Who ARE YOU, Ralph Krueger, and what have you done with my Buffalo Sabres?
(will post specific comments later)
edit: I'm back...
Was out researching new refrigerators after ours died Wednesday, didn't get home until ~9:30 or so, so watched delayed on DVR.
1. How many games (outside of the streak) were worthy of re-watching last season? This opener certainly is worth re-watching.
2. How many games last season did BUF completely dominate the first 6-10 minutes of a game?
3. How many games did the Sabres play a full 3-periods?
4. How many games did each and every Sabre look good to excellent?
Did anyone notice Crosby? I didn't. That's Jack.
The only time I noticed Crosby was looking down at the ice shaking his head after the whistle.
Lots and lots to like in this game, but mostly I just really enjoyed that for the first time in a long time it looked like there was a plan and team was committed to executing it. As bad as we've been the last few years, our good players have still managed a lot of great individual efforts. That was the embodiment of a team effort.
If RK can get that to be the rule and not the exception, it will be pretty, pretty, pretty great.
I recall only one time the 3 Sabre forwards were all caught below the offensive faceoff dots with the Penguins rush swinging back the other way. Last season it seemed that happened once every other shift.
Sabres were dominant in possession for most of the game, until the refs tried to even it up. PIT had a little pushback in the 3rd, and the Sabres met them with desperation to protect the 2-goal lead for Hutton.
Malkin the third star. OK there, Pittsburgh.
Fairly enough, he scored a good goal, and was the only Penguin who rarely got a clear step of separation for a clean-look shot.
Ah when I get a chance I am going to post side by side gifs of Krueger’s reaction to his first win and Housley’s goofy ass face after win 10. Krueger was so calm and cool that it gave me chills.
Straight-faced buttoned up that awesome blue blazer and walked out of the bench. The "drop-mic" move of hockey.
As I mentioned before, it is night and day watching this team play from a structure standpoint. Players know where to be and what to do. A few times tonight players were pointing to other players about where they needed to go. I can watch that type of game from tonight all season, win lose or draw.
On the flip side, I can see the Pens really falling this year. Kessel, for his faults, was a clutch game breaker for them. I slid over to the Pens board and they are calling for Sullivan to be fired already
I had both thoughts last night as well. Great that this was the first win in the first game, which sets the Sabres up for a their home opener, but also comes against the Pens, one of the teams the Sabres will need to hurdle if they are to eke into the playoffs, and on the road no less.
Also Krueger is subtly good at deflecting agenda type questions from the media
(and)
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.
It would not surprise me if Krueger's IQ is 30 points higher than Housley's.
I wanted to see improvement in chance creation at 5v5, so this was a good start, with the Sabres definitively out-chancing the Pens each period along the way. Can't always control how refs call games, so it was nice to see that the 5v5 play was a strength for a change, as that'll always be the bulk of the TOI no matter how the power plays shake out. I hope they continue to trend well in that regard, but alas, it was just one game. No complaints of much consequence with tonight's game.
A WOODHOUSE SIGHTING!!
The team defense was the biggest takeaway of the game really.
So much this point. As a unit. NO MORE MAN DEFENSE "CHECKING DETAIL"!!!
Nitpicking, but I hope they find a little more touch. Created tons of chances with their speed and puck movement, the only letdown was only scoring 3 and not 5-6 like the game felt it should have been
I felt Skinner was just a little "off", and chalk it up to new linemates vs. having Jack & Sam last year.
Good:
Team work.
Bad:
Impossible to get a read on Pit. They were awful. Is this early signs of impending mediocrity or were they unable to scout what Buf were about and prepare accordingly.
Saturdays game will give more insight.
Agreed.
Dahlin's
The defensive pairing TOI was a non-issue to me. A function of the game situations in the third period referee-fest.
Loved Sam in front of the crease taking what was being dished out. Wish Sabres had another couple players who'll do that routinely, and I wish the Sabres also had someone who could put the opponent on their butt when liberties are taken with Reinhart.
Dahlin's hands/touch on his goal were the cherry on top of the opening-night sundae. Krueger needs to use him in the shootout.
