Happy Friday!
The Sabres are… a force to be reckoned with.
What started as a somewhat depressing night, watching player intros echo throughout KeyBank Center for the 8467 in attendance, quickly became an electric one.
By the end, those same 8467 sounded like 20,000: counting the Sabres goals aloud and singing the Canadiens home goodbye.
On the ice, the team was everything you could’ve hoped for. The attacking, aggressive mindset instilled by Granato was evident, and it felt like the Sabres were in full control.
Keeping it real: it was only game one. Montreal was coming off a back-to-back and playing their 3rd string goaltender. But it was fun! So sulk it up and enjoy the ride.
Let’s dive into it.
Record: 1-0 | Division: t-1st | League: t-1st
(xGF%) Expected Goals-For Percentage: 69.90% (2nd in the NHL)
(5v5 GF%) 5v5 Goals-For Percentage: 66.67% (8th in the NHL)
Quote of the Night
Craig Anderson: “It starts with Donny putting together a plan that works for the guys we have in this room.”
I want to start here.
Guys.. I think they might have a good coach.
This roster is not talented or experienced enough to be taken as a threat this season, but it appears they have a coach who can make them competitive most nights.
Anderson hits the nail right on the head: the most evident difference since Granato took over last season is simply playing to their strengths.
We saw it in Rasmus Dahlin. We saw in Casey Mittelstadt. And now we might just be seeing it throughout an entire lineup.
To expand on this from Anderson, “It’s not about what you don’t have, it’s about what you do have.”
One of the most frustrating things about Ralph Krueger’s system was that it neutered the strengths the players did have.
Veterans like Okposo and Skinner look rejuvenated, and that’s a good sign the coach is pushing the right buttons.
Tweet of the Night
Still laughing.
Quick Hits
Casey Mittelstadt left the game early with an upper-body injury.
Multi-point games from: Skinner, Bryson, Miller, Girgensons.
Newly acquired defenseman Robert Hagg had 6 blocked shots.
Dylan Cozens played one of his best games as a pro despite being held off the scoresheet.
Nice to see Zemgus hit the scoresheet in his first game back in a while.
How about Craig Anderson? It’s only one game, but he looked like he was 25 last night. He had 30 saves in the win.
Pun intended — Cody Eakin came out with his hair on fire last night. He wasn’t kidding, huh?
Yes, we still have to talk about Jack Eichel.
Even before last night’s game, some major bomb shells were dropped from Emily Kaplan on ESPN’s “The Point,” about Jack Eichel nearly being traded this past week.
Here’s what Kaplan had to say:
Last Thursday, there was serious optimism that a trade was imminent. Then on Friday, things went quiet.
5 teams remain ‘in’ on Eichel.
Each of these teams will allow him to get his preferred disc-replacement surgery and can fit him into their cap situation.
Looking Ahead
We meet again. 🐺
If the wheels do fall off the Sabres this season, we’re probably looking back at this game in April.
The Coyotes are abysmal.