Post-Game Talk (GBU): The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; 3-2 over Chicago, 11/19/23

[joshjull]

We played an ugly game and won. Against the Jets we played really well and lost. Hopefully we can put a well played win together but I’ll take any wins we can get.

 

[old kummelweck]

I think it's safe to continue the season with just UPL and Comrie. Let those two get in a rhythm

Send Levi to Roch and let him be the guy down there

In my mind the goal tending is still very unsettled. Just because people are tired of three goalies and want it over, doesn't mean they have a stability.

UPL has been the most consistent, and mostly looks rounding in to form, but we still see the flare-up of his old game, but those are less and less. He's the #1 for now (again, we kind of got here a few weeks ago), but things have shifted once already when it seemed like this was going to be the case.

On Comrie, how long do the Sabres tolerate the injury-recovery cycle with him? He never really seems to get there, even as a back up. Can he stay healthy and deliver the type of play the need in a #2?

Levi is very difficult assess. OK, send him to Rochester - that's fine. But I don't think you are solving your crease with UPL and Comrie in Buffalo, and they are certainly not a get-to-the-playoffs tandem. Levi to me has the highest risk and highest reward THIS SEASON and I am still not ready to rule out a 1a/1b scenario with him and UPL.

 

[TageGod]

In my mind the goal tending is still very unsettled. Just because people are tired of three goalies and want it over, doesn't mean they have a stability.

UPL has been the most consistent, and mostly looks rounding in to form, but we still see the flare-up of his old game, but those are less and less. He's the #1 for now (again, we kind of got here a few weeks ago), but things have shifted once already when it seemed like this was going to be the case.

On Comrie, how long do the Sabres tolerate the injury-recovery cycle with him? He never really seems to get there, even as a back up. Can he stay healthy and deliver the type of play the need in a #2?

Levi is very difficult assess. OK, send him to Rochester - that's fine. But I don't think you are solving your crease with UPL and Comrie in Buffalo, and they are certainly not a get-to-the-playoffs tandem. Levi to me has the highest risk and highest reward THIS SEASON and I am still not ready to rule out a 1a/1b scenario with him and UPL.

The only current thing I am worried about is if this team can outscore opponents now.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

In my mind the goal tending is still very unsettled. Just because people are tired of three goalies and want it over, doesn't mean they have a stability.

UPL has been the most consistent, and mostly looks rounding in to form, but we still see the flare-up of his old game, but those are less and less. He's the #1 for now (again, we kind of got here a few weeks ago), but things have shifted once already when it seemed like this was going to be the case.

On Comrie, how long do the Sabres tolerate the injury-recovery cycle with him? He never really seems to get there, even as a back up. Can he stay healthy and deliver the type of play the need in a #2?

Levi is very difficult assess. OK, send him to Rochester - that's fine. But I don't think you are solving your crease with UPL and Comrie in Buffalo, and they are certainly not a get-to-the-playoffs tandem. Levi to me has the highest risk and highest reward THIS SEASON and I am still not ready to rule out a 1a/1b scenario with him and UPL.

Goaltending isn't even in the top 10 of problems with this team. If they were playing like they were at the end of last season, Comrie and UPL would be enough to get them to the playoffs imo.

The problem is, I don't think that's who the team is; management has been fooled into thinking they're good because of a 10-game sample at the end of last season.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

In my mind the goal tending is still very unsettled. Just because people are tired of three goalies and want it over, doesn't mean they have a stability.

Rotating 3 goalies isn't gonna help create stability in net.

 

[Fezzy126]

We played an ugly game and won. Against the Jets we played really well and lost. Hopefully we can put a well played win together but I’ll take any wins we can get.

Agreed.

Also, I'm not going back and checking receipts, but it feels like a lot of the same people that complained about the Winnipeg loss with comments like "there are no moral victories" and "the only thing that matters are wins", also found their way to complaining about how the Sabres looked stylistically in this win.

I'll take any win I can get while Tage & Quinn are out and Cozens and others are playing banged up.

 

[debaser66]

I think most of everyone here agrees with this, the performance against the Hawks was unacceptable but they found a way to win and temporarily stop the bleeding which is a small positive.

I want to see the Sabres that beat Colorado, why did we get that team for one game out of the 20 we have played?

I would say in part because they are the youngest team, and they need more capable vets in bottom 6 six roles who know what it takes every night to win.
I hope they sign/trade at least one of them.
You cannot just fill the roster spots on F with youth and expect consistency, its the same issues they had last year.
Except for a few or F has been the issue this year. The top guys werent really performing up to standards, the regression of Cozens who should have been a number 2.

 

[old kummelweck]

Rotating 3 goalies isn't gonna help create stability in net.

I don't see this a causal.

 

[Deleted member 346512]

I think most of everyone here agrees with this, the performance against the Hawks was unacceptable but they found a way to win and temporarily stop the bleeding which is a small positive.

I want to see the Sabres that beat Colorado, why did we get that team for one game out of the 20 we have played?

Of course, later no one asks how it was won, the main thing is 2 more points. I wanted to say that such games are the exception and there is usually nothing to win against teams that also have a claim to the playoffs. I've seen all the Sabres games so far and I don't see any progress, especially in defense, compared to the last few years, perhaps minimally with good intentions. I can't imagine that, over the entire season, a defensive performance like that seen in the last few games would be enough to earn a playoff spot. I don't want to paint anything black after 20 games, but let's be honest, the team somehow seems unsettled. You should classify the win against the Hawks correctly, they are not a superior team.

 

[BFLO]

G: We beat the 2nd worst team in the league.
B: They outplayed us
U: We are a bottom 10 team in the league by goal differential, and a bottom 5 team by expected goal differential. We're currently in position to draft 10th overall.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

G: We beat the 2nd worst team in the league.
B: They outplayed us
U: We are a bottom 10 team in the league by goal differential, and a bottom 5 team by expected goal differential.

The only categories where we aren't among the absolute worst in the league is PK and goaltending.

PK is top 10, goaltending is slightly above average, everything else is dog shit.

 

[BFLO]

The only categories where we aren't among the absolute worst in the league is PK and goaltending.

PK is top 10, goaltending is slightly above average, everything else is dog shit.

I'd go as far as to say it's really only been the goaltending.

PK GA/60 is 7th.
PK xGA/60 is 23rd.

It's the goaltending making the difference on the PK, not the skaters. We're a bottom 10 PK unit/system with top 10 pk goaltending.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'd go as far as to say it's really only been the goaltending.

PK GA/60 is 7th.
PK xGA/60 is 23rd.

It's the goaltending making the difference on the PK, not the skaters. We're a bottom 10 PK unit/system with top 10 pk goaltending.

Good point! I stand corrected.

We are now among the worst teams in the league that is being kept alive by good goaltending. Who would've thought...

 

[Caroline Says ll]

A win is a win. But this coaching staff needs to start tinkering with glaring issues in this lineup. If a player is playing useless and a team is struggling to beat a lottery team - they need to sit.

Regardless of the lineup deficiencies, this team should not struggle to score goals. The coaching staff should be able to adapt and practice to the heavy pressure forechecks and clogging of the neutral zone with the talent we have.

We have youth who have options who are so far playing themselves to deserve more spots and responsibilities, youth who have provided nothing that have options, veterans who have provided nothing and are being rewarded. We should not be shy with scratching, call ups and rewards - especially since we suck at everything but goaltending so far.

There were expectations for this season. The GM failed in addressing roster issues. The strategy of internal growth to fill holes has so far largely been a failure. The coaching staff has failed to evolve this team, and largely looks to have the players unprepared for each opponent.

But it is pathetic that at this stage with the talent we have on the blueline and the forwards we still have healthy to struggle in zone exits and entries. The puck on our players sticks should not be a weakness. But teams adapted to us based on last season, now it is on the coaching to adapt to the changes.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

A win is a win. But this coaching staff needs to start tinkering with glaring issues in this lineup. If a player is playing useless and a team is struggling to beat a lottery team - they need to sit.

Regardless of the lineup deficiencies, this team should not struggle to score goals. The coaching staff should be able to adapt and practice to the heavy pressure forechecks and clogging of the neutral zone with the talent we have.

We have youth who have options who are so far playing themselves to deserve more spots and responsibilities, youth who have provided nothing that have options, veterans who have provided nothing and are being rewarded. We should not be shy with scratching, call ups and rewards - especially since we suck at everything but goaltending so far.

There were expectations for this season. The GM failed in addressing roster issues. The strategy of internal growth to fill holes has so far largely been a failure. The coaching staff has failed to evolve this team, and largely looks to have the players unprepared for each opponent.

But it is pathetic that at this stage with the talent we have on the blueline and the forwards we still have healthy to struggle in zone exits and entries. The puck on our players sticks should not be a weakness. But teams adapted to us based on last season, now it is on the coaching to adapt to the changes.

I think there's been some success with internal growth also. There's actually a decent list -

Mittelstadt - continuing the upward trend from last season.
Peterka - great off-season and showing skill, stamina, and looks a bit stronger.
Greenway - not sure if it's growth or a rebound, either way it's improvement.
Jokiharju - very steady and much more consistent.
Ryan Johnson - great addition that might not go back to Rochester.
UPL - damn near stealing wins some nights, from #3 in most fans' opinions to #1.

The bad -

Cozens
Krebs
Power (at least in his own zone)
Levi

Others have been bad but they're veterans that are done growing, Like Skinner, Tuch, Olofsson, Okposo (plays the right way but legs are shot), Clifton (maybe isn't out of position so much in time).

I think some of KA's reliance on young players getting better has been justified (surprisingly), but the transition to a more responsible game has not been coached or implemented very well. I think that's the bigger problem, along with vets playing poorly.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

Cozen, at least this game, was getting himself in the right positions, but just not executing when he got there. I wonder how much of it is his face wear.

 

[Caroline Says ll]

I think there's been some success with internal growth also. There's actually a decent list -

Mittelstadt - continuing the upward trend from last season.
Peterka - great off-season and showing skill, stamina, and looks a bit stronger.
Greenway - not sure if it's growth or a rebound, either way it's improvement.
Jokiharju - very steady and much more consistent.
Ryan Johnson - great addition that might not go back to Rochester.
UPL - damn near stealing wins some nights, from #3 in most fans' opinions to #1.

The bad -

Cozens
Krebs
Power (at least in his own zone)
Levi

Others have been bad but they're veterans that are done growing, Like Skinner, Tuch, Olofsson, Okposo (plays the right way but legs are shot), Clifton (maybe isn't out of position so much in time).

I think some of KA's reliance on young players getting better has been justified (surprisingly), but the transition to a more responsible game has not been coached or implemented very well. I think that's the bigger problem, along with vets playing poorly.

I stand corrected, those are excellent points.

To spitball off your last point, the individual growth that we are seeing only draws more attention to the lack of structure and coaching the players are getting to have their success lead to team success.

Okposo to everyone's eyes has been next to useless, no fault to his effort but he loses every board battle and fails to keep possession. I understand optics in not scratching the captain to a degree - but him having spent 14 minutes on the powerplay this season is such garbage. There is nothing to support that decision by Ellis and Granato.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Cozen, at least this game, was getting himself in the right positions, but just not executing when he got there. I wonder how much of it is his face wear.

His metrics were actually okay before the injury, despite not scoring enough, so I'm guessing the answer is "a lot." I'm slightly worried that isn't the case though.

 

[Chainshot]

His metrics were actually okay before the injury, despite not scoring enough, so I'm guessing the answer is "a lot." I'm slightly worried that isn't the case though.

Some of the plays yesterday look like how other players have talked about how the full fishbowl messes with their ability to handle the puck.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Some of the plays yesterday look like how other players have talked about how the full fishbowl messes with their ability to handle the puck.

Yeah, it must be a huge adjustment, if you're ever even able to adjust.

It's crazy how the stats for the entire team completely tanked once he got hurt. I have a feeling we rely on his transition ability more than we realize as fans. While Dahlin and him are beyond elite at it, we might not many (any?) other players who can do it well consistently.

 

[Mattilaus]

Some of the plays yesterday look like how other players have talked about how the full fishbowl messes with their ability to handle the puck.

How many times did he whiff or lose sight of the puck last night? I feel like it was a lot, even for a struggling player. My first thought was the bubble head is causing him to miss-time his shots and passes. Eye test only but last night I felt like he had a bunch of (what would be) really good chances where he just failed to connect with the puck.

 

[LetsGoBuffalo1126]

Is anyone else as frustrated as me with the structural breakouts? I can't tell you how many times they had to work ridiculously below their own goal line, only to have to make a near three-line stretch pass with the only reward being a 2-on-2 where because they were so hemmed in, they had to tip-in and change. I despise the stretch pass with all my being. Especially when the reward is an evenly-manned situation that nets them nothing.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Is anyone else as frustrated as me with the structural breakouts? I can't tell you how many times they had to work ridiculously below their own goal line, only to have to make a near three-line stretch pass with the only reward being a 2-on-2 where because they were so hemmed in, they had to tip-in and change. I despise the stretch pass with all my being. Especially when the reward is an evenly-manned situation that nets them nothing.

what happened to the speed? We're the youngest team in the league but don't look young at all with regards to speed.

 

[HOOats]

His metrics were actually okay before the injury, despite not scoring enough, so I'm guessing the answer is "a lot." I'm slightly worried that isn't the case though.

Huh, to me he was scoring goals against the run of his play but playing terribly otherwise before the injury.

He and Tuch were leading the "can't make or handle a pass" brigade over the first couple weeks of the season.

 

[Mattilaus]

Huh, to me he was scoring goals against the run of his play but playing terribly otherwise before the injury.

He and Tuch were leading the "can't make or handle a pass" brigade over the first couple weeks of the season.

I feel like Cozens was just starting to get it together when he got clocked. I could be wrong though.