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GDT: Buffalo @ Dallas, 8:30 pm est, 1-26-2017

WildCard

By WildCard
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WildCard

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Well, well, well. What do we have here, eh?
 
*ahem*
 
YYYYOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR BUFFALO SABRES are coming into Dallas tonight to kick some names and take some ass as they take on the Dallas Stars in a battle of what it was and what it never should be. As Buffalo vaults themselves up into the world, the Stars slowly crumble as a season of promise has been derailed by major roster issues and a sad, sad Lindy Ruff
 
So, how are ya boys doing you ask? Buffalo strolls into Dallas looking cooler than John Wayne and more badass than Clint Eastwood as they've reeled off 3, count'em 3, OT wins in a row against some of the best teams in the entire league. Well, actually at that stress level maybe they're more Steve Buscemi meets Bill Kilgore. Either way, the Sabres are 4-0-1 in their last 5, 6-3-1 in their last 10, and are only 5 points out of a WC spot with 2 games in hand. It's been a nice, and necessary run the Sabres have went on. Now good teams continue that by not focusing on what they've done, but what they need to do
 
And what do they need to do? They need to beat a bad Dallas Stars team
 
It's been a ruff, ruff season for the Stars this year around. The team who frequently dominated the West over the last few years has some major issues this season. A defense that lost Goligoski and traded for Russel has been poor at best, Seguin has been often out with injury, Benn is playing more like Girgensons than he is an Art Ross winner, and the goalie situation, which Nill sunk millions into, is still terrible. The Stars are, coincidentally, coming off 2 consecutive OT losses, most recently a 3-2 OT loss against Minnesota on Tuesday night. Dallas is 3-5-2 in their last 10, but are 12-7-6 at home this season.
 
The last time these two teams played Tyler Ennis enjoyed his return as on his first shift he made it 1-0 Buffalo with a wicked wrister as the Sabres would go on to win comfortably 4-1 and dominate the game
 
Game Preview
 
Wednesday Practice Report
 
All Stats: Dallas @ Buffalo, 4-1 win
 

Prior to the calendar flip the team was averaging just 2.1 goals per game. My belief was always that they needed to get that number closer to 2.7 for the season to have any realistic chance of staying in the race.
 
Well, an average of 3.3 goals per game this month has the season mark now at 2.43. And should they sustain the January pace, they would end the season at 2.80 which would likely make things awfully interesting in April.

 
Buffalo:
 
Forwards:
63 Tyler Ennis - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 21 Kyle Okposo  

82 Marcus Foligno - 15 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart

9 Evander Kane - 28 Zemgus Girgensons - 12 Brian Gionta 

44 Nicolas Deslauriers / 48 William Carrier - 19 Cal O'Reilly - 26 Matt Moulson
 
Defense:
77 Dmitry Kulikov - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen

47 Zach Bogosian - 6 Cody Franson 

41 Justin Falk - 38 Taylor Fedun

34 Casey Nelson
 
Goalies:
40 Robin Lehner
31 Anders Nilsson
 
 
 
498221512_slide.jpg

Edited by WildCard
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SabresBaltimore Fourth Liner

SabresBaltimore

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Ugh. 830pm start time, I get up at 4am for work. A nap may be in order before the game tonight.

 

I hope we can keep this momentum going and carry it into Montreal next week.

 

Maybe we can win this game in regulation. Maybe, take the lead and keep it the whole game, instead of fighting to come back from behind. Crazy talk I know..but I can dream right?

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TheAud Third Liner

TheAud

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Ugh. 830pm start time, I get up at 4am for work. A nap may be in order before the game tonight.

 

I hear you. I am out the door at 4:30AM to catch a flight to Asia and I haven't even packed yet. Still going to watch. 

 

 

Get Des out of the lineup.  That is all.

 

Amen, brother. 

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DarthEbriate All Star

DarthEbriate

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Unlike Rob Ray's keys to the game...which usually state to slow the game down and not get in to a shootout, this team needs to forget a little about defense and let the forwards go...we have some offensive talent...put pressure on the opponent

Ryano Cal’reillyan: Get as many goals as you can and engage those Stars Dallastroyers at point-blank range!

 

Admiral DB: At that close range we won’t last long against those Stars Dallastroyers.

 

Ryano Cal’reillyan: We’ll last longer than we will against your defensive system, and they might just score a few goals with us.

Edited by DarthEbriate
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pi2000 First Liner

pi2000

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With a win BUF could enter the break 10th in the conference a mere 3 points out of a wildcard spot with 2 games in-hand on PHI.

 

With so much to gain, this is one of those games where they typically no-show for 2 periods then play like Cup champions for the final 10 minutes.

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BetweenThePipes00 Second Liner

BetweenThePipes00

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Get Des out of the lineup.  That is all.

 

 

Amen, brother. 

 

I am not arguing this point but I needed a place to share this because it was one of my favorite moments from our little Eichel Tower adventure when the team was in Nashville. At the morning skate there were 5-7 guys milling around the bench waiting for the Zamboni to finish so they could get out there and they were just standing there chatting quietly or whatever. Then 44 comes out of the tunnel bouncing all over the place and says very loudly, in the thickest, most stereotypical French Canadian hockey player accent you can imagine "Hey boys! Let's slap the biscuit around for an hour, eh?!?!" as he knocks a pile of pucks off the boards and sends an arena worker scurrying to get one out of the way of the Zamboni. Then he hits the ice, turns hard left and checks Bogosian into the boards with a huge smile. Everyone laughs. Energy level up. Lots of smiles from there on out.

We can argue what the hell that actually adds to a team in terms of real value. Certainly there are guys out there who can bring that and contribute more, and he could still do that and be scratched for sure. But it was obvious the dude is well-liked, and I think it's always cool to see when a pro athlete doesn't take himself too seriously and seems to love what he does.

 

Anyway ... hate rooting against Lindy but big game tonight. Need to hit the break in a good mood.

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CallawaySabres First Liner

CallawaySabres

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With a win BUF could enter the break 10th in the conference a mere 3 points out of a wildcard spot with 2 games in-hand on PHI.

 

With so much to gain, this is one of those games where they typically no-show for 2 periods then play like Cup champions for the final 10 minutes.

 

Here is what I wrote before the Nashville game........it never happened

 

"Every single time these guys have a chance to get within striking distance with games in hand, they take 2/3rds of the game off and look terrible. This is the first game in a while where they can get within 3 points of Wildcard with a game still in hand. It's not like Philly can't be caught in the standings. Buffalo absolutely has to have this game tonight...."

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