Les Sabres perdent : 4 – 1
[Recap/Boxscore](https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/2022020694)
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Discussion d’après-match : Panthers de la Floride contre les Sabres de Buffalo – 16 janvier 2023
15 Comments
Looks like they thought they had MLK day off. Guess it’s not too surprising since it seems like Florida has had our number their entire existence.
There won’t be any meaningful games in March, yet again.
The Sabres got punked today. these teams are starting to figure out that you can basically do anything to the Sabres and they won’t do anything about it. The only player who sticks up for anyone is tuch and dahlin. Not the guys you want to be doing that sort of stuff. This team needs something.
Every time this team gives me a bit of hope it gets ripped right out from under me. Maybe next year? Getting tired of saying this.
Our third and fourth lines can’t be the best lines on the ice. It’s great when they play well but our scoring lines need to score for the team to win. Tage has been indecisive with the puck lately, thinking of making a play rather than just taking the shot. Cozens remains consistent however Quinn and Peterka aren’t quite where they need to be yet. I think they are still trying to score the pretty goal when they just need to get the puck to the net with some bodies in front.
Sabres made that way to easy on them. They had the majority of possession time and managed to get out chanced and out shot significantly.
Not a lot of observations from me today, other than I want to give a shout to KO, who was awesome today.
Just an ugly game overall. I don’t think the team played as bad as everyone is going to say but they definitely didn’t play well. I wish they had the same urgency the entire game as they did for the last 10, where they dominated. Quick rebound, hopefully a better game tomorrow against a very bad team.
This game started to make me feel concerned for the Sabres because it looks all the teams in the nhl are figuring out how to stop the Sabres from winning lately
Trying to keep in mind that the original mantra this year was progress and not playoffs. While we’re taking steps forward, the lack of consistency from game to game is concerning.
I’m also not a big believer in enforcers but when you have quick, skilled offensive players the best way to shut that down is to be physical. We have to have at least somewhat of a physical presence so that teams can’t just run us over at will.
Brutal effort against a team where you needed a win. Dropped 4 of your last 5, they’ve gotta pick it up, the top lines have to start producing more, we live and die by them and it’s evident.
Chicago, NYI, Anaheim, Dallas, st Louis, Winnipeg and Minnesota are the games left in January. The next 3 are must wins, you cannot drop any of those, simple as that. Minimum of 5 wins to close out the month or else you are looking at another March where the games just don’t matter
So can we all agree that Mitts has some real incriminating stuff on Granato?
He was second among forwards in TOI and was an absolute train wreck through two periods (I know, lots of players struggled, but his was comically bad).
4 straight home loses. People in this city aren’t rich and I feel bad for the people who spent good money, maybe taking the whole family, just to see that dogshit performance. And people wonder why the place sounds like a library and is half empty a lot of nights.
God the fuck all damn it
Other teams are figuring out that you can shut down the Sabres by:
1. Running a hard neutral zone trap
2. Having constant pressure on Thompson to shut him down.
3. Playing physical and scrappy in the corners.
Unfortunately, it’s not a hard game plan to implement. We surprised teams in the first half of the year, but now we have to learn to beat teams that are expecting us.
We’re just past the first week of FOUR WEEKS of playing four out of every seven days. This stretch may very well be where the Sabres off-season chances die this year, and I say that as a typically optimistic fan.
I think Granato needs to switch up the lines and get some new blood flowing:
Skinner-Thompson-Okposo
Krebs-Cozens-Tuch
Oloffson-Mittsy-Quinn
Girgs-Jost-Peterka
Here’s my thought process. Okie will bring some discipline to the top line. They’ve been cheating a bit out of frustration to score, and Okie will help them find their game and play the right way.
Tuch goes down not because he’s the worst performer, but because he’s arguably the best right now. The speed and forecheck is going to give Cozens someone who can keep up with him and establish two scoring threats. I like Krebs on this line because he’s learned to play hard, so he can keep up with this forechecking line, plus he has the vision to get either of his line mates the puck. Plus, he has some good chemistry with Tuchy.
I’ve really liked Oloffson and Mittsy’s game recently, they are both harder on the puck but need someone to help them take it to the middle. I think Quinn makes this line really scary as a goalie, a great shot can come from anywhere on the ice.
Lastly, Peterka needs to learn what Krebs learned earlier in the season, so put him down with Girgs and Jost for a bit to learn the ropes. His speed will be a great asset there.
It’s still a growing year. Playoffs would be awesome obviously, but we have to remember we’re really setting up for next year to be top of the league. I like to see them doing actual hockey things unlike the dark ages and it makes me confident we’re in the right direction and just need to move a few pieces. We’re right at the cusp of being scary good.