GDT: Penguins 🐧@ Sabres ⚔️🦬, 7pm, Feb. 5, 2026 (MSG, ESPN+, WGR-550)

[Drag0nDan]

48 minutes ago, Taro T said:

As somebody else had pointed out, the BJs have had a really soft schedule since their coaching change happened.  5 cupcakes (Cal, Van, Chix2, & St. Louis) out of their last 12 games.  And arguably 7 cupcakes in that stretch - Filly and Joisey have not been playing particuarly well recently and are above only the Rags in conference.

Their schedule gets tougher, but they have to be playing with a ton of confidence right now.  And, even though the schedule was soft, they still needed to actually play well enough to win all those games they have.

Also, as mentioned elsewhere, the Sabres play them for the last time this season on Thursday 4/9.

Goalies are doing a lot better as well - which as we know is one of the biggest regular season equalizers.  

[Nacho Libre]

 

[PASabreFan]

17 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Bad news for me. 

I was reminded that I am taking the wife to see a play tonight.  No hockey game for me.   Something about Alicia Keys and Hell's Kitchen something, something, something.  

I will check in afterwards.  

Dodes has been waiting a long time for this. That gal is the best thing that ever happened to you. I mean, no other woman could put up with you and your hockey life. She deserves this.

[Doohickie]

17 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Bad news for me. 

I was reminded that I am taking the wife to see a play tonight.  No hockey game for me.   Something about Alicia Keys and Hell's Kitchen something, something, something.  

I will check in afterwards.  

Last time I missed a game because I took my wife to a play was November 15, when the Sabres came back from 3 down to be the Red Wings in OT.  Think of this as a sacrifice you're making for the good guys.

[R_Dudley]

My two favorite teams playing tonight, the Sabres have been and are number one and I want to see them win tonight going into the break for second place in the division and the wild ride it sets up for the returning stretch. 

Little background on my second favorite team although I know it may sound like blasphemy here on this board but they are my second favorite team because they have played solid hockey and won four cups since I moved here on 6/92 in 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017. In the first seven years here I was a staunch Sabre fan flying our colors at Penguin games and was pecked on the head by their mascot Iceburg for calling him a pigeon and almost punched back but a co-worker intervened. 

In 2005 they got 18 Yr old Sid the Kid and I called him Sid the cry baby because I was still a Sabre 1st fan and they were playing competitive hockey. Also Sid complained a lot in those first few years about the rough ride given and allowed at the time by the NHL to rookie skaters 18 years old making a NHL team. 

Then in 2007 Pgh. made him Captain after Mario retired and he struggled that first year but really became a great captain for his team and a Hockey representative overall.

So sorry long story a little longer but they beat the Sabres 3x in the playoffs, 78-79 in the 3 game preliminary round, and 1992 and 2001. 

Grudges are forged in the agony of defeat but solid well played hockey is something I always appreciated. 

I want the Penguins to keep winning against every other team other than the Sabres.

LFG Buffalo and beat these Penguins today for our playoffs.

Then we get a turn to beat them this year in the playoffs start to right the wrongs of past to make that record 1-3.

        

 

[PASabreFan]

5 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

My two favorite teams playing tonight, the Sabres have been and are number one and I want to see them win tonight going into the break for second place in the division and the wild ride it sets up for the returning stretch. 

Little background on my second favorite team although I know it may sound like blasphemy here on this board but they are my second favorite team because they have played solid hockey and won four cups since I moved here on 6/92 in 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017. In the first seven years here I was a staunch Sabre fan flying our colors at Penguin games and was pecked on the head by their mascot Iceburg for calling him a pigeon and almost punched back but a co-worker intervened. 

In 2005 they got 18 Yr old Sid the Kid and I called him Sid the cry baby because I was still a Sabre 1st fan and they were playing competitive hockey. Also Sid complained a lot in those first few years about the rough ride given and allowed at the time by the NHL to rookie skaters 18 years old making a NHL team. 

Then in 2007 Pgh. made him Captain after Mario retired and he struggled that first year but really became a great captain for his team and a Hockey representative overall.

So sorry long story a little longer but they beat the Sabres 3x in the playoffs, 78-79 in the 3 game preliminary round, and 1992 and 2001. 

Grudges are forged in the agony of defeat but solid well played hockey is something I always appreciated. 

I want the Penguins to keep winning against every other team other than the Sabres.

LFG Buffalo and beat these Penguins today for our playoffs.

Then we get a turn to beat them this year in the playoffs start to right the wrongs of past to make that record 1-3.

        

 

Great post! @Sabres Fan in NS might be there with ya. However Sabres and Pens have met in postseason only twice. 79 and 01. Both losses represented an end of an era (the 70s Sabres were petering out and Dom was done).

[Taro T]

11 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

My two favorite teams playing tonight, the Sabres have been and are number one and I want to see them win tonight going into the break for second place in the division and the wild ride it sets up for the returning stretch. 

Little background on my second favorite team although I know it may sound like blasphemy here on this board but they are my second favorite team because they have played solid hockey and won four cups since I moved here on 6/92 in 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017. In the first seven years here I was a staunch Sabre fan flying our colors at Penguin games and was pecked on the head by their mascot Iceburg for calling him a pigeon and almost punched back but a co-worker intervened. 

In 2005 they got 18 Yr old Sid the Kid and I called him Sid the cry baby because I was still a Sabre 1st fan and they were playing competitive hockey. Also Sid complained a lot in those first few years about the rough ride given and allowed at the time by the NHL to rookie skaters 18 years old making a NHL team. 

Then in 2007 Pgh. made him Captain after Mario retired and he struggled that first year but really became a great captain for his team and a Hockey representative overall.

So sorry long story a little longer but they beat the Sabres 3x in the playoffs, 78-79 in the 3 game preliminary round, and 1992 and 2001. 

Grudges are forged in the agony of defeat but solid well played hockey is something I always appreciated. 

I want the Penguins to keep winning against every other team other than the Sabres.

LFG Buffalo and beat these Penguins today for our playoffs.

Then we get a turn to beat them this year in the playoffs start to right the wrongs of past to make that record 1-3.

        

 

As @PASabreFan mentioned, only 2 playoff matchups between Buffalo and the Pens.

And, as he mentioned, those 2 losses did signify changing of the guard.  The loss in '79 ushered in the Bowman era and the loss in '01 was the end of the Hasek era.

[Mr Peabody]

I haven’t forgiven Sid’s (Vicious) attempt to relocate Risto’s family jewels up into his Adams Apple.  Was a disgusting play and yet no penalty.  

[nfreeman]

1 minute ago, PASabreFan said:

Great post! @Sabres Fan in NS might be there with ya. However Sabres and Pens have met in postseason only twice. 79 and 01. Both losses represented an end of an era (the 70s Sabres were petering out and Dom was done).

That 2001 loss really hurt.  The Sabres were legit contenders with a peak Dominik.  IIRC the Sabres were ahead in the series 3-2 and were up by a goal in game 6, but Mario grabbed a puck out of the air with his glove in a scrum in front of the net, set it down perfectly and buried it with about 30 seconds left to tie it.  The Pens then won in OT, and won game 7 in OT as well on a shot that Dom should’ve saved.

After Dom whiffed on it, he bolted immediately into the locker room.  Shortly thereafter, having gotten a good look at the criminals/cheapskates who owned the team (among other things, they refused to pay Peca, their captain, who sat out the entire season), Dom demanded a trade, and the Sabres cratered immediately after trading him for peanuts.   

[#freejame]

10 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Great post! @Sabres Fan in NS might be there with ya. However Sabres and Pens have met in postseason only twice. 79 and 01. Both losses represented an end of an era (the 70s Sabres were petering out and Dom was done).

2001 was horsecock 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

That 2001 loss really hurt.  The Sabres were legit contenders with a peak Dominik.  IIRC the Sabres were ahead in the series 3-2 and were up by a goal in game 6, but Mario grabbed a puck out of the air with his glove in a scrum in front of the net, set it down perfectly and buried it with about 30 seconds left to tie it.  The Pens then won in OT, and won game 7 in OT as well on a shot that Dom should’ve saved.

After Dom whiffed on it, he bolted immediately into the locker room.  Shortly thereafter, having gotten a good look at the criminals/cheapskates who owned the team (among other things, they refused to pay Peca, their captain, who sat out the entire season), Dom demanded a trade, and the Sabres cratered immediately after trading him for peanuts.   

2001 should've been their year.  They dominated Joisey that year and won in Denver in OT with Biron between the pipes.  Would've been a tough final series but they should've won it.

[PonyBoy2]

3 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Lou Lou Franceschetti.

 

I think he just went by Lou. 😀

[Jävə Keith]

5 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Let's be Killer Whales today and make mince meat out of these Penguins

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

As @PASabreFan mentioned, only 2 playoff matchups between Buffalo and the Pens.

And, as he mentioned, those 2 losses did signify changing of the guard.  The loss in '79 ushered in the Bowman era and the loss in '01 was the end of the Hasek era.

Both created a lot of pain for my younger self.  Especially the '79 loss. 

[PonyBoy2]

@steveoath

PA Guins at Sabre's ...

Are we still following Flap antlers lead thread names this week? 😀

[bob_sauve28]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Great post! @Sabres Fan in NS might be there with ya. However Sabres and Pens have met in postseason only twice. 79 and 01. Both losses represented an end of an era (the 70s Sabres were petering out and Dom was done).

I disagree about the ‘79 loss. The team had a great 79-80 season and was cruising in the playoffs until they ran into the Islanders and Billy Smith—Ruff sure remembers that. The ‘81 team was pretty good, too. A guy by the name of Sauve had two shut outs in Montreal in the playoffs.

The end of that team, imo, was the trade of Gare, Sauve, and Shonny to Detroit 

[Wyldnwoody44]

I though Pitt was supposed to have a "down year" but I suppose that I hear that about Boston every year too. 

I haven't seen any Pitt games this year, what's their story, are they good, good goalies, resilient? 

[Night Train]

Wow. There is such a cluster around the Sabres in points. No team can even afford a mini losing streak. 

That comment was not a negative towards our team. I'm very happy with 3 out of 4 points down in Florida. Others will lose. 

Just play your game. 

[kas23]

I expect playoff level hockey again. From both sides. It’s the last game for a while. 

[Scottysabres]

Another 7pm to 7am shift, another game missed.

Just win boys, just win.

[Slack_in_MA]

LFG

[Indabuff]

Getcha club on Sabres!

L F G !!!

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I though Pitt was supposed to have a "down year" but I suppose that I hear that about Boston every year too. 

I haven't seen any Pitt games this year, what's their story, are they good, good goalies, resilient? 

They are playing a good 'veteran team' game.  They aren't going to outskate you. They aren't going to out hit you. Low ceiling, but high floor team. They beat the bad teams, and play 'tight' with the better/more talented teams hoping to stay in the games and get some luck late.

But they are very good on the PP AND good on the PK. I think they are 3rd in the league in both, and were a +15 on special teams as of a couple days ago.  They get up on teams early (they are a +18 in goal differential in the first period) and then they play relatively mistake-free hockey once they have the lead.

To use old basketball terms, in the games I have watched them, they don't beat you with the 'fast break', but rather with a methodical half-court offense and sound defense.

They are just playing a smart, solid game, the type of game that when you lose to them, you FEEL like you should have won and you had the better team, but they beat you with their head, not their skates or their sticks.

Great special teams on both sides. Vets who know how to play the game even if their bodies have slowed down.  An very high shooting percentage. And steady (not great, but consistent) goaltending.

 

Edited February 5 by mjd1001

[Brawndo]

Bryson in for Metsa 

[...]

I'm going to get hearing damage with the game opening program.