[Incomplete Title] Sabres (21-12-5) & NHL 2018-19 - Game 39 (MSG-B) vs. BOS (20-14-4) at 7 PM ET on 12/29

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 hours ago, row_33 said:

the way the NHL has set it up, it is grossly unfair in favour of those on top of the standings

 

TB, TOR and BUFF can play 500 hockey the rest of the way with no fear at all, a point a game basically

 

a few streaks and slumps are fine

 

just rest up for what matters, the playoffs

 

with that 3rd point handed out 1/3 or so of the time, these 3 can aim for OT on every road game now and not risk losing in regulation

 

and East plays East so much that a team trying to rise has to win 8 in a row and keep a strong streak going to even hope of the playoffs at this point

 

Shhhh... Don't say that too loud, "lazy mode" Sabres may be listening!

 

 

[shrader]

14 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The irony is that in three of those four last games Buffalo probably played better than they did during the win streak. In the Toronto game I thought overall that they played better than they did. 

 

And we've now seen both ends of the unsustainability of a streak of one goal games.

[row_33]

12 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Shhhh... Don't say that too loud, "lazy mode" Sabres may be listening!

 

 

 

been a veteran NHL points-ologist for many years, not that the Leafs have had much time in the machine

 

the whole thing is rigged against teams out of the playoffs for the second half of the season

 

i laugh when a fan tells me his team is only 5 points out in January....

 

 

[plenzmd1]

2 hours ago, row_33 said:

the way the NHL has set it up, it is grossly unfair in favour of those on top of the standings

 

TB, TOR and BUFF can play 500 hockey the rest of the way with no fear at all, a point a game basically

 

a few streaks and slumps are fine

 

just rest up for what matters, the playoffs

 

with that 3rd point handed out 1/3 or so of the time, these 3 can aim for OT on every road game now and not risk losing in regulation

 

and East plays East so much that a team trying to rise has to win 8 in a row and keep a strong streak going to even hope of the playoffs at this point

 

uhmmm...its why a few of us were going bat chit crazy @K-9   and me especially)the first few weeks of the season..out of a spot by 4 points or more October 31..pretty much kiss your playoff chances goodbye. This year, if I remember correctly, just about everyone in the East, was within 4 points...but I may be wrong on that

[JohnC]

24 minutes ago, shrader said:

 

And we've now seen both ends of the unsustainability of a streak of one goal games.

I'm looking at this season from a different standpoint than accumulated points. There is no doubt that Botterill brought in talent to bolster the roster and make this team competitive, even against the elite teams. What I'm focusing on are the young guys. Dahlin is in a special category by himself so I'm not worried about him as much as I am excited about him. Who I'm closely watching are players such as Mittelstadt, Tage, Ullmark and for now Pilut. I'm also following how Guhle and Nylander are doing in Rochester. I wouldn't be surprised if both of them were brought up sometime this year. The fun part of following this team is watching these young guys develop and as time goes by become core players for a seriously contending team. 

 

Not that long ago I stated that I felt Buffalo was still a notch below the elite teams such as Tampa, Toronto and Nashville. I got skewered for an opinion that is to me obviously so. But if you put things in perspective this team has made a quantum leap forward in a short period of time with the pipeline nearly ready to add even more talent. Overall, I'm excited about our current situation and our near future prospects. 

Edited December 6, 2018 by JohnC

[ExiledInIllinois]

30 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

been a veteran NHL points-ologist for many years, not that the Leafs have had much time in the machine

 

the whole thing is rigged against teams out of the playoffs for the second half of the season

 

i laugh when a fan tells me his team is only 5 points out in January....

 

 

Why all games should be 3 points.

 

3 = Regulation Win

2= OT/SO Win

1= OT/SO Loss

0= Regulation Loss

[26CornerBlitz]

 

4. Buffalo Sabres | Record: 17–8–3 | Previous Ranking: 2

The Sabres looked the part of contender against both Tampa Bay and Nashville, even if those games resulted in losses. That's half the battle.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, row_33 said:

 

been a veteran NHL points-ologist for many years, not that the Leafs have had much time in the machine

 

the whole thing is rigged against teams out of the playoffs for the second half of the season

 

i laugh when a fan tells me his team is only 5 points out in January....

 

 

 

But look how many teams stay in the playoff race pretty much right to the end.  They will never change this system for that very reason.  All that matters is that the fans think their team has a chance, even if that 3-5 point gap is very tough to overcome.

[Buffalo716]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

I'm looking at this season from a different standpoint than accumulated points. There is no doubt that Botterill brought in talent to bolster the roster and make this team competitive, even against the elite teams. What I'm focusing on are the young guys. Dahlin is in a special category by himself so I'm not worried about him as much as I am excited about him. Who I'm closely watching are players such as Mittelstadt, Tage, Ullmark and for now Pilut. I'm also following how Guhle and Nylander are doing in Rochester. I wouldn't be surprised if both of them were brought up sometime this year. The fun part of following this team is watching these young guys develop and as time goes by become core players for a seriously contending team. 

 

Not that long ago I stated that I felt Buffalo was still a notch below the elite teams such as Tampa, Toronto and Nashville. I got skewered for an opinion that is to me obviously so. But if you put things in perspective this team has made a quantum leap forward in a short period of time with the pipeline nearly ready to add even more talent. Overall, I'm excited about our current situation and our near future prospects. 

A guy like Nylander likely will not be brought up this year unless for injury 

 

he is not a 2 way skater and therefore must be on the top 6... no way he can knock the top 6 this year unless for injury 

 

he isn’t good enough defensively to be on the 3rd 4th line 

Edited December 6, 2018 by Buffalo716

[row_33]

1 hour ago, shrader said:

 

But look how many teams stay in the playoff race pretty much right to the end.  They will never change this system for that very reason.  All that matters is that the fans think their team has a chance, even if that 3-5 point gap is very tough to overcome.

 

overall the NHL wants to cut down on ties, but they can't get a comfortable visiting team to get motivated to go all-out for a regulation win

 

and if you are on top in January, you are quite content to rag the puck for a guaranteed point and try your luck in OT

 

80% of teams are "500" with equal wins and losses, but that's because of the rigged point system, so fans say they are only 5 or 6 points out (for months on end...)

 

you just can't make ground from the bottom 1/3 unless you go on an 8 game win streak and continue to play well

 

East plays East mostly, so if you are in the bottom five, 2 or 3 points are awarded to other East teams each game.  That 3rd point in a conference game (about 1/3 of games) is poison to a team trying to rise up the standings into the playoffs.

 

it's a horrible system that rewards teams that play well in the first half and kills those in the second half

 

they should award 3 points for a regulation win.....

 

 

 

--------------------------------

 

it's been noted that a team 5 out at Hallowe'en or US Thanksgiving basically is not making the playoffs

 

 

 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said:

A guy like Nylander likely will not be brought up this year unless for injury 

 

he is not a 2 way skater and therefore must be on the top 6... no way he can knock the top 6 this year unless for injury 

 

he isn’t good enough defensively to be on the 3rd 4th line 

That was my point that if spots open up because of injuries or trades that they are next in line to move up the ranks. With respect to Nylander over the past year he has dedicated himself to be a more complete (responsible) player. He is a +10 player which indicates that he is working to round out his game. An argument can be made that in training camp he played well enough to earn a roster spot. But it was thought that getting more time in the minors was the best approach to take with respect to his development. 

3 hours ago, shrader said:

 

And we've now seen both ends of the unsustainability of a streak of one goal games.

What was learned from the streak is that this team continued to play hard even when they were behind.  Last year, it was evident that when they got behind they got deflated and dispirited and didn't have the belief that they could come back. Not this year! More talent and a better mind-set make a difference. 

[Buffalo716]

7 minutes ago, JohnC said:

That was my point that if spots open up because of injuries or trades that they are next in line to move up the ranks. With respect to Nylander over the past year he has dedicated himself to be a more complete (responsible) player. He is a +10 player which indicates that he is working to round out his game. An argument can be made that in training camp he played well enough to earn a roster spot. But it was thought that getting more time in the minors was the best approach to take with respect to his development. 

What was learned from the streak is that this team continued to play hard even when they were behind.  Last year, it was evident that when they got behind they got deflated and dispirited and didn't have the belief that they could come back. Not this year! More talent and a better mind-set make a difference. 

He has definitely improved his game but to his credit his +10 is also because hes scoring points and helping to create goals at a high rate

 

as a 4th line defensive player tasked with keeping the other teams 1st and 2nd lines from scoring is where he might start and is not his strength 

 

call him up when he’s ready to crack the top 6 and he will probably be a contributor offensively 

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

2 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

12-6: THN's Matt Larkin on WGR (19:34)

 

.@THNMattLarkin joins Schopp & the Bulldog in moments to talk #Sabres and their chances at making the playoffs!

 

Larkin on the #Sabres loss to #LeafsForever - They looked like Rocky vs. Apollo Creed. They didn't win, but they came out feeling like the winner. It was a crucial measuring stick.

 

Larkin - I'm not calling them Stanley Cup contenders yet, but I am calling them playoff contenders. They remind me of the Leafs last year or two years ago. #Sabres

 

Larkin on Dahlin - Not all 18 year old defenseman can be thrust into these minutes. He's a very special case. It's not just the offense, it's his jam/mean streak. #Sabres

 

Larkin on Dahlin - I think he's got swagger & will keep taking chances. He doesn't shy away from it. #Sabres

 

Larkin on Skinner - He's been crucial. The #Sabres got a steal. He's still very young. Never had a center of Eichel feeding him the puck. Of course he's scoring this much.

 

Larkin on Skinner - I'd predict he remains a Sabre. The chemistry is undeniable, and he's close to his hometown. #Sabres

 

Larkin on Eichel - That Leaf game was a little taste of playoff Jack Eichel. People still don't understand how good he is. #Sabres

 

Larkin - I do think from a center depth perspective they miss Ryan O'Reilly. There's more pressure on Mittelstadt to produce. Sobotka & Berglund are not bona fide #2 centermen. #Sabres

 

Larkin - If if I had to bet they'll make the playoffs, but they might slide down to one of the wild card spots. #Sabres

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

He has definitely improved his game but to his credit his +10 is also because hes scoring points and helping to create goals at a high rate

 

as a 4th line defensive player tasked with keeping the other teams 1st and 2nd lines from scoring is where he might start and is not his strength 

 

call him up when he’s ready to crack the top 6 and he will probably be a contributor offensively 

 

 

I agree with the gist of what you are saying but to a more limited extent. This team is struggling with secondary scoring. Even if he is on a third line it doesn't have to necessarily be a checking line such as the Larsson and Gergonsons line. He can be on a line with Tage or Rodriques or others where there will be more scoring opportunities. In addition, with his passing skills he could also be used on a second PP unit. 

 

With respect to his solid plus/minus numbers I have no problems with a player being on the plus side because his line is scoring more. That's not something I will lament; it's something that I would celebrate. 

[Buffalo716]

Just now, JohnC said:

I agree with the gist of what you are saying but to a more limited extent. This team is struggling with secondary scoring. Even if he is on a third line it doesn't have to necessarily be a checking line such as the Larsson and Gergonsons line. He can be on a line with Tage or Rodriques or others where there will be more scoring opportunities. In addition, with his passing skills he could also be used on a second PP unit. 

 

With respect to his solid plus/minus numbers I have no problems with a player being on the plus side because his line is scoring more. That's not something I will lament; it's something that I would celebrate. 

Oh 100% his scoring is something to celebrate 

 

but he won’t be scoring at a 1.3 ppg clip on the 3rd line even with tage and such, so he will have to be playing some tough 2 way puck 

 

i agree ive been wanting to see him for a while because his speed and hands are just something you can’t teach and he can be a great PP2 guy

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[JohnC]

5 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Next year Tage, Middelstadt, Pilut, Guhle, Nylander and Ullmark should be much better from a physical and experience standpoint. If you add in Dahlin who is in a super category by himself then the internal improvement from our own stable of players should put us in a good position for the near future. You add in these developing players to what is already here with Eichel, Reinhart and hopefully Skinner then the trajectory  should be upwards. .In addition, the Sabres will have three first round picks in the next draft which is considered to be a loaded draft. Botterill is smartly piecing things together so that the critical mass of talent will soon some come together and allow us to become a cup vying team. Great work by the GM. 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

SABRES RECALL TENNYSON, WEDGEWOOD

 

BUFFALO, N.Y. (December 7, 2018) — The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has recalled defenseman Matt Tennyson and goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Rochester Americans (AHL).