Post-Game Talk (GBU): #49 - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -- Brassard Drinking Game Edition

[wunderpanda]

G- Eichel & Zemgus, Gionta too.

B- Sabres got stomped pretty bad, team just isn't good enough yet.
-Johnson tried, some weird bounces but some good plays
-Sabres needs to get healthy, would be terrible if next season was another evaluation year.
-not fast enough to keep up, not physical enough to slow them down.

U- just hate losing to that team.

 

[Matt Ress]

I'm of the belief that these last three-ish games are a bit off in terms of the picture telling aspect.

Yes, Gio line has been great. But things are off without Reinhart, as crazy as it is.

I agree. There's been positives in every game and that hasn't been the case the last two years. It'll be great snagging another top end player in the draft but I'll really be looking for a playoff team next year. Not a great one, but one that's taken the next step. I'm hoping for glimpses of that team in the last third/quarter of this season but that would simply be ideal.

 

[cardiffgiant]

Too much ink spilled over someone wanting to see an "almost."

And because that word wasn't there, he's going to refuse to believe that they actually intend to say the same thing.

I fell asleep early and missed most of the game so I thought I'd check the board to see if I missed anything interesting. An argument about semantics on page 1 of the GBU tells me that I probably didn't.

 

[Zip15]

So what exactly isn't worth it?

Trying to spin a tale about how being in games is now something to be excited about?

Yeah, so excited that I listed it as "bad." Did you read the first word of my post, or did you immediately start throwing a tantrum about a position that didn't exist?

Bad:

December 30 - Leading Washington 2-1 entering the 3rd period.
January 2 - Tied 3-3 with Detroit with under 3 minutes.
January 8 - Tied 1-1 at Chicago with 5 minutes left.
January 15 - Tie 1-1 with Boston entering the 3rd period.
January 20 - Leading Colorado 1-0 with under 11 minutes remaining.
January 22 - Tied 0-0 with Detroit with 8 minutes left.
January 25 - Tied 3-3 with NY Rangers with 15 minutes left.

Zero points earned in those games.

We're there, but we aren't finishing. Good teams get those games to OT and find ways to stack points. We'll learn.

I'm so "excited" about it that I called it bad.

Who's spinning again? But, by all means, keep up with the strawmen, mod.

Next rhetorical tactic: When you're *****ing just to *****, rehash old arguments that have nothing to do with what we're discussing.

You had this same attitude when you lectured us about Girgs sucking offensively at ES. When we said it was player usage. You then went on a convoluted journey to spin a tale about how he somehow was getting better chances to produce offense this year (prior to playing with Eichel) in a checking role than he did last year as the #1 center.
.

Nice work, Mod. (By the way, he was getting better offensive opportunities on the third line this year than he was last year with the great Moulson, but that issue has been litigated in full, and we aren't going to change one another's minds.)

As for my response on the substance, Irving Zisman and Jbuds did a good enough job in that respect. We're young, we're growing. This is part of the process. There is going to be a lot of "bad" on the way to the good - but that doesn't mean one is excited about the pain. Perhaps that's too nuanced for you.

 

[FearTheBeard]

So what exactly isn't worth it?

Trying to spin a tale about how being in games is now something to be excited about? I can tell you Murray isn't excited about it. He's not happy with where the team is and was expecting more. As is our coach. Are they both wrong to feel that way? Both understand its process but where expecting more from this season.

You act like I'm making ridiculous statements.

You had this same attitude when you lectured us about Girgs sucking offensively at ES. When we said it was player usage. You then went on a convoluted journey to spin a tale about how he somehow was getting better chances to produce offense this year (prior to playing with Eichel) in a checking role than he did last year as the #1 center.

You also had it when you jumped down my throat repeatedly for going on about Kane not making sense with Eichel? The numbers overwhelming bare that out.

my god dude give it a rest

 

[StlSwedes]

It seems like on ES the only way they can score is off the rush. They can never seem to establish a cycle down low, but even more than that they never seem to be able to pin teams in their zone for an extended length of time, something that happens to them quite often.

This connects to a player like Moulson's lack of production. He made his living in the NHL scoring goals when the other team was pinned back. This years team cannot sustain pressure in the offensive zone and MM cannot do anything.

During the broadcast they mentioned how Bylsma said that at the start of camp this team's transition passing was the worse he had ever seen in the NHL. His regret was not having enough practice time to work on it. I would predict that with age/system/practice it can only improve and everything else about their game will improve with it.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Bad:

December 30 - Leading Washington 2-1 entering the 3rd period.
January 2 - Tied 3-3 with Detroit with under 3 minutes.
January 8 - Tied 1-1 at Chicago with 5 minutes left.
January 15 - Tie 1-1 with Boston entering the 3rd period.
January 20 - Leading Colorado 1-0 with under 11 minutes remaining.
January 22 - Tied 0-0 with Detroit with 8 minutes left.
January 25 - Tied 3-3 with NY Rangers with 15 minutes left.

Zero points earned in those games.

We're there, but we aren't finishing. Good teams get those games to OT and find ways to stack points. We'll learn.

I'll call that good. We are a much better team and still could pick #1.

 

[Chainshot]

So what exactly isn't worth it?

Trying to spin a tale about how being in games is now something to be excited about? I can tell you Murray isn't excited about it. He's not happy with where the team is and was expecting more. As is our coach. Are they both wrong to feel that way? Both understand its process but where expecting more from this season.

You act like I'm making ridiculous statements.

You had this same attitude when you lectured us about Girgs sucking offensively at ES. When we said it was player usage. You then went on a convoluted journey to spin a tale about how he somehow was getting better chances to produce offense this year (prior to playing with Eichel) in a checking role than he did last year as the #1 center.

You also had it when you jumped down my throat repeatedly for going on about Kane not making sense with Eichel? The numbers overwhelming bare that out.

They have made strides. Zip is pointing that out -- and where they've fallen down and not gotten the points a good team would. We are seeing a team that is in games but not yet good enough to be in playoff contention.

 

[joshjull]

I think this was mostly a semantics thing- He's just stating that unlike last year, they're in games to the end, and are losing in frustrating fashion due to lack of finish. When he says "we're there," I think he's merely trying to state the vast improvement here form last year, when they'd basically just roll over and die by the time the 3rd period came along.

Is it good enough and something to be proud of? No. But is it something that's fairly noteworthy and shows that it's a young team going through growing pains? Probably. I see where you were going, but I think he makes a valid point by acknowledging that.

They have made strides. Zip is pointing that out -- and where they've fallen down and not gotten the points a good team would. We are seeing a team that is in games but not yet good enough to be in playoff contention.

Fair enough

Too much ink spilled over someone wanting to see an "almost."

And because that word wasn't there, he's going to refuse to believe that they actually intend to say the same thing.

I fell asleep early and missed most of the game so I thought I'd check the board to see if I missed anything interesting. An argument about semantics on page 1 of the GBU tells me that I probably didn't.

my god dude give it a rest

fair enough

Yeah, so excited that I listed it as "bad." Did you read the first word of my post, or did you immediately start throwing a tantrum about a position that didn't exist?



I'm so "excited" about it that I called it bad.

Who's spinning again? But, by all means, keep up with the strawmen, mod.

Next rhetorical tactic: When you're *****ing just to *****, rehash old arguments that have nothing to do with what we're discussing.

I was out of line jumping down your throat, so apologies. But give the mod stuff a rest.

As for my response on the substance, Irving Zisman and Jbuds did a good enough job in that respect. We're young, we're growing. This is part of the process. There is going to be a lot of "bad" on the way to the good - but that doesn't mean one is excited about the pain. Perhaps that's too nuanced for you.

I got it from the start. Just took my disagreement too far.

 

[brian_griffin]

It was a frustrating game to watch.

1. Sabres seemed to be outplayed in the 1st by a good bit, and less so in the 2nd, but nevertheless outplayed.
2. Bounces all went NYR way, especially on the 1st 2 NYR goals, as others noted with the deflections.
3. Defensive breakdown in the high slot combined with Johnson a little unprepared on the 3rd goal.

and yet...

4. Sabres hung tough enough in 1st and 2nd, and came back to tie in the 3rd...
5. despite (still) a pretty depleted forward lineup.
6. RO'R looked frustrated last night, on ice for at least 1 GA I remember, whistled for a really weak penalty...
7. Which was just one example of some pretty questionable officiating. Again.

Also:
8. Great that Girgensons was back, and looked good with Eichel.
9. More anti-Buffalo Sabres bias from the NYR / Albert crew. I really don't feel Sabres broadcasts have had an anti-opponent bias the past few years. You can be pro-home-team without being anti-oponent. Wish some other crews would try it.
10. I didn't need the Ranger crew to tell me JT Miller was having a good game. Wish Moulson could park his but in front of the goalie and have some impact like that.

 

[Matt Ress]

It was a frustrating game to watch.

1. Sabres seemed to be outplayed in the 1st by a good bit, and less so in the 2nd, but nevertheless outplayed.
2. Bounces all went NYR way, especially on the 1st 2 NYR goals, as others noted with the deflections.
3. Defensive breakdown in the high slot combined with Johnson a little unprepared on the 3rd goal.

and yet...

4. Sabres hung tough enough in 1st and 2nd, and came back to tie in the 3rd...
5. despite (still) a pretty depleted forward lineup.
6. RO'R looked frustrated last night, on ice for at least 1 GA I remember, whistled for a really weak penalty...
7. Which was just one example of some pretty questionable officiating. Again.

Also:
8. Great that Girgensons was back, and looked good with Eichel.
9. More anti-Buffalo Sabres bias from the NYR / Albert crew. I really don't feel Sabres broadcasts have had an anti-opponent bias the past few years. You can be pro-home-team without being anti-oponent. Wish some other crews would try it.
10. I didn't need the Ranger crew to tell me JT Miller was having a good game. Wish Moulson could park his but in front of the goalie and have some impact like that.

ROR has been in a bit of an offensive slump. You can see his frustration especially on the partial break at the end of the 2nd when there could easily have been a penalty called. Lately, if we don't have secondary scoring, we don't have scoring.

It's not just the commentary for me, they don't show replays of penalties, questionable calls...But we may have finally gotten to to the bottom of the mystery of the 1st goal deflection. Or did we

 

[haseoke39]

I'll call that good. We are a much better team and still could pick #1.

We could've won all those games and still picked #1. The odds are much more distributed.