Category: Hockey History 1917-2023

Sabres (C) Thompson records Hat Trick

Sabres 5 – Canadiens 3 (en) There were many red Canadien sweaters in attendance last night and at times in some seating sections it looked as if Buffalo was on the road, but Montreal fan support was not enough as Buffalo defeats their division rival.

Buffalo’s rookie (G) Ellis looked a bit shaky at times earning only a .870% save percentage but was an absolute ice wall as he stopped all Montreal third period shots on goal preserving a Sabres one-goal lead until (C) Thompson completed his hat trick with the empty net goal for the 5-3 score and victory.

The Sabres fell behind twice but never panicked even when the Canadiens scored with the 5-on-3 power play to tie the game at two apiece early in the second period the Sabres did not falter and with the win have tied Montreal 1-1 in their four-game regular season series.

Buffalo hosts the Minnesota Wild who are the Western Conference’s third best and NHL’s fourth best team overall this coming Saturday afternoon at 12:30 pm EST in the Sabres final and fifth game of this current five-game homestand.

Efficacy Wins the Day

Sabres 5 – Flyers 2 (en) The Sabres scored twice on the power play, twice even strength, and one shorthanded empty net goal, led by Captain (D) Dahlin’s two power play goals and Buffalo’s (G) Luukkonen who earned a solid .909% save percentage and thrilled the home crowd early in the game with one outstanding highlight reel glove save.

Buffalo scored four times on just 11 SOG over two periods of play, quality over quantity, of course more volume is going to be necessary for some games, additionally the game was nationally televised on TNT with humorous host & commentator former NHL (LW) Bissonette providing some fun insights from his spot between the benches.

Although the Flyers were penalized for cross-checking, slashing, roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct the Sabres were not, and Buffalo stuck to their game plan while continuing to play efficiently and productively by taking and holding the lead all game ultimately bringing down the broad street bullies.

The Buffalo Sabres in the second game of a back-to-back are hosting the Montreal Canadiens tonight at 7 pm EST in the fourth game of the Sabres five-game homestand.

When NHL goaltenders dropped the gloves and fought

Here along the Lake There are many hockey content creators on notyourtube and this gem was posted by Classic Buffalo Sports Video highlighting a late 1990s version of the Sabres beating the daylights out of their opponent.

This unfortunately is what happens when the officials lose control of a game, not all the blame lays at the skates of the Referee (only one) and two Linesmen, players contribute as well when players stick up for one another…over, and over again.

There is a meme that states, “Life should be like hockey, if someone angers you, beat the snot out of them, then sit down for five minutes.”, it is always amusing when an athlete from a different professional sport watches a hockey altercation for the first time and wonders aloud, “Are they allowed to do that?”.

In today’s NHL we still witness scrums to full blown donnybrooks, and violent boarding/checking/slashing plays, but mostly the “fighting” that occurs in the NHL today is more…jostling than anything else, the gloves are not dropped as quickly as they were in past seasons.

Do fisticuffs have a place in ice hockey, most definitely, should it be? Well, this is a volatile subject with many people explaining that it does, and some say that it should not.

Bottom line, if blackeyes and bloody noses make you squeamish perhaps a more sedate game would be more palatable, for example…curling or golf.

Sabres second loss in last 15 games

Sabres 3 – Panthers 4 (en) After Buffalo shut out Florida in October the Panthers came into town to extract some revenge and Florida tied up the four-game regular season record at two games apiece with the win against Buffalo last night.

The Sabres Head Coach Ruff was behind the bench for his 1900th game (3rd all-time) coached as the two-time Stanley Cup champions spoiled his milestone.

Buffalo won most of the faceoffs, out hit, and out blocked Florida, while rookie (G) Ellis earned a .903% save percentage, it was close but eventually the Cup Champs won out…this time.

The Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls continue this Wednesday night in Buffalo at 7:30 pm EST as the Metropolitan Division third place Philadelphia Flyers faceoff against the second wild card seeded Buffalo Sabres in game three of the Sabres’ five-game homestand.

One team eliminated from playoffs

Here along the Lake After 14 weekly matchups Buffalo Winter is still tied atop of the Western Division and League with asher1961-1 each earning a 12-2 record and each beating the other once.

Unfortunately for the team manager of Liam’s Loud Team after earning one weekly matchup victory this season has been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but now is not the time to quit, valuable experience gained by continuing to manage can assist a manager in next season’s draft and weekly play contributing to the growth of their skill level and to be able to earn a playoff seeding.

The Eastern Division has two teams battling it out for what could be the only playoff seeding the division earns as the Western Division has the three top teams in the League.

There were four team managers utilizing the waiver wire to strengthen their roster since last Monday, being able to make seven transactions a week is vital for a team manager to continuously manage their roster by dropping/adding players that have gone cold, injured or taking personal time with productive point producing skaters, even a 1.7 or 1.8 point earner is still better than no points earned at all.

My current watch list, notice asher1961-1 took a player I was keeping tabs on but always remember that no matter how brilliant a team manager manages it is still up to the NHL players to perform and produce the points that make managers look good.