- 1 day ago
Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase are joined by Buffalo Sabres beat reporter Paul Hamilton to break down the Sabres 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The guys stary by getting Paul’s thoughts on what he liked from the Sabres performance, and Paul highlights the goaltending and the drive from the team to come back from down 2 in the third period. They then discuss some of the issues including special teams, schedule, and defensive responsibility.
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00:00Paul Hamilton joining us on the Western Hotline to talk about last night's Sabres game.
00:04Sabres fall in a shootout in Montreal.
00:06And Paul's appearance brought to you by Raylax Honda.
00:09Raylax, we got this.
00:10Paul, good morning.
00:11Good morning, guys.
00:12How are you?
00:12We're all right.
00:13We're all right.
00:14That's good.
00:15A spirited attempt of the Sabres to come back and steal a point or get one.
00:19They're down 3-1 in the game.
00:20They rallied a tie at 3-3 before falling in the shootout.
00:22But overall, would you think of the performance on a back-to-back and without Rasmus Dallin,
00:28which can be asking a lot?
00:30Yeah, it was without Dallin.
00:31And there are a couple of things I liked.
00:34Now, this early in the year, a back-to-back shouldn't be a problem.
00:38But it was, obviously, for them.
00:42But all right, let's go with a couple of things I liked.
00:44They scored three goals.
00:46All three were exactly the type of goals they've been talking about, but they haven't been getting.
00:50Getting people to the net, pucks to the net.
00:53And, I mean, they were just huge screens that they got some pucks through.
00:57They hit some bodies, and they wound up going in the net.
00:59And all three goals were the same way.
01:01So, you know, that's a good sign that they finally got some people going to the net.
01:06And it's paying off into those, quote, dirty goals that they're able to get.
01:11This season, if you recall, they have come back three different times from two goals down in the third period
01:18and gone 2-0-1.
01:20So, they picked up five out of six points doing that.
01:24Now, obviously, that's not going to keep working.
01:26But so far, it has worked for them where they've been able to come back from two goals down and
01:34gotten two wins.
01:35And Lucanen, let's face it, absolutely stole them a point and has done that now two games in a row
01:41in Montreal.
01:42Because his last game in Montreal was game six of the playoffs, a game they had to win.
01:47And he was just as good in that game, too, as he was last night.
01:52And last night, you know, a lot of big saves.
01:55That's what's been missing.
01:56He's been okay.
01:57I mean, except for the one game.
01:59The one game, he was not good.
02:01But other than that, it's like, okay.
02:03But you weren't getting the big save at the big time.
02:06And you got plenty of big saves in that one.
02:08And even with the loss, he is 7-2 in his last nine shootouts.
02:14Yeah.
02:14The first three games, Paul, it was like a 7-50 save percentage for Lucanen.
02:19But really, the last, because you can go back to Florida, right?
02:23Like, the last five periods, he's been exactly what they would want.
02:28Yeah, but you know what?
02:29I couldn't have cared less what his save percentage was because the team was horrendous in front of him.
02:33I mean, they were getting layups on him.
02:34But he did say, and he was absolutely right, you got to bottom line it at some point.
02:39And he said, I can't be giving up four goals in two periods.
02:43He goes, I don't care if they're four breakaways.
02:46He goes, I can't be giving up four goals in two periods.
02:48It's as simple as that.
02:49So I do, you know, he did understand that he was okay.
02:55But okay isn't what you're looking for.
02:57You're looking for a guy who can come up with the big save.
03:00And he started that, you're right, the last 30 minutes that he was in relief against Florida.
03:05Now, the difference was they played very well in front of him against Florida.
03:08Lindy Ruff thought that was their best game as a team.
03:11They didn't play very well in front of him last night.
03:14But, you know, he was able to come up with those big saves, keep them going.
03:18They started off okay.
03:19But in that second period, wow.
03:22I mean, Fowler basically just stood there and leaned on his stick the whole second period.
03:26I mean, he faced two shots.
03:28The second one was a big save, but he had nothing to do.
03:32They were awful in the second period.
03:34But they came out with a little bit of fire in the third period.
03:38And, you know, bang, bang.
03:40It was 3-3 all of a sudden because, again, they went out and got those dirty goals.
03:45Yeah.
03:46But did Lindy call the second period the worst one of the season so far?
03:49I mean, they were all shot, what, 11-2?
03:51Yeah.
03:52I wouldn't doubt that.
03:53I wouldn't argue with that.
03:55Yeah.
03:56How about, there were a few positive performances, I thought, Paul.
04:00What did you think of Zellweger?
04:01Because that was the most minutes he had played by a lot so far this season.
04:05I liked him better against Florida, but I liked him in this game also.
04:09I mean, he started, and I talked to him at the end of the first period.
04:12And it's not an excuse, but when you're a young player, a new player, first time you've been traded, there
04:19are a lot of things you have to get used to.
04:21New team, new teammates, new city, and the most of all, a new system.
04:29And usually his defenseman will hang back.
04:31And that's not his game.
04:34And he did that because he didn't want to get beat defensively.
04:37He wanted to be solid in his own end.
04:39And now he's starting to get back to playing the way that he knows he can play within the system
04:45that Lindy Ruff has.
04:46And I thought the breakout game came against Florida, and it continued.
04:52He got the couple of goals last night.
04:55Yeah.
04:55He has 10 shots on goal in the last two games also, Paul.
04:58Like, I'm excited about the idea of him because of the system, right?
05:02Like, maybe it took him a few games to adjust.
05:05But their system and, like, how they played last year with what Lindy allows their defenseman to do feels like
05:13it's perfect for a player that plays the way he does.
05:15Yeah.
05:16In the last two games, he's really joining the play.
05:19Forget about the goals.
05:20I mean, he's up in the play.
05:22You know, he's that fourth guy.
05:23And they know how to do that because, as you mentioned, with the system, anytime the defense joins, the forward
05:31will hang back a little bit and cover up.
05:32And that's why Darlene started doing it a lot more because he knew he had a forward who had his
05:38back so he could get up in the play and join in the offensive rush when he could see the
05:43opportunity.
05:44And Zellweger, rather, I think, is really starting to do that, too.
05:50Just, again, trusting himself, trusting the system, trusting his teammates, just trusting he's in a new place, and now he's
05:56starting to get used to it.
05:58Paul Hamilton joining us on the Western Hotline.
06:000 for 5 on the power play, Paul.
06:02How do you feel?
06:03There were a couple.
06:04Like, the first one I thought they looked excellent, but still.
06:07I mean, they have lost the special teams battle, if you will.
06:12Like, they've given up more goals on the power play than scored in five of seven games so far this
06:17year.
06:18And that's not going to be a way to, you know, be successful, I feel like, this season.
06:23Well, coming in, they were 3 of 8 on the power play.
06:26It scored two straight games.
06:27It looked like maybe it was starting to come for them.
06:29And then the first power play, as you said, it was like, I couldn't believe they didn't score.
06:33I mean, they had some good opportunities.
06:34They were moving the puck well.
06:36They were moving their feet.
06:37They were rotating inside the zone.
06:39They were getting good entries.
06:41And then that all went away.
06:43They just, the power play, and again, that could have won them a hockey game.
06:47A hockey game that maybe they didn't deserve to win, but a power play goal in that game, you know.
06:53And unfortunately, I mean, they did give up a power play goal, which they do almost on a nightly basis
06:58now.
06:59But it was a 5 on 3.
07:00And they had killed almost the whole 5 on 3.
07:03They were seconds from doing it.
07:06And then the shot just gets through the maze.
07:08And Lucan had never moved a muscle.
07:10I mean, guys were in front of him, and he never saw the puck at all.
07:15And it wound up going in on the 5 on 3.
07:18So I don't get too crazy about when you give up a 5 on 3 very often.
07:22You're going to do that.
07:24But still, the penalty kill is still the work in progress that needs to get to where it needs to
07:32get fairly quickly.
07:32Because you just can't keep giving up the power play goals they're giving up.
07:36Yeah, Paul, I was going to ask.
07:36We're talking to Lindy at 8 o'clock.
07:38Are you seeing, or what are you seeing that might be different about their results in the power play this
07:42year after being so good last year?
07:43I'm sorry, the penalty kill.
07:44The penalty kill?
07:46Honestly, and I don't mean to keep going back to it.
07:49Tuck is a premier penalty killer.
07:51Byram was very good.
07:53You know, once they started taking off as a team, I like Byron's defense, and he played well defensively, and
07:59he was very good.
08:01And don't forget Timmons.
08:03Timmons is an excellent penalty killer.
08:05I don't love him 5 on 5, but he's a shot-blocking machine, and they haven't had him either.
08:11So you've taken three very good penalty killers off that unit that they haven't been there all year.
08:18So now you've got new guys trying to work in and do it.
08:22And they've got to hurry up and get used to it because, you know, it's losing them hockey games right
08:28now.
08:29Yeah.
08:29I wonder, is this why we're seeing maybe that Zach Metza didn't play on the penalty kill last year?
08:35Because he's played, I'm looking right now, the second most minutes PK for them this year.
08:40And he's been, at 14 minutes, he's been on the ice, and they've allowed seven goals while he's been out
08:44there.
08:45So, like, maybe that's, you mentioned Timmons.
08:49Like, he's one where that's a depth player, role player that, you know, won't mean a lot for them on
08:545 on 5.
08:54But he, there were times in the playoffs, Paul, where he'd play like the whole two minutes.
08:58Oh, yeah.
08:59And just block shot after shot after shot.
09:02And, yeah, it's now, Metza did get just a little bit of penalty killing near the end of the season.
09:07Because we were wondering last year, how come he never kills penalties?
09:10Look at what he's done 5 on 5.
09:11He hasn't given up a goal 5 on 5 since October, you know, but was the thing with him.
09:17So, Metza hasn't been quite as good this year as maybe he was last year.
09:21But definitely has not been a good part of the penalty kill so far.
09:27Paul Hamilton on the Sabres.
09:30Thank you, Paul.
09:31No problem, guys.
09:31Take care.
09:32They fall in Montreal in a shootout, and they'll play Toronto next.
09:35Last night was the NHL's frozen frenzy, all 32 teams playing.
09:41I like that the NHL does this, a day where all 32 teams play.
09:47It's probably too big of a lift to do it every Tuesday.
09:51But I would ask, how does yesterday feel any different?
09:57Unless your team is facing off like the Sabres did 30 minutes earlier.
10:02Other than that, what feels different?
10:05For all 32 teams to play, I know they didn't want to go up against football, which Monday would have
10:10been.
10:11But to me, I would be aiming for a holiday, and I would go 1 p.m. all the way
10:18to the end of the day.
10:19Yeah.
10:19The earliest game yesterday was 6 or 6.30.
10:23Was there 1, 5 o'clock?
10:25Maybe not.
10:25You might be right.
10:26Yeah.
10:26It was just – it's a cool idea.
10:29I think it's very cool.
10:30I just – I don't know how much, if you are a fan of the league, do you really notice
10:37it different, or do you just watch your team?
10:40Like, for me, I just watch my team.
10:42All right.
10:426.30 face off.
10:43Maybe if I'm staying up later after the game, I'm watching the games out west differently.
10:48And all I'm saying is, is that more likely?
10:49If they play at 5 or 4.30, are you more likely to roll that into a game afterwards?
10:55That's probably right.
10:56You know, it's a 30-minute difference.
10:57But, you know, they're trying stuff, and I think it's kind of cool that they did it.
11:0016 games.
11:01The tradeoff is tonight there are two.
11:03Montreal plays again at Washington and Stars and Avalanche.
11:06And then Montreal's off until they play the Sabres on Saturday.
11:09And the Sabres and Leafs will play Thursday, 7 o'clock, in Toronto.
11:13We've got a watch party.
11:15We'll be at the 1812 Tavern.
11:16Come hang out.
11:18Going to watch the game.
11:20Maybe you'll get to see me panic live and in person.
11:22They lost – Toronto lost to Utah last night.
11:25Utah's good.
11:25Three wins, three losses for Toronto.
11:27It's not like they've been – actually, sorry, three wins, four losses.
11:30A couple of them made me in a shootout.
11:33Utah is good.
11:35They beat the Sabres the other day.
11:37But Sabres and Leafs are tied in the standings across the board.
11:42It's a battle for the – oh, whatever.
11:45You're staying in the fight for right now.
11:47Right, right now.
11:477.7 games.
11:48You will have to – you have to go out on a run.
11:51You probably don't need a 10-game win streak at some point.
11:53No, no, no.
11:54But they'll have to have a bit of a streak at some point.
11:56They'll have to see that this is not their A game.
11:59That's really –
11:59You're right.
12:00Like the Sabres, if this is their B game, then you're doing okay.
12:03They're 3-3-1, Toronto 3-3-1, Montreal 3-2-1, Florida 3-2-2.
12:10You've got those four teams separated by one point.
12:12Yep.
12:13So – and then Detroit, way back.
12:16Ottawa, looks good.
12:185-2 start for them.
12:19Allmark is like the best goalie in hockey to start the season.
12:22So Ottawa's maybe going to be a problem.
12:258-0-3-0-5-50.
12:26Open for your calls on the other side if you want to make it on the Sabres,
12:29if you want to jump on the Bills and our conversation about how they've looked
12:32through four games, a crazy, crazy win.
12:35The defense, of course, a big problem.
12:37James Cook's fumbling.
12:38If that's, you know, a stone in your shoe, throw it at us.
12:418-0-3-0-5-50.
12:42Jeremy and Joe on WGR.
12:43Jeremy and Joe on WGR.