PerreaultForever

It's looking like Ottawa was just riding the Ullmark wave. With him injured they've fallen back to looking, well, basically about the same as the Sabres.

Well ya, that's what I meant. Benson didn't play the last half of the period or thereabouts. Definitely not in the last stretch. I really think Colorado did the challenge to make a statement. They didn't expect to win it they wanted to frenzy up the crowd and their own bench. It worked.

Well yes, I suppose faking injury could be a thing, I'm just saying I've seen whistles for less. This looked like obvious distress and the play had moved away from the goal area already.

Initially, but didn't he sit for the last half of the third?

Trades would be pointless. We need to add veteran leaders. We've needed that for a long time and still do.

In fairness however, it was odd that they did not whistle the play dead for the injured goalie. He was clearly hurt and down and there was quite a bit of time before he scored. I've seen many games where that would be whistled dead long before the wrap around took place. Pretty sure that was the big complaint. The cause of injury was obviously just a hockey play where the D man knocked him towards the goalie. I think Colorado challenged it just to punctuate their complaint. Also weird that Ruff held Benson out after that to protect him from getting killed. I guess that's a good thing, but also what does that say about this team?

and they beat the Bruins who can't score a goal to save their lives on any night. One of the funniest things now is watching Zadorov shoot. I remember watching a playoff game with Vancouver where he rifled one into the net and I though wow, he's developed a cannon with his size behind it and I guess Sweeney saw that too. Trouble is that was his 1 out of 100 shots that actually hit the net. Somebody needs to get that man a pair of glasses. Shoots wild is an understatement. Point to my mentioning this is Sabres have blown another season that has teams falling and opportunities there for the taking as Washington has done.

Well the third period was certainly eventful. Can't say I got bored, that was some major entertainment (although I'm sure Colorado fans think the refs suck). When you look at the impact a veteran like Zucker has you just can't help but think would we be a playoff contender if they'd spent to the cap and added another one? At least I think that. But we need the money for next year I know Kevyn I know.

So what you're saying is PROGRESS!

The question would be is the speed not there or is he just not using it due to playing too cautiously and/or thinking too much and hesitating? I think it's the latter but being slower due to the past injury is also a possibility.

Ya that's fair, and for that I put the blame on Granato and Appert and how we develop young players in Rochester. They should be learning how to play defensively FIRST and then when they are capable in that they come up and can slowly let their offensive creativity come back out. I remember Granato saying offense was harder so that came first and it was just so backwards from almost every other team I just never understood it but I think that is Pegula hockey. It's how he wants it, and that's why we've continually lost.

Sure, and the internet and it's a whole brave new world of instant highs and lows. Interesting academic thing I heard was the model is based on the idea that young white males always think they are smarter than "the system" and generally just smarter than others. This fuels gambling but also self investing. The reality is they are not and they generally underperform the market and generally lose in sports betting. The sports betting algorithm apparently also makes it harder for you if you are winning so if you have an account in good standing it likely means you are a loser.

Don't say "we". I am consistent in my doubts and took heat for it last year from numerous people. Offensive skill, yes. Complete hockey player, no evidence of that developing yet. He might in time, and if he puts up offensive numbers nobody says he has to be a defensive stalwart but right now he's soft and even scared imo or in the very least he can't grasp structural responsibility. His most effective moments right now are on the PP where he can focus on his offensive creativity and worry less about what the other team is going to do. Ideally with his speed and skill he could be developed into a Jake DeBrusk type player and even kill penalties but he has a long way to go to get there.

No I think it was because of the teams in question. They obviously favor big cities and big stadiums but they expected Chicago to be rising this year and they want to market Bedard. What they got though was bottom of the barrel against mediocre so like who cares? If the outdoor game had been Buffalo vs. Detroit nobody outside of those cities would have watched it either.

His offensive skill and potential has never been in question. His ability to play in traffic and against tight D is another matter. I also question his desire and work ethic but that's subject to debate. I just don't see him having anything like what Benson has. If he did, he could be quite good.

They've made numerous good strategic moves that show him to be a better GM than KA. Picking up DeSmith for nothing and then flipping him, flipping Monahan for a first, gambling on Laine. Lane Hutson drafted at 62 seems pretty genius and/or lucky as well. Most of all though they seem to have gone culture first, then the talent, but in any event it seems to be working. I think they are doing more with less.

I don't feel like getting into a big detailed thing but the big difference imo is rebound control and the way this team plays D that is a HUGE factor.

Ya, that's what I was thinking. I've always believed you start there and build out myself, but the funny thing for the Sabres is this is an aspect that wasn't Adams' plan he just lucked into it. Levi was his plan. UPL was JBot's guy and KA had zero confidence in him as we saw with the 3 goalie system and his various goalie blundering moves. UPL just quietly seized the opportunity. Kind of like Ullmark really. If they ever trade UPL one day or don't pay him down the line he'll probably go somewhere and win a Vezina.

This was only close because of UPL so I guess you can say that at least we seem to have a good goalie going forward. That's something.

Dallas can match the speed so this is as tough as it gets. I suppose it depends on which team shows up and which one is just thinking about new years.

It's funny how the article calls him a "spent player" as if this has never happened before and now he's just over the hill. Clearly they haven't paid attention.

Online sports betting is creating a generation of dopamine addicts but that's another discussion.

Well that was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure how else to categorize it but maybe it's a game they didn't deserve but then again good teams win games they really shouldn't. Not saying they are a "good" team but that's a lesson in how you do it. Make the most of the chances you get. Most of the first 2 periods played in the Buffalo end but Sabres still came out ahead and then found a way on the PP. What more can you ask for? Winning is fun. I did laugh a little to myself though. Montgomery has them playing exactly the way he had Boston playing when he took the heat and got fired. Possession with limited high danger chances and limited scoring. It looked exactly the same so I guess that is the Montgomery way.

I care. I don't watch the Bills. I'm going out though so I will see it in replay. Much tougher game than Chicago.

It might, but they don't have much grit on that team so I'd question them giving that up just to clear out money and Yzerman would be nuts to take that deal. The fake Elliot Friedman account is kind of annoying though. That idiot really wants a Buffalo Detroit deal and twitter can't seem to tell the difference between Hockey Night in Canada and Hockey In Canada Night.