GBU The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Under Powered, Under Manned, But Not Defeated - 4-2 Win in Colorado 12/15/2022

[Chainshot]

The Good:

Dahlin machine.
Thompson's early tally was a beaut.
Tuch on a net-front PP play?
Clague early.
Samuelsson killing plays like a boss. 31:31 in ToI.
Luukkonen absorbing shots and staying square.
Jost's forecheck to create Dahlin's goal.
Mitts with a very solid game on the top line.
The Jost line changing momentum with their forecheck and then later, the goal by Dahlin.
Cozens took a beating but kept clawing at it to grind out the game. The ENG was a nice topper.
Back to .500.

The Bad:

Power hurt.
Fitz's pinch.

The Ugly:

Don't look at the faceoff stats... and they got better after the first period.

 

[Gabrielor]

G
A win is a win is a win

 

[sabresfan129103]

I cannot believe they won that game with 3 AHL defensemen.

It's nice to be on the other side of a goaltending performance. That's 2 games in a row now they've gotten great goaltending. Maybe this was the game where UPL finally gets his mojo.

 

[toddkaz]

Good
UPL with a strong game...Started thinking shutout
Tage with 47 points. Thats crazy.
Defense did a good job keeping it together

Bad
Giveaways still a problem

Ugly
Refs putting the whistle away in the 3rd

 

[BuffaloGooner]

Good

That’s a win they didn’t get during the 8 game losing streak
1st period
UPL - didn’t want to give him his flowers during the game due to jinx’s but he was much better
The D were gassed by the second period but we held on
Dahlin GWG

Bad

Buttcheek clenching 2nd half of the game
Clague using up all his first period message board praise and then turned into a potato
Reffing - Colorado is the best team 5 years straight in penalty differential/60. It’s annoying and despite multiple muggings we didn’t get calls

No uglies tonight. That’s a gritty win down to 5 D the majority AHL caliber and down your best finisher + captain.

 

[Mattilaus]

Ugly:

AVs commentators complaining about injuries when we are missing 4(?) of our top 6 and played with 5 D tonight.

 

[The Blunder Years]

G:
- Quinn-Cozens-Peterka remains one of the fastest lines I’ve ever seen. Their breakouts are superb.
- UPL giving us some hope after all
- Mitts taking advantage of his opportunities
- Tage remains a freak
- Clague stepping up and doing his job
- Krebs turned my head a lot this game. Slowly he’s starting to put things together

B:
- Some rough turnovers in areas of the ice you don’t want to turn It over
- Injuries
- Casey Fitzgerald sucks

U:
- The refs let the Avs clutch, hold, and interfere the whole third. They really got away with a lot

 

[sabresfan129103]

I actually don't hate Donny's strategy in the 3rd. Their defense was in shambles. You have a 3 goal lead. He was probably expecting them to give up a goal or 2. Bend, just don't break.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

G
Back to 500, it's been a while
UPL solid, must of seen Comrie back on the ice
2 pts for TT and 26
Krebs continued his upswing, best game of the year
Sam is the Sabres catalyst, Sabres now 12-4-2 ( I think ?) with him in lineup

B
Prevent D in the 3rd
KA, fix the depth and bottom of the roster!
Clague's weaknesses apparent with other pieces missing

U Another D injury, here we go again

Lets bring a certain dman back from Az on the plane home

 

[gallagt01]

Gutsy effort. Deserved the win based on that alone.

Hats off to Dahlin and Samuelsson, who were rock solid.

Thompson is an alien.

Timely goaltending two games in a row.

Keep stringing them together. Habs and Panthers both lost tonight. They're right there.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

The Good:

Dahlin machine.
Thompson's early tally was a beaut.
Tuch on a net-front PP play?
Clague early.
Samuelsson killing plays like a boss. 31:31 in ToI.
Luukkonen absorbing shots and staying square.
Jost's forecheck to create Dahlin's goal.
Mitts with a very solid game on the top line.
The Jost line changing momentum with their forecheck and then later, the goal by Dahlin.
Cozens took a beating but kept clawing at it to grind out the game. The ENG was a nice topper.
Back to .500.

The Bad:

Power hurt.
Fitz's pinch.

The Ugly:

Don't look at the faceoff stats... and they got better after the first period.

Does the gametime trade count?

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

What I loved was that when they really wanted to shut it down in the last minute of the 3rd... our best defensive options were also our best offensive weapons.

Tommer - DC - Tuch - Sammy - Dahls

 

[joshjull]

UPL had a great game. Very impressed

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

1-0 in the Cecconi era.

 

[Chainshot]

It's kind of nice when the team's best skaters are their best players resulting in an unexpected win. Thompson and Dahlin both 1-1-2, Tuch with a goal, Cozens with a goal, Samuelsson with north of 31 minutes of ice time.

Probably the calmest Luukkonen has been out of any of his starts. He made some difficult stops look easy which was nice to see.

 

[Chainshot]

Does the gametime trade count?

Not sure what you mean?

 

[Jacob582]

G
So impressed with Tuch. Smart plays all night.
UPL
Clague played 23:56
Pilut 18:35. 1:04 on the PK

B
Oloffson....weak
Hino rusty

U
Management - roster management allowing to get to the point of playing a man short. Granted Skinner hurts them again with taking up a roster spot.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Too tired for a more thorough GBU, but big shout out to Dahlin and Samuelsson for being the only 2 NHL defensemen in our lineup tonight and carrying like they did. Also to Tage for having stupid, sexy hands. And Cozens for the big ENer.

 

[sabresfan129103]

Defensive ice time:

Samuelsson 31:31
Dahlin 28:37
Clague 23:56
Pilut 18:34
Fitzgerald 14:24

That should tell you all you need to know about what Granato thinks about Fitz. Both AHL guys got more ice time.

 

[dire wolf]

The Good: Ugly/gritty road win with a depleted defense corps at altitude. That's all that matters.

I could harp on a couple of guys, but I'm not going to bother.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

I forgot to include Krebs in my Good column but that light bulb seems to be turning on. He’s tenacious and shooting the puck finally. We know he’s a gifted passer, adding more than that to his game is turning him into a more noticeable player.

 

[Chainshot]

I forgot to include Krebs in my Good column but that light bulb seems to be turning on. He’s tenacious and shooting the puck finally. We know he’s a gifted passer, adding more than that to his game is turning him into a more noticeable player.

Yeah, under appreciated in my post - the early energy but then that late game backcheck and series of shot blocks was all heart.

I will also say that Mitts backchecking to take away a 2-on-1 later in the game stood out as an effort play that they really needed.

 

[Beerz]

I understand the reasoning .. I just don't think it justifies it...

I hate that Donnie puts out VO with the goalie pulled.

 

[DapperCam]

G: I appreciate the change in strategy in the third period. The ability to lock things down a bit more with the lead would be huge for the top scoring team in the league.

B: We may have taken it a bit too far. One shot on goal for the entire third period! At least it was the ENG.

 

[BuffaloSabresSword]

When is Lyubuskhin, Jokiharju back ? How long is power out ?