GDT: Sabres @ Vancouver 10PM EST TV:MSG Radio:WGR550 - The Beast is Back

[Old Navy Goat]

how was Levi?

He played well, got lucky a few times with posts and near misses. Wasn't much to fault him for in the game

 

[Jim Bob]

How much of that is a lack of confidence in Comrie, so they play more conservatively, except they suck at defense so they still give up good chances?

If that is how they are thinking, then they need to think less.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

They did not look prepared. Only saw highlights, but it looked like they left Levi out to dry.

Same. Though it seems like they were short handed a lot

 

[Beerz]

Same. Though it seems like they were short handed a lot

And had the man advantage a lot

 

[TheMistyStranger]

And had the man advantage a lot

Ah ok. That didn't come across in the highlights

 

[SharkInABoloTie]

Tage was f***ing garbage tonight.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Tage was f***ing garbage tonight.

A recurring theme most nights.......

I'm with Tuch.

Youngest team in the league. They'll get better.

My concern is will the coaching, management, and ownership take them to where they need to be?

The answer to your last question is ....... NO. Not this coaching, management and ownership.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

If this team finally makes the playoffs, and this is their excuse?

Edit: not this season, obviously.

Not making excuses. Just sharing an observation. There's a small degree of fumbling and negative performance in Dahlin's game that might be ascribed to unhealed minor injuries. His puck handling is not as sure and reliable as it always has been.

I don't think it's skill regression.

I have little use for Thompson's style of play (and situational awareness) but I think he has some not fully healed injuries as well. He got wiped out in last nights game at the Vancouver blue line, fell clumsily to the ice and took a while to get up. There's an unhealed UBI there somewhere.

 

[Beerz]

Dahlin has made some brain dead decisions this year.. but honestly he has been a beast overall.

If we had a good PP we would probably be talking about him for Norris.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Didn't get to watch any of it, but shots being 34-17 tells me just about the entire story. Hopefully Levi played well. Sounds like he did.

Levi was phenomenal

 

[Sabre the Win]

You just know they will roll with Granato next season and fire him mid season when we are in the same place and its too late to do anything, it will be 15 years missed then? The new coach will have us inspired going into 2026 and we make the playoffs.

I just don't think you are doing it with Donny but the organisation will give him a little leash for the next season. It wont last long because Adams doesn't want to lose his job and will do the axing to save himself.

Its already written.

 

[Chainshot]

Even a mildly functional PP changes the course of a game they were pummeled at 5-on-5.

 

[sabremike]

You just know they will roll with Granato next season and fire him mid season when we are in the same place and its too late to do anything, it will be 15 years missed then? The new coach will have us inspired going into 2026 and we make the playoffs.

I just don't think you are doing it with Donny but the organisation will give him a little leash for the next season. It wont last long because Adams doesn't want to lose his job and will do the axing to save himself.

Its already written.

Don't kid yourself: Adams has the same job security Garth Snow had under Charles Wang.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Tage was f***ing garbage tonight.

I'm pretty concerned about him going forward. The mental side of the game really isn't coming along as fast as I hoped, and teams have figured out how to shut him down on the PP. Very frustrating to watch.

 

[Mattilaus]

I'm pretty concerned about him going forward. The mental side of the game really isn't coming along as fast as I hoped, and teams have figured out how to shut him down on the PP. Very frustrating to watch.

Would probably help if the coaching staff made adjustments instead of just telling him to do the same thing over and over. Can't be a great confidence boost to go out there knowing you aren't likely to score if you stick to the game plan.

 

[Gras]

The problem is the 29 games they have scored 0, 1 or 2 goals.

*30

 

[brian_griffin]

Watched the game. Can't fault Levi, he was fine. Other goalies (or a ref on the near side of the goal) may have gotten GA#1 whistled dead before it went in (not that a reply of a denied goal may not have been overturned, but my initial point stands - rookie goalie and ref on the far side of the post isn't going to blow it dead.

I've seen Vancouver play maybe three times total in past 3 years, so don't really know if this assessment is fair, but:
1. They are physical. Finishing checks all night with authority. They'd thump BUF in a 7-game series.
2. They are cohesive, play as a unit. Of course by comparison, the Sabres could make a room full of stray cats appear as a coordinated NASCAR pit crew.
3. They are fast (enough).
4. Their motion on the PP, both by their skaters and with the puck, make me jealous. Their passing especially. A lot of their high-low passes kept the Sabres killers continually turning their heads nearly 180 degrees, effectively removing them from the kill.
5. How the hell does Casey DeSmith look like a world killer every time he faces BUF? Same thing when he was with PIT.
6. I can see why they'll win >50 games this season.

Sabres too often entered the zone without enough support, pull up at the half wall waiting for a teammate attacker, and if/when that teammate arrives he is never driving the lane.
Sabres threw away the puck too readily with dump-ins.
Although I take no issue with the 2 goals they allowed while Levi was in net, the Sabres push-back just wasn't there for too much of the night.
Whomever called for the challenge on GA#1 (Granato or Willford?) should be flogged. I felt the downside risk (>50% probability to lose challenge, ~20% or whatever of a PP GA to go down 2, against a top-10 NHL team) wasn't worth it.

The proverbial "it's not over" fat lady took a nap through the Seattle game, but she's waking up now...

 

[Ace]

 

[BB79]

It's over. I've resigned myself to routing for MIN or STL bumping Vegas out of the playoffs. I'd prefer the Wild. Hopefully they win tonight

 

[BB79]

It's over. I've resigned myself to routing for MIN or STL bumping Vegas out of the playoffs. I'd prefer the Wild. Hopefully they win tonight

The Wild have let up 4 goals on 13 shots, down 4-0 early in the 2nd. This routing for Minnesota thing is a piece of cake. Very much like routing for the Sabres