GBU The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Winning! 1.18.21

[MillerTime]

Will there be post game interviews of any kind this year?

They have been doing them after each game. They're on the Sabres website

 

[Ratatoskr]

Will there be post game interviews of any kind this year?

There are post-game interviews with Krueger and 2-3 players after every game. I'm a NHL.tv subscriber and watch them there. They're also on the podcast channel "Sabres Hockey", available on Google Podcasts (and other podcast providers, I'm sure). I'm sure there's other sources, but this is where I get them from. Dito the pre-game interviews.

 

[jonlin]

Risto with 8hits I see. How has he looked otherwise in the 3 first game? I just statwatched that he has 15 hits and a +3.

 

[OkimLom]

Risto with 8hits I see. How has he looked otherwise in the 3 first game? I just statwatched that he has 15 hits and a +3.

much like the Sabres


1st game - bad but forgivable

2nd game - much improved, but still had hiccups

3rd game - played well and in control

 

[SwedeChristoffer]

Risto with 8hits I see. How has he looked otherwise in the 3 first game? I just statwatched that he has 15 hits and a +3.

He has probably been Sabres best Dman so far (perhaps mainly because Dahlin was crap the first 2 games). In the offensive zone he has been great, both on PP2 and at 5v5. He still has his moments in the defensive zone (and especially when trying to get out of the defensive zone) but I think the other defensemen have been worse.
(I think Dahlin was better in the 3rd game, especially offensively, but not because Risto declined, but because Dahlin found his game again).

 

[tsujimoto74]

He has probably been Sabres best Dman so far (perhaps mainly because Dahlin was crap the first 2 games). In the offensive zone he has been great, both on PP2 and at 5v5. He still has his moments in the defensive zone (and especially when trying to get out of the defensive zone) but I think the other defensemen have been worse.
(I think Dahlin was better in the 3rd game, especially offensively, but not because Risto declined, but because Dahlin found his game again).

Dahlin was real rough those first 2 games, so it's not like there was a heated competition for best on the blue line there. Looked like himself again (a goddamn stud) last night, though. If Risto and Dahlin both keep playing like they did yesterday, we'll be in good shape.

 

[Chainshot]

We can nitpick each of the defensemen - it's the nature of the position - but the unit had a lot less demand with the way the forwards came back hard last night (and to a degree late in game 1, and through game 2). That pressure makes it easier to step up and defend the puck carrier because there is someone both making that player wary of being disrupted from behind as well as someone who can cover. Over and over, they had more players back than the Flyers had attacking. It grants the possibility of quickly having the second skater get a loose puck, grants shorter breakout options, and gives mutual support.

Again, the forwards show commitment to being back -- and that's a lot of the new guys as well as some of the holdovers buying in -- makes it so much easier for the defensemen.

 

[Matt Ress]

I know he has a young daughter and i hope this has nothing to do with her or his son. It’s a dad’s worst nightmare. That said, RKs statement about letting Linus sleep on it sounds like it may involve Linus’ health. A dad doesn’t sleep on any issues relating to his kid. A medical diagnosis, however....

...a decision to be made? Go overseas?

 

[Chainshot]

...a decision to be made? Go overseas?

I hope whatever is going on for him, it works out the best possible way that it can.

 

[Chainshot]

Dahlin was real rough those first 2 games, so it's not like there was a heated competition for best on the blue line there. Looked like himself again (a goddamn stud) last night, though. If Risto and Dahlin both keep playing like they did yesterday, we'll be in good shape.

I liked a lot of Dahlin from the red line into the offensive zone in those games. It was the stuff in his own zone that was frustrating. And personally, I'm not a fan of Montour as his partner - playing on his off-hand side and better as a rush transition starter than a well-positioned, good stick defender who is pass-first to exit the zone... it remains an iffy duo for me. I suppose if they can outscore the opposition while they are out there, great.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

...a decision to be made? Go overseas?

Possibly, but if it were me and the news was as horrible as they say, then i'd already be on a plane headed home. like chain said, i hope whatever it is works out in the best possible way for him.

 

[jc17]

I'd like to add the pk to the "good" in this thread.

Once philly got set up it looked average, but they made getting in the zone and setting up difficult. Hopefully that is how the season will go, and not just one strong kill

 

[Sabretooth]

One of the best games played by a sabres team I can remember over the past decade. Was hoping for a first nhl goal from cozens to make it even sweeter.

Soured a bit by the punch to dahlin's face, the 1 goal against, and the ominous feel to whatever the bad news is surrounding ulmark.

I hope this game ends up being more indicative of normal rather than outlier.

 

[Matt Ress]

Possibly, but if it were me and the news was as horrible as they say, then i'd already be on a plane headed home. like chain said, i hope whatever it is works out in the best possible way for him.

No doubt. Our meddling noses should find out sometime today but we all hope the fam and Linus are ok.

 

[JLewyB]

Skinner and Hall have been our best players. Dahlin looked a whole lot better today.

 

[Zman5778]

Again, the forwards show commitment to being back -- and that's a lot of the new guys as well as some of the holdovers buying in -- makes it so much easier for the defensemen.

To me, it's completely obvious. Seeing 20, 15, 13 getting back in the defensive zone so quickly. I know Eakin has been rather anonymous the first few games, but he's always getting back into position. Rieder and Sheahan are soooo good defensively right now.

Really, the only forwards who have been continually sketchy getting back are the "big guns" -- Hall, Eichel and Skinner......but that's completely understandable. And I think it'll just take time between Hall and Eichel to figure out which one of them is more defensive and which one of them is ready for the breakout.

As an aside -- Olofsson looks noticeably more quick out there. He'll never be a speedster a la Eichel or Hall.......but it sure looks to me like he's gained a step.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

I liked a lot of Dahlin from the red line into the offensive zone in those games. It was the stuff in his own zone that was frustrating. And personally, I'm not a fan of Montour as his partner - playing on his off-hand side and better as a rush transition starter than a well-positioned, good stick defender who is pass-first to exit the zone... it remains an iffy duo for me. I suppose if they can outscore the opposition while they are out there, great.

I agree Borgen would be perfect with Dahlin

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I agree Borgen would be perfect with Dahlin

someone’s gonna get hurt on the D, it’ll be interesting to see where they put Borgen. I’ve always wanted to see that pairing too, I’m sure we’ll get a chance at some point if Dahlin stays healthy.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

someone’s gonna get hurt on the D, it’ll be interesting to see where they put Borgen. I’ve always wanted to see that pairing too, I’m sure we’ll get a chance at some point if Dahlin stays healthy.

I agree it seems to be the perfect fit in every way possible

 

[joshjull]

much like the Sabres


1st game - bad but forgivable

2nd game - much improved, but still had hiccups

3rd game - played well and in control

That's not accurate.

Risto has been playing well since the first game.

McCabe/Risto in game one vs Caps
CF% —-> 59%
SCF% —>88% (7 for/1 against)
HDCF% -> 100% (3 for/0 against)
GF% ——> 100% (2 for/0 against)
xGF% —-> 72%

That stat line can’t happen if Risto was playing bad.

It took him playing 3 good games and Sabres blowout win for him to start getting recognized for his good play. But all it took to get piled on in during the first game was getting stuck on the ice for that really crappy sequence from Montour. Which lead to goal against in game one. It wasn’t Risto’s fault but he starts getting piled on anyway and its continues the rest of that GDT.

Risto frequently can’t get a fair shake on this forum. That sentiment isn’t directed at you. Its a forum wide thing with a small example of it being the amount of posters agreeing with your take that he play bad in game one (based on the likes your post got)

 

[Chainshot]

One of the bads in game one were the sloppy d-pairing changes. Most of the GA were scored with mixed pairs out there - they've cleaned that up over the last few and that's something they can keep doing as habit. Same with the forwards - keep the shifts short and the legs pumping.

 

[joshjull]

One of the bads in game one were the sloppy d-pairing changes. Most of the GA were scored with mixed pairs out there - they've cleaned that up over the last few and that's something they can keep doing as habit. Same with the forwards - keep the shifts short and the legs pumping.

I think the forwards playing a much better 200ft game helped clean up those d-pair changes. Many times the dmen got caught because of forward mistakes

 

[SundherDome]

The supposedly shitty goalie almost had a shutout.

Still a shitty goalie

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

Ugly: The DoPS, as usual:

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Ugly: The DoPS, as usual:

So are these fines taken into consideration on future decisions on suspensions? Is it like getting points on your drivers license? I imagine they eventually suspend you if these keep piling up.