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

[Tatanka]

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.

I think that is a reasonable assumption, but I have been watching Mitts and he is taking a page out of Dahlin's playbook and focusing on his defensive positioning and responsibility. I think as they get more comfortable not getting burned the O will come and the D won't go away. This may be the exact time to pair Mitts and Skinner.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

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.

Were you watching last night? Most of Casey’s shifts came with 53.

Rodrigues getting his minutes cut in a game the Sabres trailed was the real problem with last night’s usage.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Were you watching last night? Most of Casey’s shifts came with 53.

Rodrigues getting his minutes cut in a game the Sabres trailed was the real problem with last night’s usage.

I did and i noticed that the two were on at the same time, but i chalked it up to bad line changes.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I did and i noticed that the two were on at the same time, but i chalked it up to bad line changes.

no one could blame you for thinking that with Housley.

 

[Ceremony]

Here lads I've no idea how Housley's lasted as long as he has. Good luck in getting rid of him.

 

[Boxscore]

Here lads I've no idea how Housley's lasted as long as he has. Good luck in getting rid of him.

I'm puzzled by Housley. Sure, I know part of his hiring was bringing home "feel good" Phil to give the fans some warm and fuzzies. The hopes I had for Housley were that he would take a very young team like the Sabres, and if nothing else, turn them into one of the most exciting teams in the league. Everyone knows the Swords are ways away from winning anything significant, but I believed Housley would open the floodgates and let these kids create, make mistakes, but generate offense and entertain the fans night in and night out... kind of like the Matthews, Nylander, Marner led Leafs during their rookie season.

Instead, Housley looks like the grumpy, lifeless dad who turns the lights off at 9pm and tells everyone to go to bed. There's nothing fun or exciting about the team he is icing. Nothing fun or exciting in the style of play he employs. It's pure zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Sheary and Okposo on the PP instead of Dahlin and Mittlestadt? Yeah, ok, Phil. Good job.

Housley should turn the team over to Eichel, Reinhart, Dahlin, Mittelstadt and Ristolainen. Maybe even Nylander full-time. Throw out a puck and tell them to go have fun and create. Win or lose, the fans will fall in love with the team and the kids will be fast-tracked to figuring out the NHL. And, if they lose? Who cares?! They get to do it all again next year, maybe with Jack Hughes in the lineup.

Housley is trying to coach this team like he has a boring, vet team that is trying to get over the hump and win a championship. He has young, thoroughbreds... he needs to let them run.

 

[Ceremony]

I was beginning to wonder if I wasn't paying attention any time the Sabres went on the powerplay, because I think I saw Dahlin once in that time. We certainly took enough penalties to allow for trying something different on the powerplay (and showed what happens when someone like MacKinnon carries the puck into the zone), so not having someone who can skate like Dahlin out in that situation just seemed strange. I've seen plenty of poor coaching over the past ten+ years watching the Avalanche so I know how galling it is when talent's getting wasted because of it.

 

[brian_griffin]

I was beginning to wonder if I wasn't paying attention any time the Sabres went on the powerplay, because I think I saw Dahlin once in that time. We certainly took enough penalties to allow for trying something different on the powerplay (and showed what happens when someone like MacKinnon carries the puck into the zone), so not having someone who can skate like Dahlin out in that situation just seemed strange. I've seen plenty of poor coaching over the past ten+ years watching the Avalanche so I know how galling it is when talent's getting wasted because of it.

Props for use of the word "galling".

 

[Dreakon13]

Opening night people were saying Mittelstadt needs to go to the AHL and Dahlin looked really good but tentative. Four games later and one decent game from Mittelstadt and we're saying get them out there, more minutes, f*** everything else, what is Housley doing.

Can't say I'm too torn up about them not being on the PP yet. It's 4 games, and the PP1 has been one of the few bright spots. It won't take long for those guys to get there. Dahlin sooner than later.

 

[dortt]

I was beginning to wonder if I wasn't paying attention any time the Sabres went on the powerplay, because I think I saw Dahlin once in that time. We certainly took enough penalties to allow for trying something different on the powerplay (and showed what happens when someone like MacKinnon carries the puck into the zone), so not having someone who can skate like Dahlin out in that situation just seemed strange. I've seen plenty of poor coaching over the past ten+ years watching the Avalanche so I know how galling it is when talent's getting wasted because of it.

Dahlin was out there once with Jack. It was a train wreck. Both players were skating toward the same spot on the ice. Seemed to mesh like Jack and Kane did