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00:00Well, let's get to things we might know about.
00:04At least I mean Bulldog and myself.
00:06Let's see if we can get one right here.
00:08The weekend, Paul, I mean, you might say this.
00:11Did they salvage it by that win over Seattle on Saturday?
00:15Because to not get there after Friday's loss would have been tough.
00:19Yeah, that was a good win for them because they had to work hard to get it.
00:21It was a hard-fought win.
00:23They worked hard.
00:25They got it.
00:25They had to take it all the way into a shootout and were able to get the win.
00:30So I think that was a good win for them to try to get.
00:33And, you know, I think everybody got spoiled for a while, not realizing, you know,
00:38they're human and every team has a blip.
00:42The Tampa Bay Lightning have just gone through one.
00:44The Avalanche have just gone through one.
00:46The Stars have just gone through one.
00:48And the Sabres hadn't gone through one in a long, long time.
00:51So they had a blip.
00:52And, honestly, they got points in two of the three games of the blip
00:57and had opportunities to win each game.
01:00So, yeah, it was, you know, it was a good win for them.
01:04I think it's a needed win for them.
01:06It got them out of their little funk.
01:08They got good goaltending and, you know, from Ukko Pekka-Lukkanen
01:12and won the hockey game.
01:14You know, I guess we'll decide after tomorrow's game whether the blip is continuing
01:17or not, Paul.
01:18Because, like, a shootout win, however the game went,
01:22is not to be evidence of, like, you're out of the woods.
01:25You know, like, their game might still need some sharpening up.
01:29And, you know, I do think we had a guy call us earlier today who made this point
01:33that they're going to be playing tomorrow night.
01:36Like, the Islanders are in more of a race than the Sabres are in right now.
01:40You know?
01:41So, and everybody they're playing is in that boat, mostly if they're in a race at all.
01:46So you've got that working on you.
01:48I thought it was really interesting between Friday and Saturday,
01:52really after the game on Friday night, the loss to Detroit,
01:55how two of the most important guys on the team sounded about the game.
02:01Like, Thompson, to me, sounded like I'll often sound
02:04if something doesn't go my way with my team.
02:06It's like, you know, it's okay.
02:07We're in good shape.
02:09Don't panic.
02:10It's not that big a deal.
02:11Whereas Darlene was ready to just tell you,
02:13tomorrow night's going to tell you a lot about who we are.
02:15And, I don't know, those two things are very much opposed.
02:20Opposing viewpoints, I think.
02:22And I think that's pretty interesting.
02:24I have sympathy for Thompson.
02:26I think guys do need emotional and even physical, like, rest at times during a season.
02:32You can't be, you know, at your absolute best every night.
02:37So, I want to see them let up a little, but at the same time, I kind of like Darlene
02:42going,
02:42no, no, no, crack the whip.
02:44We got to go, boys.
02:45Well, what drove Thompson crazy last year and years before was, you know,
02:51they'd win a few games and they thought they were really hot.
02:53Boy, look at us.
02:55We're big shots.
02:57And then it didn't last.
02:59And then they'd lose some games and they'd go into these doldrums and be depressed.
03:03And next thing you know, it's 13 games.
03:05And he hated that.
03:07And his message to the team was, like, let's stop thinking that we're really great when we win
03:13and let's stop, like, thinking we're the worst team ever when we lose.
03:17Let's just keep it right in the middle, you know?
03:20You win a game, great.
03:21Let's go win the next one type of a thing.
03:23And he's been big on that this year, and they've been pretty good.
03:27I think that's one of the reasons they've been a better team this year is they've been
03:31pretty good at, you know, kind of canning their emotions a little bit.
03:34And let's not get too excited and think we're really all that good, and let's not really
03:39worry about it when it's going because we know we can turn it around.
03:44So let's just work at it and turn it around.
03:47And so I think he's one of the bigger guys of that, that he really thinks if they're going
03:52to be a good team, they've got to keep it on an even keel.
03:55With Paul Hamilton, Paul, does it look to you like they're about to break the goalie cycle?
04:01Yes, they are going to break the goalie cycle.
04:04You know, I had a chance to chat with Lucan in today, which you'll hear tomorrow.
04:07You know, and yeah, it's and I would say I'm mildly surprised because it was two underwhelming
04:19starts for Lyon, but the start before that, he had a shutout.
04:24I'm trying to think if I was the coach, if I would break it here or if I might give
04:29him
04:29another start.
04:31But Lucan has played very well.
04:33Actually, when I went back and looked at it, when I talked about it in my article today,
04:37when you go back to December 9th, Lucan is the number one goaltender in the NHL at save
04:42percentage at 922.
04:44He leads the league since then.
04:46And that's a pretty good sample.
04:47It's not just a couple of games.
04:49Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:49Yeah.
04:50You know, so he's done his part.
04:54He's kept on playing very well.
04:56Well, Ruff has seen enough and Lucan and we'll get the start tomorrow.
05:02Did you get the sense all year that they would ultimately want to pick one or the other as
05:09the playoffs got here?
05:11No, I think if both goaltenders kept performing the way they had been performing, I think they
05:17would have gone into the playoffs alternating.
05:20It's like why if it's successful, why stop?
05:23And it's been very, very successful, but it's not anymore.
05:27And I always felt and we always said that if one of them starts to falter, they'll go
05:34with the other.
05:35And I didn't know how long the leash would be.
05:38The leash was two games.
05:41And now they'll go with the other.
05:43Now, I'm thinking forward now.
05:44Okay, Lucan starts against the Islanders.
05:47It wouldn't shock me if he started against Ottawa and then I bet Lyon, if that's what
05:53they do, I bet Lyon would start in Washington and that would bring Lucan in back for Tampa
05:57on Dingus Day.
05:59Yeah, he might play until he loses or they could do that, which you just were talking
06:04about, play Lyon against Washington.
06:06We'll see what happens.
06:07Paul Hamilton with us here on the Western Hotline.
06:09Zach Metza is back, Paul.
06:12Yeah, he is.
06:14Well, I told you, what is Lindy Ruff's definition of short term?
06:19Because that's what he called it when Metza went down.
06:22And I said to you guys, well, he said short term.
06:26What is his definition of short term?
06:28Turns out the weekend.
06:29The weekend was short term.
06:31Yeah, he played three games with Rochester.
06:32Now he's back.
06:34And what does that mean for tomorrow?
06:36Well, Kesselring was the guy that got the action today and Timmons didn't.
06:40And let's be honest.
06:43I wrote after the game the other day that the eye test and the analytics agree Metza's
06:49the better player.
06:51I mean, it's just simply that that's that's the simple fact.
06:57And but Timmons wasn't the guy playing today as far as in the top six.
07:02That was Kesselring who was playing with Stanley.
07:05Was he just a placeholder until Metza got back?
07:08Or will he get his chance?
07:10Because Ruff talked about how he likes what he's seen out of Kesselring lately.
07:15He he really likes the way he's been skating in practice.
07:18He can tell a difference.
07:19He looks like he's got his legs back.
07:22So are they going to want to take that for a spin?
07:26Yeah.
07:27Well, I don't know if they're obsessed with size.
07:29They definitely will.
07:30I think because he's huge and pair him with Stanley.
07:34I mean, you've got you know, you've got we've got wingspan for days out there with that.
07:39All six of them.
07:39Who's who'd be the shortest one?
07:42Metza.
07:43No, no, no, no.
07:44Not Metza.
07:45Yeah.
07:45Darlene, Samuelson, Byram, Power, Kesselring.
07:49Byram.
07:49Byram is probably 6'2 or 6'1.
07:51Darlene is 6'3.
07:53I don't even know if he's that tall.
07:53Yeah.
07:53OK.
07:54Yeah.
07:54I think Byram is the smallest.
07:57Pretty good.
07:57Yeah, definitely.
07:58Yeah.
07:59So, yeah, I mean, really interesting.
08:02If Metza is back not to play and I didn't look up Rochester schedule, like the part of
08:08the point was he's just going to be sitting here because we're going to try these other
08:11guys out.
08:11So we want him playing games.
08:14So if you brought him back three in three days, that's right.
08:17But if you bring him back now to not play, maybe that would be weird.
08:23Yeah.
08:24But again, I don't know.
08:25I'm going to look now.
08:27Well, you talk amongst yourselves.
08:29I don't know what I don't know what Yarmulke Kekalainen is thinking about him.
08:33I mean, Lindy Ruff has gushed about him and rightfully so, you know, talked about, you
08:38know, but Lindy Ruff also wanted Connor Timmons on this team.
08:42Right.
08:43And got him in a trade, you know.
08:46So Adams traded for him because Lindy Ruff wanted him.
08:49So I think Lindy Ruff wanted to get him back in the lineup and get a look-see.
08:53First game went well.
08:55Second game to me was basically what we saw before he got hurt.
08:59The one game he didn't kill penalties very well.
09:01He was on the ice for, and made a really weird play on one of them.
09:06The first power play goal on Friday.
09:07Yeah.
09:08When running out to the top of the circle, it's like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
09:12So, and DeBrinquette winds up with a rebound goal, but, you know, he was turning the puck
09:18over five on five.
09:19It was just basically what I had seen before he got hurt.
09:23You know, some good parts and some bad parts.
09:25So, and as I said, the eye test and the analytics tell us that Metz is the better player.
09:32It's as simple as that.
09:33Amherst play Wednesday, Friday.
09:35So they've got a few days off here to start the week.
09:37But Wednesday, Friday are the next game.
09:39So, just to fill that in for you.
09:43Well, that really is the whole thing here, Paul.
09:47Starting on Wednesday, Thursday, really.
09:49Wednesday he was scratched.
09:50Thursday he went down.
09:52And then we just started on this ride here.
09:54And then, of course, you know, you just referenced it.
09:56I mean, the game starts Friday night, and there's two power play goals with Timmons on the ice.
10:00And absolutely at the scene of the crime on the first one.
10:03Like, wow, this is off to a great start.
10:05This guy's reason for being in the lineup is the penalty kill, and it's 2-0 on the penalty kill.
10:10Woof.
10:11Right?
10:12So, I just wonder where it'll all land.
10:15You know?
10:16I was talking last week, like, maybe they had made decisions about it, but maybe it's all,
10:22maybe it's still up in the air, what they want their idealized game one lineup to look like.
10:27I think so.
10:28I agree with you.
10:29I think it is up in the air.
10:31You know, there's, that's why it wouldn't shock me if Kesselring gets to play tomorrow.
10:38But it's getting to a point where it's getting very difficult to guess what Lindy Ruff is thinking here
10:44and what he wants to do and how he wants to handle it.
10:47And it's like, you know, with Ausland out.
10:50Well, first it's Pearson, then it's Kozak.
10:53Tomorrow might be Greenway.
10:55Greenway has progressed very well.
10:57And Ruff has gotten some good reports and said he may play tomorrow.
11:00He said both of them may play tomorrow.
11:03You know, so, you know, each guy is getting maybe a chance to get off the bench and get out
11:09there.
11:11Kesselring has been sitting for, I believe, nine games now, if I remember correctly what I wrote.
11:15And, you know, maybe it's, and Lindy Ruff, he doesn't go out of his way to compliment guys to, like,
11:23BS us.
11:24I mean, if he said he's been watching him and he's liked his, the way he's been skating
11:28and he thinks he's been faster, then, you know, I think that's what he's been seeing.
11:32So maybe he wants to take that out for a spin, see where Kesselring's at, you know.
11:37But then you just called up another guy that's played very well.
11:42So it's very, very hard to speculate what he's thinking.
11:48All right, Paul.
11:49I guess we'll do this again at the same time tomorrow.
11:52Do you want to?
11:53There's a game.
11:54I'm in.
11:55I'm in.
11:56I think we have to, Paul.
11:57It'll be the same, only with music.
11:59Those are the rules.
11:59Yeah, there'll be a band playing behind you.
12:01I hope you're ready for that.
12:02I'm sorry I didn't blare any music here.
12:04Oh, yeah.
12:05Simulate the car here.
12:06Oh, here.
12:07Let's housekeeping.
12:08Let me clean this up.
12:09I did some Googling while we were chatting.
12:11So Parole, you were both right.
12:14Parole was hurt in 73, early in 73.
12:17He only played 55 games that year.
12:19It was a collision with Mike Robitaille.
12:21But Roby was on the Sabres at the time.
12:23So teammates collided at center ice.
12:25I still have the picture somewhere in a scrapbook.
12:29So that's maybe a part of the reason they had a down year.
12:32And then you're right as well.
12:33He did get injured with Team Canada in 1980.
12:39Where is it?
12:40I had it a second ago.
12:4181.
12:4181.
12:4281.
12:43You're right.
12:43He was playing with Gretzky and LaFleur and suffered a broken ankle
12:48and then missed some regular season games, too.
12:51And there was no question he was the best one of the three in the line.
12:54And the line was, like, phenomenal.
12:56I still this day have never seen anything like it.
12:58They were just dominant.
12:59There's no Washington goalie collision on there?
13:01I don't have a Washington goalie collision here.
13:04I have, like, a Paul Mateer flashback with Jill Bearer.
13:07Don't know.
13:08All right.
13:08Maybe I'm the one left out.
13:10Paul, thanks.
13:11We'll talk tomorrow.
13:12Take care, guys.
13:13There you go.
13:13Paul's appearing.
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