GDT: Game 4: Avalanche @ Sabres - 10/11 7pm ET (MSG-B, WGR 550)

[Sabre the Win]

On the bright side Dahlin is our best defenseman and I don’t think it’s close

He got a point tonight.

 

[Goathead]

Well being above .500 was fun while it lasted. Here’s to accomplishing that again next year.

 

[Team Cozens]

Jason Pominville and Johan Larsson have no business playing in the NHL

Pominville
Larsson
Okposo
Girgensons
Nelson
Beaulieu
Housley

 

[joshjull]

Overall........ it was a thorough *ss kicking..........

You are correct sir.

Waiting to see what adjustments to the lineup will be made.


If Bogo is ready and he seems to be close (yeah I know ) then Nelson is out and Tennyson gets sent down.

If Sobotka is back ...

then Thompson gets sent down and move Girgs and Erod to Mitts wings. Give him someone to work with.

Larsson/Sobotka/Pommer 4th line is fine with me. Or put Elie on there for more speed.

 

[Roost]

Okposo just said 'We werent ready to go". How does this coaching staff keep getting a pass part of your job is to get the team............READY TO GO!!!!!!!!

 

[EichHart]

Pominville
Larsson
Okposo
Girgensons
Nelson
Beaulieu
Housley

There is still way to much dead weight to be a good team. Housley is #1 on that list though.

 

[1972]

Okposo just said 'We werent ready to go". How does this coaching staff keep getting a pass part of your job is to get the team............READY TO GO!!!!!!!!

These are professionals athletes, they shouldn’t need a baby sitter. You think Auston Matthews needs his coach to get him ready to go? This team has a bunch of losers on it, has for the last bunch of years. Get this shit turned around before Jack is a permanent loser and Dahlin follows.

Fire Housley, let Botterill pick his coach without influence from the Pegulas and turn this around.

 

[joshjull]

I’ve about had my fill of Risto’s phony though guy act. Either get in a fight or even establish yourself as a consistent open ice hitter. But enough of the fake tough guy crap of shoving guys after the play is whistled dead. After you’ve already been beaten to the net or missed trying to hit someone with the puck. then think it means something to yap. I have to imagine opposing players are laughing at him.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[joshjull]

Just no reason for Hutts to start the third.

The only logic I could think of is not wanting Ullmark’s first playing time this year being thrown in front of a buzzsaw.

 

[SabresSharks]

I’ve about had my fill of Risto’s phony though guy act. Either get in a fight or even establish yourself as a consistent open ice hitter. But enough of the fake tough guy crap of shoving guys after the play is whistled dead. After you’ve already been beaten to the net or missed trying to hit someone with the puck. then think it means something to yap. I have to imagine opposing players are laughing at him.

Drives me crazy. Mr passive aggressive.

 

[brian_griffin]

Go high on Hutton.

Go high on any NHL goalie.

Pominville
Larsson
Okposo
Girgensons
Nelson
Beaulieu
Housley

Girgensons can stay, he has enough speed.
Poms / Okposo / Larsson. Take only 1 of them for this season, then buy him out (or in Larsson/Poms case, UFA/retired). The Poms buyout was a no brainer, but wasn't done. He's a 13th / 14th forward. Wilson's replacement is Elie. It's clear Botterill either wants the Swedes to play in Rochester, or he has no concerns about Sobotka / Pominville / Thompson / Larsson / Wilson(Elie) getting ~200+ games between them this season. That's essentially a full forward line of below-replacement-level talent for a full season. Oh well, at least it's only 1 forward line this season, not 2 like last year.
Nelson / Beaulieu should be 7th/8th or lower.
Housley should be in the AHL.

You are correct sir.
Waiting to see what adjustments to the lineup will be made.
If Bogo is ready and he seems to be close (yeah I know ) then Nelson is out and Tennyson gets sent down.
If Sobotka is back ...
then Thompson gets sent down and move Girgs and Erod to Mitts wings. Give him someone to work with.

Larsson/Sobotka/Pommer 4th line is fine with me. Or put Elie on there for more speed.

Elie should have been in for this game. Could have gone up against Zads. Perhaps should have played over Thompson (assuming Larsson was given a go to see how ready he was).

I’ve about had my fill of Risto’s phony though guy act. Either get in a fight or even establish yourself as a consistent open ice hitter. But enough of the fake tough guy crap of shoving guys after the play is whistled dead. After you’ve already been beaten to the net or missed trying to hit someone with the puck. then think it means something to yap. I have to imagine opposing players are laughing at him.

Wholly agree. I'll take 1 big hit while the puck is in play, or bowing-up at an opponent before the whistle is blown, for every 10 shoves and cross-checks after the puck is frozen and the play blown dead. Be 10x better if he did even half of his after-whistle stuff before the whistle is blown.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Moskau]

I’ve about had my fill of Risto’s phony though guy act. Either get in a fight or even establish yourself as a consistent open ice hitter. But enough of the fake tough guy crap of shoving guys after the play is whistled dead. After you’ve already been beaten to the net or missed trying to hit someone with the puck. then think it means something to yap. I have to imagine opposing players are laughing at him.

Amen. He even managed to make Landeskog who might be the 2nd biggest fake tough guy in the league look intimidating. Even before the Kadri incident players were laughing at Ristolainen behind the net when Risto waits for the refs to get involved. What happened to the Ristolainen who isolated other teams best players and hit them every shift? At least then you could forgive his terrible Hockey IQ. Seems like forever ago when he was going after guys like Lucic.

 

[joshjull]

But I just saw one post so I decided to comment on it, without regard to how or what you were posting earlier. Did I misrepresent you? My bad.

Still, I stand by what I said in general context.

You stand by assigning an opinion to me I don’t have? If you want to quote someone who has blind optimism in Phil, then find someone who actually feels that way. I don’t and its why I responded how I did. Maybe you and @Sabre the Win are so far in the negative you view anything not in line with that, or close to it, as being optimistic.

I’m pretty sure I‘ve already had a discussion with you about this. I feel Housley has no excuses anymore with the depth and talent upgrades (particularly in net). In the first month or two of this season we should know a lot about what we have in our coach. I’m not quite sure how that could be construed as blind optimism in the head coach.

What I am optimistic about is the talent in the organization. Now we find out what our current coach can do with some of it.

 

[slip]

The only logic I could think of is not wanting Ullmark’s first playing time this year being thrown in front of a buzzsaw.

You're probably right, but that logic should have been trumped by (a) you need a shake up in the game, (b) Hutton -- who has played lights out -- doesn't need to suffer through this horrific effort, and (c) you have an opportunity to spoon feed Ulmark easy minutes where there is little in terms of expectations or pressure.

 

[Ralonzo]

This was bound to happen. It was nice to imagine this team turned a corner but the truth is Hutton stole 2 games for us and this team is just not good because of baggage.

Still, steal a game here, a game there... it gets it's own momentum.

But in the pre-game, Phil was so excited about Larsson being ready to go and said he'd really help out.......

If the Sabres goal is maximum Swedish banter on ice, then ja.

Larsson is playing too far up in the lineup right now. And he's on the 4th line.

Yep.....Besides his booming shot from the blue line.... what's he done lately?

Speaking of Scandella's booming slap shot... has he finished his wind-up yet?

Too many mediorce players on the roster.

This is probably it. How are you going to win when a third of your forwards are Larsson, Girgensons, Okposo, Pominville, and a third of your defense is Nelson and Beaulieu.

Wrong board! Forgive me lol

On and on, south of heaven.

 

[Chileiceman]

Avs fan at the game tonight. Buffalo is my second favorite team though. Jack Eichel was so impressive to watch live, and I was happy to be in the building for Dahlin's first point. I don't think the score was an accurate reflection of the play though. You guys hit several posts. The power play could use some fine tuning though.

 

[DDRhockey]

Cant fanthom how two mediocre swedes are playing (berglund, larsson), yet nylander is in ahl.

 

[Dreakon13]

Cant fanthom how two mediocre swedes are playing (berglund, larsson), yet nylander is in ahl.

Well, for one, Berglund is playing center. And Nylander is a winger.

 

[GoCanes2015]

What line is Skinner on for you guys? Sad to see you are observing some of the exact same frustrations we had in CAR with his game. Poor defense, too many dangles, not great passing, flashes of excitement, but generally not producing up to his early career hype. Has the game passed him by? Hope he finds something soon for you guys.

 

[Paxon]

What line is Skinner on for you guys? Sad to see you are observing some of the exact same frustrations we had in CAR with his game. Poor defense, too many dangles, not great passing, flashes of excitement, but generally not producing up to his early career hype. Has the game passed him by? Hope he finds something soon for you guys.

He's on our second line saddled with Berglund and Okposo. He's been fine. His passing is pretty bad. The effort is good.

 

[brian_griffin]

Cant fanthom how two mediocre swedes are playing (berglund, larsson), yet nylander is in ahl.

If this is a nationalistic petition, then Nylander's waiver exemption is an obviously overlooked factor.

Well, for one, Berglund is playing center. And Nylander is a winger.

and there's that, too.

Berglund may be mediocre, but there are worse / less useful Sabres on the roster currently.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

He's on our second line saddled with Berglund and Okposo. He's been fine. His passing is pretty bad. The effort is good.

I thought Mitts played his best game so far, including preseason games. If he keeps making steady progress, i'd love to see Mitts thrown on the line with Skinner.

 

[1972]

I thought Mitts played his best game so far, including preseason games. If he keeps making steady progress, i'd love to see Mitts thrown on the line with Skinner.

Mitts and Skinner just sounds like a bad duo. Both are too pick dominant. Unfortunately, it seems like all our good players are better individually then as a team.