GDT / Washington Capitals @ Buffalo Sabres Tues. 4/2 -7pm ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

[Huckleberry]

[Sidc3000]

6 hours ago, Pimlach said:

All we are playing for is pride and to gain some winning momentum for next year.  The chances of playoffs are of course extremely remote.  

Given that, why watch them if gaining 2 points means nothing?   Are you one of the "lose for a better draft choice guys", or  are you a "lose to get the coach fired guy"?  

I enjoy watching them play a good game and win, someday I hope to see it more often.  

 

If this season taught us anything, it’s what happens at the end of this season means absolutely nothing for next season. 
 

It’s always fun to watch them play a good game. 

[nucci]

7 hours ago, Ctaeth said:

first impressions are everything.  he had a really slow start but has actually been sneaky good since

what is sneaky about it?

[gilbert11]

9 hours ago, Pimlach said:

It means we get 2 points and they get 0 points.   

IT AIN’T OVER TIL IT’s OVER!!!!

[OverPowerYou]

I deleted the nhl app because I wouldn’t have to look at the standings anymore. Here I am googling the eastern conference standings

[PASabreFan]

Buffalo Super Fan also writes for GR 55.

[JohnC]

7 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

They were great on offense. but we're lucky it wasn't 6-5 or 6-6 into OT. UPL very fortunate tonight.

What you just stated is the mercurial nature of hockey. Washington hit the pipes at least half a dozen times. If a few of those shots would have instead ricocheted in, this would have been a more closely contested game.  We were fortunate. But overall, we were the better team. As others have stated, that's what has been so frustrating about this season. We are better than many of the teams vying for the playoffs.

The Sabres made some exquisite passes that resulted in scores. The pass to Tuch and Tage were examples of that. Our first line with Tuck/Tage/JJ dominated this game. As you point out UPL was a difference maker. He's playing like a good #1 NHL goalie. 

One of the main deficiencies in this team all season long was the lack of net presence on offense. It was better in this game. Girg's goal was an example of what can happen when you are willing to position yourself in that tough turf. 

Since his return, I thought Quinn was moving very well. His injury before the season and during the season was very damaging. It had a cascading negative effect to more than one line. 

There are those that argue that the remaining games are meaningless. What are they arguing for? To give up and not play hard and not play with pride and integrity? I just don't understand that odd line of reasoning!

[LGR4GM]

Quinn with Benson next year is going to cause other teams lots of problems. There's too much skill and smarts between them to no create a lot of offense. 

[JohnC]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

Quinn with Benson next year is going to cause other teams lots of problems. There's too much skill and smarts between them to no create a lot of offense. 

Peterka has had an excellent season. If I were given the choice of having JJ or Quinn, I would take Quinn. As you keenly note, Quinn's hockey IQ is at the top of the chart. And on top of Quinn's high skill level he is also a tough and gritty player

. It's going to be intriguing to see how much better Benson is going to be in his second year with an offseason to better physically prepare for next season. 

[Doohickie]

36 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Quinn with Benson next year is going to cause other teams lots of problems. There's too much skill and smarts between them to no create a lot of offense. 

And it seems like JJP jumps in and out of that group.  Sometimes he's right up with them, sometimes not so much.  I hope with the experience he's getting he can be more consistently in that group.

[Doohickie]

35 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Peterka has had an excellent season. If I were given the choice of having JJ or Quinn, I would take Quinn. As you keenly note, Quinn's hockey IQ is at the top of the chart. And on top of Quinn's high skill level he is also a tough and gritty player

. It's going to be intriguing to see how much better Benson is going to be in his second year with an offseason to better physically prepare for next season. 

The only counterpoint I have is that the best ability is availability.  Quinn is a gritty player and so far his body hasn't backed that up.  JJP is perhaps a notch down from Quinn but he hasn't spent time on IR like Quinn has.

[PASabreFan]

9 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Lose = get mad. 😠

Win = get mad. 😠

Criticism should only increase with each win. And the bigger the win the more they should be booed. These ***** should need a police escort away from the arena if they win every remaining game.

Edited April 3 by PASabreFan

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

The only counterpoint I have is that the best ability is availability.  Quinn is a gritty player and so far his body hasn't backed that up.  JJP is perhaps a notch down from Quinn but he hasn't spent time on IR like Quinn has.

To be fair to Quinn on the issue of durability, he tore his Achilles while training in the offseason, and the injury that he suffered on a hit along the boards would have injured anyone who took a similar hit. It's not so much the frequency of his injuries as it is the severity of them when they have occurred to him. I have high expectations of him as a player for this team. 

[mjd1001]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

What you just stated is the mercurial nature of hockey. Washington hit the pipes at least half a dozen times. If a few of those shots would have instead ricocheted in, this would have been a more closely contested game.  We were fortunate. But overall, we were the better team. As others have stated, that's what has been so frustrating about this season. We are better than many of the teams vying for the playoffs.

The Sabres made some exquisite passes that resulted in scores. The pass to Tuch and Tage were examples of that. Our first line with Tuck/Tage/JJ dominated this game. As you point out UPL was a difference maker. He's playing like a good #1 NHL goalie. 

One of the main deficiencies in this team all season long was the lack of net presence on offense. It was better in this game. Girg's goal was an example of what can happen when you are willing to position yourself in that tough turf. 

Since his return, I thought Quinn was moving very well. His injury before the season and during the season was very damaging. It had a cascading negative effect to more than one line. 

There are those that argue that the remaining games are meaningless. What are they arguing for? To give up and not play hard and not play with pride and integrity? I just don't understand that odd line of reasoning!

Quinn played many times better last game than before.

 

[BC Sabres Fan]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Quinn with Benson next year is going to cause other teams lots of problems. There's too much skill and smarts between them to no create a lot of offense. 

There hockeysense is elite. They both think the game better than most of the league

[SwampD]

15 hours ago, JohnC said:

To be fair to Quinn on the issue of durability, he tore his Achilles while training in the offseason, and the injury that he suffered on a hit along the boards would have injured anyone who took a similar hit. It's not so much the frequency of his injuries as it is the severity of them when they have occurred to him. I have high expectations of him as a player for this team. 

It was a routine play along the boards. Others make that play a dozen times a game and don’t get injured. I actually think he got injured when he spun around, before he was even hit.

And it’s both. The severity and frequency of his injuries are a concern. I really like him as a player. I just wish he stayed healthy and we got to see him play more. Even then, still not sure he is a difference maker that leads us to the playoffs.

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, SwampD said:

It was a routine play along the boards. Others make that play a dozen times a game and don’t get injured. I actually think he got injured when he spun around, before he was even hit.

And it’s both. The severity and frequency of his injuries are a concern. I really like him as a player. I just wish he stayed healthy and we got to see him play more. Even then, still not sure he is a difference maker that leads us to the playoffs.

Whether his injury was a board hit or a fluke injury it happens in hockey, and in all sports for that matter. 

Is he a difference maker? He's a legitimate first or second-line talent. It's not so much an issue of him leading him us to the playoffs as it is having a good enough team/players around him to get this team into the playoffs. Just ask Dahlin what it takes to get to the playoffs. He's a sterling player who needs more help to get this team over the hump. 

[SwampD]

26 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Whether his injury was a board hit or a fluke injury it happens in hockey, and in all sports for that matter. 

Is he a difference maker? He's a legitimate first or second-line talent. It's not so much an issue of him leading him us to the playoffs as it is having a good enough team/players around him to get this team into the playoffs. Just ask Dahlin what it takes to get to the playoffs. He's a sterling player who needs more help to get this team over the hump. 

He is most definitely not a legitimate first or second line talent. He may be one day, but he certainly isn’t now. And by saying  we need good enough players around him to get to the playoffs would mean the he would be pushed to the third or fourth line on that team.

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

He is most definitely not a legitimate first or second line talent. He may be one day, but he certainly isn’t now. And by saying  we need good enough players around him to get to the playoffs would mean the he would be pushed to the third or fourth line on that team.

I simply disagree that he isn't a first or second line talent. I'll go so far as saying that if I had the choice between having Peterka or Quinn, I would take Quinn. You disagree with that assessment.  Different eyes and different views. That's OK.  

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I simply disagree that he isn't a first or second line talent. I'll go so far as saying that if I had the choice between having Peterka or Quinn, I would take Quinn. You disagree with that assessment.  Different eyes and different views. That's OK.  

I don’t wear blue and gold glasses.

[JohnC]

Just now, SwampD said:

I don’t wear blue and gold glasses.

I'll wear whatever I want to wear. And you wear whatever you want to wear. That's your prerogative. 

[SwampD]

8 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'll wear whatever I want to wear. And you wear whatever you want to wear. That's your prerogative. 

Yep. And we’re both still wearing them while watching other teams play in the playoffs.

Next year, though…

[Doohickie]

20 hours ago, JohnC said:

To be fair to Quinn on the issue of durability, he tore his Achilles while training in the offseason, and the injury that he suffered on a hit along the boards would have injured anyone who took a similar hit. It's not so much the frequency of his injuries as it is the severity of them when they have occurred to him. I have high expectations of him as a player for this team. 

Agree; just commenting on how things have gone up until now.

[Drag0nDan]

On 4/3/2024 at 9:33 AM, Doohickie said:

And it seems like JJP jumps in and out of that group.  Sometimes he's right up with them, sometimes not so much.  I hope with the experience he's getting he can be more consistently in that group.

I hope JJP sticks with Thompson and Tuch.  The speed on the wing there can really help them gain the zone, he's an underrated forechecker, and the kid can shoot.  That'd leave cozens with Benson and Quinn, or potentially a new C.  Skinner on a wing with likely a rookie out of camp (we have several at the moment, and i should hope they move one or two of them), and hopefully a new 3C or Cozens (I'm not a fan of Krebs - seems like a AAAA guy and not someone you pay).  Then line 4 would ideally be made with... actual shutdown forwards.  Greenway and 2 players who are difficult to play against, can kill penalties and can chip in some goals from time to time.