GDT: Sabres @ Rangers 7pm 4/8 TNT/Tru/HBO Max/WGR

[LGR4GM]

Curious to see how Kesselring and Timmins play tonight. 

[inkman]

29 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I am also rooting for Kess, but he has not been in the lineup because he was not playing well…hurt or not. If by raw deal you mean it wasn’t his fault he got injured, that’s fair. But it isn’t like he was Wally Pipp’d. After he went down, Metsa stepped in and hard to argue the results. 

He was a regular in the lineup from 1/17-3/10. He's been out of the lineup for nearly a month.  From what I've seen, he's been healthy that entire time despite certain individuals insisting he hasn't been. So basically, Lindy decided on 3/10 that he'd seen enough of MK to essentially bench him for a month in lieu of Metsa, Stanley, Timmins and Schenn.  

[Porous Five Hole]

Just now, inkman said:

He was a regular in the lineup from 1/17-3/10. He's been out of the lineup for nearly a month.  From what I've seen, he's been healthy that entire time despite certain individuals insisting he hasn't been. So basically, Lindy decided on 3/10 that he'd seen enough of MK to essentially bench him for a month in lieu of Metsa, Stanley, Timmins and Schenn.  

I’m not saying Logan Stanley is the answer to all of the Sabres problems, but wouldn’t you agree Kess hasn’t been good enough to break into the top six? I agree with Lindy here.

[nfreeman]

I'd like to see:

- Another strong outing by UPL as he firms up his bid to be the playoff starter

- Get-well scoring from McLeod, Norris, Doan and Byram

- Kesselring look like a competent NHL defenseman

- No injuries

- A strong, focused, professional effort leading to 2 points in the standings and keeping the pressure on TB and the Habs

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Curious to see how Kesselring and Timmins play tonight. 

Good choice of game to find out.

Though Rags are playing much better since the Olympic break than before, they're still only playing about 0.500 hockey.  Would've been nice to get them into a game where Ruff can control the matchups like he did vs TB.  Except for after a couple of icings (1 of which led to the 2nd TB goal), Schenn pretty much never faced the Kucherov line.  Won't be that successful keeping the 3rd pairing from NY's top guys, but NY doesn't have anybody remotely as good as Kucherov.  But, C-bus will be playing for their playoff lives tomorrow and then the next opportunity to try something new on the 3rd line is also on the road against a bad team.  But that team has Bedard and some other really talented youngsters that they really wouldn't want to have Timmins in Kesselring go up against.

[inkman]

1 minute ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’m not saying Logan Stanley is the answer to all of the Sabres problems, but wouldn’t you agree Kess hasn’t been good enough to break into the top six? I agree with Lindy here.

I think he's deserved a spot appearance here and there. I do think, when he's at his best, he's one of the Sabres top 6. I don't think he's been afforded any opportunity.  

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’m not saying Logan Stanley is the answer to all of the Sabres problems, but wouldn’t you agree Kess hasn’t been good enough to break into the top six? I agree with Lindy here.

I think Kesselring's injuries and new team hampered him this year and we don't have a good feel for what he can actually bring. 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

I'd like to see:

- Another strong outing by UPL as he firms up his bid to be the playoff starter

- Get-well scoring from McLeod, Norris, Doan and Byram

- Kesselring look like a competent NHL defenseman

- No injuries

- A strong, focused, professional effort leading to 2 points in the standings and keeping the pressure on TB and the Habs

Unless UPL totally falls apart this last week+ of the season, he's already earned the starter's net in the playoffs.  Can't see him playing his way out of that role in the regular season.  HOPE he doesn't do so after the 18th.

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, inkman said:

I think he's deserved a spot appearance here and there. I do think, when he's at his best, he's one of the Sabres top 6. I don't think he's been afforded any opportunity.  

When the deadline came, thought he was the guy that was going to be the 5 with Stanley and Metsa splitting time as the 6 with no good feel for where Timmins would fit in when he became available.  Totally missed the call with that one.

Stanley has been treated as the 5 and this is likely Kesselring's and Timmins' last chance to show they still need to be considered for the lineup should all the D still be healthy come the 18th.

[Porous Five Hole]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think Kesselring's injuries and new team hampered him this year and we don't have a good feel for what he can actually bring. 

I’m not adamant that Kess is bad, but he got 32 games and played replacement level on the third pair. I think the concept of Kess is more alluring than his results.  

[PromoTheRobot]

14 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Good choice of game to find out.

Though Rags are playing much better since the Olympic break than before, they're still only playing about 0.500 hockey.  Would've been nice to get them into a game where Ruff can control the matchups like he did vs TB.  Except for after a couple of icings (1 of which led to the 2nd TB goal), Schenn pretty much never faced the Kucherov line.  Won't be that successful keeping the 3rd pairing from NY's top guys, but NY doesn't have anybody remotely as good as Kucherov.  But, C-bus will be playing for their playoff lives tomorrow and then the next opportunity to try something new on the 3rd line is also on the road against a bad team.  But that team has Bedard and some other really talented youngsters that they really wouldn't want to have Timmins in Kesselring go up against.

The post-elimination tear. We know it well.

[Stads]

53 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

@Stads How are your playoff stories coming?

Dark and sexy

[#freejame]

Tampa play Montreal tomorrow making this a pretty huge game for the division race. It’s important to me to get home ice advantage. 

[JustOneParade]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Did you see the Washington's Dream skit on SNL? The general exorts his men with a vision of America not based on equality but on the right to name the first year of school kindergarten and the second year first grade.

But you seem more of a Sam Kinnison man than a Nate Bargatze. Am I right?

Just saw Nate this past Saturday night. Great show. And as an added bonus, missed the Caps game.

[...]

53 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’m not saying Logan Stanley is the answer to all of the Sabres problems, but wouldn’t you agree Kess hasn’t been good enough to break into the top six? I agree with Lindy here.

I think the Sabres' record during that period would say otherwise.

[Mustache of God]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

IIRC their contract with the Rangers (either the broadcast contract or the building contract, maybe both) had something to do why the 10th anniversary WC ended up in that Buffalo suburb known to most as the Bronx.  (Or was it Queens?  Thought the game was in Yankee Stadium, maybe it was Citi Field.)

It was Queens, at Citi Field. It was cold as ***** that day. I was there. 

[quill]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Must win.  Keep pressure on Montreal and TB.

It's a must win and then some. We need to finish in first place. If we don't finish in first, our opponent will be Montreal in the first round. Not good. OTOH, finish first and we get a wildcard team. Much better.

[CallawaySabres]

I don’t even remember who Pearsson is….

[K012010]

Come on boys get it done tonight

[Jorcus]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

 

 

 

So tonight we go with two lines of left handed D and one line of right handed D. Remember when that was such a talking point. 

[HumanSlinky39]

5-2 Sabres

[Mango]

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

Interesting.  Expected Lyon tonight and UPL tomorrow night.

 

Curious if they're trying to see how UPL may fair in a B2B before the playoffs start?

Otherwise I agree. I thought Lyon was a slam dunk.

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, Mango said:

 

Curious if they're trying to see how UPL may fair in a B2B before the playoffs start?

Otherwise I agree. I thought Lyon was a slam dunk.

Not sure about them definitely wanting to give him the btb starts, but do agree that they're at least considering it.  And by giving him the 1st game of the back to back, should he end up with a light enough workload it remains an option to give him the btb start; especially with there being an extra 2 days off before the game in Chicago and then another day off to travel before the game vs Dallas.

Had they given tonight's start to Lyon, they were pretty much married to running with UPL tomorrow night regardless of outcomes.  Now (presuming Lyon is healthy enough to play tomorrow) they can make the decision on who starts tomorrow after tonight's game is completed and UPL may find himself between the pipes for that one too.

[TageMVP]

51 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

5-2 Sabres

Flip that and you got it 

[quill]

24 minutes ago, Mango said:

 

Curious if they're trying to see how UPL may fair in a B2B before the playoffs start?

Otherwise I agree. I thought Lyon was a slam dunk.

Unless for some bizarre reason Ruff still hasn't decided for sure who the #1 goalie is, I don't think UPL will get a night off until first place in our division has been decided.