Sabres Shut Down McDavid & the Oilers w/ Paul Hamilton | The Jeremy and Joe Show

Sabres Shut Down McDavid & the Oilers w/ Paul Hamilton | The Jeremy and Joe Show

Paul Hamilton joining us on the Western Hotline. Our Buffalo Sabres beat reporter following last night’s Sabres win over the Edmonton Oilers. A 5-1 win for the Sabres, their second straight win, their fifth regulation win of the season. And uh nice start to little home stand here for the Buffalo Sabres. Paul, good morning. Good morning. Did you uh have on your card uh by Thanksgiving that the Buffalo Sabres would be tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for last place in the Eastern Conference? Joe’s been on that. Joe’s been saying the Leafs are coming back to earth and uh here they are. Yeah, I I thought they could fall down, Paul, cuz last year they were kind of living on goalending more than they ever had been before. I think they were number two in the league in save percentage. So, I just thought if that regressed that they might I I don’t know that I thought they’d be tied for last though, which is where they current. That’s what I mean. Tied for last in the conference. Yeah. Well, Paul, the Sabres get a win and it’s is it their best win of the season is their most complete game of the season from pretty much start to finish. They look great. They get the saves. They get uh, you know, scoring up and down the lineup a little bit. So, um, how’d you like the effort from the Buffalo Sabres in that win against Edmonton? Yeah, absolutely. their best game of the year and uh you know it’s after Conor McDavid the first 5 seconds the game and he went the opening faceoff he flies into the zone finds Heyman alone in the slot Ellis comes up with a big save 5 seconds in that was basically the last time you heard from Conor McDavid. Um, it was just amazing to see how well they did defensively against him, taking his time and space away from him, never letting him get going. As a matter of fact, McDavid’s the one who set up Thompson for the uh empty netter. Basically just gave him a drop pass. Thompson says, “Thank you.” Turns around and fires it into the empty net. Um, so yeah, it’s um I’ve never seen Conor McDavid play that poorly in a game. Um, I was telling the person next to me who had never seen him play, you know, you’re in for a treat. I mean, I love I love when when Conor McDavid comes. Not I don’t care if Edmonton wins. I don’t care who wins the game. I just enjoy watching greatness and it’s to me I think it’s such a special day when he shows up because he’s only here once a year. Yeah. So, you get to see him play and everything. And I said after the game I go, “Uh, well, you didn’t really get to see Conor McDavid in that game. I mean, you didn’t get the full Conor McDavid experience. Uh, I just thought the Sabres did a terrific job of just eliminating him. And for the most part, Dry’s idol, he did set up the only goal. And that might have been the only breakdown the Sabres had. You know, it was that goal uh where, you know, they didn’t get the puck in deep. Um, Dry idol came down, he makes the pass, and that is the only goal Edmonton scored. But other than that, the Sabres were pretty much flawless defensively. Yeah. Is it right, Paul, to correlate that a little bit to they just look like a totally different team when DIN’s available to them? Well, yeah. when Dene showed up in Detroit, it’s like, well, okay, maybe he got a chance to win one game in this four- game road trip because uh they in the last two years they have not won a game when he has not been in the lineup either, you know, for this situation or injury. Um I think that covers mound I don’t know around 13 games somewhere in there. I believe there’s something like 012 and one or two something like that again when he doesn’t play. Um, so you know that there they are a different team with him in the lineup. Um, but this this is what I’ve been saying about the injury thing the whole time. It it definitely is a factor. There’s no question. But to just blame the whole season that they’re the last place team in the conference on injuries to me is not right. There are other things that you know and and part of it is exactly what we saw last night. They’re you know when your best players are your best players. Even though Tuck and Thompson really didn’t get on the scoreboard till the empty net, I still thought they had a that line had a really good game. I thought they there was pressure. I thought Thompson was flying again. Um they just didn’t happen to get anything past Skinner. Uh Tuck had some great chances to score uh in that game. So overall, I I think they still had a good game. Uh even though that the line didn’t score until the empty netter, but um that that that’s the thing. Ta Thompson has really played really really well the last two games. Um, you know, your best players have been your best players and you can overcome C injuries if if your best players produce and come through for you, but they weren’t doing that when this losing was happening and you’re winning one game in nine. Uh, that that that wasn’t happening. Then you combine that with the injuries, well then you have huge problems. Paul, does Tage stay at center? interesting to listen to Lindy talk about that. Um he said numbers will tell you that he is better on the wing. He and pretty much by a lot. But he said he goes one thing you have to consider when you when you look at that he said is who were his linemates when he was on the wing? You know who did he play with? M and he said that I he goes in this case he goes I think that’s part of why he was better on the wing but he said with the injuries and there’s no Benson and there’s no Norris and the and everything. He goes it was better to put him at center. I think Ruff made a huge mistake waiting so long to do it. Um and then Ta admitted when he finally went back to center that um I believe it was in Denver he admitted that he goes I’m much I feel myself again and he he was playing like himself you know and it’s the first time he’s admitted because always said I don’t care wing center whatever they want me to do that’s fine. Um but he finally admitted that he feels he’s a better player and and and can play better at center. Um but when Norris comes back and to he I was shocked when I saw him on the ice for the morning skate yesterday. Um you know I he pretty much figured two months for him and he’s not ready to play tomorrow by any or any sense in the imagination but uh that’s the first step. He’s out there with the team now you know practicing not full contact. Um, and you know, it’s just and and and this I think definitely he and Zooker are dayto-day. It’s it’s how do you feel? You know, it’s like, all right, you how did you feel after the morning skate yesterday? Did you feel good? Okay, here’s practice today. Let’s go out and let you do this much in practice. Okay, after practice, tell me how you feel. And then maybe the next day you ramp it up just a little bit more. And that’s I think how they’re going to treat Norris and the injury uh to get him back. Now, in in Zooker’s case, same thing as as he said. He goes, “My conditioning is horrible right now.” I mean, he was basically he said, “I went from the couch to the bed for two straight weeks.” He said between 10 days and two straight weeks, he goes, “I didn’t do anything else.” And he lost a lot of weight. He says his conditioning is right now not good at all. Um, so he’s got to start getting food into him, which he’s doing now. Um, and he said, he goes, “I can’t tell you guys.” He goes, “I I don’t know.” He goes, “I’m I’m starting now to to at least,” he goes, “I can be on the ice now.” He goes, “I can eat now and start maybe putting some weight back on.” Uh, but as far as when he’s going to have the stamina and the strength to play hockey again, he doesn’t even know that. He goes, he goes, he goes, I really am day to day. He goes, just trying to figure out how he’s going to feel from that one day to the next. What do you think? A lot of chicken parmms. What do you What do you eat when you got to gain a lot of weight in a week? Pasta. Yeah. Pasta. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that’s a hockey player’s diet as a to begin with, right? Chicken parm all the time. Paul, do uh when he when he comes back eventually, Norris, maybe Benson, the the two young guys last night, Oseland scores twice. Rosanne’s at two uh six points in eight games now. Are they here to stay? Do you think they’re definitely out when they get healthy? How do you think the the forward group is looking with those two performing? Not every night, but they’re they are contributing. They are contributing. Um that’s the thing. I mean, you’ve got the five forwards out, Norris, Benson. I mean, they’re getting back into the lineup. Is Danforth? Well, Danforth wins you faceoffs 54%. But is that enough to get him back into the lineup? You know, when he when he’s not injur in injured anymore, but Zooker and Koulique and Norris and Benson, those guys are back in the lineup when they when they come back. Uh Koulik was sitting on the bench watching the yesterday, but you know, with blood clots, you got to wait. I I think I think the right terminology is till they dissolve or something like that. Um, again, I’m not going to try to be a doctor here, but and and again, who knows how long that takes for whatever has to happen for him to happen. Um, I don’t even know if they know, but at least he was around the rink yesterday and hanging out. Uh, but yeah, those guys are in the lineup. If if Austin and and Rosanne have to go back, that’s fine. Um, to me the the first move is Girtson goes on waiverss. I mean they that that signing was just a huge mistake and admit your mistake and move on. Um, does Danforth go down, you know, when he’s ready? I I can’t say. I in my world, yes. But um, you know, we we’ll see. We’ll see how that goes. And you know, they could be different too, right, Paul? Like Roseanne, Roseanne’s played, this is his fourth year of pro hockey and he’s on the the number one power play unit. He’s a little bit more with the numbers right now or they both are, right? But I wonder if Roseanne could be a little more likely to stay longer than than Austin. That’s exactly where I was headed in the next comment. What you and I are thinking the same way that might be Roanne who who I I think has taken advantage of his last opportunity because I think this might have been his last opportunity uh to be able to do that. So, um Kevin Adams has always said if you play well enough they will find a spot for you. Um so, but in in Osland’s case, as you know, he had a really nice game last night. He played a line with Josh Dunn and uh Beck Malenstein. That line had three goals and an assist, you know, so you know, and and they they meshed pretty well together. But if he winds up back in Rochester, you know, I I think there are still things he can work on. You know, he’s not hurting himself up here at all. And as he said himself, that’s his job is to make it difficult on them. He goes, I don’t make the decisions. He goes, “My job is to make it difficult for them.” He goes, “That’s what I’m trying to do.” You know, and I think he’s doing a good job to making it difficult for what they might have to do. But the thing is too, we’re sitting there talking about this, but this is the Buffalo Sabres we’re talking about. And all season long, when one guy gets healthy, the next guy gets hurt, right? So, we haven’t even had to talk about the lineup or the the the roster for the most part because except for a day or two because a guy comes back and then the next game I mean, here’s Kessle Ring now. You know, you you get guys back and now Kessle Ring gets hurt. And by the way, I did pass uh Zack Benson in the press box and he still is in a walking boot. They both were they were together walking with their walking boots on. Um so, you know, that’s not great for Zack Benson to think that, well, yeah, he may be at practice tomorrow because that’s if I’m being honest with you, that’s the guy I thought I’d see yesterday was Benson in in the morning skate and then next thing I know I see Zooker and with Zooker maybe a possibility. I was not thinking I was going to see Josh Norris. Paul Hamilton on the Western Hotline chatting with us about the Buffalo Sabres win over Edmonton. They play Calgary next. Uh goalie Paul, it’s three out of four starts now for Colton Ellis and he played well last night. I What do you think is happening there? Are they just giving him an extended look here and he played well so he’s going to continue to be the guy or do you think they mix it up? Well, I’m out of a a steak an expensive steak dinner if because I said to Brian Kosil in the post game last night, I said, “I’m telling you what, if Colton Ellis isn’t the goalender Wednesday against Calgary Flames, I’ll buy you a steak dinner at the most expensive steak restaurant in Buffalo.” So, that’s a Paul prediction right there. And you put your money on it basically. I know. And then of course TJ Luckman goes, “Can I come too?” So now you’re two stakes. I go, “No, I just said Brian.” Yeah, that’s how confident I am that I think Colton Ellis is is the goalender on Wednesday. And as I said yesterday, it’s this is an opportunity for him and he’s seizing it. You know, the right now Lucin and Lion were not playing as well. Um and Ellis jumped in. The there are things he does that Lindy Ruff really likes. He goes he one thing he likes is his puck movement. He’s almost like having another defenseman back there. and he doesn’t make too many mistakes moving the puck. So, he can get the he can get the breakout going uh with the way he moves the puck. His rebound control is I I I can’t tell you guys the last time I’ve seen a goalender this good with rebound control. And I know Owen can probably speak to this. A matter of fact, we we talked about it when we were together watching him play one day. All the rebounds are right around his pads. He can so he can either cover it or he can move it and it’s just amazing. you don’t see rebounds popping out in the slot or hanging around the crease or anything like that. Um, and then Lindy Ruff said another thing that he likes about him is he has the knack for the big save at the big time. And I’ve talked about that for years when Lukanu was good at the end of the season a couple of years ago. He picked that up where I thought one of the things I always talked about goes he’s now has the ability to make the big save at the big time which is what he lost last year. And so between moving the puck, making the big save, and he he went back and talked about the Detroit game and the too many men on the ice penalty at the end, the Red Wings score there. We’re not talking about a comeback. We’re still talking about regulation loss and a road trip being 0 and4 because that too many men on the ice penalty came with a somewhere around 220 left in the game. And he made a couple of really big saves on that penalty kill which Lindy talked about. And last night I think is a totally different game if he doesn’t make that big save 5 seconds into the game on Heyman. I think I think that goes in. We’re talking about a whole different hockey game. And that was a huge save. I thought he made another one in the third period where he came across anticipated the pass and absolutely robbed Dryidle. Dryidle scores on that 99 times out of 100. And he he read it perfectly and got over there and made a great save on that. So that’s why he got that second start in a row and third start in four games for those reasons and that’s why Lindy Ruff really likes him. So the opportunity is here for the Buffalo Sabres to have a new number one goalender and right now early on in this process he is seizing the opportunity. I wouldn’t call him the number one goalender quite yet but I think he just keeps being solid. Nothing phases him. He couldn’t have cared less that Conor McDavid was on the ice or the Edmonton Oilers are on the ice. He is the same no matter what he does. Nothing is too big for him. And you know, those are the those are the traits that I think are going to do serve him well. And I I as I said in my article, maybe the Sabres have a new number one goalender. You know, he’s because he right now is seizing the moment. Paul Hamilton, his appearance brought to you by Ray. Rayax Honda. Rax, we got this. All right, Paul. So, Calgary next and uh you know, home stand. We’ll see if they can kind of get things back on track. It’d be nice. It’d be it’d be welcome to see a couple. And folks, uh if you’re not paying too much attention to the NHL, the Chicago Blackhawks are no longer uh psy. They came in with the same amount of points as the Edmonton Oilers and actually ahead of them in the playoff race. They’re playing very good hockey this year. All right. Very good. Thanks, Paul. Yep. Paul Hamilton. Sabres win. I had something I was gonna mention to you right after we finished with Paul and it has escaped me. Was it was it hockey related? I think so. I can’t even remember. So they’re making up records for Ovetkin yesterday. He set a record for the most goals in a building. I’ll take that. Just every night like Oh, Vetkin said this record most fouron three goals of all time. Just every night seen something new. Most most four on three. Was that Is that real? No, I made that up. Okay. The Sabres overtime win the other night was their second threeon-ree goal in like 15 attempts of overtimes. They had gone either shootout or lost. Yeah. They finally won a game in overtime. It had been a long time. All it take All it took was TA throwing a man off the surface of the earth. Yeah. What are their like their most memorable threeon-ree goals since they implemented it? Like the goal against the Sharks. Yep. EL had one against Nashville that was like unreal. Yeah. Uh-huh.

Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase are joined by Buffalo Sabres beat reporter Paul Hamilton to recap the Sabres’ nice 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers last night. Paul starts off by giving the Sabres some props for playing their best game of the season, and shutting down the best player in the world in Connor McDavid. Paul also highlights the improved play from star forward Tage Thompson, and they discuss the possibility of Thompson sticking to the center ice position. They also touch on the injury situation for the team before wrapping things up.

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