GDT: #54 – Ducks at Sabres – Thu Feb 9, 7:00PM ET – MSG-B

[26CornerBlitz]

VS.

DUCKS (28-17-10) at SABRES (22-21-10)

THU FEB 9, 2017 @ 7:00 PM ET

TV: MSG-B

RADIO: WGR 550

Sabres Digital Press Box Game Preview

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 257)

Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Cody McCormick (blood clots, Oct. 13; injured reserve) – 53 games
Johan Larsson (wrist, Jan. 3; injured reserve) – 17 games
William Carrier (knee, Feb.4) – 3 games
Zach Bogosian (ribs, Feb. 4) – 3 games

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST 7 DAYS
2/4: Activated D Josh Gorges; Recalled F Justin Bailey from Rochester (AHL); Assigned F Cal O’Reilly to Rochester
2/6: Signed D Justin Falk to a one-year contract extension worth $650,000; Claimed F Derek Grant off waivers from Nashville; Assigned Grant to Rochester (AHL)

UPCOMING GAMES
Saturday, Feb. 11: Buffalo at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 12: Vancouver at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 14: Buffalo at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 16: Colorado at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 18: St. Louis at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

TONIGHT’S GAME

DUCKS at SABRES
This is the first of two meetings between the Sabres and Ducks this season.
Last meeting: Anaheim defeated Buffalo 1-0 in Anaheim on Feb. 24, 2016
Next meeting: Friday, March 17 in Anaheim
The Sabres are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games vs. the Ducks; 6-3-1 at home
This is the 33rd game all-time between Buffalo and Anaheim; Buffalo has a 16-13-3 series record.
The Sabres are 8-5-3 at home against the Ducks all-time.

Morning Skate: February 9, 2017 at 10:00 am – 11:00 am at KeyBank Center

Click to read more...

 

[old kummelweck]

Nice - will this turn into the GDT?

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Nice - will this turn into the GDT?

It will indeed.

 

[GellMann]

I'd like a win, but since we really enjoy the sine wave, I'll take a loss if it means winning on Saturday.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Time is running out. We are still in last in the East. If they want a playoff push they have to rip off 7-8 wins in a row starting now. We need at least 40-42 points over the last 29 games. I don't see it.

And this is random but the shootout needs to go. Extend OT to continuous 7-8 min periods until a game Is won. I mean the best team in the league is 1-4 in SOs while Detroit is 6-0 and Arizona 5-1. And a team should not earn a loser point unless the game goes to multiple OTs. That would solve a lot of the standings headache. Way too many 3 point games. The way 3-3 is with how wide open and how many chances are produced I doubt many games would go past the first OT if it's 7-8 min periods. Basketball doesn't have ties and neither does the NBA. I know totally different scoring methods but the excuse that it would be too tiring and taxing on teams is ********.

 

[old kummelweck]

Time is running out. We are still in last in the East. If they want a playoff push they have to rip off 7-8 wins in a row starting now. We need at least 40-42 points over the last 29 games. I don't see it.

And this is random but the shootout needs to go. Extend OT to continuous 7-8 min periods until a game Is won. I mean the best team in the league is 1-4 in SOs while Detroit is 6-0 and Arizona 5-1. And a team should not earn a loser point unless the game goes to multiple OTs. That would solve a lot of the standings headache. Way too many 3 point games. The way 3-3 is with how wide open and how many chances are produced I doubt many games would go past the first OT if it's 7-8 min periods. Basketball doesn't have ties and neither does the NBA. I know totally different scoring methods but the excuse that it would be too tiring and taxing on teams is ********.

How about no points for a tie for either team and no OT?

 

[Montag DP]

Any word on Kane after that collision with the boards the other night?

 

[Vito_81]

How about no points for a tie for either team and no OT?

Gotta have OT.

Im with Nostra, extend the OT. 10 minutes would solve most games. Tie game after the 10.

3pts regulation W
2 pts OT W
1 point tie/OTL

Reward teams winning in 60 min with 3 points. You still get to salvage a point by making it into OT.

3 points makes teams make bigger pushes to win in regulation time. And definitely go all out in OT. A tie is basically an OTL in terms of points.

 

[joshjull]

No Need for OT at all. 3pts for a win. 1pt for a tie. It incentivized winning and there is no gimmick to end the game. Yes 3 on 3 is a gimmick.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[AustonsNostrils]

ugh ... Kane must be out. Hope it's short term.

Rodrigues has been playing well, better than Baptiste hence why he got the call up.

 

[stokes84]

Loss

 

[Zip15]

ugh ... Kane must be out. Hope it's short term.

Rodrigues has been playing well, better than Baptiste hence why he got the call up.

Yep, 14 pts in last 15 games. With Ennis having points in four consecutive (1-3-4), I'm guessing he gets the promotion to the top-6, while Rodrigues starts on the 4th line.

Foligno-ROR-Okposo
Ennis-Eichel-Reinhart
Bailey-Girgensons-Gionta
Moulson-Grant-ERod

...would be my guess.

 

[DatGuy]

Interested to see what the line combinations will be.

 

[Jame]

Need for OT at all. 3pts for a win. 1pt for a tie. It incentivized winning and there is no gimmick to end the game. Yes 3 on 3 is a gimmick.

I don't mind the gimmicks.

What I don't get is the leagues preference for old school clutching/interfere hockey for 60 minutes, but then to decide games with wide open, exciting hockey plays (OT, Shootout).

I'd rather watch 60 minutes of exciting hockey vs a few minutes of gimmicks.

What's the old fart logic behind the current structure?

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Kane is on the ice for practice - some forward must be hurt.

 

[Zip15]

I'm still an advocate for 3-2-1. The absolute worst part of the system is that not every game is worth the same amount of points. I get that it's done in soccer, but I don't like it for hockey.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Montag DP]

I don't mind the gimmicks.

What I don't get is the leagues preference for old school clutching/interfere hockey for 60 minutes, but then to decide games with wide open, exciting hockey plays (OT, Shootout).

I'd rather watch 60 minutes of exciting hockey vs a few minutes of gimmicks.

What's the old fart logic behind the current structure?

Agreed. Then people talk about increasing scoring by making the net bigger, goalie pads smaller, etc., when the answer is obvious. Just go back to calling hooking, holding, and interference consistently and scoring will increase. Eventually the game will open up as players learn not to take a hundred penalties per game.

 

[Zip15]

Looks like no Girgs on the ice at practice. Who's ready for another round of "put Sam at center?"

Which may actually happen because who else can play center at this point?

 

[haseoke39]

I'm assuming a loss, will be pleasantly surprised if they show up after tuckering themselves out for ten whole minutes against SJ.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Jame]

Looks like no Girgs on the ice at practice. Who's ready for another round of "put Sam at center?"

Which may actually happen because who else can play center at this point?

Grant 3rd line center
Des 4th line center

Because Bylsma

 

[AustonsNostrils]

As far as OT and points system. I'd add on as many minutes as possible to OT, even it's just an extra 2 or 3 minutes would help. Points - 2 for the winner, 0 for the loser. Nobody deserves a point for a loss.

 

[DatGuy]

I'm still an advocate for 3-2-1. The absolute worst part of the system is that not every game is worth the same amount of points. I get that it's done in soccer, but I don't like it for hockey.

Well, because of the shootout each game would we worth same same amount of points

3 for a win in regulation
2 for a win in overtime / shootout
1 for a loss in overtime / shootout
0 for a loss in regulation

Each game is worth 3 points no matter what. I honestly believe this is the best point system available.