Buffalo Rick

This year the Flyers have shown signs of improvement. This might be a very good game Monday night. Both teams can score. It will be the first time I've seen the Flyers in a while. My Sabres are knocking on the door. Young team is coming together led by Thompson and Tuch. Thompson is already in the all star game. Im voting for Dahlin and Tuch to get in as well. And this kid Owen Power is going to be some player. I have seen his ability to stickhandle and pass with the best of them. His defense needs work of course. He is a rookie. This team is very young and I see a ton of promise. I am not sure how Granato will handle things when he gets some injured players back. I would prefer they trade Jokuharu. Hinestroza can be used. He reallly works and is good with the puck. 5 point night for Dahlin last night. And Olofsson had a big night with the game winner and two goals. Thompson got his 31st. Luukenen played well.

Gee!!! Anyone notice I predicted the EXACT SCORE OF THIS GAME? Check the date stamp. 6-5!!!!!!!!! The crystal ball is working. Except in picking the damn Canes over Columbus. The team in red went down. Good. I hate them. Not the Wild. Have nothing against them and I think they are a very balanced team. They lack superstars however. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch have really developed some chemistry. Not sure i like them with Skinner. Skinner lacks their playmaking and stick handling ability. He he a goal scorer but I like Cozens with them more.

Ha, ok

Its not going to fly with some members, especially Mods like Pilldoc. They remember me from the days of the Philly Inquirer. Took down that site all by myself by trolling the hell out of it. Oh well. Those days of trolling are behind me. I learned from someone that taught me well. How to use proxy's for instance to invade sites you are kicked off. I burned up every library computer in Rochester NY once.

Ha

The Minnesota Wild come in Saturday night. This is a tough one. They are playing great, especially at home. They just whacked Tampa 5-1 and that is no easy task. If we win, I expect it to be like 6-5

I took Boston in that one. But the Dallas stars losing to Anaheim was the last one I needed. And the Stars screwed me. Likely stoned by Gibson. I only checked the score in the middle of the night. I did have the Rangers and Devils hammered on a two teamer. Been killing Drafkings. Fanduel does not pay even close to what Draftkings pays. Some other books are not yet available in NY state. I had the Rangers over the Canadians last night. Who is the coach in Montreal? He is on very think ice. Guaranteed. Wash over Columbus was another gift. Just bet against Montreal and Columbus and you will do well. I took a shot with Nashville and I read that Saros made a record 67 saves. Man, escaped. Carolina looks tough.

Well I am called HJ here, much to my dislike, as I would prefer to be called Buffalo Rick which I use elsewhere. So Ryan Miller will be honored, his banner raised to the roof in Buffalo, as the best American born goalie of all time will make a special post retirement visit. Ryan, you are not going to be remembered as an Anaheim Duck. EVER. You are going to be remembered as , well I must give Hasek respect here and say one of the top two goalies to ever wear the blue and gold in Buffalo. It's too bad this young Sabres team that is on the rise does not have Miller now. But he had a good team in front of him. I wonder how many of them will be there? Pommenville and Roy I would hope? Two guys that came up from Rochester. Maybe Vanek? I doubt Lindy will be there but I have not checked to see if his Devils are playing that night. The Islanders are in town the night his number is retired. He is the best breakaway stopping goalie I have ever seen. You were not going to beat him very often one on one. I really wish I could go that night but its doubtful.

I got screwed , blued, and tattooed by the Dallas Stars ️. Cost me an 8 team parlay! $120. But I did win over $100 on DraftKings’s on Devils finishing of some others. DraftKings odds far better than Fanduel. Fanduel shaving lines!!! Love Rangers tonight over reeling Canadans! Also like Washington over Columbus.

Yes I was a bit shocked by that too. But it is there in writing. The Sabres have the respect for two reasons. Tage Thompson and the fact they have scored more goals, than ANYONE.

The Sabres, inspired by recent events with the Buffalo Bills, word shirts that had number 3, Hamlin’s number , into the arena and beat Ovy and his Caps on Tage Thompson”s hat trick goal in OT ! The Sabres climbed to 10 in new power rankings, even 5 places higher than Lindy Ruff’s Devils. The recent play of Luukenen has really helped. And Tuch has been a big part also.

Heroes in this game? Cozzens, Luukenen, and Tuch for sure. Down 3-2 with approx 4 minutes left, the Sabres were hit with two penalties and Boston had a two minute 5 on 3. It sure looked gloomy. I thought it was over I must confess. After Luukenen stood on his head and they killed the penalties, Cozzens and Tuch then took over and in OT Tuch ended it!! What a win! It was the Sabres 6th in a row. Now they go to Ottawa on a back to back. I just hope they stop the celebration in time for puck drop. I wonder if Granato gave them the green light to have a few? They sure earned it. I thought Own Power played a solid game also. Luukenen has been lights out of late. No doubt it will be another guy in nets tonight, so it will be interesting to see if its Anderson or Comrie? This was one of the sweetest wins in some time. In another life, a different Sabres team many years ago I remember them hanging 10 on the Rangers in Buffalo on New Years Eve. It must have been in the 90s I forget, but ages ago. This one is sure sweet. Sending Marchant home unhappy.

How are these LA Kings doing it? Someone recently stated how bad their goaltending has been? How bad can it be if they are 21-12? Unreal. They won 5-4 vs a very underachieving Colorado team which is still without McKinnon as far as I know? But you would expect the defending Cup champs to be better than this. The Kings and Kracken have been surprising. I am still not a believer though.

Well the Sabres took care of the Red Wings once again. They are a point back of them even though they are 3-0 vs them. One game in hand. Ill temper my enthusiasm as we go into the snake pit in Boston tomorrow. We outplayed them the last time we played them, in Buffalo, and still lost the game. Horrible goaltending did us in in the final minutes. Yes, Luukenen has been better. Last night though the Sabres had a 5-0 lead and then very predictably went to sleep and allowed them to score a few. The game was never in doubt though. But of course the Red Wings had erased a 4-0 deficit to the Penguins the night before an stole one in Pittsburgh. I am hoping we can pull the upset in Boston. If Ottawa can beat them, so can we. And we have a back to back, with the New Years game in Ottawa. New Years Eve is in Boston. i wonder if Granato will allow any drinking if they play well in Boston. Are there curfews in sports any more? I highly doubt it. Lots of Irish bars will be open late in Boston.

YES

If I were to bet on it, I would say Owen Power is a go tonight Not Bryson. Power will be a sight for sore eyes. The well rested Sabres will host a Red Wings team that pulled off a dramatic comeback win in Pittsburgh. Down 4-0 it was all over. For Pittsburgh. I actually have to give the Red Wings a ton of credit for this one. Husso was in goal so that means whoever the backup is, he will play in Buffalo tonight. The Sabres have a 4 game winning streak. They lost a game on the schedule that they likely would have won, at Columbus. Should be made up later. Probably in the spring. I am hoping they come out flying, but their best period has been the third. Average goaltending should get the job done. The Red Wings might lost their legs in the third? Go Sabres!!!!

Except me. Still pissed at Adams. And I have his brand new number 9 Jersey . Don’t forget we have Alex Tuch and the kid Power to help also. I still think the Eichel thing never should have happened. Vegas sure needs him. One of best teams when he is in lineup. Won at Boston

Goaltending horrible until recently. Luukenen has played better. Comrie on IR

I have not looked but I know we are ahead of Flyers

NOBODY , even Boston who are 2nd, have scored more goals than the Buffalo Sabres. Not Toronto, not Tampa, not Vegas, not Edmonton, NOBODY. We even have a better goals against than Edmonton! As I have stated, goaltending is the biggest issue but Luukenen has improved. Anderson has been up and down, on and off. Comrie remains on IR. Personally I would stick with Luukenen of the 3. Power and Brysen are out injured, and that does not help either. But I am very happy that Lawrence Pilut is playing. I do not like this other guy much, Lyubushkin or however he spells his ridiculous name. And Jokuaru? I hate to see anyone injured but I do NOT MISS him. Samuelson has been good. Of course Dahlin is the leader and QB and I cannot complain about him any more. Power and him give us a good future at the position and so too Bryson who can fly. I am not sure how they are ranking the others but Samuelson and Pilut would be in my plans. Fitzgerald is ok. But certainly expendable. Tage Thompson and Skinner lead the way in scoring with help from some youngsters, Quinn, Paterka, Cozens and Krebs to name a few and of course Alex Tuch

Yes and Quinn and Paterka are not bad either. Power is playing great too. Some real great assists he has made. Power and Bryson both out right now. Bryson is no slouch either and Dahlin is having a great year. too. Luukenen seems to be improving? I hope. But if he goes South again, we need to pull a deal on a goalie. They just won at Colorado and at Vegas. Now granted McKinnon is out and so is Eichel That likely helped. But Ill take them. Now home to wear the red and black vs the Lightning. I am going to make a prediction that Jack Quinn gets at least one in that game.

Yes I’d prefer we could compete with big market teams and have two proven vet goalies. I hope I’m wrong about Luukenen like I was wrong about Tage Thompson. Luukenen was bad for a stretch. Now he beats Avs and Vegas on the road. Hope he keeps it going. No idea who Granato throws in Friday. I took your Flyers over Columbus tonight

Sabres have actually caught Florida in the standing with a game in hand. But its going to take a big winning streak to catch a playoff team. Islanders or Penguins only teams I can really see them trying to catch. Washington is on the outside barely I believe. Washington has seen its best days. They are in decline I believe. But still a tough defensive team. The Islanders are a mystery. Very good at times and sleep walking at other times. Go Sabres

Luukenen plays lights out as Sabres beat Vegas in sin city. The Sabres have moved to two over 500. I hope they beat Tampa Friday. But either way, the schedule softens up a bit after Tampa.