they dominated possession in the third period while down 3-0...buffalo pulled the goalie with almost 5 minutes left and spent most of that time in the bruins zone
- Michael Pachla

ya, I took another look and noticed they had a big 3rd...chasing the game.

They'll be fine...it'll take a few games for everyone to gel/adjust etc.

no soft goals, but basic tap in from the Bruins. When the breakdowns happened the Bruins were left wide open in front of the net and Hutton had no chance.

Also most of Buffalo's shots were from the outside. Very little high danger chances. So in this case, the data doesn't tell the whole story.
- ImThatGuy

thanks

Game 1.
- RhinoFan

I guess... I have just seen this movie before, I know how it ends...

I guess... I have just seen this movie before, I know how it ends...
- hehateme

Hutton looked really good, I thought. It was nice to see a goalie stop a breakaway. He had no chance on goals 2 and 3. Goal 1 he came out to cut down the angle, just a good shot by Chara.

The thing that amazes me about this team the last few years is their lack of hockey IQ. Poor positioning in the defensive zone led to all 3 goals. It's like a squirts game where 3 people chase the puck and leave a guy wide open by the side of the net. Just stupid hockey. Scandella was to blame on goals 1 and 2 (partially Eichel I suppose on Chara) and goal 3 was Dahlin/Thompson

Mattress Firm filed chapter 11 today and Dunkin Donuts removes Donuts from the name.



That's all I got.
- SABRES 89

Well at least they are staying open with an 11. I don't know if i could live without those commercials.

Hoping things just kind of got away from them last night and they learn from their mistakes.

Too many drop passes.

Too many passes instead of shooting (Jack, I'm looking at you).

Too much standing around and trying to be reactive instead of dictating the game.

Too many passes into each others feet instead of on the stick.

All of this is easily correctable. Whether or not it happens is yet to be seen though.

Corsi says the Sabres dominated the game.....(I didn't get to see it )

Were the Sabres that bad? Some soft goals?
- Garnie

goals were bing bang boom
goalie had no chance really


sabres did a lot of little things well

but they did a lot of little things really bad


it's only 1 game, but the team needs to attack the net more and set up screens instead of 18-20 foot floaters on net

God, I hope it's not another really long season
- Michael Pachla

Different players, same team game, same frustration watching, same result, same Sabres..

Hoping things just kind of got away from them last night and they learn from their mistakes.

Too many drop passes.

Too many passes instead of shooting (Jack, I'm looking at you).

Too much standing around and trying to be reactive instead of dictating the game.

Too many passes into each others feet instead of on the stick.

All of this is easily correctable. Whether or not it happens is yet to be seen though.
- HonkFortheGoose

sheary was floating a lot between the blue line and red line looking for a break out pass when we were in our own zone fighting to get the puck


the play overall in our own zone I thought was much better then last year but in the bruins zone, it was amateur hour

sheary was floating a lot between the blue line and red line looking for a break out pass when we were in our own zone fighting to get the puck


the play overall in our own zone I thought was much better then last year but in the bruins zone, it was amateur hour
- homiedclown

dump, chase, not recover then back peddle.

I guess... I have just seen this movie before, I know how it ends...
- hehateme

Gentleman's bet?

I say we aren't bottom 7 even, much less bottom 5. You get 7th or under?

I think we could land 8-14 somewhere (from the bottom). After finally getting to watch the game, I didn't think we were drastically outplayed in the way it is being described by some.

I warn you, I am 3-0 when making gentleman's bets about the Swords.

New lines at practice

Sheary-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Berglund-Okposo
Elie-Mitts-Thompson
Girgensons-Erod-Pominville

New lines at practice

Sheary-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Berglund-Okposo
Elie-Mitts-Thompson
Girgensons-Erod-Pominville
- Pegullaville

statistically speaking (so everyone can ignore what i write next) It makes more sense to keep Eichel and Skinner together than separate them cause of one bad game.

Eichel drives possession and is one of the few centres in the league that can boost a wingers shooting percentage. And skinner is one of the few who can take advantage of that regularly.

Im a broken record but they really should look to give Reinhart another shot at Centre, this time with real wingers. It would solve a lot of depth issues going forward.

statistically speaking (so everyone can ignore what i write next) It makes more sense to keep Eichel and Skinner together than separate them cause of one bad game.

Eichel drives possession and is one of the few centres in the league that can boost a wingers shooting percentage. And skinner is one of the few who can take advantage of that regularly.

Im a broken record but they really should look to give Reinhart another shot at Centre, this time with real wingers. It would solve a lot of depth issues going forward.
- Sabresfan-365

Agree about Skinner. Seems reactionary to say the least.

Reinhart is not a center though. It looks better on paper but he is much less effective IMO.

statistically speaking (so everyone can ignore what i write next) It makes more sense to keep Eichel and Skinner together than separate them cause of one bad game.

Eichel drives possession and is one of the few centres in the league that can boost a wingers shooting percentage. And skinner is one of the few who can take advantage of that regularly.

Im a broken record but they really should look to give Reinhart another shot at Centre, this time with real wingers. It would solve a lot of depth issues going forward.
- Sabresfan-365

This is the coaching we have been getting the last couple years... 1 game... switch lines... 2 games switch lines. Therefore never building chemistry with line mates. And in turn... getting what we get.

Hutton looked really good, I thought. It was nice to see a goalie stop a breakaway. He had no chance on goals 2 and 3. Goal 1 he came out to cut down the angle, just a good shot by Chara.
- turbo044

Agreed on Hutton, I was impressed. And I love the way he handles the puck. Having a goalie that can play the puck and make passes is huge. It changes the dump and chase game and can often lead to quicker breakouts. I don't understand why all NHL goalies don't have good puck handling skills.

What exactly did Beaulieu do wrong last night to deserve a special mention? He wasn't noticeable but that was because he wasn't turning the puck over. He actually had a number of solid pinches but had nothing to do with the puck with everyone standing around. Meanwhile, his D partner Nelson had two of the most inexcusable turnovers of the night. Lazy writing to pick on a player just out of habit.

Thompson was pathetic last night. No hustle. His skates were parallel on the ice all night, coasting. Nylander should have made the team.

Agree about Skinner. Seems reactionary to say the least.

Reinhart is not a center though. It looks better on paper but he is much less effective IMO.
- RhinoFan

The seven games he spent with girgensons and griffith he actually created chances at the rate of a 2nd line centre. the problem was G and G, not Reinhart. I think he could play the Kadri role among the centres here.

The seven games he spent with girgensons and griffith he actually created chances at the rate of a 2nd line centre. the problem was G and G, not Reinhart. I think he could play the Kadri role among the centres here.
- Sabresfan-365

Skinner-Eichel-Okposo
Berglund-Reinhart-Nylander
Sheary-Casey-Thompson
E-Rod-Sobotka-Pommer

What exactly did Beaulieu do wrong last night to deserve a special mention?.
- cjp2112

his girlfriend refused to go to center ice topless

This is the coaching we have been getting the last couple years... 1 game... switch lines... 2 games switch lines. Therefore never building chemistry with line mates. And in turn... getting what we get.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

lindy would do it as well

lindy would do it as well
- homiedclown

A lot of coaches do it. It's the one thing they can do that makes it look like they're trying to make a difference.

Gentleman's bet?

I say we aren't bottom 7 even, much less bottom 5. You get 7th or under?

I think we could land 8-14 somewhere (from the bottom). After finally getting to watch the game, I didn't think we were drastically outplayed in the way it is being described by some.

I warn you, I am 3-0 when making gentleman's bets about the Swords.
- RhinoFan

After that display last night, your on. I hope I lose the bet really. I am so sick of being the laughing stock of the NHL/NFL hell the MAP even....

Agreed that the 4th line was our best, was saying the same thing last night.

Agree with Goose about the drop passes...
To paraphrase Harry Neal: The only zone you don't make a drop pass in is the defensive zone, the neutral zone or the offensive zone.

Agree with Pach on Housley as well. The talent has improved somewhat but they looked a mess, I would say if the team is at the near bottom by Christmas he might be spending 2019 on the campaign trail.

Here we go again, again.

The seven games he spent with girgensons and griffith he actually created chances at the rate of a 2nd line centre. the problem was G and G, not Reinhart. I think he could play the Kadri role among the centres here.
- Sabresfan-365

I just don't think he has the strength for that. He didn't get a lot of help last time for sure, maybe you're right.