Post-Game Talk (GBU): #13 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Leaving Points on the Table Edition

[Chainshot]

The Good -

Plenty of stretches of controlled play and zone time.
Fourth line provided some jam.
A lot of Kuli-Risto....

The Bad -

....except the Dzingel goal.
Inability to capitalize on a tired team... again.
Inability to capitalize on a backup goalie... again.

The Ugly -

No Eichel, no ROR.
Lehner in the shootout.

Click to read more...

 

[sabresfan129103]

They had good offensive zone pressure all night, but were hardly able to generate that into dangerous scoring chances. Ottawa did a good job keeping them to the outside.

 

[enthusiast]

They can't score.

 

[sabresEH]

How many minutes did RR play in OT. I remember one maybe two shifts from McCabe and that was it. The rest of the time it was RR

 

[Onslow]

I hate the shootout

 

[Myllz]

Knew we were losing that game as soon as it went to the shootout.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Crappy loss. Buffalo was the better team.
As soon as the Girgs shot in OT bounced off the post twice and stayed out, I knew the shootout was coming and we were losing it.

 

[EmeraldCitySabre]

I've never seen a team lose so many games where they outplay the opponent.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Nice title but I was thinking more of using "Is this real life? Or is this fantasy?"

G: Like the 4th line
Like Risto and Kulikov
Exciting OT
Carrier is a warrior
Structured breakouts for a change

B; Terrible 3rd period
Coaching - Ottawa comes out strong in the 3rd and Blysma goes conservative?
Kane come back and we lose in OT.
Kane shoots from everywhere and hits nothing (just trying to site in his shot I suppose... Deer season in a couple of weeks right?)

U: I just paid a whole lot of money to watch the Sabres on Center Ice this season. Not looking like a real good financial decision from the wife's perspective right now......

 

[Vito_81]

G:

Risto was an absolute beast in the O zone tonight.

Girgs had a great game

Baptiste and Carrier need to stay.

Kane's presence was missed.

Lehner was solid in regulation.

I liked McCabe again tonight.

B

Risto and Kuikov gettting split on the Ottawa goal

This team in shootouts. Nobody is a threat to score for us. Everyone is a threat to score against us.

PP is ice cold.

Ugly.

Not enough offense at all on this team. Its like we were rolling 3rd lines all night
Good shifts, but no dynamic offensive plays.

This team without ROR. Eichel brings the excitement. He's the gamebreaker we are certainly missing right now. But really, ROR is our best player.

 

[enthusiast]

Lehner needs to work on his shootout game, too.

 

[1972]

I fell asleep during the game, that's how entertaining it was...

Ristolainen was a horse, I thought Sam had a better game and looked really good in OT. Lehner still makes me really nervous.

 

[1972]

In my mind Sam Reinhart has to be a centerman no question.

 

[brian_griffin]

Nice title but I was thinking more of using "Is this real life? Or is this fantasy?"

G: Like the 4th line
Like Risto and Kulikov
Exciting OT
Carrier is a warrior
Structured breakouts for a change

B; Terrible 3rd period
Coaching - Ottawa comes out strong in the 3rd and Blysma goes conservative?
Kane come back and we lose in OT.
Kane shoots from everywhere and hits nothing (just trying to site in his shot I suppose... Deer season in a couple of weeks right?)

U: I just paid a whole lot of money to watch the Sabres on Center Ice this season. Not looking like a real good financial decision from the wife's perspective right now......

Same. Wife renewed, because I enjoy it, but I've not been able to watch all the games (life schedule), and don't watch the DVR if I see a crappy GBU - figure I'd get too frustrated.

Dzingel's goal was a pretty play. I wonder if we'll see one of those from Buffalo this season. Just one??? Eventually... ???

 

[AustonsNostrils]

In my mind Sam Reinhart has to be a centerman no question.

why? he fit in very well with Eichel. ROR/Eichel/Larsson - so who of those 3 are you moving to wing?

 

[Bearbait]

Props to Franson, I know I'll take some heat for this, but in the last two games he has positioned himself much better to make up for his skating inability. He has kept the puck in the offensive zone and done some nice passing to get the puck out of our own end. Nothing flashy, but getting the job done.

I still want him off the ice and in street clothes, but he does deserve some credit the last couple of games.

 

[OscarsCards]

Get rid of Girgensons and start winning!

 

[Moskau]

Patrick Laine almost has half as many goals as our entire team. So there's that.

When do we go back and find the meaningless Brian Gionta goal that took us out of Winnipeg's draft slot?

 

[Shmuffalo]

Look, Eichel went out early, O'Reilly has had lingering issues since opening night, Kane has been out a month with broken ribs, Ennis is back to being injured for god knows what, and Bogo has **** luck.

Good: If we can maintain a .500 average by the time we get relatively healthy, I have a lot of confidence in this team. FGL line has done a tremendous job at possession, Reinhart does much better with Eichel, and Risto has looked great.

I'm optimistic.

 

[Sansbacon]

Look, Eichel went out early, O'Reilly has had lingering issues since opening night, Kane has been out a month with broken ribs, Ennis is back to being injured for god knows what, and Bogo has **** luck.

Good: If we can maintain a .500 average by the time we get relatively healthy, I have a lot of confidence in this team. FGL line has done a tremendous job at possession, Reinhart does much better with Eichel, and Risto has looked great.

I'm optimistic.

Exactly where I'm at.

When healthy, if they're still struggling to get going, then I'll be upset.

 

[Shmuffalo]

Patrick Laine almost has half as many goals as our entire team. So there's that.

When do we go back and find the meaningless Brian Gionta goal that took us out of Winnipeg's draft slot?

It's killing my that Eichel got injured so early in the season. With how well young players are doing this year, it seems like he's primed for a great year (**knock on wood**), but boy, I'll be excited once he's back.

 

[ZZamboni]

I couldn't care less what Laine, McDavid, Matthews or any other name posters want to trot out there on a nightly basis in hopes to make some weak point about draft picks, anti-TM rant, or Buffalo luck.

Those players are not on the Sabres. Get over it.

 

[wunderpanda]

G- they scored a goal, avoiding shutouts is some light relief
- credit to Dzingle, really was a pretty goal
- Lehner held on to get a point
- Evander somewhat balanced ROR being injured
- Zemgus played to win, could see it on his face.

B- Sens were sloppy and it still went to OT
- Lehner had plenty of time and no screen on the Dzingle goal
- Risto-Kuli should have stopped Dzingle before the unencumbered shot
- Lehner stopped fewer shoot-out attempts that the undrafted, scrap heap, journeyman goaltender
- didn't like Evander with Okposo, think it would be more effective strategy to have them anchoring separate lines. Kane doesn't need a center and Moulson is better with Okposo, think somebody overcompensated for ROR being out.

U- the guy on WGR postgame show that apparently never watched Kulikov play before the trade

**
Yep, took it easy with ROR late scratch & Evander return.

 

[Wisent42]

G:
Kane
Girgensons (unbelievable how his chances end up dancing on, but not over, the goal line every other game)
Our D. Seems like the pairings were more in tune now. McCabe was great, Franson belongs in the good column, Gorges being Gorges but Nelson looked comfortable with him. Risto-Kuli were great except...

B:
Risto-Kuli on that Sens goal did not look like a top pairing.
Can't score
Refs. Always the refs.

U:
Chris Neil.

 

[Montag DP]

What a boring game. Neutral zone passing is still an issue, and we still dump it in way too much. The biggest issue is the inability to translate forechecking pressure into good scoring chances. Having a healthy team will certainly help, but I don't think that's the whole issue. Eichel and O'Reilly aren't going to be able to score 3 goals every night.

Anyway, here's a short GBU:

Good:
- Reinhart was much better than in the previous games I've watched (though I missed the Boston game)
- Some of the D did a good job activating in the offensive zone
- Lehner in general
- The best 3 v 3 OT I've seen them play. Maybe because Ottawa was tired.

Bad:
- Goal scoring drought
- Disappearance of PP scoring

Ugly:
- Lehner in the shootout. Wow, he wasn't close to stopping either of those shots.