GDT Lightning at Sabres 12/31/19 7pm

[KC Scouts]

3 minutes ago, MillerVaive said:

I don't think we're gonna do anything dirty per se. Thats not what RK wants us to be. But i think its a good thing that we'll have someone who is not only not afraid to get in someones face, but someone who is capable of smashing one should a need for that come up. But with the media attention towards Cernak & Smith, i think its inevitable that something happens between those 2.

I'd rather we'd be talking about a new 20-30 goal scorer being added to the team, but if Dalton Smith makes us a tougher team to play against, I'm all for it. Gretzky had a protector on the ice, Lemieux, Ovechkin. if we can find a guy who can help protect our young stars & not be a liability at the same time, i think that'll help our team for sure. It'll be interesting to see how he does.

I didn't insinuate or advocate for dirty. Playing hard, checking hard and challenging another player to fight is not dirty but that's what the intention was by bringing this guy in.

I'd much rather be talking about that new 30 goal scorer, but I don't see that happening 

[Taro T]

56 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

RK is playing Ullmark too much. I know some people don’t like it, but Hutton needs to rotate in there every once in a while. A little more than he has been. Even if Hutton has been subpar/terrible or whatever satisfying adjective one likes to use.

Really believe that a non-inconsequential reason that they're keeping Hutton out of the line up right now is his head simply isn't where it needs to be.  They can afford to give him another few days (actually up to 12 more) before they need to put him back in.

Hutton has started both years for the Sabres playing very well and then hit a wall.  Last year it was a combination of injury and coaching that doomed his play.  He claims to be healthy and it isn't coaching that's the issue as Ullmark is pretty much improving every 2 weeks and there have been several goalies at prior stops for Bates that have improved under his tutelage.  So, the answer has to been the problem is between his ears.

Give Hutton a rest until the Detroit game and if he succeeds (as he should) give him ~ every 3rd start.  If he bombs, bring up the Hamburglar and see what he can do.  It can't be any worse.  And if Hutton gets his game back, then one huge part of this team's issues goes away.

[Weave]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

 

And here’s an advantage to bringing some sandpaper into a game.  You think Cernak is a little distracted this morning?  He sure is.  

For tonight anyway, I’ll take Dalton in the lineup over 7 or 8 of our other forwards.

[inkman]

53 minutes ago, Weave said:

And here’s an advantage to bringing some sandpaper into a game.  You think Cernak is a little distracted this morning?  He sure is.  

For tonight anyway, I’ll take Dalton in the lineup over 7 or 8 of our other forwards.

It's turning into the WWE or whatever is popular with the kids these days. Unlike some of my adult coworkers, I haven't followed Rastlin since I was a preteen. Then I discovered boobs. 

[SwampD]

48 minutes ago, Weave said:

And here’s an advantage to bringing some sandpaper into a game.  You think Cernak is a little distracted this morning?  He sure is.  

For tonight anyway, I’ll take Dalton in the lineup over 7 or 8 of our other forwards.

Even if someone believes that Smith will have no effect on the outcome of the game, I don’t know how that person could look at that scene and at least think that Tampa might think so.

My ideal scenario is that Smith does not go after Cernak, and somehow we go up 4-1, someone on Tampa tries to get chippy and that gets shut down.

[Thorny]

3 hours ago, Brawndo said:

 

If there’s a staged fight it’s the stupidest thing ever. Good grief. Season low point for sure if it happens. 

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

RK is playing Ullmark too much. I know some people don’t like it, but Hutton needs to rotate in there every once in a while. A little more than he has been. Even if Hutton has been subpar/terrible or whatever satisfying adjective one likes to use.

He’s also running Jack into the ground 

[LTS]

Holy hell it's been a busy couple of weeks.  Game will be in the background... regardless of what happens tonight, I'll still pop a cork at midnight and be happy for 2020.

I liked 2019 as well.

Here's to you and the Sabres.  Cheers!

[Pimlach]

I used to think Tampa was a softer team, highly skilled but not sturdy enough come playoff time.   Looking at their roster they have quite a few people who aren’t going to flinch at Dalton Smith  

Knowing this Dalton thing has their attention it will be interesting to see who else Copper dresses.  They have a few other guys that can answer the bell.  Maroon and Colburn are big guys, Luke Schenn is tough, Paquette is a very scrappy middle weight.   Cernak is very big and very physical but like Risto, not a real fighter.  

It will be interesting to see if the presence of one guy makes any difference.  I doubt that it will so we better be ready to skate, crash the net, gets some goals and win on special teams.  

This is a four point game plus some.  

[Weave]

9 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I used to think Tampa was a softer team, highly skilled but not sturdy enough come playoff time.   Looking at their roster they have quite a few people who aren’t going to flinch at Dalton Smith  

Knowing this Dalton thing has their attention it will be interesting to see who else Copper dresses.  They have a few other guys that can answer the bell.  Maroon and Colburn are big guys, Luke Schenn is tough, Paquette is a very scrappy middle weight.   Cernak is very big and very physical but like Risto, not a real fighter.  

It will be interesting to see if the presence of one guy makes any difference.  I doubt that it will so we better be ready to skate, crash the net, gets some goals and win on special teams.  

This is a four point game plus some.  

We don't have an answer for Maroon, even with Smith on the ice. 

[inkman]

20 minutes ago, Thorny said:

If there’s a staged fight it’s the stupidest thing ever. Good grief. Season low point for sure if it happens. 

 

In a decade full of lows, we are approaching Sabrepede status.  

[SwampD]

8 minutes ago, inkman said:

In a decade full of lows, we are approaching Sabrepede status.  

It’s not like other teams don’t make moves like this as well.

[DarthEbriate]

Watching the game before friends come over for an impromptu and low-key game night to celebrate an East Coast New Year's because we're getting too old to actually make the goal of local New Year's. Gather as many Sabres as you can, because history has shown you can deflect evil Moulson-Lightning with a good Sabre at your side.

Edited December 31, 2019 by DarthEbriate
DarthSpellcheck

[inkman]

1 minute ago, SwampD said:

It’s not like other teams don’t make moves like this as well.

Teams recall player in their Org to add toughness when needed.  I don't recall many teams going full Doug Glatt like the Sabres have, signing a guy to their Org for the sole purpose of settling a score like this week's shenanigans.  

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Teams recall player in their Org to add toughness when needed.  I don't recall many teams going full Doug Glatt like the Sabres have, signing a guy to their Org for the sole purpose of settling a score like this week's shenanigans.  

Again, I really hope that isn’t the plan. If that actually happens, I complain about it then.

[Weave]

6 minutes ago, SwampD said:

It’s not like other teams don’t make moves like this as well.

I'm trying to remember the last time I heard of a team recalling a tough guy for a game.  I can't recall one since about the Sabres John Scott era.  I remember Toronto calling someone up for the 1st game after the Kessel incident.  Can't recall one since.

[Thorny]

8 minutes ago, inkman said:

Teams recall player in their Org to add toughness when needed.  I don't recall many teams going full Doug Glatt like the Sabres have, signing a guy to their Org for the sole purpose of settling a score like this week's shenanigans.  

This is a good way of putting it. It basically feels like we hired an independent contractor to handle a display of toughness. 

[DarthEbriate]

39 minutes ago, Thorny said:

If there’s a staged fight it’s the stupidest thing ever. Good grief. Season low point for sure if it happens.

Agreed. It'll be sad if Cernak has to fight off of a faceoff for something we should have addressed real-time weeks ago. But a fight in general might just wake this team up for a week or so.

[Thorny]

3 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Agreed. It'll be sad if Cernak has to fight off of a faceoff for something we should have addressed real-time weeks ago. But a fight in general might just wake this team up for a week or so.

Jack himself did his best to drop the gloves already, so if that didn’t do it.. 

[PerreaultForever]

My question is will he play it smart and wait for the moment or dumb and just take a bad penalty and will the refs allow it to happen. Ideally, what we need is for them to worry so much about him that they are off their game and while worrying about him someone else steps up and gets it done.

My coaching plan would be to tell him to hit but not fight (until late in the game) but to come to Risto (or whoever's) defense if needed, as I tell the rest of the team to hit them through the boards all night long and make them all pay. Fantasy, as this is not the Bruins, Caps, Senators, Jets, Blues, Avs...............etc etc etc. It is the Sabres.

I expect the PP lets us down yet again and theirs will kill us. But who knows. 

[DarthEbriate]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Jack himself did his best to drop the gloves already, so if that didn’t do it.. 

It kinda woke them up for a couple games... and now I'm curious. It may have jump-started his point streak. I'll go research.

Two games before the "double minor" fight vs. Wild is when Eichel's streak started with the 4-goal outburst vs. Ottawa. The Wild game was a loss, a contested/close loss to Boston, then a big win vs. Florida to right the ship. Then 2-1-2 in the next five, which is... good hockey. Then our solid west coast trip before the skate blades came off the second half of December. I guess Eichel's fight sort of helped. They were 1-5-2 in the games leading up to the Eichel streak and fight.

Edited December 31, 2019 by DarthEbriate

[pi2000]

I expect Cernak and Smith to start the game and drop the gloves immediately at puck drop.  Get it done and out of the way, spark the crowd, etc.  

Then roll out Warrener, Barnaby, Boulton, etc

[Pimlach]

52 minutes ago, LTS said:

Holy hell it's been a busy couple of weeks.  Game will be in the background... regardless of what happens tonight, I'll still pop a cork at midnight and be happy for 2020.

I liked 2019 as well.

Here's to you and the Sabres.  Cheers!

Yes I liked 2019 and 2020 should be great.

I plan to retire sometime in 2020 baring any unknown issues popping up.   Probably by summer and before my 62nd birthday.  

[SwampD]

15 minutes ago, Weave said:

I'm trying to remember the last time I heard of a team recalling a tough guy for a game.  I can't recall one since about the Sabres John Scott era.  I remember Toronto calling someone up for the 1st game after the Kessel incident.  Can't recall one since.

I know I’ve seen it this year out west. One of the California rivalries.

[Pimlach]

12 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Agreed. It'll be sad if Cernak has to fight off of a faceoff for something we should have addressed real-time weeks ago. But a fight in general might just wake this team up for a week or so.

First if all I thought that Cernak called Dahlin to see if he was ok?   Is this incorrect?  If true then the media is making this about Cernak when it is about Tampa taking liberties in general  

So I don’t think Ralph will stage a fight with Cernak off of the face off.  He will play Dalton his 4th line minutes and whatever happens will happen.   Ralph does not want a 3rd straight incident with Tampa blasting one of our guys and then no response.  I think he has seen our players get tossed around too much.    If they get out of line Smith will answer   

I can see Dalton hitting people on the forecheck and playing hard.  Then words exchanged.  That could lead to fisticuffs.  

[inkman]

16 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Yes I liked 2019 and 2020 should be great.

I plan to retire sometime in 2020 baring any unknown issues popping up.   Probably by summer and before my 62nd birthday.  

Congrats on the retirement.  I know I never thought I'd get there...