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00:01Just thinking about how earlier today we got back into another conversation about the Sabres lineup.
00:10Four changes expected tonight.
00:14Timmons in, Kesselring in, Stanley out, Shen out, Pearson in, Kozak in, Dunn out, Greenway out.
00:23That's it.
00:25And, you know, we talked about how, at least in my opinion, even though they're tied for first with four
00:31games to go, I think tinkering is okay.
00:34I even support it.
00:36Go, you know, rest guys if need be, if that's what any of it is, experiment.
00:42I think it's okay.
00:43And, you know, when I was thinking about that some more, what am I saying then about how important the
00:51bottom of the lineup is?
00:52Am I saying that it's really not that important?
00:55Are we going a little too far?
00:56I thought this with Metza for a minute when he was sent down.
00:59I just, I chose not to lose my mind over that.
01:02I know.
01:02I know.
01:03And are we going a little bit too far about this or not?
01:06I mean, if they, if they lose, something's going to get them beat.
01:11And that could be a lot of things, but maybe we'll end up, I mean, worst case is we end
01:16up out in the first round.
01:20And they chose somebody to play on the third D pair, say, that could not keep up.
01:26And that ended up being the thing.
01:28And we all sit around forever and go, if only they had done this other thing instead, which who knows
01:33if that would even have been right.
01:35I don't know.
01:36We started a conversation today about it and we got a lot of calls about it.
01:41People ready to weigh in on Shen and Kesselring and Metza and this whole thing.
01:46How much rides on it?
01:48I mean, I think everything matters to some extent all the time.
01:55And I think that only gets accentuated in the playoffs.
01:59To me, there's no, I should be able to just get by.
02:03I want to have the best, you know, the best mix I can have.
02:09And, you know, a part of the reason I, I, I'm not sure I love the Stanley idea from inception.
02:18It wasn't something I was thinking a lot about, but once they started talking about it, I kind of nodded
02:24like, yeah, playoffs will be hard on the walls size.
02:28I'm thinking about Tampa and Florida and how big some of their not best defensemen have been in years they've
02:35gone to the final.
02:36And like, okay, I get it.
02:39I should have enough.
02:41I don't need everybody in my lineup to be able to do what Darlene and Power and Byram can do.
02:48You know, you got to have different styles.
02:50So, you know, fit it in, but you still want to not, you know, choose to hurt yourself.
02:59And that's, like, I feel like I can live with Stanley.
03:02I just want to know what I'm doing with his partner.
03:07And I think they are probably really worried.
03:10There's some, there's some stat.
03:11I don't, I don't have it locked down.
03:13But there's some number of years have gone by since a cup winner has had a regular defenseman, like one
03:22of their top six that they choose to play, who's under 5'10".
03:26It's just not unique.
03:28There's, it's out there.
03:30And I think the Sabres and a lot of teams probably subscribe to that.
03:34But, you know, a part of me, despite that, would like to see them start the playoffs with Metza and
03:41Stanley.
03:42It's just, I don't want to say regardless of matchup, you know, maybe that matters more than I'm, I'm thinking
03:48about it.
03:50But I think that's been their best group.
03:53I don't think Metza is, you know, bulletproof, obviously, like the PDO luck finally ran out.
04:00But I do still think puck moving wise, he still could be a good match with Stanley.
04:07And so you get a puck mover with him and you get what you're seeking by having Stanley on your
04:13team in the first place.
04:14Size and reach and defending and toughness and everything else.
04:19I think anything can get you beat.
04:24Obviously, if your top guys don't score, it's not going to matter how your fourth line plays.
04:29But if your fourth line is not capable of just pushing back and keeping another team in their own end
04:38for 45 seconds on occasion, then you don't have the right fourth line.
04:43They have had moments this year with different guys.
04:47Greenway's rarely been a part of it because he's been hurt so much.
04:49But I'm eager to see if he can be a part of that, too.
04:53You know, and it really took off when Carrick got here and he's not a part of the equation now.
04:58So maybe you're feeling like you've got to hide that line more than you were with Carrick.
05:04Maybe you felt like that was on the verge of being a line you'd put out against anybody.
05:08And now I don't think that's the case anymore.
05:12So, I mean, what am I saying here?
05:16Were we worrying too much about Metza?
05:18Probably.
05:19I think it got way overdone.
05:22But that doesn't mean you should just walk away from the conversation and go, it doesn't matter who is the
05:29sixth defenseman and who's playing with Stanley because everything matters to some extent.
05:37They're going to be on the ice because of an icing.
05:40And maybe the puck won't go to your goalie so he can freeze it.
05:45And, you know, you get out of jail, basically, is what happened in the game on Monday night.
05:52Late.
05:53Shen was a part of that.
05:54Shen and Power were the defensemen on the ice for that faceoff that Lucan and Froze after, like, two seconds
05:59ran out the clock.
06:00And they changed him out, and that was Tampa pulled the goalie, and they had their big guns out there,
06:04and, like, we're going to speed bag you now because you're tired, A, it's the fourth line, and this defenseman
06:12who can not really move like an NHL defenseman anymore is on the ice.
06:17But those situations are going to happen in the playoffs with guys in the lineup.
06:20You're going to have a not-advantageous draw in your own end, and you're going to have to live through
06:26those moments.
06:27So every guy in the lineup is – it all matters.
06:34Everything matters.
06:35You know, but, again.
06:36Even faceoffs.
06:38If the top dudes are doing the job scoring, you know, then that's where I start to think about, like,
06:46okay, well, then the roles that these other people have to play, they better be ready to perform them.
06:50They better be ready to play them and win their minutes.
06:54They have had, at different times this year, a fourth line that was really, really good, and it really helped
07:01them.
07:02Not so much on the score sheet, although Carrick scored like crazy when he got here, but just carrying play,
07:09avoiding trouble in your own end, and just getting on top of them.
07:13And they're going to want that when they get to whoever they're playing in the playoffs here.
07:18Like, Malenstein, to me, is locked in a spot there, but I think the other two spots might be kind
07:23of up for grabs still.
07:24We never talk about that, really.
07:27The fourth line, you know.
07:28It's always the defenseman.
07:31Is it okay to question Thompson going into this?
07:38I'm wondering, and Paul wrote about this in his preview for tonight's game, that there was a maintenance day in
07:46there somewhere.
07:47Monday.
07:48Recently?
07:48Okay.
07:49Monday morning.
07:50Okay.
07:51Right.
07:51At the gate before the Tampa game.
07:54And maybe there's a – he's nursing something.
07:59You know, if that is the case, that explains – you know, he's got, I think, only five goals in
08:0616 games, maybe, or something.
08:08He's – it's really fallen off.
08:11Recently.
08:12Yeah.
08:15So, you know, that's not – obviously, you want him healthy going in.
08:20Hopefully – if it's right that he's nursing something, that explains the performance.
08:26But it doesn't – it isn't going to magically go away.
08:28I don't – I mean, I hope it does.
08:30I hope he's 100% when we get – or as close to it as you can be.
08:33But it's possible he's fighting through something.
08:38Because I didn't like him Monday at all.
08:40I did not like him with the puck on Monday.
08:43I just felt like he was not seeing it or feeling it.
08:47Or, like, every time he turned, I felt like he turned the wrong way.
08:51Like, he turned into the trouble.
08:54Mostly in the neutral zone.
08:55It wasn't – there wasn't anything glaring at his own end or anything.
08:58But plays that I think could have been made when he got the puck on his stick, as soon as
09:04you knew it, the puck was off the stick already.
09:06Because he just turned into checking and trouble and couldn't seem to get away from anything.
09:11Washington, too.
09:12Yeah, so I don't know if that is because he's, you know, hindered in some way.
09:18You know, you kind of want to maybe hope so.
09:21But on the downside, you know, if that lingers, then I don't want to hope that he's nursing something.
09:26Because you want him going full, you know, all full out when we get to the playoffs.
09:31Yeah, I want those just, like, not cheap goals.
09:34They're not cheap, but they're just, like, because of his individual talent that I'm just going to get a goal
09:41out of nothing.
09:42You know, it's that – what game was it where he made that play around the net recently?
09:47Maybe that was the – no, the Islanders' goal was a different goal.
09:49That's his last goal was against the Islanders.
09:52Just, you know, what can make the difference in a series?
09:55Having somebody that can just give you one.
09:58Yeah.
09:59Every other game.
10:00He had two power play assists in a game recently, and both were really nifty.
10:05And one was, like, a little saucer pass to Zucker that, you know, wasn't a long pass or a particularly
10:10–
10:11it didn't look hard to execute, but it was perfect.
10:14Like, it was over a stick right onto – you know, just right onto the ice for Zucker to execute
10:18with.
10:20So, yeah, I mean, those are plays you're going to need from him.
10:26And furthermore, if he's hampered in any way, what does that do to the power play?
10:30Because they're doing different things with that and moving him around more.
10:33So, I guess I'd say he bears watching.
10:37I'm glad it came up because I did notice in Paul's story, like I said today,
10:42that he's pondering whether there's something to be worried about or not there.
10:47Lukainen tonight.
10:49Tomorrow?
10:51I'm going to guess it's going to be Ellis.
10:54Because Lyon left the morning skate with something.
10:59Paul said he was watching.
11:00He went over, talked to trainers.
11:02They seemed to be examining or working on his back.
11:07And then he just grabbed his extra stick and went to the room, and that was that.
11:11Lindy said after practice this morning or after the game day skate that he wasn't slated to back up anyway,
11:18so he's not dressing, but if he's not healthy, then tomorrow I think will be Ellis.
11:24I'd be really surprised, regardless of how tonight goes, if they use Lukainen in back-to-back games.
11:29Yeah, you said that Monday.
11:30I wasn't sure.
11:31I didn't want to assume that, and I guess I still don't, especially now if there's an injury.
11:36I asked Paul on the pregame Monday what he thinks of the practice of Ellis being the backup for all
11:41these games.
11:41He did not answer the question.
11:42He answered a different question.
11:45Now is that probably time's up on that?
11:47The injury notwithstanding.
11:48Right.
11:48I felt like, yeah.
11:50I felt like, yeah, it's time.
11:52Now Lyon is your backup or Lukainen is your backup.
11:54Right.
11:54If you've done with the rotation.
11:55Yeah, Paul had alluded to that a couple of weeks ago when we were pondering when is this going to
11:59happen,
12:00and when Lukainen got his first start in consecutive games, it wasn't a back-to-back situation,
12:06but it was back-to-back starts for him.
12:09He even said, like, see if Lyon backs up tonight.
12:12That might be a clue, and he did.
12:13Which sort of signified to me, Lukainen is your number one goalie, Lyon's your backup,
12:19and then Ellis is break glass in case of emergency.
12:23So I think that's what you would be getting if Lyon hadn't left.
12:27But it's interesting that Lindy said he wasn't going to dress anyway.
12:31So I don't know what to do with that.
12:33But I would bet on Ellis tomorrow.
12:35Okay.
12:36Columbus is here.
12:37They won last night.
12:39Everybody is just, like, staying right there.
12:42Detroit gets a point in that game.
12:44Ottawa beats Tampa last night.
12:46Boston.
12:47Did Boston get a point?
12:48They got a point.
12:48They lost in overtime or shootout.
12:50I don't remember which.
12:51But, yeah, that game.
12:52Philadelphia wins again.
12:55Crazy.
12:57And the Islanders, we know, are off until Thursday.
12:59They made the coaching change.
13:00They have the Leafs.
13:01They're just standing still at 89 points.
13:03Yeah.
13:04Here's Rich next.
13:05Hello, Rich.
13:06Gentlemen, good evening.
13:08I like the lineup changes for tonight.
13:12These guys that have been hurt extensively, they need to get back into game shape,
13:18get ready for the playoffs.
13:20So I'm fine with that.
13:22With the Thompson situation, if he is nursing an injury, I would shut him down.
13:29It's not like he's going for 50 goals.
13:31I would just shut him down, let him get healthy, get ready for the playoffs.
13:37And I'll be honest with you, I don't like Lukanen playing tonight.
13:41I'd rather have him play tomorrow against a tougher opponent.
13:45And that's all I got to say.
13:47Okay, thanks.
13:48All right, thanks, Rich.
13:48We just don't know what Thompson has.
13:51If anything.
13:52If anything.
13:53Like, it might be the kind of injury where he doesn't benefit from sitting.
13:57Yeah, maintenance day doesn't have to mean an injury.
13:59It could just mean, like, let's just not put you on the ice today because it's a long season
14:03and you're a big guy and, like, whatever.
14:05Like, there's always bumps and bruises or whatever.
14:08But maybe it's nothing.
14:10It's just, like, they wanted to just give him the morning off.
14:14But the way he's been playing, I think, coupled with that,
14:17that sort of gets you to, because of the way hockey does it,
14:21they just never tell you anything.
14:22So you're left to just guess about everything.
14:24Yeah, hockey.
14:26Are you listening out there, hockey?
14:28Help us out.
14:32I mean, it's obvious and not something that needs to be pointed out,
14:36but it's still, with only four games to go, how many different possible outcomes there are is really...
14:43I mean, I think I said yesterday that this is the best part.
14:47Leading up to the playoffs with this much, this many possibilities,
14:51but without the stress of possibly missing.
14:54Like, they can't miss.
14:56Now they can't even drop out of the top three.
14:57Right, and I wouldn't have hated that had they dropped out of the top three,
15:01but still made it and gotten to Carolina.
15:03But that's not even possible now.
15:05So you could have first place, Boston.
15:09First place versus somebody else that passes Boston, Ottawa,
15:13or even the Islanders or Columbus, Detroit, any of those teams.
15:16That could still happen.
15:18You could have Montreal in the first round.
15:20That's probably the one that fans have been sort of thinking about the most,
15:23because maybe it's been the likeliest possibility.
15:26I did see a chart after last night's action that, like, 40, in the 40s, 43%, 45% is Sabres
15:36-Montreal,
15:37and then the other two teams around them in this division, Tampa and Boston, are both in the 20s,
15:44as far as, like, likelihood of them being your first-round opponent.
15:48So that does leave room for a couple of other possibilities, of course,
15:51because there are a couple of other possibilities.
15:53But those are the numbers I saw.
15:55What it implies, if really Montreal is twice as likely as playing Tampa is,
16:00or Boston, that implies that Tampa is, like, that much better.
16:04Yep.
16:08Intentional head tilt for the Twitch viewers.
16:13Yeah, I think that implies that you think Tampa is finishing ahead of Buffalo.
16:19Maybe it even allows for room for Montreal to win the division and you to be third.
16:23Because you're not playing them.
16:24No, no, that's not right.
16:26It has to be Tampa won.
16:27Yeah.
16:28Yeah, that's right.
16:29Canadians have the Lightning tomorrow night.
16:32That'll be good.
16:34Sabres have their own game tomorrow night.
16:35Columbus.
16:36Columbus is at Montreal Saturday.
16:39And then it's at the Islanders at the Flyers.
16:42Montreal has Columbus Islanders back-to-back this weekend.
16:45The Sabres are off both days.
16:46And they play Monday.
16:49Montreal at Philadelphia.
16:50I guess I want to see what's on the line.
16:53Like, if you're playing Philadelphia or the Islanders next, like, they're all in.
16:58But it could be settled by the time the Canadians get there.
17:02I think I know the Tampa schedule.
17:04I've been looking at it so often.
17:06At Montreal, at Boston, the next two games, Thursday, Saturday.
17:11And then they go home to close out.
17:13Rangers and somebody.
17:18I've got to get somebody.
17:19It's going to bother me if I don't.
17:21I'm on it, too.
17:23I have these schedules.
17:25Ooh, I don't.
17:27Detroit.
17:27It's Detroit?
17:28Okay.
17:29They go every other day the rest of the way.
17:31Tampa.
17:31At Montreal tomorrow, at Boston, Saturday, 1230.
17:35Then Detroit, Monday night.
17:37And the Rangers, Wednesday night.
17:38So those two nights, the Sabres and Lightning both play.
17:41Buffalo at Chicago, Monday, 830.
17:45And then, Dallas, to end it on...
17:48And then Dallas, to end it on...
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