Latest / Backchecking the Bolts / Tampa Bay Lightning Weekend Recap Wild Win, Jets Loss & Sabres Preview with Jonah Ahrens
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- Tampa Bay Lightning Weekend Recap Wild Win, Jets Loss & Sabres Preview with Jonah Ahrens: Ended up playing four games in six nights, but the one thing they were in this two game stretch is they were resilient. Two third period comebacks, especially the one against Winnipeg down three goals with less than ten minutes to go. It says a lot about the Lightning team. Yeah, and I think Coach Cooper had called the win against Minnesota a real character win, which you know I agree with a hundred percent. You know, you're down a couple goals to a really good team and you're not quite clicking. you they were down early too. They were what down two nothing. Three minutes into the game, you find a way to battle back. It's still down in the third period, yet you still manage to come back and then Kucherov, pulls it off. Really great comeback win in a place where they haven't won a lot. Welcome to Backchecking the Bolts.. Backchecking the Bolts. is your cup of coffee to get you the latest on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Join host Jason Linkes. and the managing editor of Raw Charge, Justin Godfrey. As they break down the Lightning's most recent games and go beyond the highlights, telling you what the box scores didn't. It's time to drop the puck. Hi everybody and welcome to Backchecking the Bolts.. It is Monday after a tough four three loss in the waning seconds of the game to the Winnipeg Jets. I am Jason Linkes.. As always, I'm joined by Justin Godfrey, the managing editor of Raw Charge. You can read him each and every day at www.rawcharge.com. Today we're going to break down the Minnesota and Winnipeg games. They've Bolt still have two more games left on the road trip. We're going to talk about Justin's eighty-four bets in eighty-four games, and we're going to preview the next Lightning game on the road on Wednesday night in Buffalo with Jonah Ahrens from the Sabre Report Podcast. We're going to get the latest on the Buffalo Saber so you can go into that game knowing everything you need to know about our opponent. Now it's time to bring in Justin Godfrey from Rodcharge.com. Justin Two games on the road, back to back nights. The Bolts. ended up playing four games in six nights, but the one thing they were in this two game stretch is they were resilient. Two third period comebacks, especially the one against Winnipeg down three goals with less than ten minutes to go. It says a lot about the Lightning team. Yeah, and I think Coach Cooper had called the win against Minnesota real character win, which you know I agree with a hundred percent. You know, you're down, you know, a couple goals to a really good team and you're not quite clicking. I mean, you they were down early, too. They were what down two nothing three minutes into the game. You find a way to battle back. It's still down in the third period, yet you still manage to come back and then Kucherov, you know, pulls it off. Really great kind of comeback win in a place where they haven't won a lot. And then next day, Winnipeg. Not quite the same situation. Yeah, y y you g you do go down, but I think I thought they played all all right in the first period. seemed to kind of lose their legs a little bit in the second period. I think Winnipeg was by far the better team. they put up a couple goals and then they're down you're down three nothing. You you kinda look and you're like, All right, well, you know, I'm sure were right in the recap on it. You like, All right, well, this is gonna be like a four nothing loss and whatever. And then, you know, Hagel drags him back into the fight and Holmberg continues his Kretzky like Domination of Winnipeg and yeah, and they almost pull off at least an overtime game. So but yeah, no, I thought it was a for where they were playing and the history in those buildings, I thought it was a pretty good weekend. I think I said it last week, you know, if they split then it's it's a good start to the road trip. So that's what they did. I thought the Winnipeg game was a scheduling advantage for the Jets. The Jets hadn't played since Thursday. They were waiting for the Bolts.. Meanwhile Tampa had a seven o'clock start in Minnesota and a six o'clock start in Winnipeg. Not only do you have travel, you have less than twenty four hours to get ready. I agree with you. I thought there were some tired legs in that game. The one thing I will say was in the middle of the third period when it was still three nothing, you had every sports writer writing their story, and within five minutes everyone did a This is a tie game now, and Tampa was starting to take advantage of the the Jets weaknesses, especially on defense. They were getting the puck behind the net. Like you had mentioned, the first period they played pretty well and they got the puck behind the Jets defense. They were without Josh Morrissey who they thought they were going to get back. He's been out a full month and their weakness on defense showed unfortunately Tampa found a way to give the Jets a five on three at the end of that game. But Justin, let's go back to that Minnesota game. You talked a little bit about Nikita Kucherov Tel what kind of game did he have in that? he just in a way it fe feels like he always finds a way in the third period to make that additional play that puts them over the top. Yeah, I don't know if maybe he's auditioning a little bit for Billy Garrett and free agency here, but you know, I thought it was one of his better games of the year. you just look at some of the numbers. he had twenty shot attempts in that game. And, you know, granted the Lightning had six power plays. but he still managed to put I believe nine nine of those shots on goal. he had nine individual scoring chances. he picked up the goal, he picked up the assist. It was just one of those if you give him a little space, and I thought Minnesota gave the Lightning a lot of space, he's gonna take advantage of it. It's kind of a other side of the coordinate with Winnipeg, but we'll get to that in a second. I thought, especially on the power play, the Lightning had a lot of kind of space on that and it allowed him to execute a few goals. The one player you also remarked about was Connor Geekie. geek how Geekie's game has evolved. You thought he played a really strong game up in Minnesota. Yeah, I don't think I was the only one. Coach Cooper singled him out after the game, especially that line. he caught it, you know, somebody asked him, I think, you know, what sparked the comeback, and he was like, you know, I thought it was the Connor Geekie line. they just did a really good job of what one of your top lines is supposed to do. I know Cooper hates numbering his lines. but they are the fourth line just based on playing time. They they only played about 6 30, about six and a half minutes or so of five on five time, but they generated five scoring chances in that time. I think they generated something like eleven shots, shot attempts. and what it does is it really gives those top two lines just a breather. The Lightning are trying to come back, so they're gonna focus on putting the the top top guys out there, but they're gonna need a breather every once in a while. And if you take them off the ice and your bottom six are getting caved in, it really doesn't do you any good. So when like the Geekie line goes out there and they push the puck down into the offensive zone and they keep it there and they keep Minnesota back on their heels, then, you know, that allows the the top lines to rest. It gives them good position on the ice when they come back on and and just really helps in those comebacks. They didn't score a goal. The Geekie line didn't score a goal. They're actually they actually gave up one. But I thought they were one of the best best lines just as far as momentum. Keeping things going, keeping Minnesota pinned back and then l allowing the other two lines to get rolling. When I did my pregame report from Winnipeg, I had mentioned that the Lightning's three previous opponents were on the back half of a back to back game in each situation. First it was Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota. Minnesota started their backup, Calvin Pickard. Do you think that's the reason why John Cooper went with Dennis Hildeby? possibly. Or he just wanted to get Vasil Vasilevskiy against Winnipeg. He maybe thought that was a better game. I know we talked a lot last year about Cooper really wanting to win the first game of a back to back I and so he usually started Vasilevskiy. I don't think that's quite the case this year. I think Hildeby's good enough that he can put him on the ice with an expectation of winning. And just with the way the rotation sets up, I think over the next week or so As you mentioned, they've they've been playing a lot lately. They got another back to back coming up. I think the rotation just worked out to the point where Starty Hildeby in Minnesota kind of made a little bit more sense. Now let's talk about the Winnipeg game. They fell down three nothing, but earlier in that game, let and actually instead of earlier, let's go to the start of that game. First of all, Yanni Gourde is back. They activated him off of injured reserve. So he's back in the lineup, was able to take face offs, because it's a good thing because early in the first period. Brayden Point was hurt. You had even mentioned to me as we were texting and I was at the game, you said, Hey, he's in the tunnel, and I was sitting next to a writer from NHL.com. We both looked at each other like, yeah, we don't see him on the bench. We saw him in the press box in the third period. How does that injury impact the Lightning? Because I was noticing on the power play, Gourde would take the face off. If the puck was cleared, he would go to the bench and Hagel would step onto the ice. How much does that impact the chemistry, not just of the power play, but right now with the top line? Well, you're just looking at, he's a guy who knows how Nikita Kucherov is gonna play on the power play. so you put somebody else in that bumper position, even if it's somebody like you know, Cirelli or Gourde, who's played with Kucherov before, it the timing's just not there. And I he's also one of their top entry guys with the puck getting it into the zone. So you take him off the ice. now it's pretty much Kucherov bringing the puck in most of the time. Hagel will do it a little bit if he's on that line. And it just really threw off their rhythm. you know, getting back to the power play against Minnesota, we'll just lump it together with this game. They scored three goals, but I didn't think the power play itself necessarily looked great. they had six opportunities. You're looking at, okay, well, they got 19 shots on the power play. That's great. I think they had eleven scoring chances, but if you look at it, only one of those scoring chances was considered a gray. Grade A high danger chance. And then if you look at the goals, like Guentzel's goal is from the right circle, but he's almost against the boards. I think that's one that, you know, the goalie kind of wants back. There was no screen. It wasn't a a quick one time or anything. Like the Seuss pass took a while to get over there. So the the goaltender was in position, he just missed it. and then I don't think he expected I don't think he expected Guentzel to shoot. Yeah, but still it it's not a great scoring opportunity. It's not like they're walking the punch back and forth. Yeah. the second one is, you know, D'Astous six on four at the end of the game, which, you know, again, not a lot of not a great screen in front of him. He just kind of whiffs on it. And then the third one is, you know, Kucherov in overtime, which, you know, four on three overtimes are are their own separate beasts. so yeah, they were generating shots and stuff, but they weren't getting chances. And then you take point out of it and honestly it was probably one the worst power play overall for a game that I've seen in maybe two weeks, they only had five shots. I think they had four power plays against Winnipeg. They only had five shots on goal. They were constantly coming in and out of the zone. Winnipeg really pressured them really well. they did they took away their time, they took away their space. They came out, they were pressing at the blue lines, they were pressing along the boards. So anytime D'Astous got the puck or Kucherov got the puck, there was somebody right on him. and just took away their their timing, which, Minnesota played off of them, gave them a little bit more time, which was a big difference. And the Lightning just struggled. And you're tired, you're down one of your best players. It's just gonna happen. So yeah, you know, hopefully you got two days off, you shake it off and you know, come out against Buffalo and and figure out a way to win. Justin, the Bolts. were down three nothing midway through the third period. They had to really expend a lot of energy to get back into that game. Once they got that game tied, do you think that that fatigue set back in? I think so. like you said, it takes a lot of energy. I th I love their compete level in both games. it would have been really easy just to be like, hey, we're down three nothing. I think even Cooper mentioned it at the press game. He was like, Yeah, I could pull the goalie, we give up a goal and lose four nothing. It's the end of a back to back. But they did battle back. And then I do think sometimes the mental aspect of being tired comes and rears its ugly head. you can talk about the legs not being there, the, the shot being off, your timing being off. But I think mentally sometimes it gets to you more so just because these guys are in great shape. And I thought that little sequence where Gourde takes a bad penalty in the neutral zone, follows up by, you know, the Cernak penalty, it's anytime you throw a puck like that, they're gonna call it. Like he tried to make the claim that he never actually closed his hand, even though he tossed it, but he all he had to do was drop it down to his skates and knock it out with his stick. He had he had time to clear it. But it hits you in the hand and and you're not thinking clearly, maybe, and you just close it and and toss it out. And then getting into the McDonagh. play at the end, we kind of talked about it after the game a little bit. I honestly think he thought there was more time on the clock. But he gets the puck, he's he's kind of by himself, he has time. He you can you can see him look up as if he's gonna just rim it up on the boards and out, which you know probably is the play to do. But if you look, there's two Winnipeg players pinned across the boards there. So I'm thinking, this is just my pure speculation, is that in his mind, he's like, There's there's enough time on here that if I don't get it past them, they can get it back to the middle of the ice for a good shot. So then he peeks behind him and I think he initially is like, Well, I'll just reverse it behind the net, but whoever's defensive partner had stepped in front of the net, so that wasn't an option. And by this point, Villardi's there, Kyle Connor's there, and they do a great job on the fore check to to cause the turnover. You know, it's Not just McDonagh. on his own on an island. They force that turnover and then they just make a perfect pass over to Scheifele who fires at home. So I think kind of towards the end, maybe a little mental aspect got, you know, a little mental fatigue got to him and it cost him a point. But, you know, I really can't be too upset at at how that game turned out. I I don't think that's one of those where they gave it away. It's just, you know, circumstances got got to him and they were one second away from, you know, earning a third point. Well, the Bolts. next game is on the road in Buffalo at seven o'clock on Wednesday night. We wanted to get the latest on the Buffalo Sabres. We're gonna talk once again to Jonah Ahrens. We had him on earlier this year to give us a lowdown on the Sabres last year during their playoff run. We're gonna talk to them right now to get the latest on the Sabres and how they're trending so far in the twenty six, twenty seven season. The last time we talked to Jonah Ahrens, we were talking about the Sabres Montreal Canadians playoff series. He gave us the lowdown on what to expect there. Now both teams, Tampa and Buffalo, sorta had the same script. Montreal started off quick. By the end of the series, I thought Buffalo was the better series, and by the end of the series in Tampa, I thought Tampa was the better team. But Jakob Dobes ended up standing tall and took Montreal to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now the Sabres are eight, six, and three. They are in sixth place in the Atlantic division, nineteen points, eight points behind first place Boston. We wanted to bring on Jonah because the Lightning are going to be facing the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. Jonah, first of all, thanks for joining us. And what's the state of the Sabres right now? Well, first, Jason, thank you very much for having me back on the show. I'm very glad to be back. And yeah, you know, I actually obviously last season. incredible the division winning, playoff run, getting to the second round of the playoffs. Now you're in the aftermath of that with the Sabres. obviously the offseason, a lot of movement. Bowen Byram gone, Alex Tuck gone, Olin Zellweger in, and the Sabres find themselves at eight six and three, which I believe is a ninety four point pace. And for most teams, in most years. That's pretty good pace. this year in the gauntlet that is the Atlantic division, you are probably on the outside looking in by maybe five or six points. So every single matchup s against your own division matters. Incredibly, you know, the Sabres, they lost late in regulation to Ottawa late, it was last Wednesday, and it was just like it was bad loss in and of itself, but it's like God, that's probably gonna come back to bite you down the line. So yeah, this this Tampa Bay game is upcoming Wednesday. It's big for a multitude of reasons, standings-wise, the Sabres trying to get it back, gonna get some momentum going. And it's for it's kind of the real first sequel to the eight to seven insanity that was last March, given that when they the two teams met later in the season, Brandon Hagel didn't play I believe there were a few other Tampa players that didn't play. So yeah, it's There there were makeshift lineups on both sides, if I remember right. I th yeah, I think the Sabres were mostly healthy. I think a few gu I think Noah Ostlund was out. but if for the most part it was that the the big pieces that were from that insane matchup were kind of on the outside looking at you know, outside the lineup for injury reasons. Well, let's talk about losing Alex Tuck and Bowen Byram. Byram went to the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Tuck, of course, signed that big deal with the Washington Capitals. When you and I talked last year, there was a lot of thought that both Tuck and the Sabres would find a middle ground and come to an agreement. They never did. He signed a ten and a half million dollar deal. How much do they miss Alex Tuck and Byron right now? Bowen Byram, I respect the heck out of. last year he was great, over forty points, career season. it was it really became clear like Buffalo is the perfect fit for him. he wanted to go elsewhere. he wanted to be a number one defenseman, he wanted to get paid number one defenseman money, and he went to a location where he's gonna get the chance to do that. Obviously, Chicago has a lot to deal with right now, and he's dealing with some stuff off the ice. That's what he desired. despite how good he was last season, the Sabres going out and acquiring Olin Zellweger, I think, has just been a perfect swap. I think Zellweger's been fantastic for the Sabres. I really don't think they missed Bowen Byram much at all. And you haven't seen much conversation about that. Alex Tucker, on the other hand, yeah, they miss him. Of course they miss them. I don't think there was a person that said they weren't going to miss them. especially, know, now that he's off to the best start of his career in terms of goal scoring, eleven goals or twelve goals in fifteen or sixteen games. The Sabres could Doesn't have any helpers. No, but you know, it's it's it has become a thing where it's just of course he has this insane career start. The Sabres are looking for some goal scoring, the young guys that maybe they wanted to rely on a bit more, Yuri Kalik, Consta Helenius.. There's there's been it hasn't been so such a linear path for the Sabres goal scoring. And yeah, Alex Tuck, penalty killing, thirty goals, sixty plus point player year in and year out, leader, like they miss him a lot. of course they do. But, you know, it the Sabres wanted to bring him back and it it was kind of the same thing with Byron. Where, Byron was much more clear. Tuck, it's i it's it it's it's multiple reports. You know, he like before the Sabres and Capitals met a few weeks back, Tuck was saying I thought I was gonna retire as Sabre. I I really w he was basically saying like I really wanted to stay and he was implying that it was the Saber's fault. But Yarmo Kekalainen is very staunch. He like, Alex Tuck really didn't want to negotiate with us. I think it was just one of those things where I think he wanted to move on, maybe try a new location and the Sabres weren't really able to do much and they were always going to miss him. And they chose the path in the off season not to really chase after you know, a Pavel Dorfiev you where he had to trade multiple first round picks and sign him big money too. So they chose to go with internal developments and it's not working one to one, but This is what they signed up for, and they need pieces such as Noah Osler. Well, Noah Ostlund has stepped up, but Yuri Kulik, Consta Helenius., once he's back, and they need other guys to c to continue to step up. Talk about those guys that need to step up. You talk about Kulik and Josh Doan.. Josh Doan has been a disappointment so far this year. Sixteen games, only three goals, four total points from a guy who came off a fifty-two point season. Is this just a guy getting off to a bad start, or is this someone who is now assuming different responsibility within the team and it's a major adjustment for him. He's assuming a little bit of different responsibility. he started penalty killing just very recently. he's kind of lost his way off the top power play unit, but i the point is Lindy Ruff said like a week after the season opened that Josh Don had been fighting through something since game one. And he hasn't Missed a game. He hasn't it he really hasn't set out any practices. He's got something nagging going on. I don't think he's had the time to rest it. he obviously they need more from him, but to a degree, I'm not necessarily worried that this is I don't think this is a player that just had a career year and is gonna, you know, retract back to the background. it's the other guys. It's it's Josh Norris, it's Ryan McLeod. You know, those are the two big ones. Ryan McLeod was just healthy scratched. on Friday, set out against yesterday's game against Vegas as well. and Josh Norris, who did finally pick up some goals against Columbus on Friday. It's like those are the two really, really big pieces. Josh Norris, while I haven't been like the biggest fan of his game when he came back last year, that's basically when the Sabres turned a switch in December. And Ryan McLeod, the last two years has been a multiple time back to back fifty point Penalty killing forward who doesn't get a lot of power playing time. just playing on the Sabres third line. Like that is a huge, huge luxury that they have had. And for those two in particular to not get going, it hurts. Their third line has really, really struggled. Jason Zucker also, he missed the first month or so of the season with a sport with a hernia. since coming back, he's kind of looked slow. I mean, that was another guy with twenty, I think twenty-five goals last season. If he played a full season, he might have touched thirty. it's funny, you want more out of the young guys. Yuri Kulich, you really want to see more production and Consta Helenis, you want to see more production right away. And it's funny, it's really the older guys letting them down. Well, let's talk about two young players who are look like they're taking the next step, Zach Benson and Owen Power. Owen Power, the big defenseman, Zach Benson, a forward with a lot of promise. Tell us about both of those players. I I I gotta start with Zach Benson because this is the one that won't surprise people. he was on another level in the playoffs. I he became like every casual NHL fans or any every general NHL fan's favorite player, because he's a rat, and he just plays a style of play that you're just like, this guy's awesome. Like you can't hate him. Everybody calls him the new Brad Marchand, and I disagree because people hate Brad Marchand. I feel like everybody loves Zach Benson and he has just turned into a d a legitimate producer, a force, somebody that can truly elevate anybody that he's on a line with. you know, Tage Thompson had a kind of pedestrian start to the season. He was still getting his goals, doing his thing, but the moment they threw Zach Benson up onto the top line before the West Coast trip last week. He totally he did looked like a completely different player the moment he was with Zach Benson. He started scoring a bunch. And now Benson is he's now he's truly racking up the assists. And it's just been it's been a joy to watch. And he's a two-way force. They're so much better defensively when he's in the zone. And it's just so crazy to me. He's only twenty one years old. You know, first line, first power play units. He's penalty killing now. he just does it all and It's it's it's incredible. the contract value that they're gonna have for the next seven years at just seven and a half million dollars. Like he there's not enough good things I can say about him. And it he's the he's probably the one single player that I have had zero, zero issues with this season. He's been their best player. Aside from Owen Power, who in the wake of a Another slow Rasmus Daleen does this thing every he just the the first month or so of the season he just never looks himself and then he just when the guy was in the top three for the Norris trophy. You said he got off to a slow start and by I think you had told me off the air by November he was the Rasmus Daleen that you guys had seen all year. It's just what he does. It's it's annoying, especially when the team is looking for to to start some momentum, but he's just kind of in another one of those really sluggish starts. But last year they had Bowen Byram and and Matias Samuelson. Those were the good stories early in the season. This year it's Owen Power. he's taken the step and especially him, he has garnered so much attention and and negativity over the years because he's this big six foot six defenseman and people don't feel he uses his body enough physically and whatnot. And he's just constantly making gaffes in the defensive zone and it's funny because last night was pretty rough it's probably his worst game of the season against Vegas, but he's taken the step that I feel like a lot of people were skeptical to see. I always knew it was in there. I've always thought he was their second best defenseman, even when he was getting outproduced by both Boan Byron and Matias Samuelson last year. the the confidence in the offensive zone has never been higher. His defensive play has never been better. Something that's never brought up about his game because Rasmus Donnellyn, they always they don't want to totally put too much on his plate. He doesn't really penalty kill. Owen Power is their best penalty killer and has been for a few years now, and that's a huge part of their game. he's quarterbacked the top power play unit a few times. Like Rasmus Dolleen missed about a week of action at one point this season, and the points are finally coming through. He's on a sixty plus point pace. And it's just it's been great to see. I I feel like you see a bunch of times he's like the most forgettable number one overall pick in today's league. And I think because of that and in the draft it was with the it being COVID and whatnot, it I he just gets kind of lost in the shuffle. And it's nice to s his see him I think it's reminding people, but for the first time for a lot of people it is the first time where he is a legitimately great hockey player. Let's talk about the Sabres goaltending situation. There was a lot of reports out there that they were in the market to try to get Connor Hellebuyck,. They didn't get him. He went to the New Jersey Devils. You have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colton Ellis. Are they good enough to get Buffalo back to the playoffs? It's it's complicated because it it's goaltending. I mean, it's it's so tough to predict. And goaltending was legitimately the strength Possibly of the Sabres in the regular season last year. They don't win the division without it. Alex Lyon and Uka Pekka Lugan both had career years at the same time. And Colton Ellis was a really nice story behind the both of them. And it was I think everybody was sa everybody was expecting regression. Where the Connor Hellebuyck. stuff came in and I've one of the most long and dragged out sagas I've ever been a had been a part of and talked about. It was every single week and and the the fan base I don't think was made better for it, especially with him going to New Jersey and it's long and drawn out and he I he would have been a huge help for this team. There's no doubt about it. but they couldn't seal the deal. So now this is what they have. And I think it can be good enough to get them to the postseason. I do. Luke and faced a lot of criticism this season. He's had a tough start. And Colton Ellis, people want to see him take the reins and run with it. I'm not the biggest believer in him. I he's just his nickname here in Buffalo is Colton Chaos, 'cause he plays this wildly acrobatic style. His rebound control is all over the place, but he's fun. And sometimes he's great. And it's it can get them there. I just think they definitely miss Alex Lyon, who's been out with injuries since the preseason. and it's definitely it's been inconsistent. It is hasn't been a lot of stability. And for a team that got younger this season, they they do need more out of their goaltending, which it has kind of shown to be a mismatch thus far. The Sabres came back from their California trip at the end of October. They had a perfect three and trip. They've come back, they've lost two out of three. They lost, as you'd mentioned, two to one to Ottawa, beat Columbus, lost to Vegas last night by a four to one score. The one thing that when you look at the stats, and it's it was the same issue last year, special teams. The power play has continued to struggle. The penalty kill, I was a little bit surprised how much they've struggled this year when I looked at the numbers. Is the power play and penalty kill are they showing signs of life or is this still stuck in neutral? Power play so frustrating. It's been a topic I I've harped on it for years. they had a great season and they had a quote unquote great year in 22, 23, where they were like a top ten power play and then for most of the year and then like finished fifteenth or so. It was the year nobody was covering Tage Thompson for one timers. It was the year he went nuclear, he had that like five goal game against Columbus, and then since then teams have been all over him the rest of his career, and they've had no answers. And stretching back to Jack Eichel being a Buffalo Saber, like they just feels like they never have a good power play. And this year it's it's it's more the same. They're trying new stuff. They're it looks different, but it's last night was against Vegas. It just they went 0 for three. The third power play they basically had two short handed goals against them. it's a momentum killer. It's not producing. It's it's it's frustrating as as as heck to to watch it. especially 'cause apparently they gave it so much attention in the off season. The Sabres Analytics staff wrote a fifty to sixty page report on how they should improve their power play. Fifty to sixty pages for their coaching staff. And thus far the they're they're they're not they didn't read Bird they didn't read the chat. Yeah, I g I guess so. I I it's it's it's been a real, real struggle. and this was a thing last year. Like it's amazing they won the division with how mediocre it was and just it stretches back a decade. It it's really been very bad for ten years and it's stakes cause they've shuffled multiple it's so many names. Like I said, it being so far stretched of being bad, you've had Jack Eichel on this power play. You've had Sam Reinhardt and now in today's league, you've had Dollen, you've had Tage Thompson, you know, Jeff Skinner a few years back. You had Alex Tuck on it. Dylan Cousins has like Dylan Cousins was like one of the mo I felt like w during his time here, I was like, I just feel like he gives you nothing on the power play. He goes to Ottawa, he's like one of their main assets. It's it's just it's beyond frustrating. I feel like they can never get off the ground and I don't have any confidence it will rebound. Do you think it's a structure thing? Or is it guys just not produce okay, you think it's structure? Okay. I think it's structure. People like people it has gotten so bad to the point people want to see Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dallin off the top unit. Because they make frustrating decisions. Like if If you watch the Vegas highlights last night, Tage Thompson, the opening goal of the game, he made a brutal puck decision trying to force a puck to Dallin. He turns it over to Mitch Marner at the blue line, who goes and scores a short handed breakaway goal. there are bad decisions, but it's it's because it's it's a unit with zero confidence. They don't have many like set plays, they just don't have any easy buttons to press, it feels like. And because it's been bad so long, it's it it that's what I feel like the only solution is plus the people in charge of running it just don't have experience running power plays. Seth Apert, who was the Rochester Americans coach before being brought on to the Sabre staff, he didn't really have any he wasn't running the power play in Rochester, and they brought him to this staff to run the power play and it hasn't gone well. Before him it was Matt Ellis. It was the same thing. He has not run a power play and it was brutal under Don Granado. So I just don't I don't think they have the people in charge running it that That should be running. And Lindy Ruff takes a little bit of blame too. I don't think historically he's had many good power plays. I think New Jersey maybe had one or two decent ones when he was there, but his time in Dallas, I don't believe they were very strong. the years he was in Buffalo, they didn't have many top power plays. So it follows him around too. As for the penalty kill, it's to me, it's goaltending. It's kind of the same thing. I've never felt like last year, because they were they were great, they were among the bet league's best. I don't think structurally they're among the the league's best. I think a lot of it was just getting saves last year and well the the goaltendings dipped a bit this year and so is the penalty kill. So obviously losing Alex Tuck was a big part of that. Him and Ryan McLeod both were like top five in short handed goals last season. They love to power kill and this year they're they're they're missing Alex Tuck. But I do think most of it was goaltending, so if if you see Lucaden and Colton Ellis start to play better, I'm gonna assume that the the the penalty kill has started to improve as well. The old hockey adage is your best penalty killer is your net minder. So Jonah, we got the Lightning and the sabres Wednesday night in Buffalo at seven o'clock. What's one matchup you like for the Sabres and what's one matchup you like for the Lightning? Well, I'll stick with the theme of what I was just talking about. I'll I'll go with the the power play for the Lightning. it's yeah, Nikita Kucherov, despite I don't know, p potentially maybe. There there's word he might have a foot out the door. he's still Nikita Kucherov. He's still doing his thing. I feel like no matter he just always comes in and abuses the Sabres penalty kill. I think he'll continue to do so. I think that'll be that that'll be the key for Buffalo. Just stay out of the box. The Sabres, I I the matchup I guess I like the most is just probably Zach Benson. I think that he's just a hound on the on the forecheck and he's just he's been the key to the Sabres offense going. Although I'll I'll I'll give another shout out. We haven't talked much about him, but Jack Quinn's been outstanding for the Sabres to start this season. And he's been somebody that's been incredibly fun to watch. So I I think those two in the top six is maybe I guess that's that those are really the only things I really have to look forward to with this team right now. so yeah. I guess What I am most excited about is as I mentioned earlier, it is the sequel to the eight to seven game spiritually. it's the first time Rasmus Dalin and Brandon Hagel will be sharing an ice surface and when with Dalin needing a a a fire to be kind of lit under him, and most importantly, I think this team, despite only being eight, six and three, the Sabres, they just look like they're missing for something to click. Kinda how last year clearly firing Kevin Adams, bringing in Jarmo Kekalainen, and that was what needed to click. facing Tampa, seeing some old faces that maybe they're not they don't like. especially Brandon Hagel. Like I I think if they see that and they get into this game and it's a very, very physical affair. It's a national game. I think if they pull out a very big win at home, it could be what they need to carry some momentum and really get back into the thick of this race, which it's crazy. Like I said, they're eight six and three. It already already feels like they're falling behind in this Atlantic division. Well, I'm actually broadcasting from up here at the hotel in Winnipeg. Jonah, you're in Buffalo. I hope you enjoy the game on Wednesday night. For those of you who don't know, you can see at the bottom here I have the graphic. You can see Jonah and the boys at the Sabre Report Podcast. You can find it anywhere you get your podcast. It's definitely a great listen. It's on my downloaded list. Jonah, appreciate you joining us today. Yeah. Thanks, Jason. Looking forward to Wednesday night. Me too. Well, we'd like to thank Jonah Ahrens for coming on once again. Always great having him on to give us the latest on the Buffalo Sabres. Again, the Lightning take on the Sabres seven o'clock on Wednesday night. And this is one of my favorite newest segments. So we are doing 84 bets in 84 games. And Justin now is starting to get on a roll 2 and 0. Justin, tell everyone who you bet against Minnesota and the Winnipeg Games. Yeah, so Kept simple for Minnesota. I just took the over six and a half. part of it And by the way, I took the under. Yeah, I that was a little competition there. A little competition never hurt. I just thought with the kind of the road woes of the Lightning that they're giving up of almost three and a half games or three and a half goals per game per sixty minutes. then once, you know, they announced that Hildeby was gonna be in net, I thought it it'd be a good good chance to to roll with the over Normally I would probably have taken Minnesota's, defensive prowess at home into consideration, but they were coming off the back to back and they had their backup going as well. So I kind of was like, you know what, this is his first start at home, probably some jitters there. I just really liked with the offense on both teams, the chance of them getting to seven goals. as my readers may know, I I I wasn't that didn't watch the game live. I I did watch it on replay. The wife and I were out fishing, actually in good ol' old Tampa Bay. And I kinda looked at my phone. It was three to one early in the third. I was like, no way I'm getting to the over here. kind of felt like it was gonna be like a four one final and then I dock and I kinda look at my phone and I'm like, how about that? An overtime win and seven goals. Love it. So, you know. It it's it's a nice feeling. Nobody loves a three three game more than somebody that spit the over. When it was two to one Early in the third period, and I'm thinking to myself, okay, I like the way this is trending for my under. Got the three one and you're like, okay, now empty net goals, guys pulling goalies early. It got to three two. I'm like, I'm in trouble. Yeah, three two. Anytime you've bet the under and you're at three two, you're you you're doing the math in your head. You're like, all right, there's seven minutes left. They're probably gonna pull the goalie with about three. If they get one here, then it's three three. If We scored an empty netter, then it's four, but they could probably still pull the goaltender again. So yeah, it's it's always do fun doing the mental gymnastics whenever you got a bet on the line like that. I always say betting the under is like going on a date with a girl, hoping the date goes great, but she doesn't invite you back to her place afterwards. Yep. So I just hate betting against offense. That's all. Okay, Justin, how'd you do against in the Winnipeg game? so Winnipeg, I thought it was gonna be a close one, honestly. with the Lightning having such a competitive game that went into overtime and then like you mentioned, you had to travel. I think they got into the hotel at like three in the morning that day. I thought, you know, it was gonna they probably weren't gonna be at their best. So I took Winnipeg on the puck line, so they gave that gave me a goal and a half. And then, you know, Brandon Hagel doing Brandon Hagel things, I took him over one and a half shots. which was looking a little dicey. I'm not gonna lie, you'd never want to see your favorite team lose, but going down two nothing, when you're betting the you know, when you're getting a goal and a half is always nice. and then when the Lightning started the comeback, I was like, Yeah, this is turning out nice, especially since Hagel picked up his second shot on his goal. So I was like, All right, that worked out perfectly. yeah, would have loved to see it go to overtime though and the Lightning pick up the win, still would have covered that way. and also tinkered with the idea of putting Mark Sheffield shots in that bet, which would have gotten me to plus money on the bet actually. But I don't like Winnipeg's offense at home. they just don't get a lot of shots. So and there weren't there were not a lot of shots in that game. And it's kinda funny 'cause I thought Vasilevskiy had a really good game. I know the the sheet's gonna say that he had four four goals against, but I thought he played especially in the second and third period, I thought he played fantastic. But yeah, you know, Sheffield ended up with two or three shots. So yeah. But I'll take the win. I think it puts me I didn't do the math yet. I haven't added that to the column over on the webpage yet. But I think it puts me just slightly in the positive for the year right now. Not bad, almost a quarter of the way through the season. Yeah. As usual, hanging around is even Steven. Yeah, lose a few here, win a few there, and, you know, just end up with the same amount I had at the beginning. Justin, tell us what's going on at Rod Charge. let's see. We talked a little bit about the braid and point injury and kind of how that affects the Lightning. probably gonna look at to probably I would think tomorrow night I'm gonna have an article up on who may replace him. could be dated by then, so actually I should probably write it tonight as soon as we're done this. so actually Justin, who do you think who do you think might replace him? right now I'm leaning towards it's gonna depend on how long he's out, honestly. I think if it's just gonna be a couple days or a couple games here and there, I think they may try someone like a Dylan Duke or a Lucas Mercuri. I think if it's gonna be long term, it'll probably be Dominic James that they call back up. the whole reason they sent him down is they wanted him playing, right? So if point is out, I think Cirelli moves up to that line with Kucherov, and then you probably have Gordo in the second line-ish, and then you still have Girgenson's and Geekie. So you're gonna have James on the wing. So Pelletier is another one I'm thinking about. He's having a great season. He's absolutely caught fire down there. but you start running into the risk of having to put these guys back on waivers if they're up. Too long. and with the way Pelletier is playing, maybe somebody takes a flyer on him. maybe the Flyers take a flyer on him again. I don't know. But yeah, I I don't think it's gonna be Sam O'Reilly. I know some people on the website had mentioned that as a possibility. I think O'Reilly's gonna be down in Syracuse for most of, if not all, this year. you know, he's got four points in twelve games down there. He had a nice little streak, but he's gone pointless in the last three. I think they just want him to get used to professional life, so I don't see him coming up. But my early money would be on Dominic James or probably Lucas Mercuri. Justin, we look forward to that on the website. You can catch Justin each and every day at www.rawcharge.com. I'm Jason Linkes.. Thanks for joining us. We're going to be back later in the week to recap the Bolts. four-game road trip. Again, they take on Buffalo Wednesday, travel over to Columbus on Thursday for a seven o'clock tilt. So once again, back-to-back games for the Bolts.. For Justin, I'm Jason. Hit that like and subscribe button and go Bolts.. Go Bolts.. Thank you for listening to Backchecking the Bolts.. We are free and available on all platforms, including Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon, YouTube, and Deezer. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review. You can follow Justin on Blue Sky at Rawcharge.com. You can follow the show on X at Tampa underscore Bolts. underscore pod and on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at BackcheckingTheBolts. If you're interested in advertising on the show or partnering with us, You can find more information in the show notes or email Jason at backcheckingthebolts at yahoo.com.