Post-Game Talk (GBU): The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Welcome to our new Krueger overlord!

[Dahlin 2 Eichel]

That’s the most prepared and organized I have seen a Sabres team in (what feels like) a long time!

This! It’s so nice to watch a team actually play structured hockey like it’s suppose to be played.

I remember the excuse with housley was “takes time for a team to learn a new system”

Well that doesn’t look to be a problem here. Great game.

Also, could it be anyone else but KO to get 3 glorious scoring chances?!? So much fun watching that game.

 

[Gabrielor]

B:
Was at a rehearsal dinner for my sister's wedding, so I missed a large part of the game

G:
I did see Dahlin score, and fell to the floor cheering

Awesome:
We won

 

[sincerity0]

I really liked Johansson tonight

 

[flashsabre]

Eichel didn’t lift the cup right.

He had bad body language while hoisting the Cup around the ice

 

[Gabrielor]

From the highlights, it looks like we had a ton of breakaways and open rushes

 

[Der Jaeger]

I thought Johansson looked like a legit 2C. That was huge for the team. That he can also pass well boded well for Skinner, who was dangerous. They almost connected a couple times.

I’d like to see Reinhart away from Eichel. He’s more dangerous when he’s not deferring.

Eichel needs a more physical winger. I thought one of his best shifts was with Vesey.

Not a whole lot I saw which went poorly.

 

[Gabrielor]

G:

 

[Dubi Doo]

Thinking back in the 10 game win streak last year. I don't think a single game in that streak was as complete as this one.

The first game they played against Vegas last year was similar, though I dont think they dominated defensively like they did last night.

 

[sabres4ever]

What a breath of fresh air. So happy we played for 60 mins without letting up, especially with the lead.

Game one under our belts, let's see if we can continue this hard play and pressure at our home opener. I'm cautiously optimistic for this season. The Krueger hire could turn out to be the turning point.

So much pressure. So much support. While we were having some difficulty getting out of our own end on a few occasions, for the most part, I thought we got the puck out quickly for transition.

To echo someone else's comments from earlier: "Don't get too excited" X 100

 

[Montag DP]

From the highlights, it looks like we had a ton of breakaways and open rushes

We had like 5 breakaways plus several other 1-on1s with the goalie.

 

[Chainshot]

the ugly. Dahlin with less than 16 minutes of ice time

Krueger is either in the clouds, or Dahlin is not the player we think he is. That's Rochester call up level of ice time

Actually, I kind of liked that he held to not having Rasmus kill penalties. Yesterday may have been the extreme, but it's not like the officiating wasn't typically pro-Penguin.

I wouldn't hit the panic button on the TOI yet. I expect it to slowly correct itself. I think Krueger saw some things with Dahlin off the puck and defensively that he wanted to clean up, so he's limited his minutes early on here. Expect it to grow and grow as the season goes on.

It was very situational, though at some point it would be interesting to see if Dahlin works in for those late in the PK shifts to attempt to jumpstart transition, akin to how Jack had been used at times before this season.

This isn't even a small sample size. It was one game. Situations impact ice time massively. I can't believe how many people are going on about various aspects of how ice time was divvied out over a single game, much less it being the season opener.

Very true.

 

[TehDoak]

You sadly don’t understand what we’re saying. We’re talking about something more powerful then the standings we’re talking about our subconscious and how everything you do both positive and negative in life has an effect on your mind. On how you go forward with things.

Seriously how amazing is it that people can’t understand the importance of a fresh start with a new coach? We’re not saying everything is roses and butterflies and we’re not saying they’re doomed if they would of losses. We’re talking about the psyche. I’m done clearing up something that quite frankly shouldn’t need to be cleared up.

Things like Psyche and being in the right frame of mind are typically short term factors. Much more important in a seven game series than over an 82 game season. Sure, a good coach will have his finger on the pulse of the team and will make tweaks to keep things going in a certain direction (for example knowing when to give the team a break vs when to hold a tough practice). But, over 82 games, all teams are going to have ups and downs. Typically, knowing how to get through those slogs is part of having a good veteran leadership group. I'm not discounting what you are saying as being important, but over 82 games, talent and a good system typically will overcome team psyche.

 

[StlSwedes]

Myers was playing 25+ a night at Dahlin's age and was thriving on a team that won the division.

Dahlin should easily be over 20 minutes now. Not sure if he wasn't impressive in practice or anything, as his in game performance, especially the goal, certainly warranted far more than #6 defenseman minutes

Dahlin was not used on the PK minutes and the Sabres only had 4 PP minutes. Your words give the impression that you have an agenda against something. If the PIMS were divided evenly, we would have seen +3 minutes more for Dahlin, putting him right at 19-20 which is where most people would expect a 19 year old stud defenseman.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

A quote that stood out to me in last night's presser with Krueger was "We can feel good about this one for a few hours." If nothing else, Krueger shows he is good at managing the player's emotions. Housley not so much.

 

[Dubi Doo]

I really liked Johansson tonight

Just have to hope he stays healthy.

 

[Dubi Doo]

It was nice to see Sobotka throw his weight around. He still looks incompetent with the puck on his stick, but if he can simply his game, play physical, and take up space around the net, then there just may be a spot on this squad for him. I would still rather see Asplund and Smith in for Sobotka and Okoposo, but at least they looked like NHL players last night.

 

[Jim Bob]

Winning cures all ills.

I doubt they will look like this for 81 more games. But, for one night, all is well.

 

[Sabretooth]

If this is true, and this easy to observe, then teams probably aren't going to take too long gameplanning to take away the lower left slot. The real test will be can RK and the sabres adjust when teams adjust to them. Last year, they absolutely could not.

Anywho, great win. Now go do it again tomorrow. Had to reign in my excitement last night since my wife is a pens fan and I wanted a bed to sleep in, but... I'm always amazed how down I can get on the team and how little it takes to get sucked right back in.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Anyone have a count on how many breakaways the Sabres had? I counted 5 or 6 before I turned the game off at 5 the minute mark in the third (I get up really f***ing early). Not all of them were clean breakaways, but it was refreshing to see the defensemen finding the forwards in stride.

Joki is going to be a phenomenal add for this team going forward. At worst I'm thinking we're getting a smooth skating top four defenseman with smarts and a great transition game. At best? Dahlin's partner for the next 10 years.

 

[Buffaloed]

Myers was playing 25+ a night at Dahlin's age and was thriving on a team that won the division.

Dahlin should easily be over 20 minutes now. Not sure if he wasn't impressive in practice or anything, as his in game performance, especially the goal, certainly warranted far more than #6 defenseman minutes

Myers didn't average 25+ as a 19 year old. Myers is a poor model for how to develop a player. His career year was his rookie year.

 

[jc17]

Lol in the NHL network highlights they chose to highlight the risto high stick for 2 mins despite penguin bleeding. Yeah the refs really had it out for the penguins

 

[Reddawg]

Joki is going to be a phenomenal add for this team going forward. At worst I'm thinking we're getting a smooth skating top four defenseman with smarts and a great transition game. At best? Dahlin's partner for the next 10 years.

Seriously...his outlet passing was a revelation, something this team has been badly missing for years now.

 

[jc17]

Alright, 1 little raincloud is that the stats in last year's opener were similar, they just didn't get bounces and boston did .

Looking at last year we had 15 games where we had as good of corsi as last night, only 2 games we had as good xgf%

 

[BuffaloGooner]

I thought Johansson looked like a legit 2C. That was huge for the team. That he can also pass well boded well for Skinner, who was dangerous. They almost connected a couple times.

I’d like to see Reinhart away from Eichel. He’s more dangerous when he’s not deferring.

Eichel needs a more physical winger. I thought one of his best shifts was with Vesey.

Not a whole lot I saw which went poorly.

Every time I think of “physical winger for Jack” I think of Tuch because of you so thanks for that . I also agree with that premise 100%.

 

[VaporTrail]

Sobotka was more than fine with Skinner tonight, that line won’t be changing anytime soon.

They will be together for the whole year... Sobotka for all star this year, and team MVP, ainec.