The play before the play — how the Buffalo Sabres really scored nine goals in one game

[PASabreFan]

Dahlin's magic, 15:06 left in the first — Rasmus Dahlin moves quickly on an Ottawa lift-in that ends up behind Linus Ullmark. With a Sen closing in, Dahlin no-look-reverses the puck to the far half wall, where Evan Rodrigues is waiting. Under pressure, Rodrigues kicks it out to Vladimir Sobotka, and the Sabres are away on a three-on-two break that Kyle Okposo's half-slapper finishes 10 seconds after the number-one draft pick's uncanny play.

Ristolainen's volley, 13:42 left in the first — With Chris Tierny and Bobby Ryan bearing down on him at the right point, Rasmus Ristolainen, his right skate in the neutral zone and Jake McCabe a little deeper in the zone, is the last man back. He calmly controls a skittering puck and shoots it off the netting behind the goal — disaster averted. Jeff Skinner scores seven seconds after the ensuing faceoff.

McCabe's pinch, 6:17 left in the first — Skinner wins a faceoff in the Ottawa zone, but Matt Duchene wins the puck from Jack Eichel along the left wing wall and soccers the puck to himself. Nick Paul then clears it toward Mikkel Boedker at center. Like Risto earlier, McCabe is the last line of defense. He steps up on Boedker in front of the Ottawa bench as Eichel sprints back to play D. McCabe taps the puck off the boards to the captain, who does a wide swoop through the neutral zone. One Jason Pominville tip-in, then another 42 seconds after McCabe's play, and it's 3-0.

Eichel's engine, 15:01 left in the second — After being tripped into the back boards and skating gingerly to the bench, Eichel's out there on the second peepah unit. Sam Reinhart misses him with a pass at the bottom of the right circle, but with the puck bounding off the far half boards, Eichel hustles to beat Tom Pyatt to the puck. With just his left hand on his stick, he taps it back to Ristolainen, and seven seconds later, another Reinhart pass connects for Skinner's second goal.

PA's juju, 14:54 left in the second — Before the ensuing faceoff after Skinner's goal, in a bedraggled mobile home in extreme northern PA, a lonely hermit with a McLean Stevenson fetish decides it's time for some real Swedish magic. A switch is flipped and a strobe light cuts crazy lines across a Johan Larsson wall shrine and illuminates a living room that is otherwise lit only by a bare light bulb that swings back and forth on an extension cord rigged to the popcorn ceiling in the adjoining kitchen, moved by the wind through an open window that allows the raccoons to come and go as they please... OK, wait... as if on cue, Larsson cuts off the Ottawa backup goalie's clear up the near wall and sends it behind Dylan Demelo for Patrik Berglund below the goal line. Thirteen seconds after PA does a little dance, makes a little love to his Larsson hand puppet, Zemgus Girgensons scores. "Hello, Larry"!

Dahlin's block, 13:09 left in the second — Before the Sens can even think about quickly scoring again to make it 5-2, Dahlin blocks Paul's wrister in the high slot off his skate, locates the puck at his feet and shovels a short backhand pass to Eichel, whose ginger hair is already on fire. Fifteen seconds later, Pominville scores an evil twin companion to his first goal for a 6-1 Buffalo lead.

Sheary's helper, 12:18 left in the second — Conor Sheary goes to the shooter at the left point and deadens Christian Jaros' shot. As the puck deflects toward Reinhart above the circles, Sheary doesn't admire his play, he takes off down the ice, in behind the Ottawa defense. One fine Reinhart backhand shovel pass through center later, Sheary's in the clear. Six seconds after the shot block, it's Sheary from Reinhart and Sheary.

Ristolainen's engagement, 14:21 left in the third — After their power play ends, the Sabres keep the Globetrotters music going. Ristolainen and Girgensons trade places on the left wing, and then Ristolainen and Berglund execute a give and go behind the net. Ristolainen's shot from the bottom of the right circle is blocked by Erik Burgdoerfer, but the defenseman follows his shot, knocks Burgdoerfer off balance and goes in for seconds. Berglund immediately steps into the chaos and further grays Mike McKenna's temples.

Hockey gods' orchestration, 6:58 left in the third — The Senators ice the puck, and the game presentation coordinator in the arena calls for Neil Diamond's classic. On a day where the timing always seemed to be perfect, the puck is dropped at "yooooou," and the delirious crowd picks up "Sweet Caroline." No one will convince me that the hockey gods didn't time the whole thing to have Casey Mittelstadt score and have the horn wipe out the third "so good" in the sequence.

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by PASabreFan

[Eleven]

This is some quality content!

[7+6=13]

Nice work

[Taro T]

Very nice recap, PA.

But waaaaaaaay TMI on that 6th goal about Dahlin's efforts. ;)

[nfreeman]

Outstanding.

Strong contender for POTY so far.

[PASabreFan]

29 minutes ago, Eleven said:

This is some quality content!

I vow to produce quality content every time the Sabres score nine goals (and win).

[Redneck]

Thank you so much for the analysis!  I subscribe to NHL.tv and went back to your timelines and watched these plays.  Certainly I focused on Eichel and Dahlin.

Dahlins passes - especially the quick backhand to Eichel (re: Dahlin's block, 13:09 left in the second) was just crazy and quick.  When we was drafted, there was lots of talk about Dahlin hitting Eichel in stride - I was thinking of Eichel getting breakaways, but that was a great example -- a quick pass in our zone and Eichel had room to have a clean zone entry with a 2-on-2, which became a 3-on-3, then Eichel bought time/space to get his shot where Pommers put in the rebound.

Great example of our future!

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

I vow to produce quality content every time the Sabres score nine goals (and win).

I hope that you are all limbered up for today and that the Sabres pile on a 10 spot on the Rangers.

GO SABRES!!

 

[Taro T]

20 minutes ago, Redneck said:

Thank you so much for the analysis!  I subscribe to NHL.tv and went back to your timelines and watched these plays.  Certainly I focused on Eichel and Dahlin.

Dahlins passes - especially the quick backhand to Eichel (re: Dahlin's block, 13:09 left in the second) was just crazy and quick.  When we was drafted, there was lots of talk about Dahlin hitting Eichel in stride - I was thinking of Eichel getting breakaways, but that was a great example -- a quick pass in our zone and Eichel had room to have a clean zone entry with a 2-on-2, which became a 3-on-3, then Eichel bought time/space to get his shot where Pommers put in the rebound.

Great example of our future!

The pass up setting up the rush leading to the goal is more impressive when you realize that was the last time Dahlin stepped on the ice that day (unless you count briefly testing the ankle during the stoppage after Ullmark/the post's breakaway save).  Though he was in pain, he had the presence of mind to spin & chip the puck to a spot Eichel could take over.

[Neo]

PA channeling Flagg ...  while remaining PA!  It’s like The Boy With The Best Personality is also the Varsity Quarterback.   Well done ...

[Scottysabres]

This is completely AWESOME!!!!

Thank you PA.

[Samson's Flow]

This was great, and I found it even better after reading your post then watching the noon replay of the game yesterday. I found myself noticing the things you mentioned and knowing that a goal was coming in the next 5-10 seconds. I noticed Dahlin's Magic, McCabe's pinch, Eichel' Engine and Dahlin's Block during my re-watch without actively looking for them, and they were all great plays. It was cool to notice the little effort or skill plays that make the goals happen - well done!