- 7 hours ago
Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase are joined by Buffalo Sabres beat reporter Paul Hamilton to get his thoughts on the Sabres disappointing 2-1 loss to the Senators. The guys start by discussing the low energy from the team, and Paul highlights Rasmus Dahlin as a player that needs to step up. Then they discuss Ryan McLeod and Josh Norris’s roles in the struggles putting the puck in the net. They also touch on the goaltending situation, what went well, and more!
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00:00Sabres fall to the Ottawa Senators. Paul Hamilton's appearance brought to you by Raylaxonda.
00:05Raylax, we got this. We'll recap last night's game and talk about it with Paul Hamilton.
00:11Sabres fall 2-1 to Ottawa. Paul, good morning.
00:13Good morning. How are you?
00:15Paul, we were talking today about the Sabres' effort and all that and whether or not...
00:20Did you think it was a bad start to finish or did you feel like they were fine for two
00:24periods
00:24and they maybe ran out of gas? How did you take it in?
00:28Because Lindy seemed upset about it afterwards and we were at the game
00:30and I thought it was a fairly regular, normal game for most of it.
00:35I just thought the energy was low pretty much throughout the game.
00:42They just seemed kind of blah.
00:44You know, that West Coast thing.
00:47But there's no excuse because guess what?
00:49The Ottawa Senators did the same exact thing.
00:52They were just out playing the same teams on the West Coast
00:55and, you know, it was their first game back at East
00:58and they certainly didn't look, you know, like they were fatigued or anything like that.
01:04But they just seemed blah.
01:07You know, it was just not much going on.
01:13You know, Lindy was right.
01:14I mean, they were getting outworked.
01:16They were getting outbattled at times.
01:17And it just seemed like a very, very low energy game for them.
01:23I was thinking again that, you know, remember, you know, Rasmus Dallin last year.
01:29He was third in the Norris Trophy voting.
01:31And I thought to myself, how many games this year, you know,
01:36even the ones they were winning out in California somewhere,
01:38you just thought Rasmus Dallin took over the game like he did last year.
01:43You know, that's kind of what they did a little bit more out of their captain, I think.
01:47He was turning the puck over last night and making some bad decisions.
01:54And it just – he has to be better, I think, than we've seen this year from him.
02:01He just hasn't had the season yet from what I've seen that he had last year
02:08where he can just take over games and you just notice him all over the ice,
02:12whether it's killing plays or getting up ice or those types of things.
02:17And I just haven't seen a lot of that this year.
02:20Are we even noticing him really, like, in the after the whistle and physical play, Paul, too?
02:25Because that was a huge part of his game.
02:28I mean, it has been for years.
02:29Even that, I don't know if I'm really noticing.
02:31Like, is he delivering these bone-crushing hits or cross-checks
02:34that are driving the other team crazy?
02:36Like, even that seems like it's kind of gone away a bit.
02:38Yeah.
02:39No, I agree.
02:39I agree.
02:40It just – I wouldn't say he's been awful or anything like that.
02:46It's just, you know, he has to be a – for the Sabres to be a good team consistently,
02:52you know, he has to be the guy that, you know, playing like a superstar would.
02:57And we saw a lot of that last year, and I just haven't seen a lot of it this year.
03:03You know, at times you see him step up.
03:06There was one game on that trip where Samuelson and he played very, very well.
03:12And I thought, you know, there's their game right there.
03:16You know, that's the game that they have to play.
03:19But there just really hasn't been enough of it yet.
03:22Paul, did you feel like that energy point, was that true of the entire team?
03:27Were there any players you feel like stood out apart from that?
03:30And I don't know, like, I wonder if there's a certain line that might be more on the hook
03:36for, you know, the low energy part or not making a big impact than any.
03:40Because, like, you get to the final ten minutes of the game and the Norris line basically got benched.
03:45Yeah, and they should have been.
03:47I mean, they turned the puck.
03:49I mean, what led to that phenomenal save by Ellis?
03:54It was a turnover by McLeod, you know, right in the middle of the ice.
03:58And he kind of over-skated the puck and turned it over.
04:02And Ottawa wound up with that phenomenal scoring opportunity.
04:06And you saw a huge save by Ellis.
04:08And, you know, it's a shame they wasted a really good, well-goal-tended game.
04:14You know, you get a game like that from your goaltender, you should get two points and win a hockey
04:19game.
04:23But pretty much, I mean, like on the Sabre goal, it was a really good heads-up play for Benson,
04:31you know,
04:32in front of the net where, you know, he wins the battle, gets the puck out into the high slot
04:37for Thompson.
04:38Krebs goes to the net.
04:40I mean, that's how you score goals.
04:42But I didn't see a whole lot.
04:44Why were they successful in California?
04:46In almost every game, they crashed the net.
04:49They were crashing the net constantly and being a pain for the other goaltender.
04:55And that was a pretty easy game for Erson.
04:59I mean, Erson made a save or two that you would say, all right, that's a good save.
05:03But he basically stood there for a lot of the game.
05:07And he didn't have a whole lot to do.
05:11Very, you know, if he did have a few saves to make, they were fairly easy saves.
05:16Look at the first period that Chance Thompson had.
05:20You know, he's been red hot.
05:21And basically, he lined it right up with his crest.
05:25That's usually not, you know, what Thompson does.
05:29So, you know, now there were a couple things that I liked their penalty kill.
05:35I thought the couple of kills that they had, I thought they did a real nice job with.
05:40I thought in the power play, they did move the puck around on at least one of them.
05:45And were dangerous, at least, on the power play.
05:49But it's just, you know, it was, as I said, I wouldn't say they were awful.
05:55I mean, Lenny Ruff, I think, said they were awful.
05:58But it just seemed like a very, very low energy game where they just didn't have, you know,
06:06they were getting beaten to loose pucks.
06:08They were, you know, not winning the battles that Lenny Ruff was talking about.
06:12And, you know, look at what happens.
06:16I mean, you came into the third period up 1-0.
06:20And last year, it was very rare I would say to myself, oh, they're in trouble.
06:25It was like, you know, they got this locked down.
06:27They know how to do this now.
06:28They know how to protect leads.
06:30I didn't feel that way watching that game yesterday.
06:33They got this locked down.
06:36It looked to me like, eh, they're hanging on a little bit here.
06:40You know, and then all of a sudden they give up a 3-on-2 and it's in their net.
06:45And Ellis had no chance on it.
06:47And it's, you know, late 3-on-2 after you already gave up a goal to tie it.
06:53And, yeah, their head coach was not a happy camper, nor should he have been.
06:59But, yeah, McLeod and Norris, I mean, right now they're worth two forwards.
07:04And they're on the same line together.
07:07They're just not performing at all.
07:09There's just nothing going on for them at all.
07:12They're turning the puck over.
07:13And I don't know what to do other than Kulik's ready.
07:18One of them maybe has to go up in the press box and watch.
07:21I mean, just, you know, you don't have your winning streak anymore.
07:27Put Kulik in and sit one of those two.
07:29Paul Hamilton joining us here on the Sabres.
07:32Paul, you mentioned, you know, you didn't feel confident at the end.
07:34Despite the game that Colton Ellis played, and he played a really strong game,
07:38kept him in it, and he might have wasted it.
07:40But did he earn more spots in this rotation?
07:43And, you know, would you say that the rotation they ultimately get to,
07:48whenever they get to it, that we couldn't predict it right now,
07:50that it's got to play out?
07:51Yeah, I was wondering if we are into the rotation now.
07:55You know, because, you know, Lukanen played very well in Los Angeles,
07:59but Ellis gets the start.
08:01So I thought, because I was thinking to myself,
08:04and I think I mentioned it, that I think maybe they're into the rotation now.
08:07And Lindy Ruff said both goaltenders are going to have to play with,
08:10six games in 11 days.
08:12And I thought, he really wanted, I think he's wanted to get to rotation.
08:16He just hasn't gotten there yet.
08:19So I had wondered if, I mean,
08:22Ellis certainly played well enough to earn the next start.
08:24There's no question about that.
08:27But if Lindy Ruff really thinks, all right,
08:30a rotation is what did us well last year.
08:32Let's start with it.
08:33Let's get going with it.
08:34And let's see where it takes us.
08:38But the other thing to think about, too,
08:40is they've lost four out of five at home.
08:44And you can trace it back.
08:45They're not scoring goals at home.
08:47I mean, they got shut out at home.
08:49They had one goal against Philadelphia.
08:51They had one goal in this game.
08:53I believe there was another one at home.
08:55They had one goal.
08:57And the first two games they did, they won the first two games.
09:01I think they had seven goals in the first two games at home.
09:04Since then, they just, for whatever reason,
09:07are not putting the puck in.
09:09And playing goaltenders that come in with pretty lousy records.
09:12I mean, Urson did not have good numbers.
09:15I think he had won one out of seven, if I'm not mistaken.
09:19But you didn't make them play.
09:23You just let them pretty much stand down there.
09:26I mean, any goaltender could have played that way.
09:29I mean, they just, there weren't guys around them all that much,
09:32other than their goal.
09:34And, you know, there was a couple of juicy rebounds.
09:38Now, Doan got to one.
09:40I remember he got to one, spun, and took a good shot.
09:44But that's the only one I can remember,
09:46that the Sabres really fought to get to the rebound
09:48and try to put it in the net
09:50because there really weren't guys around.
09:52So it's just, you know, you can, as I said,
09:55I expect that game sometimes coming from the west.
09:58But both teams are in the same boat.
10:01Ottawa came from the west, too.
10:03Yeah, both teams were in the same boat.
10:04So I can't, I'm sorry, I can't buy it this time.
10:07Right, the Sabres actually had one extra day of rest.
10:10And they both came basically from the L.A. area.
10:12So back on the goalie rotation for a moment, Paul,
10:15the thing I wonder about, last year it was pretty obvious
10:19what the plan was when everybody was healthy, right?
10:22Like, Ellis was the third guy.
10:23He would sit out.
10:24Maybe he'd be the backup, but he wouldn't.
10:26Yeah, he was the backup.
10:26That's what he was doing with the third guy.
10:30He backed up every game, basically.
10:32But he wouldn't get a lot of starts unless someone was out.
10:34And here's Lyon practicing, and Lindy's talking like he's getting close.
10:38And I wonder how it plays out if Ellis is playing well
10:42and then Lyon comes back because Lukanen's been better the last few games.
10:47And I also, I think you'd probably agree with this, right?
10:50I can't imagine they're going to do a three-goalie rotation
10:52where it's like one, two, three, one, two, three.
10:55Yeah, that definitely is not going to work, I don't think.
10:58And Lukanen played very well in Los Angeles.
11:00I mean, that was a very solid game that he had.
11:04But that's why I'm wondering if – because remember last year Lyon had a shutout,
11:08but they were doing the rotation thing, and he didn't play the next game.
11:12They just stayed in the rotation, even though he had had a shutout.
11:16And that's why I'm just wondering to myself, is that what we're going to see?
11:22Now we're not going to see anything today because it's their day off
11:26that they have to have through the collective bargaining agreement.
11:30But, you know, so it will be tomorrow before we see them again.
11:35But it could end up being, Paul, I wonder if just whoever is the first one of the two
11:39that has a bad game, well, then you lose your next start to Lyon whenever he's healthy.
11:43Yeah, or, you know, it depends if you're winning or not.
11:47I mean, he could go to the rotation, and then they may not be winning.
11:50You know, they've got four games at home.
11:52The way they're playing at home recently, that rotation may not work
11:57because they've already wasted a very well-goal-tended game and lost that game.
12:03So it's obviously no fault at all of Ellis.
12:07Ellis played great, but they wasted it.
12:11So, I mean, Lukan could go in and play great too,
12:14but if you only score one goal, you probably aren't going to win.
12:16I mean, so it's just they have to figure out how to start putting the puck in the net at
12:24home
12:24and doing the things at home that they did on that road trip
12:28where they picked up seven out of eight points.
12:30And almost every game, we're crashing the net constantly.
12:34Paul, we have a new feature about hardworking players.
12:37You want to tell us who you thought was the hardest working player in the game?
12:39Who'd you like?
12:40I like Benson, especially on that goal, the work that he put in in front of the net.
12:46You know, he, you know, it didn't look like he could get to the puck,
12:51but he worked hard to get it and then made a really nice pass into the high slot to Thompson.
12:57And, you know, then you've got Krebs going to the net, but I thought that was good work.
13:01Plus, I liked his work on the penalty kill too.
13:04I thought he was a really hard worker on the penalty kill.
13:08So, I would say Benson for this one.
13:11The blue-collar workwear hardworking player is Zach Benson.
13:15Blue-collar workwear where you get ready for work.
13:18I also thought we saw a lot of the fourth line.
13:21Beck Mellenstein delivered a couple of crushing hits, right?
13:24Yeah.
13:25He almost killed Kozak in one of them.
13:27The two of them went in and Kozak got the worst of it.
13:30It's like, you better get out of the way.
13:32You know your line mate's coming fast and he's going to hit somebody.
13:36And you may not want to go into the wall with him.
13:39I said this to Jeremy yesterday, Paul, during the game.
13:42I don't know that in my life watching this team or the league in general,
13:46I've ever seen someone deliver as many big hits as Mellenstein does
13:51without almost ever seeming to cross the line.
13:54Maybe it's happened, but I can't remember a time where it's like,
13:57oh, he might get suspended for this.
13:59It just doesn't happen.
13:59And the other team doesn't go after him either.
14:02Right.
14:02You know, and watch sometime.
14:06When you see him coming in like that, watch the defensemen.
14:09They're looking over their shoulder.
14:11They know he's on the ice and they know he's coming.
14:13And you can actually see them sometimes peeking over their shoulders,
14:17seeing how close is he, because they know he's coming
14:21and they know he's going to hit hard.
14:23Paul Hamilton, his appearance brought to you by Ray Laksanda.
14:26Ray Laks, we got this.
14:27Thanks, Paul.
14:28No problem, guys.
14:28Take care.
14:29Saver's next play, Columbus on Thursday.
14:32That's Hockey Fights Cancer Night at the arena on Thursday night.
14:35Or, sorry, Friday night.
14:36Today's Thursday.
14:36Friday night at the arena.
14:38Eye on the Blue and Gold brought to you by Great Lakes Building Systems.
14:41We keep an eye on your business so you don't have to.
14:43Great Lakes Building Systems, our business is protecting your business.
14:47So a little hullabaloo also about Yarmou being in Columbus
14:51for their game against Colorado the other night.
14:53All right.