GBU The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Exasperation. Skills Competition Loss 5-4 in Washington

[Sabretooth]

Hello 3am. Why was Quinn not the 1st shooter in the shoot-out?

Mitts is good in shootouts too and has been playing well. Idk why he's not one of the first 2 shooters?

 

[TehDoak]

Whoever coaches the PK should be sacked.

Whoever works with their faceoffs should just resign now. Just go. Don't return.

Take the special teams guy along

I mean….while I do think there needs to be a coaching changes, these are two specific areas having such a young roster is going to cause issues. Need a complete revamp of the bottom 6 forward group. These were both a huge point of concern going into the season with the roster.

 

[brian_griffin]

I am so sick of watching our guys get grabbed or hit late or without the puck and it goes uncalled "because the team is young and they have to earn those calls". Skinner gets mugged once a shift and they rarely call it. I can live with a missed call here or there or even the occasional we messed up here is a freebie but it is out of control

Okposo enters the zone with the puck in the 3rd, is tripped / taken down / loses the puck and no call.

Notes from the phone booth:

RAGE:
- The NHL cemented my resolve to never knowingly give them a single groat, ever.
- How does Skinner get thrown into the Caps goal by Jensen without the puck, dislodging it, and it's not interference. Then have a ref come in and rule faceoff outside the zone. Then not 5 seconds of game time after that non-call there's an interference penalty on Stillman after a disgraceful dive by Aubel-Kube. I was/am incredulous at the double standard.
- The other disgraceful dive by Irwin after taking about 4 swings at Tuch. NHL refs are rubes, I hope they all sign roof contracts with Travelers. They are absolute dupes and suckers, more than just that one variety Kevin Costner mentioned.
- The Capitals are a scummy bunch, a direct reflection of their filthy coach. I wish them nothing but failure and despair. Apparently it's a Caps tradition at the start of every period, just as the opponent lines up for faceoff, for one of their shitty players to have a puckless "faux breakaway" on the opposing goalie complete with lots of fancy fake dekes, a fake shot, and a fake goal celebration. Woo woo. Today it was Ovenchicken and Kokeznozoff that I noticed. I'd like to see those guys try that in 1995 or earlier.
- Caps fans crying for a penalty after Dahlin poke checked some Cap (Sheary or Dowd). Learn the game.
- Wilson of course was a scummy dink all over the place, but the refs watched Nic "No Talent" Dowd take a run from behind at Skinner, elbow him in the back of the head, and all good by the NHL. Big discussion between the benches after the 2nd period following that.

DISAPPOINT:
- Skinner is on my s-list. Takes shortcuts all over the ice. Lack of detail and lolligagging getting back to his zone led to some extended Caps zone possessions and at least a GA. That's aside from killing most possessions with some stupid pass attempt through 3 opponents or shoveling the puck to the goalie with no hope of anything positive, or just toe-picking himself into the ice.
- Power in the defensive zone looked like a 5:4 scale Bryson. Turn the puck back to the wall, get thumped, lose possession. Led to a couple GAs.
- Krebs with like 4 consecutive passes to either nobody or a Cap directly. And then redeems himself setting up Girgs for the goal.
- Jost with one of the worst shifts I've seen late in the first. And then redeems himself finding a puck and picking top corner.
- Whole team far too sloppy and casual at the bluelines. And what the hell is this wham the puck 90-degrees off the wall directly to the opponent?
- Cozens with a bad flyby at the point that led to GA and just wasn't a factor tonight.
- Quinn was more of a mini-zamboni than Sheary.
- Luukkonen was awful. He looked so much worse than his stat line. 2nd goal was I don't even know what. He was terrible at rebound control, terrible at positioning, terrible controlling his movements, terrible in the shootout. Hell, he was terrible staying upright on one dump in. He is clearly not the answer right now. I'd rather see the guy who got lit up for 10 next time, I'm pretty sure.

WELL ALRIGHT:
- Mittelstadt has become plus at puck protection and walking off the wall. Useful player.
- Tage really engaged physically and looked like he wanted the W.
- If the Sabres had Lyubushkin and Stillman eating bottom pair minutes all year like the past 2 games they'd be more firmly a factor in the playoff race.
- One of the mites picked the top corner in the first intermission, probably would have beat Lindgren with it.
- Dahlin didn't retaliate despite Caps finishing constantly waaaaay later than any other star would be made to tolerate without an interference call. Literally motioned to the ref, "are you seeing this" after Wilson ran him a good 2 seconds after moving the puck. Wilson speared him in the leg after that. Why not? Ref's looking right at the whole spectacle and obviously won't call it, and he has the LBI scouting report and no character.
- Girgs and Okposo with extended grinding shifts.

I absolutely hated this game, and hate the NHL for taking such a graceful and ferocious sport and turning it into a complete ****ing farce and making me hate this game that I'd loved all my life heretofore. **** you NHL. **** you and get ****ed. I hope karma lands on Buttman, the rules committee, and the DoPeS like molten plasma and ruins them all.

If only the Sabres (and for that matter, Buffalo journalists) put as much effort and passion into their work as you did in your post. I applaud your commitment.

===========
I stayed out of the GDT once game started.
I liked the 1st period overall. Always great to score on the 1st shot on goal. Bizarre it took either team 5 min to register one.
I missed the 2nd period.
I was frustrated by the 3rd period.
The shootout was an amateur effort by #1, #72, #89.

My favorite moment of the game was late in the first period when Jost scored after Skinner, Thompson, Tuch had been caved in badly in their own zone for a duration only slightly shorter and of equal ineffectiveness than the Galipoli campaign of WWI. I thought Jost's goal, unassisted effort, was a great EFF U to the Caps.

 

[SabresFan26]

Greenway is no bueno. Big slow, and doesn't add any value.

 

[sabresfan129103]

man, I'm still annoyed about last night. Not even because of the refs, but because they allowed themselves to be dominated in the 3rd by a fatigued team. So pathetic. Their season is on the line and that's how you show up in the 3rd? Shameful.

 

[oldgoalie]

Notes from the phone booth:

RAGE:
- The NHL cemented my resolve to never knowingly give them a single groat, ever.
- How does Skinner get thrown into the Caps goal by Jensen without the puck, dislodging it, and it's not interference. Then have a ref come in and rule faceoff outside the zone. Then not 5 seconds of game time after that non-call there's an interference penalty on Stillman after a disgraceful dive by Aubel-Kube. I was/am incredulous at the double standard.
- The other disgraceful dive by Irwin after taking about 4 swings at Tuch. NHL refs are rubes, I hope they all sign roof contracts with Travelers. They are absolute dupes and suckers, more than just that one variety Kevin Costner mentioned.
- The Capitals are a scummy bunch, a direct reflection of their filthy coach. I wish them nothing but failure and despair. Apparently it's a Caps tradition at the start of every period, just as the opponent lines up for faceoff, for one of their shitty players to have a puckless "faux breakaway" on the opposing goalie complete with lots of fancy fake dekes, a fake shot, and a fake goal celebration. Woo woo. Today it was Ovenchicken and Kokeznozoff that I noticed. I'd like to see those guys try that in 1995 or earlier.
- Caps fans crying for a penalty after Dahlin poke checked some Cap (Sheary or Dowd). Learn the game.
- Wilson of course was a scummy dink all over the place, but the refs watched Nic "No Talent" Dowd take a run from behind at Skinner, elbow him in the back of the head, and all good by the NHL. Big discussion between the benches after the 2nd period following that.

DISAPPOINT:
- Skinner is on my s-list. Takes shortcuts all over the ice. Lack of detail and lolligagging getting back to his zone led to some extended Caps zone possessions and at least a GA. That's aside from killing most possessions with some stupid pass attempt through 3 opponents or shoveling the puck to the goalie with no hope of anything positive, or just toe-picking himself into the ice.
- Power in the defensive zone looked like a 5:4 scale Bryson. Turn the puck back to the wall, get thumped, lose possession. Led to a couple GAs.
- Krebs with like 4 consecutive passes to either nobody or a Cap directly. And then redeems himself setting up Girgs for the goal.
- Jost with one of the worst shifts I've seen late in the first. And then redeems himself finding a puck and picking top corner.
- Whole team far too sloppy and casual at the bluelines. And what the hell is this wham the puck 90-degrees off the wall directly to the opponent?
- Cozens with a bad flyby at the point that led to GA and just wasn't a factor tonight.
- Quinn was more of a mini-zamboni than Sheary.
- Luukkonen was awful. He looked so much worse than his stat line. 2nd goal was I don't even know what. He was terrible at rebound control, terrible at positioning, terrible controlling his movements, terrible in the shootout. Hell, he was terrible staying upright on one dump in. He is clearly not the answer right now. I'd rather see the guy who got lit up for 10 next time, I'm pretty sure.

WELL ALRIGHT:
- Mittelstadt has become plus at puck protection and walking off the wall. Useful player.
- Tage really engaged physically and looked like he wanted the W.
- If the Sabres had Lyubushkin and Stillman eating bottom pair minutes all year like the past 2 games they'd be more firmly a factor in the playoff race.
- One of the mites picked the top corner in the first intermission, probably would have beat Lindgren with it.
- Dahlin didn't retaliate despite Caps finishing constantly waaaaay later than any other star would be made to tolerate without an interference call. Literally motioned to the ref, "are you seeing this" after Wilson ran him a good 2 seconds after moving the puck. Wilson speared him in the leg after that. Why not? Ref's looking right at the whole spectacle and obviously won't call it, and he has the LBI scouting report and no character.
- Girgs and Okposo with extended grinding shifts.

I absolutely hated this game, and hate the NHL for taking such a graceful and ferocious sport and turning it into a complete ****ing farce and making me hate this game that I'd loved all my life heretofore. **** you NHL. **** you and get ****ed. I hope karma lands on Buttman, the rules committee, and the DoPeS like molten plasma and ruins them all.

Every single bit of this ^^^^^.

Hello 3am. Why was Quinn not the 1st shooter in the shoot-out?

Quinn or Cozens. Tuch? He didn’t do shit all game.

 

[Bendium]

Greenway is no bueno. Big slow, and doesn't add any value.

People complain about paying for good players, but KA waited, and waited, and got left at the alter, then married the only girl left in town, and had to pay her dad to take her.

KA got bent over by the other GM's this last trade period. Paid a 2nd to take someone else's problem. If Greenway was a stud, would he have been playing on Minny's 4th line? It's part of the problem that the Sabres continue to try their hand at reclamation projects instead of just getting blue chip players that actually perform to expectation and fix the problem.

 

[BFLO]

Didn't see this one. Was out for a 5 course dinner with wine pairings at Frankie Primo's North Tonawanda. It was delicious.

Regarding all the ref complaints. I think I agree completely with the Steve Dangle Podcast. The NHL does not have referees, they have game managers. They do not officiate, they game manage. And it makes for a bad product.

Worth a watch even if you're not a fan of Mr. Dangle. Skip to about the 19:00 mark.

 

[threeVo]

Quinn is an elite penalty shot taker, he needs to be the 1st shooter forever.

 

[Bendium]

Quinn is an elite penalty shot taker, he needs to be the 1st shooter forever.

We could fix defense and goaltending and just not have to worry about who takes the first shootout attempt.

Also, would it have mattered? Any decent peewee hockey player could have deked out UPL last night. He got PWND.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

It's amazing that in a night where the refs swallowed their whistles for most of the game that they could have such a dramatic impact on the outcome. 2 borderline calls against the Sabres in regulation and they both end up in the back of the net. If the refs were calling the game to that standard all night there would've been at least half a dozen more penalties called on each team.

I was going to defend UPL, but I watched a replay of the 2nd goal and realized it was NOT deflected. Yikes.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Ralonzo]

People complain about paying for good players, but KA waited, and waited, and got left at the alter, then married the only girl left in town, and had to pay her dad to take her.

KA got bent over by the other GM's this last trade period. Paid a 2nd to take someone else's problem. If Greenway was a stud, would he have been playing on Minny's 4th line? It's part of the problem that the Sabres continue to try their hand at reclamation projects instead of just getting blue chip players that actually perform to expectation and fix the problem.

It was pretty apparent quickly that Greenway is not what he once was under Granato in the NTDP. He needs to be un-Wilded and that won't be accomplished this year. The acquisition was a sop to Donny; he'll need to cook for a while before we can judge a final result. The psychology of augmenting the team rather than standing pat or selling off cannot be discounted as a factor here.

 

[threeVo]

We could fix defense and goaltending and just not have to worry about who takes the first shootout attempt.

Also, would it have mattered? Any decent peewee hockey player could have deked out UPL last night. He got PWND.

So you dont put the best shooters in because we should just never get to the shootout?

 

[Bendium]

So you dont put the best shooters in because we should just never get to the shootout?

No, I agree that what shooters we put out in a shootout is a valid point of discussion. However, my point is, it is so low on the list of problems that we shouldn't waste any time on it right now.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

It's amazing that in a night where the refs swallowed their whistles for most of the game that they could have such a dramatic impact on the outcome. 2 borderline calls against the Sabres in regulation and they both end up in the back of the net. If the refs were calling the game to that standard all night there would've been at least half a dozen more penalties called on each team.

I was going to defend UPL, but I watched a replay of the 2nd goal and realized it was NOT deflected. Yikes.

I've seen a couple of people comment on this. That interference call against the Sabres in the first period was a clear penalty. It wasn't bad, or even borderline. It was also completely unnecessary, and utterly stupid.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

I've seen a couple of people comment on this. That interference call against the Sabres in the first period was a clear penalty. It wasn't bad, or even borderline. It was also completely unnecessary, and utterly stupid.

Yea, it was borderline only based on the standard the refs set last night. In a normally called game I would have no problem with that being a penalty.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

Yea, it was borderline only based on the standard the refs set last night. In a normally called game I would have no problem with that being a penalty.

I was staring at it as it happened. It was not borderline. There weren't interference calls of that caliber going uncalled last night.

I'm normally all over the officiating, but this call is a bad one to fall on your sword over.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Optimistic that you think someone actually works on their faceoffs!

Zamboni driver to save some money?

 

[Eegs]

Binnington wouldn't stand for that!

Edit: Oops, forgot I was on the Sabres board! I come here to lurk for Krebs news often. Hope I don't offend with my Habs flair!

 

[Buff15Sabres]

I was staring at it as it happened. It was not borderline. There weren't interference calls of that caliber going uncalled last night.

I'm normally all over the officiating, but this call is a bad one to fall on your sword over.

Didn't Skinner get blatantly interfered with multiple times, including just prior to this call ? Off the top of my head I can recall a couple of bad slashes by the Caps while we were on the PP. There was a really obvious trip on Okposo. I remember during the game thinking the Sabres also got away with a few blatant penalties, but I don't recall the specific plays now.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

I'm sticking with just the interference calls. Skinner did get hit a couple of times when he was no where near the puck, but in at least 1 case it looked like incidental contact.

The refs weren't good, they rarely are, but I have no issue with that call. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Dubi Doo]

People complain about paying for good players, but KA waited, and waited, and got left at the alter, then married the only girl left in town, and had to pay her dad to take her.

KA got bent over by the other GM's this last trade period. Paid a 2nd to take someone else's problem. If Greenway was a stud, would he have been playing on Minny's 4th line? It's part of the problem that the Sabres continue to try their hand at reclamation projects instead of just getting blue chip players that actually perform to expectation and fix the problem.

The elephant in the room is Ottawa's record since acquiring a blue chip player.

 

[Mattilaus]

Didn't see this one. Was out for a 5 course dinner with wine pairings at Frankie Primo's North Tonawanda. It was delicious.

Regarding all the ref complaints. I think I agree completely with the Steve Dangle Podcast. The NHL does not have referees, they have game managers. They do not officiate, they game manage. And it makes for a bad product.

Worth a watch even if you're not a fan of Mr. Dangle. Skip to about the 19:00 mark.

Not a Dangle fan at all but they absolutely nailed the issue here.

 

[slip]

Woke up amazed at how little time it took Greenway to slip from energized to sluggish.

Look no further than his slothful coverage of Wilson on the GTG.

Until proven otherwise I will operating from the assumption that Greenway gives zero f***s about being a Buffalo Sabre.