Sabres vs. Edmonton Oilers and other stuff

So so so, what has been going on in Sabresland huh? A lot.

First off, Derek Roy is out for the rest of the season. This is a major NO! NO! WHY??!

It is no big news to Sabres fans near and far that this season is sucking...badly. Sorry, someone had to say it out loud. This does not help in the least. I feel so bad for him too, that is a long ass time to not play. Gah.

Secondly, there is big news on the ownership horizon. The Sabres should have a new owner very soon, with it being announced after the World Juniors are over with. We need this though, and I think it will be good. I hope some people higher up leave, and the roster gets shaken up, because it needs it.

We won yesterday against the Oilers, but I was so used to the Sabres losing, I was like "oh we won, cool". It just wasn't a big deal to win one. Ryan Miller did become the 67th goalie to get his 200th win, right after Patty Lalime. End of 2010 is turning out to be pretty ok for Miller, minus the losses and all...haha.

Mike Weber also scored twice last night, the first being his first NHL goal, and an empty netter! Love those! Good job Weber!

We don't play again till New Year's Day vs. Boston (EW!) and that is also Winter Classic day! Penguins vs. Capitals in Pittsburgh. A day full of hockey is always nice.

On an unrelated to Sabres note: My favorite captain (no, not Craig Rivet, do I look like I'm nuts?! haha) is injured, Jonathan Toews. He is out for something like two weeks with a shoulder injury of some sort that he received last night from being smashed into the boards all willy nilly by some big Blues brute. Grrr. Injury comes with the territory, but it still sucks when it happens to anyone. Patrick Kane just came back, as did Marian Hossa, so it seemed like everything was back in order, for like the first 10 mins. of the 1st period, ughhh. Soooo...yeah. Buttt, the Blackhawks have Patrick Sharp who is currently sittin' pretty in the number 3 spot in number of goals with 20, right behind Steven Stamkos and Crosby. I wonder why it seems he doesn't get as much recognition as the other two? It just seems weird. I know a lot of the light in Chicago belongs to Toews and Kane, but come on, Sharpy is awesome.

Ok, guess that's all for now.

Sabres vs. Boston Bruins

Drew Stafford came back and got a hatty! There isn't much else to say but that. He was ready to come back and it showed. Me and my parents were going so crazy yelling and clapping...haha. My mom's favorite player is Stafford, so she was pretty happy for him. You could tell he was pretty happy about it too, it made me feel so proud...hehe.

Tim Connolly also returned, but I don't care. Sorry to say, but I just don't.

Road games in Florida for the next two, then back home vs. Anaheim, to a game not being televised. Ummmm, excuse me what? Why? It is a home game and we can not watch it for some ungodly reason? Makes no sense. Guess I will just have to listen to the radio. Eh.

Ok, all for now.

Sabres vs. San Jose Sharks

Last night's game was another one that I would have loved to be in attendance for. Very upbeat, lots of energy (and goals) from the guys, and an all around GOOD game.

Paul Gaustad scored twice, and yeah, everyone can shut up about that now. He has never been a big goal scorer as is, and then when he doesn't score, people are all over him like "he has to step it up". Excuse the fact that he is always out there giving everything, protecting his fellow teammates in fights, just doing what he can for the team. You can go talk to Jason Pominville if you want to talk to someone about scoring who isn't. Like one goal since he's been back from injury? Ack. Yeah. So good job Gaustad! :)

Cody McCormick was also kicking ass last night, the whole Grier, Gaustad, McCormick line was in general. Cody is so fiesty anyway, but last night was EXTRA fiesty for him, and I liked it, I liked it a lot.

There have been so many injuries as of late that I am concerned at the beginning of every game at what might happen with so many pieces missing. Morrisson, Stafford, Niedermayer, Connolly, and Rivet just being healthy scrated for...who knows why. It seems to be ok at the moment though, but I think it is ridiculous that Rivet is our CAPTAIN, and obviously not up to par at the moment with the team. Please Lindy, pick someone else to be captain, this is getting crazy. Pominville has had an "A" for a longgg time, and while I am "ehh" about him and what he gives, I'm sure he would be good for team moral and in the locker room until you decide what the heck is happening with Rivet. Roy? I'm not so sure about. I have been a Gaustad captain pick for awhile, and he also wears an "A" now and then, so I think he would be a good choice as well. Just do something soon huh? Cripes.

We play Pittsburgh (ohhhh) tomorrow night at home, and they are number one in the league at this time. Kinda scary? Of course it is. Sidney Crosby? Yeah. We know him, he's good...scary good as RJ might say. Let's win this one...game on!!

-thumbs up-

I would like to take a moment to talk about my love of empty net goals.

Ok, so I know that the Sabres don't make them very often (or EVER, but that's a different story, unless you count that BEAUTIFUL diving one by Tyler Ennis last season, I'm pretty sure in the playoffs or sometime in that area, which was amazing) so yeah, maybe that is why I love to see them.

Patrick Sharp scored one tonight for the Blackhawks with something like 2 seconds left with them being up by one anyway, and it was glorious. I know they don't happen too often because most teams can keep things under control for the last minute or so when the goalie is pulled, but they are fun to see. Some are dramatic, some are just a matter of how precise a shot certain players have. I love when they come from halfway down the ice too, ahhhh. So pretty.

Ok, that was all I had to say.

Sabres vs. Ottawa Senators

I just had a whole thing typed up and this dsfkjdfkdfjk website seemed to have lost it or something, so yeah. Pretty pissed at the moment. But, I guess I will just type out a more condensed version from the last longer one.

Ryan Miller got back to back shutouts, one last night vs. Ottawa and one the night before vs. Columbus...yesss!! He needs to be up there in the top stats because Tim Thomas is hogging everything...haha. Good job Miller!

A pretty uneventful game vs. Ottawa, because well, there was no scoring at all until the shootout. Shootouts usually make me nutty, but last night I felt like we would win it, even my dad said he has a lot of faith in Miller in shootouts, and Miller is not his favorite player by any means. There wasn't as much physicality either, which was surprising. Patrick Kaleta was probably still tired from the night before. He got into this crazy full out rumble with Derek Dorsett from the Blue Jackets, and I swear he got 20 lefts on this guy. I don't know how the guy was still conscious when it was all over. He was pumped though, and it was great to see him back to his old role a bit. Lately, Cody McCormick has been doing a lot of the fighting, and Kaleta a little bit less. Even when I was at the Blackhawks game, he got in the middle of a fight, guys came to his aid to help, and he skated out. The guy behind me yelled "take your skirt off Kaleta!" which was rude, but I couldn't help but laugh just a little bit. He seems to be back on track though, and it's good to see.

Drew Stafford was back out as fast as he was back in with the rest of the team. He has some sort of shoulder injury that had him out for awhile, came back for one game, got hit and I guess must have re-injured it or something because he didn't play last night either. Connolly and Rivet are also MIA, but I don't really care...haha. I just think we need a new captain in general, but whatever. Things don't change that easily here, I've learned that.

So, other than all the new ownership talk, it's business as usual. Golisano should just sell because he could give a crap less about hockey or this team it would seem. He just sees the $$$$ and fans filling the arena to capacity, and that's about it. This new guy seems to at least have a general interest in the sport which is more than what we can say now. Maybe we could also get a new GM if this owner comes in (pretty please??!!). We'll just have to see what happens with all that I guess.

So, until next time...game on!!

Sabres vs. Vancouver Canucks

Ok ok, so we won, in overtime, again. I like that we are actually WINNING, that is good, but does it have to be so down to the wire guys? Do we have to give up leads and screw things up in regulation every damn time? I would like a real regulation win, just to see if you guys can still do it, come on.

Exciting game though, one of the first ones in a long time in my opinion. They started off on a lead pretty early, and it looked good, like we actually would just win this flat out and be ok for once, and that things were on the right track again.

Then dumb penalties come, and the lead is lost, then taken again, then lost again and all that crap. It was a fast paced game though and the back and forth actually makes it more fun to watch sometimes, so I guess it was worth it.

Couple things:

-Ryan Kesler's face dive thing over the goalie and into the net...owww. It looked worse than I guess it turned out to be, but still. It had the potential to be really bad, thankfully it wasn't

-Tyler Ennis is still on fire and doing his thing out there and everyone loves it. Keep up the good work Menace.

-Tyler Myers overtime goal was a beautiful thing, and I'm glad he got it. Seems a lot of people have been down on him lately (which I don't get b/c he is nowhere near awful, but that's another story), so it was good for him to get that. After that penalty he took too that got us scored on, I think he redeemed himself there.

-Cody McCormick got his 3rd goal of the season which is awesome, and I really think he is far too underrated. He is out there all the time kicking ass as needed, and he scores here and there on top of it. Not huge numbers, but he is a good part of the team just the same. He deserves the recognition for a job well done.

-Ryan Miller has been back and I think that helps out the team a lot to know he's there. Enroth did well for us I think, as well as you can when you don't play in the NHL on a regular basis, but we needed Miller. Injuries still have Stafford and Gerbe out, so Ellis is still here until Stafford returns. I hope they all come back soon because I miss seeing them play. Kaleta left the game with some sort of upper body injury and didn't return, so who knows what that will turn into. I just hope it isn't too serious. We need all the guys back and healthy now more than ever.

All in all, good game, but I get so crazy when they celebrate nutty like this was something huge. You won, that is what you are supposed to do, and a lot more often than you are if you want to be on the road to any post season next spring. I get you are all proud, but you need to buckle down and win more, and be more consistent with it. Clutch wins will only get us so far. Please don't keep taking these games to overtime and shootouts, just win flat out a bit, please? I am proud though, so I guess you can go out tonight and party if you want, just not too much. Haha. Game on!!

Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils

First off....Kovalchuk...what in the hell was that?? haha. It was just hilarious the way it went down, my goodness. He just looked like "that just happened? oh boy" it was just BAD. The 2nd shootout the Sabres have been in and won, does it have to come down to this everytime? That is really the long way to go about winning boys.

Tyler Ennis is still kickin ass out there, and Tyler Myers has been doing better. I don't think he was ever doing really badly, but he just got off course a little bit was all. Enroth played really well, and Thomas Vanek is still struggling with finding the back of the net. He is trying like hell, but nothing seems to be happening for him. I'm sure it's getting on his nerves, you can see it on his face sometimes. :(

Seeing Martin Brodeur and Zach Parise all injured in the press box made me laugh a little. Not like "haha you're hurt" but more like "aww they look so sad and depressed, but they are the best dressed bunch of injured people I've ever seen" hehe. They were all in shirts and ties and cruches and casts...hehe. The Devils have been struggling just as much as the Sabres lately, and it has to suck to have your top two players for the most part out with injuries like that.

So, we won again, which is good. Keeping it up would also be good. Tomorrow it's the Rangers in NY and I just hope we can keep winning, keep the moral up a little bit and get out of the losing funk. Game on!!

Tyler Ennis, please help us.

He's been keeping the team afloat at this rate, and I love him for it. His extra willingness to just get out there and give it all is amazing, and it's showing that he is a hard worker and a great athlete. His shoot out goal last night made me excited for the first time in a long line of games I've seen Buffalo play this season. I just thank him for actually making an effort to win for this team.

I know a lot of people are discouraged and want things to change and blah blah within the team, coaching, management, etc., but as we all know, for the most part, nothing will happen. Last night's win, even though it was good and we NEEDED IT BADLY, was kind of like a little bandage on the whole situation. We can't say we lost all these games in a row, because hey, we just won. In a shoot out no less, without Miller even playing to help us along.

Speaking of which, with Miller's injury has come more games for Lalime and Enroth. I felt completely horrible for Enroth the first came he played up here this season. It was just like he was thrown under the bus, and the team didn't help him out at all. I know he needs to be prepared to come up and play at any time, but come on, that was crazy. Poor guy never stood a chance. I'll assume that's how Miller feels sometimes. He can play the best games ever, but if the other guys on our team never score goals, we'll never win. I just hope Miller and Stafford come back from their injuries soon, because we need everyone healthy and on track here. Matt Ellis came back up though because of Stafford's injury, and that was cool to see him play again. At least you know that the guy you are calling up knows what's going to go on and he will be ready for it. I miss Ellis being here though, I never even knew what happened to him. One game he was here, the next it was like he disappeared into thin air, I had no idea he went to Portland. Geez.

On a different note, I went to the Sabres 40th anniversary exhibit at Albright Knox today for the opening. A lot of the guys were there walking around, and it is a great exhibit. I need to go back with my dad because I know he will love it. Pictures and video spanning the whole 40 years of the team. I would have liked him to be there to explain some of the older stuff to me, because I still do have questions here and there about people and things like that. The Stanley Cup and other trophies will be on display from January 2-5th, so maybe we will go back then and see both.

Ok, all for now.

So besides winning anything...

I guess there is some other "news" going on in Sabresland:

1.) Jason Pominville has been medically cleared to play again. Thank goodness, because we need someone out there who knows what he's doing. Hey Pominville, can you help us win something again, please??? But yeah, I'm glad he's better for the most part and is coming back, because we need him, and I know the team needs him.

2.) Craig Rivet with not resign as captain. Dammit, couldn't get him to do it himself now it will probably never get done because I swear Lindy is too afraid of these guys to do anything. So yeah, less than stellar captain forever it seems.
-Dreams of Jonathan Toews as our captain, is snapped out of it by brick to the face- Yeah right, like that would ever happen.

3.) Nathan Gerbe has a broken jaw and has to wear one of those hideous cages that Thomas Vanek wore not that long ago if I'm not mistaken. I think it was him anyway. I don't think it was hideous though, I KNOW it was. Poor Gerbs. Get better soon.

4.) Luke Adam was named AHL Rookie of the Month, yeahhhh. I wish he could play more up here, but with more guys coming back, I guess that won't be happening, but I'm happy for him. All the promise for this team lately seems to be in the younger guys and the guys waiting in the wings to play. Hmmm, lack of spark, lack of giving a crap, lack of energy maybe? All the vets are too busy worrying about paychecks and diapers to give a crap about their jobs. Ya know, when that happens, I'm sure somebody would tell you to retire, so maybe some of you should. Yeah, I'm passed pissed on a lot of this stuff.

On an unrelated note, it looks like just as it was promising for Jordan Staal to come back to the Penguins lineup after his summer long battle with a foot injury of some sort, it looks like he got some sort of other injury in practice. My gosh is that rough. I know a lot of hardcore Pittsburgh fans have been awaiting his return for awhile, as have I, and now this. I just hope it isn't too serious, and he will actually be able to play like he was supposed to soon.

So yeah, that's the news for now. We play back home Wed. against the Bruins I think it is (have I been so uninterested I have yet to look, or care? maybe), so yeah, that should be really dandy. As images of this past spring's playoffs replay through people's heads, the rest of us will just sit and pray to the hockey gods we can win one, because the Sabres are getting down to the Bills level, and that is just scary. Please send help. Game on!!

I don't want to talk about it.

Ok, maybe a little.

I'm sure one day we will win again, but at this moment it seems like it's far off in the distance, or maybe everyone on the team lost their mind, thought it was opposite day, and thought it was really cool to just lose and look really bad while doing so.

I don't even want to go into it about Darcy Regier, because my dad tells me an ear full everyday about how he feels, and I'm starting to agree with him about a lot of things regarding him. Blah.

It is still early yeah, but a lot of teams would believe that there is no good reason to lose a game ever, regardless of if it's game 1 or game 63, you just have to go out there and give it your all, and I really believe more than half the team is just NOT at this point. I don't really think a lot of the movement done over the summer was to any great advantage, but only time will tell if all that clicks eventually. It seems the defense was quite shaken, and now just seems really...off. Some people who should have been traded away weren't, some that should have stayed left, and now it's just taking longer for it all to click it seems.

We have a couple of away games coming up, but it doesn't really matter because we seem to being sucking majorly at home, so staying on the road isn't really too bad right now. Back in Atlanta tomorrow, and hopefully that will be just as easy to win as last time. I just could not believe the crappy attendance in Atlanta, it seems really sad. I know they wouldn't be classified as a "hockey town" by any means, but geez, there were almost whole sections that looked more than half empty. Just need to fill it with more Sabres fans I guess. haha.

Now come on guys, someone give a pep talk, someone give an ass kicking, DO SOMETHING! SOMEONE GET YOU GUYS IN GEAR, YOU'RE KILLIN' US! PLEASE? Thank you.

We won???!!

Yeah, it finally happened, it had to eventually...haha. The Thrashers really aren't that good to begin with, but I thought all the ex-hawks would have put up a little bit more of a fight tonight. The arena just looked pathetic, I don't know if I would be happy or sad about that. On one hand, you could go to a game for probably pretty cheap and not have a ton of people around you all packed in and have some nice space. Butttt, there probably isn't a lot of energy in that arena, seeing as there is hardly anyone there. Pros and cons people.

Thomas Vanek got his first goal of the season! Woo! I don't know why it was so much put upon him to get a goal, I guess cause he's one of the top forwards, but so is Connolly and he does NOTHING half the time, so yeahhh. He seemed relieved about it, and I'm sure this will shut some people up, for a little bit at least. There was also a nice goal by Cody McCormick and Tyler Ennis and I think also one from Tyler Myers, so it was a good night for a lot of guys.

Not so much for Steve Montador who was pushed around, hit in the face, bled somewhat, etc. Geez. I don't know if they had it out for him or what, but yikes. He took it all like a trooper though.

I was also glad to see Kev Slyvester interview Jason Pominville in the intermission. He looks really good and is getting better and will hopefully be back in the line-up soon. They were like "let's replay the video from that night" I'm like oh whyyy are we doing this? It makes me so creeped out every time, and just seeing him on that stretcher makes me nervous. No need to replay the video a million times thanks.

So next game is back home vs. Ottawa. Oh boy. I think we may need to prepare for this one, as we may very well get our asses handed to us, we shall see. We beat them once, but I still think that was a fluke...haha. Hopefully we can keep winning for awhile longer, it feels nice. Game on!!

Let's back this up a bit shall we?

So, I'm going to go back a little bit here and go over the game I went to which was Sabres vs. Blackhawks on Oct. 11th. It was the first game I went to this season excluding the Toronto pre-season game (which as it turns out, was a lot better then any other game that has been played so far), because I did not attend the home opener. Not like it matters, we have lost all of them at home. I don't really know what's going on. -shrug-

In true creep fashion, I wore a Jonathan Toews shirt to HSBC (yeah, you can yell at me later, I love the man, whaddya want?) and yeah, maybe it was a bad omen. Not only did we NOT win, but I was almost in tears at the whole Pominville thing. I have never seen anything like that happen at a game I was actually in attendance for, and it scared the living crap out of me. Then I felt bad wearing the other teams colors, then it was all downhill for me from there. There were a ton of Blackhawks fans in attendance as it was, which was kind of weird, and then Patrick Kane scored a goal on top of it. I was waiting for Patrick Kaleta to come out of somewhere, anywhere, and kill him right then and there. Oh boy. My dad was just pissed off we lost again, and I was just kind of shaken up by the whole thing, and pissed that Pominville's streak of consecutive games was taken away. Non-intentional and all, doesn't matter, he won't be able to get that back. Total bummer if you ask me.

I do however like the new video opening on the jumbotron for the 40th anniversary, it makes me all smiley and just...yeah, I really like it. Makes me cheese out like crazy and I love it, sue me. Going back over all the decades is really cool and I'm sure has a nostalgic feel for a lot of fans.

So let's go over this:

-Pre-season was pretty ok, not too bad.

-Regular season has been eh, won against Ottawa (which was WEIRD) and have lost since (which would also be really weird seeing as we may never win again???!)

-People that did eh last year are still doing eh, while some are a lot better, while some who were pretty good are doing eh.

-Still too early to say really, I'm sure things will pick up soon, but of course we are all antsy and want to win just one to make sure it can still happen. We also want to make sure that this team isn't full of hockey game losing zombies.

-Jason Pominville being out has put Nathan Gerbe back in the lineup for sure which is awesome, but Shaone Morrisonn being out with a groin injury has also but Chris Butler back in the lineup. Pros and cons people, you figure out which is which.

Ok, guess that's it.

Sabres vs. Blackhawks in Chicago

Ok, well despite the fact we lost, AGAIN (ughh much?), this game was somewhat better than the last couple. They were trying really hard, and they got ahead for most of the game, then it just slipped away enough for them to not be able to get it back.

I still feel like sometimes Patrick Lalime is way under prepared to handle things. Maybe he will play more this year, but he did pretty well in goal tonight. Everyone knew Miller would need a night off at some point, and so there it was. It's not like we lost 8-2 or something, but it was still a loss. It'll get better Patty, don't worry, I still have faith in you.

Cody McCormick was a beast out there and I love it. He scored his first goal as a Sabre and was just generally up in everybody's business tonight. Between him and Gaustad, there was enough fiestyness for everyone.

Speaking of Mr. Gaustad, nice goal tonight man, I like it. His 53rd of his career, and his little hug celebration with Gerbe was just too cute to ignore. Too awesome to ignore was his flat out "f you!" to Brent Seabrook at the end of the game when a couple guys got into it. That was too classic and made me laugh. If I needed a reminder why he's my favorite player (I didn't though) that would be it. haha.

Drew Stafford is still out there kickin' butt and I'm glad for him. It will get complainers off his back and put the complainers back in their place, because come on, there are other top guys on this team to blame for things. I won't name names, we all know who they are....dodododo.

The effort fell short tonight a little and we had to hear "Chelsea Dagger" too many damn times, but it will get better, I have to believe that for my own sanity. We don't play again until Wednesday in Atlanta, so maybe some more practices will have the guys looking even better and we can win one maybe? Sometime soon would be good. Just one guys, for us, come on. Game on!!!

Will we ever win again?

This will just be a short entry to get some things down, and I will go back and recap some other things over the weekend maybe, because I did go to the Blackhawks game and all that, but yeah. I'm not sure if we will ever win again, so yeah, wow. A couple things:

I see at times they are trying, I mean really trying to do something out there. Stafford is putting in more energy and effort in the last couple games then he did all last season it seems, good to see him come back like that.

Tyler Ennis is just being his fast little self and trying to set things up, as is Nathan Gerbe. I'm glad Gerbe is getting to play because I think he is really good, he's fast, and his height has nothing on the fact he will go in and try to kick ass. Derek Roy is also doing extremely well, the most goals in the NHL eh? Nice Roy, nice.

Guys we could do without at this point: Connolly, Butler and probably Sekera. Connolly is just EHHHH all the time to me anyway, and I don't know why Butler is still on the team to be honest. If Morrisonn wouldn't have gotten injured he would still have his butt on the bench, so...yeah.

The whole goal drought thing to me was crazy, 118 some mins. without a goal, really guys, REALLY?? At least Roy got one, so we don't look like complete losers. Oh boy.

But, as it is the Toronto Maple Leafs are the top team in the league as it stands, so maybe hell is about to freeze over or more likely it's too early for anything really major to happen. Not time to panic, but it's as good a time as any to start complaining in true Buffalo style.

Because hey, the Sabres are better than the Bills....right?!

Recaps galore!

So I never got a chance to write about any of the pre-season games it seems, shame on me. I went to the game vs. Toronto last Saturday, and I have to be honest, it was so awesome just to be back at a game again. The energy level wasn't the highest in the arena, but hey, people were still up on their feet and stuff, even though it's usually a lot of kids dancing around and stuff...haha. We won, and it was great being back in HSBC and knowing the regular season is just around the corner, what we've all been waiting for! Yeahhh.

Now I have to talk about this because it irked me pretty badly the other day. It was actually said by some friend of a friend on facebook whom I do not know, but it still pissed me off. Something to the extent of Gerbe and Ennis being too small and not powerful enough to play for the Sabres and how they will just get thrown around out there.

OK OK WAIT WHOA, BACK THE ZAMBONI UP HERE DUDE. 1st off, I don't think either one of them back down from anything. I've seen Gerbe, all 5 foot somethin of him, go out there and get right in guys faces, he is pretty fearless it would seem. They are both also very fast, where some of the bigger guys might not be as fast. They are both very skilled also, a lot of talk this year has been about the two of them and how they will benefit the team a lot with how hard they work also. They could both also probably take the joker who said it, so yeah, I laughed pretty hard when I read that. Guy obviously isn't paying too much attention to them, too bad for him.

Most of the games have been blacked out in the area, except for the (yawn inducing) Hockeyville game. It was so damn boring, geez. I know some people feel pre-season hockey in general is, but I have been seeing some pretty hard hitting games from other teams, so that is not always the case. I have just been listening to WGR, too lazy to find streams on the internet or whatever. I'm just glad pre-season is wrapping up and we can say that the regular season is less than a week away, woooo. I have tickets to the Sabres vs. Blackhawks game on the 11th (kickass!) and I was kind of bummed I couldn't get tickets for the home opener also. Oh well, the Chicago game was my main goal for the beginning of the season, then I will work from there with what other games to get tickets for.

Tonight we play against Philly back at home (not in the awesome newly named Wells Fargo Center...hahahahaha) and we might lose. Oh well, doesn't count, but it gives you an idea of how well you have to play against the -almost- Stanley Cup champions. Now it is time to break out my old school radio (whoa) and listen. Game on!!

It's almost October??!

Yes it is. I have waited a long, humid summer for this time, and it is almost here! I am very happy about this.

I didn't get to attend puck drop today because of the whole being an adult and having a job thing, but I do at least like the new away jersey. The other one kinda sucks. Maybe it will grow on me though, I don't know. I own a slug one, and I'm still going to wear it of course, so yeah. Jerseys cost a darn good penny and I buy them to have them for the long haul. So I will have to think really hard about which player I would want to get on a new one. Maybe Ennis? I don't know. We shall see about that.

I must comment on the biggest puckbunny of puckbunnies...Harry Neale. Harry, your whole thing about the "attractive sweaters" and how you hope the "guys wearing them would be just as attractive"...wow man. You are Mr. Puckbunny numero uno, congrats. haha. You have an 11:30am jersey reveal and things just get out of hand sometimes I guess. I love you Mr. Neale, I really do.

I do however have tickets to the pre-season game in exactly one week vs. Toronto. It will be nice to get this blog back up and running on a regular basis again. There will be new players to talk about and hopefully other good things as the season goes on. October here we come!

Tomorrow is September!

I am excited about this for various other reasons unrelated to hockey (the fact that I hate heat and summer itself are also factors) but we can officially say August is over. Wooooo. Some things have been going down in Sabresland also it seems. Let's explore this:

Matt Ellis will be a Sabre again. I think that's pretty cool. He's solid and a hard worker. Not the best, but not the worst. Just a solid guy. I keep using that word. Matt Ellis=solid. The end.

Tim Kennedy went to the NY Rangers. Ok. So, I have been hearing all sorts of things and all sorts of opinions from people on this. People think he is stupid to go there because it is expensive to live and a lot more so than Buffalo (as most places are anyway). He is going to make money from both ends, so I don't think he really has that to worry about. Was it stupid? I don't know, I guess not to him. Maybe he wanted some big city excitement. Maybe he wanted a new team, I have no clue. I am not going to be bitter. I will not protest outside a Rangers/Sabres game. I will not buy a Kennedy clearance jersey or something. I was never a huge fan anyway. He was just ok to me. It was cool he was from Buffalo like Kaleta, but hey, what can you do? He will play there and maybe it will be really good for him, who knows. People get so wrapped up in it like it is effecting their lives in some way. Unless you were the biggest TK fan in the universe, I doubt it will be a big deal. Oh and if you were/are, sorry he left.

I don't think I will be able to attend the puckdrop 2010 thing because of work, and I still need to get my tickets for the Blackhawks/Sabres game. It is the one game I HAVE to go to and get fairly decent seats, even if I have to pay a little too much, it's ok. I already have pre-season tickets for the Toronto game on the 25th, so at least I have that for now. I was trying to get to the home opener plus a Devils game, but they are all so close together with the Hawks game I don't think I will be able to. Oh well.

I'm happy we are getting into September and pre-season and training camps and cooler weather and then before we all know it, October will be here and it will be great! I can't wait to see a couple hockey games a week and just get back into hockey mode. The summer seems to drag on forever and it's just too much already. I'm ready for it to be over thanks. Hockey here we come!

This doesn't seem too good.

I agree with Bucky Gleason's latest Buffalo News column. Oh boy. Yeah I don't see how all this adds up, but I do know that we lost a pretty hard worker in Tim Kennedy. He is young, he hasn't had that much time in the NHL, but it seems like it really didn't matter about his skills (or lack thereof, or whatever) it was over a minuscule amount of money in NHL standards. They get rid of TK and turn around and get this Shaone Morrisonn guy (ok, there are WAY too many unnecessary letters in his name) that I have never heard of. That's the thing though, the Sabres always want to spend money on these guys that you are like "huh, who?" or who are kind of washed up already. They also let go of anyone with any promise, and hold on to guys who are just dragging the team down.

I could go on and on about the Tim Connolly's and Drew Stafford's and all that, but I seriously don't know what to think at this point with this management team. Maybe Tim Kennedy wasn't the player you wanted to hang on to the very most, but was there really a BIG reason to get rid of him? Just let him sit there and not play? You guys are making no sense with this one. It's just business until we all turn around and see Tim Connolly or Derek Roy signed until the end of time (which I think will be the case because, maybe sounds childish, but some of the big guys play favorites it seems). If you tell me that Tim Connolly will be gone after his contract is up, and that maybe you will think about letting some of these other guys explore greener pastures before they are too old to do so, then maybe I will cut you some slack. The thing is, I doubt that will happen. Will we have the same "core" forever and just tread water for the next 10 years? I don't want to say yes, but I feel that is correct. The management makes these little crappy moves like this will help us, but will it? Will saving $200,000 on Kennedy help us bring in someone to turn the whole team around? Of course not. Is this just some silly little thing because they are pissed off Timmy wanted a little more money? Probably. Don't get so defensive dudes, it is afterall "business" like you said.

I don't want to be not even in Sept. yet and feeling like the upcoming season is a bust, so I will just hang out and see what happens. We do have some new guys that could help out, could change the dynamics a little bit, hopefully for the better. I just get very frustrated by the dumb moves that are made here sometimes. I really wonder sometimes if anyone in this organization wants a stanley cup. They need to start looking at the bigger picture here, or it will be a long off season, again.

Sooo...yeah.

What's been going down?

Not a whole lot, or a whole lot, depending on how you look at it.

Resigned:

Lalime--I don't think I gave the dude enough credit. I sometimes was like ehhh why are you doing this??? But you know what? The dude tries, he really does, and he has heart. I'm going to look forward to seeing what he can do for the team this season. Welcome back Patty!

Cody McCormick--Don't know a whole lot about the guy, but I do remember he did pretty well when he was up here for the short time this past season. It's one of those things where you have to see him play more to see what he's really about. More grit is needed in certain areas, so I think that's what the Sabres were going with in signing him. Also I hear rumors it may be because Adam Mair is on the way out (but I don't know this, the rumor mill is mighty vicious if you ask me...).

Mike Weber signed a one year qualifying offer and Corey Tropp signed a 3-year entry level contract. Mike Weber has been floating around camp forever it seems, but I still know little to nothing about him. I'm sure (maybe?) all this will lead up to something in the future, but for now, it is what it is.

We also signed Rob Niedermayer a couple days back and that was the big talk. He is the younger brother of Scott Niedermayer (which confused me that day...lol) and he won a stanley cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. I don't have much say on the situation because it is always hard to tell how a player will mesh with a team and what will end up happening until the season actually starts and the players all play together. Hopefully this will bring good things to the team and something more of a stable leadership, because I really think the Sabres lack that at times.

Went to development camp yesterday to check out some of the younger talent and see how they play. Gerbe, Ennis and Myers were the ones with a little bit more experience than the others obviously, but they all seemed to get along really well and play well together. A bunch of kids came in to sit in on the practice yesterday, and they were amped, it was so funny. They were screaming and stomping their feet, I'm sure it made the guys on the ice feel like it was a real game...haha. Pretty fun times.

I don't know if the Sabres are looking to make more moves (I would HOPE so), but who ever knows. The management makes me nuts half the time (like they do for a lot of people it seems) because they are often scared of testing waters. Maybe the moves they did make will be the right ones and things will go really, REALLY well this season. Cause that big, shiny, silver cup seems pretty damn cool to me.

July 1st is kind of scary to me.

People are talking it's like the Christmas of the NHL, but to me, it's scary. I mean, you get used to a set of guys making up your team, and then it is broken up and new people are added and it's weird.

Toni Lydman is off to Anaheim (I'm not sad, sorry) and Hank the tank is going to New Jersey (but he gets to play with Parise and Brodeur on his team, come on, that is awesome) so we say goodbye to some. We got a man by the name of Jordan Leopold, and I don't know much about him. I read he has been prone to concussions (hmmm) and really doesn't have any big, good stats to talk about. So we shall see. It's 3 years, so I just hope he doesn't end up the Raffi Torres of defense, because that will suck for 3 whole years. Oh well, time will tell.

Nothing really big happening with the Sabres camp though. I mean signing that one dude is just, eh. I want big action, but I have to realize I am a fan of the wrong team if I'm looking for that type of thing. I just can't believe that like 5 Blackhawks are gone, and I think 3 of them went to Atlanta or something like that, with Kris Versteeg going to Toronto and Adam Burish off to Dallas. That team was all shook up, geez. Their cap was crazy tight though, and with Kane and Toews needing to be under lock for a long time, there was just NO wiggle room for them. Sucks, but at least those guys got the cup and the love from the city before they left. Atlanta is going to have a brand new team come October, that's for sure.

The rumor mill goes crazy out of control during times like these though. I've heard that they are in talks with Torres to sign him for like 3 more years or something (hope this is FALSE) and that Lalime isn't going anywhere and that the Flyers want Kaleta. I also heard the Flyers wanted Tallinder and Lydman before they went to those other teams though, so it's all so crazy. No use in getting all nutty about it until it's finalized, so we'll have to see what else happens for the Sabres. Hopefully something good....maybe? Eh.

Is it October yet?

Yeah, I miss our team of buttheads right about now, but I also miss hockey in general. July 1st can also be a pretty fun day, but I want the actual PLAYING of hockey back please. Having to start one of those cross off the days calendars in June is pretty pathetic, but hey, I'm not above it, and I did it. So hmpfffff.

I was also trying to figure out what games this season are games I just HAVE to be at, like can not miss ones, and have come to the conclusion that I will need to have money for the home opener plus money for tickets to see the Blackhawks the one time they come here, which just happens to be a few days later. So yeah, I will be a ticket buying machine it would seem. I would also like to see them play a few other teams, but they are teams they will play at least twice I think, so that's ok.

Development camp starts for the newbies next week, and that can be fun too I guess. I'm thinking of going up to NU maybe Thurs. because it's in the evening, or Friday morning if I can maybe get some people to go with me. I really want to see this Mark Pysyk in action and see what he's all about. Plus another 40 some guys getting their skills on. Or something like that...lol.

The draft party at the arena was pretty cool, it was nice to be back in HSBC again, and the locker room tour was pretty awesome as well. I can't believe Robi is still in that neck brace though :( I hope he gets better over summer and can be 100% once the season starts back up. It was cool to be on the floor and sit on the players bench and all that other stuff. No ice makes it kind of ehhh, but still cool. I still don't understand how they hop over those boards though, geez. I mean, my dad kept saying "there is ice, which is higher than this floor, and they wear skates which makes them taller, and they are taller than you to begin with" lol. All of which is true, BUT I am taller than Nathan Gerbe, so what about that huh? He must literally have to hop over the boards. Or, as my dad noted "they can just use the door sometimes" which is also true...haha. So yeah, that was a fun night for sure.

Hockey, just come on, come back. This summer time crap is bull. I want my cold weather back (or at least COOLER weather) and the sound of the fans in the arena, and the pucks hitting the boards and the chill in the arena and the goal horn and blahhh. Now I'm really sad. Booo. :(

I hate you summer.

It's been awhile eh?

We have a new team of Stanley Cup champions (congrats dudes, you deserve it!) and a new 2010-11 NHL schedule to break down.

First off, the Chicago Blackhawks seem like an awesome bunch of dudes to hang out with, and then the cup gets thrown in there with them, and it's like MAJOR PARTY TIME. I'm sure it has been like that for every team that has won in the history of winning, but they are a pretty young team, so they just seem so energetic and...sparky. I want to hang with that team and that cup (sigh) for a day and just get into major shenanigans. Yep.

The NHL Awards are tomorrow, and we have two guys there to represent us, and two that will hopefully bring these trophies back with them. Myers is pretty much the talk of the Calder, so I think that is pretty much a sweep, but you can never get too over sure about these things. Ryan Miller is also high up for the Vezina, but, we shall see. I hope for both of them though that they win.

Then the draft party is Friday at the arena which I am pretty excited about. Hell, I'm just excited to go to the arena again. It's been a long 2+ months since I saw my last game there, and I just need to go back. Should be a fun night.

The 2010-11 NHL schedule was announced today, and all I have to say is that I need to see the Sabres play the Blackhawks. That just has to happen this season. I would also like to see them play the Devils, Penguins, Flyers (heh, gotta take the boy to this one) and the Kings. I already printed out the schedule and highlighted "games of importance" so that I will know what I need to get tickets for. Yes, I am some sort of nerd.

So in these 100+ days until regular season starts up again (ughh, really? doesn't count pre-season though...) I will take hockey fixes where I can get them, like in these type of things. It's even come down to me missing that stupid Geico commercial with the caveman zamboni driver and Mike Green. Oh boy.

So I've been thinking...

that this will be a really, REALLY good Stanley Cup Final. The Flyers have been the so called "underdogs" the whole time, and the Blackhawks, well, they of course came primed to win it all. That's what pisses me off about how the Sabres were. I know this is reopening a can of worms all over again, but hear me out. Those dudes DID NOT look like Chicago out there. Of course the talent is way different, but aside from that. There is something about the Blackhawks. The spark, the wanting of the cup, wanting it more than any other team. The Sabres I don't think ever had that. It was like, you know what, I'm ready for vacation now. It's sad to think that they could be in this very same spot at this very same time if they just gave a crap, which they didn't. I will miss the team all summer long, and that makes me nuts probably, but it is what it is. Next year we will probably have the same team altogether, and we'll have to see what can be done with it. Mean time dudes, have fun doing whatever, golf or some junk.

I loved watching Ryan Miller last night during the intermissions on NBC. Like, do you remember how it was to face Dustin Byfuglien, like when he was in front of you in the net? He probably has vague memories seeing as the Sabres took them on like twice this year if that, and how can anyone remember? Geez. Ask some more stupid questions guys. My dad couldn't stop remarking on his ugly tie. I couldn't stop feeling happy just to see a Sabre on tv. -sigh-

I also can't get over the weird pronounciations of players names on the Blackhawks. Byfuglien looks like BYE-FUG-LEEAN and it pronounced BUFF-LIN. Ok then. Also, Toews. Looks like TOES, but is pronounced TAVES. Right, and people have trouble with Gaustad? Ummm, there is no way to pronounce it GOOS-TAD unless you failed a couple years of elementary school...there is an A. Oh boy. (This is all just for amusement if you can not tell...lol).

So until then, go Blackhawks! Patrick Kane can bring the cup on a little journey to Buffalo and maybe Darcy will cry into it and we can try to throw it at Tim Connolly. Oh, and I hope we are still thinking of maybe trying some maneuvering to get Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to Buffalo? Probably couldn't do both, so maybe just Toews. Yeahhh, that would work quite well. A trade of a 19 for a 19? Oh you KNOW that would work out great. Just like trading 9's to New Jersey. (I like living in a hockey fantasy land if you couldn't tell). :)

Is that you Mike Grier?

Thanks for sticking with us for another year! I can't say that it will be all roses and cupcakes, but it will be an adventure (don't know if that's good or bad though...). Now if we could just see what's up with the other UFA's on the team, and the fact we also have some RFA's as well, and the whole set up makes me kind of ehh. I don't have a lot of faith in the "office" part of the team, so I always make up horrible scenarios in my head of what COULD happen, and then freak because the worse it is, the more likely it will happen. Then the obvious thing just never gets done. Ackk.

But, anyway, playoffs are almost coming to a close, just four teams left. It's really crazy because it goes really fast when you think about it. Dreaded Boston is gone (thank goodness) and they were beat out by Philly which makes me laugh a long, evil laugh. You deserve it. (I'm not bitter, really). I am choosing Philly over Montreal, and Chicago over San Jose, and then Chicago over anyone else. Hey, when can we get Kane and Toews in Buffalo huh? You can have any 4 or 10 guys you want for them. haha. Ok, enough of that for now. I'm just watching what hockey is in front of me for now and that is that. It works out better that way.

I love when I find stuff like this.

I found all this stuff while cleaning out and organizing our shed today. I can't believe all the good stuff I didn't know went out there. I love that Patty Lala is on the cover of that book, and now it will stay in safe keeping with my stuff, not out in the shed, lol. Also stumbled upon a Miroslav Satan rubber ducky??! Yeah, I dunno, my dad said someone got it for him AFTER he was traded, so we just threw it out...haha. I also found my Sabres carnival puck! It wasn't MY exact one, because mine was signed, but it was my dad's or something, so it's better than nothing. I also found a bunch of official game pucks my dad caught (I don't know how he got one more than once, geez) and also some of his hockey equipment from when he played years ago, and a Sabres goalie mask and also a trophy he got for being mvp of his adult league. It was pretty cool to see that stuff, because some I had either never seen or it had been a longgg time and I didn't remember. It's also cool looking through the 05-06 media guide and seeing all the guys that are still here, and how young they looked then...haha. The one ticket stub my dad wanted to throw out, or he said it could go in the trash, but I told him I would take it. I didn't even notice until we were back inside the house that it was signed on the back. I was like "dad, this is signed by someone, I just can't tell who" he turned it over and said "oh, it's signed by Lindy Ruff, can't you recognize that?" I could after the fact, but at first I couldn't at all. Pretty awesome. I also took the Robi signed Sabres fan only parking sign, even though it was my dad's...haha. He said I could, so of course I took him up on that.

So this was my Sabres happenings for now, as hockey is still going on without them. I hope the Blackhawks make it, as they are now tied in their series with Vancouver if I'm not mistaken. Philly is down by 2 games, and I want them to beat Boston....badly. Come on guys, take 'em down! :)

Way to be awesome in the post-season!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/After-Game-7-loss-Capitals-Laich-fixes-tire-fo?urn=nhl,237745&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

This man is not only an awesome human being it would seem, but he also plays hockey. Wow. Most people would (and did) pass this poor mother and daughter on the road, and he stopped and helped, in his dress clothes no less, and actually changed the tire for them. He could have just stopped to see if they were ok and went on his way. I like this story not even just because he is a hockey player, but it is a nice story of humanity as well. Not to mention he was leaving the game that put him and his team out of the playoffs, and goes up to them and says "sorry we didn't win". Oh my my. What an awesome human being.

He isn't too bad to look at either, just had to put that out there. :)

I already have post-season depression.

This is going to be super tough on me, I can tell. I don't know if it's that I wasn't expecting it to be over so soon or what, but geez, it's been not even a full day yet, my gosh. I guess I was just thinking the boys would be around for awhile longer to watch them play. -sigh-

But, I listened to WGR for a bit today (probably more than I should have) and Marty Biron was on again, and I really love him. He isn't going to come on the radio and talk about what went wrong and blame people, he is just going to give you the positives because it's the kind of guy he is. He isn't going to tell us Tim Connolly blew it, or that Derek Roy should be traded, or that maybe Darcy Regier should pack his bags now, no. None of that stuff with Marty. He is neutral, and it's cool. He is a player also and he also doesn't play for Buffalo (at the moment), so he is just giving what he can from what he saw. He also still has the cute accent I love, so that's nice. :)

I'm just glad that I have this little blog and that there are a bunch of others that I'm sure will be updated all throughout the off season so that I don't feel too much withdrawl. It's gonna be rough for the time being though. Maybe at some time I will get pissed and just be like "hell with hockey for now", but not at the moment. I think I was supposed to feel that yesterday, but I never really did. Though I didn't feel that every player on the team gave their all in these playoffs, I can't really say I was mad. I just want to see the bums play more, is that so wrong? Who knows. Guess I will have to pick a 2nd favorite team for now and see who gets the cup. Chicago maybe? Sounds good for now.

Sabres vs. Bruins--Game 6, I'm not too bitter really

I really feel kind of ehhh at the moment. Half feels like "how could you do this??" and the other half feels sad I won't see the bums until Sept. at the earliest. The breakdown of tonight's game is pretty unimportant at this rate, but the young guys were the ones out there busting their butts for this team. Not just tonight, but pretty much the whole series. There were also a lot of goals (well, actually, pretty much all of them) scored by "underdog" players on the team. Guys that don't usually necessarily do it, but stepped up and helped out when it mattered. Guys like Adam Mair, Steve Montador, Mike Grier, Patrick Kaleta, etc. The "top 6" might as well have been on vacation starting from the beginning, because that's how (what was left of them) played. Couple things:

-Tyler Ennis and Nathan Gerbe: I love you both. You are both great. Please come to the Sabres for good and never leave us. You can bring Cody McCormick with you.

-Derek Roy, Toni Lydman, Tim Connolly and Raffi Torres: Don't be here when I get back.

-Ryan Miller: what else can we say bud? You gave us all you had, and that's all we can ask for. Everyone loves you, and yeah maybe Tuuka outplayed you, but you needed the help of the rest of the team, and you didn't get it as much as you should have. But you could do us a favor and stay in position more often. Thank you. See ya next year.

-Paul Gaustad: You better have a big, bright "C" on that jersey next year, that's all I'm saying. You are also to not be touched at all, you stay right here. Let Craig Rivet sit and cry it out when his "C" is taken away, he could use a burst of reality.

-PK and Tim Kennedy: you are both RFA's, and that's a lil bit scary, but I don't see either of you going anywhere. If anything, you both need a raise. You can take some of Tim Connolly's money if you want, it's cool.

-Tyler Myers: You are pretty damn great. You and Tallinder make a pretty awesome duo out there. Please be here for a long time, and try not to grow too much over the summer...haha.

-I'm not sure where Matt Ellis, Chris Butler and Raffi Torres went, but I guess it doesn't really matter too much.

-The rest of you are just, I dunno, I don't have much to say about you either way I guess.

So, it's a wrap for another season dudes. Disappointing yes, but we made some progress. Might not be enough to save some people's jobs, but that will all be worked out this summer (hopefully). It's just a little weird to think that the guys we saw all together on the ice tonight will probably not be the big family we see in October. So fill up on everything else, watch the NHL draft (like I decided to do in a Tully's a bunch of years ago when they were trying to draft some nobody named Patrick Kane...I dunno...), watch the NHL awards, see if Myers and Miller win those awards, and we'll all be back to this in a few months. I know I will be depressed sometime soon, just wondering when it will start to set in...

Sabres vs. Bruins--Game 5

WE DID IT! Well, we won one game in the right direction, but I reserve the right to be excited! ha. It was a great game after all, and the Sabres showed that they can actually PLAY and aren't big stinky brats just skating around in circles.

Adam Mair's goal was just awesome to start it all off, and he was pumped about it. It's always good to see someone who doesn't score do it, and in the playoffs no less. Pominville's goal made me think that maybe he isn't the weakest in the top 6, but he still needs to keep up his work. He isn't on as low a level as Connolly at least.

The Gaustad pass to Grier to GOAL! was just awesome. Gaustad's "we just scored!" smile also makes the world look like it's full of sunshine and kittens and I love it a lot.

Tyler Ennis is the greatest and we are keeping him forever and ever and never letting go. His empty netter was probably only the 3rd of forever for the Sabres, and it was a very dramatic one complete with a dive. Very nice.

I still hate Chara by the way, and when you start stuff, don't think these guys will just sit back and take it. You throw Satan in there also, and you add an old Sabre thing, and it gets weird I guess. You even pissed off Miller, what have you done??!! (Maybe it's the eyebrows, yikes!) He came all the way out of the goal ready to kick ass. Lalime was even on the bench giving his two cents verbally. It pretty much consisted of Z&^^))&^%$%!! from what I could lip read. I wish I was better at lip reading, but I'm sure I can fill in the blanks quite well. Then after a little verbal abuse, and a player pileup to end the game, all the guys come out to celebrate and Patty Lalime shows off his killer dance moves again. I am always happy to see that, it's just awesome.

The place was pumped, all the people outside were pumped, and I'm just glad I get to see Sabres hockey for another game. I was getting down about it today, about how this might be the last Sabres game I see till sometime in Sept. or something, and I was just trying to stay positive that the guys could come out with a win. I want to see more of this, I want to see it for a lot longer too. The summer is just too long without it.

Now the guys head to Boston (ackk) and have to fight for their playoff lives there. I just hope that what they did today can be done again, twice actually. Come on, it's been done, you guys have it, let's do this! Game on!!

Sabres vs. Bruins--Game 4

Well, a loss in a 2nd overtime wasn't EXACTLY what I was expecting, but my pessimistic father foreshadowed some kind of loss for the Sabres. I think he might just be somewhat bitter after all these years, but I (try) to not count anything out until it is all said and done.

Now that game 4 IS said and done, I guess I can complain, but I will leave that to a minimum. The guys knew what they had to do, they started to, and then they let the lead fall from their grasp...again. I don't want to say we need our injured players back, because that can't solve anything completely, but it sure as hell can't hurt. Unless one of them put it past Miller on us (sorry Dan Boyle, I said I wouldn't bring it up again...). A couple things here:

Ryan Miller really seems to be putting his best effort in, but even he is slipping up here and there, along with the major slippage of the top men we have left. Tim Connolly checked out as soon as the playoffs started (even before that actually), Derek Roy is still trying to make pretty plays all by himself and wanting to be a star, and Jason Pominville is just ehhh at the moment.

The young guys, Ennis and Kennedy, continue to fuel this team, which should turn the heads of the "veteran" players to maybe work a little harder, but all it seems to be doing is letting them put all the work on the young guys instead. Geez. Kennedy and Ennis, you can stay on the team when everyone else is FIRED.

Steve Montador has been delivering hits and scored a goal tonight as well, along with Kennedy. I think he steps up when he needs to.

Cody McCormick was like the new little big toy, and it was good to see someone new out there to rough up the Bruins. He did make his name heard tonight in some ways, and it went pretty well on his part.

I won't go into all the flaws and what needs to happen, because I have been listening to so much WGR lately, I might just explode. I really do like Nick Mendola's powerplay show in the morning though. I listen every morning from 10-noon and I like his point of view and agree with a lot of what he has to say. I also like that he takes calls and takes the caller's opinion into account and doesn't just bash them right away, even if he doesn't agree with what they have to say. He had Marty Biron on his show this morning, and I also really like Marty Biron. Would you like to come back to Buffalo Marty? Maybe? You could, it's cool. hehe. I also just went googling, and found out Nick Mendola graduated from the same high school I did 2 years before me. Weirdddd. I also like Marty Biron's cute accent, I can't help it. He seems like a really cool dude.

So that's that. The guys come back to Buffalo Friday and well, we all know what they have to do. Oh boy. Game on!!

Sabres vs. Bruins--Game 3

I thought I was frustrated at the last game, but this one tops that for sure. Our one little goal by Mike Grier could have been enough if these guys cared enough to want to keep a lead, or win for that matter. I really think that heart is just not in it for these guys, the way they looked out there was just pathetic. The first period may have been more of a back and forth, but after that, it was like they all checked out mentally for this game. I thought I was watching Timbits players out there or something, guys falling all over, guys getting checked, just overall blah. It makes Boston look like they can take us over physically and the Sabres are like little frail men or something. NEWS: YOU AREN'T! You are big strong men like them! I mean, there were hits all over the place, but the ones that were big and rattled guys all the way through were thrown by Boston. That Johnny Boychuk hit on Matt Ellis was just horrible, I was afraid Ellis wouldn't get back up. It seems like there should have been some kind of penalty on it, but what can you do when a guy is looking down and not at what's coming at him? Nothing really. Tell that guy to watch himself next time. It sucks, but it's hockey 101.

Rask was just right on his game and has been. He is very calm in the net, and even with 3 or 4 guys crowding or getting in there with him, he keeps it all under control. That helps a lot in these high pressure situations when every game is on the line. Miller can have just as much, but he sometimes doesn't get the support in front of the net he needs. There were always a bunch of Boston guys in front of Rask, guarding him, and they didn't leave Buffalo any room to score. If only our guys could give Miller that, it would help out a lot. A whole, whole lot really.

Random notes:

-Even after our loss tonight, no one team (or guy) can feel worse today than Dan Boyle and the San Jose Sharks. Yikes, that was just bad. I feel awful for that guy. I didn't know it was an OT goal too, damn. He will have trouble living that one down for sure. How horrible. :(

-Stafford came back tonight, and Vanek is in some kind of walking cast from what I heard. I don't know how soon that means he will be back, but hopefully it will be soon.

-Gaustad was fiesty tonight, he wanted to get in some guy's faces, Chara included. Him and that stupid cage over his face. He needs to get rid of that thing and let Gaustad just give him one right in the face. I mean, someone did it in the first place. Besides, seeing Paul do it would be so cool. I also see Gaustad's "A" is back, which I like. I still think he should be wearing Craig Rivet's "C", but maybe that's just me...

So, the series is now 2-1 in favor of Boston. We play another game in Boston Wed., before returning to Buffalo for a game Friday. Please win the next one guys, it would be good for the series to be tied. It would be even better to win this series and be done with the Bruins for good wouldn't it? Game on!!

Sabres vs. Bruins--Game 2

As an after thought, I am frustrated at this game. I know it's so early, but I guess that's what happens when you amp yourself up for something great and it turns out...less than great.

It started off innocent enough. NBC wet their collective pants over Ryan Miller and Tyler Myers (in true national network fashion, the rest of us Buffaloians are used to it all pretty much...haha). Ryan Miller played in the olympics and was awesome. Tyler Myers is young, tall and also awesome, but we all know that already. Let's get on with this hmmm?

Matt Ellis scored a goal, which I'm sure made him feel pretty damn awesome, seeing as his are pretty few and far in between. Pominville scored after my dad yelled at him through the tv for about 15 mins. straight (he probably did it just to shut him up...haha), and Tyler Myers scored and did a cute little jump for joy. Then that big idiot Chara (mature, I know) must have gotten all mad about something and scored twice at some point, and before we know it, we are down by one (these are all out of order, I realize this, ha). We were leading going into the 2nd, which is usually always a sign of a win, but not today. We were one upped in the 3rd until the very last minutes, when an empty net was scored and we end up losing by 2, therefore breaking our leading in the 2nd record. What a downer.

The whole thing with Thomas Vanek just made me so frustrated and sad. It's like, how much more in the injury dept. can this team take? We already have two forwards out, and now a third. I don't know if he will play Monday, as no details are available other than it's a lower body injury. It looked like it hurt like hell is all I can say. WGR was saying that if Drew Stafford is ready Monday, he can go in if needed, but who knows at this point. According to my father, Nathan Gerbe can not be called back up because he was just sent back, and there is a time period to wait or something, so I don't know. Random notes:

-I didn't even know/notice Tim Connolly was playing today. I don't know what his problem is lately, but he needs to step up, especially if Vanek ends up out for awhile.

-Tim Kennedy has been kicking ass lately, setting up plays, getting all over the place, just doing everything he needs to and being a great team player in general. For not playing in the NHL that long, he is doing an amazing job.

-NBC seemed to get some lovely scenic shots of Buffalo for the game today, it was pretty cool.

-There was an NHL/some car company commercial with Pat LaFontaine in it and I almost jumped for joy, it was so awesome. I wasn't paying close attention to the people in the commercial until I saw him put a jersey on with his name on the back and I yelled to my dad. It was so cool to see him, it made me want him to just come back on our team and play, I don't care how old he is. If Mark Recchi and Chris Chelios can do it, he can too, he is right in the middle of the two in age. Think about it Patty huh? hehe.

So, game 3 goes to Boston, and we just keep going along. Hopefully Vanek will be able to play, because we really need him and he just came off injury, so I'm sure he is just as bummed out about this as the fans and the rest of the team are. Here's sending get well wishes your way Tommy! Game on!!

Sabres vs. Bruins--Game 1

Wow. That game was just full of a lot of action I will say, and not even that much scoring action. Just more hits, checks, fighting, etc. These two teams are fired up to play each other, and for the playoffs in general. Going in, first game of the first series would have a lot of energy of course, and the hometown fans brought down the house too, which amps everyone up even more. It was a battle ground out there for a lot of the game, everybody wanted to get into it tonight, it was crazy.

Thomas Vanek, well, I was wrong about him I guess. I mean, yeah, for the better part of the season he was just ehhh, average. He wasn't doing anything special, and scoring at a pretty slow pace, nothing outstanding. Not like seasons prior when he was ending with 40 goals and upwards. After he was out for his injury and came back, he's been like a whole new player, it's amazing. He is delivering night after night, and we can always use that.

Craig Rivet also scored, which was more of a "WHOA" moment for me, but hey, playoffs are as good a time as any for players who don't usually produce to show that they can. His goal helped us keep the one goal lead that gave us the game as well. Yay for you captain!

I do not like Zdeno Chara, not at all. So what if you are freakishly tall? So is Tyler Myers. Not as tall as you, but geez, who is? Patrick Kaleta will stomp on your face, don't think he won't. He'll just have to pull you down to his level first, that's all. That Bruins coach has a lot of nerve to say he isn't afraid of Chara having to go face to face with Kaleta. I would be, the dude is a beast. I mean, he BLEEDS and SMILES during it. What is THAT??? You have a big stupid cage on your broken nose. You aren't that tough. If he didn't have that cast on this hand, he would have probably broken it again for you. So hmmpfff.

Ryan Miller was awesome, and it was kind of funny to watch him stand at the podium for the post-game press conference. He looked so tiny in that big hoodie, and also looked a little bit scared to be put in front of that firing squad of press. Not that he doesn't do it in the locker room, but it was just a weird new atmosphere. Rask and Miller are pretty much head to head in stats and all that, but Miller came out on top tonight. Random notes:

-The party in the plaza people are crazy. I was watching the news station broadcast from down there, and everyone wants to be on tv...haha.

-I don't really know why Chris Butler was scratched, and I really don't care.

-The playoff video at the beginning of the game was awesome and I love it. I hope they show it all the time.

-My dad gets really nervous during playoffs and sits on the edge of his chair, then yells at the tv, sits back, then returns to the edge of his chair....haha.

-If these guys are going to have playoff beards they better get to it. I mean, I know they just started, but I saw video of Drew Stafford at practice, and his is pretty damn full already. Come on guys!

Game 1 down, next game on Saturday at 1 (ehh) on NBC. I don't know if I will be able to watch any of it on tv, but if not, I will at least be able to hear it on the radio. Better than nothing I guess. Game on!!

It starts...

I had a bunch of stuff written out a couple hours ago, but my computer went nutzo, so now I am back to square one. I hate technology sometimes...grrr.

Anyway, with the awesome help of the internet, I compiled a list of the Sabres playoff progress all the way back to the team beginning. I would have just asked my dad some things, but I know even the biggest hockey fan can't remember all that over the span of 40 years. Hell, I was born 14 years after the team started, so of course I can't know all of it, so I needed some help in that area.

Looking back can't really give you a picture of any type of outcome when it comes to the playoffs. Team dynamics change year to year, players come and go, there are trades, rookies, coaching changes, etc. But maybe it can give us a look into what the weaknesses and strengths were. Now I guess I can see why some people did not want us to play Philly in the first round because it seemed "boring", because we can and have easily beat them. The playoffs are a whole new playing field though, it's like starting fresh.

I remember hearing stories of the infamous fog game complete with a bat and a loss to the Flyers for the Stanley Cup. We also all remember 1999 and all that came with it, and I'm sure people have good memories to also go with the bad ones, but I'm sure a lot of people try not to dwell on that. I know I do.

So with all the playoff memories that have come and gone for this team, it's time for a whole new set. This team has a whole set of things to get them going in the right direction to win. It's just sometimes a matter of if they decide to use them. If they can put their heart and soul in it as well as their grit and talent to get the job done. We still have some injuries, as reported that Jochen Hecht will be out for quite awhile, and I don't think Drew Stafford will play tonight either, but Tim Connolly is set to return.

I also found this bit of info on nhl.com and found it interesting:



and of course this man would know. So we shall see what happens for our team here. I know for certain that there is no lack of backing from the fans, the fans are completely into it this year. Now after a full season of thinking and writing and speculating, it's time for the team to get out there and all we can do is sit back and watch. Game on!!

Last regular season game: Sabres vs. NJ Devils

So we didn't get into 2nd place in the conference, but that is all just kind of back burner stuff to me. We won't have to worry about round 2 home ice anyway until some time down the line (if at all) so it was just a numbers game in that context. The BIG picture is that we have to play Boston in round 1. BOSTON. Now, to some that might not seem so bad, at least it isn't Ottawa blah blah and not as entertaining as it would have been to play Philly, but whoa does Tuukka Rask scare me. If it was Tim Thomas in net, it might not be too bad, but I don't think it will be him most of the time. That doesn't seem right does it? But it is. The Sabres just don't seem to be able to get ANYTHING past Rask, so this will be tough. I'm scared already.

Tonight's game was just pretty uneventful up until the weird ending and the weird empty net goal by New Jersey. Thomas Vanek got our one lone goal, and then they scored one lone goal, and the rest was just skating back and forth for the rest of the 60 mins. Who was that guy in net for us though? Patty Lalime, is that you??! Wow, he was really ON tonight, and it was pretty great. If we get a backup playing like that going into the playoffs Ryan Miller can sleep a little easier, as can the fans on if it comes to having to put Lalime in at all. He needs to play like that all the time. Random notes:

-Who told Martin Brouduer he could hit Paul Gaustad in the head? Not cool. He didn't intentionally fall into you or into the goal or whatever you might have thought. You were having more of a diva moment than Ryan Miller would. Get over it.

-Patrick Kaleta is back! Less feisty-ness seeing as the thumb is still wrapped up tight, but at least he's playing and I'm sure he'll get back to 100% soon and be kicking full-time ass before we know it.

-No Tim Connolly, Drew Stafford or Jochen Hecht tonight, and these injuries can be very costly going into the playoffs. I think too many people called Connolly "finally healthy" early in the season and jinxed it, because now he isn't. We shall see what the beginning of the playoffs bring and if the injuries can be cleared up soon.

-I hope Thomas Vanek can keep this hot streak going and kick some Bruins ass and just keep the pucks going right in. Feel free to have another hat trick (or 4) at any time Thomas, it's cool.

Playoff time guys, can you believe it?? I can't really, it seems like the season went by so fast. The schedule for times and days has yet to be released, but I heard the first game would be Wed. or Thurs. and Versus will start playoff games on Wed., so we shall see when we see our first game in Buffalo. Time to get pumped, this is what we've all waited for! Game on!!

Thomas Vanek??!!!

Holy hell, did Vanek have all this pent up awesomeness stored and he just couldn't wait to unleash it tonight? Because that's what seemed to have happened. A hat trick plus another goal is pretty damn awesome, seeing as the fans were beginning to think this team may never beat Ottawa ever again. Maybe you need to go out injured more often Vanek if you will come back and do stuff like that...haha. Awesome job dude!

Derek Roy also got a goal, and has given $26,000 to juvenile diabetes this year, which is also awesome.

I didn't get home to see the game until sometime after the 2nd had started, but had heard in the car they were up 2-0, and I knew that would happen. They are brats when I don't watch, so I think maybe I will watch NONE of the playoff games and maybe they will make it all the way to the cup! hehe. I did see a replay of the gnarly (not good gnarly) hit Drew Stafford took, which will have him out of the lineup for who knows how long. Him and Kaleta man, they are young guys, but get injured a lot. I guess that goes without saying in the NHL though, it's really physical and guys get injured all the time. Sucks to have a lot of injured players right before the playoffs though. Get better soon, all of you!

Random notes:

-Daniel Alfredsson played his 1,002 NHL career game tonight. That is a lot of damn games. My mom was baffled at trying to figure out how old this man was and how long he has been playing. From what I have learned, he is 37 and has been in the NHL since 1995. So that gives you a little look into how the timeline went for that. Awesome for him though, the arena even gave out t-shirts. Geez Sabres, get a little clue with that one huh?

-Tomorrow NY Rangers and Philly play for their little playoff lives. Who do I want to win? I don't really know. I can't help but hate Philly with a passion, but my fiancé probably wouldn't want to know that, so I will keep this under wraps. I will secretly hope for a Rangers win though. My fiancé likes baseball more than hockey anyway so, for the record, GO PHILLIES!!! :D

We just need to win tomorrow Sabres to get into that nice little 2nd place spot (because 1st waved bye bye to everyone a long time ago) and then it's done for the regular season. Zach Parise is cool and all, but we also have a U.S. Olympian, and he was even more awesome at the Olympics, so come on, you can do this! Game on!

Ehhh.

So tonight was...not good, to say the least. The one goal by Derek Roy was all we got, and for awhile it seemed really promising, not out of reach really. Then it went downhill, and fast.

I don't really want to talk about Patrick Lalime and the fact that goals from the point seem to go in a lot, goals from numerous amounts of feet that just shouldn't, etc. We saw it, we get it. I don't know whether to try to defend him anymore, or just be really frustrated. The rest of the team should have helped him some more yes, but it's sad when I know he's going to be in goal I already want to call it a loss. It's sad when it turns out that way most of the time too.

The Sabres signed a 19 year old named Luke Adam today. Don't know much about him, but he's a pretty big kid, which is good. He'll finish the season in Portland and start with the Sabres next season. Hmmmm, wonder how that will turn out, sounds promising though.

Not much else to say tonight, we pretty much just helped Boston keep their playoff dreams alive, and got nothing in the process. Blahhh. 100 points would look pretty spiffy too dammit. Oh well, maybe on Saturday? Yikes, who knows about that one. Maybe Sunday then...haha. Game on!!

Sabres vs. NY Rangers

I totally forgot I didn't blog about this game until about 5 mins. ago. I'm also sick, so that isn't helping my brain either at this point. I also tend to forget minor details I want to add to my entries as days pass, so who knows about this one, let's just roll with it...

We are now Northeast Division champs! Unfortunately, to a hockey fan like my dad (bitter, been there since the beginning, isn't fond of most things, wants a cup here badly but has given up almost all hope, etc.) it is just a banner to hang in the arena and not much else. Like I have read, if we were in the western conference, we would be put out to dry, being only in about 6th place, and probably lead no division what so ever. I however, still have quite a bit of optimism to go around, so we shall see where that takes me. Until then, enjoy those hats and t-shirts dudes, you earned them.

Drew Stafford decided to show up to this one, but I dunno, it would seem he will have to show up to a lot more as we end this season and get into the playoffs, or the bench might be his new best friend. For now, we can say he is making a semi-decent effort, and hopefully he can keep it up.

Tyler Ennis continues to kick butt and make it kind of ok that we are down two top line guys. From word today, Mark Mancari was also called back up, so the trio is back together again. We'll see what that does for us tonight and for how long we'll have them here.

Toni Lydman?? Holy whoa, another goal?? My goodness, who are YOU trying to impress? Nice job bud! For now, you may drive me just a little bit less nuts (but things change easily).

There were more goals, more action (that Miller save? oh my! I might have been paying just a little bit more attention to an ice cream cone at the moment, and a little bit less to what happened, shame on me).

Guys came out, raised their sticks, and the place went bananas, and that ends the regular season at home. A couple more random notes:

-Rangers fan behind us was hilarious. When NY would score, he would be the only one in the section standing and cheering so loud, while the rest of the section just kind of looked at him. He also only kinda, sorta knew his Sabres facts, but I guess what can you expect from a Rangers fan? I also loved when they announced the game sponsors, and one was of course Yancey's Fancy, and he goes on to yell "CHEESE!!" haha, niceee.

-Sabretooth is still great. I could go to 1,000 games and never get sick of him. In my opinion, he is the best mascot in the league. He is just so much fun.

-When the Rangers pulled Henrik Lundqvist, it was to me like "what for?" I didn't think he was doing all that bad, and the back-up still let in two more after that. Didn't stop Henrik from having a goalie meltdown/temper tantrum though. It's ok Hank, I'm sure NY still loves you.

-Fan appreciation night at HSBC was less than stellar. Where was the free stuff? Sending down those damn Tim Hortons cups does not count, I don't even like coffee! I also don't want tickets to Black Eyed Peas or WWE. Ehhhh, I would have rather had a water bottle with Sabretooth on it or something. Try to figure out something cooler for next year huh?

-On top of the three guys that have been out of the lineup, we were missing Craig Rivet on Tues. to some kind of flu like symptoms (geez, maybe the Sabres gave me this sickness I have) also Patrick Lalime is under the weather, as was reported today. To add more to this, Jhonas Enroth has an ankle injury of some kind, so we may be without any type of backup. Rivet should be back for tonight, but unless he is awesome at also being a goaltender (doubtful) this could be a little bit messy. Geez people, you all need to get better soon, that includes you Robi! I saw you at the game with your neckbrace and all that and almost cried. You will all be going to Absolut Care if you can't get back on track! My goodness...


So that's that. Regular season almost over, but still three games at hand, all on the road. We play Boston tonight, and then Ottawa (HELP!) on Saturday. Maybe it's better I will miss most of Saturday's game, because I don't know if I can take anymore of that. Then again, the Sabres just LOVE to be all good and win when I can't watch because they are brats, so we'll see how it goes. Game on!!

Sabres vs. A team way better than them (the Canadiens)

I don't even know what this was tonight. It was not a hockey game I can say that. Maybe one team was playing hockey, but the other team was doing something far from it. It was really painful to watch to be honest.

Teams have off nights, this is true. The Sabres have had two off nights in a row. Also by off, I mean WAYYY off, like I could have watched high school hockey being played and not known the difference. Ouch much boys? Well, you all deserve it.

Let's break down a few things:

-Connolly and Vanek are not there, that is well known. Butttt, just a few mere games ago this was all ok, more than ok at that point actually. We had fresh new talent from the minors up here and it was going well. Well, there are reasons those boys are still in the minors, maybe it has something to do with inconsistency. But then again, our own top 6 has problems with that, and they are full fledged NHL'ers and have been for years now. So now what do we say hmmm? Yeah, who knows.

-Tyler Myers is NOT going to be a perfect hockey player all the time, no matter what anyone wants to think, same for Ryan Miller. Now, that isn't trying to make excuses, but you can blame a few, and then you can blame the whole team, and tonight that whole team was to blame for that.

-More stupid penalties like for delay of game (this one still gets me every damn time) and slashing are just nuts, no need boys, now come onnn.

-The fact that those Canadiens stayed on the Sabres like glue didn't help. No breathing room huh boys? That's what they wanted. Everytime you turned around, stumbled, fell over yourself (or a goalie) and they were there. Got you a little irritated too hmmm? Which all boiled down to that thing at the end with Gaustad, Montador, and wayyy too many Montreal guys for Gaustad to take on by himself. I'm sure he used enough profanity tonight to make a sailor blush, and rightfully so. I think I did the same.

This all boiled down to no goals from the Sabres, and Jaroslav Halak getting his 2nd shutout in a row. Boy Buffalo, way to make them feel special.

Random notes:

-Brian Gionta is from Rochester and his hockey idol is Pat LaFontaine. He was also the shortest NHLer at 5'7" until Nathan Gerbe came in at 5'5". Why do I know this? I don't know. Last time I checked, Gionta was a NJ Devil. Last, LAST time I checked, he was a Montreal Canadien. Ok then.

-Too bad PK wasn't playing tonight so we could get a reprise on the "f'n geek" situation with Dominic Moore. Maybe that's why Moore played so well tonight, no one making fun of him and hurting his little geek feelings. Who knows.

-Toni Lydman continues his role of making me nuts, but I could add a lot more to the list tonight. He is quite high on it though.

Tuesday we take on the NY Rangers for the last regular home game of the season. I want to get tickets, but then again, DO I? I mean, the Sabres have won 5 of the 7 games I have attended this season, which is pretty good, so maybe I should be there. I would like to be I guess. We'll see what happens with that. Until then, shape up or ship out dudes, I mean it. Game on!!

Paul Gaustad is a faceoff wizard.

He also got Lexus leader because of it. He is ranked 5th overall in the NHL in faceoffs won, and he won almost all of them tonight. Man was on fire tonight, and it was quite awesome. He can also grow facial hair faster than Tim Kennedy can get that thing above his lip to grow that looks like a chocolate milk moustache. Awesome!

Derek Roy scored, as did Steve Montador, but that's where it stops. We tied it up twice, but never led, and the game just might have been a confidence thing. Getting too cocky to the point "how could we NOT beat these crappy Leafs?" ughh, yeah, didn't happen.

A lot of scrambling around, guys couldn't get their feet moving, and Miller seemed to be out of it for a bit of it. Toronto just looked really strong tonight too, they didn't let Buffalo get puck possesion for most of the game, and well, that lead to the win for them for the most part. Empty net goals do not help either. Penalties galore also do not help. Someone was in that box for most of the 2nd and 3rd periods, and they were pretty much useless ones. Ackk.

Random notes:

-Chris Butler was a healthy scratch tonight. Haha, finally someone took into account that he is awful. The +/- doesn't lie people.

-It was kind of scary to see Myers almost get into some kind of fight. We need him very much, no need to try to hurt him, please leave him alone thanks.

-What was that Carubba Collision? Two trucks or some crap? Oh geez PK, come back already. Tape up that thumb and let's roll...haha.

Ok, so we did not win this one. It was kind of crappy to watch and most of the fans I'm sure are just ehhhh about this. It is a known fact that the Sabres often have inconsistency problems. It is something that could hurt them in the playoffs because there is no "next game we will do better". Once the games are lost, it's done for good. Come on guys, a loss to a team like this just should not have happened. Maybe it was back to back games to blame, travel, being tired, who knows what Lindy, the players, etc, could come up with. Someone like Gaustad will say something like "there are no excuses" or "it's unexceptable", because he is right on both accounts it would seem. It's on to Montreal next, and they are not as crappy as Toronto was supposed to potentially be. Let's get it done hmmm? Game on!!

Sabres vs. Florida Panthers

Jason Pominville! You have been so great lately! It makes me feel (just a little) bad that I was so mean to you. You are now leading the team with 24 goals and got that hat trick a few days back and all that other good stuff. I won't complain about you again (at least not for awhile).

Nathan Gerbe also scored, as did Tyler Ennis. Mark Mancari was sent back to Portland, so he did not play in this game. Ennis and Gerbe are really showing what they can do up here though, and it is helping the team out a lot with Connolly and Vanek still out until who knows when. Good job boys!

Also goals by Kennedy, Mair, and Tallinder. Wow Henrik, niceeee. Kennedy has also been stepping up as of late. He started the season off strong, went into somewhat of a rut, but now seems to be doing better. Line problems seem to be to blame, just needs to be up there with the big guys helping out, because he is capable of it and can produce.

Raffi Torres came back and got three assists. Geez, I guess he wanted to show he was still on the team. Sad thing is I didn't even know or remember he was gone for most of the time he was out for his injury. Oops.

Random notes:

-Teppo Numminen was at the game! I saw him on the jumbotron and I was all ooooohh, but it seemed a lot of the arena didn't even realize or something. Hello people, he did play for us, are you all dead in here? Cheer for the man, cripes. It made me happy at least.

-I got one of those playoff shirts from the Sabres store before the game. I got the we want a cup in Buffalo one. There were a lot of cool ones, kinda hard to choose.

-The man sitting next to me at the game was fullll of questions, and I guess he decided I seemed like the person to ask. Including "who is number 63?, where did he come from? who is injured? what is the injury? who just scored?" and the list goes on. I wanted to hand him a sports section....haha. But, I knew all the answers (wooo!) and I guess I really didn't mind that I got to be the person asked. It was just funny to me.

Great game all in all, didn't know it would prelude to tonight (which will be discussed in a short, ergh, separate entry) and we keep on trucking along for the remainder of the season. Game on!!

Sabres vs. Boston Bruins

Little (or not so little) known fact:

There IS a Tyler Kennedy in the NHL...unfortunately for the Versus announcer man, he does NOT play on the Sabres. Sorry to break it to you bro. Or it could be your overwhelming fascination with Tyler Myers which made you incapable of calling TIM Kennedy by the right first name. It's ok, Redwood does that to a lot of us in Buffalo as well, no worries. TIM Kennedy might be just a little pissed though. Or sad, because he looks like he always is. Even though he scored a goal tonight! Yay Timmy!



Coming into this game I wasn't quite sure how to feel. I always remember Boston being a team full of big, mean guys who would kill us. So when they scored first, I was a little bit scared for the rest of the night. But then things took off with the goal by Tyler Myers and Gaustad not long after, and it got a lot better. Tyler Myers had an assist as well, so he was on fire tonight again, and Paul Gaustad has three points in the last three games, so both are doing well.

Ryan Miller had 40 saves tonight, which is craziness, but nothing new for him. Along with Myers, they are usually the top topics of conversation amongst the Versus crew. Just a lot of stating the obvious, which gets boring and repetitive. "Ryan Miller is really good! Tyler Myers is really tall and really good!" You think so guys? Really? Geez.

Random things:

-Patrick Kaleta had thumb surgery today and will be out a minimum of two weeks. Boooo. That will take us right up until the playoffs pretty much. Get better soon PK!

-I don't know about Connolly and Vanek, but hey, we have a bunch of awesome newbies on our side for the time being, and it seems to be going well so far. So hopefully things will keep up until they can get better.

-Nice getting Boston that penalty shot Rivet. You do stuff like that, get into more fights then you should and aren't even really that good. Maybe someone else should be captain hmmm? Just my personal opinion...

-People need to lay off Drew Stafford. So he hasn't scored that much this year, neither has Mike Grier or Adam Mair, or Matt Ellis for that matter. We have top line guys not even scoring near where other teams top numbers are, so why pick on a guy like Stafford who is halfway down the line? I don't get it.

-That pileup on Pominville, what the heck was that about? I was freaking out, like what the heck get off him. He didn't even have the puck, geez. Boston has this thing about going after guys after they have tried to score and the puck is out of their possession. Makes no sense.

The end of the game got me just a tad bit nervous after Boston brought it up to one goal away from a tie. The last bit of the game after they pulled Rask seemed to tick by so very sloowwww and I was afraid Miller would crack under the pressure. It turned out good though, and we won on the road, with a bunch of injuries and newbies and it was great. Wed. against Florida is up next, and then Thurs. in Toronto. Let's keep winning guys, it feels nice huh? Yeah it does. Game on!!

Recalls galore!

So, accoring to sabres.com, Nathan Gerbe and Mark Mancari are being recalled to join Ennis up here until Connolly, Kaleta and Vanek get better. I don't know the extent of Vanek's injury, like if they think he will be back soon, but it doesn't seem good with Connolly and Kaleta. Ugh. Oh and I keep forgetting about the Raffi Torres injury, see how much I even NOTICE this guy is on our team? Geez.

Gerbe is precious, he is little, but I mean, little guys can have force. No one says he has to be up there trying to take on guys like Kaleta, I think he will be just fine up here. He has skill, otherwise he wouldn't be in the spot he's in already.

Mark Mancari did pretty well for us the last time he was up here, and Ennis is a beast out there so far and it's only been one game, so I think these three will be quite ok in the lineup. It will shake things up a little bit which is sometimes scary, but can also be good. These kids are fired up and ready to go, to show what they can do in the NHL most of the time, so let's let them show us hmmm? With playoffs being so close I just hope that these guys can get their injuries taken care of and rested and hopefully be back in time to start. We shall see what happens tomorrow night in Boston. I bet these guys are hyped up for it though, I know I am. Game on!!