FL had the better of the play from the start, Ullmark made some big saves to keep FL from an early lead. The tide started to turn with the Sabres first PP. Then it was Bobrobbski's turn to keep game scoreless.
I would've liked the Panthers to push the pace more in the second...but they were kinda hanging on at times as Buffalo just took it to them. Panthers flipped that script in the third. FL had a lot to do with the Sabres "shell" game. That was a fun game to watch.
- Ratsreign

Not a bad take, and if not for a flagrant no=call with seconds left, Panthers leave with zero points.

On Dahlin
He had a really bad game
another dumb penalty to take us off a pp
he coasted back behind our net on a pp, which led to a turnover
his passes were off
he was letting a lot of pucks get by him and out of the attack zone

this is why he was off the ice most of the last half of the third period, nothing more, nothing less

the coach is going to play who he feels gives him the best chance to win the game

this is not a dig on dahlin, kid is 19, going to have some up and down games

we don't see practice, only the coaches do
and from what they see, they would rather have risto and mccabe on the ice at crunch time holding onto a lead


you don't play a D man 25 minutes a night if he is bad
you don't go 4-0-1 if your 25 minute a night d man is bad


dahlin will get his minutes in due time

I thought I saw a bit of miller and risto together, which I found interesting for when montour comes back

On Dahlin
He had a really bad game
another dumb penalty to take us off a pp
he coasted back behind our net on a pp, which led to a turnover
his passes were off
he was letting a lot of pucks get by him and out of the attack zone

this is why he was off the ice most of the last half of the third period, nothing more, nothing less

the coach is going to play who he feels gives him the best chance to win the game

this is not a dig on dahlin, kid is 19, going to have some up and down games

we don't see practice, only the coaches do
and from what they see, they would rather have risto and mccabe on the ice at crunch time holding onto a lead


you don't play a D man 25 minutes a night if he is bad
you don't go 4-0-1 if your 25 minute a night d man is bad


dahlin will get his minutes in due time

I thought I saw a bit of miller and risto together, which I found interesting for when montour comes back
- homiedclown

Dahlin has been struggling big time this year. I am okay with him benched toward the end of the game.

He will be just fine and find himself game wise. Not worried about it at all.

On Dahlin
He had a really bad game
another dumb penalty to take us off a pp
he coasted back behind our net on a pp, which led to a turnover
his passes were off
he was letting a lot of pucks get by him and out of the attack zone

this is why he was off the ice most of the last half of the third period, nothing more, nothing less

the coach is going to play who he feels gives him the best chance to win the game

this is not a dig on dahlin, kid is 19, going to have some up and down games

we don't see practice, only the coaches do
and from what they see, they would rather have risto and mccabe on the ice at crunch time holding onto a lead


you don't play a D man 25 minutes a night if he is bad
you don't go 4-0-1 if your 25 minute a night d man is bad


dahlin will get his minutes in due time

I thought I saw a bit of miller and risto together, which I found interesting for when montour comes back
- homiedclown

Teams win despite bad players all the time.

Teams win despite bad players all the time.
- buffalofan19

the last 13 seasons of the sabres hockey disagrees with your post

the last 13 seasons of the sabres hockey disagrees with your post
- homiedclown

12, really.

But you have a point.

the last 13 seasons of the sabres hockey disagrees with your post
- homiedclown

They blew another 2 goal 3rd period lead while leaning on vets who have been blowing 2 goal leads for years.

It was very Housley-ish

On Dahlin
He had a really bad game
another dumb penalty to take us off a pp
he coasted back behind our net on a pp, which led to a turnover
his passes were off
he was letting a lot of pucks get by him and out of the attack zone

this is why he was off the ice most of the last half of the third period, nothing more, nothing less

the coach is going to play who he feels gives him the best chance to win the game

this is not a dig on dahlin, kid is 19, going to have some up and down games

we don't see practice, only the coaches do
and from what they see, they would rather have risto and mccabe on the ice at crunch time holding onto a lead


you don't play a D man 25 minutes a night if he is bad
you don't go 4-0-1 if your 25 minute a night d man is bad


dahlin will get his minutes in due time

I thought I saw a bit of miller and risto together, which I found interesting for when montour comes back
- homiedclown

As we know, the roster is not optimized, yet the team is winning with 4-0-1. No critical need to make a move at present time. That said, the roster is absolutely unbalanced and should be addressed for optimization purposes.

Left. Right. (not pairings, liste only)
Dahlin. Risto
McCabe. Miller
Scandella. Jokeharju
Gilmour. Montour
Pilut. Bogo
----- -. Nelson

Many Dmen even after anticipated move in sending Joker and Pilut down for convenience. Some decent assets to leverage, especially on the Right where higher values are often realized.

Left. Right
Skinner. Reino
Olofsson. -----(Sobotka*)
Vesey. ------(Sheary*)/ERod*
Girgenson. Okposo
Sheary
ERod
Johansson

Big holes at RW, way over staffed at LW based on natural/historical positioning. Complimentary assets on Left that could be used in a package to balance and optimize roster

Eichel
Johansson*
Mitts
Larson
(ERod)
Sobotka

Hole at 2C filled nicely as substitution based on critical need, not optimal positioning.
3C struggling. 4C decent. Optimization would suggest bringing in a true 2C and push Johansson to RW.

As we know, the roster is not optimized, yet the team is winning with 4-0-1. No critical need to make a move at present time. That said, the roster is absolutely unbalanced and should be addressed for optimization purposes.

Left. Right. (not pairings, liste only)
Dahlin. Risto
McCabe. Miller
Scandella. Jokeharju
Gilmour. Montour
Pilut. Bogo
----- -. Nelson

Many Dmen even after anticipated move in sending Joker and Pilut down for convenience. Some decent assets to leverage, especially on the Right where higher values are often realized.

Left. Right
Skinner. Reino
Olofsson. -----(Sobotka*)
Vesey. ------(Sheary*)/ERod*
Girgenson. Okposo
Sheary
ERod
Johansson

Big holes at RW, way over staffed at LW based on natural/historical positioning. Complimentary assets on Left that could be used in a package to balance and optimize roster

Eichel
Johansson*
Mitts
Larson
(ERod)
Sobotka

Hole at 2C filled nicely as substitution based on critical need, not optimal positioning.
3C struggling. 4C decent. Optimization would suggest bringing in a true 2C and push Johansson to RW.
- IonSabres

Good post !

IMO, Sabres have enough assets to make two moves to bring in a decent 2C for 2 - 3 years, and a 3RW, both of which would help this team nicely.
I would see some sort of package to acquire both, while holding salary would likely be necessary.

I don't foresee a move until after Thanksgiving as teams give their roster plenty of time to right itself before making moves, in general...hopefully by saying that, a trade will be forthcoming sooner!

It is very early in the season, but so far Vesey doesn't look like a fit.

On Dahlin
He had a really bad game
another dumb penalty to take us off a pp
he coasted back behind our net on a pp, which led to a turnover
his passes were off
he was letting a lot of pucks get by him and out of the attack zone

this is why he was off the ice most of the last half of the third period, nothing more, nothing less

the coach is going to play who he feels gives him the best chance to win the game

this is not a dig on dahlin, kid is 19, going to have some up and down games

we don't see practice, only the coaches do
and from what they see, they would rather have risto and mccabe on the ice at crunch time holding onto a lead


you don't play a D man 25 minutes a night if he is bad
you don't go 4-0-1 if your 25 minute a night d man is bad


dahlin will get his minutes in due time

I thought I saw a bit of miller and risto together, which I found interesting for when montour comes back
- homiedclown

The reason we have Risto and McCabe playing 25 minutes a night is because they are being forced to play a “shutdown” role although they aren’t suited for it. We don’t have a single defence man that is suited to play a shutdown defensive role however. Kind of like how Mojo is forced to play 2C out of necessity but realistically speaking he’s a winger.

Like I said a few pages back though, wake me up in January when real hockey starts. Just take the points now and the 4-0-1 hockey and be happy.

They blew another 2 goal 3rd period lead while leaning on vets who have been blowing 2 goal leads for years.

It was very Housley-ish
- OneKaneOneCup

they won a game where the only scoring came from the lockport line and our goalie got blitzed



it's a good day, second in the entire nhl for points

IMO, Sabres have enough assets to make two moves to bring in a decent 2C for 2 - 3 years, and a 3RW, both of which would help this team nicely.
I would see some sort of package to acquire both, while holding salary would likely be necessary.

I don't foresee a move until after Thanksgiving as teams give their roster plenty of time to right itself before making moves, in general...hopefully by saying that, a trade will be forthcoming sooner!

It is very early in the season, but so far Vesey doesn't look like a fit.
- IonSabres

I could be wrong but I believe we have to make a move when Montour comes off IR just to fit his salary under the cap. Could explain why Sobotka is in the top 6.

The reason we have Risto and McCabe playing 25 minutes a night is because they are being forced to play a “shutdown” role although they aren’t suited for it. We don’t have a single defence man that is suited to play a shutdown defensive role however. Kind of like how Mojo is forced to play 2C out of necessity but realistically speaking he’s a winger.

Like I said a few pages back though, wake me up in January when real hockey starts. Just take the points now and the 4-0-1 hockey and be happy.
- Swedish_Jesus

I liked seeing miller with risto

perhaps something to see when montour comes back

miller-risto
dahlin-montour
mccabe-joker

12, really.

But you have a point.
- Der Kaiser

good morning kaiser

IMO, Sabres have enough assets to make two moves to bring in a decent 2C for 2 - 3 years, and a 3RW, both of which would help this team nicely.
I would see some sort of package to acquire both, while holding salary would likely be necessary.

I don't foresee a move until after Thanksgiving as teams give their roster plenty of time to right itself before making moves, in general...hopefully by saying that, a trade will be forthcoming sooner!

It is very early in the season, but so far Vesey doesn't look like a fit.
- IonSabres

sheary should be back for the road trip, but they really need to figure out what to do with the casey line

my thoughts were to bump casey up to the second line wing with johansson and skinner, but e-rod really looks lost to start the season so the counter move is the pod racer on the dot for that line or call up asplund


as much as sobotka gets dogged, he is our most physical forward that is not on the lockport line, of course that is not saying much

The reason we have Risto and McCabe playing 25 minutes a night is because they are being forced to play a “shutdown” role although they aren’t suited for it. We don’t have a single defence man that is suited to play a shutdown defensive role however. Kind of like how Mojo is forced to play 2C out of necessity but realistically speaking he’s a winger.

Like I said a few pages back though, wake me up in January when real hockey starts. Just take the points now and the 4-0-1 hockey and be happy.
- Swedish_Jesus

In reality, they are also in need of a #1 RhD to play alongside Dahlin eventually.
They have a poopload of mobile, offensively gifted Dmen most of which are very similar in style and capabilites. Borgen seems to be the only shut-down type but he is very young and likely years away from earning a role in that type of game-ending situation. They are weak there for sure.

they won a game where the only scoring came from the lockport line and our goalie got blitzed



it's a good day, second in the entire nhl for points
- homiedclown

I’m absolutely ecstatic with our record.

We will absolutely lose more games than we win playing those third periods going forward

In reality, they are also in need of a #1 RhD to play alongside Dahlin eventually.
They have a poopload of mobile, offensively gifted Dmen most of which are very similar in style and capabilites. Borgen seems to be the only shut-down type but he is very young and likely years away from earning a role in that type of game-ending situation. They are weak there for sure.
- IonSabres

It’s Jokiharju man. He’s a stud

good morning kaiser
- homiedclown

Hey buddy.

I’m not analyzing any data. I’m just enjoying fast paced entertaining winning hockey

It’s Jokiharju man. He’s a stud
- OneKaneOneCup

As long as it isn’t debating the term and AAV of Skinner’s contract we really agree on most things.

Hey buddy.

I’m not analyzing any data. I’m just enjoying fast paced entertaining winning hockey
- Der Kaiser

it's fun

I literally watched parts of each game, 3 games completely, the last half of the hab game and the first half of the devil game

I have watched 3 post games, have not watched a post game in over 5 years

bought the nhl package, instead of relying on the stream

I think we are turning the corner, and it will only get better when the top lines click 5 on 5 and they will

I think everyone, including myself, is being hyper cryptical of Ralph and this point steak is because we want to be able to buy into the team without having last years 2nd half implosion happen.

As homie mentioned ..... it’s been 12 years of trash.

So far we are 4-0-1. Enjoy the ride game by game and don’t plan ahead

It’s Jokiharju man. He’s a stud
- OneKaneOneCup

I like what I see from the kid for sure, but he is playing as a 3rd pairing not 1st...yet.
At 20sh, he is likely a few years out playing that role consistently.

I guess the point with the roster is that they have a ton of options to see what they have, and hopefully, after some more time, they start toying with those options to see who can best fit where.
Put Joker up for a few games and let's see
Slide Casey to Wing for a few games, let's see
Let's see Miller and Dahlin with big minutes for a few games
Let's see Montour with Dahlin again
Who can play the left side D

The year has been a blast so far, but with so many young kids, so many options and so many UFA's...IMI roster evaluation is paramount for the long term

I like what I see from the kid for sure, but he is playing as a 3rd pairing not 1st...yet.
At 20sh, he is likely a few years out playing that role consistently.

I guess the point with the roster is that they have a ton of options to see what they have, and hopefully, after some more time, they start toying with those options to see who can best fit where.
Put Joker up for a few games and let's see
Slide Casey to Wing for a few games, let's see
Let's see Miller and Dahlin with big minutes for a few games
Let's see Montour with Dahlin again
Who can play the left side D

The year has been a blast so far, but with so many young kids, so many options and so many UFA's...IMI roster evaluation is paramount for the long term
- IonSabres

Joker at forward? What?