Sabres lineup was tweaked last night, some players likely rested for Tampa game today?

[Buffalo Rick]

Hinestroza did not play and Comrie will no doubt start tonight in Tampa.  Im sure Granato had to sit someone. Maybe it was Vinnie's turn.  Comrie is obvioulsy the number one guy right now. So for reasons beyond me, Granato maybe looked at the game the night before seeing Carolina put like 54 shots on Tampa net?  Vasilevsky had a great game in an OT loss . Not sure if he plays tonight?  The Sabres should be fine.  They are young and they are best in the third period.  It should serve them well having to play in two tough buildings back to back.  I would not count them out tonight.  Dahlin found the net again and Power continues to impress.  That kid is going to be  a monster.  Right now Thompson and Tuch are monsters.  And so is Olofsson if you set him up like the highlight reel goal Power set him up with vs the Penguins.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

In this match up, I am interested in seeing how the young, high ceiling defensemen do for each team:

For Buffalo, the top guy in terms of skill is of course, Rasmus Dahlin.
I have been very impressed with not only his play the last couple seasons, but he is growing in other areas as well...leadership, decision making, and even a bit of swagger and sandpaper has been added to his game.
Then Owen Power, whose talent leaves little doubt he can make it in this league, although he has looked at times, very much like a green rookie out there. He reminds me a bit of Victor Hedman when Hedder started out: big, smooth skater, all the talent and potential, but still had to go through his growing pains to be the Norris caliber defensemen he turned out to be.

If Power is on that path (or maybe better if he learns the NHL faster), then the Sabres have a cornerstone d-man for the next 10-15 years.

 

On the Tampa Bay side, Mikhail Sergachev, still just 24, but he is now a "grizzled, young" veteran. He has had his minutes carefully picked out and sheltered...until this season.
No Ryan McDonagh means the Bolts will need another defensemen besides Hedman, that can play a two way game, and Sergachev just got a new contract to go along with the bigger responsibilities he will be asked to handle.
He will be key if the Bolts want another Cup out of the current core.

And finally, Nick Perbix for the Bolts, still only 24 as well. Former college defenseman who spent a handful of games in the AHL after college, and has finally gotten the call to play at the NHL level where he has looked pretty good.
Decent sized (6'2, 200 pounds), good skater, and seems every calm and confident for a guy who previously only iced against college level and AHL level competition.
He looks to be more the defensive type player, although while in college, put up some decent offensive numbers as well.

So yea, former champs taking on young lions looking to BE champs should be fun, and for me, those 4 young men are the ones to watch and see how they play, in addition to the usual star players both sides have.

[Buffalo Rick]

Sabres deserved a better end last night.  If we had Dahlin in lineup with 3 minutes left and score 3-3, they would have gotten to OT.  That dumb ass whose name starts with an L simply had to go down and block the shot and we would have stopped them.  We will get payback in Buffalo.  It doesn’t sound like Dahlin will be out long but who knows.  Thompson seemed a bit tired likely from the Carolina game the night before.  We owe those bitch’s too

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Sabres deserved a better end last night.  If we had Dahlin in lineup with 3 minutes left and score 3-3, they would have gotten to OT.  That dumb ass whose name starts with an L simply had to go down and block the shot and we would have stopped them.  We will get payback in Buffalo.  It doesn’t sound like Dahlin will be out long but who knows.  Thompson seemed a bit tired likely from the Carolina game the night before.  We owe those bitch’s too

 

That game was quite entertaining.
It's been a very long time since I've seen a Buffalo Sabres team with the kind of unity, jump, and desire to compete as a team that they showed last night.

Unfortunately for them, some of the Tampa Bay players are finally finding their game (Hagel, Paul, Perbix), while some chemistry may be in the works for the more established lines. That means trouble for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
No one in Buffalo should be disappointed in the kind of effort seen in this game, however, the Bolts did what they usually do to still 'green' competitors, and that is, take advantage of their mistakes.

I am pretty sure Rasmus Dahlin would have made some difference in the game, but outside of perhaps the first half of the game, guys like Tage Thompson and even Alex Tuch were pretty quiet.
And Kyle Okposo? Captain or not, the guy never was a finisher, he showed it again here, and is best suited to a grinding bottom six role.

Tampa Bay is nowhere near the level of their two NHL title teams, and probably a bit behind their Eastern Champion versions of last season, but they still have plenty to make life miserable for their opponents.....the key is having the guys who replaced McDonagh, Palat, and Rutta show up every night and for the TB star players to play as such.

Minus Dahlin, the other three defensemen I wanted to watch acquitted themselves pretty well.
Sergachev seemed on his game, though he could turn the puck over a bit less moving forward.... Perbix played his usual steady style and even potted the game winner.... Owen Power looked good and he probably got the toughest assignment of the three D-men: Covering Brayden Point!

Power did good work there, although there were more than a couple times Point worked him over skating wise. Owen will learn though. He has the size, and once he gets the hang of how to position himself properly, he will be almost impossible to get around.
Rasmus Ristolainen Power is NOT....but, that is a GOOD thing!  

[Buffalo Rick]

14 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

That game was quite entertaining.
It's been a very long time since I've seen a Buffalo Sabres team with the kind of unity, jump, and desire to compete as a team that they showed last night.

Unfortunately for them, some of the Tampa Bay players are finally finding their game (Hagel, Paul, Perbix), while some chemistry may be in the works for the more established lines. That means trouble for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
No one in Buffalo should be disappointed in the kind of effort seen in this game, however, the Bolts did what they usually do to still 'green' competitors, and that is, take advantage of their mistakes.

I am pretty sure Rasmus Dahlin would have made some difference in the game, but outside of perhaps the first half of the game, guys like Tage Thompson and even Alex Tuch were pretty quiet.
And Kyle Okposo? Captain or not, the guy never was a finisher, he showed it again here, and is best suited to a grinding bottom six role.

Tampa Bay is nowhere near the level of their two NHL title teams, and probably a bit behind their Eastern Champion versions of last season, but they still have plenty to make life miserable for their opponents.....the key is having the guys who replaced McDonagh, Palat, and Rutta show up every night and for the TB star players to play as such.

Minus Dahlin, the other three defensemen I wanted to watch acquitted themselves pretty well.
Sergachev seemed on his game, though he could turn the puck over a bit less moving forward.... Perbix played his usual steady style and even potted the game winner.... Owen Power looked good and he probably got the toughest assignment of the three D-men: Covering Brayden Point!

Power did good work there, although there were more than a couple times Point worked him over skating wise. Owen will learn though. He has the size, and once he gets the hang of how to position himself properly, he will be almost impossible to get around.
Rasmus Ristolainen Power is NOT....but, that is a GOOD thing!  

Power has been fabulous.  The  idiot that should have blocked the winning goal I would bench as soon as Dahlin is back.  If Dahlin was in we win that game.  You guys were lucky to win that game.  Thompson was burned out. He will be a different player at home.  Especially when Vegas comes in with Eichel on Thursday.  

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Power has been fabulous.  The  idiot that should have blocked the winning goal I would bench as soon as Dahlin is back.  If Dahlin was in we win that game.  You guys were lucky to win that game.  Thompson was burned out. He will be a different player at home.  Especially when Vegas comes in with Eichel on Thursday.  

 

Yes...just like the Bolts are 'lucky' to have won two straight titles, three straight East titles, and are 'lucky' to have a good management group in place that understands winning.
'Lucky' to have players who would take less to play on a winner.... 'lucky' to have good scouting and development systems in place..... and 'lucky' to still have a core in place that makes winning another Cup a real possibility.

I gave your team props, and have been for the last couple years.
But, your guys also still have to grow into their big boy pants and I am pretty sure NO ONE on the Sabres would say players on the Lightning are 'lucky' about anything, and each and every swingin Buffalo player would LOVE to be able to accomplish what some of the Bolts players have, and that is what they are working towards.

 

You could have just said, "GG" (because it was, regardless of the outcome for either team) and left it at that ya know.  

[Buffalo Rick]

1 minute ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

Yes...just like the Bolts are 'lucky' to have won two straight titles, three straight East titles, and are 'lucky' to have a good management group in place that understands winning.
'Lucky' to have players who would take less to play on a winner.... 'lucky' to have good scouting and development systems in place..... and 'lucky' to still have a core in place that makes winning another Cup a real possibility.

I gave your team props, and have been for the last couple years.
But, your guys also still have to grow into their big boy pants and I am pretty sure NO ONE on the Sabres would say players on the Lightning are 'lucky' about anything, and each and every swingin Buffalo player would LOVE to be able to accomplish what some of the Bolts players have, and that is what they are working towards.

 

You could have just said, "GG" (because it was, regardless of the outcome for either team) and left it at that ya know.  

Of course they have to grow up.  Guys like Paterka and Quinn are 21 , and Power.  They are all good now. In time this team will be very good.  Still need a goalie.  But they can compete now.  Blew out the Red Wings who suddenly have been playing good again.