Comfortable Wednesday, Razzball trustworthy!
What did the Buffalo say to his boy earlier than dropping him off at school?
I don’t know for positive. I imply, I’m not a creeper or an obsessive stalker of bison, however I do know one factor.
Regardless of the frosty January nights in Western New York, there’s one group of hockey gamers that’s about as scorching because the floor of the solar and is definitely not saying, “Brrr.”
The Columbus Blue Jackets spoiled Buffalo’s win streak on Saturday (5-1 CLM), however the Sabres had been BACK Tuesday night time at house vs Vancouver.
Early on, I had issues written up trying like we’d get a blowout from Buffalo, however the Canucks made it attention-grabbing with a late push and three straight unanswered targets after the 10-minute mark of the third interval.
In the long run, it was the Sabres’ eleventh win of their final 12 video games, and a leapfrog over the Panthers into the highest 4 spots of the Atlantic division.
Was that the one thrilling bit from final night time’s schedule?
Right here’s what else I noticed in Tuesday night time’s NHL motion…
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – 32 saves on 35 photographs and the 5-3 win vs VAN. Sure, this man’s title is spelled like each of his mother and father had been stutterers, however that doesn’t change the truth that Luukkonen is now the clear #1 netminder on a workforce that’s completely rolling by the league proper now. With Alex Lyon formally moved to “Injured Reserve” on Tuesday and Devon Levi nowhere to be seen, it’s Luukkonen’s time to grab the chance to shine.
Alex Tuch – 1 G (13), 1 A (21), +2, 3 SOG, 1 SHA, 1 H, 2 BLK, and 19:42 TOI. Full disclosure, I rapidly mistyped his final title as “Yuch” and type of chuckled. With 34 factors in 41 video games, there isn’t a lot “yuck” to report right here.
Bowen Byram – 2 A (13), +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG, 2 BLK, and 24:29 TOI. Byram wasn’t a defenseman who was ranked too excessive in your draft day cheat sheets, however he’s been producing over this Sabres run. With the 2 factors on this one, he’s as much as 9 factors in his final 7 video games.
Zach Metsa – 1 G (1!), +1, 1 SOG, GWG. Okay, I’ll admit it. The one cause I wished so as to add this man is due to the plain Star Wars reference. Congrats to the child on his first as an NHL’er!
“Meesa suppose the Sabres are fairly good”
Thatcher Demko – 15 saves on 19 photographs and the 5-3 loss at BUF. That’s 5 straight losses for Demko, who’s averaged 4 GA in that span.
Brock Boeser – 2 A (11), -3, 3 SOG, 1 PPA, 1 H, 1 BLK. In the event you’re in a league that makes use of plus/minus as a class, steer clear. His -3 on Tuesday night time pushes him all the way down to a -22 on the yr. Woof.
Brandon Bussi – 20 saves on 22 photographs and the 6-3 win vs DAL. I actually wished to run Bussi out because the lede right this moment, however the Sabres deserved one other high billing, so right here we’re. I do know Viz talked about it on Monday, and I mentioned it final week, however it bears repeating. With Pyotr Kochetkov out for the remainder of the yr and Frederik Andersen shedding his final 9 (!) begins, it’s time for Bussi to indicate he’s able to be the #1 man. He’s now 15-2-0-1 with a 2.29 GAA and a .906 save proportion.
Andrei Svechnikov – 4 A (23), +1, 2 SOG, 4 H, 1 BLK. 4 assists? I believed this man was presupposed to be a objective scorer. That’s 8 factors in 4 video games for Svech, and a fairly quiet 35 pts in 43 GP.
Nikolaj Ehlers – 3 A (23), +2, 1 SOG, 1 PPA, 1 BLK. It’s bizarre how shut these two are. Ehlers has 34 pts in 43 GP.
Seth Jarvis – 1 G (20), 1 A (11), 6 SOG, 4 H. Jarvis mentioned being left off the Olympic roster was a “shit sandwich” in a nod to an previous Justin Williams quote. As odd as that sounds, it ought to make you glad in case you roster him. He looks as if the sort to be much more harmful with that type of chip on his shoulder. I’d look so as to add him by way of commerce in leagues the place you possibly can use a goal-scoring increase.
Okay’Andre Miller – 2 G (4), 1 A (15), +3, 2 SOG, GWG. Nothing to essentially criticize right here, except you depend the coiffure. Hey, Okay’Andre, 1997 referred to as. And it needs its frosted blonde haircut again.
Hey, don’t come at me, bro. It’s referred to as RAZZball for a cause.
Jake Oettinger – 10 saves on 15 photographs and the loss at CAR. Contemporary off an unsurprising and well-deserved Group USA appointment, Oettinger ended up thrust proper into the attention of the hurricane. He received pulled after the fifth objective and was changed by Casey DeSmith.
Jason Robertson – 1 G (25), 2 A (27), 2 PIM, 2 SOG, 1 PPG, 1 PPA, 1 BLK. Talking of Group USA members…um…I do know it’s straightforward to criticize these rosters, particularly when there are SO MANY good gamers to select from, however how do the Individuals hold a man with 52 factors in 43 video games and a 15.3% taking pictures proportion off that Olympic workforce? I do know a very good workforce isn’t solely constructed on offense, however this omission is an eye-opener.
It’s humorous, too, as a result of it jogs my memory of the Prime 100 Beginning Pitchers listing that I do for the baseball facet (returning on January nineteenth!) – It’s not straightforward to trim an inventory down to suit a ton of excellent gamers right into a finite variety of spots. This sort of choice course of opens itself as much as criticism, however I really feel higher assuming that if anybody will get injured or can’t attend, Roberston needs to be on the high of that “subsequent man up” listing.
Andrei Vasilevskiy – 31 saves on 33 photographs and the 4-2 win vs COL. I do know I led with the Sabres, so the pure factor would’ve been to observe that recreation in its entirety. However once I sat down to observe the video games on Tuesday night time, the TV was already tuned into the COL v TB recreation, and it was robust to flip channels. Each groups had been flying, and there was no scarcity of scoring probabilities. Regardless of the reverse of the impartial zone entice is known as, this was it.
Brandon Hagel – 1 G (20), 1 A (18), 1 final title that rhymes with a breakfast bread topped with cream cheese.
Darren Raddysh – 2 A (24), +2, 2 PIM, 4 SOG, 1 PPA, 1 H, 24:39 TOI, and one “what the heck is happening right here?” Severely. Raddysh is as much as 34 factors in 36 video games and scored a HAT TRICK in Saturday’s win over San Jose. If anybody continues to be asking about dropping Raddysh, the reply is not any. He has 9 factors in his final 4 video games.
Nikita Kucherov – 2 A (41), +1, PPA. 20 targets and 41 assists in simply 38 video games. It’s one other elegant season from the Tampa celebrity.
Scott Wedgewood – 24 saves on 27 photographs in a tricky luck 4-2 loss. He was stable by the primary two durations on this one. Nearly as stable as Steve Winwood’s “Valerie”. Is Scott Wedgewood a traditional and straightforward transition to Steve Winwood? Will this track stick in your head all day lengthy when you consider both the Colorado goalie OR the old fashioned celebrity vocalist? Solely you may reply these thought-provoking questions.
Lukas Dostal – 34 saves on 38 photographs and the 5-2 loss at PHI. If I didn’t see that Anaheim had some d-men who scored, I’d marvel if there have been any defenders in entrance of Dostal on Tuesday night time.
Cutter Gauthier – 1 G (20), -2, 3 SOG, 1 PPG. That’s 20 targets and 20 assists for a man that many people plucked from the free agent listing within the first two weeks of the season.
Jackson LaCombe – 2 A (20), -2, 1 SOG, 2 PPA, 2 H, 1 BLK. The +/- doesn’t assist (-8), however so long as he’s getting power-play time, he’s price rostering in factors leagues.
Dan Vladar – 16 saves on 18 photographs and his sixteenth win of the yr. That’s 5 wins within the final 6 video games from the sith lord.
Trevor Zegras – 2 G (17), +1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG, 1 PPG. Viz’s 3-point problem decide! The revenge recreation was a very good name, regardless that they weren’t in Anaheim. Possibly Zegras will take his previous buddies out for late-night cheesesteaks after this one.
Noah Cates – 2 A (14), +3, 17 PIM(!), 2 SOG. Right here’s a pleasant bonus for these of you in leagues that depend goon stats. 17 PIMs is a pleasant little further.
Jacob Markstrom – 15 saves on 24 photographs and NINE targets in opposition to. Ugh. As a lot as I don’t need to admit it, Markstrom has been about as dangerous as any goaltender (not named Andersen). He had an .885 save proportion on the season and simply three wins in his final 10 GP earlier than this one. No phrase if he pulled a Patrick Roy and advised Sheldon Keefe to commerce him proper now.
Ilya Sorokin – 44 saves on 44 photographs and the 9-0(!) shutout vs NJ. Oh boy. I joked that Anaheim defenders took the night time off, however Sorokin was even busier. With all of the motion the Islanders’ netminder had, it’s laborious to imagine his workforce was within the offensive zone lengthy sufficient to attain 9 targets. Enjoyable reality: This shutout provides Sorokin 26 in his profession, yet another than the previous Islander file holder, Glenn Resch (25).
Anthony Duclair – 3 G (7) 2 A (11), +6(!), 3 SOG, and 13:41 TOI. How does a man file 5 factors in simply 13 minutes of ice time?! Whenever you rating virtually 30% of your factors in a single night time, it’s secure to say you possible had a profession recreation.
Mat Barzal – 1 G (11), 2 A (24), +4, 4 SOG, GWG, 1 BLK, 6-for-15 FOW. The one criticism right here is the one “T” in his first title. Come on, man.
Matthew Schaefer – 1 A (17), +2, 4 PIM, 1 H, 2 BLK, and 20:40 TOI. There it’s. That’s the way in which you do it. Spell the primary title correctly? Examine. Among the many high 3 rookies in scoring as a defenseman? Examine. Set the file for targets scored by an 18-year-old within the NHL? Examine. Oh boy. And this child gained’t flip 19 till September 2026?! Dynasty league gold.
It’s an extended clip right here, however it’s price watching in case you missed his objective in opposition to the Leafs.
Wow.
Sergei Bobrovsky – 19 saves on 22 photographs within the 4-1 loss at TOR. After successful 6 straight begins in December, Bob has come again to Earth a bit. He’s 1-3 in his final 4 video games.
Aaron Ekblad – 5 PIM and a combat with Max Domi. You already know it’s dangerous when the one stats to report from the Panthers are an Aaron Ekblad scrap. Carter Verhaeghe scored Florida’s solely objective.
Joseph Woll – 31 saves on 32 photographs and the win, his seventh in his final 10 begins. Anthony Stolarz, who?
Matthew Knies – 1 G (12), 1 A (26), +2, 1 SOG, GWG, and 15:59 TOI. Final week’s lede retains on rolling. Have a Knies New 12 months, certainly!
Easton Cowan – 1 G (5), +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG, 1 H, and 11:15 TOI. I highlighted him because the Leafs’ rookie to observe means again in my divisional preview collection. He’s sitting at 12 factors in 31 video games. Thus far, so good.
Auston Matthews – 1 G (21), +1, 4 SOG, 2 H, 1 BLK, 11-for-19 FOW, and 19:48 TOI. As a lot enjoyable as it’s for everybody outdoors of the GTA to tear on Matthews and his playoff failures, nobody can deny the person expertise. Whereas Matthew Schaefer was stealing the Hockey Evening in Canada spotlight reel on Saturday night time, Auston Matthews was passing Mats Sundin on the Leafs’ all-time objective scorer listing. Matthews sniped his twenty first on Tuesday night time (in 31 video games) and added to his profession complete of 422 targets.
Carter Hart – 17 saves on 20 photographs, and the 4-3 OT win at WPG. It’s a welcome W for Hart, and simply his second in his final 7 begins. Adin Hill was presupposed to be week-to-week when he was first injured in October, however Hart might want to sharpen up if Hill is due again anytime quickly. It’s a state of affairs to watch.
Tomas Hertl – 1 G (16), 1 A (16), 5 SOG, 1 PPG, GWG, 8-for-16 FOW.
Mitch Marner – 2 A (33), -1, 1 SOG, 2 PPA, and yet one more headline in Toronto newspapers after Brad Marchand goaded Leaf media into working a narrative about how Leaf followers “ran Marner out of city”.
Connor Hellebuyck – 27 saves on 31 photographs and the OT loss. Saying he now has 9 straight losses sounds type of imply, so let’s simply say he’s gone 9 begins and not using a win.
Cole Perfetti – 1 G (3), 1 SOG, 1 H, in 14:19 TOI. 9 factors in 27 video games from a Prime 6 participant who will get PP2 time? Barf emoji.
Gabe Vilardi – 2 A (20), +3, 1 SOG, 1 H. 37 factors in 41 video games. The second line of Perfetti, Toews, and Vilardi needs to be considered one of my favourite traces. Too dangerous they’re not producing like a Prime 6 group.
Jonathan Toews – 1 A (10), +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG, 2 H, 2 BLK, 7-for-13 FOW. Talking of 18-year-old Matthew Schaefer, does anybody bear in mind this man’s rookie season?
Okay, perhaps it hasn’t been that lengthy. However we’re 18 years faraway from Toews’ inaugural 2007-2008 season. In different phrases, Matthew Schaefer was born on September fifth, 2007, and Jonathan Toews scored his first NHL objective, on his first shot, in his first NHL recreation…on October tenth, 2007.
Juuse Saros – 37 saves on 43 photographs and the 6-3 loss at EDM. He’s ping-ponged wins and losses for a couple of month and is sitting fairly near a .500 file. At 16-14-3, at the least he’s nonetheless getting the lion’s share of Nashville’s begins.
Ryan O’Reilly – 1 G (12), 3 SOG, 2 BLK, 9-for-25 FOW. The factors are nonetheless there (36 pts in 43 GP), however I wouldn’t rush out so as to add him. He’s scored greater than 65 factors simply twice in 17 seasons. He’s a very good fringe/streamer in shallow leagues, although. (55% FOW).
Connor Ingram – 24 saves on 26 photographs and the win over NSH. He’s a serviceable goalie in case you want a alternative for an injured starter (Jarry) or one that’s crapping the mattress (Markstrom, Andersen), however I’d nonetheless go along with Bussi over Ingram in the event that they had been each accessible.
Connor McDavid – 3 G (28), +2, 10 SOG, 1 PPG, 8-for-16 FOW, 22:28 TOI. 75 factors in 43 video games? I suppose this man is fairly good, eh?
Leon Draisaitl – 1 G (21), 2 A (39), 3 SOG, 1 PPA, 14-for-22 FOW. The 57% faceoff proportion (season ) is sweet for a Prime 20 spot within the league.
Curtis Lazar – 1 G (3), +1, 3 SOG, GWG, 1 H. OH! It’s one other ‘Memberberry! Right here we go once more. I didn’t know Lazar was nonetheless taking part in, both. For the file, this was his first objective since December third, and simply his third of the season, so Oilers followers could have forgotten about him, too.
Jeremy Swayman – 21 saves on 26 photographs (7 minutes left within the third), and the loss at SEA. One other Group USA goalie who, together with Jake Oettinger, received the decision final week to symbolize the nation in February, and one other tough outing. This breaks a modest 3-game streak the place Swayman allowed simply 2 targets (in every recreation).
David Pastrnak – 2 G (19), Auston Matthews isn’t the one lively participant climbing up his workforce’s scoring listing. Pasta’s 410 targets are simply 14 behind Brad Marchand for fifth place in Boston; he’s 7 factors behind Bobby Orr for all-time factors (881 to 888, respectively).
Joey Daccord – 27 saves on 29 photographs (7 minutes left) and his 4th win in his final 5 begins.
Jared McCann – 1 G (8), A (6), +1, 3 SOG, PPG. Don’t let the low level complete scare you away. McCann’s 14 factors are way more spectacular once you see that he’s solely performed in 17 video games.
Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers – 2 assists every.
Jet Greaves – 30 saves on 32 photographs and down 2-1 with 6 minutes left within the third. The win-loss file may look lower than encouraging (12-10-1), however don’t let that idiot you. Greaves has shouldered a heavy load, beginning 28 of Columbus’s 41 video games this yr. The .910 save proportion and a pair of.64 GAA ought to inform you a bit extra of the story. If this man is in some way nonetheless accessible in your keeper league, decide him up.
Zach Werenski – 1 G (16), 2 SOG, 1 BLK, and 21:55 TOI. That’s an 8-game level streak (15 pts) and, with all due respect to Cale Makar, it’s laborious to argue Werenski isn’t one of the best defenceman within the league.
Alex Nedeljkovic – 32 saves on 33 photographs (5 minutes left within the third interval), and the 2-1 win over CLM. This was his third win in his final 10 begins. He’s nothing however a backup in very deep leagues.
Alex Wennberg – 1 G (8), 1 A (20), 3 SOG, 1 PPG, 1 H, 1 BLK.
I hope you loved it. You probably have any questions or feedback, please depart them under, and I’ll reply as quickly as potential.
Comfortable Wednesday, and I’ll see you subsequent week!
Observe me @marmosdad on Twitter/X and Bluesky @marmosdad.bsky.social
