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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  2. <feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
  3.  <title>Die By The Blade -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>A Buffalo Sabres Blog For Intelligent Fans</subtitle>
  5.  <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52866/Die_By_The_Blade_favicon..png</icon>
  6.  <updated>2023-03-30T11:29:15-04:00</updated>
  7.  <id>http://www.diebytheblade.com/rss/current/</id>
  8.  <link type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/" rel="alternate"/>
  9.  <entry>
  10.    <published>2023-03-30T11:29:15-04:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2023-03-30T11:29:15-04:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Join us at the New Die By The Blade</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="Nashville Predators v Buffalo Sabres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/v0ReFqBj2ni7SSl9cJhT7dar2dA=/0x0:5844x3896/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72106349/1249042267.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  18.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  19.  
  20.  &lt;p&gt;The time has come!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="lllIPy"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Updated March 30, 2023.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;p id="pSia8P"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Die By The Blade&lt;/strong&gt; officially goes independent this week!&lt;/p&gt;
  22. &lt;p id="wzO2VK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join us at the new site: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://die-by-the-blade.ghost.io/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;https://die-by-the-blade.ghost.io/&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;p id="eOulv7"&gt;Here’s what you need to know:&lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;p id="07kIco"&gt;There will almost certainly be a (hopefully short) period where this URL - &lt;a href="http://diebytheblade.com"&gt;diebytheblade.com&lt;/a&gt; - will be stagnant. It might be a week, I’m not sure - but there will likely be a period where nothing new will be posted here as we await the official transfer of the domain. That’s why this post is here, to hopefully help redirect you all!&lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="klWeXg"&gt;Since the Sabres play on both March 31 and April 1, in order to ensure minimal disruption, we will &lt;strong&gt;begin using our new, temporary URL on Thursday, March 30&lt;/strong&gt;. Without getting into the details, we’re likely to lose access to the backend of this current site on April 1, and I’d rather make the switch a day early to keep everything in one place.&lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;p id="tsVbYz"&gt;So: &lt;strong&gt;you will need to visit this URL:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://die-by-the-blade.ghost.io/"&gt;https://die-by-the-blade.ghost.io/&lt;/a&gt; until we complete the transfer of the &lt;a href="http://diebytheblade.com"&gt;diebytheblade.com&lt;/a&gt; domain. Once the transfer is complete, you’ll be able to use either URL to reach us!&lt;/p&gt;
  27. &lt;p id="ROBeJy"&gt;Also, as an FYI: in time, we will be able to transfer all of our old posts/content here to the new site, but that won’t happen immediately. The priority is getting the new site up &amp;amp; running.&lt;/p&gt;
  28. &lt;p id="JGBltp"&gt;Our new site will undoubtedly look different from the current one, with a different layout and a shiny new Die By The Blade logo. Initially, it also won’t have many photos. Any photos attached to our old content will be gone - it’s a licensing thing - but we are working on a new photo contract. At any rate, I don’t think many people come for the photos, right?&lt;/p&gt;
  29. &lt;p id="o2nuMW"&gt;We’re also exploring some options for a new commenting system. Ghost’s standard system doesn’t allow for real-time commenting updates, which I know come in handy during game threads! Stay tuned.&lt;/p&gt;
  30. &lt;p id="Ti8dke"&gt;Unfortunately, we will lose most of the &lt;strong&gt;FanPosts&lt;/strong&gt; that have been written here. Due to SBN community regulations, they are unable to give us those archived files. The only FanPosts that will come with us to the new site are those that have been ‘elevated’ to the front page over the years. &lt;strong&gt;So, if you’ve written a FanPost you’d really like to save, please do that now.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  31. &lt;p id="xjgIPl"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Everyone will need to sign up for a new account&lt;/strong&gt; through Ghost. We can’t take any of the current community accounts - usernames, passwords, etc. - with us. Accounts are free &amp;amp; you will need one to comment on anything. There are also paid options if you are feeling generous and wish to support us on a recurring basis.&lt;/p&gt;
  32. &lt;p id="85sfNi"&gt;We’re also looking into how to get accounts setup so you can submit a FanPost if you’re interested! Bear with us.&lt;/p&gt;
  33. &lt;p id="zrdjbQ"&gt;If you’d like to make a one-time donation, you can do so through &lt;a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-future-coverage-of-the-buffalo-sabres"&gt;GoFundMe&lt;/a&gt;. You can also sign up for a subscription through Ghost at $5/month or $50/year. But again, all of our content will remain free right now.&lt;/p&gt;
  34. &lt;p id="NeBpzQ"&gt;The short-term goal is to have enough funds to sustain at our current budget - including paying contributors, new web hosting, etc. - which amounts to roughly $12,000 per year. (Yes, that feels like a big, scary number.)&lt;/p&gt;
  35. &lt;p id="vj2q35"&gt;We will also have merch available with our beautiful new logo, so stay tuned for that as well.&lt;/p&gt;
  36. &lt;p id="glGhSw"&gt;Exciting things ahead!&lt;/p&gt;
  37. &lt;p id="os7J9R"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  38. &lt;p id="HWePpw"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  39. &lt;p id="M9yXIW"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  40. &lt;p id="VUcR9o"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  41. &lt;p id="xcT1Ld"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  42. &lt;p id="IvWTZI"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  43. &lt;p id="0vhCFE"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  44. &lt;p id="K5gqNL"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  45. &lt;p id="gQjFpl"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  46.  
  47. </content>
  48.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/23/23653316/looking-to-the-new-die-by-the-blade-buffalo-sabres-nhl-hockey"/>
  49.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/23/23653316/looking-to-the-new-die-by-the-blade-buffalo-sabres-nhl-hockey</id>
  50.    <author>
  51.      <name>Melissa Burgess</name>
  52.    </author>
  53.  </entry>
  54.  <entry>
  55.    <published>2023-03-28T15:54:46-04:00</published>
  56.    <updated>2023-03-28T15:54:46-04:00</updated>
  57.    <title>Rousek’s Debut Lives Up to Expectations</title>
  58.    <content type="html">  
  59.  
  60.    &lt;figure&gt;
  61.      &lt;img alt="Montreal Canadiens v Buffalo Sabres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kBraugVuHVQXPQABZZcITOjdIA4=/0x0:5569x3713/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72124410/1249659935.0.jpg" /&gt;
  62.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  63.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  64.  
  65.  &lt;p&gt;The 2019 draft pick finally made his NHL debut - and it was worth the wait.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="3Sjnwk"&gt;Winger Lukáš Rousek became the second member of the 2019 &lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com"&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/a&gt; draft class to reach the NHL on Monday night, making his debut in a shootout loss to the &lt;a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com"&gt;Montreal Canadiens&lt;/a&gt;. (The other member of that draft class to play in the NHL so far is, of course, Dylan Cozens.)&lt;/p&gt;
  66. &lt;p id="UFASb1"&gt;Rousek’s long-awaited debut certainly didn’t disappoint, as he scored his first NHL goal on his first shot, on his first shift, in his first game. It doesn’t get much better than that.&lt;/p&gt;
  67. &lt;div id="FvtKxY"&gt;&lt;div style="max-width: 1280px;"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 57.4074%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.nhl.com/video/embed/t-336566830/t-336566830/c-16228865" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  68. &lt;p id="uIcOiK"&gt;Rousek, who turns 24 next month, was drafted by the Sabres 160th overall in 2019 at the age of 20, a rare overage draft pick who went undrafted in two prior years. He remained overseas for a few years after the draft, playing for HC Sparta Praha in Czechia and representing his country internationally.&lt;/p&gt;
  69. &lt;p id="tZEEQB"&gt;He made the jump to North America in 2021, but it was a rough start when he suffered a knee injury that required a full ACL reconstruction before training camp even began. What could’ve easily been a season-ending injury proved to be just another hurdle for Rousek to overcome - and he did.&lt;/p&gt;
  70. &lt;p id="WXG5MI"&gt;He skated in 19 regular-season games for the Amerks, putting up four points, but really made an impact in Rochester’s playoff run, with six points in 10 games.&lt;/p&gt;
  71. &lt;p id="8kjy51"&gt;Now in his first full season in the AHL, Rousek has been absolutely shining. He’s put up 49 points, including 34 assists, in 62 games with the Amerks. With that kind of production, it came as no surprise when the Sabres recalled him amid Tage Thompson’s lingering injury.&lt;/p&gt;
  72. &lt;p id="ZSZ3gp"&gt;It also came as no surprise, then, that Rousek made an immediate impact at the NHL level.&lt;/p&gt;
  73. &lt;p id="WQlO4R"&gt;In addition to the goal, he added an assist despite playing just 9:03, the lowest ice time among all forwards. (Riley Stillman, who played 8:59 on the back end, also had a goal, so it’s all about working with the opportunities you’re given, I guess!)&lt;/p&gt;
  74. &lt;p id="YuBC4i"&gt;Rousek had one shot and one blocked shot and took one faceoff. He’s now since been reassigned to the Amerks again. Rochester plays on Wednesday, while the Sabres aren’t back in action until Friday, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him at the NHL level again soon.&lt;/p&gt;
  75. &lt;p id="lf7mRy"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  76.  
  77. </content>
  78.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/28/23659843/buffalo-sabres-lukas-rousek-long-awaited-debut-lives-up-expectations-nhl-hockey-rochester-americans"/>
  79.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/28/23659843/buffalo-sabres-lukas-rousek-long-awaited-debut-lives-up-expectations-nhl-hockey-rochester-americans</id>
  80.    <author>
  81.      <name>Melissa Burgess</name>
  82.    </author>
  83.  </entry>
  84.  <entry>
  85.    <published>2023-03-28T00:07:57-04:00</published>
  86.    <updated>2023-03-28T00:07:57-04:00</updated>
  87.    <title>Sabres Fall Short in Shootout</title>
  88.    <content type="html">  
  89.  
  90.    &lt;figure&gt;
  91.      &lt;img alt="Montreal Canadiens v Buffalo Sabres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XfFAPWKvy9T8S8VHmYczwwwwCZk=/0x0:4561x3041/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72121715/1249664953.0.jpg" /&gt;
  92.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Joe Hrycych/NHLI via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  93.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  94.  
  95.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buffalo blows third period lead, can’t close out game. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="YdLFU5"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Score: &lt;/strong&gt;Sabres: 3 Canadiens: 4 (SO)&lt;/p&gt;
  96. &lt;p id="T63Rhs"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shots: &lt;/strong&gt;BUF: 33 MTL: 41&lt;/p&gt;
  97. &lt;p id="SC8mQ3"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com"&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Goals:&lt;/strong&gt; Lukas Rousek (1), JJ Peterka (10), Riley Stillman (1)&lt;/p&gt;
  98. &lt;p id="2N92Ea"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com"&gt;Montreal Canadiens&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Goals:&lt;/strong&gt; Jordan Harris (4), Alex Belzile (6), Brendan Gallagher (6), Michael Pezzetta (SO Winner)&lt;/p&gt;
  99. &lt;h3 id="YRiUqk"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plus 1: Rousek Rips First One In&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  100. &lt;p id="kCh336"&gt;After Jordan Harris scored a backhander on Eric Comrie just 1:22 into the first period, Lukas Rousek answered back two minutes later to tie the score at 1. No. 13’s first NHL goal calmed Buffalo fans’ frayed nerves and shifted the matchup’s early momentum. The Sabres spent the rest of the period playing aggressive hockey and trying to wear down Habs’ goalie Jake Allen, instead of skating around deflated. &lt;/p&gt;
  101. &lt;div id="vAjXaB"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.nhl.com/video/embed/rousek-scores-1st-nhl-goal/t-277350912/c-16228865?autostart=false" width="540" height="360"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  102. &lt;h3 id="bHPjsH"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plus 2: Peterka Ties it Again&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  103. &lt;p id="qqsHso"&gt;The Canadiens struck back at the start of the second period, when Alex Belzile’s wrister made it 2-1 Habs. Less than two minutes later, during Buffalo’s third power play, JJ Peterka got a wrist shot of his own to tie the score once more. &lt;/p&gt;
  104. &lt;p id="AraXdr"&gt;Peterka’s 10th goal this year was his &lt;a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/jj-peterka-8482175"&gt;first&lt;/a&gt; since March 15th. With nine games left in the regular season, maybe No. 77 has a few more magic shots up his sleeve. &lt;/p&gt;
  105. &lt;div id="bPn71n"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/embed/peterka-nets-ppg-at-an-angle/t-277437090/c-16229948?autostart=false" width="540" height="360"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  106. &lt;h3 id="4P5bi8"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plus 3: Stillman Scores His First&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  107. &lt;p id="K25YBL"&gt;Rousek wasn’t the only Buffalo player to get his first goal as a Sabre. Three minutes after Peterka’s tying wrister, Sabres defenseman Riley Stillman beat Allen with assists from Olofsson and Rousek to give the Blue and Gold the lead for the first time in the night. &lt;/p&gt;
  108. &lt;p id="BtW1Y0"&gt;In Tage Thompson’s absence, players such as Rousek and Stillman stepped up to keep the Sabres’ scoring alive. Good teams learn to adjust when injuries happen and it was great to see Stillman add to the host team’s production. &lt;/p&gt;
  109. &lt;div id="40zXR5"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/embed/stillman-sends-it-home-in-tight/t-277437090/c-16230127?autostart=false" width="540" height="360"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  110. &lt;h3 id="BnScBz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minus 1: Buffalo Blows Third Period Lead&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  111. &lt;p id="umrcAl"&gt;After Stillman’s goal made it 3-2 Sabres, Montreal turned up the pressure in the third, outshooting the hosts and playing very aggressively in Buffalo’s zone. At the 11:25 mark, Brendan Gallagher tied it 3-3, with assists from Jake Evans and Jesse Ylonen. &lt;/p&gt;
  112. &lt;p id="N5jKon"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23658798/game-preview-buffalo-sabres-vs-montreal-canadiens-game-73-nhl-hockey"&gt;Don’t Blame Me&lt;/a&gt; had the &lt;strong&gt;Comment of the Game:&lt;/strong&gt; “I knew it was coming.” Too often this season, the Sabres get a lead in the first 40 minutes and then let their opponents back in the game in the final 20. Fans can’t relax when Buffalo’s ahead and the team has a bad habit of stepping off offensive pressure and losing third period leads. &lt;/p&gt;
  113. &lt;p id="9Cy1Pk"&gt;If the Blue and Gold hope to keep their playoff drought from turning into a baker’s dozen, they need to play 60 minutes of consistent, aggressive hockey, something they’ve failed to do in 2022-23. &lt;/p&gt;
  114. &lt;h3 id="7X89WL"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minus 2: Refs Call Questionable Penalty on Sabres Once Again&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  115. &lt;p id="bbksaU"&gt;The game remained tied at the end of regulation and went to overtime. With 2:20 left in OT, the refs sent Peyton Krebs to the box for two minutes on a Kirby Dach cross-checking penalty. The call was questionable, but the zebras put their thumb on the scales and screwed the Sabres once again, something they’ve done a lot over the years. &lt;/p&gt;
  116. &lt;p id="fQc6aj"&gt;Buffalo managed to kill the penalty, but the PK took up almost all the remaining OT period and led to a shootout that the Sabres, with their weak netminding, couldn’t win. &lt;/p&gt;
  117. &lt;p id="ty7ZKX"&gt;It’s one thing if opponents beat Buffalo legitimately, but too often, on-ice officials (and sometimes NHL higher-ups) penalize the Sabres while giving other teams a pass. It’s bad enough when it’s in regulation, but it’s even more galling when it’s in overtime. Sabres fans want fairness from the NHL and season after season, never see it. &lt;/p&gt;
  118. &lt;h3 id="vck4df"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Final Thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  119. &lt;p id="uAUlRh"&gt;While some Sabres supporters still hold out hope for a playoff run, most have resigned themselves to watching other teams compete in the postseason for the 12th straight year. The Blue and Gold have made a lot of progress this season, but glaring weak spots, especially defense and goaltending, keep dooming Buffalo’s May and June hockey hopes. &lt;/p&gt;
  120. &lt;p id="mGwnLU"&gt;The Buffalo Sabres enjoy a three-day break before hosting the &lt;a href="https://www.blueshirtbanter.com"&gt;New York Rangers&lt;/a&gt; on Friday night. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. &lt;/p&gt;
  121.  
  122. </content>
  123.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/28/23659556/sabres-fall-short-in-shootout-nhl"/>
  124.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/28/23659556/sabres-fall-short-in-shootout-nhl</id>
  125.    <author>
  126.      <name>Jeff Dahlberg</name>
  127.    </author>
  128.  </entry>
  129.  <entry>
  130.    <published>2023-03-27T19:58:25-04:00</published>
  131.    <updated>2023-03-27T19:58:25-04:00</updated>
  132.    <title>DBTB Open Thread - Week of 3/27 | Still Alive?</title>
  133.    <content type="html">  
  134.  
  135.    &lt;figure&gt;
  136.      &lt;img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CfHr8nlxRBmSFnYMX72qCqtuoro=/88x0:480x261/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72121124/giphy.0.gif" /&gt;
  137.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  138.  
  139.  &lt;p&gt;It might only be mathematical, but the Sabres are still in it. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="c3sP5y"&gt;Once again the &lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com"&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/a&gt; have pulled back into the Eastern Conference wildcard race seemingly having corrected their slump with two straight wins beating Metro Division contenders &lt;a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com"&gt;New Jersey Devils&lt;/a&gt; and then their direct wildcard rivals &lt;a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com"&gt;New York Islanders&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  140. &lt;p id="IyuMaP"&gt;This week the schedule does get a bit softer, but as we’ve already learned, Buffalo cannot really take any opponents for granted with how they’ve been playing recently. It starts with home games against the Habs and then the Rags, followed by a trip to the Broad St bullies. &lt;/p&gt;
  141. &lt;p id="DXLrml"&gt;Mon Mar 27th - Buffalo Sabres vs &lt;a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com"&gt;Montreal Canadiens&lt;/a&gt; (29-38-6, 8th Atl Div), 7pm ET&lt;/p&gt;
  142. &lt;p id="DBXqiK"&gt;Fri Mar 31st - Buffalo Sabres vs &lt;a href="https://www.blueshirtbanter.com"&gt;New York Rangers&lt;/a&gt; (43-20-10, 3rd Met Div), 7pm ET&lt;/p&gt;
  143. &lt;p id="lnElO1"&gt;Sat Apr 1st - Buffalo Sabres at &lt;a href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com"&gt;Philadelphia Flyers&lt;/a&gt; (28-32-12, 7th Met Div), 7pm ET&lt;/p&gt;
  144. &lt;p id="6Etk4N"&gt;We are still on the Vox platform this week, but a reminder that at the end of the month we will be changing to our new platform on Ghost, and you will need this URL to come to DBTB - &lt;a href="https://die-by-the-blade.ghost.io/"&gt;https://die-by-the-blade.ghost.io/&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  145. &lt;p id="dOAtTy"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/23/23653316/looking-to-the-new-die-by-the-blade-buffalo-sabres-nhl-hockey"&gt;More here&lt;/a&gt; on the new home of Die By The Blade. &lt;/p&gt;
  146. &lt;p id="eLfZ4N"&gt;Use the comments below to discuss goings-on with the Sabres and what should be a pretty busy week in the NHL.&lt;/p&gt;
  147. &lt;p id="lYmnUB"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  148.  
  149. </content>
  150.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23659331/buffalo-sabres-open-thread-week-of-3-27-schedule-canadiens-rangers-flyers-islanders-wildcard-race"/>
  151.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23659331/buffalo-sabres-open-thread-week-of-3-27-schedule-canadiens-rangers-flyers-islanders-wildcard-race</id>
  152.    <author>
  153.      <name>Calvin</name>
  154.    </author>
  155.  </entry>
  156.  <entry>
  157.    <published>2023-03-27T18:00:00-04:00</published>
  158.    <updated>2023-03-27T18:00:00-04:00</updated>
  159.    <title>Game Preview: Sabres vs. Canadiens | Game 73</title>
  160.    <content type="html">  
  161.  
  162.    &lt;figure&gt;
  163.      &lt;img alt="New Jersey Devils v Buffalo Sabres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mleonHWGVhidICTaRMO7JxuJBJo=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72120780/1249293318.0.jpg" /&gt;
  164.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  165.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  166.  
  167.  &lt;h1 id="VJKiex"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Game 73&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
  168. &lt;p id="71cOFH"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (35-31-6) vs. &lt;a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com"&gt;Montreal Canadiens&lt;/a&gt; (29-38-6)&lt;/p&gt;
  169. &lt;p id="qCkvOI"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Puck Drop: &lt;/strong&gt;7:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY&lt;/p&gt;
  170. &lt;p id="Lm78I0"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TV: &lt;/strong&gt;MSG&lt;/p&gt;
  171. &lt;p id="kOPjix"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Radio:&lt;/strong&gt; WGR 550&lt;/p&gt;
  172. &lt;p id="F5hOoz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SB Nation Habs Blog: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/"&gt;Habs Eyes on the Prize&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  173. &lt;p id="890Vih"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  174.  
  175. </content>
  176.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23658798/game-preview-buffalo-sabres-vs-montreal-canadiens-game-73-nhl-hockey"/>
  177.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23658798/game-preview-buffalo-sabres-vs-montreal-canadiens-game-73-nhl-hockey</id>
  178.    <author>
  179.      <name>Melissa Burgess</name>
  180.    </author>
  181.  </entry>
  182.  <entry>
  183.    <published>2023-03-27T14:47:50-04:00</published>
  184.    <updated>2023-03-27T14:47:50-04:00</updated>
  185.    <title>Sabres Finish Season Series Against Montreal</title>
  186.    <content type="html">  
  187.  
  188.    &lt;figure&gt;
  189.      &lt;img alt="Buffalo Sabres v New York Islanders" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NNTHuKAb1TNBnwK_UP8Symmz3aE=/0x0:2753x1835/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72119942/1249438735.0.jpg" /&gt;
  190.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  191.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  192.  
  193.  &lt;p&gt;The Habs come to town on the heels of a big win over Columbus, despite a struggling season.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h1 id="VJKiex"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Game 73&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
  194. &lt;p id="71cOFH"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (35-31-6) vs. Montreal Canadiens (29-38-6)&lt;/p&gt;
  195. &lt;p id="qCkvOI"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Puck Drop: &lt;/strong&gt;7:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY&lt;/p&gt;
  196. &lt;p id="Lm78I0"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TV: &lt;/strong&gt;MSG&lt;/p&gt;
  197. &lt;p id="kOPjix"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Radio:&lt;/strong&gt; WGR 550&lt;/p&gt;
  198. &lt;p id="F5hOoz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SB Nation Habs Blog: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/"&gt;Habs Eyes on the Prize&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  199. &lt;h2 id="wBsT5M"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know Your Opponent&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  200. &lt;p id="QX1tng"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Montreal Canadiens&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  201. &lt;p id="5ZLLLt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Record: &lt;/strong&gt;29-38-6 | 64 PTS&lt;/p&gt;
  202. &lt;p id="BIhaqc"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Division Ranking:&lt;/strong&gt; 8th in Atlantic Division&lt;/p&gt;
  203. &lt;p id="NNwHV9"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Last Game: &lt;/strong&gt;8-2 win over Columbus&lt;/p&gt;
  204. &lt;p id="vxwpHc"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Last 10: &lt;/strong&gt;3-5-2&lt;/p&gt;
  205. &lt;p id="Qy08gm"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PP: &lt;/strong&gt;28th (17.3%)&lt;/p&gt;
  206. &lt;p id="H1gbqK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PK: &lt;/strong&gt;29th (73.1%)&lt;/p&gt;
  207. &lt;h2 id="kH8l03"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What to Watch&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  208. &lt;p id="POxyqq"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Who’s Hot&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  209. &lt;p id="HMySbM"&gt;Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch each have four points - two goals, two assists - in their last three games. Meanwhile, Jeff Skinner has three points (2-1) while Jack Quinn (1-2) and JJ Peterka (0-3) have also been on hot streaks of their own lately.&lt;/p&gt;
  210. &lt;p id="Jx8k46"&gt;Montreal captain Nick Suzuki is riding a four-game point streak in Monday night. He had four points (1-3) in the team’s recent win over Columbus, and overall has 10 points in his last four games. On the backend, Mike Matheson is on a three-game point streak, with five points in that stretch, and has seven points in his last five games.&lt;/p&gt;
  211. &lt;p id="9o725E"&gt;Mike Hoffman has three points (1-2) in his last three games, as does Kirby Dach (2-1) and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (3-0).&lt;/p&gt;
  212. &lt;p id="F79pxt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Staying in the Playoff Race&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  213. &lt;p id="jOuSmW"&gt;The Sabres’ chances of making the playoffs has risen quite a bit in the last few days. Per MoneyPuck, the team now has a 6.8 percent chance of making the playoffs. Again, still not great, but much better than the one-point-something percent chance they had on Saturday. Things are still very much in flux, and if the Pens had managed to win Saturday, the Sabres would’ve only been four points out of the wildcard spot.&lt;/p&gt;
  214. &lt;p id="1rt0jw"&gt;Aside from the Buffalo game, there are two others worth watching Monday night with regards to the playoff race. The Panthers, who are three points ahead of the Sabres, visit the Senators. The Islanders also host the Devils, while the Penguins aren’t in action.&lt;/p&gt;
  215. &lt;p id="TBNwdl"&gt;Other games this week to watch (the Sabres don’t play again until Friday):&lt;/p&gt;
  216. &lt;ul&gt;
  217. &lt;li id="1t7dMX"&gt;PIT vs. DET (Tuesday)&lt;/li&gt;
  218. &lt;li id="Z7u5Cc"&gt;FLA vs. TOR (Wednesday)&lt;/li&gt;
  219. &lt;li id="5EbvkS"&gt;NYI vs. WSH (Wednesday)&lt;/li&gt;
  220. &lt;li id="tHg3Tf"&gt;FLA vs. MTL (Thursday)&lt;/li&gt;
  221. &lt;li id="80NONy"&gt;NSH vs. PIT (Thursday)&lt;/li&gt;
  222. &lt;/ul&gt;
  223. &lt;p id="cmAHSY"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. The Season Series&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  224. &lt;p id="LndP2r"&gt;Tonight’s game wraps up the season series between the Sabres and the Habs, with each team having won one game so far. The Habs won the first meeting of the season 3-2, but the Sabres roared back with a 7-2 win back on November 22.&lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;p id="5IoEbG"&gt;Monday’s game could be a high-scoring affair, as both teams have had high-scoring results as of late - whether for or against. In their last 10 games, the Sabres have scored 27 goals and allowed 46 against. The Canadiens have scored 38 goals and allowed 45 against in their last 10 games.&lt;/p&gt;
  226. &lt;p id="wmo15n"&gt;Montreal’s recent stretch includes an 8-4 loss, a 9-5 loss and an 8-2 win.&lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;h2 id="Pw5TfR"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Projected Lineups&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  228. &lt;p id="mOtjzQ"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  229. &lt;p id="8zIsvd"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Forwards&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  230. &lt;p id="3UAkTV"&gt;Jeff Skinner - Tage Thompson* - Alex Tuch&lt;/p&gt;
  231. &lt;p id="Q0lp4A"&gt;JJ Peterka - Dylan Cozens - Jack Quinn&lt;/p&gt;
  232. &lt;p id="Plf97a"&gt;Casey Mittelstadt - Tyson Jost - Victor Olofsson&lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p id="cBqfne"&gt;Zemgus Girgensons - Peyton Krebs - Kyle Okposo&lt;/p&gt;
  234. &lt;p id="2ZnWlq"&gt;* Thompson is a game-time decision.&lt;/p&gt;
  235. &lt;p id="66j1NC"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Defense&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  236. &lt;p id="8pCmdg"&gt;Rasmus Dahlin - Henri Jokiharju&lt;/p&gt;
  237. &lt;p id="wGYvAD"&gt;Owen Power - Ilya Lyubushkin&lt;/p&gt;
  238. &lt;p id="bmrZjq"&gt;Riley Stillman - Jacob Bryson or Kale Clague&lt;/p&gt;
  239. &lt;p id="c8zC9k"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Goaltenders:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Craig Anderson, Eric Comrie, Devon Levi&lt;/p&gt;
  240. &lt;p id="YVuPWM"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Montreal Canadiens&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  241. &lt;p id="G99tzl"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Forwards&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  242. &lt;p id="oI4saF"&gt;Rafael Harvey-Pinard - Nick Suzuki - Mike Hoffman&lt;/p&gt;
  243. &lt;p id="gs7uce"&gt;Denis Gurianov - Kirby Dach - Jonathan Drouin&lt;/p&gt;
  244. &lt;p id="5pFKYs"&gt;Jesse Ylonen - Jake Evans - Brendan Gallagher&lt;/p&gt;
  245. &lt;p id="dJeQX3"&gt;Michael Pezzetta - Chris Tierney - Alex Belzile&lt;/p&gt;
  246. &lt;p id="EpAEsD"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Defense&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  247. &lt;p id="4e7qmW"&gt;Michael Matheson - David Savard&lt;/p&gt;
  248. &lt;p id="NGoOIt"&gt;Joel Edmundson - Justin Barron&lt;/p&gt;
  249. &lt;p id="zQsvY7"&gt;Jordan Harris - Johnathan Kovacevic&lt;/p&gt;
  250. &lt;p id="Znprnk"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Goaltenders: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault&lt;/p&gt;
  251. &lt;p id="Jsposo"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  252.  
  253. </content>
  254.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23658670/buffalo-sabres-montreal-canadiens-nhl-hockey-dylan-cozens-jeff-skinner-eric-comrie-alex-tuch"/>
  255.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/27/23658670/buffalo-sabres-montreal-canadiens-nhl-hockey-dylan-cozens-jeff-skinner-eric-comrie-alex-tuch</id>
  256.    <author>
  257.      <name>Melissa Burgess</name>
  258.    </author>
  259.  </entry>
  260.  <entry>
  261.    <published>2023-03-25T20:40:29-04:00</published>
  262.    <updated>2023-03-25T20:40:29-04:00</updated>
  263.    <title>Escape from Dull Island</title>
  264.    <content type="html">  
  265.  
  266.    &lt;figure&gt;
  267.      &lt;img alt="NHL: Buffalo Sabres at New York Islanders" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3-Q1Diqw415etuN_kAbZCYFJp_A=/0x0:4729x3153/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72115352/usa_today_20319471.0.jpg" /&gt;
  268.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  269.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  270.  
  271.  &lt;p&gt;Sabres score two crucial points in a goaltender’s duel&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="kxPPck"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Score:&lt;/strong&gt; Sabres 2 | Islanders 0&lt;/p&gt;
  272. &lt;p id="6AnRXC"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shots:&lt;/strong&gt; BUF 35 | NYI 27&lt;/p&gt;
  273. &lt;p id="EX6IU8"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Goals:&lt;/p&gt;
  274. &lt;p id="kKj9oM"&gt;1)    Okposo (Lyubushkin)&lt;/p&gt;
  275. &lt;p id="wwtJoY"&gt;2)    Skinner (Cozens, Mittelstadt)&lt;/p&gt;
  276. &lt;p id="W1zXng"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;New York Islanders&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Goals:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  277. &lt;p id="3MYrV7"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;…&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  278. &lt;p id="Jn9PyR"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minus 1: Goaltending - The Miracle Cure&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  279. &lt;p id="zCjXYf"&gt;There are few things that change a hockey game like stellar goaltending. It can stifle a dominant offense and give a team a chance to steal points after being vastly outplayed. This is exactly what happened during this battle. The Sabres dominated most of the game and generated dangerous scoring chances throughout but could not get past Varlamov until late in the 3&lt;sup&gt;rd&lt;/sup&gt; period. Even when the Islanders’ low-event style of play failed to quash the Sabres attack, they were bailed out by the veteran netminder. He made some spectacular saves in this one. Most notably, he robbed Dylan Cozens blind with a cross-crease pad save that prevented an early Sabres lead. If not for a fortunate broken play near the end of the game, Varlamov might have dragged his team kicking, and screaming into a scoreless overtime period.&lt;/p&gt;
  280. &lt;p id="p7LpxM"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plus 1: Comrie’s Comeback&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  281. &lt;p id="UuXLie"&gt;When last we saw Eric Comrie between the pipes, it was about a bleak as it can get for a goaltender. He surrendered 10 goals at home in a nightmare loss to the Dalas Stars on March 9&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt;. Due to an injury and the Sabres goaltending situation, Comrie didn’t have a chance at redemption for two long weeks. However, he did not disappoint. In a game where Buffalo controlled most of the play, Comrie was still asked to make some huge saves. The best stop of the night came late in the 3&lt;sup&gt;rd&lt;/sup&gt; with the game still tied. The Islanders looked poised to break the stalemate with an open chance in tight. Comrie was able to slide to his right and beat the Islander forward to the post before he could tuck it beyond the goal line. On a night where he wasn’t bombarded with shots, Comrie was able to rise to the occasion and provide the solid goaltending Buffalo has only seen sporadically this season. By earning his first shutout as a Sabre, he followed up his worst night as a Sabre with one of his best.&lt;/p&gt;
  282. &lt;p id="GWS36u"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plus 2: Looks the Same in the Box Score &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  283. &lt;p id="fKP0hi"&gt;The old saying goes: “they don’t ask how; they ask how many.” That saying is a perfect encapsulation of Okposo’s game winning goal. It was a broken play off a deflected Lyubushkin point shot that happened to find Okposo in the slot. While regaining his footing, captain Kyle did not hesitate to throw the puck towards the net. This was the only time of the game a puck got past a goaltender all night. It certainly won’t make any highlight reels but was as clutch as they come. Buffalo has had a season’s worth of pretty goals. I don’t think fans will be disappointed if some eyesore looking tallies help their playoff chances.&lt;/p&gt;
  284. &lt;p id="3UXcVK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Final Thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  285. &lt;p id="fV0e1R"&gt;This was a must win game for Buffalo and they played like it. They dominated the Islanders from the opening puck drop and didn’t let up. If not for some absurdly good goaltending by Varlamov, this could have easily been a 4 to 5 goal route. Each line found a way to contribute. Most importantly, they played fearless. The last two wins have been a return to how the team played for most of the year. Hopefully, they have put the near collapse behind them and can find a way to string together some wins down the stretch. It took a miraculous, last second victory by the Bengals to break the Bills playoff drought. It would only be fitting if they Sabres had something dramatic occur to finally return to the postseason. There’s still hope.&lt;/p&gt;
  286.  
  287. </content>
  288.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/25/23656784/escape-from-dull-island-buffalo-sabres-ny-islanders-nhl-hockey"/>
  289.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/25/23656784/escape-from-dull-island-buffalo-sabres-ny-islanders-nhl-hockey</id>
  290.    <author>
  291.      <name>Steven Staversky</name>
  292.    </author>
  293.  </entry>
  294.  <entry>
  295.    <published>2023-03-25T16:00:00-04:00</published>
  296.    <updated>2023-03-25T16:00:00-04:00</updated>
  297.    <title>Game Thread: Sabres vs. Islanders | Game 72</title>
  298.    <content type="html">  
  299.  
  300.    &lt;figure&gt;
  301.      &lt;img alt="New Jersey Devils v Buffalo Sabres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KWW-UR2bkQLow6K5XxDrGNqkrUo=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72114680/1249291289.0.jpg" /&gt;
  302.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  303.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  304.  
  305.  &lt;h1 id="VJKiex"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Game 72&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
  306. &lt;p id="71cOFH"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buffalo Sabres&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (34-31-6) vs, &lt;a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com"&gt;New York Islanders&lt;/a&gt; (37-27-9)&lt;/p&gt;
  307. &lt;p id="qCkvOI"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Puck Drop: &lt;/strong&gt;5:00 PM EST | UBS Arena | Elmont, NY&lt;/p&gt;
  308. &lt;p id="Lm78I0"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TV: &lt;/strong&gt;ESPN+, Hulu&lt;/p&gt;
  309. &lt;p id="kOPjix"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Radio:&lt;/strong&gt; WGR 550&lt;/p&gt;
  310. &lt;p id="F5hOoz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SB Nation Isles Blog: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com/"&gt;Lighthouse Hockey&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  311. &lt;p id="dYYaWz"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  312.  
  313. </content>
  314.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/25/23656225/game-thread-buffalo-sabres-vs-new-york-islanders-game-72-nhl-hockey"/>
  315.    <id>https://www.diebytheblade.com/2023/3/25/23656225/game-thread-buffalo-sabres-vs-new-york-islanders-game-72-nhl-hockey</id>
  316.    <author>
  317.      <name>Melissa Burgess</name>
  318.    </author>
  319.  </entry>
  320. </feed>
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