Post-Game Talk (GBU): "Got a little fight in ya...I like that"

[Gabrielor]

G:
Girgensons-Larsson-Berglund
A lot of the guys you'd expect were > 50% Corsi.
Outshot our opponent again (Barely, I know)
Showed some great fight in the 2 goal comeback
Mittelstadt gets a goal
Skinner keeps his streak alive

B:
Eichel passing up some decent shot attempts
Nearly every player's second period
Thompson, aside from 1 nice dish on the break, had a bad game
Ristolainen and McCabe at 5v5 tonight; Ristolainen most games at 5v5

U:
The 2nd period was very bad

Overall, quite happy with the comeback, and the fact that we got a point.
We'll eventually be a dangerous 3v3 team, but probably not in the short term.

Click to read more...

 

[hizzoner]

Thanks for doing this. The highlight for me was that the team did not give up. They pressed and came back from down 2. That is so different from the last few seasons.

 

[jBuds]

Thanks for doing this. The highlight for me was that the team did not give up. They pressed and came back from down 2. That is so different from the last few seasons.

The difference is palpable. Even thru a poorer performance, I never got the feeling that we were insurmountably out of it. Wildly different than the last few years.

 

[Royal Thunder]

It's just nice watching a team that doesn't have to fight tooth and nail to score a goal. That's 4+ in 4 straight. Fun start to the season.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

All of the above:
Ray’s glory hole comment

 

[Goathead]

I was very negative on this team going into this year and through the first couple games. The last 4 games have given me hope though and I’m nervously giddish. I missed this game because of of wedding, was updating the scores as I could. As soon as I saw it was 4-2 after the second I gave up. My dad showed me the score at the end of the 3rd and I actually called him out for lying. The fact we are coming off 3 wins and battled back to get a point has me so excited. I’m praying we keep this good play up.

 

[Dingo44]

Winning the faceoff during 3-on-3 is pretty critical. The Sabres came SO close to getting that puck back in their own end right before the Breadman scored. If the Sabres win the faceoff, then maybe it's the BJ's who are upset about giving up a two goal lead and losing in OT.

Great comeback. I have to stop turning off the TV after we go down two goals like I did last season (thought this year I turn it back on five minutes later).

 

[sabrebuild]

Great to have fun. Very refreshing to have a rolling group of forwards.

 

[Ralonzo]

McCabe is looking like this team's Grant Ledyard. Overall pretty solid defensively and offensively but when he makes a mistake it's not a small one and finds the back of the Sabres net an inordinate percentage of the time.

 

[ValJames]

G:
I was amazed tuning in at the difference in pace of play compared to last season. What a breath of fresh air!
Skinner is top class. If Batts screws the pooch and does not get him signed it will be a real shame

B:
Even if that above pace at times was sloppy sometimes and needs work
I do not think Ullmark was seeing the puck very well last night
I think we will see Thompson go down soon to get more PT, some confidence, and find his game

 

[ozpensfan]

Dear Jack - please shoot more. Be a little selfish

 

[Goathead]

Dear Jack - please shoot more. Be a little selfish

I agree that jack needs to shoot more. But sticking to the game plan has worked for them lately. As long as the team wins I’m happy. If jack buying in means everyone buys in I’ll take it his points will come.

 

[Beerz]

I hope this is the beginning of Jack transitioning his game.... I've liked what I've seen with his physicality and board work. I'd like to see him continue that and get away from the dangles because I dont think hes a very good puck handler ..I mean when he does it successfully its unreal but it's usually only successful 2 out of 10 times. Hed cut down on his turnovers dramatically.

And yes he needs to shoot more and start putting the puck in the net because although it's working now he has to score goals in order for us to be successful

 

[Aladyyn]

Jack is still averaging 4 shots per game...

 

[sabres4ever]

I hope this is the beginning of Jack transitioning his game.... I've liked what I've seen with his physicality and board work. I'd like to see him continue that and get away from the dangles because I dont think hes a very good puck handler ..I mean when he does it successfully its unreal but it's usually only successful 2 out of 10 times. Hed cut down on his turnovers dramatically.

And yes he needs to shoot more and start putting the puck in the net because although it's working now he has to score goals in order for us to be successful

It seems to me, when he does try to dangle, you don't often see any of his wingers in scoring positions, for him to pass off to. Recently, when he passes instead of shooting (trying to not be selfish?) there's almost zero chance they convert when close to the goal.

 

[Rastin]

I hope this is the beginning of Jack transitioning his game.... I've liked what I've seen with his physicality and board work. I'd like to see him continue that and get away from the dangles because I dont think hes a very good puck handler ..I mean when he does it successfully its unreal but it's usually only successful 2 out of 10 times. Hed cut down on his turnovers dramatically.

And yes he needs to shoot more and start putting the puck in the net because although it's working now he has to score goals in order for us to be successful

Jacks stickhandling and skating is what makes him the player he is. He consistently makes time and space for himself in small areas with his hands. His wingers need to be open more and he needs to be a bit more decisive with what to do with the space he creates. I think that'll come naturally as the players get used to each other to know where to be/where others are going to go. To say he's not a good stickhandler is just crazy. Stickhandling through NHL defenders is just not really an option. Yeah sure, it happens but a 20% success rate is unheard of.

On your other points, I agree. His overall game is coming along nicely. I've really liked the "battle" from him I've seen so far this season. BUT I do find myself shaking my head 2-3 times a game thinking he needed to shoot / attack on a given play.

 

[sabrebuild]

Jack is still averaging 4 shots per game...

It should be 6.

He gets into shooting position so often, if he shot a couple more times over a predictable toe drag, defenses would have to respect the shot more.

I have been pretty happy with his game the last couple weeks, but if he could add two full speed drive the net rushes like he did last game and pull the trigger a couple more times a game over the low percentage sauce pass in traffic, he would be so unpredictable with such a wide range of options.

 

[darcyRegier]

Jack in the 3rd period last night is what I'm talking about when I say he has another couple levels to his game. When he uses his elite skating ability...he's very dangerous. He BLEW by Seth Jones (who was backing way off on the play) in the 3rd period and would have scored if he didn't get slashed by Jones when he cut into the net. That pass to Pominville was ridiculous as well.

He's such an unbelievable talent and will be one of the best forwards in the league when he figures out that he has to go hard every shift. I hope that he finally starts to realize that this season.

 

[Aladyyn]

It should be 6.

He gets into shooting position so often, if he shot a couple more times over a predictable toe drag, defenses would have to respect the shot more.

I have been pretty happy with his game the last couple weeks, but if he could add two full speed drive the net rushes like he did last game and pull the trigger a couple more times a game over the low percentage sauce pass in traffic, he would be so unpredictable with such a wide range of options.

6 shots per game is a completely unrealistic expectation.

 

[DJN21]

6 shots per game is a completely unrealistic expectation.

You mean he can't have 492 shots a year?! Come on party pooper

 

[brian_griffin]

It should be 6.

He gets into shooting position so often, if he shot a couple more times over a predictable toe drag, defenses would have to respect the shot more.

I have been pretty happy with his game the last couple weeks, but if he could add two full speed drive the net rushes like he did last game and pull the trigger a couple more times a game over the low percentage sauce pass in traffic, he would be so unpredictable with such a wide range of options.

6 shots per game is a completely unrealistic expectation.

Both points are valid, IMO. Eichel led the league in 2016 in shots on goal per game (his shortened season). This year, he is again in the top-10. If one examines his peer company on that list, PKane, Laine, Seguin, McKinnon, Marchessault, Tarasenko, Pasternak, etc., they are players of similar ilk in terms of how they drive their teams in the O-zone. But, Jack should be aiming to shoot more, pun intended. Especially as the Sabres overall talent level increases over the coming seasons and they can draw an incremental penalty or two per game from opponent frustration / laziness, I expect Eichel to have a couple more PP opportunities per game, and the PP will continue to flow through him. My view, at least.

 

[Beerz]

Jacks stickhandling and skating is what makes him the player he is. He consistently makes time and space for himself in small areas with his hands. His wingers need to be open more and he needs to be a bit more decisive with what to do with the space he creates. I think that'll come naturally as the players get used to each other to know where to be/where others are going to go. To say he's not a good stickhandler is just crazy. Stickhandling through NHL defenders is just not really an option. Yeah sure, it happens but a 20% success rate is unheard of.

On your other points, I agree. His overall game is coming along nicely. I've really liked the "battle" from him I've seen so far this season. BUT I do find myself shaking my head 2-3 times a game thinking he needed to shoot / attack on a given play.

Fair points

 

[old kummelweck]

All of the above:
Ray’s glory hole comment

Watching the world series instead of doing color, the glory hole comment... is he trying to get shit canned?

 

[Dirty Dog]

6 shots per game is a completely unrealistic expectation.

4 shots a game should be the goal as far as averages go.

But the criticism isn’t based on his average shots per game. It’s his deference to passing when given a prime shooting chance. It’s something I think he should and will improve on.

Shots per game is irrelevant to that.

 

[SabresSharks]

4 shots a game should be the goal as far as averages go.

But the criticism isn’t based on his average shots per game. It’s his deference to passing when given a prime shooting chance. It’s something I think he should and will improve on.

Shots per game is irrelevant to that.

With the shot and release he has, I want Jack shooting every time he's in a decent scoring position. If he mixes it up often enough to keep the goalie guessing, and give Poms or Skinner an easy back-door tap-in, I'm good with that too.