Post-Game Talk (GBU): We picked up the win

[Beerz]

The Sabres don't regularly use Skinner in either and are far better in OT and the shootout this season than in recent years, from what I can tell. It works, and it has a justifiable reason, so.

Recent years? Who cares about recent years when we've been tanking. Comparative stats mean nothing ... this is a completely different team facing different teams with different circumstances. Ice your best players in OT ...not scrubs like Sobotka or turnover machines like Sheary

 

[Beerz]

While I like Reinhart with Mitts I hate Okposo with Rodrigues and particular Smith. Smith’s game is all about high energy, balls to the wall 40 second shifts where he creates as much havoc as possible by getting the puck to dangerous areas. Okposo just drags things down in the mud.

Not sure I agree with this... Okposo is one of the hardest working players on team. High effort...he just makes dumb plays and turns it over

 

[Revelate]

Not sure I agree with this... Okposo is one of the hardest working players on team. High effort...he just makes dumb plays and turns it over

Sure he’s high effort but that doesn’t mean he isn’t slowing things down dramatically.

 

[dortt]

This is definitely the Good that came out of this game. He can drive his own line from the wing..A very subtle player whose talent is overlooked..Skinner had good effort but didnt click yet with new line.. Eichel best player on the ice and isnt back at level before he was out, great effort shorthanded.. I like Kyle effort but cant hang so far on line .. We will see..
Ullmark waa better than Dubnyk.. nice.. he is so calm..minimum movement..
Nothing ugly about sweepin series from Wild for first time ever..
The only ugly is the attitude of Gdt thread.. We remain truly in the hunt for playoffs with 5 rookies and alot of guys 24 and under..If we werent so young , we win by 4 and it isnt close.. Our checking and D up until pulling goalie was excellent.. until it wasnt.. Dahlin is as calm as Ullmark.. The officials are from WWE..

That's an insult to the WWE officials

 

[GellMann]

Recent years? Who cares about recent years when we've been tanking. Comparative stats mean nothing ... this is a completely different team facing different teams with different circumstances. Ice your best players in OT ...not scrubs like Sobotka or turnover machines like Sheary

Fine - our OT and SO performance is objectively good this year, not relative to last season. Relative to good NHL teams. We are tied for the best winning percentage in the shootout, where we don't use Skinner because of that 0 for 18 stretch he's on. In overtime, we are 9-5, which is excellent. It is bafflingly difficult to find team OT stats, but over the last three years, only three NHL teams have a winning percentage in OT better than the one we have this year, so there's at least some context.

I don't remember where to find this either, or the exact number, but Skinner's OT results both here and Carolina point to him being more of a liability than an asset in the extra time. Sure, stick him out on the PP where he has scored twice , but he's minus-a-large-integer at ES in overtime. If you'd like a hockey reason for this, I urge you to watch our second period power play from tonight, where his passes missed their marks by like 12 feet. The guy cannot pass to save his life, as many people have pointed out all season long, and tape-to-tape plays, often at large distances and through dangerous areas, are KEY in OT if you want to score or at least keep the puck. Further, his coverage skills are sorely lacking. He's great at burying garbage, one-touching pucks into the net, but that's not how most OT goals happen. Whatever Phil does and doesn't do in other areas, deciding to keep Skinner off the ice hasn't stopped the Sabres from amassing an impressive OT record, and since I've just described why he's not a great OT player (neither is Sam Reinhart, for that matter), there's a justifiable purpose, and it's clearly not as simple and obvious as you insist.

 

[hizzoner]

My thoughts ( totally in sync with the guys I went with who also had seasons tickets from the beginning with me) on the game. Not very well attended but had some drama and was fun to watch. Officiating edge went to Minnesota. Pilut was pushed around lot--he was under the gun continually from the heavy forecheck. Jack was good although he seemed to have moments that were less than stellar. Reinhart was superb. Ristoleinen played a great game--he and Bogosian did a good job on the wall and on the heavy Minny cycle--something Pilut and Dahlin to a lesser extent had trouble with. Dahlin had some moves tonight that were truly superb. Ullmark played a sound game.Sheary and Skinner and Okposo were trash. Girgensons played a sound game. Sobotka played a good defensive game with a lot of defensive zone face-offs-just no offensive skills. Mittelstadt and Thompson showed flashes but need to add strength. They were miles better tonight than Skinner or Sheary--in fact Jack's line mates tonight were more anchors than helpers. I thought we were too passive on the empty net situation--giving Minny time and space thus giving them time to look for someone to pass to and then make the unforced play. I left the game tonight feeling better about the team--I see the skill--but I see the need for both maturing/strengthening of younger guys plus more depth.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Oh, so we win and I'm no longer needed to make GBU's....shame on you

Well you were late last time weren't you??

LOL, jk, your contributions are appreciated.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Except people have posted like that every single game, and act surprised every time, like they've never seen it before.

Lots of folks on here suffering from short term memory loss.

 

[buffalowing88]

Didn't see it mentioned but, pretty cool of Parise to check on Ullmark at the end.

 

[Willgamesh]

B/U: Sobotka hasn't scored since early November, and coach expects him to do some serious damage in OT

He does not deserve crucial ice time at all. Housleys unscratachable pet who is a void to all offense.

 

[HaNotsri]

G
Reinhart
Dahlin
Smith
B
Pilut needs to clean up his game in the defensive zone
Sobotka

 

[Gabrielor]

More serious GBU:

G:
Reinhart
Eichel
Mittelstadt

B
Does anyone notice that at times when in the dzone, we can outnumber an opponent who's got the puck near, or pinned against the boards, and the 2nd sabre (usually a winger) will leave to 'be in his position'? This has to be coaching, and drives me nuts. I really wish I had the tape to display what I mean, but it seems like a lot of the time when we're playing defense, guys don't engage for the puck, they try to play this weird zone defense, and end up giving up wide open shots. This has infuriated me throughout Housley's tenure.

More Housley. His reason for playing Sobotka in OT? Defensive zone left-size drop. Stupid reason, as Sobotka has only ever cost us, or nearly cost us in OT. He doesn't leave the D zone without a goalie cover.

The compete throughout the night was embarrassing for a team off 3 days of rest. The 3rd min goal was the highlight of poor awareness and battle. Min wanted that goal. We wanted to play zone, 'cover our spot', nevermind giving up point-blank chances.

Okposo was killing any momentum on line 1. Mercifully, Housley saw this and blew that shit up.


U

The Pick. I was irate, and yelling. Still can't believe it was real. We almost lost the game there. WTF Refs?

 

[OkimLom]

I thought Sam was with ERod and CJ all night

Housley switched it up I want to say in the third.

 

[1972]

Sam Reinhart is twice the hockey player he was last November when he was playing centre, I think it’s time again. Not one player in this organization has developed close to the amount he has in the last 2 seasons. We may very well have a perennial PPG player on our hands.

 

[old kummelweck]

The only pairings I felt Housley got right were Reinhart-Smith and Skinner-Mittelstadt. I know Housley seems to be in love with Erod as a center, but I would try him up on a line with Eichel, and move Larsson in between Reinhart and Smith. He should also either move Thompson up to the Mittelstadt line, or scratch him. He should not be on that fourth line. That leave two of Okposo, Pominville, or Sobotka on the fourth line with Giregensons. Honestly, they really should be looking for a rental to try and salvage this season to plug into RW.

 

[sabremike]

When I become king of the world the crime of playing Vladimir Sobotka in a 3v3 OT will be punishable by being hanged.

 

[OkimLom]

The only pairings I felt Housley got right were Reinhart-Smith and Skinner-Mittelstadt. I know Housley seems to be in love with Erod as a center, but I would try him up on a line with Eichel, and move Larsson in between Reinhart and Smith. He should also either move Thompson up to the Mittelstadt line, or scratch him. He should not be on that fourth line. That leave two of Okposo, Pominville, or Sobotka on the fourth line with Giregensons. Honestly, they really should be looking for a rental to try and salvage this season to plug into RW.

Should be:

Smith-Reinhart-Mittelstadt until Mittelstadt is ready for center duties.

 

[TehDoak]

Sam and Mittelstadt looked good together.

Maybe we go forward with some mix of:

Skinner-Eichel-XXXX
XXXX-Mittelstadt-Reinhart

Girgenson-Larsson-XXXXX

Figure out the island of misfit toys with whats left (Sobotka, Sheary, Pominville, Okposo, Thompson, Rodrigues) . That and fix the D pairings. Whoa boy they stunk tonight.

 

[old kummelweck]

Should be:

Smith-Reinhart-Mittelstadt until Mittelstadt is ready for center duties.

I would try it, but what would the other 3 lines look like?

 

[Willgamesh]

When I become king of the world the crime of playing Vladimir Sobotka in a 3v3 OT will be punishable by being hanged.

Over Skinner hahahaha xD

 

[PatrikBerglund]

When I become king of the world the crime of playing Vladimir Sobotka in a 3v3 OT will be punishable by being hanged.

Isn't it "hung"? :/

 

[Willgamesh]

Should be:

Smith-Reinhart-Mittelstadt until Mittelstadt is ready for center duties.

I think Casey has played well the last bit, I do prefer him on a line with Reinhart over any other wingers, and keep Okposo away.

 

[Mattilaus]

Fine - our OT and SO performance is objectively good this year, not relative to last season. Relative to good NHL teams. We are tied for the best winning percentage in the shootout, where we don't use Skinner because of that 0 for 18 stretch he's on. In overtime, we are 9-5, which is excellent. It is bafflingly difficult to find team OT stats, but over the last three years, only three NHL teams have a winning percentage in OT better than the one we have this year, so there's at least some context.

I don't remember where to find this either, or the exact number, but Skinner's OT results both here and Carolina point to him being more of a liability than an asset in the extra time. Sure, stick him out on the PP where he has scored twice , but he's minus-a-large-integer at ES in overtime. If you'd like a hockey reason for this, I urge you to watch our second period power play from tonight, where his passes missed their marks by like 12 feet. The guy cannot pass to save his life, as many people have pointed out all season long, and tape-to-tape plays, often at large distances and through dangerous areas, are KEY in OT if you want to score or at least keep the puck. Further, his coverage skills are sorely lacking. He's great at burying garbage, one-touching pucks into the net, but that's not how most OT goals happen. Whatever Phil does and doesn't do in other areas, deciding to keep Skinner off the ice hasn't stopped the Sabres from amassing an impressive OT record, and since I've just described why he's not a great OT player (neither is Sam Reinhart, for that matter), there's a justifiable purpose, and it's clearly not as simple and obvious as you insist.

Honestly, it is getting frustrating that anytime we go to a shootout someone is clamoring for Skinner to shoot when we have objective data that he isn't good at shootouts. Doesn't matter how many times you point this out, someone will say Housley is terrible for not putting an 0-18 player in the shootout. There are plenty of reasons why Housley is terrible, him choosing not to use Skinner in the shootout is not one of them.

 

[Beerz]

Fine - our OT and SO performance is objectively good this year, not relative to last season. Relative to good NHL teams. We are tied for the best winning percentage in the shootout, where we don't use Skinner because of that 0 for 18 stretch he's on. In overtime, we are 9-5, which is excellent. It is bafflingly difficult to find team OT stats, but over the last three years, only three NHL teams have a winning percentage in OT better than the one we have this year, so there's at least some context.

I don't remember where to find this either, or the exact number, but Skinner's OT results both here and Carolina point to him being more of a liability than an asset in the extra time. Sure, stick him out on the PP where he has scored twice , but he's minus-a-large-integer at ES in overtime. If you'd like a hockey reason for this, I urge you to watch our second period power play from tonight, where his passes missed their marks by like 12 feet. The guy cannot pass to save his life, as many people have pointed out all season long, and tape-to-tape plays, often at large distances and through dangerous areas, are KEY in OT if you want to score or at least keep the puck. Further, his coverage skills are sorely lacking. He's great at burying garbage, one-touching pucks into the net, but that's not how most OT goals happen. Whatever Phil does and doesn't do in other areas, deciding to keep Skinner off the ice hasn't stopped the Sabres from amassing an impressive OT record, and since I've just described why he's not a great OT player (neither is Sam Reinhart, for that matter), there's a justifiable purpose, and it's clearly not as simple and obvious as you insist.

First off I havent mentioned anything about Skinner and the shootout so I'm not sure why you keep bringing it up. I didnt have an issue with the shooters last night.

As far as overtime goes ..sure Skinner has issues with passing the puck... but he does have other attributes besides scoring "garbage goals"... He is a puck hound who relentlessly pressures the puck and creates turnovers... seems ideal for OT. He is also a great forechecker..which also seems ideal. I can name deficiencies in any player that Housley puts out there in place of Skinner.

So 3 of those wins of the 9 are directly attributed to Skinner himself. I think if we dig a little deeper into that 9 and 5 record we will see that some of those 9 are wins are from the shootout.

Again I ask... name another coach that doesnt play his leading goal scorer in OT?

It just defies all logic and is even worse when you consider the players he plays over Skinner.

 

[Beerz]

Honestly, it is getting frustrating that anytime we go to a shootout someone is clamoring for Skinner to shoot when we have objective data that he isn't good at shootouts. Doesn't matter how many times you point this out, someone will say Housley is terrible for not putting an 0-18 player in the shootout. There are plenty of reasons why Housley is terrible, him choosing not to use Skinner in the shootout is not one of them.

Havent seen one person bitch about it from last night...so I'm not sure what he was going on about that for