Looks like Granato is not liking the QPC line as much recently...

[matter2003]

 

[LabattBlue]

👎🏻

[That Aud Smell]

Growing pains.

Also, this is another reason that grabbing Jost off waivers was in-line with what KA and DG are trying to do. Jost has the skills (or at least should have the skills (or used to have the skills and maybe will again)) needed to play up/across the lineup like that. 

I also approve heartily of the accountability that this bespeaks.

[Mustache of God]

I don't think I saw Peterka on the ice after a weak attempt at a no-look backhanded clearing attempt that got picked off and created a scoring change for Vegas.

It shouldn't be that surprising that a line of mostly rookies is starting to slump now that the season is starting to grind. Since they're not currently producing I wouldn't mind seeing the 2nd and 3rd lines getting thrown into a blender.

Quinn - Cozens - VO

Mitts - Jost - Peterka

[Pimlach]

Two rookies on that line and still learning the 200-foot game in the NHL.  They both tend to push quickly through neutral zone, it works great when they retain possession and get scoring chances, unfortunately it gives odd man advantages going the other way when they lose possession.   DG wanted to limit those chances.   Let's face it most NHL teams do not have two rookie wingers on one line.  

Marty and Duffer talked about it today.  The better teams like Vegas can capitalize on it.  The ironic thing is VO and Mitts are two of our worst wingers in the defensive zone - but Granato used the bench to reinforce what he is teaching to the kids.  

[Marvin]

Is it possible to put lines 2-4 in a blender to spread out the youth, skill, experience, and player type and come up with something coherent?  The best I can do is:

Mittelstadt-Jost-Quinn

Peterka-Krebs-Okposo

Girgensons-Cozens-Olofsson

With Hinostroza and Asplund moving in from time to time.  Maybe they should go in from the kids for a couple of games.

[Hank]

6-2 in their last eight and 37 goals scored, 4.5 per game. They've given up 1.5 per game over the last four. Scrambling the lines makes no sense to me. 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

 

I'd let them have another game and some practice time to figure it out before changing things

[msw2112]

33 minutes ago, Hank said:

6-2 in their last eight and 37 goals scored, 4.5 per game. They've given up 1.5 per game over the last four. Scrambling the lines makes no sense to me. 

I'd go with whatever Coach Granato thinks is best.  He seems to have found a winning formula over the last strech of games.

It was great to see goaltending finally make a difference for the team last night against Vegas.  Also, it seemed like he had a clear lane to see a lot of shots, so perhaps the defense did a better job of clearing out the traffic.

[matter2003]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

I don't think I saw Peterka on the ice after a weak attempt at a no-look backhanded clearing attempt that got picked off and created a scoring change for Vegas.

It shouldn't be that surprising that a line of mostly rookies is starting to slump now that the season is starting to grind. Since they're not currently producing I wouldn't mind seeing the 2nd and 3rd lines getting thrown into a blender.

Quinn - Cozens - VO

Mitts - Jost - Peterka

I mean it seems weird to single him out when the entire team was playing in their own end the whole 3rd period.  Vegas had more shots in the 3rd than the Sabres did all game. Pathetic.

3 minutes ago, msw2112 said:

I'd go with whatever Coach Granato thinks is best.  He seems to have found a winning formula over the last strech of games.

It was great to see goaltending finally make a difference for the team last night against Vegas.  Also, it seemed like he had a clear lane to see a lot of shots, so perhaps the defense did a better job of clearing out the traffic.

I dunno...he was getting beat on those clean shots a lot in other games, maybe he is just figuring out better position and angles when he comes out to challenge because those have been atrocious as well in a lot of games.

Edited December 20, 2022 by matter2003

[mjd1001]

Its not that I don't have any opinion on lines at all....or that I don't think its fun to put lines together in my head like I was playing NHL 23 (or 22, 21, etc).  But at this point, I'm happy to sit back and just watch what Granato puts out there and watching how it goes.  I've just come to the conclusion in my own head that Granato has a pretty good idea of the pulse of this team and through  games, film study and practices that the entire coaching staff is seeing who is meshing with who, and who might benefit from a change.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, matter2003 said:

 

That’s a demotion for Cozens more than it is a promotion for Jost. It has become increasingly hard to watch Mitts and VO on the same line. 

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Marvin said:

Is it possible to put lines 2-4 in a blender to spread out the youth, skill, experience, and player type and come up with something coherent?  The best I can do is:

Mittelstadt-Jost-Quinn

Peterka-Krebs-Okposo

Girgensons-Cozens-Olofsson

With Hinostroza and Asplund moving in from time to time.  Maybe they should go in from the kids for a couple of games.

If the kids are going to continue to slump on that line, yes.  But considering how well the line had been playing would be mildly surprised if it gets broken up vs TB.  Could definitely see it getting broken up IN Beantown.  Having a slumping line getting caught regularly against the Bergeron line is something Granato will likely look to avoid if they don't play better Friday.

The plus side of breaking it up is it might get them individually going again & it gives options for keeping Mittelstadt & Olofsson apart.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, K-9 said:

That’s a demotion for Cozens more than it is a promotion for Jost. It has become increasingly hard to watch Mitts and VO on the same line. 

No, I don't think so. Cozens has been the driving force of that line and has carried the two rookies many times. 

The conundrum is perhaps that he sees (and uses) the 2-way abilities of Cozens and wants him matched against the other team's top centers but that puts the 2 kids up against top players and their 2 -way game simply isn't there (yet). Cozens can lead a primary scoring line but he can't do everything at once. 

The odd thing for me is he seems to be stuck on the idea of turning Mitts into a 2-way player and I just don't see it. Maybe it's just for a lack of alternatives at the moment. 

[Believer]

Think many here are too hard on Victor… Doesn’t play well with Mittelstadt, but isn’t afraid to forecheck and work the wall behind the net… Not standing around at the right circle waiting for a feed… 

[Taro T]

14 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

No, I don't think so. Cozens has been the driving force of that line and has carried the two rookies many times. 

The conundrum is perhaps that he sees (and uses) the 2-way abilities of Cozens and wants him matched against the other team's top centers but that puts the 2 kids up against top players and their 2 -way game simply isn't there (yet). Cozens can lead a primary scoring line but he can't do everything at once. 

The odd thing for me is he seems to be stuck on the idea of turning Mitts into a 2-way player and I just don't see it. Maybe it's just for a lack of alternatives at the moment. 

Personally expect it's a combination of that, the possibilities of just how good the Cozens line could very if they were able to go back to being viewed by opponents & treated as the Sabres 3rd scoring line, a bit of an attaboy for taking on the 2nd line C role allowing the Cozens line to blossom in that 3rd line role when he & his linemates were overmatched, and Granato's own history of being the "ineffective player whisperer."

[GASabresIUFAN]

It’s a road matchup issue.  With the opponents getting the last change the teams worked to stop Cozens.  I guess they decided they couldn’t stop TNT and company. 

[PerreaultForever]

36 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It’s a road matchup issue.  With the opponents getting the last change the teams worked to stop Cozens.  I guess they decided they couldn’t stop TNT and company. 

This is a factor for sure. This is the stuff I'm thinking of when I've said I'm undecided on Granato yet. Good teacher but how is he with game stuff, line matching and so forth. He did okay in this one. It'll become a bigger issue if we keep rising in the standings and get into serious games with good teams. 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

No, I don't think so. Cozens has been the driving force of that line and has carried the two rookies many times. 

The conundrum is perhaps that he sees (and uses) the 2-way abilities of Cozens and wants him matched against the other team's top centers but that puts the 2 kids up against top players and their 2 -way game simply isn't there (yet). Cozens can lead a primary scoring line but he can't do everything at once. 

The odd thing for me is he seems to be stuck on the idea of turning Mitts into a 2-way player and I just don't see it. Maybe it's just for a lack of alternatives at the moment. 

Playing with Mitts and VO is such a worse opportunity for Cozens as opposed to playing with Quinn and JJP, so yeah, it’s a demotion from where I’m standing. 

[LTS]

I think he goes back to the normal lines although hopefully he decides to rest Mitts.  I doubt he will because it being Tampa coming up.  The kid line didn't fare well against bigger teams who clog up the ice which Arizona and Vegas do.

They were good against Tampa and I suspect he'll want that combination of speed for that game.

[...]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

This is a factor for sure. This is the stuff I'm thinking of when I've said I'm undecided on Granato yet. Good teacher but how is he with game stuff, line matching and so forth. He did okay in this one. It'll become a bigger issue if we keep rising in the standings and get into serious games with good teams. 

Interesting take on Granato and a very valid point. What do you think of the timeout last night?

[Thorny]

Haven’t been able to catch the last two games, had no idea the Cozens line has been struggling. They seemed pretty on it beforehand, looking at the scores of the last two im kinda surprised w/all the shuffling 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Thorny

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’ve got nothing negative to say about how Granato handled the last 3 games.  To get 3 road wins playing 2, 2 and 3 of your starting D is an amazing accomplishment.

[msw2112]

2 hours ago, Believer said:

Think many here are too hard on Victor… Doesn’t play well with Mittelstadt, but isn’t afraid to forecheck and work the wall behind the net… Not standing around at the right circle waiting for a feed… 

I agree.  I thought he played well against Vegas, even without the puck.  He was forechecking and playing with a bit of a physical edge.  He also made a couple of decent passes.  Perhaps there is little more to his game than the 1-timer on the power play.

[SABRES 0311]

6 hours ago, Hank said:

6-2 in their last eight and 37 goals scored, 4.5 per game. They've given up 1.5 per game over the last four. Scrambling the lines makes no sense to me. 

Yeah I’d be inclined to see how they do after a few days off and back at home. Maybe it was just a lack luster stint for that line.