GDT Florida Panthers at Buffalo Sabres 7:00pm ET 12/18/2018

[shrader]

20 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

If it was a dive, that was one of the great all-time dives.

 

11 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He knew Yandle was coming after him and did nothing.  Not quite a dive, but a purposeful and successful attempt to draw a penalty.  That's his game.  He was no victim on that play; he won the encounter by drawing the penalty.  Someone upthread compared it to Lucic-Miller but it wasn't anything like that.  Like I said, if the Sabres score on the ensuing PP, it's all good.  But they didn't.

 

My thoughts exactly.  He didn't offer up an ounce of resistance, knowing that it would gain them a powerplay.  I have absolutely no problem with it, but not every player would do that exact same thing (Bogosian is the first to come to mind).  Skinner was a willing participant in exactly what went on there, he made the choice to not respond.  Miller did not choose to have his head caved in.

[North Buffalo]

22 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He knew Yandle was coming after him and did nothing.  Not quite a dive, but a purposeful and successful attempt to draw a penalty.  That's his game.  He was no victim on that play; he won the encounter by drawing the penalty.  Someone upthread compared it to Lucic-Miller but it wasn't anything like that.  Like I said, if the Sabres score on the ensuing PP, it's all good.  But they didn't.

And he did slew foot Barkov... still would have liked one our D to step in.   Wasnt that concerned.

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

And he did slew foot Barkov... still would have liked one our D to step in.   Wasnt that concerned.

The penalty?  If his leg/foot made contact with Barkov at any point, it was already after the trip with the stick.  I can see how Florida might have viewed it that way initially, but even one single view of the replay, which I'm sure they saw several times at that point, would clear that up.

[R_Dudley]

8 hours ago, SwampD said:

I honestly don't know what to make of that game,… so I won't even try.

It had all the makings of a Shakespearean tragedy, so, in the end, all I can do is laugh.

Oh, well. On to the next.

Indeed, 

The Lady doth protest too much, 

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, 

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, 

and then there's another game.  So we can re-live the thrill of victory or agony of defeat...

[That Aud Smell]

52 minutes ago, shrader said:

The penalty?  If his leg/foot made contact with Barkov at any point, it was already after the trip with the stick.  I can see how Florida might have viewed it that way initially, but even one single view of the replay, which I'm sure they saw several times at that point, would clear that up.

Didn't Yandle say something post-game about he mistakenly "saw something he didn't see"?

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, North Buffalo said:

And he did slew foot Barkov... still would have liked one our D to step in.   Wasnt that concerned.

Yeah, I missed the actual slew foot, I just heard it was retaliation for an earlier incident.

[shrader]

15 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Didn't Yandle say something post-game about he mistakenly "saw something he didn't see"?

I've heard that comment now.  I don't buy it completely though.  There's no way they didn't know about it right there on the ice immediately.  We always see them looking up at the scoreboard to catch replays during stoppages.  Now unless they didn't show it again in the arena, there's no way that entire Florida team isn't on the bench staring up at the scoreboard after what they thought was a dirty hit.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, North Buffalo said:

And he did slew foot Barkov... still would have liked one our D to step in.   Wasnt that concerned.

It wasn't a slew foot.  He missed going for the puck & his stick pushed Barkov's foot.  It WAS a trip.  Had Barkov not fallen awkwardly, he doesn't come up gingerly and Yandle doesn't get the idea to have a Lucic-ish lite moment.

 

14 minutes ago, shrader said:

I've heard that comment now.  I don't buy it completely though.  There's no way they didn't know about it right there on the ice immediately.  We always see them looking up at the scoreboard to catch replays during stoppages.  Now unless they didn't show it again in the arena, there's no way that entire Florida team isn't on the bench staring up at the scoreboard after what they thought was a dirty hit.

They MAY not have shown the replay.  Ever since the Umberger hit they are reluctant to reshow plays resulting in injuries (especially on the opponent) on the Jumbotron.  Sometimes there is a replay, but not always.

[pi2000]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

As I recall, Yandle going after Skinner was retaliation for a hit Skinner had put on one of the Panthers (who I think had to leave the game at that point).  Yandle went after Skinner; no other Sabres (aside from Hutton) were nearby.  Skinner purposely *didn't* fight, in classical instigator fashion, resulting in a Sabres power play.  He just leered at him.  That was by design and resulted in a Sabres power play.  If the Sabres score on that PP, it's all good.  Skinner's a big boy, he knows what he's doing when he gets under the skin of the other team.  That's part of his game.  And the fight was nothing more than some clutching and grabbing with no punches thrown, resulting in a roughing penalty.  I didn't see this as a Lucic/Miller moment at all. 

Skinner pitchforked Barkov into the boards and Barkov had to leave the game for a bit but he was fine.   Yandle went after Skinner a few shifts later (after the ensuing PP) but didn't cheap shot him or even through a punch...he did drop the gloves and then wrestle Skinner down to the ice, but no punches were thrown.   Nothing remotely close to the Miller/Lucic incident.   

[shrader]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

They MAY not have shown the replay.  Ever since the Umberger hit they are reluctant to reshow plays resulting in injuries (especially on the opponent) on the Jumbotron.  Sometimes there is a replay, but not always.

 

I wouldn't be surprised by that actually.  I haven't been in that building in ages, but it was something that would always drive me crazy at BU games.  They would never show an anti-BU replay in that building.  Goals scored by the opposing team?  No replay.  It always seemed incredibly stupid to me.  Depending on your seats, there were plenty of times where you weren't sure how a goal was cored.  Then there's all those times where you'll see the players watching the replay as kind of an instant scouting report.  By cutting out those replays, you're actually holding back the team itself sometimes.

[Doohickie]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Skinner pitchforked Barkov into the boards and Barkov had to leave the game for a bit but he was fine.   Yandle went after Skinner a few shifts later (after the ensuing PP) but didn't cheap shot him or even through a punch...he did drop the gloves and then wrestle Skinner down to the ice, but no punches were thrown.   Nothing remotely close to the Miller/Lucic incident.   

Yeah, I missed the Barkov incident.  I was eating dinner at the time and must have looked away at that point.  I head them talking about it when Yandle went after him (which I did see).  That was Skinner being an agitator, and it worked out just the way he intended.

[pi2000]

21 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Big test here for Housley to get these guys in the right frame of mind after a big weekend on the road.    This has all the markings of a big letdown type of game where nobody plays well.    Can Housley get these guys ready to play?    

A month ago their problem was bad starts.

Now their starts are much better, but they just haven't figured out how to play with a lead yet... it will happen, but might take some time.    This is where Housley really needs to take the reigns and guide these young players.

[Kruppstahl]

1 hour ago, shrader said:

 

 

My thoughts exactly.  He didn't offer up an ounce of resistance, knowing that it would gain them a powerplay.  I have absolutely no problem with it, but not every player would do that exact same thing (Bogosian is the first to come to mind).  Skinner was a willing participant in exactly what went on there, he made the choice to not respond.  Miller did not choose to have his head caved in.

That wasn't a dive, although Skinner is definitely a diver.

That is called turtling to avoid getting killed.

Pretty cowardly overall, but with his goal scoring this year, I'll cut him some slack.

Let the singers sing and the dancers dance.  

Too bad we don't really have anyone left on the team to properly address the situation with Yandle.  

Bogo can't do all the fighting, and he's not very good at it anyway.

 

 

[Huckleberry]

Our middle six really is the issue here, no offensive output at all.   Since our 10 game winning streak ended Zemgus is our 4th scoring forward 1+2.  

Time for a trade or call someone up from Rochester.   I'd do Sobotka for Brassard straight up, take a look at Coyle who might be available from the wild.

[PASabreFan]

10 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

That wasn't a dive, although Skinner is definitely a diver.

That is called turtling to avoid getting killed.

Pretty cowardly overall, but with his goal scoring this year, I'll cut him some slack.

Let the singers sing and the dancers dance.  

Too bad we don't really have anyone left on the team to properly address the situation with Yandle.  

Bogo can't do all the fighting, and he's not very good at it anyway.

Thanks. It was the use of the term diving that confused me. I thought maybe shrader was suggesting Skinner hurled himself to the ice or something, or embellished.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, shrader said:

Skinner is a diver, so everything he did there with Yandle fits his game perfectly.  There really was nothing to see there.  It was a guy who draws penalties drawing a penalty, just as you're suggesting.

Skinner did not dive and he did not agitate or instigate anything with Yandle.  His hit on Barkov was not a penalty either but Barkov fell into the boards in an odd manner.  Apparently Yandle and the Panthers decided to rally around this. 

Look at the replay, I can replay the game and I have watched it a few times,  Yandle chased Skinner with the purpose of fighting him.  He  grabbed him and rode him into the boards, he put him in a headlock.  Then Yandle dropped his gloves and body slammed him.   Skinner smartly took the penalty, never dropped them, nor should he.     No Sabre came his aid which I think is a problem, but ok, in todays game we frown on that I guess.

 

So lets get them with a power play goal and go up 3-1.  The Power play had all kinds of zone time and passed the puck arounf the Florida box, barley taking shots, and they had no on in front of the net.  Just 5 guys passing it around the perimeter wasting time.   So no goal.  This is where I would have expected someone to go after Yandle. Oh yeah, that is frowned upon today.

Next thing you know Yandle throws a shot that is wide of the net and it gets tipped in.  Tie game.  Their Captain has them fired up, no one on Buffalo wants to answer the bell for his indiscretions in our rink except the fans who are booing him at every turn. 

Then the "travesty" of Dahlin losing the puck, the penalty shot, the almost save.  3-2 and the Sabres are done, but they were already done and minutes later they gave up another.

Defending yourself still has a place in the NHL.  Not too many teams would have let that happen without a response.   No way did Skinner dive or instigate.  Dahlin did not lose the game buy his mistake.  We have come back from worse this year. 

Buffalo backed down and Florida imposed their will. 

 

 

[PASabreFan]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Skinner did not dive and he did not agitate or instigate anything with Yandle.  His hit on Barkov was not a penalty either but Barkov fell into the boards in an odd manner.  Apparently Yandle and the Panthers decided to rally around this. 

Look at the replay, I can replay the game and I have watched it a few times,  Yandle chased Skinner with the purpose of fighting him.  He  grabbed him and rode him into the boards, he put him in a headlock.  Then Yandle dropped his gloves and body slammed him.   Skinner smartly took the penalty, never dropped them, nor should he.     No Sabre came his aid which I think is a problem, but ok, in todays game we frown on that I guess.

 

So lets get them with a power play goal and go up 3-1.  The Power play had all kinds of zone time and passed the puck arounf the Florida box, barley taking shots, and they had no on in front of the net.  Just 5 guys passing it around the perimeter wasting time.   So no goal.  This is where I would have expected someone to go after Yandle. Oh yeah, that is frowned upon today.

Next thing you know Yandle throws a shot that is wide of the net and it gets tipped in.  Tie game.  Their Captain has them fired up, no one on Buffalo wants to answer the bell for his indiscretions in our rink except the fans who are booing him at every turn. 

Then the "travesty" of Dahlin losing the puck, the penalty shot, the almost save.  3-2 and the Sabres are done, but they were already done and minutes later they gave up another.

Defending yourself still has a place in the NHL.  Not too many teams would have let that happen without a response.   No way did Skinner dive or instigate.  Dahlin did not lose the game buy his mistake.  We have come back from worse this year. 

Buffalo backed down and Florida imposed their will. 

Great post, but Skinner absolutely put his stick on Barkov's skate and pushed, a really dangerous and dirty play that didn't appear to be a play on the puck.

[pi2000]

9 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Skinner did not dive and he did not agitate or instigate anything with Yandle.  His hit on Barkov was not a penalty either but Barkov fell into the boards in an odd manner.  Apparently Yandle and the Panthers decided to rally around this. 

Look at the replay, I can replay the game and I have watched it a few times,  Yandle chased Skinner with the purpose of fighting him.  He  grabbed him and rode him into the boards, he put him in a headlock.  Then Yandle dropped his gloves and body slammed him.   Skinner smartly took the penalty, never dropped them, nor should he.     No Sabre came his aid which I think is a problem, but ok, in todays game we frown on that I guess.

 

So lets get them with a power play goal and go up 3-1.  The Power play had all kinds of zone time and passed the puck arounf the Florida box, barley taking shots, and they had no on in front of the net.  Just 5 guys passing it around the perimeter wasting time.   So no goal.  This is where I would have expected someone to go after Yandle. Oh yeah, that is frowned upon today.

Next thing you know Yandle throws a shot that is wide of the net and it gets tipped in.  Tie game.  Their Captain has them fired up, no one on Buffalo wants to answer the bell for his indiscretions in our rink except the fans who are booing him at every turn. 

Then the "travesty" of Dahlin losing the puck, the penalty shot, the almost save.  3-2 and the Sabres are done, but they were already done and minutes later they gave up another.

Defending yourself still has a place in the NHL.  Not too many teams would have let that happen without a response.   No way did Skinner dive or instigate.  Dahlin did not lose the game buy his mistake.  We have come back from worse this year. 

Buffalo backed down and Florida imposed their will. 

 

 

He didn't body slam Skinner.   Yandle dropped his gloves, Skinner realized this and turtled allowing Yandle to throw him down to the ice... he wanted no part of Yandle and he drew the penalty.      It wasn't a malicious play by any means.

 

6 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Great post, but Skinner absolutely put his stick on Barkov's skate and pushed, a really dangerous and dirty play that didn't appear to be a play on the puck.

Yes, Skinner pitchforked him...   I don't believe his intent was to knock him off his skates... that move is typically used to knock a guy slightly off balance giving you more leverage to win the 50/50 puck.... but, that said, intent doesn't matter, it was still a trip and correctly called as such.      

Now, if that happened to Eichel and he suffered another ankle injury, then yeah... we probably view it much differently.     

Speaking of Eichel and ankles, I read an article in The Athletic that details why all the best skaters in the game today don't use the top eyelet when tying their skates.   Eichel is one of them and I wonder how much that had to do with his ankle injuries.

[josie]

19 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Speaking of Eichel and ankles, I read an article in The Athletic that details why all the best skaters in the game today don't use the top eyelet when tying their skates.   Eichel is one of them and I wonder how much that had to do with his ankle injuries.

I've always tied my skates that way. I needed the flexibility- I learned to skate in an ancient pair of figure skates that had zero stability through the ankle, and I simply become a wooden cigar shop statue if I lace 'em up fully.

 

But I also spiral fractured my ankle in that exact spot when I caught a bad rut in the ice sooo...... I personally see that bolded correlation pretty clearly... and to that point, I remember the ankle injury Eichel got a while ago- I got several texts that day from beer league buddies going "Eichel did exactly what you did omg" but somehow he just sprained it all over snapping bones. Maybe he tied 'em looser than me haha 

[shrader]

52 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Thanks. It was the use of the term diving that confused me. I thought maybe shrader was suggesting Skinner hurled himself to the ice or something, or embellished.

I probably left out some words as I typically go for short posts.  I was never calling that play a dive.  Skinner is a guy who will sell something for the purpose of drawing a penalty.  Selling, diving, embellishing, turtling... it all falls under the same umbrella ultimately, things done to draw a penalty.  That's a big part of Skinner's game.  This particular instance yesterday?  I have absolutely no problem with it.

[pi2000]

24 minutes ago, josie said:

I've always tied my skates that way. I needed the flexibility- I learned to skate in an ancient pair of figure skates that had zero stability through the ankle, and I simply become a wooden cigar shop statue if I lace 'em up fully.

 

But I also spiral fractured my ankle in that exact spot when I caught a bad rut in the ice sooo...... I personally see that bolded correlation pretty clearly... and to that point, I remember the ankle injury Eichel got a while ago- I got several texts that day from beer league buddies going "Eichel did exactly what you did omg" but somehow he just sprained it all over snapping bones. Maybe he tied 'em looser than me haha 

Interesting... sucks about the spiral fracture.    I've seen a few of those and it's not pretty, trying to get the skate off, etc... 

I grew up playing in the 80's and 90's.   Skates were not nearly as stiff as they are today, specifically the tongues.    When I was young I'd lace them up all the way tight, then put a few rolls of tape around the top.    As I grew and got stronger I stopped with the tape, but never considered skipping the top eyelet like I do now... otherwise you can't bend forward and get your weight on your toes.    Some serious skate re-design is in order IMO.... you should be able lace all the way to give rotational support, but you need the forward flex.

[darksabre]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Interesting... sucks about the spiral fracture.    I've seen a few of those and it's not pretty, trying to get the skate off, etc... 

I grew up playing in the 80's and 90's.   Skates were not nearly as stiff as they are today, specifically the tongues.    When I was young I'd lace them up all the way tight, then put a few rolls of tape around the top.    As I grew and got stronger I stopped with the tape, but never considered skipping the top eyelet like I do now... otherwise you can't bend forward and get your weight on your toes.    Some serious skate re-design is in order IMO.... you should be able lace all the way to give rotational support, but you need the forward flex.

Skates are definitely too stiff. I had to stop wearing wax laces because of it. My most recent pair are Ribcors which were designed to be more forgiving than things like Tacks and Supremes, but I still find them quite stiff. 

[North Buffalo]

 pitchforked or slu foot same bs dirty play.

[North Buffalo]

If you had it done to you while playing you know.  Both times I came back fighting with cross checks.  Scary when it happens because you have no control going into the boards... Skins should have been penalized.

[Hawerchuk]

Sabres can beat Tampa, Boston, SJ, Wild...also play great games vs TOR and CAPS,  but they can never beat the $%@# Panthers!! ARRRRRRGG!!