GDT GDT: Sabres @ Vegas Golden Knights, 10 pm ET, 10/17/17

[LTS]

I did not witness the ending.... I'm still good.

 

ROR started scoring.  Reinhart has two now (regardless of how they are scored).  We have 3 players in the top in scoring.

 

The PP finally clicked, the Sabres scored in a 5 on 3.

 

The biggest issue now is pulling it together as a team.  Their defensive zone coverage is bad and that takes knowing where you need to be at all times.  They are still making mistakes when pushing the play up ice.

 

Vegas is a team that is playing with ZERO expectations.  They have no baggage.  They are ALL players who were not kept by their prior teams so they have a collective chip on their shoulders.  They are a team that is playing for its city right now.  I'm not surprised at their energy levels.  I wouldn't suspect it to last into December but if it does good on them and if it does then it makes this loss to an "expansion team" that much more understandable.

 

The Sabres do have a lot of work to do.  Housley is right about that.  They do need some players as well.  The D is just not good enough but we already knew that about this team.  I still think if Falk and Bogosian are healthy they are in the lineup and the team is more solid on the back end.  I'm still concerned why Antipin hasn't been played over Beaulieu...  I'd say Tennyson but it seems he's doing just enough to stay in the lineup.

[StuckinFL]

I read that presser as this: they've got some confidence, they've seen what they can do. Now I can hammer them harder and not hurt their pretty little feelings. Now the kid gloves come off.

[7+6=13]

That's the problem I think:  Too much of the team's scoring wealth tied up in too few players.

 

Ok.  I laughed.

 

Carolina West?

 

The use of "Their" is definitely Carolina, haha.

 

All that "we" talk sure didn't sound like a Sabres fan.

[PASabreFan]

Only GM's with the vision of a 5 year old fire their coach after 10 games

True. But what if extraordinary things start happening? Like a 3-13-4 start? A fan revolt of some kind. Housley drives an ATV through the window at Paula's. No one though the USSR would fall apart that quickly, but it did.

 

This board tells me that Chad Johnson should be the number one goalie, that Evander Kane is a problem and that the Sabres lack heart.

 

Johnson came into this game @ 3.66 .875 and made those stats worse by allowing five goals in 31 shots tonight. His numbers are among the worst in the league.

 

Kane scored a clutch goal with nine seconds left to send the game to OT.

He has five goals and five assists and is in the top 10 in NHL scoring.

 

The Sabres were in the fourth game of a western road swing, playing their third game in four nights and were forced to kill off four consecutive penalties in the second period. They scored three goals in the final 10 minutes of a game where they by all rights should have been running for the bus as soon as Vegas popped the fourth goal.

 

Does the narrative match the truth?

They suck. They are 1-4-2. Survey saaaaaayyysssss...

[Huckleberry]

Was funny though, I turn of NHL.com at 06.15, get home at 06.45 see we lost in OT and it made me actually happy.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

They made some dreadful mistakes, but kept fighting right to the end.  This game showed that they have some heart.

 

It is a well known fact that I hate the loser point in the NHL, but last night the Sabres deserved and earned it.

[SwampD]

Someone needed to drop Carrier when he dumped Pominville after the whistle. That was lame.

 

 

That's all I got.

[LGR4GM]

They made some dreadful mistakes, but kept fighting right to the end.  This game showed that they have some heart.

 

It is a well known fact that I hate the loser point in the NHL, but last night the Sabres deserved and earned it.

Housley said the team didn't deserve to win.  And you know what I think he is right. They show up and routinely play 10-20minutes of hockey and think that is good enough, it isn't. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Housley said the team didn't deserve to win.  And you know what I think he is right. They show up and routinely play 10-20minutes of hockey and think that is good enough, it isn't. 

 

Well, fact is they did not win and I didn't say that they deserved to win.

 

They deserved and earned the tie in the last 10 minutes.

[Samson's Flow]

Housley said the team didn't deserve to win.  And you know what I think he is right. They show up and routinely play 10-20minutes of hockey and think that is good enough, it isn't. 

If they played at 90% of the last 10 minutes of the 3rd period for the whole game, we would be singing their praises for a fast start this year. It's inconsistent effort from my point of view that's the key problem.

[SwampD]

I still think we just need more good players. The bench has gotten awfuly short at then end of the last three games.

[darksabre]

I still think we just need more good players. The bench has gotten awfuly short at then end of the last three games.

I agree to a point. I think our biggest problem is that we haven't had any depth for quite some time. This team is still suffering for Darcy's mistakes. 

[Brawndo]

I agree to a point. I think our biggest problem is that we haven't had any depth for quite some time. This team is still suffering for Darcy's mistakes.

Unfortunately GMTM compounded them.

[North Buffalo]

traded too many draft choices, especially the ones for Lehner...

[Doohickie]

traded too many draft choices, especially the ones for Lehner...

 

Half a draft pick.

[LGR4GM]

traded too many draft choices, especially the ones for Lehner...

YOU MEAN BROCK BOESER!!!!!! 

 

Brock Boeser: 6'1" 192lb RW. 3games, 2g, 2a.  He was drafted 23rd overall in 2015. Buffalo owned the 21st overall pick.  

 

Okay, this will be the last time I bring him up... this month... week... I will try not to bring him up again today. 

[Thorny]

Housley said the team didn't deserve to win.  And you know what I think he is right. They show up and routinely play 10-20minutes of hockey and think that is good enough, it isn't.

 

 

 

Yup. They were able to turn it on in the third when Vegas went to sleep, thinking they had it wrapped up. Definition of garbage time, it meant nothing. When both teams were game last night, we saw what happened in the 1st and 2nd.

 

 

I still think we just need more good players. The bench has gotten awfuly short at then end of the last three games.

Agreed.

[jsb]

My thoughts on the game/s

Eichel-Kane and Pommy with 28 points so far unfortunately the rest of the team has a total of 19

I thought the team playing it's 4th game in 6 games plus the 3rd in 4 days caught up with them, it seemed like they were skating in 3 foot of water for a majority of the game

Nice come back in the 3rd, team showed it didn't quit

I'm not sure if it's a quirk but Gorges has been a positive for the D in his limited time

I liked ROR on the PP2 team. It always appeared that squad needed a QB and ROR provided it. They actually played as well as I've seen them in several years.

 

I still don't quite understand the anti-Kane phenomenon on this board. He's way down on the list of issues with this team but he seems to get the most pub.

Bogosian is needed if only to sit Risto down more often. He still makes rookie mistakes out there way to often. I'm not sure if he's trying to do too much or he's in desperate need of a mentor out there. Hopefully Scandella will help as time goes by.

ROR and Samson finally getting on the scoreboard. Hopefully this will pick up both their confidence and the teams. 

What has happened to McCabe?? He seems to have disappeared, 

Kane has 39 SOG, the next 2 highest players combined have less. Jack needs to shoot more but it's really hard to fault him for anything this year, he's played more D in 7 games than the previous 2 years combined.

 

The broadcast on NHL.TV was awful last night. Picture quality kept going out for the entire game. LV broadcast was slightly better but not much.

If it wasn't apparent before it's obvious now, we have a GK problem.

[Thorny]

^ Ya, I don't really want to pick on Kane when he's 6th in league scoring, or Eichel for not shooting more when the assists and points are piling up for him.

[TrueBlueGED]

Oh FFS there is no anti-Kane phenomenon.

Edited October 18, 2017 by TrueBlueGED

[darksabre]

Oh FFS there is no anti-Kane phenomenon.

PA about to barrel in here and call me out because he thinks I have a vendetta. 

 

I like Kane. I just hate how much of a detriment he is to the possession numbers of whatever line he's on. 

[Thorny]

Oh FFS there is no anti-Kane phenomenon.

It's definitely not anti-Kane. But it's assuredly an interesting scenario. It's not so much anti Kane as it is an oddly strong focus on the negative side of what he brings.

 

I can't count how many more times his negative affects on Eichel's line have been mentioned relative to it being pointed out that Kane is 6th overall in league scoring (Or leading our team in scoring). Honestly, that's just how it's been.

 

I don't need to be reminded that positive things have been said, and I'm in agreement with the negatives so I'm not interested in debating the merits of said points. It's a perfectly reasonable viewpoint to take. But it's still interesting that the guy is 6th overall in league scoring last I checked and I think that's been mentioned like twice. I think once by me just now.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Thorny

[TrueBlueGED]

It's definitely not anti-Kane. But it's assuredly an interesting scenario. It's not so much anti Kane as it is an oddly strong focus on the negative side of what he brings.

 

I can't count how many more times his negative affects on Eichel's line have been mentioned relative to it being pointed out that Kane is 6th overall in league scoring. Honestly, that's just how it's been.

 

I don't need to be reminded that positive things have been said, and I'm in agreement with the negatives so I'm not interested in debating the merits of said points. It's a perfectly reasonable viewpoint to take. But it's still interesting that the guy is 6th overall in league scoring last I checked and I think that's been mentioned like twice. I think once by me just now.

For me, it's because his particular flaws are the types that drive me fundamentally insane. It's like being poked in the eye, I have to groan in pain!

[Thorny]

For me, it's because his particular flaws are the types that drive me fundamentally insane. It's like being poked in the eye, I have to groan in pain!

For sure. Like I said I'm passing no judgement on that, in fact I'm finding myself in that camp fairly often as well.

 

It was just surprising to me when I saw Kane in the top 10. I've liked a lot about his play, and even I was surprised by it after hearing (and agreeing with) so much of the negativity around him here.

 

Regardless, 10 points in 7 games is just that. Pretty darn good.

 

But it's like in A Beautiful Mind: one must do what's best not just for themselves, but the group. Kane is in an ideal position to succeed right now, but perhaps if he played on line two or three, his numbers would only take a small hit relative to the benefit of the team.

[dudacek]

It's definitely not anti-Kane. But it's assuredly an interesting scenario. It's not so much anti Kane as it is an oddly strong focus on the negative side of what he brings.

I can't count how many more times his negative affects on Eichel's line have been mentioned relative to it being pointed out that Kane is 6th overall in league scoring (Or leading our team in scoring). Honestly, that's just how it's been.

I don't need to be reminded that positive things have been said, and I'm in agreement with the negatives so I'm not interested in debating the merits of said points. It's a perfectly reasonable viewpoint to take. But it's still interesting that the guy is 6th overall in league scoring last I checked and I think that's been mentioned like twice. I think once by me just now.

This is my perception as well.