GBU Win Pretty? Win Ugly. It's a Win (OT 3-2 over TB) 10/17/23

[Dreakon13]

G
- Win
- Liked the effort level, felt like more than the Greenway-Mittlestadt-Benson show for once
- Speaking of, those three are owning the ice still
- Glad Cozens got his first of the season out of the way
- Levi settling in

B
- Sammy injury, glad it sounds like it's just day to day

U
- ESPN broadcast, terrible. Huge TBL homers. They got Levi's photo wrong. Myriad of other small, embarrassing issues throughout the broadcast

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Beerz]

this kinda thing is on of the reasons EJ was brought in

I've actually liked EJs game.. didnt think I would.

 

[DJN21]

I've actually liked EJs game.. didnt think I would.

He was the perfect add to provide veteran leadership to the back end. Id love to hear why he chose buffalo outside of money of course.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[old kummelweck]

Greenway is going to be an important piece of this team.

 

[Dex]

Dahlin, Levi, and Mitts were the three stars of that game. Everyone on the Cozens line appeared to struggle. Thompson's line was struggling a bit until about halfway through the 3rd period, then they flipped a switch. Jost's line also played well.

Defensively, I already mentioned Dahlin, but he was a master in his own zone tonight. Power-Joker were pretty damn good. I thought Clifton struggled a bit early, but stepped up (along with the rest of the D) when Sammy went down. I've like EJ so far this season. He's limited, but he plays with a physical edge and makes some surprisingly solid passes to transition out of the D zone.

Overall, solid game. The Sabres were the better team for about 2/3 of that game. Tampa took over for most of the third, though the Sabres did start to generate chances about halfway through the third. Solid game outside the late goal.

I was able to attend the game last night and told my wife that the three stars should be Dahlin, Levi and Mittelstadt. Though I figured at least one star would go to Cozens because of the game winning goal.

Dahlin was amazing. I thought he was the best player on the ice. Great puck movement, electrifying when on the offensive and really strong defensively.

I loved watching Mitts too and kept wondering how this guy doesn't always get the respect that he's earned. That's because much of what he does is subtle and flies under the radar - and yesterday, I made a point of focusing on his play. The puck control, the ability turn the right way along the boards and come out with the puck, making the right pass, being in the right place, not afraid to mix it up - these are some of the things he does well that are often overlooked with casual viewing - but are essential to winning hockey games. So glad that he's come this far in spite of how he'd been used in the past and the negativity that surrounded him from much of the fan base. He definitely needs to be re-signed.

I loved watching Levi play and from my seats in row 5 of section 100, had a close look at him for two periods. What I saw was an exciting goalie, making great saves, working hard to see the puck, making good decisions relative to stopping play, very athletic and quick. I thought he had a strong game, despite the goal with 7 seconds left. There was such a scrum there that all I could see was the puck go in. I liked his post game comments as well - acknowledging the team effort.

I thought Greenway had a strong game as well.

 

[HOOats]

Levi: "7 seconds left letting in a goal isn't exactly ideal, but you gotta love the adversity who wants to win more? Let's make it interesting, let's give the fans a good time."

I'll say it again, he's a sicko who feeds off drama. He's going to be built for big moments when they finally come. It's like he was reading the comments here after TB tied it. Great sense of humor and temperament for a goaltender to have.

Ryan Callahan - Nothing worse than a Rochester kid who thinks he's Don Cherry (see userpic)

Liked your GBU, but gotta say Cherry had more charisma in a single lapel than Callahan has ever dreamed of.

U
- ESPN broadcast, terrible. Huge TBL homers. They got Levi's photo wrong. Myriad of other small, embarrassing issues throughout the broadcast

Agreed on the whole, but I actually like Messier and Subban with Levy between periods. It can get a bit hokey with some of the "grow the game" schticks they do, but overall they're thoughtful about the game and aren't wooden like so many hockey folk. Always liked Messier but Subban is definitely growing on me.

 

[OkimLom]

G: 1st Period

B: 2nd Period

U: 3rd Period

 

[lecherous]

I will agree that Callahan has no charisma at all. Like a kids see n' say toy where he's got maybe 8 hockey cliches lined up with an over the top delivery.

Subban and Messier are fine but it seems like they're just trying to copy paste their NBA broadcast blueprint to hockey

 

[DapperCam]

I liked Subban between periods. He’s very natural/comfortable in front of a camera. Especially compared to other ex-players.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Matt Ress]

Anyone notice late in the 3rd, Thompson entered the Ozone and couldn't get around the defender to the middle of the ice but tossed him into the corner with one hand? Maybe 2nd last shift from that line. That's the Tage Rage we need more of

 

[Dubi Doo]

G: 1st Period

B: 2nd Period

U: 3rd Period

Interesting. What was bad about the second period? I thought they looked good up until Tampa score.

Also, I wouldn't call the third period ugly. Tampa wasn't running up the scoring chances. Buffalo seemed to do a good job at limiting those chances. I also like that they started creating offensive zone pressure about halfway through the third.

I was able to attend the game last night and told my wife that the three stars should be Dahlin, Levi and Mittelstadt. Though I figured at least one star would go to Cozens because of the game winning goal.

Dahlin was amazing. I thought he was the best player on the ice. Great puck movement, electrifying when on the offensive and really strong defensively.

I loved watching Mitts too and kept wondering how this guy doesn't always get the respect that he's earned. That's because much of what he does is subtle and flies under the radar - and yesterday, I made a point of focusing on his play. The puck control, the ability turn the right way along the boards and come out with the puck, making the right pass, being in the right place, not afraid to mix it up - these are some of the things he does well that are often overlooked with casual viewing - but are essential to winning hockey games. So glad that he's come this far in spite of how he'd been used in the past and the negativity that surrounded him from much of the fan base. He definitely needs to be re-signed.

I loved watching Levi play and from my seats in row 5 of section 100, had a close look at him for two periods. What I saw was an exciting goalie, making great saves, working hard to see the puck, making good decisions relative to stopping play, very athletic and quick. I thought he had a strong game, despite the goal with 7 seconds left. There was such a scrum there that all I could see was the puck go in. I liked his post game comments as well - acknowledging the team effort.

I thought Greenway had a strong game as well.

This is why I want to re-sign Mitts. He brings a lot of what our other centers lack, and you mentioned many of those qualities. We essentially have a strong defensive player with slick hands and the ability to find the open man even when pressured.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I will agree that Callahan has no charisma at all. Like a kids see n' say toy where he's got maybe 8 hockey cliches lined up with an over the top delivery.

Subban and Messier are fine but it seems like they're just trying to copy paste their NBA broadcast blueprint to hockey

The ESPN broadcast team are all "4th liners" in their field. They're fine, they keep the lights on and just give you the basics. But certainly nothing there to make you want to come back, much less anything that approaches "exciting" or "interesting."

 

[Mattilaus]

Anyone notice late in the 3rd, Thompson entered the Ozone and couldn't get around the defender to the middle of the ice but tossed him into the corner with one hand? Maybe 2nd last shift from that line. That's the Tage Rage we need more of

I was thinking the same thing when it happened "If he ever figures out he can do this every shift to almost every opposing player, we will have a top 5 player in the league"

 

[TageGod]

Anyone notice late in the 3rd, Thompson entered the Ozone and couldn't get around the defender to the middle of the ice but tossed him into the corner with one hand? Maybe 2nd last shift from that line. That's the Tage Rage we need more of

I am seeing an effort to be more physical. Tage is just calibrating. Top line will return to form within next 2 games.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

I will agree that Callahan has no charisma at all. Like a kids see n' say toy where he's got maybe 8 hockey cliches lined up with an over the top delivery.

Subban and Messier are fine but it seems like they're just trying to copy paste their NBA broadcast blueprint to hockey

The PBP guy had equal amounts of enthusiasm for big play from either team. Callahan was unabashedly cheering for the Bolts.

He spoke highly of some Sabres (i.e. Tuch) between plays but his true emotions showed during big moments.

I'd like to see Messier take over the HNIC first period intermission on Saturday nights. He's good on camera and has credibility.

 

[BUCKSHOT]

He was the perfect add to provide veteran leadership to the back end. Id love to hear why he chose buffalo outside of money of course.

EJ said in an interview that Okposa sold him on the Sabres (they've been friends/played hockey together since they were 8 years old)

 

[brian_griffin]

Are pleated pants coming back? I've never cared whether flat fronts or pleats are in style, but I saved a couple pairs of pleated pants from years ago, just in case.

 

[BFLO]

He was the perfect add to provide veteran leadership to the back end. Id love to hear why he chose buffalo outside of money of course.

If Johnson was telling the truth about better offers elsewhere, I'm guessing they only beat the Sabres offer by $500k>, and were from basement dwellers.

Would a guy on his last legs, who has made $63,000,000 in his career want to make an extra $500k to play on the tanking Sharks or Blackhawks? Or $500k less to play on the possibly resurgent Sabres?

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Anyone notice late in the 3rd, Thompson entered the Ozone and couldn't get around the defender to the middle of the ice but tossed him into the corner with one hand? Maybe 2nd last shift from that line. That's the Tage Rage we need more of

I laughed out loud when he did that

 

[Dingo44]

Are pleated pants coming back? I've never cared whether flat fronts or pleats are in style, but I saved a couple pairs of pleated pants from years ago, just in case.

They are never coming back.

When I worked for a Japanese company over a decade ago, they gave us all basically a uniform - 10 shirts from a choice of four colors and either short or long sleeve, and 8 pairs of pleated khaki pants. This is in 2007, mind you.

I only chose the long sleeve shirts (don't want to look like an engineer) and I bought my own flat front khaki pants and never wore the pleated ones. No one ever noticed other than a few women told me I looked more "put together" than the rest for some reason.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

That's what we want to see.

 

[Gras]

He was the perfect add to provide veteran leadership to the back end. Id love to hear why he chose buffalo outside of money of course.

He wanted to play with his old roommate