[Incomplete Title] Sabres (21-12-5) & NHL 2018-19 - Game 39 (MSG-B) vs. BOS (20-14-4) at 7 PM ET on 12/29

[Doc]

Thanks. 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[BillsFan4]

3 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

 

 

Quote

"Honestly, I don’t want to sound arrogant or anything, but it’s expected right now," defenseman Jake McCabe said. "That’s kind of the way things have been going for us."

 

That is huge for this team and it shows me that they really are turning a corner in their rebuild.

 

It’s been years since there’s been that expectation to win among the players. I have heard countless guys talk about it after being traded away - how there is an expectation to win on their new team and how that wasn’t the case in Buffalo. 

 

I just hope that feeling sticks (and I’m cautiously optimistic it will). 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

8 hours ago, TPS said:

What a change from last year when a shootout meant a certainty of losing...

 

Right ! When what's his name first round pick gave up goals like a homeless person.

 

6 hours ago, PrimeTime101 said:

 

We have this amazing 9 game win streak and you post this? I don't care how we won 9 games in a row. we won them yes? We have had 2 games in this run that didn't go into OT. Personally I think us going into OT/Shootouts and consistently winning has helped the Sabres have more faith in themselves. We have young players on this team with so much to learn, getting used to each other's habits. This team is #1 this morning, something no person thought would happen during this year yet your hear and this is your reply? Someone with over 24k posts can surely do better then this.

 

Great expectations !

 

 

[K-9]

Still can’t talk after ruining my throat at Wednesday’s and Friday’s games. Just got back from taking my kids back home to DC. After streaming last night’s game, I think the best thing about this nine game streak is that they’re doing it without playing great hockey for much of it. There is a TON of room for improvement and that’s just gonna happen naturally. But those intangibles that matter so much; things like resiliency and playing well under pressure when it matters most are things that just can’t be coached. This team has those components in spades.  

 

When they actually figure out what they’re doing, look out league.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 hours ago, K-9 said:

Still can’t talk after ruining my throat at Wednesday’s and Friday’s games. Just got back from taking my kids back home to DC. After streaming last night’s game, I think the best thing about this nine game streak is that they’re doing it without playing great hockey for much of it. There is a TON of room for improvement and that’s just gonna happen naturally. But those intangibles that matter so much; things like resiliency and playing well under pressure when it matters most are things that just can’t be coached. This team has those components in spades.  

 

When they actually figure out what they’re doing, look out league.

They have tempo of game the last nine nailed down.  When to coast, conserve and then when to pour it on.

 

This will serve them well in playoffs.

 

And 3 on 3 hockey is so dynamic with this group... Even if they have to go to OT... They are so well served.  Same with not having total cans of soup perched in between the pipes too!!! 

[JohnC]

What has impressed me a lot about Housley is how he has handled the young players. He has steadily increased their roles as they gain experience and confidence. Dahlin is in a separate category by himself in which the coach has allowed him to work his way up to the second pairing and now includes him in the PP. There isn't much to add to what has already been said about him. As long as he can stay healthy he undoubtedly is going to be great because of his natural ability and his desire and work ethic to be great. 

 

With Mittelstadt you see him steadily get better each game. And you can see his confidence growing with the way he has more aggressively handled the puck. His offensive skills are evident. But what has made me more optimistic about him is that he is playing hard on both ends of the rink. That shows you that even as a young player he is a responsible player. Playing him with Okposo on his line was a smart move. When they are on the bench Okposo is constantly talking to him. 

 

The player who has most recently captured my eye is Tage Thompson.  Housley didn't just throw him out on the ice right away but worked with him in practice. He and the staff coached him up in practice so that when he got an opportunity to play he would make the best of that opportunity.  From an offensive standpoint Tage has it all. He can skate, shoot and stick handle. The primary concern was his defensive effort. This tall and lean youngster certainly is not a thumper but he is putting in the effort to be a responsible two way player. Over the past few games he has demonstrated that he can be an offensive threat that will help spread the scoring beyond the top line. 

 

It's going to be exciting to watch these young players get better as the season advances and hopefully be instrumental in our playoff run and beyond. This is exciting! 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

[Mark Vader]

21 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

 

Peter DeBoer and Evander Kane Get Ejected for Abusing Official - Sportsnet.ca

As a Sharks fan I can obviously state that this was a rough one for the Sharks after they had just completed a strong home stand with a 4-1-1 record.

 

The Sharks have played very good so far this season. D Erik Karlsson has been a big help despite only scoring 2 goals. The biggest surprise has been the emergence of RW Timo Meier. He is currently tied with a team leading 13 goals.

The line up of C Logan Couture, RW Joonas Donskoi & LW Evander Kane has been a strong group.

Then there's the usual suspects: Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Tomas Hertl, Marc Eduoard-Vlasic, & Mike Jones.

 

The Sharks have a very good mix of veterans and youth, and they are a force to be reckoned with.

 

Now comes the test of surviving what Sharks fans refer to as "The Buffalo Curse". No matter what the Buffalo Sabres bring to the ice, the Sharks have a very poor record against the Sabres.

In their 25+ years of existence I believe that the Sharks have beaten the Sabres in Buffalo a grand total of 3 times.

 

This should be an exciting game.

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

As a Sharks fan I can obviously state that this was a rough one for the Sharks after they had just completed a strong home stand with a 4-1-1 record.

 

The Sharks have played very good so far this season. D Erik Karlsson has been a big help despite only scoring 2 goals. The biggest surprise has been the emergence of RW Timo Meier. He is currently tied with a team leading 13 goals.

The line up of C Logan Couture, RW Joonas Donskoi & LW Evander Kane has been a strong group.

Then there's the usual suspects: Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Tomas Hertl, Marc Eduoard-Vlasic, & Mike Jones.

 

The Sharks have a very good mix of veterans and youth, and they are a force to be reckoned with.

 

Now comes the test of surviving what Sharks fans refer to as "The Buffalo Curse". No matter what the Buffalo Sabres bring to the ice, the Sharks have a very poor record against the Sabres.

In their 25+ years of existence I believe that the Sharks have beaten the Sabres in Buffalo a grand total of 3 times.

 

This should be an exciting game.

And rightly so. The Knoxes & BFLo were shut out of the 1967 expansion for a weak (@ that time) Bay Area hockey market. It would take 20 years, more people into California for the Bay Area to be a viable hockey market.  Yet, the "Seals Experiment" in the late 1960s & early 1970s was allowed to take place.

 

The curse is justified.  The Bay Area, League, Toronto market squabbling stole the first round of expansion from Buffalo in 1967.  Buffalo should have had one of the first expansion teams in 1967.  Instead, the League awarded a franchise to the Oakland Seals (California Golden Seals).  Buffalo had to wait 3 years later to 1970 to get the Sabres.  I think the Knox Brothers (original owners of Sabres) even helped run the Seals prior to Sabres.

 

It was the first of the screw jobs the League committed on BFLo... Obviously "No Goal" being numero uno.

[ExiledInIllinois]

 

 

I hope to live to the day when the Sabres finally stick it up the League's azz...

 

Maybe we'll all get lucky sooner than later with the talent the Sabres recently assembled.  I am getting sick and tired of watching less deserving markets win out.  Call it an "edge", bitterness... But the hard feelings, IMO, are justified.  It's a passionate market I root for.  The League's been "crooked" since it's inception, all the O6 dealings, and beyond, etc...

 

Maybe a little market with truly great fans can finally break on through... But I am not holding my breath.  They will be some way that things get FUBAR'd.

 

LoL... WOW.  I am so edgy, I sound like a Trump supporter.  Gotta keep an eye to the sky and watch out for the black ops helos!  Conspiracy theories getting thick! ?

[26CornerBlitz]

11-26: Jason Pominville with Howard and Jeremy on WGR (8:39)

 

#Sabres forward Jason Pominville joins Howard and Jeremy right now on WGR! Tune in:

 

Pominville on the 9-game win streak - it's been a lot of fun. Everyone has had to put a lot of work into where we are now, but I'm happy for the guys. To finally get a taste of what the city is about when we're winning is great to see. #Sabres

 

Pominville - I still think there's another level that we can reach, but to see the level of support from everyone here is a lot of fun for us. #Sabres

 

Pominville - when you're winning, it's much easier to show up to the rink every day and have fun. #Sabres

 

Pominville - I thought we were going to be better this season, we couldn't be any worse from where we were last year. Our goaltending has been phenomenal, they're giving us a chance to win every night. (1/2) #Sabres

 

Pominville - We have the depth up front, and to have Bogosian and McCabe healthy is huge, and to add Dahlin is huge. You look at the roister now, you can see why we're having so much success. (2/2) #Sabres

 

Pominville - last year, we'd go into our shell if we didn't get the start that we wanted. Now, it's trusting each other and trusting what we've worked on so hard to get this point. We just keep doing what we know helps us be successful and win hockey games. #Sabres

 

Pominville on Dahlin - Expectations were pretty high, he looked like the real deal with his skating, puck handling and his offensive instincts this summer. You can see he's improved a lot already this season. He's the real package and he's been a lot of fun to play with. #Sabres

 

Pominville - we have many young guys on this roster, but they're helping us win games and they're already getting better. It's been a blast to be a part of. #Sabres
 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

16 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

 

Couldn't have happened to a better guy.

 

Hextall...Jerkus Maximus.

 

[BillsFan4]

Wow, I am kind of surprised to see Hextall let go. 

 

The Flyers finally took a patient approach to building their roster and I think it was just starting to pay off. I thought they were close to being a really good team If they could just get a goalie (at least until Hart is ready to take over) and possibly a better coach. 

 

But I Totally forgot that Paul Holmgren was still even there... and actually, I am surprised he has been patient this long. He was never once for having much of any patience.

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[plenzmd1]

^^^^^^

 

why would they be projected @ 96 points? Or is that the point total expected to be the 2nd wild card?

[eball]

1 minute ago, plenzmd1 said:

^^^^^^

 

why would they be projected @ 96 points? Or is that the point total expected to be the 2nd wild card?

 

It's whatever algorithm they're using based upon perceived team strength, remaining schedule, and record to date.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

TSN Power Rankings: Sabres Keep Finding Ways to Win

 

What a difference a year makes for the red-hot Buffalo Sabres.

 

Last year after their first 24 games of the season, the Sabres were 6-14-4 and the worst-ranked team in TSN's weekly 7-Eleven Power Rankings. Buffalo went on to finish dead last in the overall NHL standings in 2017-18 with just 25 wins and 62 points.

 

Twenty-four games into the 2018-19 season, the Sabres look like a legitimate playoff contender. They’re 16-6-2 and on a nine-game winning streak – one off their franchise record set in 1983-84 and matched again in 2006-07 – to move up four spots to No. 1 this week in our 7-Eleven Power Rankings, according to consensus rankings formulated by the TSN Power Ranking panel of Ray Ferraro, Jeff O’Neill, Jamie McLennan, Craig Button and Darren Dreger.

 

The Sabres, ranked No. 24 in our second Power Rankings of the season, could turn out to be this season’s version of the 2017-18 Colorado Avalanche. The Avs finished dead last in 2016-17 and then made the playoffs last year. The Sabres also look like a team that’s on track to reach the postseason (for the first time in eight seasons) after finishing dead last the previous season. They’re getting first-rate goaltending from Carter Hutton (11-6-1, .919 save percentage) and Linus Ullmark (5-0-1, .926 SV%) while the additions of No. 1 draft pick Rasmus Dahlin and former Carolina Hurricane Jeff Skinner (also a former No. 1 pick and Calder Trophy winner) have complemented captain Jack Eichel, who leads the team in scoring with 28 points.