GBU Mon 2/15/2021 - Sabres observe holiday

[Sabretooth]

I thought, maybe the break is a good thing. They were trending down hard the last 3 games before the break. Maybe a reset will help.

 

[Ygo]

Are you joking? Teddy is the greatest coach in hockey history at polishing a turd. I'd take him back in a heartbeat because he'd never put up with a disgraceful non effort like the 3rd period last night.

What gets me, is what you expect from a coach is some measure of consistency for the players, but, also a focus on giving the team the best chance to win. I mean, the team has been off for two weeks, you have several call ups and the game result is going poorly. On top of that, the 3rd is in flames... The best they could come up with was to roll out KO (who as much as I like the player of past, he is a shell of himself) - he played more 5v5 minutes than 5 forwards (not to mention Fogarty was playing well... roll him out there). What has KO done this year to continue to deserve late game ice time. it is a freaking mystery to me.

Do the players get tweaked by this? Are they too deep into it to notice. I am sure KO's line mates notice that they are getting caved in now, but, when they had a rookie with them they were playing pretty close to even. Never even mind the analytics, the guy looks slow and cannot retain the puck. How is this not a big deal amongst the players?

 

[Fezzy126]

Speaking of ugly:

Is that bad?

 

[Ygo]

If Borgen can be the ying to Dahlin's yang, I'm all for it. I know it has only been one game, but he is cheap, internal and could elevate Dahlin to be his potential.

Not finding an appropriate partner for Dahlin has been one of the biggest failures for this team. Miller is exactly what he does not need. Risto, Montour, Miller (the Right side of the D) all want the puck and all want to move up ice... Miller, doesn't even look for him (ever). It doesn't look system related, because, 26 is constantly looking for and finding lanes, but, the puck seldom comes. Imagine, Hughes or Makar playing for the Sabres (we wouldn't know they could offense)

 

[BFLO]

Speaking of ugly:

Speaking of Sam, I forgot an Ugly. The no call on the interference when Barzal hit Reino that led directly to the Isles first goal.

 

[Sabreality]

I can't wait for Borgen to sit tonight with Montours likely return

 

[Buffaloed]

Are you joking? Teddy is the greatest coach in hockey history at polishing a turd. I'd take him back in a heartbeat because he'd never put up with a disgraceful non effort like the 3rd period last night.

He polished the turd in 2015 to a high gloss.

 

[THUNDERBURST]

Not finding an appropriate partner for Dahlin has been one of the biggest failures for this team. Miller is exactly what he does not need. Risto, Montour, Miller (the Right side of the D) all want the puck and all want to move up ice... Miller, doesn't even look for him (ever). It doesn't look system related, because, 26 is constantly looking for and finding lanes, but, the puck seldom comes. Imagine, Hughes or Makar playing for the Sabres (we wouldn't know they could offense)

+++

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

+++

You make an interesting point. But on the other hand, - - -

 

[brian_griffin]

Speaking of Sam, I forgot an Ugly. The no call on the interference when Barzal hit Reino that led directly to the Isles first goal.

I guess I wasn't the only one who saw that and was pissed. I was watching on DVR, started late, didn't get to "real time" until 2:00 to go in the 3rd, so I stayed out of the CDT completely.

Are you referring to Reinhart hit squarely in the chest, up high, away at the left halfwall, dazing him, when he didn't have the puck? Took him several seconds to regroup as he clearly wasn't expecting it, and then, boom, puck was in the net on some kind of fluke deflection. All that said, I'm not surprised it wasn't called because Buffalo.

 

[THUNDERBURST]

You make an interesting point. But on the other hand, - - -

I was deprived of the ability to click the like button, now I just don't have it.

 

[CowbellConray]

It was one of the hardest games to watch in some time. Isles played great defense, we had no physicality to open the game up at all.

Players who gave a damn:
Borgen
Sheahan (I continue to like his game on the 4th line. Feet always moving)
Reinhart (He has impressed me this year driving his line)
Skinner (His board play on the forecheck was better. Eichel started forcing everything to him which didnt work and needs to not happen)

Players who were fortunately just invisible:
Reider
Dahlin
Joker
Staal

Players who sucked:
Ullmark (The Pageau goal was awful, and unacceptable after we just had some decent play)
Miller (He made a play in the 3rd where he watched the puck go into the corner, and just let it sit between his legs. IDK if he was expecting an icing, but it was awful and led to 2 minutes of zone time for the islanders)
Hall (Been annoying how he doesnt want to dump and chase with his speed. He always wants to carry the puck across the line, and with his speed he could be much better with a dump in.
Eichel (I just watched Barkov play a GREAT game against the Lightning and then watch Eichel struggle on both sides of the ice. He needs to get his head out of his ass and start playing better. The end of the second where he had a shot opportunity on the PP and passes it off after 20 head fakes was AWFUL)

This team has some talent. They can put together some wins if they just attack and jam the net. They dont lay the body enough, they dont throw pucks at the net enough, and they aren't dumping and chasing enough. Its frustrating to watch.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Great GBU title. Says it all. No need to comment!

 

[JThorne]

Dump and chase works with players who will battle for the puck. Who do we have like that? Okposo and the other 4th liners? But Okposo gets beat to the puck each time because he's slow now. The others don't have the skill to do anything with the puck if they do win the battle.

Btw, do not blame Dahlin for that crap shot getting past Ullmark.

 

[debaser66]

can have all the pieces you want if they are not being placed on the ice correctly

 

[Jim Bob]

As a palette cleanser, I will watch this:

 

[jBuds]

It was one of the hardest games to watch in some time. Isles played great defense, we had no physicality to open the game up at all.

Players who gave a damn:
Borgen
Sheahan (I continue to like his game on the 4th line. Feet always moving)
Reinhart (He has impressed me this year driving his line)
Skinner (His board play on the forecheck was better. Eichel started forcing everything to him which didnt work and needs to not happen)

Players who were fortunately just invisible:
Reider
Dahlin
Joker
Staal

Players who sucked:
Ullmark (The Pageau goal was awful, and unacceptable after we just had some decent play)
Miller (He made a play in the 3rd where he watched the puck go into the corner, and just let it sit between his legs. IDK if he was expecting an icing, but it was awful and led to 2 minutes of zone time for the islanders)
Hall (Been annoying how he doesnt want to dump and chase with his speed. He always wants to carry the puck across the line, and with his speed he could be much better with a dump in.
Eichel (I just watched Barkov play a GREAT game against the Lightning and then watch Eichel struggle on both sides of the ice. He needs to get his head out of his ass and start playing better. The end of the second where he had a shot opportunity on the PP and passes it off after 20 head fakes was AWFUL)

This team has some talent. They can put together some wins if they just attack and jam the net. They dont lay the body enough, they dont throw pucks at the net enough, and they aren't dumping and chasing enough. Its frustrating to watch.

frustrating and tough for me, too. Felt the same.

it felt like we didn’t complete a pass the second half of the game. Very non-threatening on the offensive.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

The first 2 periods were pretty good all things considered. We're missing multiple defensemen and just had 2 weeks of COVID protocols.

If Dahlin doesn't get embarrassed on the 2nd goal, and if VO buries that glorious opportunity instead of shooting it into the goalie then the game is 2-2 (which I think would've been a fair representation of how overall play looked through 2 periods).

I said this in the GDT, but thought it would bear repeating. The Paguea goal was not a terrible goal for Ullmark to give up. It was a terrible play by Dahlin. Pageua skates around Dahlin like he's a pylon and gets an uncontested shot from just inside the faceoff dot and sniped it just under the crossbar.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Ugghh that Ullmark goal from Pageau really rubs me the wrong way still.

I woke up angry. If the Sabres don't respond to that horrible performance and prove they aren't a joke than today is the day to absolutely embarass the Islanders and have them go back to second guessing themselves.

We are the laughing stock of the NHL after that 3rd period. No shot on net?

If Krueger can't get them motivated and angry about that then he needs to go and we need a hard ass like Torts who will bench Eichel with no questions asked.

 

[THUNDERBURST]

Pageau goal at Ullmark. Dahlin didn’t let him go to the center and he had to turn around to see what was on other side.

 

[CowbellConray]

The first 2 periods were pretty good all things considered. We're missing multiple defensemen and just had 2 weeks of COVID protocols.

If Dahlin doesn't get embarrassed on the 2nd goal, and if VO buries that glorious opportunity instead of shooting it into the goalie then the game is 2-2 (which I think would've been a fair representation of how overall play looked through 2 periods).

I said this in the GDT, but thought it would bear repeating. The Paguea goal was not a terrible goal for Ullmark to give up. It was a terrible play by Dahlin. Pageua skates around Dahlin like he's a pylon and gets an uncontested shot from just inside the faceoff dot and sniped it just under the crossbar.

I think it was a below average effort by both players. Dahlin should have closed harder to close the gap and pressure.
However, Ullmark needs to come out harder and challenge knowing the angle is relatively sharp. He has had issues covering the sides of the net when the angle is sharp this season.

The combination of a poor closure by Dahlin and bad angles by Ullmark led to that goal.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

Pageau goal at Ullmark. Dahlin didn’t let him go to the center and he had to turn around to see what was on other side.

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. Paguea never made a move to the center, and both Miller+Reinhart had that covered anyway. Why would a defenseman need to turn his entire body to see something that he only had to shift his eyes for ? Dreadful play by Dahlin

 

[Fezzy126]

Pageau goal at Ullmark. Dahlin didn’t let him go to the center and he had to turn around to see what was on other side.

Regardless of the goal, that's still not good defense. You can't just let skaters blow by you on even-man rushes, it doesn't matter if it's out wide or not.

Here's an example of a similar play the other way:

In this sequence we had a very good breakout that completely nullified the Isles forecheck. As a result, Hall has the puck and has entered the zone with speed. Initially Greene has a very wide gap to compensate for Hall's speed, but he quickly adjusts his stick positioning, body positioning, and quickly closes the gap to steer Hall to the wall before he completely pinches him off. Hall actually gets by him, but his momentum is completely disrupted, the Isles eventually clear the zone and this becomes a harmless entry without any issues.

The Isles did this all game; Hall, Skinner, or Eichel would occassionaly transition through the neutral zone with speed, but the defense would nullify their speed with good technique as we see here.

 

[Ygo]

I think it was a below average effort by both players. Dahlin should have closed harder to close the gap and pressure.
However, Ullmark needs to come out harder and challenge knowing the angle is relatively sharp. He has had issues covering the sides of the net when the angle is sharp this season.

The combination of a poor closure by Dahlin and bad angles by Ullmark led to that goal.

Dahlin slipped on the other side of the Blue Line and shaded hard to the centre of the ice to recover (which he did). Could he have played it better, yes (without the initial slip)!... But, that is one the goalie HAS to have.

You can see the slip at the 26 second mark in this clip...

 

[sabresEH]

Ugly: This team is so mentally weak. That’s the one thing Krueger was supposed to be good at, was changing our mentality.

If Olofsson buries that chance in the first, I think we see a different result. But that’s the problem. They didn’t score, they gave one up, then a deflating goal and the wheels were off. This team has to get the first goal just to give themselves a shot in the arm to play a full 60 minutes. I can watch this team if they give a full 60 minute effort. If they don’t, they’re painful to watch.