GDT: Sabres at Detroit 7 PM 4-6-2023 MSG

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Why not put Cozens on the 1 line? 

Cozey on Line 1, Krebs on Line 2 with the kids.  It'll be like shooting womp rats in Rochester.

[Randall Flagg]

9 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

He was joking you hoser.  

I'm loling at the state of sabre goaltending 

[Buffalonill]

52 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

He had his chance.

?   he was outstanding are we really blaming him 

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Used to save them up for the 3 years they'd keep them in the account and then buy a jersey and maybe a shirt if there was anything left over.

Since they make us spend them all the year they're issued, probably won't be buying any more jerseys.  Which costs the Sabres money because if I buy a jersey for 1 kid, will pretty much also buy 1 for the other.  But hey, at least the Sabres are saving themselves from earning the interest they'd earn on the money that isn't getting spent right away.

Unless they expect another exodus of season ticket holders that is a really shortsighted decision on their part.

Do you know what the season ticket number was for this season? I know that it is not easy to calculate because of the partial plans. Was it up or down from the previous year? 

[Stoner]

5 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

?   he was outstanding are we really blaming him 

No. It was a point of order and apparently too sly a joke.

I like Devon. I really do. I'm just not ready to hand over the keys. If he's the man already I worry that the 3-5 year timeline is for realsies. I ain't got time for that.

I'm thinking more along the lines of a bridge franchise goalie to take the team far and deep and then the baton is handed off.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm thinking more along the lines of a bridge franchise goalie to take the team far and deep and then the baton is handed off.

A la Mike Vernon - Chris Osgood.

...although the Wings tried to go right to Ozzie, and brought in Vernon the next season.

EDIT:  In fact, they even had a UPL in the name of Tim Cheveldae that they tried to platoon with Osgood that first year.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Doohickie

[Taro T]

13 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Do you know what the season ticket number was for this season? I know that it is not easy to calculate because of the partial plans. Was it up or down from the previous year? 

Know it was up from last year.  Would guess that this year it was around 8k.  And that was probably split out as 6k full seasons, and the other 2k in partial season equivalents.  Basing those estimates on in buliding attendance.

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Know it was up from last year.  Would guess that this year it was around 8k.  And that was probably split out as 6k full seasons, and the other 2k in partial season equivalents.  Basing those estimates on in buliding attendance.

I'm glad to hear what you are saying. The team 's prospects are up and also the attendance is on an upward trajectory. Other than for the inveterate pessimists, how can one not be enthusiastic about the future for the team and franchise? 

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Levi in net 

Or maybe not

 

 

[PerreaultForever]

They generally play the way we like to play so with their slightly depleted roster and end of season vibe no reason not to win this one. Should be a fairly offensively oriented game. Assuming we don't have too many give aways or get TOO loose in our own end I expect we win fairly easily. 

As important is the 3 ahead of us losing. 

[Stoner]

13 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm glad to hear what you are saying. The team 's prospects are up and also the attendance is on an upward trajectory. Other than for the inveterate pessimi I'll nsts, how can one not be enthusiastic about the future for the team and franchise? 

Where does realism end and pessimism begin? How many teams down through history have gone young and cheap and told the fans, You just wait until these kids grow up? How many have been successful?

I'll say this. I'm reasonably optimistic that the franchise is finishing up one small step toward reentering the NHL.

Boy, the bar is low and the pace is excruciating.

 

 

[Mustache of God]

17 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

You know what they say about dudes with small sample sizes?

[Sidc3000]

Maybe they’ll be a little more relaxed now that a lot of pressure is off of them now. 
 

6-3 Sabres 

[Mustache of God]

I fully expect this team to win the next 3 to keep things somewhat interesting before shitting the bed vs the bluejackets when they need a W.

[Zamboni]

Here's how the group lined up during the morning skate, with Casey Mittelstadtstepping in for Thompson on a line with Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch as well as on the first power-play unit.

Devon Levi was the first goaltender off the ice and is expected to start for the third time in the last four games. The rookie made his first road start against the Panthers on Tuesday and stopped 34 of 36 shots, including a breakaway against Matthew Tkachuk in the third period. 

Levi has stopped 65 of 69 shots through two NHL starts, a save percentage of .942. 

"He has a great feel for the game, for shooters, and he studies it," Granato said. "It's all the things that we've said about him. You're seeing it in action." 
 

Craig Anderson was back on the ice with the Sabres for their morning skate. He has not played since March 21 due to an upper-body injury but has remained an active member of the team behind the scenes.

Granato recalled one instance when he walked into the dressing room and saw Levi sitting with Anderson, picking the veteran's brain. 

"I walk in and I see him, then I walk out," Granato said. "Twenty minutes later, he's still asking questions. [Anderson] is very good to have around for that and obviously he's done well on the ice for us as well this year."

The Red Wings are coming off a 5-0 victory in Montreal on Tuesday, their fourth win in their last five games. Ville Husso, who will start tonight, made 24 saves for his fourth shutout of the season.

The Sabres are 3-0-0 against the Red Wings this season, including a 5-4 victory in their previous visit to Detroit on November 30. The Red Wings stormed back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period of that game, but the Sabres killed a late 5-on-3 penalty and won in a shootout. 

"This is a team that's playing very high-tempo hockey, very loose, and they're dangerous as a result," Granato said. "And they're dangerous because they have good hockey players. So, it's imperative that we shifted our attention really quick to this because it's obviously a game that we need."

[MattPie]

32 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Craig Anderson was back on the ice with the Sabres for their morning skate. He has not played since March 21 due to an upper-body injury but has remained an active member of the team behind the scenes.

Granato recalled one instance when he walked into the dressing room and saw Levi sitting with Anderson, picking the veteran's brain. 

"I walk in and I see him, then I walk out," Granato said. "Twenty minutes later, he's still asking questions. [Anderson] is very good to have around for that and obviously he's done well on the ice for us as well this year."

Man, pay Craig Anderson however many dollars next year to special goal coach if he wants it.

[lowsabre]

I'm very excited for us to go on a 5 game win streak

[Jävə Keith]

Boo Dead Things.

Yay Swordsmen!

Munching Wings

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Where does realism end and pessimism begin? How many teams down through history have gone young and cheap and told the fans, You just wait until these kids grow up? How many have been successful?

I'll say this. I'm reasonably optimistic that the franchise is finishing up one small step toward reentering the NHL.

Boy, the bar is low and the pace is excruciating.

 

 

With respect to the NHL, the standard way of rebuilding a roster is following the method that the Sabres are undergoing. You get rid of your more expensive older and established players for future assets. Then you develop then. There is nothing new about it. Toronto, Ottawa, Detroit, Jersey, Tampa. Colorado etc have followed the same process. There is nothing new about it. 

[Doohicksie]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

With respect to the NHL, the standard way of rebuilding a roster is following the method that the Sabres are undergoing. You get rid of your more expensive older and established players for future assets. Then you develop then. There is nothing new about it. Toronto, Ottawa, Detroit, Jersey, Tampa. Colorado etc have followed the same process. There is nothing new about it. 

The only "new" thing is that Kevyn has managed to sign his top two centers at team-friendly rates to try to avoid the cap pinch when Rasmus, Owen, etc. get their paydays.

[nfreeman]

I think it will be Levi again, and that the boys won't quit and will come out and play hard.  And Levi will excel again.  We just need to bury a few more chances.

BTW, there's been a fair amount of talk that Detroit has packed it in for the season, and that the Sabres' build strategy has proven better than Detroit's -- but the Sabres are only 2 pts ahead of them!

They are still very much alive if they win tonight and get some help in the other games.  The Islanders and the Penguins are both playing good opponents tonight (TB and Minny, respectively), and Florida is playing Ottawa, who is also still in it.

[Turbo44]

2 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I think it will be Levi again, and that the boys won't quit and will come out and play hard.  And Levi will excel again.  We just need to bury a few more chances.

BTW, there's been a fair amount of talk that Detroit has packed it in for the season, and that the Sabres' build strategy has proven better than Detroit's -- but the Sabres are only 2 pts ahead of them!

They are still very much alive if they win tonight and get some help in the other games.  The Islanders and the Penguins are both playing good opponents tonight (TB and Minny, respectively), and Florida is playing Ottawa, who is also still in it.

Detroit has won the last 4 of 5 and won last game 5-0; strange way of packing it in?

[Zamboni]

This is gonna be a good test.

I’ll be optimistic here …

 

Red Wings … 3

Buffalo Wings … 4

 

Skinner, Olofsson, or Dahlin with a goal

[nato7412]

😀

[triumph_communes]

Thompson played like ***** last game. He better be feeling better