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

[tsujimoto74]

Agreed

Yeah, they're obviously not going to keep winning >.500 of their games if they keep going that way, though I think the Vegas game shot metrics were pretty skewed by score effects (the Sabres were playing with a lead most of the game). The big perk of the first few games isn't how well the team controlled play, though. It's that the team did something they can use to build confidence and momentum early in the season, which can hopefully push them to even better play.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Yeah, they're obviously not going to keep winning >.500 of their games if they keep going that way, though I think the Vegas game shot metrics were pretty skewed by score effects (the Sabres were playing with a lead most of the game). The big perk of the first few games isn't how well the team controlled play, though. It's that the team did something they can use to build confidence and momentum early in the season, which can hopefully push them to even better play.

letting up on the offensive side of the game while defending leads is not something I want this coaching staff to rely on, even if we are up by 5 goals we should still go for the throat.

 

[Aladyyn]

Sabres are 15th in CF% and 13th in xGF%. A bit above 50% in both. That's good.

 

[Aladyyn]

letting up on the offensive play while defending leads is not something I want this coaching staff to rely on, even if we are up by 5 goals we should still go for the throat.

There is no coaching staff in this league that doesn't do it.

 

[Sabre the Win]

There is no coaching staff in this league that doesn't do it.

Just because everyone else does it does not mean we have to do it as well.

A good offense is as good as a good defense, if we can keep the puck and keep them in their own zone thats less shots being fired at our net.

Our defense isn't the best so relying on them and the goalie to face 40 shots a night is not the best solution, it worked thus far but we need to keep our offenses foot on the gas even with the lead, more possession time will take away from the defense getting caved in and facing massive shot totals.

 

[Aladyyn]

Just because everyone else does it does not mean we have to do it as well.

A good offense is as good as a good defense, if we can keep the puck and keep them in their own zone thats less shots being fired at our net.

Our defense isn't the best so relying on them and the goalie to face 40 shots a night is not the best solution, it worked thus far but we need to keep our offenses foot on the gas even with the lead, more possession time will take away from the defense getting caved in and facing massive shot totals.

I would love if the team stopped doing it. But I don't think it's a realistic thing to ask for.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Sobotka is very clearly a far superior player to the Johan Larsson we have seen the past 2 seasons. And it's about as close as comparing Scandella to Nelson. And I wont be sad when all 4 players are off the team.

You want Scandella off the Sabres?!

 

[OkimLom]

I might just be a homer, but I felt (especially against Vegas) that the Sabres controlled the game and outplayed their opponent despite the shot attempt differential.

While perhaps getting outshot isn’t a sustainable way to play, perhaps the Sabres current style does play won’t consistently result in getting out shot.

The number of times RJ said “but not out of the zone” was lower than usual

take my take with a grain of salt apparently, but I thought Buffalo was outplayed vs Boston, outplayed NYR, but not by much, and made their chances count vs Vegas while limiting the level of difficulty of the shots we gave up, but felt Vegas controlled the puck more often.

To give you an idea, based on the statistics so far, we're on a pace where we would score the 3rd least amount of goals(191 goals) since the lockout years, given up the least amount of goals (191 goals), produced the 2nd least amount of shots (26 shots/game) and given up the most shots (35.7 shots against/game). It seems right now, we are getting better production in net, and I think I can honestly say is the biggest reason we are where we are. Steve Smith has done a good job shrinking the area in our zone in which our players play within. I think that has potential to lead to a better transition game if the players can learn to take guys off the puck with a better consistency and really utilize their speed better.

Our 1st line has 5 of our goals(Eichel 3, Sheary 2), Scandella has 1 goal, and Pominville who plays the 4th line has the other. We need to see some better offense from our 2nd and 3rd line. Between the 6 guys for the these 3 games they have 15 shots between them all:

Skinner - 6
Berglund - 1
Okposo - 4
Sobtoka - 1
Mittelstadt - 2
Thompson - 1

If we're planning to be more competitive we need our middle 6 forwards to be a lot better at producing offense especially at even strength, not just rely on our goaltending and PP to save our butts. Once teams start making a better effort of matching their best shutdown line against Eichel, whether they do changing on the fly or they have last change because we're on the road, it's going to be very important for our other guys to step up. It's great seeing they are becoming a little more effective limiting high quality chances against, and that Hutton is making saves he needs to, but they need to produce offensively.

 

[Moskau]

You want Scandella off the Sabres?!

Yes. I like Scandella more than I like most of our defense but I don't have the love affair with him that most seem to (likely because of how bad the rest of our defense was). He's not nearly good enough at the way he plays for the way he plays, if that makes any sense. He's not good enough defensively to be in the shutdown role, he doesn't win enough physical battles to fill that role. He's not someone you can just throw on the 3rd pairing as his supporting cast gets better because he's going to cost too much. And I think he's in the category of players who play is going to fall off a cliff in the tail end of their careers. For the amount of money he will likely get on his next contract he's someone it's better to move on from. I don't think all 6 of your defensemen can be the exact same player but Scandella plays opposite of how the league is heading, on an upcoming contract that might be close to $5 Million per, soon to be on the wrong side of 30.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Yes. I like Scandella more than I like most of our defense but I don't have the love affair with him that most seem to (likely because of how bad the rest of our defense was). He's not nearly good enough at the way he plays for the way he plays, if that makes any sense. He's not good enough defensively to be in the shutdown role, he doesn't win enough physical battles to fill that role. He's not someone you can just throw on the 3rd pairing as his supporting cast gets better because he's going to cost too much. And I think he's in the category of players who play is going to fall off a cliff in the tail end of their careers. For the amount of money he will likely get on his next contract he's someone it's better to move on from.

He's signed for this season and the next at $4M. I guess sometimes it's better to remove all doubt...

 

[Paxon]

take my take with a grain of salt apparently, but I thought Buffalo was outplayed vs Boston, outplayed NYR, but not by much, and made their chances count vs Vegas while limiting the level of difficulty of the shots we gave up, but felt Vegas controlled the puck more often.

To give you an idea, based on the statistics so far, we're on a pace where we would score the 3rd least amount of goals(191 goals) since the lockout years, given up the least amount of goals (191 goals), produced the 2nd least amount of shots (26 shots/game) and given up the most shots (35.7 shots against/game). It seems right now, we are getting better production in net, and I think I can honestly say is the biggest reason we are where we are. Steve Smith has done a good job shrinking the area in our zone in which our players play within. I think that has potential to lead to a better transition game if the players can learn to take guys off the puck with a better consistency and really utilize their speed better.

Our 1st line has 5 of our goals(Eichel 3, Sheary 2), Scandella has 1 goal, and Pominville who plays the 4th line has the other. We need to see some better offense from our 2nd and 3rd line. Between the 6 guys for the these 3 games they have 15 shots between them all:

Skinner - 6
Berglund - 1
Okposo - 4
Sobtoka - 1
Mittelstadt - 2
Thompson - 1

If we're planning to be more competitive we need our middle 6 forwards to be a lot better at producing offense especially at even strength, not just rely on our goaltending and PP to save our butts. Once teams start making a better effort of matching their best shutdown line against Eichel, whether they do changing on the fly or they have last change because we're on the road, it's going to be very important for our other guys to step up. It's great seeing they are becoming a little more effective limiting high quality chances against, and that Hutton is making saves he needs to, but they need to produce offensively.

This kind of analysis just doesn't work after three games. One was a shut out for cripe's sake. With such a small sample all you can do is look at the micro level (each game). Buffalo was doing better against Vegas before the 3rd, in large part due to how their huge lead affected the game. In game one the three best offensive forwards were on one line getting smothered by the best two-way line in hockey.

Yeah, if they don't get more possession they'll lose a lot of games, but at the same time we expect them to lose a lot of games. They just aren't that good. The second line has Berglund and Okposo. Mitts and Thompson are as yet invisible. We will see how much of the shot differential is down to the specifics of these three games. Not only that, but if Mitts and Thompson or someone else step it up, we will have play-driving and scoring from an additional line. Not to mention Dahlin has barely started simmering yet.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

take my take with a grain of salt apparently, but I thought Buffalo was outplayed vs Boston, outplayed NYR, but not by much, and made their chances count vs Vegas while limiting the level of difficulty of the shots we gave up, but felt Vegas controlled the puck more often.

To give you an idea, based on the statistics so far, we're on a pace where we would score the 3rd least amount of goals(191 goals) since the lockout years, given up the least amount of goals (191 goals), produced the 2nd least amount of shots (26 shots/game) and given up the most shots (35.7 shots against/game). It seems right now, we are getting better production in net, and I think I can honestly say is the biggest reason we are where we are. Steve Smith has done a good job shrinking the area in our zone in which our players play within. I think that has potential to lead to a better transition game if the players can learn to take guys off the puck with a better consistency and really utilize their speed better.

The counter to that argument, which is reasonable, is their CF% and HDCF% are both good. They're outpacing the opposition, but you're right the middle of the lineup is basically treading water.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

This kind of analysis just doesn't work after three games. One was a shut out for cripe's sake. With such a small sample all you can do is look at the micro level (each game). Buffalo was doing better against Vegas before the 3rd, in large part due to how their huge lead affected the game. In game one the three best offensive forwards were on one line getting smothered by the best two-way line in hockey.

Yeah, if they don't get more possession they'll lose a lot of games, but at the same time we expect them to lose a lot of games. They just aren't that good. The second line has Berglund and Okposo. Mitts and Thompson are as yet invisible. We will see how much of the shot differential is down to the specifics of these three games. Not only that, but if Mitts and Thompson or someone else step it up, we will have play-driving and scoring from an additional line. Not to mention Dahlin has barely started simmering yet.

I think you're basically right, except worse than being invisible Mitt's line is currently getting their teeth kicked in. If there's coaching adjustments to be made it's there. After the Boston matchup they changed their zone entry support, and it made a huge difference.

 

[Moskau]

He's signed for this season and the next at $4M. I guess sometimes it's better to remove all doubt...

I don't want him off the team next week. I just have no interest in extending him past his contract. If he was Vlasic caliber then sign me up. 30 year old average defensemen that will likely get $5 Million a season? No thanks. That's basically the entire recipe for bad NHL contracts over the last 20 years.

 

[HaNotsri]

You want Scandella off the Sabres?!

If we’re out of the playoffs by the deadline and can get something valuable for him I wouldn’t be against it.

Dahlin, Pilut, Guhle, McCabe, Ristolainen is agood foundation for 19/20. Add a RHD and we’re set.

 

[Sabre the Win]

If we’re out of the playoffs by the deadline and can get something valuable for him I wouldn’t be against it.

Dahlin, Pilut, Guhle, McCabe, Ristolainen is agood foundation for 19/20. Add a RHD and we’re set.

What about Samuelsson? or does he shoot left?

 

[HaNotsri]

What about Samuelsson? or does he shoot left?

Lefty and isn’t he a couple of years away? Anyway, I think we should make room for our prospects and I don’t want to extend Scandella.

 

[Snippit]

Guhle still has a long way to go. Let's not pencil him in for anything.

 

[joshjull]

Which one of you is this?

 

[Gras]

RJs wrong supposed to be 77 and raining on Saturday.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

I know it is extremely early in the season but I do believe this is a game that could put us in the right direction and if there is a game out there to win its this one putting us 3-1

 

[Sabre the Win]

Money Puck has us favored to win at 51.0%, Avalanche sitting at 49.0%

 

[Goathead]

No Doug? Were screwed

 

[Member 308457]

All the mediocre anthem singers flock to Buffalo for some reason.

 

[Buffaloed]

Is that singer from Pegula's stable?