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stealth1

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IMO what's hurting them right now is the focus on defense. They so focused on not making defensive mistakes, they sacrifice offense for it.

As long as they stick around a playoff spot til players come back they will be fine. Right now they are 1 point back of a wildcard spot and 3 back of 2nd in the division. Outside of Boston, no team has been that great.

The way many here are talking it's like they have lost 6 games in a row. Before last night they were on a 4-1-1 run.
 
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Svedu

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Apr 23, 2019
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lol. You do you, Svedu. I don't care if you're related to UPL. The first goal was absolutely a fluke play; no blame there. The second goal was a deflection from well above the faceoff circle and he looked handcuffed on the shot.

The whole team looks like crap at this point in the season. Defense and forwards.

And the truth is we've been saying for a long time on these boards that no goalie would be very good behind this team.
This post was good. I fully agree. But the thing is, you tend to blame UPL a bit too often and no, he was not to be blamed yesterday. The team sucked buffalo balls. I mean the funny thing is the defense was just as bad as the offense or if not worse. One fluke or not doesn't change that fact.
Also, look at the play, who if not that f*cking Owen Power tries a stupid move and doesn't have any way to save the situation afterwards? The kid seems bad at thinking on the next step that could eventually punish his team.
And no, I do not only blame him either, I think it's the coaching staffs issue to solve it if they let him play like that and as much as he actually does.
Then you have Joker who can't save or help UPL with anything, being overly passive in his defending. Last but not least, you have UPL with the fluke in that sequence.
But otherwise? The biggest problems is those things happening before the actual goal, something a lot of fans don't recognize or try to recognize. And they happen a bit too frequently to be acceptable. Or do you disagree?

Side note: You can read that I blamed him (UPL) , Joker and Power for the second goal. Power doing what he did at that second goal was no fluke either. He's just "I see what I can do here, oh or perhaps this, oh and then I forgot about the eventual consequences". That's Powers playing in a nutshell when I've seen him. So overrated if he doesn't fix that, or they get a new coach that teaches him that. Jukka Jalonen would spank his ass and bench him for his latest efforts.
 
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Chainshot

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IMO what's hurting them right now is the focus on defense. They so focused on not making defensive mistakes, they sacrifice offense for it.

As long as they stick around a playoff spot til players come back they will be fine. Right now they are 1 point back of a wildcard spot and 3 back of 2nd in the division. Outside of Boston, no team has been that great.

The way many here are talking it's like they have lost 6 games in a row. Before last night they were on a 4-1-1 run.

I would disagree - they seem really focused on trying to generate off the rush and then make dangerous passes all over the ice that are leading to easy intercepts and clears, then more time in their own zone. There is not enough dedication to working for pucks or making basic plays on the forecheck from most of them.
 

Mattilaus

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IMO what's hurting them right now is the focus on defense. They so focused on not making defensive mistakes, they sacrifice offense for it.

As long as they stick around a playoff spot til players come back they will be fine. Right now they are 1 point back of a wildcard spot and 3 back of 2nd in the division. Outside of Boston, no team has been that great.

The way many here are talking it's like they have lost 6 games in a row. Before last night they were on a 4-1-1 run.
Yea but they went 4-1-1 due to some great luck. Do you really think the team played well enough in all those 4 games to deserve a win? Six games is too small a sample size to point to the record and say it's proof the team is good. They haven't been good and all the stats outside of wins and losses indicate they haven't been good. If they keep playing the same way it won't be long before they are at the bottom of the standings. They need to pick it up and I think everyone who has watched them should agree with that.
 

littletonhockeycoach

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Did you watch the game?

What about Power being shit in almost every game? Dahlin wasn't close being decent either. Not Levis and especially not UPL's fault. Oldgoalie is full of sh*t regarding this issue. Not a single D, nor this system would be acceptable in a national team. I promise you, if Finland looked this shit on defense people would demand the coach to be fired immediately.
You just have to see how clueless your D's are in almost every game. They can't even follow their attacker. The TO are getting ridiculous at this point. Call it what you want, sloppy, nonchalant or clueless. Don't forget that Power was nowhere to be found when that second goal occurred. The kid just improvises every single situation, no backbone whatsoever. Coach needs to fix that, otherwise it's the coach that has to be fired.

Not a single goalie would be super behind your system or your D's right now and that's nothing but the truth.
I stopped watching in the 3rd. Should have turned it off earlier.

Yes. The D sucked. Everyone. Power has been given too much ice time. He's slow and has not displayed any offensive instincts. Dahlin is likely being held back.

I despise the Sabres defensive coach. Nice guy probably but there is no system. Erik Johnson said that publicly a week ago.

The Pens owned the puck. Made people like Vinny Hinostroza look like a keeper.

The line up was terrible and the 2nd goal was when the shoulder slump began. Clinically, it was not played well but UPL is UPL. Otherwise, he played as well as he possibly could behind this bunch. I'm not ragging on him.

I pay attention to your comments. But I don't react well to pointed snark.
 

littletonhockeycoach

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I would disagree - they seem really focused on trying to generate off the rush and then make dangerous passes all over the ice that are leading to easy intercepts and clears, then more time in their own zone. There is not enough dedication to working for pucks or making basic plays on the forecheck from most of them.
Yes. They only have one offensive style. Off the rush with speed though the NZ. Shut that down and they can't do crap.

Thompson was mistakenly given time and space in the previous nights game against the Canes and made a fantastic play. I had just called him out...lol.

But teams aren't giving him that room and he's no Gilbert Perrault with the puck. He's just a big dork who presents opponents with easy opportunities to knock it off his stick.
 
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littletonhockeycoach

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With a shot from that close in the reaction is based on the shooters stick and UPL is expecting it to rise up and he probably was expecting it to catch him high in the crest. It changes directions and goes wide and lower, just above his blocker and leaks through under his armpit, likely because he tried to react at the last second to get his blocker on it, and he chicken-winged his elbow out in the process and the puck was able to leak through.

Here is a pic, notice the shooter, O'Connor's location. The puck is redirecting to (our) right, but UPL is honestly pretty squared up with the shooter. I respect old goalie's contributions here, but I do not believe he realized it was a deflected puck.

View attachment 767139
That may be........ But then I have to question his ability to track the puck... O'Conner is pretty far out and UPL has a clear line of sight. He just misplayed it.

It was O'Conner's 1st NHL goal.

I'm not giving UPL a pass on this one. But he did play well otherwise.
 

Svedu

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I stopped watching in the 3rd. Should have turned it off earlier.

Yes. The D sucked. Everyone. Power has been given too much ice time. He's slow and has not displayed any offensive instincts. Dahlin is likely being held back.

I despise the Sabres defensive coach. Nice guy probably but there is no system. Erik Johnson said that publicly a week ago.

The Pens owned the puck. Made people like Vinny Hinostroza look like a keeper.

The line up was terrible and the 2nd goal was when the shoulder slump began. Clinically, it was not played well but UPL is UPL. Otherwise, he played as well as he possibly could behind this bunch. I'm not ragging on him.

I pay attention to your comments. But I don't react well to pointed snark.
UPL is UPL... UPL has been pretty good this season and the team and D has been pretty shit. And your take is UPL is UPL, interesting.
So he's a lost case when the D is infront of him is horrible most of the time? But you what? Believe it's easier or more reasonable to fix the goalie when the team and D is looking a lot worse. Very rational of you.

I would wait to call out any goalie in the Sabres organization as long as the team in front of them looks like this. He still was Sabres best player on ice with that fluke yesterday. That says tons.
Also, flukes will always happen sometimes. But overall bad defending game in, game out with one or two exceptions isn't necessary and should and can be fixed. Focus on criticizing that the most. Because a good goalie can't be more than decent infront of shit defense. A couple of games can go well. But a decent goalie can always be good if the defense is good.
I mean just look at Finland, they've hade goalies perform really well in WC's without being the most known goalies out there. Often, it's because of the system. Some crucial rules that every defender obeys and follows because they want the team to win before anything else.
Why do you think some organizations keep on having good goaltending almost year in year out? Bruins and others?
 
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BFLO

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IMO what's hurting them right now is the focus on defense. They so focused on not making defensive mistakes, they sacrifice offense for it.

As long as they stick around a playoff spot til players come back they will be fine. Right now they are 1 point back of a wildcard spot and 3 back of 2nd in the division. Outside of Boston, no team has been that great.

The way many here are talking it's like they have lost 6 games in a row. Before last night they were on a 4-1-1 run.
We’re talking like we just lost 6 in a row because the team has only played well in 4 games out of 15.

They’re not 7-7-1 because they’ve been playing well and had bad luck.

They’re 7-7-1 because they got lucky and won a few games they shouldn’t have.

They’ve regressed at basically every aspect since last season. (edit: goal tending has improved, the skaters have regressed at everything)
 
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BFLO

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Except goaltending. And team defense. And the PK (aside from the last couple games)

Our regression has purely been on the offensive side of the puck.
Team defense and the PK are worse, but are being covered up by improved goaltending. We're surrendering fewer goals despite giving up higher shot quality against.

Our skaters have gotten worse at everything. Our goalies are all playing pretty well, and much improved over last season.

stats /60All strengths GFAll strengths GAAll strengths xGFAll strengths xGA5v5 GF5v5 GA5v5 xGF5v5 xGAPP GFPP xGFPK GAPK xGA
2022-2023 total3.52, 3rd3.58, 26th3.24, 13th3.3, 24th2.96, 4th3.06, 28th2.74, 13th2.83, 26th8.39, 9th6.62,27th10.13, 29th9.0, 29th
2022-2023 after 15 games 7-8-03.66, 6th3.46, 25th3.2, 14th3.01, 12th2.63, 15th2.8, 22nd2.65, 15th2.6, 14th8.74, 10th5.55, 30th9.69, 26th7.46, 17th
2023-2024 15 games 7-7-12.92, 22nd3.12, 16th2.74, 29th3.44, 26th2.82, 11th2.65, 18th2.41, 26th2.61, 16th4.05, 27th6.78, 24th5.55, 10th8.93, 24th
 
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dortt

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Sep 21, 2018
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UPL was NOT good last night at all.

He let in 2 absolutely shit goals that had no business being scored. He gets a C at most, if not a C-.

This is UPL. He makes the big saves, then lets in some of the worst softies you can imagine. The opposite of Comrie who doesn't let in many softies, but cannot make the saves he is not expected to make

Those softies were backbreaking
 

MOGlLNY

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Jan 5, 2008
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UPL was NOT good last night at all.

He let in 2 absolutely shit goals that had no business being scored. He gets a C at most, if not a C-.

This is UPL. He makes the big saves, then lets in some of the worst softies you can imagine. The opposite of Comrie who doesn't let in many softies, but cannot make the saves he is not expected to make

Those softies were backbreaking
Lol
 

Old Navy Goat

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please explain how allowing 2 softies is a good game from any NHL goalie and why calling UPL out for that is funny
First off it wasn't 2 softies. The first was complete fluke, he was in proper position and it's not instinctual to duck as a goalie. The 2nd wasn't great as it leaked through after getting tipped. The 3rd was a tip 12' out so not much he could do. He made plenty of grade A stops. He wasn't the problem, not even close
 

dortt

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First off it wasn't 2 softies. The first was complete fluke, he was in proper position and it's not instinctual to duck as a goalie. The 2nd wasn't great as it leaked through after getting tipped. The 3rd was a tip 12' out so not much he could do. He made plenty of grade A stops. He wasn't the problem, not even close

the first one was most certainly a bad goal. All he has to do is pay attention and a very easy save is made
 

Old Navy Goat

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the first one was most certainly a bad goal. All he has to do is pay attention and a very easy save is made
The first was a complete fluke. He was in proper position hugging the post, watching Malkin behind the goal line as you'd want. The puck fricking went in off his head. Do you want your goalie ducking from shots? That was a less than 1% play that most people wouldn't fault him for, but go grind that axe
 

Irie

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Nov 14, 2010
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Team defense and the PK are worse, but are being covered up by improved goaltending. We're surrendering fewer goals despite giving up higher shot quality against.


Any one that watched last season and this season and actually thinks that the team is giving up higher quality chances against this season..... I just do not know what to say. Especially on the PK.

Your algorithm is lying to you.
 
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K8fool

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The run and gun teams w defensive responsibility issues makes this an interesting watch

No. I don't want granato gone but the team ia not having fun. Playing fast and is definitely frustrated like Edmonton


The run and gun teams w defensive responsibility issues makes this an interesting watch

No. I don't want granato gone but the team ia not having fun. Playing fast and is definitely frustrated like Edmonton
We also are 2 losses away from the above holland reasoning

Like the Bills they need to say fu&k it and trust allen running or sabres try to fook D and let levi , at least , accept odd man rushes and chill on trying to play "perfect " D and just relearn to score. Stop fooking thinking etc Donny may be instilling fear without intending to. Have some fun as they are mostly NOT FUN to watch

Let them win 5 3 and dominate possession like the sabres , oilers 2022 Etc, then clean it up and win 5 2
 
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Chainshot

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I'm pleased to announce that the ONG Axe Grindery is officially opened. For our introductory offer, we're offering a free torch or a BOGO pitchfork with every axe serviced

If it's buy-one-get-one, then sure. If it's Bogosian, then the blade will be nicked and the handle too wonky to use.
 

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