Post-Game Talk: Sabres def. Canucks - 5-2 (Horvat, Dowling)

[Snatcher Demko]

Yeah, it's strange. People are acting like we're off to a good start when we haven't won a game outright yet despite not facing a quality team.

Did you see this team last year? The bar is low.

Plus they've averaged 40 shots the last two games and could have won all 3. Lots of dangerous chances. Most games like the one vs. Detroit they'd win.

Given all the negativity around the defense, and that they've looked halfway decent - I'd say its been a good start.

And yes, they need to get better against the better teams. The trajectory needs to keep rising, but no guarantee it will.

 

[Melvin]

Did you see this team last year? The bar is low.

Plus they've averaged 40 shots the last two games and could have won all 3. Lots of dangerous chances. Most games like the one vs. Detroit they'd win.

Given all the negativity around the defense, and that they've looked halfway decent - I'd say its been a good start.

And yes, they need to get better against the better teams. The trajectory needs to keep rising, but no guarantee it will.

I agree there have been some positives, but like MS when I saw the schedule before the season started I expected a hot start. If they lose this game and we're looking at 0 regulation wins through 4, that would actually be quite poor IMO. We should absolutely win this one, of course.

I have a high bar because they've tossed away 2 first round picks and I expect them to win the division this year to justify it.

EDIT: I should add, it's nothing to worry about yet, of course. I am just surprised a bit by the reaction to what has been in my view 3 quite poor games against bad teams.

 

[Ginger Papa]

my favorite thing about this is Demko getting the puck and playing it up to Myers for a goal within 9 seconds. Now that I want to see

I found one for you buddy:

 

[Godkolzin]

The million dollar question is will Green trust the practice lines for an entire game? Or will he bail out after 5 minutes

Bonus question, will we get through the game without a too many men penalty?

Better yet, if anyone on the bottom 6 scores, will he bench them like he did the savior?

 

[Tatehamma]

Anyone know what's going on with Huggy Bear?

 

[MS]

Yeah. Out of every 10 game stretch this is the 2nd fewest in amount of playoff teams last year with 3. There is one in December with 2. The most difficult one is in January with 9.

Overall with have a much easier first half schedule than 2nd half. 17 games vs a playoff team last year vs 25 in the last half. We most likely will have to be well within a playoff spot halfway through the season if we want to make the playoffs.

Absolutely.

The first 13 games are about as easy as it gets, and going 9-4 or something like that should be totally realistic. And you need to, because going 6-10 in the 16 games after that (12 playoff teams plus the non-playoff teams like LA/Ottawa look vastly improved) is also totally realistic.

If we stumble through this easy first 13 games and then get hammered in that tough segment, the season could be virtually over by mid-December.

I agree there have been some positives, but like MS when I saw the schedule before the season started I expected a hot start. If they lose this game and we're looking at 0 regulation wins through 4, that would actually be quite poor IMO. We should absolutely win this one, of course.

I have a high bar because they've tossed away 2 first round picks and I expect them to win the division this year to justify it.

EDIT: I should add, it's nothing to worry about yet, of course. I am just surprised a bit by the reaction to what has been in my view 3 quite poor games against bad teams.

Yeah, I've been a bit perplexed by the reactions to the games as well. There have been some positives but it hasn't been very good.

You'd think we destroyed Detroit by the comments here but we were very poor against a very bad team for the first 40 minutes and then had a big score-effects charge chasing the tying goal in the 3rd as they sat on the lead.

And no, nothing really to worry about yet. But you really have to be Buffalo tonight.

 

[RussianRacket]

it hasn't been very good.

?????/

 

[Snatcher Demko]

I agree there have been some positives, but like MS when I saw the schedule before the season started I expected a hot start. If they lose this game and we're looking at 0 regulation wins through 4, that would actually be quite poor IMO. We should absolutely win this one, of course.

I have a high bar because they've tossed away 2 first round picks and I expect them to win the division this year to justify it.

EDIT: I should add, it's nothing to worry about yet, of course. I am just surprised a bit by the reaction to what has been in my view 3 quite poor games against bad teams.

Oh sure, we should be contending by now (don't get me started) but then I'd work myself up into another JB/FA induced proper rage and wouldn't enjoy any of the games.

 

[Melvin]

Absolutely.

The first 13 games are about as easy as it gets, and going 9-4 or something like that should be totally realistic. And you need to, because going 6-10 in the 16 games after that (12 playoff teams plus the non-playoff teams like LA/Ottawa look vastly improved) is also totally realistic.

If we stumble through this easy first 13 games and then get hammered in that tough segment, the season could be virtually over by mid-December.



Yeah, I've been a bit perplexed by the reactions to the games as well. There have been some positives but it hasn't been very good.

You'd think we destroyed Detroit by the comments here but we were very poor against a very bad team for the first 40 minutes and then had a big score-effects charge chasing the tying goal in the 3rd as they sat on the lead.

And no, nothing really to worry about yet. But you really have to be Buffalo tonight.

Exactly. I've seen a team that mostly struggled to score against two very bad defenses in Edmonton and Detroit, and was given a gift against Philly that they couldn't hold onto. We've had much better starts actually throughout several of the last 7 years. This game against Buffalo is hardly "must-win" but you'd like to see them pound them into the ground and if it's another OT/SO game .... yeesh.

 

[MS]

?????/

We're 0-1-2 in regulation.

We were mostly outplayed by Edmonton through 40 minutes and then had a score-effects lead chase.
We were basically even with a terrible Detroit team through 40 minutes and then had a score-effects lead chase.
We were destroyed in the first period by a bad Philly team, had their goalie gift us a lead, and then managed to blow that lead late.

Special teams have been very, very bad.

There have been some individual positives (OEL in particular, Garland was very good in the last game) but the team has not played terribly well through 3 games, 2 of them against poor opposition.

 

[Vector]

Boeser in the warmup. No Hughes or Burroughs.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Should be an easy win

 

[Melvin]

Boeser in the warmup. No Hughes or Burroughs.

At this point can literally anything the Canucks say be taken seriously? Maintenance Day, they just lie right to our faces.

 

[canuckking1]

Looks like playing Hughes an average of 28 minutes a night where you play 3 games in 4 days backfired

 

[DFAC]

Should be an easy win

Hasn't Buffalo been playing pretty well lately?

 

[Vector]

At this point can literally anything the Canucks say be taken seriously? Maintenance Day, they just lie right to our faces.

Pettersson has just a minor wrist injury. Nothing to be concerned with. Hamonic will be at training camp soon. Sutter is tired.

I have no idea what the team/coach thinks they are accomplishing by withholding injury info.

 

[Vector]

 

[MS]

At this point can literally anything the Canucks say be taken seriously? Maintenance Day, they just lie right to our faces.

Fans in 1950 had better information about injury situations with players than fans do in 2021. It's just a total joke league-wide, but we're one of the worst offenders.

 

[Melvin]

Pettersson has just a minor wrist injury. Nothing to be concerned with. Hamonic will be at training camp soon. Sutter is tired.

I have no idea what the team/coach thinks they are accomplishing by withholding injury info.

Boeser was removed for just precautionary reasons, not injured.

 

[RussianRacket]

Under no circumstance is starting the season on a long road trip that spans the continent an easy schedule. Don't be dishonest about it. Team is overcoming a lot early on.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Hasn't Buffalo been playing pretty well lately?

Hasn't Buffalo been a perennial bottom feeder missing both top centers and a 40 yr old goalie ?

 

[Pip]

This game is on the road so would be a miracle if they overcome the adversity and pull out a win

 

[settinguptheplay]

Every year it seems a bottom feeder or 2 start off hot only to cool off by game 20 and fall back in line. Buffalo is 2 and 0 so far this season. Philadelphia is 1-0-1, Edmonton is 2 and 0 and finally Detroit who is 1-0-1. Not a single regulation loss out of the group. Adding to the noted fact that we have a 6 game roadie to start the year that spans the continent. Not saying the results are great. I think they are poor in fact. But it is not because the team has been getting run out of the building. Good effort, poor result. Does not make them a bad team.

This attempt to continue to draw only negatives from every situation is becoming cult like. Just like the page 1 conversation about Petan. Why would a team play him 20 minutes a night in preseason only to cut him. Can you really not figure that one out? Is it really a big mystery? Or has your pessimism completely clouded your ability to be rational. How about this. The team wanted to see what they had in Petan. They gave him every possible opportunity to display his goods. He came up short so they cut him. Shocker! But nooo... No reasonable explanation! You guys are trying way too hard. There will be plenty of legitimate reasons for criticism. Stop making sheet up to support your obvious agendas.

 

[RussianRacket]

This attempt to continue to draw only negatives from every situation is becoming cult like. Just like the page 1 conversation about Petan. Why would a team play him 20 minutes a night in preseason only to cut him. Can you really not figure that one out? Is it really a big mystery? Or has your pessimism completely clouded your ability to be rational. How about this. The team wanted to see what they had in Petan. They gave him every possible opportunity to display his goods. He came up short so they cut him. Shocker! But nooo... No reasonable explanation! You guys are trying way too hard. There will be plenty of legitimate reasons for criticism. Stop making sheet up to support your obvious agendas.

Excellent post. Thank you!

 

[Canucks LB]

Should be an easy win

No such thing