GDT: Sabres vs Senators 7 PM ET - TV:MSG Radio:WGR550 - Doom or Elation

[Beerz]

Higher than expected for a Tuesday game on election night.

Other cities didn't have this issue

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Buffalo was the LA side of their earlier game against the Kings. Largely even game lopsided outcome.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Good things happen when you crash the net.

Not when you do it once per every ten games. You need to be over 500 to make the playoffs in this league.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

The fact that they’re scoring first a lot shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s unusual for a team to start with a lead most games and end the season poorly.

The way game management works getting ahead, especially at 5v5 indicates something is working.

 

[jc17]

The fact that they’re scoring first a lot shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s unusual for a team to start with a lead most games and end the season poorly.

The way game management works getting ahead, especially at 5v5 is important.

interesting. do you have any numbers on this or going by memory? I feel like I did see somewhere with a "scored first" record, but cant remember where

Nevermind, found it. we're 4-4-1 when scoring first. Last year 25-9-2. league wide winning % is high, sure its about the same each year

https://x.com/i/web/status/798616516359028737

Yeah I imagine you're right that things should look more favorable if that trend continues

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

interesting. do you have any numbers on this or going by memory? I feel like I did see somewhere with a "scored first" record, but cant remember where

It’s a stat I’ve seen in the past and have no reason to think would change. Statistically it tracks although there will be outliers.

Generally being +%xG is strongly correlated with winning, and that’s also co-linear with scoring first.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Was this as simple as benching Sammy/Joker? This looked like a different team.

I thought Quinn had his best game. Not great, but better.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Good win.

I’d like to say I enjoyed how the Senators played the game, very fast. Puck goes behind their net on dump in, and that defender doesn’t stop behind the net, he turns on the jets immediately and starts the attack. They played very fast, it was enjoyable.

With as many offensive, kids we have, it would be a good game plan for us.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

The Sabres aren’t good enough at the power play to be a serious team. One of the more consistent strategies has been to be a dirty team with a lights out power play.

Think Boston/Florida/Tampa.

Those rosters took advantage of game management, which will roughly equalize PP opportunity regardless of adherence to rules. When Boston was good or Florida now it’s hard to run them on special teams.

Add that special teams advantage to the way they generated turnovers by blatantly cheating and you have a stew going.

For a playoff version look how many times last post season Boston was called for too many men. That was a deliberate strategy to create turnovers in the NZ by early changes.

It would be interesting for a credible analyst to go in depth on this sort of thing but X/O hockey is too esoteric for a large audience.

Was this as simple as benching Sammy/Joker? This looked like a different team.

I thought Quinn had his best game. Not great, but better.

They finished their chances and UPL stood on his head. Ottawa generated as much as Buffalo did.

They play like this against NYR and he’s going to let in 5 like against Pittsburgh.

 

[Matt Ress]

Ottawa did not pass well in the o zone amongst other things. They had opportunities from defensive breakdowns but missed guys. I guess you can attribute that to the Sabre D as well.

It's incredible how much more engaged this team can be when they play physical. I wonder if Ruff gave them the "I f***ing hate this team" speech before the game.

You'll see good teams sleeping through a period and then come out hitting the next while tilting the ice. I would like to see more of that in game adjustment to energize and engage the boys. We have the size and personnel to roll with just about anyone.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Ottawa did not pass well in the o zone amongst other things. They had opportunities from defensive breakdowns but missed guys. I guess you can attribute that to the Sabre D as well.

It's incredible how much more engaged this team can be when they play physical. I wonder if Ruff gave them the "I f***ing hate this team" speech before the game.

You'll see good teams sleeping through a period and then come out hitting the next while tilting the ice. I would like to see more of that in game adjustment to energize and engage the boys. We have the size and personnel to roll with just about anyone.

The hit on Stutzle set the tone. Having Tkachuk reacting to the hit and dropping the gloves with Greenway is much more preferable than letting Brady stir the pot and letting his antics go unanswered.

 

[Dreakon13]

Both teams had chances, UPL made the stops and Ullmark didn't. Emphasizes how important steady goaltending is... as well as how fleeting wins like this can be, never more than a few inches and an untimely goal from going the other way.

 

[Matt Ress]

The hit on Stutzle set the tone. Having Tkachuk reacting to the hit and dropping the gloves with Greenway is much more preferable than letting Brady stir the pot and letting his antics go unanswered.

They have to be the aggressor. We saw that the Sens are not that tough. We pushed them around.

 

[Mattilaus]

Other cities didn't have this issue

other cities weren't riding a three game losing streak in a 14 season losing streak

 

[Zman5778]

They finished their chances and UPL stood on his head. Ottawa generated as much as Buffalo did.

UPL played well, but I wouldn't characterize what he did last night as "standing on his head". Yeah, he made a couple of really good saves.......but we put 5 behind Linus, and I can't say that Ottawa SHOULD have put 5 past UPL.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Loved Lindy's post-game presser, especially his comments about why Sammy/Joker got replaced. He called them out, deservedly. I hope he keeps Gibby/Bryson in the lineup.

Accountability? About effing time.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

The hit on Stutzle set the tone. Having Tkachuk reacting to the hit and dropping the gloves with Greenway is much more preferable than letting Brady stir the pot and letting his antics go unanswered.

That hit was the biggest play of the game

 

[markpenske]

Things looking pretty good everywhere but nothing is over until it's over

I see what ya did there.....and i like it

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Loved Lindy's post-game presser, especially his comments about why Sammy/Joker got replaced. He called them out, deservedly. I hope he keeps Gibby/Bryson in the lineup.

Accountability? About effing time.

I was glad to see the benching and i was glad to see the team respond positively (assuming the benching was the catalyst). I'd love to see Ruff sit Dahlin for a game. It will never happen but it should

 

[Fjordy]

I was glad to see the benching and i was glad to see the team respond positively (assuming the benching was the catalyst). I'd love to see Ruff sit Dahlin for a game. It will never happen but it should

Why? Only if he continues to play with an injury, but they clearly won't reveal such cards.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Why? Only if he continues to play with an injury, but they clearly won't reveal such cards.

Is he injured?

 

[Fjordy]

Is he injured?

Well, he was injured before the season started, then after 5-6 games in the season Ruff said that Rasmus played with an injury these games, now it is unknown. Although after the first 5-6 games Dahlin is scoring points at a PPG pace, he plays a lot. But it could be some kind of injury that takes a long time and they don't want to take him out of the game for a long time.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

I was glad to see the benching and i was glad to see the team respond positively (assuming the benching was the catalyst). I'd love to see Ruff sit Dahlin for a game. It will never happen but it should

Why sit Dahlin? I'm confused.

 

[Zman5778]

Loved Lindy's post-game presser, especially his comments about why Sammy/Joker got replaced. He called them out, deservedly.

What did he say?

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

G:
-UPL's best game thus far into the season. Please stay consistant!
-Greenway... The guy can do it all!
-Who know Zucker was gonna be a great FA signing.
-Byram-Dahlin pair was great
-Bryson-Gilbert deserve a lot of love
-1st line still dominating
-Putting up 5 against Ullmark
-The physical play
-Capitalizing on the PP
-Special teams in general were great!
-Benson seemed to help Cozens and Quinn

B
Brady's two hand slash on Benson at the tail end of the game.... Dude can't lose without trying to start shit in the final minutes.

U:
nothing.

This is how the team needs to play consistently. I loved everything about this game and hope they continue to bring the brand of hockey night in and night out.