GDT: #12 – Sabres at Isles Sat Feb 9–7:00PM ET– TV: MSG-B – Radio: WGR-AM (Myers may sit)

[misterchainsaw]

Right, but it's a passive system. You're hoping the other team makes mistakes instead of trying to dictate play.

And yeah, the defensive tire fire is what it is. They're not a good team. But they're a bad boring team on top of it.

Most teams in the league turn passive when they can't get a forechecker within a couple of strides of the defender because they have to change with the amount of time spent in their own end.

Then you have a guy on pretty much every line (except the top..who stink defensively as a unit) who's prone to giving the puck away in the offensive zone rather than keeping a cycle going when they do actually get the puck down there (I'm thinking specifically of Ennis' no-look wild fling in front of the net behind all of his teammates that resulted in a 4 on 2 against in that first period as an example). Resulting in yet more zone time against a defense that hasn't shown a semblence of competent NHL defending yet this season.....it's ugly.

 

[sba]

This is easily Ehrhoff's worst game of the year

 

[Eichel 9]

This is easily Ehrhoff's worst game of the year

Seems to be the case for any dman that plays with Leopold.

 

[misterchainsaw]

Hecht is having another cringe worthy game.

Our defensive zone coverage is painful to watch.

Hecht is done. Nice career, but he's a liability right now. Unfortunately we don't have anyone else either for that role

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

OK...The Islanders are outshooting us 20-4.

sink in...20-4....

to the frigging islanders

 

[sba]

Seems to be the case for any dman that plays with Leopold.

and he'll never sit

 

[misterchainsaw]

Clean breakout (finally!), Foglino gains the zone and promptly passes it right back out of the zone. So bad at the territorial aspect of the game.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Seems to be the case for any dman that plays with Leopold.

spot on

 

[start winnin]

Nice play Brennan HAHA

 

[Slangston]

Remember when the Sabres were regularly the quicker team? To a man, they look like they're skating in slush.

One of my biggest concerns with the Sabres entering the season was lack of team speed. People can badmouth Afinogenov all they want, but he was a valuable asset with his ability to back-off the defense and create space/opportunities for himself and his teammates. This team desperate needs someone like that. A burner that keeps the defense honest...Sans the tenendcy to over-stickhandle and turn the puck over of course.

 

[sba]

Speaking of sitting:

Mikhail Grigorenko has played 1:25 so far

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

you know there is a perfect example...

VHP, even though they didn't win in the offensive zone, the cycle was tried, the effort was there, and a little banging. Why they succeed more often than the rest of the team

 

[kirby11]

One of my biggest concerns with the Sabres entering the season was lack of team speed. People can badmouth Afinogenov all they want, but he was a valuable asset with his ability to back-off the defense and create space/opportunities for himself and his teammates. This team desperate needs someone like that. A burner that keeps the defense honest...Sans the tenendcy to over-stickhandle and turn the puck over of course.

ennis can be that guy when he's on his game, but aside from him and gerbe, who has done nothing this year, they're pretty slow up front

 

[misterchainsaw]

I don't think I've ever seen a defenseman give up the blue line quite like Leopold has in this one.

 

[sba]

nice D play by Grigs there, he should sit more

 

[Ness]

Well, Grigs had a nice stick on that defensive play in the slot.

 

[Eichel 9]

Hecht really is worthless now

 

[Elum]

Did Keleta get hurt or something? I haven't seen him in the 2nd yet.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

One of my biggest concerns with the Sabres entering the season was lack of team speed. People can badmouth Afinogenov all they want, but he was a valuable asset with his ability to back-off the defense and create space/opportunities for himself and his teammates. This team desperate needs someone like that. A burner that keeps the defense honest...Sans the tenendcy to over-stickhandle and turn the puck over of course.

Isn't that Ennis?

 

[misterchainsaw]

Sekera/Weber have been a disaster.

 

[joshjull]

Seems to be the case for any dman that plays with Leopold.

Beat me to it. Leo is pathetic.

 

[sabresfan129103]

**** off Weber.

 

[start winnin]

Holy **** we are awful. AWFUL.

 

[kirby11]

Speaking of sitting:

Mikhail Grigorenko has played 1:25 so far

I'd be ok with sending him back to juniors at this point so he doesn't suffer through this trainwreck of a year like nino neideritter did with the isles last season. ellis is a better 4th line player anyway, just put him in grigs' spot.

 

[sabresfan129103]

Shots are 22-4