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Buffalo Sabres NHL Playoff Preview/Expectations: Round 1 vs Boston Bruins - Sabres Semantics · The Armchair GM's Sports Network

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  Speaker 2: to go up against Atlantic Division rival Boston Bruins. The
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  Speaker 2: obviously gonna have home mist advantage as well on the
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  Speaker 2: Sabers side, so that's that's also good as well. The
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  Speaker 2: Sabers this season against the Bruins, I just have to
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  Speaker 2: pull up the head to head matchup. Excuse me, they
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  Speaker 2: went one one and two against Boston this year, Boston
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  Speaker 2: three and one in that sense, a couple of games
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  Speaker 2: went to extra time, overtime, things like that. So what
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  Speaker 2: are you expecting from what we're going to see with
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  Speaker 2: this series?
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  Speaker 3: And what are you.
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  Speaker 2: Expecting that they need to do in order to have
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  Speaker 2: success against this pesky Bruins team.
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  Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's crazy to think about, Hey, here's
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  Speaker 4: your reward for winning the Atlantic? Is you get to
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  Speaker 4: go up against the I think they had ninety eight
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  Speaker 4: points to the ninety eight point Boston Bruins. The year
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  Speaker 4: the Sabers win the Atlantic and make the playoffs happens
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  Speaker 4: to be the year where the Atlantic is by far
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  Speaker 4: and away the best division in hockey. There is not
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  Speaker 4: a single team of the five representatives from the Atlantic Division,
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  Speaker 4: There's not a single one that's an easy out. I
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  Speaker 4: think this season record doesn't really matter in this case
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  Speaker 4: for either team. Boston got Buffalo early on in the
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  Speaker 4: year when they were atrocious, injury riddled than things like that.
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  Speaker 4: And on the flip side, the Bruins fans can just say, well,
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  Speaker 4: you got Corpusalo three times and the only time that
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  Speaker 4: Swayman played Buffalo scored one goal. So this literally might
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  Speaker 4: be one of the few times where I can say
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  Speaker 4: throw the regular season record out.
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  Speaker 5: It doesn't really matter in terms of what Buffalo is
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  Speaker 5: going to need to do.
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  Speaker 4: Obviously, there's the cliche stuff, right, you got to play
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  Speaker 4: your game and everything like that, blah blah blah. But
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  Speaker 4: I think the true X factor for this series will
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  Speaker 4: be Lucanan versus Swaymen. Not a slight towards Lucanan at all,
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  Speaker 4: but Swayman is clearly the more proven goalie, especially in
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  Speaker 4: the playoffs. I think right now there's no significant area
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  Speaker 4: where Boston has an edge on Buffalo.
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  Speaker 5: The only thing I can think of is the goaltending.
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  Speaker 4: And that's not a slide on Lucanan, as I said,
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  Speaker 4: it's just with Swayman's proven track record, I think right
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  Speaker 4: now Lukenan is going to have to outplace Wayman for
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  Speaker 4: an order for Buffalo to win, because that's just Swayman
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  Speaker 4: is the goalie that can steal a series.
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  Speaker 5: For a team.
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  Speaker 2: And when you're looking at Boston's point discrepancy, Austin David
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  Speaker 2: Pashanok had one hundred points and then it's a drop
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  Speaker 2: off to sixty eight to Morgan geeky second on the team,
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  Speaker 2: Pablo Zaka at sixty five, Macavoy sixty one, Arviitson at
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  Speaker 2: fifty four. They signed as a veteran free agent. We
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  Speaker 2: know Casey Middlestat's also over there as a former Sabers
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  Speaker 2: first round pick, so you expect him to have a
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  Speaker 2: you know, a prove it series against his old team
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  Speaker 2: most likely. But really, shutting down number eighty eight on
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  Speaker 2: Boston is going to be paramount for Buffalo to f success.
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  Speaker 4: Oh absolutely, And like you said, like we've reiterated on
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  Speaker 4: this episode multiple times, the depth is going to be key.
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  Speaker 4: I biases aside. I like Buffalo's depth more than Boston's
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  Speaker 4: just playing and simple. Yeah, they have poster Knock Geek,
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  Speaker 4: he's an elite goal scorer and everything like that.
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  Speaker 5: And you know, middle.
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  Speaker 4: Stat Arvidson and Minton were at times one of the
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  Speaker 4: best lines that the Bruins have had. But realistically, I
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  Speaker 4: just think that Buffalo's you know, depth up front and
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  Speaker 4: their depth on defenses is better than the Bruins. To me,
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  Speaker 4: it really just comes down to are you going to
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  Speaker 4: be able to like, is the elite VESNA talent Jered
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  Speaker 4: mcewaymen going to show up or are you going to
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  Speaker 4: be able to make him human? Because if the Sabers
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  Speaker 4: can get to Jeremy Swayman, I think they're going to
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  Speaker 4: win this series. And I gotta be careful here because
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  Speaker 4: obviously I'm not trying to get too far out of myself.
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  Speaker 4: I don't think it's crazy to say that Buffalo's the
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  Speaker 4: better team and shouldn't be expected to win this series.
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  Speaker 4: I think, like I said, the only thing given me
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  Speaker 4: pauses the goaltending. I love Buffalo's top four. I think
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  Speaker 4: Buffalo's top four defense can be mad up with any
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  Speaker 4: other teams in this league. I don't think that's a
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  Speaker 4: stretch to say. I think their forward depth is elite,
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  Speaker 4: and like I said before, if that Norris line is going,
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  Speaker 4: Buffalo is going to be dangerous and they're going to
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  Speaker 4: be able to take it to Boston.
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  Speaker 2: And yeah, I mean I think Buffalo is as you mentioned,
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  Speaker 2: like even goaltending. Lucanan and Lieon and even Ellis at
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  Speaker 2: times have proven that they can handle it. I know
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  Speaker 2: you mentioned Swayman is the more proven goaltender, but I
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  Speaker 2: think Buffalo has them offensively, I think they have them,
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  Speaker 2: you know, in the defensive zone. I know Buffalo's power
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  Speaker 2: play is going to have to obviously be a point
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  Speaker 2: of emphasis to get better in this series if they
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  Speaker 2: want to have success. But they had more goals for
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  Speaker 2: than Boston this year, they gave up less goals than
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  Speaker 2: the Bruins did. And again, like the Bruins, like their
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  Speaker 2: their home record was pretty was pretty successful this year
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  Speaker 2: twenty nine to eleven and one, but their road war
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  Speaker 2: record sixteen sixteen and nine. And Buffalo's going to have
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  Speaker 2: home ice advantage in this series. So I think Aready
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  Speaker 2: mentioned Buffalo's a strong home record this season twenty six
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  Speaker 2: wins as well, So you have to take that into
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  Speaker 2: account too, of home mis advantage being a big deal
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  Speaker 2: and swaying in Buffalo's favor with the statistics on both
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  Speaker 2: sides as well.
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  Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly, like you said.
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  Speaker 4: The one things that they say, you know, it's it's
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  Speaker 4: a hockey thing in general, but it's even amplified in
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  Speaker 4: the playoffs. A special teams and goaltending, right, I think
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  Speaker 4: at five on five, Buffalo's a better team. There's not
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  Speaker 4: really much of a question about that. I think if
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  Speaker 4: this series is played mostly at five on five, the
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  Speaker 4: Savers will be fine. If they do somehow find a
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  Speaker 4: way to get the power play going, that's obviously a
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  Speaker 4: huge plus. That is obviously another area of concern. I
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  Speaker 4: think all Sabers fans would agree with that. I think
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  Speaker 4: the other thing that Buffalo will need to do, or
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  Speaker 4: I guess not to do, is don't get sucked in.
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  Speaker 4: Right Like the Bruins are a savvy I know, not everyone. Obviously,
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  Speaker 4: this is a much different Bruins team than the dynasties
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  Speaker 4: that they've had, but a lot of these guys have
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  Speaker 4: been there been in playoff series like that before, whether
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  Speaker 4: it's with the Bruins are with different teams. Don't let
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  Speaker 4: them suck you in and muck this series up like
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  Speaker 4: the guys like Nikida Zidorov will do. Let them play
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  Speaker 4: their game, don't buy into it. Obviously, step up for
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  Speaker 4: yourself when you need to step up for yourself, but
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  Speaker 4: don't be deterred from playing your game. You control. They're
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  Speaker 4: gonna need to control the narrative this series. They're not
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  Speaker 4: gonna make Boston play your game. Don't play Boston's game
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  Speaker 4: is basically what I'm trying to say, and if they
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  Speaker 4: do that, I genuinely do think they'll be fine. I
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  Speaker 4: wouldn't be surprised if this is a long series, just
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  Speaker 4: because I think that every team in the Atlantic Division
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  Speaker 4: is very dangerous.
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  Speaker 5: But I do think this is a series where the
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  Speaker 5: expectation is the Sabers should win this.
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  Speaker 4: I don't think they're you know, we are a Sabers fans,
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  Speaker 4: we are a Sabors podcast, But I think I'm being
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  Speaker 4: pretty objective when I say that. I think they're the
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  Speaker 4: better team, and I think you know, they're the number,
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  Speaker 4: They're the Atlantic Division champions.
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  Speaker 5: They should be expected to win this.
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  Speaker 2: And to me, like there was points in the season
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  Speaker 2: where we didn't even think Boston would be a playoff team.
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  Speaker 2: They've they've gone through some tough stretches this year. This
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  Speaker 2: isn't the bergeron Marshawn Chara. You know, rask Boston Bruins
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  Speaker 2: that we've seen in the past. I know they still
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  Speaker 2: have Pasternak Lindholm. You know Zaka was injured, he's back.
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  Speaker 2: Morgan Geeky, you mentioned a little bit. But to me,
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  Speaker 2: like this Bruins team has shown times this year where
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  Speaker 2: they've played very inconsistent as well, and under their coaching
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  Speaker 2: staff as well. So I think again, if Buffalo can
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  Speaker 2: get the power play, you know right righted the ship
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  Speaker 2: there because they have. It's not like it's a talent issue.
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  Speaker 2: They have an abundance of talent and abundance of different
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  Speaker 2: players that they can put on in different roles to
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  Speaker 2: make the power play successful. It's more so scheme and
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  Speaker 2: how they're going about the power play that has been
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  Speaker 2: the issue. Even though they're ranked what eighteenth in the
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  Speaker 2: NHL and power play, they have looked like a bottom
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  Speaker 2: five team on the power play, which is incredible to
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  Speaker 2: think about considering how much success they've had, or maybe
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  Speaker 2: even how much more success they would have had if
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  Speaker 2: the power play would have just been decent.
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  Speaker 3: You know.
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  Speaker 2: The last little bit, just the eye test, right, like
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  Speaker 2: we've talked about it for months on end, it just
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  Speaker 2: doesn't look right.
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  Speaker 3: It doesn't.
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  Speaker 2: The second unit has looked better at times. So I
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  Speaker 2: just think the X factor of this series is going
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: to be Buffalo taking care of business. As you mentioned,
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  Speaker 2: as the favorites coming in against the Bruins team that
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  Speaker 2: just lacks the total depth that Buffalo has right now
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  Speaker 2: on the forward side, and on the defensive side that
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: if Buffalo does what they're supposed to do and takes
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  Speaker 2: care of when they give an opportunities score on them,
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  Speaker 2: I think that the Sabers can end this thing in
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  Speaker 2: five or six games.
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  Speaker 4: Yeah, one hundred percent. Like I said, the Bruins are
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  Speaker 4: clearly a very talented team, like top to bottom, I
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: just think the Sabers are deeper played and simple and
• 9:42
  Speaker 4: power play is obviously going to be the talking point.
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  Speaker 4: A cliche to say that, obviously, because that's been the
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  Speaker 4: talking point for the Sabers all year. But yeah, if
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  Speaker 4: that power play gets home then gets on a hot
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  Speaker 4: streak like they were, you know, around December January, this
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  Speaker 4: will be something that Buffalo can can do and quick order.
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  Speaker 4: But until that happens, it's kind of I'm not gonna
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  Speaker 4: hold my breath, is basically what I'm saying. They're gonna
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  Speaker 4: have to control this series at five on five, which
• 10:08
  Speaker 4: they're more than capable of doing.
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: I think it was uh Mike Harrington asked and that
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  Speaker 2: press conference about you know, the top everybody's top six
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  Speaker 2: usually cancels itself out more times than not five on five,
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  Speaker 2: and you're gonna need those depth guys to come through.
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  Speaker 2: How do you feel about Buffalo's bottom six? We know
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  Speaker 2: that that Norris Benson Dome line has been so good,
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  Speaker 2: you know, with the dogs on a bone mentality they have,
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  Speaker 2: and the fourth line hopefully Sam Carrick could possibly be
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  Speaker 2: back for some time in the playoffs. But if not,
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: you know they've got Mallenstine as some of those other
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: guys on the fourth line. So what are you thinking
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  Speaker 2: from that bottom six being able to contribute? And I
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: think that you know that could be a swaying point
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  Speaker 2: in the series as opposed to if Boston or Buffalo's
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  Speaker 2: bottom six are the ones to be able to come
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  Speaker 2: through here.
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  Speaker 4: Yeah, whether you look at the Norris line of the
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: McCloud line as their third line, I think either one
• 10:54
  Speaker 4: is very capable of third line.
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  Speaker 5: We know how good that Quinn Sucker McLoud line can be.
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  Speaker 4: Asked for the fourth line, obviously not having Carrot Kurtz,
• 11:02
  Speaker 4: but like I said, giving Greenway the credit, he's looked.
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  Speaker 5: A lot better.
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  Speaker 4: Balanstein is who he is, and honestly, whether it's Kozak
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  Speaker 4: are done for Game one, I think the X factor
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  Speaker 4: for that fourth line is I fully expect when he's healthy,
• 11:16
  Speaker 4: Noah Oastland to be the center on that fourth line
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  Speaker 4: come playoff time, and I think he'll make that fourth
• 11:20
  Speaker 4: line even more dangerous because he'll provide that offensive flair.
• 11:23
  Speaker 4: But obviously he's doubtful for Game one, so I think
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  Speaker 4: really the story for the fourth line, especially early on
• 11:29
  Speaker 4: in the series, is just going to be get the
• 11:32
  Speaker 4: puck out and cycle it in their zone and if
• 11:34
  Speaker 4: you get an opportunity, capitalized, if not just possessed the
• 11:37
  Speaker 4: puff because that line is built again with Done or Kozak,
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: that line is built to just grind you out and
• 11:48
  Speaker 4: physically punish you. I think, like I said, adding Ostlin
• 11:51
  Speaker 4: to that line, which is where I think he will
• 11:53
  Speaker 4: play when healthy, will I think make them a much
• 11:55
  Speaker 4: more dangerous line. But early on it's just going to
• 11:58
  Speaker 4: be like you said, whose death steps up? And just
• 12:03
  Speaker 4: the way that Norris Benson and Don't have been playing.
• 12:07
  Speaker 4: I can't I can't count, I can't root against not
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: root against them, I can't bet against them. That line
• 12:14
  Speaker 4: honestly has been the most effective line in the Sabers half.
• 12:17
  Speaker 4: And if that line steps up, I've said it three
• 12:19
  Speaker 4: times already on this episode. If that line's playing the
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: way that's playing, They're not only going to be dangerous,
• 12:25
  Speaker 4: but they are going to be able to impose their
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: will on teams and that will go a long way
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: to going on and not only beating the Bruins potentially,
• 12:34
  Speaker 4: but a deep, deep playoff run.
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: And with that being said, talking about the opponent, I
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: know that Tampa Bay, they Lindy liked to put out
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: Stanley and Shen and have a bigger, bigger sort of
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: line up there.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: Who I guess we'll ask you forward.
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: And defense, who do you want to see as that
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: that last that twelfth forward on the on the fourth line.
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: And who do you want to see as the sixth defenseman?
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: Because we sort of know the five that are going
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: to be in there with Dollen. You've got miss Samuelson,
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: You've got power, You've got Byrom, and you've got a
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: stan Lee. So it's always about that last person. Kessel Ring,
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: Shn and uh Timmins are the guys that are sort
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: of in there right now. Who are you expecting to
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: see in Game one as the sixth defenseman?
• 13:16
  Speaker 5: Oh, it's gonna be the guy you didn't mention.
• 13:18
  Speaker 4: I'm any the reason why it's Yeah, I don't see
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: any reason why it's not gonna be Metsa down the
• 13:23
  Speaker 4: stretch when needed. For the most part, it's been Stanley
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: and Metsa he has he had a bad game against Washington.
• 13:30
  Speaker 4: Absolutely don't see any reason why Rus's gonna pull the
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: plug on there. Maybe I still am on the kessel
• 13:37
  Speaker 4: Ring train. I still think he can be extremely effective
• 13:40
  Speaker 4: and youthful, especially in a playoff series. As for the
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: twelve forward, obviously, like I said, this goes back to
• 13:46
  Speaker 4: Oceland just being doubtful for Game one.
• 13:49
  Speaker 5: I don't know. Maybe I'll ween.
• 13:52
  Speaker 4: Wean towards done, but I feel like it's just gonna
• 13:54
  Speaker 4: be Cozact because that's kind of who they've been playing.
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: I don't think there's really a wrong option. But I
• 14:00
  Speaker 4: do like Josh Dunn's style in a playoff series. He's
• 14:03
  Speaker 4: bigger than Kozak, He's more physically punishing than Kozak. I
• 14:07
  Speaker 4: think I'd prefer to see him, but my expectation is
• 14:10
  Speaker 4: it'll be.
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: Kozak given their playoff experience. And I'm just using this
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: for the sake of argument. Do you see any scenario
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: where either shn or Tanner Pearson get in given you
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: their experience in long, deep playoff runs over their their
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: NHL careers.
• 14:27
  Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I don't think they're in for Game one,
• 14:29
  Speaker 4: but I could see a scenario where they get put in,
• 14:32
  Speaker 4: but hopefully it doesn't come to that. Nothing against Peerson.
• 14:34
  Speaker 4: I actually like Tanner Pearson a lot every time he's
• 14:36
  Speaker 4: been in. He's here for depth though, and like I said,
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  Speaker 4: just done or Kozak being able to play the center
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  Speaker 4: position leads me to believe that they will be in
• 14:46
  Speaker 4: over a guy like Pearson.
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  Speaker 5: As for Shen just.
• 14:53
  Speaker 4: Really just depends on how much you think Boston's going
• 14:54
  Speaker 4: to try to be like Tampa Bay, and I know
• 14:58
  Speaker 4: they're going to, but I just I don't see nothing
• 15:00
  Speaker 4: against SHN. I just don't see the need for putting
• 15:03
  Speaker 4: him in and potentially actively making your lineup slower when
• 15:07
  Speaker 4: your speed should be your biggest.
• 15:09
  Speaker 2: Advantage and putting a mobile partner with Stanley is going
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: to be paramount.
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  Speaker 3: In my opinion.
• 15:15
  Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly.
• 15:17
  Speaker 4: So.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: I don't know if there's anything else you want to
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: mention about this series, but I think that that's pretty
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: much all we know with the moment.
• 15:22
  Speaker 5: Do we want to do a prediction or your care
• 15:27
  Speaker 5: Why not?
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: I mean, I already said five or six, so I'm
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: gonna stick with that. I'll say, for the sake of
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: this show, I'll say Sabers and six.
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: All right, I'm gonna give us the full playoff experience
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: our first time back.
• 15:40
  Speaker 5: I'm gonna go Sabers and seven.
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: I thought you were gonna go Sabers in four.
• 15:45
  Speaker 4: No, we're getting a game seven. Come on, we're gonna
• 15:47
  Speaker 4: get We're gonna get a full fifteen years worth of
• 15:50
  Speaker 4: emotion and have to sweat.
• 15:52
  Speaker 5: Out a seventh game.
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: Just please don't have I do.
• 15:56
  Speaker 4: Buffalo is going to win this series, but I just
• 15:59
  Speaker 4: and at Boston is a team that I preferred over Ottawa.
• 16:02
  Speaker 5: But I'm not discounting Boston. They are a very good team.
• 16:05
  Speaker 5: I just think Buffalo is better.
• 16:06
  Speaker 4: At the end of the day, Buffalo is going to
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: win this series, but Boston's gonna put up a fight.
• 16:10
  Speaker 4: Posternofi is good enough to steal a game, and I
• 16:16
  Speaker 4: think Swayman's good enough to steal a game or two.
• 16:18
  Speaker 4: But at the end of the day, I think that's
• 16:20
  Speaker 4: the one thing I love about the NHL is most
• 16:22
  Speaker 4: of the time, the better team comes out on top.
• 16:24
  Speaker 5: Buffalo is the better.
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: Team, and we know Boston and their players have sort
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: of gone through those playoff runs as well, So I
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: guess you could say that they might have some players
• 16:32
  Speaker 2: that are are more accustomed to the playoffs, and these
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: Sabers players are going to take take their first first
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: crack at it for a lot of this core, So
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: you might think that that favors the Bruins to at
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: least win a game or two in this series. So
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: even though on paper it looks like the Sabers should win,
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: as you mentioned, it's not going to be an easy out,
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: but I'm also happy with this matchup over Adawa to
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: be honest.
• 16:53
  Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely, I said.
• 16:54
  Speaker 4: I think there's no easy team in the Atlantic, Like
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: I said, but I think at the end of the day,
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: Boston is eerily similar to Buffalo in terms of their
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: underlying numbers are about middle of the league league average,
• 17:07
  Speaker 4: and they vastly outperform them. Buffalo is very similar in
• 17:10
  Speaker 4: that way, but Buffalo is much better in terms of
• 17:14
  Speaker 4: their ability to Like Boston gives up quite a bit,
• 17:18
  Speaker 4: they give up high danger chances, to give up quality looks.
• 17:21
  Speaker 5: Buffalo has gotten.
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: A lot better at the gaming those and I just
• 17:25
  Speaker 4: think that at the end of the day, as good
• 17:28
  Speaker 4: as the top line for Boston can be, and as
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: good as a guy like Charlie McAvoy is. From the
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: top guy on the roster to the bottom guy on
• 17:36
  Speaker 4: the roster, Buffalo is better. And I dare I say,
• 17:41
  Speaker 4: I am very by boten on Lucanan. I don't expect
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: Lucanan to slow down anytime soon.
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: Absolutely not.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: And I'm going to finish off with an X factor
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: player for me is going to be Jack Quinn. You know,
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: he got twenty goals this season, a career high. If
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: he can contribute on the power play, if he can
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: contribute five on five, I think on that second line
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: for Buffalo or the third line, however they sort of
• 18:03
  Speaker 2: shake that out. I think Jack Quinn is going to
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: be an X factor player other than as a complimentary
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: piece to those that those top end guys that you
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: expect to produce.
• 18:12
  Speaker 4: Yeah, my X factor I think is I'll scare the
• 18:15
  Speaker 4: obvious one because mine was going to be a guy
• 18:17
  Speaker 4: like Josh Norris. But I do think a guy like
• 18:26
  Speaker 4: I can't believe I'm atually staying us. I do think
• 18:30
  Speaker 4: a guy like Logan Stanley can be an X factor.
• 18:37
  Speaker 4: He has some playoff experience, and obviously tonight decide because
• 18:44
  Speaker 4: it's tonight is meaningless, no matter if it was good
• 18:47
  Speaker 4: or bad. But I really like Stanley, Like the two
• 18:49
  Speaker 4: or three games leading up to the season finale tonight,
• 18:52
  Speaker 4: I think he's kind of finding his footing a little
• 18:55
  Speaker 4: bit and playing the way he is, and just as
• 18:57
  Speaker 4: good as Buffalo's top four is. I fully expect them
• 19:00
  Speaker 4: to play thirty minutes a night like his playoff time.
• 19:02
  Speaker 4: It's time to ride your hot hand. But if Stanley
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: can go out there and give you fifteen solid minutes,
• 19:09
  Speaker 4: it's gonna keep guys like dollying power by him and
• 19:11
  Speaker 4: Samness and that much fresher and making them that much
• 19:13
  Speaker 4: more dangerous. So obviously, up front there's the obvious guys,
• 19:16
  Speaker 4: but I think you know the third pair, specifically a
• 19:18
  Speaker 4: guy like Stanley if he plays extremely well, which obviously
• 19:24
  Speaker 4: remains to be seen. But I'd liked him a lot lately,
• 19:26
  Speaker 4: and I think he can ride that and he's gonna fit.
• 19:29
  Speaker 5: He's gonna fit this Bruin series nicely.
• 19:31
  Speaker 4: They're gonna If a guy like Udorov tries to do
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: what he tries to do, Stanley can answer it. And
• 19:36
  Speaker 4: obviously it's very hard to predict this stuff. But even
• 19:39
  Speaker 4: though they lost that game against the Senators when Stanley
• 19:42
  Speaker 4: beat up to Chuck to Chuck wasn't the same for
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: the rest of that game.
• 19:46
  Speaker 5: And I think Stanley can bring that here.
• 19:48
  Speaker 4: And if Stanley allows that to happen and freeze up
• 19:50
  Speaker 4: the rest of this team, that kind of takes Boston's
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: bite out of him. And I think Boston needs that,
• 19:56
  Speaker 4: that chippiness and that grinded outness that we're gonna muck
• 20:00
  Speaker 4: this series, and I think they need that to be effected.
• 20:02
  Speaker 5: And you have a guy who can potentially negate that.
• 20:04
  Speaker 4: It allows Buffalo to play play their own game, and
• 20:07
  Speaker 4: they're a tough team to be when they're playing their
• 20:09
  Speaker 4: own game.
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, he's an easy, big target, right, But
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: at the same time, if he can sort of get
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: in there and muck it up with some of those
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: those guys on the Bruins side, you know, the Doorov's
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: gonna try to assert himself and he's another former Sabers
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: first round pick that they're gonna go against in this
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: in this playoff series. Of the long list of drafted
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: players that finally got Buffalo to this moment. But yeah,
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: this is gonna be an exciting series between two Atlantic
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: Division rivals, and would you want to have it any
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: other way? Maybe maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs, but I
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: can't think of another team that I want to start
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: off a fourteen year playoff droughout it then with your
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: rival Boston Bruins if you're the Sabers.
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: Yeah, no, I'm ready.
• 20:46
  Speaker 4: I'm ready for Sabers Bruins to be back because it
• 20:50
  Speaker 4: was a lot of fun hating them in the early
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: two thousands and it feels it feels.
• 20:55
  Speaker 3: Right, absolutely so Austin.
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: Any final thoughts as we wrap it up, it's gonna
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: be an iing one.
• 21:00
  Speaker 3: Next time we'll talk.
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: It's gonna be sometime in the middle of the series,
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: but it's it's gonna be fun. Key Bank Center and
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: downtown Buffalo is gonna be rocking come Saturday, Sunday whenever
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: it is. But it's gonna be exciting times and hopefully
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: we'll be having a lot to talk about on this
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: show for a deep playoff run here for the fans.
• 21:17
  Speaker 4: Yeah, no, absolutely, And you know, to everyone who's going
• 21:20
  Speaker 4: to the game or going to Canalside, enjoy it.
• 21:22
  Speaker 5: It's been a long time and I don't know.
• 21:24
  Speaker 4: Exactly when, but I also plan on making making a
• 21:27
  Speaker 4: trip over to downtown Buffalo.
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: So there you go. Maybe you can you can get
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: an autograph session with Austin Brott. But with that said,
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: that's gonna wrap it up for tonight's Saber Semantics episode
• 21:38
  Speaker 2: here live from key Bank Center, following the Sabers for
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: three shootout lost to the Dallas Stars, finishing off their
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: regular season, but also our playoff preview as they look
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: ahead to the Boston Bruins here as the Atlantic Division champions.
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: As always, UH Global pet Foods and their three Great
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: Nagaregian locations and Nagara Falls, Fon Hill and Scratt Scott
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: Street are the show sponsor of Saber smith Thank you
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: everybody tuned in live tonight on the YouTube version. Make
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: sure to hit like It subscribed smash that bell if
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: you enjoyed this live coverage, and those who listen the
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: next day on your favorite on demand audio podcast platform, thank.
• 22:10
  Speaker 3: You very much for doing so as well. Make sure
• 22:12
  Speaker 3: to us to follow on exit.
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: Saber Semantics the d Day with all of our Sabers
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: coverage is also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok by searching
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: the Armchair GM Sports Network. So for Austin Broughd, my
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: name is Granneck phutto enjoy the first two games of
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: the Buffalo Sabers first playoff appearance in fourteen seasons. We'll
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: talk to you guys again very soon here on Saber Semantics.
• 22:31
  Speaker 3: Talk to you later.
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.