GDT - Bruins @ Sabres - December 29, 2018 - 7:00 PM - MSG-B; NESN

[Scottysabres]

Middlestadt needs time in Rochester imo. The kid isn't ready and it could help his overall game.

[eman]

Just now, Sabre1974 said:

2:52 am over here. Stayed up for this and now feeling about as fed up as modo. Don't know where we go from here. Call ups?  Can't see it. Trades, can't see it. And about to face a hot islanders team on Monday night. Here goes.....

and a red hot Robin Lehner!!! 35 stops vs. the Leafs tonight and shuts them out in Toronto!

[Taro T]

Very sloppy game on both sides.

Win Monday.

[jad1]

2 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

What else does he need to do?

https://twitter.com/TedGoldbergTV/status/1079166185810395137?s=20

Reinhart is a key contributor to this team.  He is one of the best playmakers in the league.  There is nothing wrong with the 1st or 4th line.  The 2nd and 3rd lines are trash.

[Tondas]

5 minutes ago, eman said:

Joel Quenneville is still available.........................just sayin. Loads of young talent to work with here. 

If the Sabres miss the playoffs this year, a coaching change may be in order.  However, JBOT uses ROC for more than just player development, but coaching development as well.  So I would expect Taylor to get a chance before anyone, including Quenneville.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Tondas

[Chris223]

4 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

What else does he need to do?

https://twitter.com/TedGoldbergTV/status/1079166185810395137?s=20

He is playing with 2 elites who are averaging a point or more per game.  Of course he is likely to average the same.  

[Eleven]

30 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Good to see that tons of awesome, loyal, best fans in the league couldn't be bothered to attend and sold out their team — again.

What section were you in tonight, again?  And it looked full and sounded loud to me.

25 minutes ago, sodbuster said:

Rob is saying "Jeff Skinnerd" right? Am i losing my mind?

Very likely you're not losing your mind.  I hear that too.

23 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

Wow, who is responsible for our PP. He should be fired.

That was abysmal.

19 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

These Sabres are trying to be fancy.

Boston the better team in the 3rd period and OT in our house. 

We let them take the 3rd when we had the lead at home. 

These lost points are going to hurt as this season plays out..

Agreed on all points. 

 

Still, F the refs on this one.  I realize that the ref might not have seen the slew-foot on Reinhart because of his position, but to tuck the whistles away only to call that lame penalty on the Sabs late in the third, that was almost criminal.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Eleven

[Carmel Corn]

2 minutes ago, jad1 said:

Reinhart is a key contributor to this team.  He is one of the best playmakers in the league.  There is nothing wrong with the 1st or 4th line.  The 2nd and 3rd lines are trash.

If he gets moved off the first line, he will disappear into oblivion like the rest of the 2nd and 3rd liners.

[Thorny]

4-6-4 since the streak. 

There's a ton of different ways to read that. 

I think the most favourable way of looking at it is that we are two OT bounces away from a 6-6-2, .500 points % mark, which is around what we needed to play at to make the playoffs once the streak ended. 

[JJFIVEOH]

I don't add my points often, but here it goes:

-A couple of years ago, Larsson thought he was good enough to be a first liner. I'm glad he's finally accepted his role. He fits well doing what he does now. 

-I knew Bogo was due for a healthy season. I don't think he is injury prone, I just think he had bad luck. If he can keep this up, he'll be a great top 4 D-man going forward. 

-At what point does the team realize that Mittlestadt just isn't ready yet?

-It's upsetting that there is no other option than to keep Okposo around. He has too many years left to consider a buyout, and nobody is stupid enough to take on his contract. Perhaps his head issues last year has affected his game, or maybe Tavares just made him look good....... but he's wasting a roster spot. 

-That was the worst officiated game I have seen all year, by far. The refs won that game for the Bruins. 

-Many top players from Boston out......... then they played the Blues, one of the worst teams in the league........ they need to win these games in regulation before I am convinced this is a legit playoff team. Don't get me wrong, they are much improved. But they aren't dominating teams when they win. I'm getting slightly concerned. 

[jad1]

Just now, Chris223 said:

He is playing with 2 elites who are averaging a point or more per game.  Of course he is likely to average the same.  

He's also a key reason that those two elites are averaging a point a game.  Scandella's goal tonight started with a two line pass from Reinhart that set Skinner free.  He's made a ton of passes like this this season.  His passing is first-rate, and he's made both Eichel and Skinner more productive.

[Chris223]

3 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

If he gets moved off the first line, he will disappear into oblivion like the rest of the 2nd and 3rd liners.

Thank you.  Example... Pommers had like 9 goals in the first 20 games, for some reason he got exiled, does he even have ONE point since?  

2 minutes ago, jad1 said:

He's also a key reason that those two elites are averaging a point a game.  Scandella's goal tonight started with a two line pass from Reinhart that set Skinner free.  He's made a ton of passes like this this season.  His passing is first-rate, and he's made both Eichel and Skinner more productive.

I know because Skinner and Eichel were having such a hard time with a washed up Pominville right?  Please...  if his passing is so elite... why is he invisible playing with literally anyone else

Edited December 30, 2018 by Chris223

[jad1]

2 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

If he gets moved off the first line, he will disappear into oblivion like the rest of the 2nd and 3rd liners.

He's a playmaker, one of the best in the league.  His numbers would go down with less-skilled players, but Eichel's and Skinner's numbers would go down too.

[Gatorman0519]

Just now, jad1 said:

He's also a key reason that those two elites are averaging a point a game.  Scandella's goal tonight started with a two line pass from Reinhart that set Skinner free.  He's made a ton of passes like this this season.  His passing is first-rate, and he's made both Eichel and Skinner more productive.

Reinhart is fine.  Where we took a step back is trading o Reilly.  I don’t care if he was mopey.  I think it was Jbots first blunder.  We have no 2nd line center here or in Rochester.  

[jad1]

1 minute ago, Chris223 said:

Thank you.  Example... Pommers had like 9 goals in the first 20 games, for some reason he got exiled, does he even have ONE point since?  

I know because Skinner and Eichel were having such a hard time with a washed up Pominville right?  Please...

Their numbers were not as good with Pomminstein as they are with Reinhart.  That's my point.

[Tondas]

It may be time to break up the Skinner-Jack-Rhino line?  Move Rhino to line 2 with Mitts and Sheary.

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, JJFIVEOH said:

I don't add my points often, but here it goes:

-A couple of years ago, Larsson thought he was good enough to be a first liner. I'm glad he's finally accepted his role. He fits well doing what he does now. 

-I knew Bogo was due for a healthy season. I don't think he is injury prone, I just think he had bad luck. If he can keep this up, he'll be a great top 4 D-man going forward. 

-At what point does the team realize that Mittlestadt just isn't ready yet?

-It's upsetting that there is no other option than to keep Okposo around. He has too many years left to consider a buyout, and nobody is stupid enough to take on his contract. Perhaps his head issues last year has affected his game, or maybe Tavares just made him look good....... but he's wasting a roster spot. 

-That was the worst officiated game I have seen all year, by far. The refs won that game for the Bruins. 

-Many top players from Boston out......... then they played the Blues, one of the worst teams in the league........ they need to win these games in regulation before I am convinced this is a legit playoff team. Don't get me wrong, they are much improved. But they aren't dominating teams when they win. I'm getting slightly concerned. 

Honestly I concur with this.

While the winning streak put us in this position, it is very concerning that they've squandered those points, and they aren't even to the half way point of the season yet.

Botterill stated before the holiday break that help was coming from Rochester. My questions are who is getting sent down/traded and what is the goal of bringing up who ever gets brought up? Is it to enhance scoring chances finish, or to make the playoffs or is it to see if chemistry can be developed longterm to help fill out some of these roster spots?

One thing I especially agree with you on, Mittlestadt. The kid needs to go to the AHL, there is little doubt, he's not ready.

[jad1]

6 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Reinhart is fine.  Where we took a step back is trading o Reilly.  I don’t care if he was mopey.  I think it was Jbots first blunder.  We have no 2nd line center here or in Rochester.  

Yep, no doubt.  That trade could have been made at any time before the deadline.  Jbots could have kicked the tires with O'Reilly's attitude, which would have probably improved with the team's improvement, over the first 20 games of the season.

Edited December 30, 2018 by jad1

[Carmel Corn]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Reinhart is fine.  Where we took a step back is trading o Reilly.  I don’t care if he was mopey.  I think it was Jbots first blunder.  We have no 2nd line center here or in Rochester.  

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on ROR.  Hindsight is 20-20 and TT may eventually be a factor, but we could really use ROR's production right now.

[jad1]

2 minutes ago, Tondas said:

It may be time to break up the Skinner-Jack-Rhino line?  Move Rhino to line 2 with Mitts and Sheary.

Problem is that you would have three playmakers and no scorers on that line.  Maybe if Olafsson is ready to come up, you can put Casey, Reinhart and Olafsson together.

[Samson's Flow]

3 minutes ago, jad1 said:

He's a playmaker, one of the best in the league.  His numbers would go down with less-skilled players, but Eichel's and Skinner's numbers would go down too.

Exactly this. Reinhart is just as important to that lines success as the other two. If you want a hot take how about that Skinner barely touches the puck in the zone on some shifts then magically is in the right spot to finish with the goal

[Tondas]

Housley very positive on how the team played tonight.  Interesting.

[JJFIVEOH]

2 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Honestly I concur with this.

While the winning streak put us in this position, it is very concerning that they've squandered those points, and they aren't even to the half way point of the season yet.

Botterill stated before the holiday break that help was coming from Rochester. My questions are who is getting sent down/traded and what is the goal of bringing up who ever gets brought up? Is it to enhance scoring chances finish, or to make the playoffs or is it to see if chemistry can be developed longterm to help fill out some of these roster spots?

One thing I especially agree with you on, Mittlestadt. The kid needs to go to the AHL, there is little doubt, he's not ready.

I agree 100%. I know Botterill wants to build for the future and that's why Mittlestadt and Thompson are up to mature and learn the ropes, but at this point, the team is in a playoff position which probably wasn't anticipated before the start of the year. Now, they need to make decisions that will push them into the playoffs. And it shouldn't include Thompson and Mittlestadt. 

[Gatorman0519]

Just now, Carmel Corn said:

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on ROR.  Hindsight is 20-20 and TT may eventually be a factor, but we could really use ROR's production right now.

Yup... not to beat a dead horse but put his 33 points on our second line and this team probably adds 4-6 more points and is a sure playoff threat, albeit not a contender.  

[JJFIVEOH]

Just now, Tondas said:

Housley very positive on how the team played tonight.  Interesting.

Housley is rarely negative. Sometimes it's nauseating because at some point certain players need to be called out. Maybe he does in the locker room, but he certainly doesn't do it in pressers.