GDT: 10/28/19 Arizona at Buffalo, 7pm ET, MSG, NHL and WGR550

[darksabre]

2 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Those deficiencies were amplified tonight. 

It is what it is. He's 19 and too talented to be anywhere else while he develops. 

[PASabreFan]

2 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Oh well I'm of to bed.

Don't let the bed bugs bite.

[SwampD]

8 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Hope we trade Risto soon.  Get what you can for him.  Zona made him look like a fool time and again.

 

7 minutes ago, #freejame said:

He looked slow tonight

You people are crazy.

[CallawaySabres]

27 minutes ago, SwampD said:

You might be the most pessimistic fan on this board.

That's 3 games in a row they were outplayed. I'm just calling it the way i see it. I'll be ecstatic if they are holding on to the 8 spot come December 1.

[SwampD]

Just now, CallawaySabres said:

That's 3 games in a row they were outplayed. I'm just calling it the way i see it. I'll be ecstatic if they are holding on to the 8 spot come December 1.

Like I said,…

[Thorny]

Can Ristolainen stop playing half an hour a game yet? Please?

[Nitro60]

They reverted to last season play in the third period.  Last 3 games they have been out hustled, fore checked and stood up at the blue line with no answers

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, CallawaySabres said:

That's 3 games in a row they were outplayed. I'm just calling it the way i see it. I'll be ecstatic if they are holding on to the 8 spot come December 1.

So are the Biils and Sabres pretenders?  This can't be what ONEBuffalo means.

[Thorny]

13 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I hope everyone here is prepared for rougher waters soon. It's been nice to have this start but the schedule is about to get tougher. 

Interesting that Dahlin and Jokiharju appeared to be the 3rd d pairing tonight. I think Krueger is trying to shelter Rasmus a bit as he works through the deficiencies in the defensive side of his game.

Needs to play more. He was better defensively last season. He's not going to learn as much as he should playing less than John Gilmour. 

[CallawaySabres]

2 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Like I said,…

And the reason you may think i am one of the most pessimistic fans is because i am also one of the biggest. This team has sucked for forever.

[Tondas]

2 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

And the reason you may think i am one of the most pessimistic fans is because i am also one of the biggest. This team has sucked for forever.

Callaway, you make me feel old since I was alive when this team was actually good!  I mean they were a staph infection, and a foot in the crease, away from a CUP.

[dudacek]

The fragile little children are back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not talking the Sabres, who were never going to put up the 125 points they are pacing for this year.

I’m talking about the Buffalo fan base that crumbles at the first sign of adversity.

Entertaining game. They had more gas than we did.

[Thorny]

Just now, dudacek said:

The fragile little children are back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not talking the Sabres, who were never going to put up the 125 points they are pacing for this year.

I’m talking about the Buffalo fan base that crumbles at the first sign of adversity.

Entertaining game. They had more gas than we did.

I hope this wasn't referring to my 2 total posts. 

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

And the reason you may think i am one of the most pessimistic fans is because i am also one of the biggest. This team has sucked for forever.

Some perspective is needed, though.

We pressed them, they pressed us, they ended up winning in a MF shootout after we hit three pipes in OT. It happens.

A 2-0 shutout And a come from behind win in OT (where we dominated) is not even close to getting "outplayed."

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I hope this wasn't referring to my 2 total posts. 

Child!

[Thorny]

22 minutes ago, Tondas said:

I agree.  He looks a little more tentative.  I think he's focusing on D and his O is suffering some.  Maybe last year spoiled us a bit.  Learning is not always a linear process.  Dahlin will have ups and downs.  I just don't want them to coach the "Dahlin" out of him.  Still very glad we have him.

I'm worried he's being over coached already. But it's still way too early to say for sure. Still have to give Krueger the benefit of the doubt in this respect for now. 

Edited October 29, 2019 by Thorny

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I hope this wasn't referring to my 2 total posts. 

Nope.

[SwampD]

7 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I'm worried he's being over coached already. But it's still way too early to say for sure. Still have to give Krueger the benefit of the doubt in this respect for now. 

He's too good for this to happen. He made a play tonight that he never would have even a couple of weeks ago. It was a 50/50 puck battle on the board and he hit the guy before they went to the boards to gain the advantage (one might say Risto-esque). I loved it. Don't even remember if he won the puck battle but it showed he knows how to play this game.

And when he skates with the puck, it's like all time stops.

Edited October 29, 2019 by SwampD

[GASabresIUFAN]

We need Montour back and soon.

[CallawaySabres]

18 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Callaway, you make me feel old since I was alive when this team was actually good!  I mean they were a staph infection, and a foot in the crease, away from a CUP.

And I was at all those games too, along with the Dallas Cup. It wasn't until the last 7 years though since I started dumping too much money on season tickets. 8 years is forever in hockey to be as bad as they have been....unwatchable almost. They are getting outplayed and goaltending has given them the last 3 out of 4 points.

I pray I am wrong about this November pushing them out of the playoff race but it looks like it is coming. All the old signs from last year are starting to creep back in and unless these goalies pull them through it.......

[dudacek]

13 minutes ago, SwampD said:

He's too good for this to happen. He made a play tonight that he never would have even a couple of weeks ago. It was a 50/50 puck battle on the board and he hit the guy before they went to the boards to gain the advantage (one might say Risto-esque). I loved it. Don't even remember if he won the puck battle but it showed he knows how to play this game.

And when he skates with the puck, it's like all time stops.

Saw this too. Good stuff.

Last year Dahlin was doing jaw-dropping stickhandling moves, and completing ridiculous passes between gift-wrapping turnovers for the opposition while scoring at a 40-point pace and the Sabres were losing like crazy, and people would jump all over you if you whispered a bad word about him.

This year Dahlin is doing jaw-dropping stickhandling moves, and completing ridiculous passes between gift-wrapping fewer turnovers for the opposition while scoring at a 70-point pace and the Sabres are winning like crazy, and people keep talking about what’s wrong with him.

Fandom is schizophrenic.

Edited October 29, 2019 by dudacek

[Thorny]

[Broken Ankles]

50 minutes ago, Tondas said:

So are the Biils and Sabres pretenders?  This can't be what ONEBuffalo means.

I think there was a problem at the printer...it was actually phONEyBUFFALO

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

Wrong. Finally got NHL RuleBook to load:

 

Rule 57:

Accidental trips which occur simultaneously with a completed play will not be penalized. Accidental trips occurring simultaneously with or after a stoppage of play will not be penalized.

 

@R_Dudley rarely is wrong about this type of stuff, and Marty Biron, probably even more rarely.  Marty explained that the current interpretation of the rule is that "puck first" contact does not exempt a player from being penalized.  He was clear as day about it.

Edited October 29, 2019 by Eleven

[Eleven]

Also, can we please all settle down?  The team is in first place in the league--SN has mentioned that at least three times during the Canucks broadcast, so people have taken notice.  There are five tough games coming up, two of which are in Europe; let's not go crazy if they come out of them 2-2-1.

Yes, I am familiar with the 2018-19 season.  No need to remind me; it's already in the back of my mind.

Edited October 29, 2019 by Eleven

[nfreeman]

Very entertaining game and pretty evenly matched IMHO.  I can't remember seeing AZ look that good.

(Kinda makes you wonder what would've happened had the Sabres hired Tocchet instead of Howie.)

A few game notes:

- Hutton made a lot of good saves, but I can't help but wonder whether @PASabreFan is right about things falling apart for him slowly and then quickly.  That 1st goal was terrible and changed the complexion of the game, and the goal he gave up in the SO wasn't any great shakes either.  And he's coming off giving up 6 goals on 24 shots vs the Rangers.

- I'm really starting to like Joker's game.  I see some Teppo there.  He is a terrific skater but is also very controlled, smooth and smart.

- Between Joker and Gilmour there is quite a bit of new speed on D.  Kessel, who is an excellent skater, looked like he was going to break free on Hutton in the last minute of regulation and Gilmour just zoomed over and shut down the play.

- I loved seeing Ed Oliver wearing the Eichel jersey and dancing to Zeppelin during the timeout.

- Lousy night for Mitts' line.  They looked like they did early in the season -- spending most of their shifts in the D-zone and not generating any chances on O.  Although all would've been forgiven if Mitts had cashed that one in OT.

- Too many turnovers in the O-zone by Reino.

- Skinner's goal was a thing of beauty.  I think although he'd probably prefer to play with Eichel, he's probably reasonably happy with Mojo -- it seems like Mojo sets him up for at least one killer scoring chance per game and often more than one.