IKnowPhysics

Non-fancy stats, as of 4/14: Team Records: Ralph: 6-18-4, 0.286 P% 2.07 GF/GP (31st), 3.39 GA/GP (28th) 28.1 SF/GP (27th), 30.8 SA/GP (19th) Not Ralph: 4-7-3, 0.393 P% 2.79 GF/GP (16th), 3.50 GA/GP (30th) 26.9 SF/GP (27th), 36.4 SA/GP (31st) Goalie Records: Ullmark, regardless of Ralph: 9-6-3, 0.583 P%, 0.917 SV%, 2.63 GAA Not Ullmark, regardless of Ralph: 1-19-4, 0.125 P%, 0.890 SV%, 3.57 GAA Goalie Stats: Under Ralph: Linus 5-4-2, 0.919 SV%, 2.44 GAA Hutton 1-9-1, 0.884 SV%, 3.43 GAA Johansson 0-5-1, 0.884 SV%, 3.79 GAA Under Not Ralph: Linus 4-2-1, 0.915 SV%, 2.95 GAA Tokarski 0-4-2, 0.905 SV% 3.54 GAA Hutton 0-1-0, 0.897 SV%, 3.82 GAA Player Stats: Under Ralph: Under Not Ralph: "Core" Players P/GP (Under Ralph / Under Not Ralph): Eichel 0.86 / INJ Reinhart 0.73 / 0.50 Cozens 0.25 / 0.43 Dahlin 0.39 / 0.50 Ristolainen 0.38 / 0.36 Movers: ++ Okposo 0.17 / 0.82 ++ Asplund 0.20 / 0.56 ++ Skinner 0.12 / 0.43 ++ Thompson 0.15 / 0.45 ++ Montour 0.28 / 0.57 ++ Bryson 0.09 / 0.38 -- Olofsson 0.68 / 0.36 -- Hall 0.57 / 0.33 -- Staal 0.36 / 0.00 (4GP) -- Rieder 0.20 / 0.11 The skinny, examining only the numbers: This team simply will not win with any goalie we have not named Ullmark. The disparity between Ullmark and others trumps the differences from the coaching change. The coaching changes moved us toward scoring more goals (+0.72 GF/GP!), yes, but we also allow more shots (+5.8 SA/GP) and goals (+0.11 GA/GP)- if we're not backstopped by Ullmark, this will kill us on average almost no matter how many more goals are scored on average. Not-Ullmark has a season 3.57 GAA and only three teams in the NHL score more GF/GP than that GAA (COL, NYR, PIT). Our 2.79GF/GP under Not Ralph is tenable with Ulmmark's 2.95 GAA under Not Ralph- we might end up winning a couple games, but it's still not looking great. With Tokarski's 3.54 GAA under Not Ralph, this is much worse. By the improved GF/GP-to-GA/GP ratio, the Sabres are clearly a better team under Granato than Ralph. But we still don't stand much of a chance if we don't play Ullmark 100% of the time. Which is bad, because, as of tonight, he has a LBI. If Ullmark's out, and we keep our scoring pace but can't win a game, you'll already know why. Wins aside (typical groan) : Several players are producing more, likely due to changes in systems brought by the coaching change. For instance, Okposo might be the most-improved player in the NHL in the past 15 games. Skinner is predictably up. Cozens is relishing a bigger role. Thompson is productive 5-on-5. Dahlin's now allowed to razzle your dazzle, so he's up a bit. A couple players are producing less, perhaps in changed usage or in Eichel's absence. For instance, Sam's point production is a little down as he's not on Jack's hip. Olofsson's powerplay production was steady at 4.05 PPG/60 under Ralph but he hasn't scored a PPG under Not Ralph. FWIW, Hall and Staal fell off cliffs before their departure. It's good to see the future improving with Cozens, Dahlin, Thompson, Asplund, Bryson, Jokiharju, and Skinner improving, but with the defense so, so porous and non-Ulmmark goalie straight stinking, it's hard to be encouraged.

I gotta think that we're waiting for a team to make a move, possibly a trade with a 3rd team, to clear cap space to land Hall. Should be decent return if a team's willing to go through that hassle.

The other night, they went with seven defensemen and only eleven forwards. Do they put Artuu D too?

***** referee #49 Reid Anderson for causing the turnover on the reverse that led to NJ's 5th goal when it was 4-3 with 1:43 to go. He'd been reffing from the far side all period before making no effort to get out of the way of that reverse, which caused the turnover and immediately setup NJ for the quick goal. Referees are trained to get out of the way of the puck on plays like that and, when he kicked Sheahan's reverse pass straight to the NJ forward, he told Sheahan, which you can hear on the ice-level mics, "I'm *****in' standin' right here, where do you want me to go?" Effectively bad puck luck for the Sabres, but ***** him anyways.

Indeed, indeed.

Only the Sabres (3-0-2) and Leafs (5-0-0) are unbeaten in regulation in their last five games.

There are many reasons why we were so, so bad and many reasons we're improving now. Goaltending is one of those many reasons, but it is not the only reason.

Reminds me of a late 2003-04 season, but worse. Sabres were 12-18-2-1, then pulled to 28-26-6-1, faltered a little bit, then went on a 10-4-1-3 tear to finish 37-34-7-4, one spot out of the playoffs. That season was transformative for the organization and gave us momentum to launch into the rule-change-era with high confidence. This season's lows were much lower and the adversity was much tougher. Whichever players survive this year's mess into a Blue ang Gold sweater next season will surely be battle-hardened. We won't get the benefit of a rule change, but we will get the benefit of a coaching change and there's little doubt that we will be a better team and organization for the struggle.

SABRES NOW LOSSLESS IN 1 GAMES

Pour it on.

Yeah, ***** these guys.

Gary Bettman will make sure Don Granato gets infected with COVID if it's the last thing he ever does.

OK FINE

I support your war of terror. Can we setup the change filter for "suck" to "did a good job" a la Rayzor?

dis is a test of dat filter. edit: Nice.

lol nope

Oh, but a solid opportunity for the league to ***** us.

At least Olofsson.

Nice. Good shot/deke choice to go with the low-percentage shot and the even-lower-percentage attempt to bat the rebound out of the air.

Why not postpone the game? "Because ***** you, that's why." - The National Hockey League

Whaaattttt.

I need to find better uses of my time.