This is just a happy post.

This game was amazing and up and down and sad and then happy and then I don't know, and a bunch of things in between. It was fun to watch and the guys worked hard and they were kickin' ass and Enroth came up and was a boss and it was great. Hecht scored the shoot out goal for us to win and it was also awesome and yeahhhh.

I am just so happy with this game and the Sabres are my boys and they are not hurting my feelings right now and it is great. Hopefully this can all go into tomorrow too, and Buffalo will be a happy hockey city.

All the little guys were out there kickin' ass too and I am so proud of everyone tonight. Geez, I feel way too giddy over this it seems...haha.

Wooooo! :)

Happy Drew Year!

So, to start it off, the Sabres played the Boston Bruins New Year's Day. The winter classic is usually an afternoon thing, but was moved up to 8pm due to crappy (translate: not cold or snowy enough) conditions, so the games overlapped. I was kinda eh about the winter classic anyway, I mean I wanted to see Jordan Staal come back and all that, but it was pretty much just like any other game. Buttt, to start with, the Sabres were crazy guys vs. Boston.

The game was so neck and neck the whole time, it was kind of frustrating to be honest. We would score, and you could still be wooing! over it, and they would tie it back up and then we would have to start all over again. The high ending score was crazy, and Drew Stafford got his 2nd hat trick of the year! It was awesome, I am so happy he is doing so well this year. Happy Drew Year was a nice and fitting term for the game for sure. We still ended up having to go to a shootout, but it turned out good, because Stafford scored (again), as did Vanek and Ennis. I have a pretty strong dislike for Boston, so it was nice to actually win this one full out and get the two points. I hope the Sabres can keep up some kind of streak, because it has been a long time, and winning is fun. Come on guys, you like it don't you? Of course you do.

The winter classic was a rainy one, and it looked pretty sloppy out there for the teams, but Washington ended up winning 3-1. It really wasn't a battle of Ovie vs. Crosby because neither of them scored from what I saw, I know Crosby didn't. Oh well, the NHL and NBC had to find a way to sell hockey to a large number of football loving Americans. They don't need to remind me to tune in...haha. Jordan Staal came back and played for the first time this year to the delight of many people, and he did really well. I bet he was happy to be back for this game too after being out so long, and because of how unique the winter classic is.

On a different note, I watched the Blackhawks take on the Anaheim Ducks tonight, and Toni Lydman still does drive me nuts! Wow! haha. Just hearing his name I am reminded of him playing for us and all that went with it. It was different to hear the name just for some other team now. He was doing pretty ok with them the last time I heard, so yeah, maybe the west coast is good for him. I know the Ducks beat my Hawks, and cappy Toews is still out, so tonight's game was kind of a bummer, but eh, it's ok. The Hawks were having a mother's trip to Cali, and it was cute to see all the moms and Toews was on tv with his mom being interviewed as he wasn't playing, and it was completely pretty adorable. She gushes, he kind of blushes and plays it off, and she has a cute French accent and it was just awesome. :)

Yesterday also marked the one year anniversary for my little blog here. I can't believe it has been that long already, wow. I haven't been updating as much as I did last season, but I will try to be better with that in 2011. :)

Ok I feel like I am rambling now...haha. But yeah, that is pretty much it for now. The Sabres play again on Tuesday and they are on the road for a bit. West coast teams are always a bit of a test because the West is really tough, so I hope they can come back with a few wins under their belt, for many reasons, if not just the confidence. We also just need more wins in general, as we all know.

Until next time...

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. 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!!

Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens

This game was utterly painful to watch for more than three quarters of it. Painful and boring, a painful boring mix if you will. Oh my.

First off, they looked like they had never played a game before, like they had been on vacation for months or something. Guys falling, tripping over each other, over sticks, broken sticks galore, it was just a big mess. I bet the timbit players they bring out at intermissions could have played better than the Sabres did for 55 minutes of this game.

The last couple minutes were like a small miracle really. I'm sure a ton of people left that arena, and they were cursing in their cars on the thruway...haha. It just seemed out of reach, but with a goal by Tim Connolly (and a sly pull of Miller by Lindy) we scored one goal, and then Montador (I really thought this was a Gaustad goal :() tied it up with not much time left in the 3rd.

I was really, REALLY hoping we would be able to win it in overtime, because as any Sabre fan knows, shootouts are nerve wracking, gloomy, overall BAD experiences a lot of the time. Well well now Vanek and Pominville, you guys did it, you both scored a goal. Better late then never I guess.

So overall, I got amped at the end of the game, but most of it was a snoozefest. I guess the guys at least gave us something we wanted in the end, because the two points are what they are really after at this point. The guys just looked asleep out there tonight. Even the bench after the shootout was won was lookin' dead, geez. Come on guys!! This is the time, get it goin'! Games like tonight will NOT fly in the playoffs, not in the least. You will not be playing bottom teams just praying for playoff spots, you will be playing playoff worthy teams ready to kick ass. Wake up and hit this home stretch hard, we know you can do it. Game on!!!

Some kind of alternate universe I guess.

So, ok, we didn't technically LOSE this one, but as everyone seems to think, this isn't all that great either. Lindy was super pissed at the press conference, and trying to make the media all squirmy with his one word answers. I'm sure he expects more out of them, as the fans seem to also, but ya know, teams go into slumps every now and then. I try not to be too mad at them for losing. Ryan Miller needs to get ready for the Olympics, and Patty isn't ready to go out there and win for us, so who knows what to do. Maybe people like Jason Pominville (skdkjdkj) and Derek Roy need to step up. Although Derek did score one, it just wasn't enough to bring two points.

Tyler Myers with that hit to the face with a stick or a puck or something...ouch! I generally get very, VERY nervous when things like that happen, and just stare at my tv waiting for the person to move like come onnn, please get up. Lindy didn't have much to say after the game except for that he was "ok", so hopefully it will all really be ok and he won't miss the next two games or anything.

Paul Gaustad was out there being a boss tonight, and even got an assist in. Lexus leader and one of the three stars of the game? Geez man. He also got the Carubba Collision (which reminds me, come back soon PK...) so he had a really great night. He got knocked around and hit some guys and was gone after the whole night. He got that one penalty which was bogus, but sometimes I don't know what the heck the refs are doing out there. I also always enjoy Gaustad's "deer in the headlights" look when he is on the bench. Like he doesn't know where he is or what's happening and he doesn't blink too much. Pretty fun to watch sometimes...haha.

So we got one point, are now 5th in the conference falling behind Ottawa and Pittsburgh and have two more games this week including one on the road. Someone please help, I'm a little scared.

Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils

The first game back at home after the road trip was crazyyyy. To me it was one of those where you're on the edge of your seat for parts of it, then other parts you can just hang back. I went with my dad, my sister and her boyfriend. I know I chatted back and forth with my sister a lot, while the men were in that "if you talk to me I won't even hear you anyway" zone, so we ignored them a lot...ha. The Krusty the clown sound alike behind us with the "let's go sabres!" chant even five seconds also made for a lot more laughter then there might have been otherwise. He was great.

I thought the one buffalo goal in regulation was Derek Roy, but it was actually Adam Mair (sorry Mair), and that was it from us for regulation. I noticed Andrej Sekera and Nathan Paetsch were out there, but it took me altogther too long to figure out who WASN'T out there. I knew I didn't see MacArthur, and I didn't realize until we were driving home that Steve Montador and Toni Lydman were also scratched. It worked out well though because we won, and in a shootout no less!

I wanted to see a shootout very badly in live action, but then I sat back and thought, well, the guys aren't too good at those sometimes. Drew Stafford, as I was watching him skate up, I figured him to be about a 50/50 chance. He missed. Jochen I knew would probably make it, cause he usually does. Good job Jochen, you rule. Zach Parise missed which was odd (my favoritism on him made my father turn to me and say "if he makes this I will kill you" hey now, not my fault...lol) but he missed, so it's ok. Then here comes Jason Pominville and I said "OH NO" out loud, maybe forgetting for an eighth of a second that 1. he is on our team and 2. I was in Buffalo. He made it though, so I couldn't be too mad...ha.

Even though they were tired and just coming back home from being on the road, the guys tore it up out there and I was proud. They made it a nice game to come back home to for us here in Buffalo.

Random notes:

-I look for Sabretooth at games more than I do for players sometimes. I sit there like "oh there he is, I love him". I might have some sort of an issue...

-This game needed more hits. I was 2nd row from the glass, I wanted a flat out brawl right in front of me. Would have made for an even greater hockey night...lol.

-I shouldn't have been crushin' on Zach Parise quite so hard, but I'm sure the Devils fans behind me thought it was ok. During the practice I couldn't stop talking about him. Damn him being in the all star game last year, that's where this all started. I was watching for Thomas Vanek, not you. Gahh.

-Oduya is still a funny name, and I like it.

Pictures:





































So, the guys ranked up two points (finally, thank God, I was getting nervous) and we play Boston tomorrow. Another olympic bound goalie anyone? Game on!!!

Sabres vs. L.A. Kings

From the start of this game, it seemed like this team was fierce. I mean, they aren't really high in the standings or anything, but they gave off a vibe like, "mess with us and see what happens" so, I was a little bit intimidated I must say.

Now I am thinking "oh cool, late starts are cool" but the thing is, I was actually kind of tired before the game even started. It's hard to remember specifics when you are just groggy like that. Clarke MacArthur scored one for us in the 1st period (it helped to bring that -10 to a -9 at least...) and then Tommy Vanek scored in the 2nd period to make it 2-1 because the Kings scored somewhere in there. Oh yeah, it was in the 1st and they had that awesome breathless interview with Brad Richardson (yes -breath- I -breath- scored -breath- please -breath- give me -breath- a -breath- second to catch my breath) so that was amusing to say the least.

2nd starts off 2-1 Sabres and it's all high action and fast paced and the l.a. announcers seem to like that...a lot. 2nd period looks like it might end in our favor when some old geezer (ha) from the Kings scored to tie it up 2-2 to end the 2nd period. Damn damn.

Craig Rivet scored very early in the 3rd to restore some hope that this could happen. Being ahead by one is always nice, but with almost a full period left to play, it seems unrealistic to say it would stay that way. Kings tied the game 3-3 with about 12 mins. left in the period and it was uh-oh ville (which is what Pominville could always be re-named, it seems appropriate at this point...). A shootout looms in the distance, but hey now wait, what time is it? Am I in bed at this point? Yes. Have I missed things here and there from falling in and out of sleep? Yes. Did I miss the shootout? Of course I did. Thank goodness for MSG's replay of the game this morning, because reading about it is just never the same ya know.

Shootout players chosen (Pominville? why must you keep tourturing us Lindy?) starts off with Stafford though, and he makes it look easy. So they score, we score, Jason goes ehhh and misses, but then they miss too. Connolly, come on buddy you have to help us....oh. Well, at least we got one point, which is ok at this point. Ryan Miller is point hungry, and he gets to eat up one at least.

A few random things:

-It was Jason Pominville's 300th consecutive played game with the Sabres. It's like that kid in high school who never missed a day all four years. Like whoa man, how do you do that? What an over-achiever you are. -throws confetti-

-Brad Richardson is cute and his hair was all crazy and him not being able to catch his breath made me crush on him. I am a weirdy, yes.

-Lindy, pleasepleasePLEASE shake up this shootout line-up for the love of Stu Barnes. I get it, I get it, it works sometimes. But Pominville should be in time out for now because he hasn't been all that good and maybe someone like Hecht should be there, he deserves it. He delivers better than Domino's.

-I wish they would mic up guys sometimes, the sabres never do that. Well they used to, but they have since stopped, I don't know why though, it was awesome. I want one sabre every few games just mic-ed up for fun. Paul Gaustad would be nice, but then again, do they have enough money and time to censor all that? Even reading lips can give me a good idea what he's saying sometimes. My goodness Paul, you kiss your mother with that mouth? ha

So, as it goes, on to San Jose tomorrow night. Seems scary, again, because I'm pretty sure they are the leaders in the west. Yes they are. My gosh, even their stats are kinda scary. The boys better prepare for this one really well because it looks like they will need it. One point and only two road games left (thank GOD). Game on!!!

Hmmm...

Ok, so I missed the first period completely, but got in the car sometime in the beginning of the 2nd to hear the awful awesome play by play of Kevin Slyvester. The radio usually makes me ehhh, because I need more visualizations and all that, but it's better than nothing. I know Mike Grier got a goal at some point on the ride home, and then I busted into the apartment so I could see the whole 3rd period on a good old fashion tv set.

Now from what I had heard from those actually watching the 1st period was that Miller looked "shaky" and he just seemed kind of out of it, and we were down by one at that point. So, I don't know, but things shaped up when Stafford scored in the third and tied us 2-2. OT went by and then it was time for dundundun...a shootout!

Now, not to hate on my dudes here, but they seem to kinda choke a lot of times on these. Lindy's choices for shooters also boggles my mind most of the time. I yell at my tv with such a fierceness! The obvious choices seem to always be Stafford, Vanek, Roy, Connolly, and then down from there to Hecht and MacArthur if needed (which has been the case). Butttt, there are times he throws someone in there like, ummm, excuse my Lindy, why in the world would you do that??! Now, I love P. Kaleta, I really do, but in the shootout? Nonono. You can say he scored the other day, yes, but Mike Grier scored TONIGHT, put him out there. So it goes that PK misses and the game comes to a close.

A point is a point though friends, and I have to give it up to them, because the game looked like it could have easily been a complete wash. With it being not that far into the road trip, a complete loss would not have been good at this point. Kevin Slyvester, you get a honorable mention because well, it takes a big person to fill those shoes in that booth, and you did...pretty alright for a noob. He also taught me a few things, like the fact that Paul Gaustad wears contacts. This I did not know. Thanks Kev for the info! Just don't quit your day job...ha.

Game on!!

Oh, and random note: me and my father saw Bill Hajt in a restaurant the other day, and my dad goes on to talk to him and I go on to have that "we're gonna win that cup" song stuck in my head for the last handful of days. Now of course I would have trouble recognizing this man in public, seeing as my father was just a kid when he played, but my dad knew right away...dang. It's not like standing next to Jason Pominville in Wegman's and watching him order some kind of ham, but it's close.

I don't even know.

The beginning of this whole "game" made me all "booo" because I could feel the happiness being taken away. Like "uh-oh dudes, don't let this go to your heads" but it seemed like it was going to be a bad night. Poor Patrick Lalime gets crapped on by a lot of people, but the poor guy has a tough spot. Everyone and their mama loves Miller, and he knows it, so Lalime can only get in there every once in awhile, and just needs more games played to get his record up and get his game play on. That can not be achieved though, when you know the fans want to see Miller and well, he delivers wins. I thought that Lalime did an excellent job, and yeah, some goals were given up, but ya know, it takes a whole team to stop them from going in, not just your goalie. I think all the guys tonight just seemed ehhh, like it was all going in slow-mo, and the road trip hasn't even started yet.

Butttt, we were able to tie it up by some goals from Drew Stafford, Thomas Vanek and Jochen Hecht (needed a call up to Toronto my ass). Tommy Vanek, 1st goal in 7 games huh? Wow. Derek Roy, are you still with us? Yeah, I dunno. There are just some people that don't seem to be pulling their weight to me. Yes, Vanek leads the team with 12 goals, but he scored triple that in a season not so long ago. Soooo, you decide. He has it in him, we all know. I know the season still has a ways to go though, so we shall see. Maybe I will be eating my words come Spring...

Let's get to the meat here though people, that DAMN SHOOTOUT. Now, shootouts in general make me sweaty, nervous, a mental case, etc. I wasn't sure who Lindy would have enough confidence in to send out there, but I knew it would probably be Stafford first. The whole back and forth of it all had me (and my parents) screaming at the tv like nutcases. Lindy made some unusual choices in my opinion, but I think everyone was thinking "it won't take more than those couple names on the sheet" but yeah, well, it did. A lot more. 22 shooters in all is what it took. Pominville (uhh), Tallinder??! (umm, ok) Tyler Myers (I get it, but oh my it was so bad, even he gave himself the omg what the hell did I do? face) and so on and so on. Lalime can only take so much it seems. Poor guy tried, he really did. I give him a ton of credit for tonight because he made a lot of good saves. Good job Limey!

Ok ok now. We have 7 games on the road now and won't be back home until the 27th vs. the devils (and I will be there!! :) One point in the right direction and praying for some love on the road. Come on boys!! Game on!!