Hour Three- Buffalo Sabres injury updates and what happened last night to the Maple Leafs

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It's Paul Hamilton.

That's what they called me a college or something.

He has the facts to back up his opinions.

People ask me, well, how are the sabers going to be going to win tonight?

Oh, cool.

Now, WGR sports radio 550.

We're along here on a Friday.

Thank you for tuning in.

I am the Bulldog, Mike Chopes, the day off today.

Joining us now on the Western Hotline is the beautiful 8-bit NES music.

Tells you is the great Paul Hamilton.

Hi, Paul. How's your day going?

I am well. How are you?

I am good. Thank you.

That's good.

Where do we want to start here?

Last night was, you know, whatever.

They're not going to win every hockey game they play for crying out loud.

We all know that.

What did you think of their game overall?

I thought maybe, I guess, you know, the body doesn't,

you don't get to choose when you get fatigued,

but I thought they looked like a tired team in the third period of that game.

Yeah, they looked like the team that played the night before,

not the Washington capitals by far.

I mean, they looked exhausted.

And that might have been one of the reasons they were on the ice today.

Just Lindy Ruff didn't like what he saw and wanted to get a practice in,

and it's been a while since he's had a decent practice.

And there were things I think he wanted to work on and did,

because let's be honest, it's been the last three games

that all of a sudden turnovers are becoming an issue again.

It's been a long while since that's been the case,

but they've been turning the puck over,

and actually they outscored their mistakes in two of the game.

They won two of them, and actually could have won the third.

Very easily, but I don't think that's a recipe for championship hockey

the way they've been playing in those three games.

So it's something that they're going to have to clean up,

and probably will.

I mean, they did a pretty good job cleaning up turnovers.

That used to be a real huge bugaboo with theirs,

and they wouldn't be on the run there on if they hadn't cleaned that up.

Yeah, the turnovers, a glaring one was the Benson play

that led to the Wilson breakaway.

I guess that would have been in the, was that in the third period?

I think it was third period.

And look, I love, I make this point all the time.

I don't know that we've really gotten into it.

I'll bet you've talked about it with Owen,

because where I get it from, the high cycle that they like to use,

like cycling up high above the dots in the offensive zone.

Like, I love that.

I think it's a relatively new way to play,

and therefore I think gives them a little bit of an edge on teams for now.

But one of the downsides is that at times,

Zach Benson is your last guy back, right?

I mean, so he fumbles the puck there,

and the D-man are somewhere else,

and he's the last guy back.

And it was a tough scene,

Luke and Inmate are saved there,

so it didn't sting him.

But that was an example of the sloppiness you're alluding to there.

Yeah, and only he knows how he feels,

but he is not, in my opinion, even close to himself since he's been back.

He has not played well at all.

And I'm just thinking he just doesn't feel well yet.

He's just not all the way back, and he's trying to play,

which very often at this time of year happens.

And so, but yeah, that was just another play,

it made me just think, oh, he's not there right now.

Yeah, I liked him.

Was it the San Jose game?

I think that he got off the fourth line and up with Thompson.

And I thought there was like a shift or two within that game

that he looked to me like, don't ever take me out this line again.

Look what I can do.

And but I think overall, I think game to game, I agree with you.

I don't think it's really been there,

which is why he probably is where he is in the lineup at this point.

Yeah, definitely.

And now he's, you know, they're shuffling it again.

And the one thing I'm really happy to see,

I definitely did not think Thompson, Benson,

and Austin was working at all.

That went on for over two games,

and that appears to be over.

Thompson was with Krebson,

talk with along with Kozak, meaning if Tuck doesn't play maybe Kozak would.

So that was good to see because it just,

I like all three players.

I don't like them together in a line.

I just thought that line was awful.

So now Benson's back with Carrick and Malenstein.

I wonder if Lindy was like sort of sitting on getting Benson and

Oslyn back together from the game or games.

There was the Nashville game where they scored,

I think right, right, Helen who scored two goals in that first period.

And then the next month for all game,

they looked really good together.

And then they started kind of getting into trouble in their own end

and then Helen has went down and that was the end of that.

I wondered if a part of Lindy putting Thompson with the two of them

was to get them together again and see if they could get some magic with Thompson

with the two of them, younger players.

But I agree.

It also has not really borne much fruit in them.

Yeah, it could have been and I think Lindy Ruff looks at it.

Let's see what it looks like.

Right.

If he don't like it, we can change it again.

You know, type of a thing and that definitely could have been

what we were looking at.

Yeah, I sort of feel like that's maybe something we got to get used to

with the lineup.

I mean, not that the Sabers have it made.

I mean, I'm sure they want to finish first and whatever.

First in the conference is out there for them.

If they can finish strong here.

But I also think, you know, you've added some pieces here.

Stanley and Pearson and Luke Shen.

And like, let's see what we've got here.

And boy, to start the game, I don't know how maybe you thought the rest of it

went, but boy, Pearson looked like a nice fit with Malenstein and

Karek there.

I mean, the goal speaks for itself.

Not that he had a lot of Pearson had a lot to do with the goal,

but he had another good chance shortly thereafter.

I think shipped after the goal.

But boy, Shen and Stanley together.

Paul, I think that that is just like, let's try it out probably.

And I don't think I need to see the two of them together.

I would expect.

I mean, you tell me if I'm wrong.

I think Stanley is going to play.

I think you're going to see it tomorrow.

Oh, really?

Because they think there might be rough stuff tomorrow.

No, it's because I don't think Samuelson's going to play.

Oh, right.

Okay.

I would put Castle Ring in, but Castle Ring was paired with Dunn today.

Oh, well, from what I'm looking at.

And Stanley was with Shen and Metza was with Dalline.

So that could change.

Yeah.

I mean, that's only practice and it could change next day.

But very often, not always, but very often what you see in practice is what you get.

And if that's what we see, they'll be back together.

Well, I want to correct you because I'm not wrong.

I'm telling you, I don't need to see it again.

That doesn't mean I won't.

And I'm telling you, I don't need, I don't think it's a good idea.

Yeah, I agree.

Yeah, but that was, that was pretty, that was pretty rough.

I get, like I said, like, let's try it out.

We got some new guys.

Let's see how the pieces fit together.

And I thought Shen left Stanley in a pretty crappy spot on that first.

Yeah.

And Kekelein and after the trade deadline said, you know, very enthusiastically that we're a better team now.

And I would say depends what we're talking about.

I mean, you probably are not going to get thrown all over the arena by the Tampa Bay Lightning,

which does make you a better team that way.

But you are not a better hockey team.

When those two are together, you are not a better hockey team.

You're a better hockey team with Metson, Kessler, and Dresd.

They're better defensemen.

The Metsa, if I'm not mistaken, I'm in the ballpark.

I know I think has been on the ice for 18 goals four and two against.

To say no, yeah, yeah.

And so from a hockey standpoint, not a toughness standpoint,

it's not even close.

Yeah, not even not even in the ballpark close.

So it just depends what you're talking about.

Now, I would rather have Metson, Kessler, and is my third pair.

And if you need it, Dresd Stanley is a seventh D.

I mean, and let him play three, four minutes or whatever.

If you feel that's what you need in your lineup.

Because unlike Gertzen from earlier, Stanley can't play the game.

You're right.

I mean, so I mean, as a seventh defenseman,

but if we're, I mean, part of it, they got to clean up the turnovers again.

And then having Stanley and Shen together is not going to clean up the turnovers.

You're wrong.

No, I agree with that Paul.

Paul Hamilton on the western hotline with us here.

So, but do you, what do you think, though?

Like my, my guess is that they traded for Stanley.

And if everyone's healthy, Stanley and maybe Kesslering are year five and six, right?

I would think that's what it should be.

And Shen is your seventh.

And Metson eventually gets back to being, although Lindy really

gushed about those guys and rightfully so.

You know, and when asked about them, because he said it is difficult

to guys that have been here all year and put their souls into it.

And then all of a sudden, other guys are here.

And Lindy did say, goes, this is the group that got us there.

And I still have a lot of time for all the guys like

cozy, dunger, casts, Mets.

I've got a lot of time and I've got a lot of admiration for how much time

they've put in to help us be a better team.

You know, I felt like, you know, there could be a lot of things going on

in the games leading up to the trade deadline.

But we start.

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I don't think we ever got around to talking about this, Paul.

But in those last three or four games before the deadline last Friday,

Metsa was getting paired up through games with random partners.

It was ByRum, it was Power Occasionally, it was Dalline,

and I felt like that was an effort not so much to see,

can he play on the top pair for us or something in the playoffs?

But let's just see if he has to play in the playoffs, what it's like.

Why does he handle the harder competition?

Because you're right, his numbers, the metrics are great.

A lot of it is relatively sheltered.

I think Lindy's been pretty careful about where he deploys Metsa

and what kind of situations, but the numbers are great.

So let's take it out for a spin.

Well, you mentioned, I think, did you tell me from practice?

He was with Dalline in practice, so maybe that's a pair.

And I'm just curious, if there's any amount of an audition here for Metsa

to still stay in the lineup despite these additions they've made.

Well, yeah, I think you're right, because if he was just an extra,

they probably just sent him down to Rochester,

and let him be the captain of the Amherst again,

because they desperately need him.

They have missed him in Austin, something fierce there,

and a really huge losing streak.

And Rosie Ann now's gone too.

Right.

But, yeah, and you're right the way they've used him,

but they've used him that way the whole time,

but it's more minutes in the games you mentioned.

He was getting like seven, eight minutes,

and it was more towards 12, 13, 14 in the games you mentioned.

Because in warm-up, Metsa would be the lefty

and Kesselring would be the righty.

I don't think Metsa has taken one shift on lefty at all,

but I've seen him in practice, and I've seen him in warm-up that way,

because of what you just mentioned,

because they don't play together as a pair.

When it's time for Kesselring on the ice,

he's out there with one of the top four.

When it's time to put Metsa on the ice,

he's out there with one of the top four.

Now, when it was Metsa and Bryson,

they were out there together.

And quite honestly, I thought Bryson was having his best season.

You know, they worked well together,

but when it's the two right-handed shots,

they tend to be worked in with the top four.

Paul Hamilton on the Western Hotline with us here on WGR.

So I'm sorry to like bury the lead here.

You mentioned Samuelson's in question for tomorrow.

Do we know like what the story is there?

Is it just like a minor thing?

Like what's up with him?

It sounds minor like Tuck.

We got a chance to talk to Tuck today.

Tuck has been in both practices,

but as Lindy said in the morning skate,

he came up to him twice and Lindy said,

if it was a playoff game, he probably would have played.

But, and then the way Tuck described it today too,

he goes, he's better today than he was yesterday.

And he said, if he felt like he played yesterday,

it would continue to bother him.

So he said, rather than do that,

he just wanted to get ahead of it.

He said, because the amount of games coming up

down the stretch and the playoffs,

he didn't want this thing to linger.

I think they're absolutely right with that.

You got to miss a game or two here.

Miss the game or two here.

Don't make it worse.

And then you're hobbling around for until you get

to the playoffs or whatever.

But he said it was better today.

And it sounds like Samuelson and Tanner Pearson

are both in that same boat.

Somewhere along the line, Colton Ellis got hurt.

He missed practice.

I'm wondering if it's his back again.

He tends to get back spasms from practice every now and then.

So looking at it may have to back up tomorrow for Lyon,

which is no big deal.

The boat goal tenders do like to set up

because Ellis backs up every game.

And they can like sit there and relax.

And they actually like Lyon, he's in like during the game.

He's in the weight room.

He's looking at film.

He's getting himself ready for the next start.

By doing those things while the game is going on,

he is a game on obviously around him.

But he likes that.

He said that's really good for him

to get prepared for the next start.

He doesn't have to worry about backing up.

I imagine Luke and probably feels the same way.

But hey, they got it back up.

They got it back up.

Was there anything definitive on talk as far as tomorrow goes?

Or is it like you expect him to play?

Does he expect to play?

Or is it the fact that he sounded like

since he was better than he'd like to play?

I mean, he did take a regular shift with his line.

But Kozak also did.

They alternated back and forth.

So he seemed like he would like to get.

And Lindy said, he hadn't really talked to him yet.

And he said, he goes, we'll have to see tomorrow

at the morning skate.

Now, since they practiced in a full practice today,

tomorrow's morning skate will be an optional.

But Tuck probably would want to take the optional

if he has a chance to play just to see where he's at,

a type of a thing.

So it sounded promising, but it didn't sound like for sure.

Paul, have you ever seen, this is back to last night now,

have you ever seen in any hockey game

you've ever been watching a team tee up their big gun

for five one time in a row?

I've never seen anything like that.

You should have talked.

He goes, I had to laugh.

He goes, it was hilarious.

He goes, and Tage even was laughing.

He goes, when he came off the ice, he goes.

And every one of them was just right in the wheelhouse

and just let her rip.

And I think Dan described it one of the cross-bar, the pulse.

I was downstairs getting ready for my walkoff interview.

I ended down in front of me, but I didn't see if it,

I didn't see a replay if everyone actually

had the pulse to the cross-bar.

I was going by Dan's description.

And Dan's usually pretty spot on with that stuff.

So, but just to, and it was always,

because recently, on the power play,

that's really not there.

So they have to move Thompson around.

Sometimes he's over there, but they can't really get it

going to him.

And he's got to move around, and when they had success

on the power play, which they have had,

I know we keep checking this around.

I was like, I know.

Yeah, it's like, well, you had a five on three.

It was one of the most pathetic five on threes

I've ever seen in my life.

They tried to force everything.

They had one scoring chance by Byram.

And I'll give them some grace, because Dalline was

in the penalty box, and you would want him out

on there, a five on three.

And then for the rest of the game,

they went four for five on the power play.

Huh?

Right.

And that's kind of the way this has gone.

You know, where they're, oh, yeah.

Power play goals in 10 out of 11 games at one point.

But, you know, they were one for four on the power play,

and three of them were horrendous.

But they scored on one of them.

So it's produced.

It's really, really been hard to talk about,

because it's been so far on both sides of the spectrum.

Yeah.

Paul, even the five one times in a row,

I know the last of the five was after the power play

it expired, but the four, whatever.

As cool as it was, I said this earlier,

in a way, it sort of shines a not-so-complementary light

on their power play, because that's the play, right?

Lindgren might as well just stayed facing Thompson waiting,

just ignore the passing and just wait,

because, of course, it's coming back to him.

They just have not had enough variety there,

but it's so wild to me that they move around the zone

so freely at five on five.

I'm talking about the high cycle a few minutes ago.

And on the power play often, it just feels like

it's kind of stagnant, and I'm not sure

I can really rectify that.

And our goalie was sitting right next to me,

the one, I think, when Dunn scored,

I'm one of the times he scored coming out of the corner.

And I have been yapping on that.

Donut, donut, donut, yeah.

Yeah, what did I say, Dunn?

I do that, I'm sorry.

Yeah.

You know, I've been yapping about,

that is wide open.

Come out, come out, bring it out,

and they wouldn't bring it out.

Bring it out, they wouldn't bring it out.

It's like, and I said to him, I said, don't wanna go,

that's wide open, they are giving it to him,

because they know they won't take it,

and they're giving it to him.

Sure enough, Dunn came out, bang, and then that.

And he's done another one, he didn't do another one

the other day, too.

I've only had one like that.

It's like, it's wide open there if you take it,

and it makes them worry about something else then,

where they weren't worried about it before.

But it drives me insane,

that the other team gives that to them,

and they don't take it.

Galaxy brain thinking, Paul,

they're saving it for the playoffs.

Yeah.

It's gotta be it, it's gotta be it.

And Goliad, how did Lindgren not be the first star last night?

He wasn't even a star.

I don't know.

Are you kidding me?

I don't know.

Number 15 to three in the first period.

The capitals do not win that game without that Goliad.

And he's not a star?

Are you kidding me?

Take it up with your fellow media members, Paul.

You guys vote on the three stars, don't you?

No, I'll be done anymore.

Oh, you don't anymore?

The Sabers pick him.

Oh, okay, well, interesting.

All right, before we wrap up,

I talked with Luke Foxx already earlier today,

and of course, Toronto coming to town tomorrow night.

Paul, we know this one, right?

Their star player got cheap-shotted,

and no one reacted,

and now they are getting the ever-living crap kicked out of them.

What do you think?

Like, Toronto does not, I asked Luke about this.

Like, they don't have a gearts in the call-up, right?

There's not like a line of tough guys waiting to come

but they're all gonna fight tomorrow because they've been questioned.

You think, yeah, we're gonna get full on circus act,

just like Sabers did after they all wanted to fight after that.

They all want to be part of,

we want to be there for each other.

So Stanley probably needs to be dressed tomorrow

because the Leafs are-

And Shen too, for that matter, I guess, right?

Yeah, the Leafs are gonna be,

and as I've told you many times,

still believe it, the thing that happened to the Sabers

last year probably is the best thing

that could have happened to them

because they got together, they sat in a room,

and they hashed it out,

and said some things that needed to be said

that were probably pretty hard to say to a teammate.

And it never happened again.

They became a team after that.

And the Leafs are at that crossroad right now.

I don't understand, I really don't understand.

I would expect a house league team of 14-year-olds

know how to react in that spot.

I don't understand how people in the NHL need a class

in how to react when your captain gets hit

by the biggest goon that has played this league

in 25 years who goes out to try to hurt people,

has his whole career.

I don't understand why you all need to sit in a classroom

and be taught what you need to do

when he takes your captain's knee out.

Really?

100%, yeah.

Really?

Yep.

It's amazing.

And I didn't understand it last year either.

Right.

You know, and I don't get it.

Yeah, I mean, a lot of the, I saw and read quotes

from Morgan Riley today who was on the ice.

And I was like, well, I didn't know how bad the hit was,

but I, you know, he took responsibility.

I should have done something, you know,

I missed an opportunity, but I didn't see it.

And it's the same thing with the guys last year.

Like, I don't care if you saw it.

Your, your, your star player is lying on the ice.

The Linesmen are telling you who to go get

because it's the guy they're chasing

to try to keep you from spearing them in the face.

So like, go make a beeline to that guy.

Yeah, you've been playing hockey your whole life.

And you make a mistake.

Who cares?

Right.

Right.

And it's Radcogutus.

Like you said it perfectly, Paul.

He is the dirtiest player in the league the last 10 years.

And I don't think it's even close.

Like, he is gross every time the,

and the sabers will be out there next week, right?

They go to Anaheim next weekend, I think.

I just would just please get through the game

without Radcogutus ruining somebody's knee.

Just please get through the game.

Well, you hope he gets five games.

He won't get any more than that because.

Oh, that's right.

And that's the fifth game.

Right.

Yeah.

So you hope that he gets the most he can possibly get,

which is five games, which is S and I,

be considering he's a repeat offender.

I mean, I understand, you know,

Malcolm didn't mean to do that.

He lost his head if he would have been thinking

he's not going to slash dolling in the neck.

That sometimes happens.

I get it.

But Gutus does this crap all the time.

It's like, it's like the Miller thing with Luchich.

And here's Paul Gostad, the gutless Paul Gostad,

who basically is standing next to Luchich,

but kind of turns his back to him.

So it looks like he doesn't know he's there.

And then after he gets absolutely annihilated

by the fans in the media, it's like, yeah,

I made a mistake.

I'll fight him next time.

Oh, yeah, that'll do good.

Yeah, yeah, go get him next time as he's laughing at you

because he knows you're coming.

And he basically took his gloves off, taped his hands,

but before you got there.

And basically it's sat there and laughed at you as you arrived.

Yeah, do it then.

That'll be perfect.

Yeah.

I'm really curious to see whether Luchich didn't think

it'll be a full-on circus.

You feel like you're leaning more toward,

like you think the Leafs will.

Yeah, their man has been questioned.

I really think the Sabers will be in for a bit of a tussle.

All right, well, that'll be fun, then, I guess, right?

Fun for us.

We don't have to eat any punches, we just have to watch.

And just so I've already remembered,

it'll be 80% Leaf fans because those tickets are sold back.

Don't forget, in November,

the Sabers were last in the conference.

That's when those tickets were sold.

Not in the last 10 days or 10 games

where the Sabers have sold out the building

and everybody is really excited to come on.

I'm expecting tomorrow to be jarring in that way, too.

But maybe Leaf fans will want to sell their tickets back

to the Saber fans.

Maybe, we talked about that with Luke, too,

because he doesn't think it'll be as strong.

And I don't know that I would want to say it'll be as strong

as it's been, but it's not going to be what it's been

the last chunk of home games, like you said.

But just because, again, most of those seats were sold

long before the Sabers got on their run starting in December.

Yeah, the question is whether Leaf fans have put them back up

for sale to sell them back to Sabers fans or not,

because they're so ticked off about how things have been going.

But they still probably would have made your money

because they're going to give it to you for half of what they pay.

No doubt, right?

All right, Paul, thanks a lot for this.

Appreciate it.

Enjoy whatever tomorrow brings.

Okay, sounds good.

Take care.

Paul Hamilton on the Western hotline and his appearances

are brought to you by Ray Lax Honda.

Ray Lax, we got this.

All right, yeah, what do you think?

Is tomorrow going to be like a three-ring circus

because the Leafs are being slagged hard

for their lack of response to Austin Matthews

getting cheap shot at by Radco Gouda's last night?

I mean, definitely could happen.

I mean, I would expect there's at least off-flight,

but I don't know if it'll be anything like

what that Tampa game was last week.

But I think the Leafs will try to make amends

and show how tough they are to some degree or another.

But again, it's not a team that's stacked with that,

you know, there's no Ryan Reeves there anymore.

So it's not like there's somebody

that you've got to be really worried about

in that department either.

So I guess we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

What do you think?

803-050 is the phone number.

You want to get in?

We'd love to have you, bills or sabers.

Welcome at this point.

Mike is away today.

I'm the Bulldog.

You're listening to WGR.

This is Attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law.

If you've been injured in an accident

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If we're really talking about the bills though,

the thing they have lacked defensively

and they have lacked an enforcer,

Milano, good linebacker, Bernard,

good linebacker, they're not enforcers.

Taylor Rat, good safety, not enforcer,

Jordan Poirier, really, really, really good safety

over the years. He's not enforcer.

Mike Ahai, my dog had neck issues.

He's not enforcer.

Tradavia Swite, that's the homie, he's not enforcer.

They haven't had enforcers.

The bills have never had a dude put fear in your heart.

That's Chonsy Garden of John.

Zach, I'm sorry.

Can you tell the people who that was

and what a manual, Acho?

I don't know what he was talking about

because I was talking to Zach the entire time

the man was talking.

She's talking about CJ Gardner Johnson.

Well, that's funny because

me and Zach were talking about another safety

the bills just signed in your face, Acho.

Sorry, that really didn't make any sense.

It's late.

The bills have signed according to Jordan Schultz.

Another safety, another starting caliber safety.

This is a player who started 17 games.

I believe the last two years for the Bengals,

Geno Stone, yeah.

So one year deal, probably modest at that,

but another piece for the secondary there

after Gardner Johnson was signed yesterday.

That's a one year deal.

We know the money.

I feel like Gardner Johnson is the more,

he's a bigger name certainly in the league.

I feel like that's the guy that probably starts,

but Stone has 14 career interceptions.

In his career has been around since 2021,

originally a late round pick with Baltimore

and has played for Baltimore in Cincinnati

in his five years in the league.

And again, I think unless I'm seeing something wrong here,

I've got 17 games each of the last two seasons

with the Bengals.

So there's what the PDF page had the years wrong.

Two 2024 years, which I know can't be right.

So I'm assuming that second one is 2025

has 17 games started the last two years.

He only started, I don't know, 18 games

over his previous four seasons

with the Baltimore Ravens,

but another piece for the secondary Geno Stone.

So update your scorecards if you need to.

Good.

I mean, accomplished players, players

who are experienced starters in the league

feel like this is good news.

Yeah, 24 hours ago we're talking to Cell.

I'm like, how are there only two additions

on this defense here already a week into free agency,

whatever, Wednesday.

But Monday is when it really begins

and teams start making deals with players

unless they decide to lie about their medical histories

and then walk away from the trades.

But anyways,

and it was pretty stark to me that at this time yesterday

it was Bradley Chubb and DL Alfred

who added on the defense that seemingly had a lot of holes,

a lot of free agents leaving

and a whole new scheme to implement.

But just in the last 24 hours or less,

CJ Gardner Johnson at safety

and now Geno Stone at safety.

So the bills are filling in here

as the first wave and maybe even the second wave

of free agency has gone by.

They're getting busy and adding at least players

who have starting experience

at their positions in the league.

And that's at least the very least that I think you can say

or should say about Geno Stone.

So okay, there is that.

What do we think about tomorrow?

What do we think with the Leafs coming in?

I've got two conflicting ideas here

from men who cover both of the teams.

Luke Fox from Sportsnet on the Leafs earlier today

said like, of course the Leafs are getting, you know,

they're catching it from all directions here

with that show last night,

with Austin Matthews being cheap shoted by Radco Goudus.

If you didn't see it, I mean,

it's as grizzly and gross a neon knee hit

as you can really get.

Just, and it's a player with an awful reputation

to begin with like Paul and I were talking about Goudus

and the Leafs did absolutely nothing in the moment about it.

And there was opportunity too.

It's like he was squired away immediately to the penalty box.

He was available.

Nobody seemed to have the gumption

to go do anything about it, which is the worst.

We know this one from history most recently last year

with Tate Thompson, like I've talked about a couple of different times

and just how sour that left everyone

and how much different we feel about the Sabers

now that they have shown quite definitively, I would say.

I think most people would agree that that is a thing of the past.

The way that they've handled themselves,

not just in the Tampa game on Sunday last weekend,

but really all through this year, right?

We had a situation, the Tampa game before that,

where Dalline, I think, was cheap shot at her

or was it Thompson?

I don't remember who,

but somebody got slashed across the skates

and put down on the ice.

And Noah Oslin was right there to jump in.

The Sabers have completely gotten over

and done away with that reputation.

They're going to face a team tomorrow

in the Toronto Maple Leafs,

whose season obviously is circling the drain

and are now being challenged in that way.

I am sure that every time I go through my Twitter feed,

I've got another show with another former player

on some podcast with Elliott Friedman,

just talking about how embarrassing it is to the crest

and all this stuff,

the way they handled themselves yesterday,

the Leafs did with Matthews on the ice,

with what appears to be at least some level of an e-injury

will find out once they get an MRI done.

Like Luke Fox was saying,

we won't know anything really probably,

unless word leaks out tonight,

it's certainly feasible.

They'll have the results before tomorrow morning.

But the next time anyone within the Leafs

is available to the media,

we'll be following their morning skate here

in downtown Buffalo tomorrow.

So that's when, at the latest,

we can expect to find out how severely Austin Matthews is hurt.

But our concern is how the Leafs react to that.

As that game went on,

young player, young prospect player,

maybe the brightest young prospect they've got,

Eastern Cowan got in a fight.

There was another play later in the game

where someone, a hit was leveled or something

and Cowan went right in and answered.

I mean, he got,

this is not a kid that should be fighting,

but I think he wanted to recognize,

what had happened and how it was handled earlier in the game

with Matthews was not okay.

So he went in and just like Saber's guys

who didn't handle themselves great in the fights,

we don't really care.

Just show up and defend your teammates

and you're going to score points.

Certainly with your teammates and with your fans.

So Cowan did that last night.

I'm curious what tomorrow is going to bring in that respect.

Whether the Leafs are going to be full on looking for,

that kind of thing to sort of prove themselves.

You know, we'll see.

The Sabers in the same scenario last year

did dress Dennis Gilbert in the next game

and he immediately fought with,

I think Joe said it was Columbus that they were playing.

The game after Thompson got leveled against New Jersey

and first time Gilbert was on the ice.

He's in a fight with some Columbus guy

and you know,

that's just a huge eye roll.

I would think that at a minimum,

we get something like that from Toronto.

Like some, you know,

some second, third or fourth line player there.

I don't even know is like,

is Dakota Joshua playing regularly still for them.

I know he's been in the lineup at times.

Like maybe that's a guy that is going to,

you know, go find Beck Malinstein or Logan Stanley

or whomever and maybe that's the end of it.

Or maybe Toronto will want to make a bigger point

and just sort of make it a thing all night long.

I guess we'll see how that all goes tomorrow.

We don't know before then.

Really, I don't think we'll be any clues

from any call-ups that they'll make

because they're not an organization that's got

like a goon they're sitting on or anything.

But I'm kind of curious.

If the Sabers really want to be,

I'll tell you what the move tomorrow night is,

is go bump into the goalie in the first minute of the game.

Find a way to take a run at Willie Neelander or Morgan Riley

and just kind of see what happens.

That, I mean, that's what Tampa did to them last week.

Like let's see what happens when we start poking you

and we start cheap-shotting you.

And the Sabers answered with,

you know, a flurry of fists and scrums and a pack mentality.

I wonder if the Sabers have it in them to sort of tweak Toronto

in this moment.

Like just push them to see if they can get them to snap.

Just curious.

Really, I don't, I don't know what to expect.

I think again, at a minimum,

you get some state of the game.

I think again, at a minimum,

you get some staged signature fight

so that some guy on Toronto can say,

see, we're tough.

And we'll all be rolling our eyes including leaf fans

and maybe even some leaf players.

Or we'll get some full-on Donnie Brook out of Toronto.

I don't know, anything could happen.

But they are getting there.

I mean, the shots are coming pretty much nonstop.

You can imagine.

I mean, it was, it was hot and heavy here in Buffalo last year.

Imagine Toronto and the media in a year

where they're spiraling, circling the drain

and the captain's line on the ice.

I mean, they're just getting clobbered for it.

So be interesting to see how they react to that.

8030550 is the number.

Mike is away today.

I'm the Bulldog.

You're listening to WGR.

This is attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law.

If you've been injured in an accident

and feel like no one is fighting for you,

it's time to fight back.

Paul Zari Law at 888-828-Hurt

that's with one call.

You can put a proven legal team on your side.

Zari Law has been serving the DMV for over 15 years,

proudly fighting for our local community.

I was born and raised right here in the DMV.

And my team is made up of experienced, reputable local attorneys

dedicated to fighting for injury victims just like you.

Follow us on all social platforms at azari.law.

That's azri.law.

Don't wait.

Don't settle.

Fight back with Zari Law.

With offices in Maryland, DC, and Virginia,

my team and I are ready to stand up for you.

Call 888-828-Hurt

that's 888-828-HURT.

And let us fight back for you.

Get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work.

With carpooling, you'll have time to relax,

save money, and pick up new friends.

Commuter connections can help you find carpool partners

who live and work near you.

Even if you're commuting just a few days a week,

it's a free service.

Carpooling.

Every dollar saved.

Every friend made.

Register for free carpool partner ride matching

at commuterconnections.org

or call 800-745-RIDE.

That's commuterconnections.org.

Have you or a family member been diagnosed

with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

that can be removed by surgery?

Consider talking to an oncologist about your treatment options.

Why?

Because knowing your options before you have surgery

can help your care team develop a treatment plan

that's right for you.

Learn about a potential treatment plan

before and after surgery at askbeforesurgery.com

that's askbeforesurgery.com

and talk to an oncologist before your surgery.

I'm done carrying around bulky drinks.

And I'm definitely done cleaning melted candy

out of my pockets.

So yeah, I traded them both in for fruity rainbow

five-hour energy shots.

These little guys are as pocket sized as any candy.

But instead of a sugar crash,

you get a zero sugar caffeine boost.

Candy can't even compare at this point.

Fruity rainbow five-hour energy shots

treat your taste buds to an explosion of fruity flavor

with a tasty caffeine kick.

That's right, caffeine just got a flavor upgrade.

And it's not just one flavor.

Five-hour energy shots bring you tasty caffeine

and 17 flavors, 17.

So if you're craving that candy flavored chaos,

but actually want energy that works?

Grab fruity rainbow five-hour energy shots.

Pocket sized zero sugar, big flavor.

Available now at fivehourenergy.com or on Amazon.

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