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00:00On WGR, Sports Radio 550.
00:04Gonna be there in an hour.
00:09Game 82.
00:12I'm not sure I'll get a chance to say that later.
00:15Oh, you, well, that's right, you're going to the game, so I'm going to handle the pre-game duties.
00:23So you can get downtown.
00:25Because that's a thing now, because there's traffic.
00:27Because the games aren't sold out again.
00:30You think you got it?
00:31You need time to get down there.
00:32Yeah, I think I'll handle the lift.
00:34I think I'll swing it.
00:35I think I'll do it.
00:35And I don't know, but that is your thing.
00:38I don't think I usually say what game number it is.
00:42It's become a thing.
00:44I've made it my thing.
00:45I love it now, especially because I don't know if it was game 72 or 70, what game it was.
00:52But at one point you said it on one of these pre-game shows where we were both together.
00:57And it dawned on me that this is the first time in a very long time that that doesn't feel
01:02like a threat of some kind.
01:04These other years, it's just like, oh my God, get through with these games.
01:08Well, I like to bring a certain gravitas to it.
01:11So in year 13 of the drought, you say, game 79.
01:15But I wouldn't have said it like that.
01:16No.
01:17I wouldn't have said it like that.
01:18You're right.
01:1879.
01:19Yeah.
01:19Almost done.
01:20Just, yeah.
01:21This is a very different thing.
01:22We're so close to the end.
01:24Yeah.
01:24What is tonight going to be like?
01:28You know, I don't know.
01:32They had already clinched.
01:34So like this is celebrate that they won the division.
01:40And so I don't know.
01:41I don't know if that, with nothing at stake in the game, there's no intensity about the game itself.
01:47Like, you went, when did you go last?
01:52Boston.
01:53Boston.
01:53Oh, right.
01:54Yeah, okay.
01:55The most recent Boston game.
01:56That was a, you know, I don't know.
01:58We were thinking about playing them in the playoffs right about then, maybe.
02:02There certainly was possible.
02:03Could have been.
02:04But these recent games, there's been keep pace with Tampa.
02:09You're playing Tampa, right?
02:11Keep pace.
02:11There's nothing.
02:12It's gone.
02:14So I don't know if it's just like a party, a celebration, or if the whole thing is kind
02:19of muted because there's no stake, really.
02:21I don't think it'll be muted.
02:22I think it'll be, there'll be a din tonight.
02:25There'll be a buzz.
02:26There'll be, you know, an active, positive feeling crowd.
02:33What is the game?
02:34I mean, are we just going to pass the puck back and forth with Dallas?
02:37Is Dallas on board?
02:38They don't play.
02:40They're all set, too.
02:41I think Dallas is definitely on board.
02:42Are we all on the same page here that this one is just sort of for fun?
02:47Yeah.
02:48And even when the Sabres were not in a playoff drought, there weren't too many of these games.
02:53Like the last time they made it, 2011, you had the Friday night against Philadelphia, who
03:00they would then play in the playoffs.
03:02But that's the alumni night.
03:03That's fan appreciation night.
03:05That's just like a sold out, buzzy crowd, but also like you got to win.
03:11Right.
03:12You're not in yet.
03:12Right.
03:13And then they win in overtime on a Vanek goal.
03:16They clinched with a tie, though.
03:17They clinched with the point.
03:19Breer skating backwards.
03:20Right.
03:20They clinched with the point.
03:22Vanek's goal in overtime wins.
03:23It's a great goal.
03:24Gerby's goal to tie it is that behind-the-back sort of thing.
03:27Spinorama thing.
03:28Yeah.
03:28So everybody's in love.
03:30Like, that's a great night.
03:31They go to Columbus, I think it was, the next night.
03:34And that game had meaning for their seating.
03:39And it's just like, it's almost ironic that every day we're talking about the different
03:43possibilities.
03:44And you get to the last day, for the Eastern Conference anyway, you get to the last day
03:48of the season and it's all set.
03:49All the matchups are set.
03:51I'm wondering if we're going to get the schedule today.
03:53I kind of think we should.
03:55I can't believe the Sabres wouldn't know until tomorrow when they play game one.
04:01There's really no reason for them to have to wait to find that out.
04:05They should know.
04:06You're sure there's no reason?
04:08Like, I don't, I'm not saying.
04:09Tomorrow at the latest.
04:10Well, right.
04:11Tomorrow there's, there's seedings in the West to be determined.
04:15Yes.
04:15And like, I think like the LA Kings, Edmonton, and if not another team out there, I should
04:24just open the standings.
04:26Keep going.
04:27They can still shuffle.
04:28Like, LA can still knock Edmonton into a wildcard spot, I think.
04:32Now they're all playing, the teams they're playing tomorrow are all like walkovers, I think.
04:38Like, somebody's got the Flames, the other one's got, whatever.
04:42The teams, Vancouver, I think is who Edmonton has.
04:44So like, they've got relatively walkover looking games, unless you consider that a team of 20
04:51hockey players that play for Vancouver are just going to go, let's just put everything
04:56we got tonight because, whatever, we can, you know, mess up their party or something.
05:01So I don't assume those games will be easy.
05:04And that might affect who's at home, who's the wildcard.
05:07And I don't know what bearing that could have on how they schedule games, but it could have
05:12some.
05:13Well, I know what I would do.
05:14I think this should be what they would do, is, except for one possibility in the Pacific
05:21Division, you know who all the home teams are.
05:24Dallas and Minnesota don't play tomorrow.
05:26So they can go Saturday at 5.
05:28Right.
05:28If you want.
05:29And then you have the Avalanche at home, you'll have Vegas at home, and then you just sort
05:35of put whoever they're going to play in there and slot it, like you might do for football.
05:40I would think tomorrow, I still think tomorrow we get the answer on the schedule.
05:45Maybe the Sabres don't have to know by today, but there's a lot that has to go into planning.
05:50Sure.
05:51Yeah.
05:51The regular season ends tomorrow.
05:52So yeah, I think tomorrow you'll get it.
05:54Tomorrow after, before the games.
05:56You mean before the games Thursday night.
05:57Yeah, like the games are going to run until after midnight.
05:58Yeah.
05:59So I'd like to think we would know.
06:01The one thing I have not kept up on, I've been, I watch a hockey game every night.
06:08The playoffs get here.
06:09I love the playoffs.
06:10I watch the playoffs feverishly.
06:12All of these 14 years, no playoffs for the Sabres.
06:16The one thing I've not paid attention to very much at all is when do we get the schedule?
06:20Because I haven't, I just, I know the games are going to start on all night.
06:25You know, like usually I remember the season ending on a Sunday and then Wednesday is the
06:30playoffs.
06:30Everybody gets a couple of days off and here we go.
06:32It's game one.
06:33And here's, you know, live from Toronto and live from Florida and like, okay, here it's,
06:38it's on, but I've never thought about, did I know the schedule?
06:43If it was, if you know, like it is in the East this year, if the teams are all known,
06:47the seeds are all known, everything's been decided.
06:50Do I know the schedule on Saturday or do I wait until everybody's done playing on Sunday?
06:56I just have never paid attention to it.
06:57So I don't know.
06:59Maybe I did when the Sabres were last in, but again, that's like, well, you know, almost
07:03a lifetime ago.
07:04It just seems to me again, too tight to make it all, not even just the people who work at
07:10the arena and the players, but the fans to have to wait until Friday morning because
07:16there's a pretty good chance.
07:17I think the Sabres will play Saturday at two, they're not playing Saturday night now, probably
07:23because they're not playing a Canadian team, right?
07:25They don't need to play at five.
07:27You've got four Western series to fit, you know, fit in.
07:30So you have Saturday at two, you have Sunday at one.
07:33I would think they would play one of those two spots.
07:35The Celtics play on Sunday.
07:36And we know Montreal can't play Saturday night because Tampa's building his book.
07:40So that leaves Ottawa for hockey night in Canada, Saturday night, almost assuredly.
07:44That's going to be in an early evening window.
07:47Eight would probably be that game by the looks of the schedule.
07:50So anyway, you know, it's Boston now and we're happy.
07:57I think they're happy too.
07:58I think everybody included in Boston Buffalo likes what they have.
08:02I think that's right.
08:03I think that's right.
08:06A couple of people were, you know, back and forth last night with me on social media about
08:13like watching this Boston game.
08:14Well, they look like they want Buffalo.
08:16And I said, I think I would too if I were them.
08:19Like, I mean, if they don't.
08:21They shouldn't have wanted to win?
08:22No, they should have wanted to win.
08:23I know, but what did it look like to this fan?
08:25Yeah, right.
08:25That's what I mean.
08:26They shouldn't have wanted to win?
08:26Right.
08:27They would rather go.
08:28They scored in 50 seconds.
08:28They'd rather go play Carolina or something.
08:30Like, the alternative is you lose and Ottawa passes you and now you're playing Carolina.
08:35I'm like, I think they, of course they should want to play Buffalo.
08:37Everybody wants to win.
08:38Those are the choices, I mean, so, um, anyway, yeah, we got what we, I got what I wanted.
08:44I was on this train for quite a while.
08:47Boston, Boston, Boston.
08:48That's the team I want.
08:49And so, yeah, of course last night comes and they look incredible because they're just
08:53walking over this team that's, you know, dead.
08:57And, but you know what I thought as I'm watching, I'm like, oh, there's that Higgins.
09:01I wasn't accounting for him.
09:03He's new.
09:04Maybe he's good.
09:06Well, no, no.
09:06So he is, let's get everybody up to speed here.
09:10So this is a player they just drafted.
09:12Drafted.
09:13He was, there was a time when he was thought to be maybe the off season before his draft
09:20year.
09:20Like he could be in the mix for number one overall, James Higgins.
09:23Um, he ended up going seventh, I think to Boston and that it went and played college
09:30college ended just like this kid in Philly.
09:32We talked a little bit about yesterday, more tone, um, he's, he's there now.
09:38And I expect him to be in the lineup and that it's a high end guy.
09:42How ready to be high end right out of the wrapper.
09:46I don't know, but he may, he, I noticed him last night.
09:50I mean, I, I wasn't like trying like, oh, I gotta watch Higgins, but I just noticed him
09:55a few times.
09:56I don't think he got on the score sheet, but just watching him move around the ice.
10:00I'm like, okay, it's another guy that's high end.
10:03Maybe that moves the meter for them a little bit, but nonetheless, I, I, I love this matchup.
10:08It's the matchup I wanted.
10:09I think it's the least threatening team in the whole pool, which doesn't mean they're
10:13not threatening.
10:14It just means to me, they're less than everybody else.
10:20Yoki, how are you?
10:23Middlestat Zdorov, by the way, we have, uh, that aspect of this.
10:27It's also the, I believe ninth playoff series between the Sabres and the Bruins, and I've
10:34ranked them the other eight.
10:35Okay.
10:36Yes.
10:38In different order based on like why, how would you rank these quality of the series?
10:45You know, how did the Sabres do?
10:48There's different ways you could put this together.
10:51Um, dramatic effect.
10:53Uh, 1983 is Brad Park.
10:57If you're old enough, you'll never forget it.
11:00Like I was just old enough to be able to say, I will never forget that, that goal.
11:06And I was already marred by four or five years of bitter playoff disappointment by the time
11:13we got to that one.
11:14And so, yes, it stung for sure.
11:191992, Dave Reed game seven for Boston against Tom Draper.
11:24Yes.
11:24Boston garden, like middle of the third period.
11:26I was at fish, uh, at Fisher in college with my friend Jason, who's also from Buffalo and
11:34we were watching the game on cable.
11:36I know the show has never sounded older.
11:38We were watching the game on cable in a dorm and the cable went out at two, two and came
11:44back on at three, two.
11:45Oh, and you know, he and I are Buffalo kids.
11:47He's like, I knew it.
11:48Of course, this would happen.
11:511993.
11:52I watched that game at a giant sports bar that later became a Home Depot.
11:58Do you remember the Buffalo sports garden?
12:00I think it was called on Elmwood Avenue across from channel four, like where there's a giant
12:05Home Depot.
12:06Now there was a big sports bar over there that I watched.
12:09That's where I used to play tennis.
12:10Game seven.
12:11Yeah.
12:11There was a Buffalo tennis center.
12:13Right, right, right.
12:13That's where I watched game seven of that Tom Draper, Dave Reed series.
12:18So, I mean, there's two games, seven here and we lost both.
12:2293 is Mayday and that was pretty great.
12:25It's a sweep.
12:26It's the first round, but you know, I put it third.
12:28Come at me.
12:31I put it third.
12:32We talked about 88 the other day.
12:34John Tucker's four goal game.
12:36Lots of fights.
12:37All the fights.
12:37All I remember really is fighting.
12:39Right.
12:39And we lost.
12:40Right.
12:4188.
12:44Let's go 99 next.
12:46First round.
12:47Second round.
12:47Second round.
12:48Ottawa was first round, right?
12:49Yes.
12:50Okay.
12:51Sabres lose game one in Boston, but then win the series in six at home.
12:57Not many times if they won playoff series at home since then, maybe twice.
13:022001, Philadelphia, 2007, Islanders.
13:05That might be it since 99.
13:08They won.
13:08Right.
13:09They beat the Leafs on the road.
13:10They beat the Rangers on the road in 07.
13:12Yep.
13:12Yep.
13:13Ottawa in 06.
13:15Right.
13:16Philadelphia in 06.
13:18So, 99 and then, I don't know.
13:21The other ones are all like whatever to me.
13:242010, I went to those games.
13:26Boston, Miro Chetan, double overtime.
13:28Vannick getting injured.
13:30Yeah.
13:30Ouch.
13:31Mark Reckie knocking Tim Kennedy off the puck in the corner.
13:34Mark Reckie.
13:35Remember that?
13:36I do now.
13:37Yeah.
13:38That's the winning goal of game six, maybe?
13:40I think so.
13:41Mark Reckie.
13:42Yeah.
13:43Boston.
13:43Who?
13:44Okay.
13:45Also, was he not the same guy who hit Talinder in the Carolina series?
13:50Yes.
13:51In 06.
13:51Do we have somebody to do that, please, this year?
13:54Beck Malenstein.
13:55Do we have somebody to hit people?
13:57I'm paging Beck Malenstein.
13:59Come on, Beck.
14:00See if you can.
14:01Be our wreck.
14:03Get a couple of runs in on Charlie McAvoy for us, please.
14:06That would be good.
14:071982, too far ago for me.
14:09It's a rumor, short series, lost to the Bruins, and then, what else did I not mention?
14:1689, I guess.
14:1788 happened, so 89 to me, it's all one experience.
14:21Yeah, I don't even remember 89.
14:23It wasn't even as close as 88.
14:2688 went six.
14:2789 might have gone five.
14:29Yeah.
14:29So, it's Boston, and this is, I mean, for all the different times we've spent trying to forecast
14:35it and talk about what is best, what's worst, what are the different scenarios, the Sabres
14:43really couldn't, I think, have done much better.
14:45It's what you said.
14:46Teams like Detroit and the Islanders didn't make it, so you can't use them.
14:51Of all the teams that made it.
14:53You couldn't get the Flyers into your pool.
14:55That's just how it goes.
14:57So, yeah, I mean, of the available options, to me, easily, I mean, and this is debatable.
15:02I know, you know, I'll talk to Paul later.
15:06I don't know how much time we'll have.
15:07There's a lot of player and, oh, it's really GM and coach interviews today for pregame,
15:12but I know from talking to Sal yesterday, the day before, he mentioned how Paul preferred
15:17Ottawa because of the goaltending.
15:19Boston's got the goalie, Ottawa doesn't.
15:21And that's not, you know, that's not a crazy take at all.
15:25Swayman easily is, you know, maybe the best goaltender out of the East after Vasilevsky.
15:32Most accomplished, maybe most intimidating goalie, if you want to phrase it that way.
15:38So, I was asking for that, but I think the quality of the team overall, I think Ottawa
15:43was the more dangerous team.
15:45So, yeah, they got to me.
15:46And I think a lot of the numbers, a lot of the data backs this up.
15:50Not that it's all complimentary to Buffalo, but Boston, I think, is the weakest team in
15:55the Eastern pool.
15:57They can't be the weakest team in the playoffs because they're going to be three teams from
16:00the Pacific.
16:01They had 100 points.
16:03Boston.
16:05Yeah, like that, it's a little bit stopping short, but that's really, it's the right place
16:14to start, I think, on the matchup is the goalie.
16:17And I just cannot succumb to any sort of goalie fear.
16:21I will not.
16:22I respect the guy and the point, but Olmark for Ottawa could quite easily be tremendous
16:33in the playoffs.
16:34You know that he has that capability, that potential, and I don't know that I'm getting
16:40a harder goalie, a better goalie with Boston than I am with Ottawa, other than to say that
16:47during the regular season, that would have been the case.
16:49But in a short series, anybody couldn't be good.
16:52I need Lukanen to be good.
16:54I mean, he's going to play all of them, I think, unless it blows up.
16:59So I need that, but I'll take my chances against a goalie.
17:03This is another one where I feel like we're shaking, or I am at least shaking the rust
17:06off, you know, looking forward to a series.
17:10In 2011, not that it really matters at all anymore, it's so long ago, but they played a
17:15Flyers team that was a disaster in goal, and that was what it looked like, and that's
17:20what it was, and they still lost.
17:22Yeah.
17:23They got to seven games in large part because they were scoring goals that should have never
17:27gone in.
17:28Philadelphia really could not get saves out of anybody, but they were the better team.
17:32Like, they really dominated the Sabres, mostly in those games, and the goaltending was, you
17:41know, bad enough that it leveled it up that you got, you know, you got, the Sabres were
17:46even, when they lost the last two games, they were up 3-2 coming home on Easter.
17:50With that lousy goaltending, they had the opportunity, but they couldn't get there.
17:54So, yeah, I mean, I also, as much as, you know, I used to be the, you know, the president
18:01of the goalie dad union, self-appointed, I don't know, whatever, you know, but a lot
18:05of attention to goaltending, so there's hearty respect for it, but I would rather play the
18:12team that is weaker overall, that has the, what is thought to be the better goalie, and
18:19that's why I landed on Boston, you know, weeks ago, as my ideal opponent, and so here we are.
18:27803-0550 for your thoughts, we'll talk to Paul, but not until the pregame show, so really
18:32it's pretty open today.
18:33We'll talk NFL Draft with Chris Trapasso, a week from tomorrow is the first round, the
18:40latest rumors and speculation.
18:43I wonder what tonight really looks like.
18:46I mean, maybe everybody sits and just takes it easy, but it's going to be a very happy
18:52room.
18:52I would imagine they, you know, they don't introduce anything for the warm-ups, warm-ups,
19:00they just come out, right?
19:01So, when the game presentation part of the evening begins, and the lights go down, and
19:07like, welcome to the ice, I think you announce them as Atlantic Division champions, the place
19:13is going to go bonkers.
19:15Like, that'll be a moment.
19:16That'll be, maybe rival what it feels like in Game 1.
19:22That cathartic moment to cheer them as division champs for the first time will be awesome.
19:29Like, I'm envious of you that you're going to be in there for that, because I think that
19:33should be a moment.
19:34Except that their top eight players won't skate onto the ice when they're announced.
19:38We don't know, right?
19:38I mean, there's...
19:39No, we don't.
19:40We know a handful of guys stayed out and skated long, Paul said, even until the Zamboni kicked
19:46them off, I think.
19:46Thompson was one.
19:47Thompson, Darlene was one.
19:50I don't have the list memorized, but there was like five guys that it looked like were
19:55probably coming out.
19:57So, I don't know.
19:58They might have enough to fill.
20:00If they're only doing that many, then, you know, I've been sort of waiting all day for
20:04like a massive Rochester call-up, you know, half a dozen guys.
20:09And I haven't seen it.
20:10Doesn't mean it can't happen.
20:11Those guys might already be here and we just haven't gotten an announcement yet.
20:15To go further than just, you know, your top five guys, maybe, is what it read like this
20:21morning.
20:22Because you could do more than that.
20:24So, we'll see if they choose to or not.
20:26It's funny because they usually do the jersey ceremony at the end of the game where the
20:33players give their jerseys to fans.
20:35They call out seat numbers throughout the night.
20:38If this isn't what they still do, I don't know.
20:40But that's what I'm remembering is they call out seat numbers and then the fans from those
20:45seats get down to the, you know, ice level right as the game is ending and line up on
20:50one side.
20:51And then it's the players on the other side.
20:52And one by one, the players give them their jerseys.
20:55I mean, you could have several Sabres stars who are not dressed and they just give them
21:01their jerseys anyway or they give them their jackets or their shirts they're wearing.
21:05I would imagine they will give them a jersey.
21:07I just don't know how you will go about knowing whether it's actually game worn or not.
21:12Well.
21:12Because if they didn't play in the game.
21:14I'm not sure they would be anyway.
21:16Yeah.
21:16I don't know that they're always the jerseys from the game.
21:18It's just they sign them.
21:19Something.
21:20Yeah.
21:21The list of guys, by the way, just because it came up and I shouldn't leave anyone hanging
21:24who doesn't know yet.
21:25Thompson, Zucker McLeod amongst the forwards, Darlene and Samuelson were the five players
21:31who stayed out and skated until very late.
21:34So you would think they would all sit.
21:35I think those guys are all sitting.
21:36There's no reason they would skate like that and then play in this game.
21:39So those five, at least, I would expect to be out.
21:43We don't know that for sure, but it just, it would be weird if they skated extra before
21:47a meaningless season finale with no stake at all in the game.
21:51So there's that.
21:55Paul also, I just saw, has, I don't know how old this is.
21:59Sorry, I hadn't checked in a little while.
22:00Ottinger is playing for Dallas tonight.
22:02I figured that.
22:03Because he didn't play in Toronto.
22:05Okay.
22:05So they would probably give him this game and then a few days off.
22:09And then game one.
22:10Yeah.
22:10I figured that would happen.
22:12Okay.
22:13So, but I don't know anything else about them.
22:15Maybe we will over the course of the day.
22:18Lines open.
22:18What do you think?
22:19The Bruins are back in our lives.
22:22803-05.
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