yet again -- 8 straight years -- I really don't care how many games they lose now! (Real moderate shout.)

Of course... Housley must not be fired before the 3 games! Housley must stay! The Sabres must lose all 3 games! Now that the season is over -- no playoffs -- I don't mind (as much) if they lose these 3 games -- then they can fire Housley -- or even WIN all the rest of the unimportant games left in the season! BUT -- if somehow word of my lineup suggestions (previously submitted) should reach Housley -- the team might actually win! (Dealing with personal and family illnesses -- The Housley -- inspired me to do something other than... -- thanks Phil -- thanks Sabres -- much appreciated divergence!)

PA I heard this fact from one of the Canes TV team during the game -- or it was the opponent TV team in the previous game? I am certain-ish that it applies to professional hockey. Baseball has had so many different eras of "weirdness" that I wouldn't be surprised baseball pioneered The Housley! OH -- I have so much on my plate... -- you make the tee -- I will buy a copy!

I have the exact same opinion now that I had after watching the first five games of the season regarding the line match-ups: 9 is a line onto himself -- he will get a lot of the checking attention -- there are many options for this jewel! 28 + 22 + scorer 43 -- checking line that can score -- I am nostalgic for a "Ramsey-Luce-Gare" kind of line! 37 should not be playing half the season with 21 -- to see if he really is the "replacement" for ROR -- play him with decent linemates -- why not the best linemates? 9 can play with these guys on the PP! 53 + 37 + 23 would score. 21 + 17 + 29 could be one of the best 4th lines in the league! 71 + 9 + 72 -- 71 + 9 played on the same line for a year in college -- they have played on the same line less than a hand-full of times as Sabres! (Bringing up Dan O'Reagan would reunite the college line completely.) -- 72 has a nice potential in front of the net with skill, speed and smarts, perhaps only needing the toughness of experience and age.

Only 3 more losses and a new sport "legend" is created! -- someone might even make a movie about it someday! The first time a professional sports team has achieved both a double-digit winning streak -- AND -- a double-digit losing streak in the same season! Whenever this "feat" will be "achieved" again (if?) -- it will be known as -- A(n) – "Housley"! And I watched all of it! Hey, I might put that slogan on a tee -- along with a list of the wins on one side and the losses on the other!

21 + 17 + 29 This is the line that I would like to see together. I would rather have the kids playing together. Particularly when the team is not scoring -- I would rather have the kids playing more, if the older players are not contributing to the offence? 21 + 17 + 29 will be my mantra whenever the Sabres lose a 1-goal game!

#17 "Replace Sobotka with Smith" -- or -- #37! While I would love to have played 500 games in the NHL and scored 50 goals! (Another great stat from RJ and Ray!) A great accomplishment! Not the resume of a second-line NHL centre (I am a Canadian) though. 50 Goals In 500 Games -- actually sounds kind of cool - but -- Definitely Not The 50 Goals In 5o Games of the Rocket! I don't understand why #17 should be so high in the depth chart? #37 and #22 have been much better players in the nearly 40 games that I have watched so far this year! I thought #10 (since departed!) and #17 were to play on the fourth line?

I was surprised by the amazing winning streak! There was a great deal of luck involved to go along with the stellar play of the team. Since then -- the team looks exactly like the team I saw after the first five games. The team might lose more games then they can win because they will not score a lot of goals -- again this year. I still have the same challenge with the thinking behind the lines. I love the defense. I am comfortable with the goaltending. I love the potential of the young forwards. But, I was totally lost with the lines! Most obvious to me #10 and #17 have careers that are historically light on scoring -- I doubt they will suddenly get offensive on this offensively-challenged team. (I should never have had to read an article that suggested that either of these players were not going to play on the "second" line -- and I encountered several!) And, #21 and #29 (short-handed, overtime, series-winner -- against my home-town Ottawa! -- I will always love you!) are probably not going to have a renaissance and maybe should not be counted on for secondary scoring? (Although, #29 looked good with Eichel for a time.) Maybe it is time to juggle the lines? I have only two suggestions: 1) Keep #22 and #28 together; 2) Keep #17 and #21 and #29 off the line(s) that you want to see score -- better yet -- if they have to play -- they might make a decent line!

IF the Sabres lose the next 4 games – they will be at 10 straight! I will then be forced to call the 10W/10L phenomenon – if if ever happens again – a – "Housley" And, I have a feeling that the team just might lose the next 4! The 10 wins were so much fun – and so much luck! So many 1-goal games! So many fortunate bounces! Wow! Lots of fun to watch the wins – the fact that so much of the "puck luck" during the games was going their way was truly outstanding! Oh, and, Jake McCabe! What a significant role – IMHO – he played in the winning streak! Significant but subtle! And, of course, he was contributing to the scoring too! I believe that the Sabres were winning at the point in Game 11 when he got injured. Haven't won a game since he has been out of the lineup. I am wrong very often. Particularly when it comes to making hockey predictions. So, hopefully I am wrong when I say that I don't see the team making the playoffs. [Cue the next 10-game-winning streak to prove me ridiculously wrong...]

"FOURTH LINE"? Since I am not a hockey fan per se – I only follow the Sabres – I have no real concept of who the new players on the team are and how they fit in to the overall plan... What are #10 and #17 suppose to do for the team? Second-line-centres???? Can't be! Can it? #17 can win faceoffs... But I do like what the media call the "Fourth Line". Except for me the line consists of 28 and 22 and 81. They can check and they can hit and if they stayed together for any length of time – they would score too. #28 was not in the lineup last game! I'm thinking as the second period looks as if the Flyers are, well, flying... Giroux will get a goal and an assist but maybe we can get a third goal for a win?! Giroux gets 1 goal and 3 assists! I was correct! Over the years it is usually the other teams stars that do the damage against the Sabres when they have lost (which of course, has been very often). Crosby, Ovechkin, Toews, Marchand... I like a checking line that works! I think the team needs a second line – it looks to me like we have 3 fourth lines instead. I don't understand the lines beyond the Eichel line – which probably should be broken up in order to establish a second line. Actually, this maybe the most important thing the Sabres have to do – develop a true second line. And to do that the coach has to experiment with the lines.

Evander Kane? Oh, yeah, Mister -54! Turnover Master! Major Defensive Liability! (But he always makes sure that he gets his goals -- so "everybody" wanted to sign him as a Sabre! So glad that didn't happen! (Kane did surprise me at being positive in the first round of the playoffs! Of course, I was not surprised when he was -5 in the second round though. Major defensive liability... takes bad penalties... doesn't back check (likes to forecheck but has lost the speed that he once had)... calls out teammates for his mistakes (even heard a TSH analyst mention when Kane shouted/gestured at a teammate for Kane's mistake that that was not the actions of a team player)... Yet, he always gets the chance to play on the top line?!? And he gets around 20 goals per season! He always plays on the top line, so he will get his goals -- but would another player score 30+ in his place? One thing for certain, Kane is not a play-maker and does not have more than a couple of set plays in his repertoire AND he will float around the blue line, which often makes his man the one that has made the decisive play that results in a goal. (Kane often played the overtime period – when defensive mistakes and half-assed defensive efforts will lose you games – and he lost games – and Eichel somehow would be blamed...) At least San Jose is not stupid enough to play – a man without play-making skills whatsoever – on the powerplay. Mister -54 has gone a minus in the last 5 straight games! AND NOW, the Sharks have another (the) major defensive liability in Karlson! (-9 so far this season) How does Doug Wilson still have his job? It is so hard for me to imagine a team as good as the Sharks missing the playoffs – but I doubt they will do anything in the playoffs. Kane + Karlson? Maybe the two most over-rated players in the league! I would not be watching the Sabres this year if Kane was still on the team. AND, this is without my thinking about his apparent behavior regarding women! So glad he is not on the Sabres! A

SORRY! (I wanted to write an uplifting first post... the 6-1 loss looked too much like last season... or the season before that... -It would be nice if the Sabres could win this -- but it will probably only happen if Hutton steals it like in his first win -- or -- they get really lucky with bounces and stick-checks like they did in their second win! They are still a first-goal-wins-or-loses-the-game team -- and -- so far -- like last year, are usually not able to come back after a bad first period. Oh, I don't understand the lineup -- so, I am not optimistic about the season -- for the first time in my 40+ years as a Sabres' fan -- I think the team might actually do worse than the season before -- please Sabres prove me wrong -- please! I only hope that I am wrong -- or -- that, if the team losses a lot -- please play the kids! This is not a team that needs a tweak here or there -- it needs to figure out the players that will be able to contribute to a winning team now and for the future. Play the kids! Not an inspiring lineup to me. Beyond the Sheary/Skinner attempt to fill Jack's wing (they both look a lot like Innis or Griffin to me???) experiment, I am lost at who the other players are and how they are supposed to fit in. Keep skating The Kid (Dahlin) -- I am fine with that -- but otherwise, there does not seem to be any accountability for staying in the Sabres' lineup and no merit system for what lines the players play on.