Post-Game Talk (GBU): So much compete

[Chainshot]

I don't think I noticed Leino again after that. He's such a nonentity.

Nice zone entry and netfront presence on the Ott goal -- he's screening on the Myers shot. *shrug* He also had a wrap-around that dribbled off his stick earlier in the first.

Just got to the Sabres first goal. Interesting to see Ott talking to the whole bench on his high-five skate-by.

And so far, yeah, Ehrhoff has had a few errors. I still think the early workload was fatiguing.

 

[Paxon]

Knowing the team is still going to be bad for at least another year or two, tonight I feel more like Andy getting to escape for a few minutes by locking himself in the warden's office and listening to opera music.

I just hope Darcy doesn't hang himself when confronted with the external hockey world. He may have acquired institutional syndrome from his long stretch Buffalo.

 

[Chainshot]

Stafford... who is this guy? Seeing Hodgson finish a check and then Myers going to the net without the puck on the same shift... all sorts of good stuff to build on tonight and I'm only half-way through watching this one.

 

[Jame]

Stafford... who is this guy? Seeing Hodgson finish a check and then Myers going to the net without the puck on the same shift... all sorts of good stuff to build on tonight and I'm only half-way through watching this one.

stafford is the type of player who could have a rebirth under nolan
there;s some Grosek there for Nolan to work with... lol

 

[enthusiast]

Toronto's possession looked dreadful in person

additionally bernier never looked comfortable, it was weird watching him when the play was away from him

 

[Chainshot]

Hmmm.... pesky captain scores a goal, sets up another and the goaltender stops just about everything. Seems like a Nolan recipe we've tasted before....

 

[Paxon]

As to the game, I doubt anyone's really thinking there's a turnaround in store because, well, there isn't. This is still one of the worst teams in the NHL talent-wise. It was also one of the worst-deployed teams imo and while some of that may change, one would think the system can only change so much mid-season, especially with the assistant coaches staying on.

I do think Nolan will have a better relationship with most of the players and that will lead to a more harmonious feeling in the locker room and a more coherent effort on the ice. Yeah, we still got whomped Corsi-wise by a team that is bad Corsi-wise and was missing its centermen. Don't go expecting that to change, because the Sabres suck. That doesn't mean we can't see some of what we were expecting: a young, bad team that loses but puts up a good fight. The season's only a quarter over so I think we were more or less destined to see a bit of improvement over the course of the year with such a young team, and the coaching change should only increase the chances of that happening.

Next game will be interesting, especially with it being a rematch.

 

[couture23]

G: Nolan's boys
B: all the leafs fans
U: THE DRIVE BACK ACROSS THE PEACE BRIDGE

NA NA NAAA NA... NA NA NAAA NA... HEY HEY HEY... GOOD BYE!!!!

Hahaha should have taken the Niagara Falls border crossing. I was like the 5th car there, it was freaking awesome.

What a game. Those drunk Leaf fans are the worst though..

 

[Chainshot]

As to the game, I doubt anyone's really thinking there's a turnaround in store because, well, there isn't. This is still one of the worst teams in the NHL talent-wise. It was also one of the worst-deployed teams imo and while some of that may change, one would think the system can only change so much mid-season, especially with the assistant coaches staying on.

I do think Nolan will have a better relationship with most of the players and that will lead to a more harmonious feeling in the locker room and a more coherent effort on the ice. Yeah, we still got whomped Corsi-wise by a team that is bad Corsi-wise and was missing its centermen. Don't go expecting that to change, because the Sabres suck. That doesn't mean we can't see some of what we were expecting: a young, bad team that loses but puts up a good fight. The season's only a quarter over so I think we were more or less destined to see a bit of improvement over the course of the year with such a young team, and the coaching change should only increase the chances of that happening.

Next game will be interesting, especially with it being a rematch.

Agreed all the way around -- cohesive effort is there, but this is still not a talented enough team most nights to win games. The caught a Leaf team undermotivated and clearly lacking down the middle... and a solid dollop of Punch's ghost tonight in their favor.

Given how some of these guys skated their tails off tonight -- watching this and seeing Tallinder's legs pumping like I haven't seen in years -- and Nolan's lack of satisfaction with their condition may point to a let down tomorrow night in Toronto simply from them being tired. The Leafs should be embarrassed and motivated, it's also home, HNiC, and an opportunity to get all eye-for-an-eye over the preseason Husqvarna incident with Scott. No fireworks tonight, but I'd expect tomorrow to be a much surlier affair.

 

[MagnumForce2]

There are 4 players that I am interested in seeing how Nolan impacts them....Ennis, Stafford, Myers and Grigorenko.

 

[DJN21]

Im more interested in the rematch just because the refs in a lot of ways controlled the momentum both in terms of questionable calls as well as not allowing anything physical to transpire...things like that can be game changing.

Lets not forget the only goal they got we kicked in...

 

[MagnumForce2]

stafford is the type of player who could have a rebirth under nolan
there;s some Grosek there for Nolan to work with... lol

Sort of ironic that the 1st round pick the Sabres traded for Michael Grosek was used by the Winnipeg Jets to take Danny Briere.

 

[couture23]

Ex-Leaf Shane Corson sat like 4 people beside me, taking pictures all night with Leaf fans too.

 

[Chainshot]

Some amended GBU having watched the game:

Good -

- Stafford. That was some serious work from Staff tonight -- using his body, churning feet, looking to get to the net and finish checks. Let's see how long it lasts, but he's set the bar for how he could play shift-to-shift.
- Leino. Heaven help me I want to hate on him. But I actually liked his game tonight. I really do want him gone... but if this is him with a fresh start, much like Stafford, let's see if he can keep it up.
- The D given the green light to go. Myers and Tallinder took turns pressing deep into the offensive zone. Ehrhoff got into it too. If that's what it takes to maintain some forechecking, it will lead to odd-man rushes against... but Miller has seen that before under Ruff where he was Goalie Island many nights.
- Myers going full Condor tonight.
- Hodgson getting the faceoff chores. Yes, he did well eating up a bunch of wingers but it was an interesting move. I'm curious if Nolan keeps it up.

Bad -

- Taking so much of the physical confrontation out of the game with the officiating jumping in at every turn. Let 'em play and let 'em go. People paid to see it, let the spectacle happen.
- Jake Gardiner used to eat this slow-assed team up. He's not where he was a few years ago, clearly.

Ugly -

- Yes, the possession numbers blow, even against a shorthanded team that was bad at possession even when healthy.
- Feeling dirty liking the two whipping boys' games tonight.

 

[Fly Boy]

Can we start calling Myers "The Condor" now?

 

[Chainshot]

Can we start calling Myers "The Condor" now?

Better than ****ing "My-sie".

 

[Chainshot]

Another Ugly...

- Tallinder's late penalty. That's such a ticky-tacky call. He cleaned out the front of the net and took his man out of the play. Isn't that just basic hockey?

The Best?

- Thanks for coming down Leaf fans. Thanks for spending your money and making the trip. Feel free to stop up on Chippewa to have a few more pops before heading home. Disappointed. Again.

 

[minuteater]

...Was this the first home game against the Leafs that you've ever experienced?

It was for me. Pretty intense, lol.

Ugly -

- I got nothing. Queuing up the game right now and wondering where all the beer went from the fridge. Oh, yeah, THAT guy drank it the other night while watching Rolston's **** show.

Nice that Ted might save you some money and a bit of your liver too

What a game. Those drunk Leaf fans are the worst though..

Had a group of pretty drunk ones behind my wife and I. Just ignored them but continued on with my usual critiquing of both teams and cheering for ours. They got pretty lewd, were calling out Miller over and over partially to chant and also to ridicule me for wearing the jersey. A lot of them hoping that Scott would be on with McLaren for a brawl. It pretty much sounded like Slap Shot behind us. They were going crazy when Right Back Where We Started From started playing. I brought my camera to take pics during warmups and that was their ticket to make fun of me for my self-proclaimed "purse".

And after all of this, they hightailed it out of the arena early. Some Leaf fans next to them commended us for putting up with them and we chatted about our horrible season and I wished them some luck on winning a playoff series in the future

 

[TheMistyStranger]

stafford is the type of player who could have a rebirth under nolan
there;s some Grosek there for Nolan to work with... lol

Now if only Stafford could get moved for the modern equivalent....

 

[couture23]

Had a group of pretty drunk ones behind my wife and I. Just ignored them but continued on with my usual critiquing of both teams and cheering for ours. They got pretty lewd, were calling out Miller over and over partially to chant and also to ridicule me for wearing the jersey. A lot of them hoping that Scott would be on with McLaren for a brawl. It pretty much sounded like Slap Shot behind us. They were going crazy when Right Back Where We Started From started playing. I brought my camera to take pics during warmups and that was their ticket to make fun of me for my self-proclaimed "purse".

And after all of this, they hightailed it out of the arena early. Some Leaf fans next to them commended us for putting up with them and we chatted about our horrible season and I wished them some luck on winning a playoff series in the future

I feel like I was near you...303-305 section or no?

 

[Chainshot]

Sounds like just about every group of surly, young Leaf fans I've ever sat near. Granted, I usually dish back, with the help of the final score.

BPD could make a mint by issuing open bottle citations by standing on Exchange and ticketing ever single dumbass stumbling off their tour busses with their Blue in hand.

 

[Timbo Slice]

Great game. Wow. It's fun to beat Toronto, especially at home, sending all those annoying obnoxious POS Leafs fans home sad and poor.

The Laff's board is delicious right now

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Chain I love it. I remember us discussing that (where they leave with rustled jimmies) at the prospects scrimmage. My friends sent me some pictures of really broken loafs fans.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I enjoy the posters who want to reluctantly trade Franson for a top center. "Well I guess we can trade Mike Weber for a 30 goal scoring winger... if it has to be done."

Franson maybe a perfect pass on Ott's goal, leave him alone.

 

[Kyndig]

- Hodgson getting the faceoff chores. Yes, he did well eating up a bunch of wingers but it was an interesting move. I'm curious if Nolan keeps it up.

I might have to rewatch the game. It seemed like to me Hodgson was losing nearly every draw. In the first alone I swear I saw him lose like 6 in a row. Me thinks they got the stats backwards on him when they said he was 16 of 23

Ehrhoff had some bad turnovers but completely redeemed himself in that last minute and then some.