GDT: Win one for Cam vs the Dastardly Buffalo Dorky Scissors

[Roboturner913]

I didn't see the whole game as I had to step away from the TV during part of it, but I thought Sanguinetti looked pretty good and continues to look better as the season goes on. For those at the game or were able to catch the whole game, how did he look in totality?

I didn't get to watch the whole thing, I often don't get the chance to sit down and really watch a game until the next afternoon.

But Sangs is damn solid and has been for at least a couple of weeks. There were some rough patches with all the injuries where he was forced to play in spots where he normally wouldn't, but even those weren't that bad. I think he's ahead of McBain at this point.

 

[Sasha Cares]

I think he's ahead of McBain at this point.

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


we are 12-3 with McBain in the line up and 1-4-1 without... He's been on the ice for either 3 or 4 goals only the entire year... McBain is well ahead of Sangs on both ends of the ice.. You rarely see a disastrous pinch... McBain's offensive skills aren't as good as Sangs, but his instincts are much better

 

[tarheelhockey]

Only got to see part of this game as I'm just getting back in town. I agree that Sangs is at least playing at an NHL level now, which is all we really needed from him.

 

[Bongo]

Why were there so many empty seats? As good as you're team is playing shouldn't these games be selling out?

As a former Thrasher fan, I'm sorta sensitive to that kind of stuff. Hope to get up there for a playoff game.

 

[Sasha Cares]

Why were there so many empty seats? As good as you're team is playing shouldn't these games be selling out?

As a former Thrasher fan, I'm sorta sensitive to that kind of stuff. Hope to get up there for a playoff game.

Sorry if our 98% occupancy rate doesn't meet your standards

 

[geehaad]

...that the team could play like **** in front of Peters and he could still win the game?

Notice to Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner: you need to learn how to protect a lead.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I thought Corvo had another solid game. He seems to have simplified his game and is making intelligent decisions (more often than not). His goal was a classic example where I would expect hi to wind up and give Miller a chance to see it, but got it off quickly so the screen could do its job. There was a play late in the third where he had the puck about 3 strides behind the red line and was ready to ice like he's done countless times in the past and you could see him stop himself, realize he was wrong, skate to the redline and dump it in. It seems like a simple, nothing thing, but that's one of the many things I've derided him for in the past and he's at least showing he's more aware.

The Uh oh Joe moments are obviously still going to be there at times, but his play has definitely improved since the last time he was here.

Sangs looked like a decent #5/6 last night, which would be fantastic news if he could keep it up. McBain didn't look good playing on his off side. Some guys just aren't built to do that, especially guys who have a hard time beating to forechecking on their natural side.

 

[AntonFromAppState]

Woohoo Forslund likes my sweet tea line name.

 

[Roboturner913]

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


we are 12-3 with McBain in the line up and 1-4-1 without... He's been on the ice for either 3 or 4 goals only the entire year... McBain is well ahead of Sangs on both ends of the ice.. You rarely see a disastrous pinch... McBain's offensive skills aren't as good as Sangs, but his instincts are much better

That 1-4-1 record with McBain out just happens to coincide with a stretch with Gleason/Pitkanen/Skinner out where the whole team sucked out loud. This has been gone over before but McBain gets the most protected minutes out of any d-man on the roster.

I was not intending to bash McBain at all. I like him quite a bit. I just think Sangs is playing a little better at the moment. That opinion is obviously subject to change at any time.

 

[Joe McGrath]

That 1-4-1 record with McBain out just happens to coincide with a stretch with Gleason/Pitkanen/Skinner out where the whole team sucked out loud. This has been gone over before but McBain gets the most protected minutes out of any d-man on the roster.

I was not intending to bash McBain at all. I like him quite a bit. I just think Sangs is playing a little better at the moment. That opinion is obviously subject to change at any time.

First off, if you think McBains minutes are more protected than Sanguinetti's, you're delusional.

Second, when you say a player is "ahead" of another the context in which its generally taken is that the player is further ahead in their development, which Sanguinetti definitely isn't. What I think you were trying to convey was that Sanguinetti looked better than McBain last night, or over the last few games, which I think you could make the case for.

 

[geehaad]

McBain looks like crap anytime he's not paired with Pitkanen.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Why were there so many empty seats? As good as you're team is playing shouldn't these games be selling out?

As a former Thrasher fan, I'm sorta sensitive to that kind of stuff. Hope to get up there for a playoff game.

We've had good attendance throughout - if I had to guess I'd chalk it up to one of the following:

1) Sabres games have a reputation of being games you don't want to go to. I don't know if that reputation is still deserved or not, but there it is.

2) Midweek game early in the week (most of our home games thus far have been Thursdays)

3) First of a 3-game homestand that includes a Saturday game (ie someone wanting to see a game this week has 2 other options, including one that's not a schoolnight)

4) Duke had a home game last night, so that might have drawn away those fans who happen to be Duke fans.

Still, as Sasha Cares pointed out, this has been our lowest attended game thus far - prior to that, the lowest draw was Boston on 1/28/13 which still saw 17,190 in attendance. We've also had 6 sellouts out of 10 home games (1/22 against Tampa, 2/1 against Ottawa, 2/14 against Toronto, 2/23 against Tampa, 2/28 against Pittsburgh, and 3/2 against Florida) and of the 4 non-sellouts, 2 of them (1/24 against Buffalo and 2/21 against Winnipeg) were only a few hundred short of a sellout. The full numbers:

1/22/13 (vs. Lightning) - 18,680
1/24/13 (vs. Sabres) - 18,081
1/28/13 (vs. Bruins) - 17,190
2/1/13 (vs. Senators) - 18,680
2/14/13 (vs. Maple Leafs) - 18,680
2/21/13 (vs. Jets) - 18,282
2/23/13 (vs. Lightning) - 18,680
2/28/13 (vs. Penguins) - 18,680
3/2/13 (vs. Panthers) - 18,680
3/5/13 (vs. Sabres) - 15,277

 

[Roboturner913]

First off, if you think McBains minutes are more protected than Sanguinetti's, you're delusional.

Right now, no. Over the course of the year? I think probably. I don't have any numbers in front of me, just a feeling based on how many times I've seen #24 on the ice for a defensive draw. And of course, Sangs has never had the luxury of playing with anybody half as good as Pitkanen.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Right now, no. Over the course of the year? I think probably. I don't have any numbers in front of me, just a feeling based on how many times I've seen #24 on the ice for a defensive draw. And of course, Sangs has never had the luxury of playing with anybody half as good as Pitkanen.

I think our definition of protected minutes differs as well. Zone starts are part of it, but the quality of competition McBain faced over the course of the year has generally been higher than that of Sangs. I don't usually think of the "plays with someone good to cover his ass" as
part of the definition of protected minutes but that certainly seems like a logical thing to do.

 

[Sasha Cares]

McBain is so much better than you guys give credit for... It's quite annoying

 

[Roboturner913]

McBain is so much better than you guys give credit for... It's quite annoying

Wasn't trying to bash McBain, just think Sangs has been a little better lately. Everybody has been playing well lately so it's not a poor reflection on McBain, really.

 

[StormCast]

I think our definition of protected minutes differs as well. Zone starts are part of it, but the quality of competition McBain faced over the course of the year has generally been higher than that of Sangs. I don't usually think of the "plays with someone good to cover his ass" as
part of the definition of protected minutes but that certainly seems like a logical thing to do.

Plus, it's important to note that playing 2nd pair minutes with Pitkanen also means you're going up against 2nd line forwards typically while 3rd pair minutes are usually against bottom 6 forwards.

Also, Pitkanen really doesn't have to bail a guy like McBain out (as he's had to do with the likes of Babchuck, Corvo, etc.) because McBain plays a much safer game. In fact, when Pitkanen goes wondering down low behind the net with the puck, it's his partner who bails him out when the puck is turned over.

 

[Bongo]

Sorry if our 98% occupancy rate doesn't meet your standards

Calm down Bevis. I was a Canes fan long before the Thrasher left but that experience has left me sensitive to any measures that can cost a city their team. In case you haven't heard it's open season on southern hockey fans. Now that Bettman got the best TV deal he'll ever see, he doesn't need southern expansion to work. Look how quickly he cut Atlanta loose. That's all I'm worried about.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Also, Pitkanen really doesn't have to bail a guy like McBain out (as he's had to do with the likes of Babchuck, Corvo, etc.) because McBain plays a much safer game. In fact, when Pitkanen goes wondering down low behind the net with the puck, it's his partner who bails him out when the puck is turned over.

I was talking in a more general sense than just McBain in terms of "protected minutes". When he plays with Pitkanen he just flat out has to do less than he would playing with anyone else. When he gets forechecked paired with Pitkanen he can throw the puck in his vicinity and Joni will do something generally useful with it. When he did it with say Spacek last year, it's a turnover 75% of the time. Then he tries to do it himself, which he isn't strong enough to do, and its a turnover 50% of the time. Joni isn't really bailing him out, but its just an example of how it's just much easier for him.

 

[DaleCooper]

Calm down Bevis. I was a Canes fan long before the Thrasher left but that experience has left me sensitive to any measures that can cost a city their team. In case you haven't heard it's open season on southern hockey fans. Now that Bettman got the best TV deal he'll ever see, he doesn't need southern expansion to work. Look how quickly he cut Atlanta loose. That's all I'm worried about.

See here for one of the major differences between Carolina and the Atlanta situation: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1362617

 

[bb99]

McBain is so awkward. His skating is just gross at times.

 

[Sasha Cares]

McBain is so awkward. His skating is just gross at times.

shouldn't you be on HPJ, not here?

 

[bb99]

shouldn't you be on HPJ, not here?

to buy you a shot of bansauce.

 

[Sasha Cares]

that awkward skater is +10 in 15 games... bring it ***** lol

 

[bb99]

that awkward skater is +10 in 15 games... bring it ***** lol

Get off my McBalls.