GAME DISCUSSION THREAD GDT: Florida at Buffalo 1-21-14 at 7:00 PM EST

[26CornerBlitz]

GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

 

GAME #49: FLA (19-23-7) at BUF (13-27-7) – JAN 21 – 7:00 PM EST – MSG-B, BELL TV – WGR-550

 

BUFFALO SABRES

 

Final Lineup

 

26 Matt Moulson – 63 Tyler Ennis – 21 Drew Stafford

9 Steve Ott ("C") – 19 Cody Hodgson – 17 Linus Omark

82 Marcus Foligno – 65 Brian Flynn – 28 Zemgus Girgensons

32 John Scott – 37 Matt Ellis – 23 Ville Leino

X: 24 Zenon Konopka (healthy)

 

20 Henrik Tallinder ("A") – 57 Tyler Myers

10 Christian Ehrhoff ("A") – 6 Mike Weber

4 Jamie McBain – 44 Brayden McNabb

X: 3 Mark Pysyk (healthy), 52 Alexander Sulzer (healthy)

 

30 Ryan Miller

1 Jhonas Enroth

 

Lineup News & Notes

 

D Alexander Sulzer, F Linus Omark, and F Matt D'Agostini were scratches in Saturday's 4-3 SO loss vs Columbus.

F Cody McCormick (UBI), F Kevin Porter (LBI), and F Matt D'Agostini (UBI) are on IR.

 

Weekly Transactions

 

01/15: Activated F Drew Stafford from IR.

01/20: Placed F Matt D'Agostini on IR; Activated D Henrik Tallinder from IR.

 

According to the Stats

 

In the last 10 games, Buffalo has gone 3-3-4.

Tyler Ennis has a four-game point streak (two goals, three assists).

Tyler Myers has three goals -- half of his season total -- in the past four games.

 

FLORIDA PANTHERS

 

Final Lineup

 

20 Sean Bergenheim – 16 Aleksander Barkov – 24 Brad Boyes

14 Tomas Fleischmann – 27 Nick Bjugstad – 19 Scottie Upshall

11 Jonathan Huberdeau – 57 Marcel Goc ("A") – 17 Jesse Winchester

18 Shawn Matthias – 15 Drew Shore – 21 Krys Barch

X: 12 Jimmy Hayes (healthy), 23 Scott Gomez (healthy), 82 Tomas Kopecky (shoulder)

 

44 Erik Gudbranson – 55 Ed Jovanovski ("C")

51 Brian Campbell ("A") – 77 Tom Gilbert

7 Dmitry Kulikov – 43 Mike Weaver

X:

 

34 Tim Thomas

30 Scott Clemenson

 

Lineup News & Notes

 

Florida scratched C Scott Gomez, F Krys Barch, and F Tomas Kopecky in Monday's 5-1 win at Pittsburgh.

D Dylan Olsen (LBI), D Alex Petrovic (UBI), and D Mike Mottau (undisclosed) are on IR.

 

Weekly Transactions

 

01/17: Acquired C Ryan Martindale from Edmonton in exchange for C Steven Pinizzotto.

01/20: Placed D Mike Mottau on IR retroactive to Jan. 17; Activated F Jesse Winchester from IR.

 

According to the Stats

 

In the Last 10 games, Florida has gone 5-3-2.

Dmitry Kulikov has goals in back-to-back games.

Jesse Winchester had 3 assists on Monday after missing five weeks (broken hand).

 

PREGAME LINKS

 

01/18 – MYERS SCORES TWICE IN SHOOTOUT LOSS TO SURGING BLUE JACKETS (Chris Ryndak – Sabres.com)

 

01/20 – Panthers end Penguins' home winning streak (Wes Crosby – NHL.com)

 

01/20 – Sabres aim to end skid against Panthers (NHL.com)

 

01/20 – Sabres’ Ville Leino struggling to score, reach Ted Nolan’s expectations (Bill Hoppe – Olean Times Herald)

 

01/20 – BEYOND THE BOARDS: OMARK SKATES WITH HODGSON, OTT (Chris Ryndak – Sabres.com)

 

01/20 – Game Preview: 1/21/14 vs Florida Panthers (Ian Ott – Sabres PR)

 

01/20 – Ted Nolan speaks with the media following Monday's practice at First Niagara Center. <2:36>

 

01/20 – Dan Dunleavy recaps Monday's practice at First Niagara Center. <1:40>

 

01/21 – Sabres vs Panthers Game Notes PDF (Ian Ott – Sabres PR)

 

01/21 – Press Clips: 1/21/14 vs Florida Panthers (Ian Ott – Sabres PR)

 

01/21 – WGR: Ted Nolan's weekly segment on the Howard Simon Show <17:25>

 

01/21 – Panthers GameDay: Jan. 21 at Buffalo (FloridaPanthers.com)

 

01/21 – 5 Things To Watch: Jan. 21 at Buffalo (Glenn Odebralski – FloridaPanthers.com)

 

01/21 – Sabres rookie Mark Pysyk to sit tonight for healthy Henrik Tallinder (Bill Hoppe – Olean Times Herald)

 

01/21 – Ted Nolan speaks with the media following Tuesday's morning skate at First Niagara Center. <6:42>

 

01/21 – THE MORNING SKATE: TALLINDER TO RETURN AGAINST FLORIDA (Chris Ryndak – Sabres.com)

 

01/21 – Watch as five Sabres get their heads shaved to support Bald for Bucks. <2:02>

 

01/21 – Dan Dunleavy previews Tuesday night's game against the Panthers at First Niagara Center. <2:43>

 

01/21 – Zemgus Girgensons speaks with the media following Tuesday's morning skate at First Niagara Center. <1:55>

 

01/21 – Drew Stafford speaks with the media following Tuesday's morning skate at First Niagara Center. <2:11>

 

01/21 – Henrik Tallinder speaks with the media following Tuesday's morning skate at First Niagara Center. <4:11>

 

01/21 – Joe Sacco speaks with Sabres.com prior to Tuesday night's game against the Panthers at First Niagara Center. <0:47>

 

POSTGAME LINKS

 

01/21 – POST-GAME NEWSLETTER: Florida Panthers @ Buffalo Sabres (NHL.com)

 

01/21 – Post-Game Report: 1/21 vs. FLA (Ian Ott – Sabres.com)

 

01/21 – STAFFORD SCORES TWICE IN LOSS TO PANTHERS (Chris Ryndak – Sabres.com)

 

01/21 – Dan Dunleavy recaps the Sabres 4-3 loss to the Panthers. <2:37>

 

01/21 – Ted Nolan speaks with the media following the Sabres 4-3 loss to the Panthers. <3:15>

 

01/21 – Drew Stafford speaks with the media following the Sabres 4-3 loss to the Panthers. <2:50>

 

01/21 – Steve Ott speaks with the media following the Sabres 4-3 loss to the Panthers[. <1:53>

 

01/21 – Ryan Miller speaks with the media following the Sabres 4-3 loss to the Panthers. <1:50>

 

01/21 – Henrik Tallinder speaks with the media following the Sabres 4-3 loss to the Panthers. <1:41>

[inkman]

I like exactly 3 of our forwards

[Wyldnwoody44]

I like exactly 3 of our forwards

Leino, Omark, Scott?

[HowBoutaSenseofHumor]

Poor Rolston, poor Regier. How anyone could have expected this team to be any good at the beginning of this year is beyond me.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Poor Rolston, poor Regier. How anyone could have expected this team to be any good at the beginning of this year is beyond me.

This team sucks, but I have no sympathy for rolston or regier.... The level of play is leaps and bounds better since the removal of those gents.

[inkman]

Leino, Omark, Scott?

I don't mind Scott so much but he's not in my 3.

[Wyldnwoody44]

 

I don't mind Scott so much but he's not in my 3.

I can get on board with Hodgson, Ott, Ennis, Gus and Moulson.... And Ott and Ennis are a stretch

[HowBoutaSenseofHumor]

Really? Rolston was 4-16 when he was fired and Nolan is 9-18 since.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Really? RReally? Rolston was 4-16 when he was fired and Nolan is 9-18 since.

9-18 is still better than 4-16

At this point I'm not looking at the team's record, rolston played the most boring style of hockey, there was zero grit or effort, it was brutal watching a game

 

Even tho we are losing now, I can actually sit down and enjoy a good chunk of most of the games as of late, with this lineup, that counts for a lot

[WildCard]

3rd wheeling with my buddy and his girl to this, sitting 4 rows behind the penalty box. The tickets were unbelievably cheap ($33) so I figured why not.

 

Plus, he's DD-ing, so there's that :beer:

[HowBoutaSenseofHumor]

A loss is a loss, dude. How could you not look at the record? It seems people have these pre-concieved notions that since Nolan was our coach before and our team was tough, that he'll be able to do that again. That was 20 years ago. I don't have a problem with Nolan, but is he really the right guy for the job? I hope so.

[Wyldnwoody44]

A loss is a loss, dude. How could you not look at the record? It seems people have these pre-concieved notions that since Nolan was our coach before and our team was tough, that he'll be able to do that again. That was 20 years ago. I don't have a problem with Nolan, but is he really the right guy for the job? I hope so.

I'm only 30,so when he was our coach before I didn't get too in depth into hockey, I just watched and enjoyed as a youngster..... I know our record, and a loss is a loss, but with our lineup of 3rd and 4th liners I just don't expect too many wins.... I think he's the perfect person for the job at this point in time, maybe next year too, but after that I have no clue if he is the right man.... I trust that our new management will make the right decision (God I hope)

[inkman]

I hope so.

Do you?

[HowBoutaSenseofHumor]

Yes, hence why I said it.

[drnkirishone]

A loss is a loss, dude. How could you not look at the record? It seems people have these pre-concieved notions that since Nolan was our coach before and our team was tough, that he'll be able to do that again. That was 20 years ago. I don't have a problem with Nolan, but is he really the right guy for the job? I hope so.

Nolan didn't make our team tough back then. Having a lineup with little skill and littered with fighters made us tough. Rounding out that roster with fast skating high effort players made us unpleasant to play against

[HowBoutaSenseofHumor]

Tough as in the hardest working team in Hockey.

[drnkirishone]

Tough as in the hardest working team in Hockey.

in that case. Yes Nolan would be right for the job. He does well with hustle type players and gets good effort out of guys. Problem is I don't want hardest working team in hockey 2.0, I want the best team in hockey. I am not sure Nolan is the coach for that

[JJFIVEOH]

Panthers had a pretty impressive win tonight in Pittsburgh. That score wasn't a fluke. 12-7-2 in the last 21 games. Tim Thomas quietly putting together a pretty good year.

 

in that case. Yes Nolan would be right for the job. He does well with hustle type players and gets good effort out of guys. Problem is I don't want hardest working team in hockey 2.0, I want the best team in hockey. I am not sure Nolan is the coach for that

 

A GM builds the best team in hockey. A head coach gets them to work hard regardless of talent. I don't see how Nolan couldn't fit.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Thomas is unorthodox but he gets the job done, he's getting up there in age too I believe.

 

On a side note, I hate trying to sleep in the on call room.... Hence why I'm posting at 2 a.m

[JJFIVEOH]

Thomas is unorthodox but he gets the job done, he's getting up there in age too I believe.

 

On a side note, I hate trying to sleep in the on call room.... Hence why I'm posting at 2 a.m

 

He is so much fun to watch. He's always laughing and smiling, he talks to the refs a lot and when they skate away he's always laughing about something. I wish they would mic him up for a night. Sometimes I think he's listening to voices in his head.

 

Watch a replay of an early season Rolston game, that'll put you to sleep.

[Andrew Amerk]

 

 

He is so much fun to watch. He's always laughing and smiling, he talks to the refs a lot and when they skate away he's always laughing about something. I wish they would mic him up for a night. Sometimes I think he's listening to voices in his head.

 

Watch a replay of an early season Rolston game, that'll put you to sleep.

 

I keep forgetting that RR was even here.

[qwksndmonster]

Really? Rolston was 4-16 when he was fired and Nolan is 9-18 since.

Going from winning once every 5 games to winning once every 3 games is quite significant, don't you think? Especially with a roster that has such little talent. Nolan is also about 500 times more likable when he talks than the Ronner was.

 

Thomas is unorthodox but he gets the job done, he's getting up there in age too I believe.

 

On a side note, I hate trying to sleep in the on call room.... Hence why I'm posting at 2 a.m

People don't normally post at 2 am? :huh: Are you in the on call room at the hospital, or does your wife make you sleep in the guest bedroom when you might have to shuffle off to fix people? :P

[HowBoutaSenseofHumor]

Winning 1 in every 3 and winning 1 in every 5 are exactly the same cause you ain't makin the PLAYOFFS.

[JJFIVEOH]

I keep forgetting that RR was even here.

 

 

Sorry, didn't mean to remind ya.

[Norcal]

The effort has been better with Nolan, stands to reason if the talent is improved and the effort sustained then this team will be better soon. As a lifelong Sabres fan I understand that not all seasons can end with a Stanley Cup. By most accounts the Penguins are an elite team but even they finished dead last in the league a few times. Once leading to Mario Lemeiux and another time Sidney Crosby.