GDT Colorado Avs vs Buffalo Sabres 10-11-2018 at 7pm

[North Buffalo]

20 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This is what we should expect all season.  Is anyone really going to be upset if the team goes 41-41-0?  

This team is learning to play together.  The kids are learning to play in the NHL.  They are better and will continue to improve as the season progresses.

God I hope so... You can see glimpses, just the inconsistencies drive me up a wall.  Can't wait til Casey and Tage along with Nylander figure it out.

[Andrew Amerk]

I blame HCPH sitting Elie and starting Larry. 

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

7 hours ago, MODO Hockey said:

Wonder that to, really having a hard time playing, doesnt get much right

Did not like the skinner trade at all.  Thought maybe a better center make him great seems like he does t like style

[Eleven]

7 hours ago, nfreeman said:

2 minutes in the box for you sir.  

Absolutely.

[PASabreFan]

9 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Does anybody know their record with/without Doug Allen singing? @PASabreFan, do you keep track in your stat book? 

Why, of course. It's all in there. What do you need? (I'm only stalling because I'm going to need some time to pull together some phony numbers.)

[LGR4GM]

I'm done with Housley. I am so sick and tired of watching players hit out blue line and do a drop pass. Risto did it twice last night and there was no one around him. It kills the rush and doesn't confuse anyone. What a joke. 

Housley's post game comments infuriated me. What a loser. They are learning to win? No they play like garbage, hung their GT out to dry and mustered no urgency until they were down 4-1. The team is a reflection of the coach and the coach is a soft and quiet, like a teddy bear. At least Eichel attempted last night but the coaching staff has apparently taught him NOT TO SHOOT. He had multiple opportunities and passed almost every single time. 

They looked mediocre in their wins and then they got their s#!t caved in when they basically didn't show up for the first period. I liked the Housley hire and now I hate it. He has this team playing like he sounds in his pressers, soft and milquetoast.  

[TrueBlueGED]

10 hours ago, SDS said:

JB  May be a first time general manager, but Phil is not the first head coach he has been around. He will know BS if and when he sees it.  He will know if it is lack of talent or poor coaching. 

This only holds if Botterill is good at it, which we have about as much evidence for as Housley being a good coach. 

38 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Why, of course. It's all in there. What do you need? (I'm only stalling because I'm going to need some time to pull together some phony numbers.)

I fully believe in your ability to fabricate numbers quickly to support your dislike of Allen. You can do it!

[darksabre]

24 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I'm done with Housley. I am so sick and tired of watching players hit out blue line and do a drop pass. Risto did it twice last night and there was no one around him. It kills the rush and doesn't confuse anyone. What a joke. 

Housley's post game comments infuriated me. What a loser. They are learning to win? No they play like garbage, hung their GT out to dry and mustered no urgency until they were down 4-1. The team is a reflection of the coach and the coach is a soft and quiet, like a teddy bear. At least Eichel attempted last night but the coaching staff has apparently taught him NOT TO SHOOT. He had multiple opportunities and passed almost every single time. 

They looked mediocre in their wins and then they got their s#!t caved in when they basically didn't show up for the first period. I liked the Housley hire and now I hate it. He has this team playing like he sounds in his pressers, soft and milquetoast.  

I'm starting to sour on Phil. I HATE hearing comments from players about how they "weren't ready to play" and "didn't have a good practice".

This stuff needs to go away. We've been hearing it for what seems like forever. 

I need Jack to do things that elevate his teammates. His response to losing seems to be to try to make things more complicated and to try to do more things himself. It's not working, and it seems to infect the other players when he starts doing it. 

This team isn't "learning how to win". They're just continuing the same old bad habits. Especially Jack. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

On 10/11/2018 at 9:53 AM, N S said:

5 posts thus far and only 2 of them are GDT related.

I have a very good feeling about this one.  I think the Sabres win big ... 5 - 1.  Samson with 2 goals, Eich with 2 gaols and The Big D with his first in the NHL.  Hutton with the Miller shutout.

GO SABRES!!

Missed it by that much, eh.

[eman]

37 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I'm done with Housley. I am so sick and tired of watching players hit out blue line and do a drop pass. Risto did it twice last night and there was no one around him. It kills the rush and doesn't confuse anyone. What a joke. 

Housley's post game comments infuriated me. What a loser. They are learning to win? No they play like garbage, hung their GT out to dry and mustered no urgency until they were down 4-1. The team is a reflection of the coach and the coach is a soft and quiet, like a teddy bear. At least Eichel attempted last night but the coaching staff has apparently taught him NOT TO SHOOT. He had multiple opportunities and passed almost every single time. 

They looked mediocre in their wins and then they got their s#!t caved in when they basically didn't show up for the first period. I liked the Housley hire and now I hate it. He has this team playing like he sounds in his pressers, soft and milquetoast.  

Absolutely agree with you 100%. Another poor start to a game that put this team behind the 8 ball and they discussed this before the start of this season! Seems like a trend that is continuing and yes, their 2 wins were thanks to their goaltender, not all that impressive for this club. In my opinion, you can dismiss Phil at anytime, preferably, the sooner the better. Those among us expecting a huge turnaround at some point this season, I think you will be left wondering. Done by American Thanksgiving......again.

[jsb]

My takes from the game:

1. Special teams were terrible 2 for 4 on PK 0 for 7 on PP. You can't go 0 for 7 and expect to be in the game, does Okposo need to be exchanged on PP1 team?? This is on Phil IMO
2. McCabe, Skinner, Sheary, Berglund had terrible games individually
3. I haven't been overly impressed with Dahlin offensively like I thought I would but I am impressed with his defensive game for an 18YO
4. Casey is slowly but surely improving his all around game and we're going to have to be patient with Tage
5. For all the angst with Larry playing, he added toughness and was one of the forwards who played well on PK
6. I'm trying to be patient with Phil but I've gone from being a big fan to not so much anymore
7. Can anyone other than Jack carry the puck over the blue line on the power play..... ANYBODY??

 

[bunomatic]

For all that Sheary tries to do out there he sure turns the puck over. Not one of his better outings. And will Skinner ever find his game. Dahlin I got no problems with. He plays like a wily veteran despite the odd miscue. Overall that game brought back some bad memories from recent seasons past. No matter how much things change they stay the same. 

[SDS]

40 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

This only holds if Botterill is good at it, which we have about as much evidence for as Housley being a good coach. 

He doesn't need to be good at team building to know BS when he hears/sees it. I think he is perfectly capable at diagnosing a situation, even if he isn't skilled at fixing it.

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I'm done with Housley. I am so sick and tired of watching players hit out blue line and do a drop pass. Risto did it twice last night and there was no one around him. It kills the rush and doesn't confuse anyone. What a joke. 

Housley's post game comments infuriated me. What a loser. They are learning to win? No they play like garbage, hung their GT out to dry and mustered no urgency until they were down 4-1. The team is a reflection of the coach and the coach is a soft and quiet, like a teddy bear. At least Eichel attempted last night but the coaching staff has apparently taught him NOT TO SHOOT. He had multiple opportunities and passed almost every single time. 

They looked mediocre in their wins and then they got their s#!t caved in when they basically didn't show up for the first period. I liked the Housley hire and now I hate it. He has this team playing like he sounds in his pressers, soft and milquetoast.   

Phil is Jerry Lundegaard.

Phil Housley : [growing uncomfortable with the questioning]  Ma'am, I answered your question!

Paul Hamilton : [long pause]  I'm sorry, sir?

Phil Housley : Ma'am, I answered your question! I answered the darned... I'm cooperatin' here!

Paul Hamilton : [serious tone]  Sir, you have no call to get snippy with me. I'm just doing my job here.

Phil Housley :  I'm... I'm not arguing here! I'm cooperating. So there's no need to... we're doin' all we can here.

Paul Hamilton : Sir, could I talk to Mr. Botterill?

[nfreeman]

I didn't think they started the game poorly -- CO's 1st 2 goals were fluky, as was their 4th. 

I agree that special teams was the difference in the game.

It looked like Howie moved Mittsie up to play with Skinner later in the game.

Let's see how they react to this setback.

[darksabre]

It would be nice if Housley let the talented players all play together instead of spreading them amongst the boat anchors. 

[Samson's Flow]

15 hours ago, Thorny said:

Then they should run Skinner - Mittelstadt - Okposo and Larsson - Berglund - Thompson, and try to limit offence from the other team with that second line. 

I'm scanning through the GDT thread from yesterday and caught this gem. Seems they like your idea Thorny - those are the practice lines today

[Randall Flagg]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I'm done with Housley. I am so sick and tired of watching players hit out blue line and do a drop pass. Risto did it twice last night and there was no one around him. It kills the rush and doesn't confuse anyone. What a joke. 

Housley's post game comments infuriated me. What a loser. They are learning to win? No they play like garbage, hung their GT out to dry and mustered no urgency until they were down 4-1. The team is a reflection of the coach and the coach is a soft and quiet, like a teddy bear. At least Eichel attempted last night but the coaching staff has apparently taught him NOT TO SHOOT. He had multiple opportunities and passed almost every single time. 

They looked mediocre in their wins and then they got their s#!t caved in when they basically didn't show up for the first period. I liked the Housley hire and now I hate it. He has this team playing like he sounds in his pressers, soft and milquetoast.  

They controlled the entire game against Vegas, and certainly weren't worse than NYR in that game. You've got to stop treating every game like the single most important and telling event in the entire world if you don't want to make yourself hate this sport

[SDS]

15 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

They controlled the entire game against Vegas, and certainly weren't worse than NYR in that game. You've got to stop treating every game like the single most important and telling event in the entire world if you don't want to make yourself hate this sport

82 one-game seasons. I'm telling ya.

[Samson's Flow]

5 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

They controlled the entire game against Vegas, and certainly weren't worse than NYR in that game. You've got to stop treating every game like the single most important and telling event in the entire world if you don't want to make yourself hate this sport

It's amazing how the team is amazing after they win and the sky is falling after they lose. It is a Sabres message board so I guess it comes with the territory.

I'm glad the games have been watchable so far, and that the GDT threads are back up to consistent double digit page counts.

[GASabresIUFAN]

The fire Phil talk is a lot premature and a little funny.  He has had 4 games with this new roster. 4 games. Were you expecting a 4-0 start?  Our first 4 games were against 3 playoff teams from last season, including a Cup finalist and the Rags.  We ended up 2-2.  On paper we should have been favored in none of the 4 games.  

It is going to take time to gel.  Lets see what we look like at the quarter poll.  If this team is still playing 500 hockey, we should all be thrilled.  Skinner, Berglund, Casey, Dahlin and Thompson haven’t really added anything yet. Once they do, I think you’ll be alot happier with the team and PH.

Please don't forget we are skating with 50% new forwards, a rookie on our 2nd D pair, a 3rd pair of 2 part time players from last year and 2 new goalies.

 

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The fire Phil talk is a lot premature and a little funny.  He has had 4 games with this new roster. 4 games. Were you expecting a 4-0 start?  Our first 4 games were against 3 playoff teams from last season, including a Cup finalist and the Rags.  We ended up 2-2.  On paper we should have been favored in none of the 4 games.  

It is going to take time to gel.  Lets see what we look like at the quarter poll.  If this team is still playing 500 hockey, we should all be thrilled.  Skinner, Berglund, Casey, Dahlin and Thompson haven’t really added anything yet. Once they do, I think you’ll be alot happier with the team and PH.

Please don't forget we are skating with 50% new forwards, a rookie on our 2nd D pair, a 3rd pair of 2 part time players from last year and 2 new goalies.

 

So many excuses. Who cares what those teams did last season. I don't care. We shouldn't have been favored in any of those games? Have you looked at the Rangers roster? It is abysmal. If we are going to have another season of "not being able to beat playoff teams because they are playoff teams" then forfeit the season now. This team is playing with the same meh attitude they had last year. So either Jack Eichel is trash and we should burn the thing down or Housley is trash and we need a new coach. Bylsma I know was trash.

 

Let me ask you a question. What did Kirby Smart say after his team beat the s#!t out of Vandy in the 2nd half last week? He was asked about it as he walk off the field and his response was perfection. It was basically, "we have lots to work and things to clean up. We need to be better and we can play better. I was not satisfied with our game today." Roughly what he said as he ran off the field from what I remember. Housley is in here after his team gets destroyed 6-1 talking about how they are young group of guys learning to win... so sick of the excuses and the lack of accountability. You have a team that won by 30 points who's coach wasn't happy. Then you have a team that lost by 5 goals who came up with excuses why they lost. I'm just sick of hearing Phil's excuses. 

[LGR4GM]

Maybe, Phil will turn it around but right now, it's the same old story and the same old song and dance. 

[Randall Flagg]

I think I've found the problem - what these guys say in their interviews has no correlation to what gets said and done behind closed doors. These guys need to concoct something to say after 82 games. It's not something deep and penetrating from their soul, giving profound insight into how they operate. It's filler, junk. it gets even worse if they're a bad team, because an awful lot of losses come an those are always harder to talk about. That's why I haven't sat to listen to a post game interview for at least 6 years. 

Context clues have indicated that Phil is quite hard on these guys after losses like this. He just doesn't rip into them in front of the microphones, because if you look at the coaches that do that nowadays, they're all dumba$$ hot heads that suck and get fired in short order. 

 

[LGR4GM]

I don't think it makes you a hot head to walk up there and say, "this team was not good enough tonight and we need to improve x and y."