Month: January 2023

Approximately at 10 o’clock last night, January 29 the NHL had a tweet of Top 10 Waiver Wire Pickups, who makes these recommendations, and do they even play fantasy Hockey I wonder rhetorically.

Number One Logan Couture

It is unlikely that Mr. Couture is actually on the waiver wire, this player averages 2.2 points per game and is already over 100 points earned total in fantasy this season, but if he was available picking this player up off the waiver wire is a no-brainer.

Number Two Andrew Mangiapane

No reason to pick up this player he is well behind last season’s pace and his total in fantasy is 1.3 points per game with 64.5 points total in 50 games this season, in his last five games one goal and four assists struggling to be average.

Number Three Kirill Marchenko

In 27 NHL games this season, Mr. Marchenko has scored 13 goals, and no assists, he will take a block and hit someone every game, averages 1.7 points per game in fantasy, and has taken only 50 shots on goal, a better overall game is required before acquiring.

Number Four Max Domi

 Mr. Domi in 48 games is averaging 1.5 points a game and earned 74 total fantasy points, he gives a hit or takes a block once every four games and has scored 14 goals with 21 assists there are still waiver wire players that earn more points, go with one of them instead.

Number Five Filip Chytil

A player worth putting on your watch list Mr. Chytil earns 1.8 points per game, will hit and block every game, and is a solid 20-goal scorer in the NHL, and in 41 games he has earned 72 total points, the only drawback is limited ice time.

Number Six Ridly Greig

Unless you have followed Mr. Greig in the WHL and AHL you are not determining in three NHL games if this player would be a positive pick up, in his first NHL game he took 8 SOG and earned an assist, utilize the watch list for now.

Number Seven Kyle Palmieri

Endeavor not to select players over 30 years of age, not that there are not some very productive thirty-something players in the NHL but unfortunately Mr. Palmieri is not one of them, he averages 1.3 points per fantasy game and coming back from injury, old and fragile, steer clear.

Number Eight Samuel Girard

An average NHL second-pairing defenseman Mr. Girard can hit and block with a possible assist every four games, and earning 1.5 fantasy points per game is not going to win any weekly matchups or playoff games, do not select.

Number Nine Daniel Vladar

Mr. Vladar a goaltender for the Calgary Flames a recent Buffalo Winter waiver wire acquisition on the 28th of January a goaltender that has won his last five starts.

In 19 games this season Mr. Vladar has built an 11-4-4 record with a 2.77 GAA and a .904 save percentage for a Calgary team playing for a wild card in the Western Conference, he produces positive fantasy points and could make a difference in the playoffs.

Number Ten Anton Forsberg

Mr. Forsberg runs hot and cold and has won less than half of his starts, an average NHL goalie who mostly remains just above a .900 save percentage but will let in three or four goals consistently, not a fantasy gem by any stretch, leave him on the waiver wire.

Both National anthems are performed and the Jets sported their reverse retro sweaters but that was about all the fans at the game had to cheer about as the Sabres put on a dominant display as they continue to win on the road.

Rookie defenseman Mr. Power makes Sabres history by scoring in three consecutive games with his third of the season past the halfway point of the first period to propel Buffalo into a 1-0 lead.

The Sabres continuously drove Winnipeg back into their zone and with a most impressive puck possession outshot the Jets 28-11 for two periods as Buffalo built a two-goal lead when Mr. Thompson scored his 34th goal approximately six minutes into the second period.  

Buffalo picked up right where they left off in the third by cycling high creating opportunities for defensemen to be open in the offensive zone and continuously putting pucks to the net while keeping their feet moving.

A Winnipeg player dangerously uses the butt end of his stick to hit Mr. Cozens in the neck/jaw area and is penalized after a lengthy review with roughing which the Jets head coach vehemently protests.

Mr. Cozens went to the locker room and did not return while the Sabres took advantage of the power play as Mr. Olofsson scores his 23rd goal of the season to give Buffalo a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead with less than half a period to go in the game.

Buffalo is penalized with six minutes remaining and just as Winnipeg pulls their goalie they score just under five minutes left for the 3-1 score than with three minutes in the game the Jets pull the goalie again and score again with less than a minute to go.

The clock is reset twice in the last minute of play and there is another empty net attack, Buffalo ices the puck then an offsides with a faceoff at the 1.1-second mark as the clock and time run out on Winnipeg and their hopeful fans.

Across the NHL last night fans showed their appreciation.

Not that I am a fashionista but it does seem inappropriate to wear midriff-exposing shirts in an ice Hockey arena during the middle of January, I appreciate the aesthetics provided but I paid money and prefer the Hockey game to distract me.  

After the Islanders scored to get within one of the Senators a jubilant New York fan has the Ottawa fans in stitches some are laughing so hard, I have no idea what the Mr. Potvin sweater-wearing fan said, but it must have been a good one.

Incredibly the Columbus Blue Jackets provided false hope to Edmonton fans.

Seattle after half a dozen attempts finally beat the Vancouver Canucks for the first time in their short existence and their fans were pumped.

Fans of all sports exhibit their emotional support of their teams, but Hockey Fans are the real deal, every day, every game, we hoot and holler sometimes until the neighbors call law enforcement, lol.

Football has marching bands and cheerleaders, soccer players pull their shirts over their heads when they score, voluptuous women rush onto baseball fields to kiss players, and basketball fans get bowled over and sometimes smacked by overpaid players along the sidelines.

Hockey fans have been treated to some of the aforementioned antics but overall Hockey gives exactly what the fans desire and that is Hockey!

Ironically the last time Buffalo won in St. Louis two days after Christmas 2009 it was by the same 5-3 score as last night when the Blues were sporting their Reverse Retro sweaters.

Mr. Skinner scored first as he reaches 20 goals for the ninth time in his career off of a beautiful pass from Mr. Thompson perfectly placed in the slot as Mr. Skinner uncontested snapped one in for the 1-0 lead exactly one minute into the game.

Only 25 seconds later the top line scores again with Mr. Tuch putting in his 23rd goal of the season off of another excellent pass this time from behind the net to earn his 90th point in his 97th game playing for Buffalo.

Immediately after this goal, St. Louis uses their time-out to take a breather and it worked for about ten minutes until rookie defenseman Mr. Power scored to give Buffalo the 3-0 lead.

The second period started out with Buffalo continuing to score as Mr. Thompson netted his 33rd goal to build Buffalo’s lead to 4-0 and Mr. Tuch with the primary assist earns his 91st point as he passes Sabres current color analyst Mr. Ray on the all-time Sabres scoring list.

Just as the announcer quips “Look out Luukkonen” the Blues score twice in a couple of minutes before the halfway point of the period and Buffalo tightens it up and closes out the period strong.

In the third period, St. Louis gets within one as they score with plenty of time remaining but Mr. Luukkonen was playing large and with 2:37 left the Blues pulled their goalie then with 106 seconds remaining they go on the power play creating a 6-on-4 advantage.

The advantage really is Buffalo’s because they can just shoot the puck down the ice at the empty net with no fear of icing.

From a Buffalo zone corner a Blues player passes blindly towards the slot where Mr. Cozens intercepts, bounces the puck off of the dasher board to himself, and then backhands it up towards the empty net from the red line scoring with 59.8 seconds remaining in the game.

Buffalo beat the Blues 5-3 to win back-to-back road games and head to Winnipeg for the third game Thursday night in this four-game road trip concluding Saturday night in Minnesota.

Last night in Texas Owen Power scores an opportune first goal of the season in Over Time versus Dallas to assist the Sabres in securing the first win in a four-game road trip that continues tonight in St. Louis Missouri to take on the Blues.

Mr. Dahlin is the second-highest-scoring defenseman in the NHL and he scored his 14^th of the season last night he also holds the position of Buffalo’s PIM leader and he surprisingly stayed out of the penalty box this contest.

Buffalo goaltender Mr. Anderson the oldest active player in the NHL earned a victory in his 700^th game with spectacular saves as the Sabres were outshot by the Stars in a game with numerous offensive opportunities at both ends of the ice.

The first period had it all, great saves by both goalies, and both teams scored with one on the power play and a 14 SOG 8 total, then the second period Buffalo outshoots Dallas but no goals or penalties for either team.

In the first six minutes of the third period, both teams score again and although Dallas outshoots Buffalo for the period and game they head into overtime where rookie Mr. Power earns his first goal of the season from a sweet pass from Mr. Thompson.

The road warrior Sabres are 13-7-1 and look to continue their dominance in foreign arenas tonight at 8 pm EST versus a Blues team without the services of Mr. O’Reilly who currently sits out with a broken foot.

Here along the Lake yesterday afternoon Sabres fans were treated to another emotional home game as the Canadian and the United States of America national anthems were sung by Buffalo native and “The Voice” semi-finalist, Cami Clune who also bravely endures dysautonomia syndrome.

Mr. Miller was back wearing his black and red white bison head sweater as well as his young son Bodi, Mr. Miller was interviewed before the Anaheim game and talked about the creation of the “Ryan Miller Legacy Fund” and how its work is for cancer pediatrics patients and their families.

Mr. Miller explained how his son was nervous being around the team during overtime last game and asked him what if they lost? Mr. Miller explained what if they win and they pulled it off and as Mr. Cozens was coming off the ice saw his son and gave him the game-winning stick and puck, but it was not something he was asked to do.

Mr. Miller said he was pulled away with things that were happening and Mr. Cozens and Bodi were off to the side by themselves when Mr. Cozens gave his son the stick, his new favorite player by far laughed Mr. Miller.

Two active goaltenders took the ceremonial faceoff from Mr. Miller and his son as the Sabres took the ice donning the productive black & red white bison sweaters, now scoring 6 goals in each of the 5 out of 6 games sporting the black and red sweaters.

The game itself does not begin emotionally as Mr. Dahlin the Sabres PIM leader added to his collection nearly eight minutes in by shooting the puck over the glass Buffalo penalty killers are called upon early and they respond with a kill.

Halfway through the period the Workhorse from Whitehorse, Mr. Cozens scores the game’s first goal as an encore to his OT winner goal Thursday night by skating around a diving Ducks player and snapping a wicked wrister above the goaltender’s right shoulder for the 1-0 Sabres lead.

The fourth-best power play in the NHL scores again to up the lead to 2-0 as the top offensive line gets the goal as Mr. Skinner nets his 19^th assisted by Mr. Tuch and Mr. Thompson and the Sabres end the first period in the lead and on the power play.

In the second period, Anaheim scores twice in 3 1/2 minutes, Mr. Krebs scores and Buffalo regains the lead only to see it slip it away by a fortunate “toss” at the net by Anaheim that re-ties the game at three with Anaheim taking 19 SOG for the period.

To start the third period Mr. Lyubushkin smacks the puck away from a Ducks player at our blueline so strongly that skating hard Mr. Lyubushkin did not touch the puck again until it was at Anaheim’s blueline and when reaching the faceoff dot passed to Mr. Olofsson who scored.

Mr. Olofsson took half a dozen minutes to score his 20th and 21st of the season and give Buffalo the two-goal lead with approximately 12 minutes left in the game then Mr. Krebs six minutes later scored his second of the game for the 6-3 final.

The Sabres have a four-game road trip in six days beginning Monday in Texas to take on our Cup Finalist nemesis the Stars.

A packed arena last night downtown Buffalo honored former goaltender Ryan Miller with raucous approval as his number was raised to the rafters.

Mr. Ray during the pregame interview with Sabres long-time equipment manager and South Buffalo native Mr. Robert “Rip” Simonick talked about Mr. Miller and his adherence to the use of “Legal” goaltending equipment a real stickler they both noted.

Mr. Biron who had backed-up Mr. Miller told us how although Mr. Miller would strictly use only legal goaltending equipment he also used loopholes, for example, if the rules did not forbid a piece of equipment or modification or even wearing it differently Mr. Miller was all for it.

This explanation of Mr. Miller’s equipment usage prompted Mr. Biron to use the quote, “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying”.

Noticeably in attendance were the Sabres owner and the NHL Commissioner in an open suite/box enjoying the game and as Mr. Bettman was interviewed in between periods he mentioned how Mr. Miller assists the NHL Hockey Operations Department pertaining to goaltender equipment.

The game begins with Mr. Krebs winning the opening faceoff, and the Sabres outshoot the Islanders 18 to 5 even with a delayed penalty and power play Buffalo comes out of the first period down 0-1.

In the second period, Mr. Tuch scored to tie the game at one along with Mr. Dahlin the Sabres leader in PIMs receiving another penalty to add to his collection and with 90 seconds remaining in the period the Islanders scored to take the 1-2 lead.

Nearly halfway through the third period, Mr. Olofsson scores his 19th to tie the game at two and as regulation ends the Sabres have massively outshot the Islanders with Mr. Cozens’s herculean efforts and breakaway score just 12 seconds into overtime the Sabres win dramatically.

It is going to be like shooting ducks in a barrel as Buffalo hosts Anaheim at 12:30 this coming Saturday afternoon here along the Lake.

Buffalo continues its road dominance by beating Nashville 5-3 with a short-handed tally by Captain Okposo and the first score of the game was Mr. Skinner’s who put on a clinic on how to deke a goaltender out of position and slide the puck in the net.

The first period ended tied at one with Buffalo having two power plays and getting shots through just not through the goaltender and outshot the Predators by a three-to-one ratio.

Two minutes into the second period Nashville is pressuring and buzzing all around Mr. Luukkonen when Mr. Quinn gets a hold of the puck and backhands it to the blueline where Mr. Cozens and Mr. Peterka are behind four Predators for a two on one odd man rush.

At the blue line, Mr. Cozens corrals the puck to Mr. Peterka who gives it back to Mr. Cozens who proceeds straight down Main Street mostly uninterrupted and snaps a greasy hotshot that beats Mr. Soros top left corner for the 2-1 Buffalo lead.

Minutes later Nashville “pushes” the goaltender and puck into the net and the review determines the call on the ice stands “no goal”. The Predators are penalized for goaltender interference and with this power play the Sabres take a two-goal lead with Mr. Olofsson’s iron-clanging 17^th of the season.

There were less than five minutes remaining in the second period when Nashville scored two quick ones in 40 seconds to tie the game at three then proceeded to earn another penalty which carried over into the third period.

Nearly seven minutes into the third period with Mr. Jost penalized, Nashville outshooting Buffalo, and on the power play, it is Captain Okposo skating to the net receiving a pass from Mr. Lyubushkin, and deflecting the puck through his legs scoring short-handed for the 4-3 lead.

With just over three minutes remaining in the game, Mr. Quinn makes a great pass from our zone to once again spring a two on one odd man rush with Mr. Peterka and Mr. Cozens but Nashville is able to get back and disrupt the play.

Nashville recovers the puck but their blind pass from the corner is scooped up by Mr. Quinn who skates from one side of the faceoff circle to the other before dropping to his knee releasing the shot for the score and recovering Buffalo’s two-goal lead and a Sabres 5-3 win.

The Sabres take on the Panthers at home tomorrow afternoon at one o’clock before heading out to Chicago for Tuesday night’s Reverse Retro sweater game versus the Blackhawks.

From the East Coast to the Western shores the NHL scheduled three games last night and the fans were out in force.

A Proud Winnipegger halfway through a 4-1 enjoyable road victory amidst disappointed Penguins fans in Pittsburgh.

In Anaheim, the fired-up fans brought a John Lennon doppelganger to pray for victory.

The Ducks had cheerleaders throughout the arena.

All for naught as Matthew Broderick took time off from his busy schedule filming the re-make of “War Games” to cheer on New Jersey downstate from a set location in Hollywood.

Yes, Miss Warwick Edmonton fans like Daniel Craig do know the way to San Jose.

And they are fired up about being there.

Tonight the Sabres visit the Predators at eight o’clock and will be wearing their Reverse Retro sweaters.