Hockey Night in Buffalo

A fan's reaction to the season

2011-12-23T20:39:00.004-05:00

I'm going to take you on a journey of my emotions toward the Sabres thus far...in .gif form.

When the Sabres first started to suck, I tried to take it in stride and not take it too seriously, because I didn't like the bad feeling this team was causing. I basically pretended like it was something we would all look back on one day and laugh. I mean, all the injuries? Have you seen our line combinations? COME ON. Now that's comedy gold right there. I'm pretty sure with all of our callups, the average age of the roster is probably around 15-years-old.

It's not that I enjoyed how bad they were, but I just tried to make it as fun as possible because I was sick and tired of feeling depressed over the team's ineptitude.

Then...well. They kept playing bad. And it was kind of bumming me out. As much as I tried to make it "fun", it just wasn't fun. I wasn't enjoying the games. For the first time in...hell, since I've been a fan, I wasn't looking forward to games. I was almost dreading the next Sabres game. The Sabres were bad and I felt bad.

So not fun anymore.

After the sadness set in, well, it was anger and confusion. I mean, why, Sabres? WHY? What is wrong with you? What is going on? It's not funny, it's not cute, and it's not enjoyable. Stop being so bad when you are very capable of being very good. I'm at a loss for words.

So after taking this "rut", if you can call it that, in stride, in complete sadness, and finally in anger... There's not many emotions left.

So right now I just sort of feel...numb. Of course I still love the Sabres and always will, but this lackadaisical play has rubbed off on me. I don't dread the games anymore but I certainly don't look forward to them. I've gotten bored of trying to analyze each and every situation, think of what the Sabres' next move should be, and what exactly is wrong with this team. It all just seems exhausting.

Your move, Sabres.

Wranglin' & Rafflin' for a cause

2011-11-18T16:40:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm sure if you read this blog then you are familiar with my friend Kate's blog, The Willful Caboose (if you're not, well you're doing yourself a serious injustice, FYI).

Anyways, Kate came up with a super neat idea, where she is raffling off two tickets to this year's Catwalk for Charity for a donation of just $5! The donation goes directly to Ryan Miller's foundation, The Steadfast Foundation. The money raised at the annual Catwalk for Charity benefits The Steadfast Foundation which provides support programs for the pediatric patients Roswell Park Cancer Insitute and their families.

Click here read Kate's post to find out what you need to do to get a raffle ticket. It's super easy, and it only costs 5 bucks! Normally two tickets to Catwalk would cost you $400, so this is more than a steal.

It's a really great cause at Catwalk is definitely the event of the year. If you are unfamiliar with the event, then take through the Catwalk for Charity tag on here and read about my experience at past events!

Hope to see you December 4!

State of the Sabres

2011-11-13T14:16:00.004-05:00

What's going on with the Sabres? The young 2011-2012 season has certainly been an interesting season so far for them. From their successful trip to Europe, to the fan-made goalie controversy, to Sabres fans and Buffalonians alike turning on The Buffalo News reporters because of a column about Pegula and the Penn State scandal, and now to the embarrassing outing against the Bruins.

I have to say I feel bad not updating anymore because there's been a lot of fodder for fans to discuss and I always love throwing my opinion out there. But I've been so busy with school, work, and other things going on in my life that sometimes it's hard to even sit down and watch a game, let alone blog about it.

But I really had to make time to write about the game last night against the Bruins. I didn't see much of it, in fact I turned on the game right when Lucic hit Miller. I immediately started recording the game because I wanted to see the team's reaction to such a dirty hit to our franchise goalie. When I found out through people on Twitter that there was no reaction, I of course was really disappointed, but also pretty concerned.

Nevermind the 6-2 blowout, that was one of their most demoralizing losses that I can remember because they didn't do anything about that hit. It was the turning point of the game, and it certainly worked in the Bruins's favor. That's upsetting. It's not that I wanted to see one of our own players run Tim Thomas and try to injure him, but how about scoring on the power play? How about showing some life at all? How about some effing defense? It was embarrassing.

Miller certainly didn't mince words in his short interview after the game, where he called Lucic a piece of shit. Of course it stirred up some controversy, which isn't new to Ryan, as his directness in interviews has sparked some debate before.

I'm glad Ryan said it, if no one else on the team was going to stand up to Lucic, at least Miller showed some deserved anger and emotion to the hit.

On paper, the team is actually in pretty good shape. They're 5th in the conference with 20 points and 10 wins in 16 games played. Not bad at all.

But what concerns me is that the team's lack of response to a dirty play isn't something new to the Sabres. Miller has been run before, and he will be run again. He's a star goalie and a franchise player. I remember there being little to no reaction when Scott Gomez ran into Miller which sidelined Ryan with a sprained ankle and caused the Sabres to slip out of playoff contention. I remember a few years ago Miller complaining that the Sabres were playing like a bunch of "scared little kids". It seems the only reaction the team has when one of their star players gets run is to completely deflate and let the other team take over. Seems encouraging for other teams to attempt to run Miller again, no?

Miller has had some rough outings lately, but his confidence seemed to grow during the Jets game and he started to look like his old self. From what I saw of the Boston game he seemed to look like he was in his old form up until he was sidelined in the 3rd with a sore neck. What a shame.

I hope the sore neck is nothing that will keep him out any longer than the Boston game, because believe it or not, we need our franchise goalie.

Can't win 'em all

2011-10-14T22:18:00.002-04:00

Here's an idea to submit to the Sabres Suggestion Box...I propose that the Sabres play the Seinfeld theme song after games like tonight.

Opening Night!

2011-10-14T15:17:00.003-04:00

How's that for hockey-related?

Let's Go Buff-a-lo!!!

For Your Consideration

2011-09-17T20:37:00.007-04:00

For those of you on Twitter (and those of you who aren't, I highly recommend joining. Especially now that Ted Black is going to be taking over the Sabres handle from time to time), I just wanted to bring to your attention the fabulous Twitter feed that is Ilya Bryzgalov's. No, he isn't a Sabre...he's actually a Flyer (gross, I know), but his entire Twitter feed is full of gems.

If you're not too familiar with Bryzgalov's personality, please watch this video of him explaining his hockey mask from when he was with the Ducks.

fast forward to about 1 minute into the video

Anyways, back to the main reason of this post, his Twitter page! There's something so endearing about his lack of comprehension of the English language and all of its tricky grammar, but his personality seems to shine through better with his rough translations.

Allow me to post some of my favorite tweets he's made over the past few weeks:

He's taking in the culture of his new city, Philadelphia!

He's a fan of Pumba from the Lion King, I mean who isn't!

...I don't know

So if you aren't already, please consider following Ilya Bryzgalov...he may be my favorite person on Twitter.

P.S. - How funny is it that Derek Roy's Twitter feed is basically full of every single stereotype/assumption that Sabres fans have made over the years about Derek's personality? If the account hadn't been verified by the Sabres themselves, I would have been convinced that it was another parody account. Brilliant.

The Boys Are Back in Town

2011-09-12T16:24:00.005-04:00

Well, well, well.

It's been awhile since I've posted anything meaningful related to hockey, and I don't know if this post will exactly be meaningful, but I decided I need to write to get the gears going.

It's mid-September and the days are getting shorter and there is a certain crisp smell in the air that's letting us all know that ~~Autumn is arriving shortly~~ HOCKEY IS BACK!!!! Well, almost. Practically!

Our young prospects are already scrimmaging, and our vets and regulars have been slowly making their way back to town and practicing informally at the Northtown Center. Before you know it we're all going to be donning our blue and gold and shelling out $8 for a beer while cheering (or lambasting) our favorite guys. I can hardly wait!

There's a lot for Sabres fans to look forward to; It will be the first full season that Terry Pegula & Co. will be in complete control, we've made a whole bunch of moves in the offseason, two of our core players will be ready to go, and the team will be taking a fun Euro trip and kicking off the season overseas!

Lots of fun to be had.

The arena is also undergoing a lot of changes, with the brand new locker room, the de-slugging, and the new paint job. But most notably, there will be a name change. It's now called the First Niagara Center, which is now lovingly referred to by fans as the F'N Center. Brilliant.

Although I do have to say that I was a little ticked about the name change, because it makes my header for my blog (which I'm quite partial to) now outdated. At first I thought that I'd have to search for a new header, but then I remembered that I'm really good in Photoshop and with a few clicks of a mouse I can make my current header now up-to-date with the new arena name! Perfect! God bless technology, am I right?

So here it is, the new Hockey Night in Buffalo header! All snazzy and current with the times!

woooooooo!!!

Bring on the 2011-2012 season!!!

Accio Blog Post!

2011-07-31T15:02:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone! I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted, especially during such an exciting time in hockey! I apologize, July has been a crazy month for me and I didn't put aside any time to sit down and write. So let's see what I can say...

July has been a busy month for me, consisting of working a lot and trying to take advantage of the amazing sunny weather that we had for essentially the whole month. Between the free music concerts and food festivals and the beautiful weather, I was out a lot trying to get in as much fun as I could because I know how quickly summer slips away.

But the main reason I haven't been updating probably has to be Harry Potter! I don't know if I've ever mentioned Harry Potter on here before, but I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I never really realized how big Harry Potter was in my life until I looked back after the series was complete. I started reading Harry Potter in elementary school. I grew up with the characters and I felt like I was with them on every step of their journey. As a kid I enjoyed the fantasy and the action-packed adventures, but it wasn't until I got older that I realized the major themes behind the series and how great and complex the characters are and it really amazes me how talented and creative JK Rowling is as a writer and story teller.

The final movie was released July 15th, and you bet I was at the midnight premiere! I thought the movies always did a fantastic job at capturing the true essence of the books, and while the books will always be the best, the movies are really special and I'm so glad and grateful that they were made the way they were and with the actors that played the characters.

Watching the movie was really emotional for me because it was the end of an era, but I was really pleased with it... Especially during Snape's memories! Without giving too much away, Snape is easily the most complex and interesting character of the series and there is a chapter in the last book that basically sums up everything the reader needs to know about Snape, and the movie did a great job with that scene.

Snape is my favorite character of the series, so naturally this was me at the midnight premiere during Snape's memories:

So in a nutshell, that's why this blog has been vacant for the past month. But I haven't put hockey on the back burner completely! I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. I was checking Twitter on my computer and on my phone pretty much nonstop on July 1st, and what a fun day that was... I found it extremely amusing that Sabres fans were in the position to complain and worry about the team spending too close to the cap. Oh how things have changed! Between all the activity and the misfortunate (but hilarious) butt tweet sent out by Jessie Pegula, it was the best free agency day yet! Well, in recent memory at least.

I'm excited about our new additions especially at the blue line, and I'm glad that we've retained key players, especially Enroth. I can't wait to see the tandem that will form between him and Miller.

It feels good to post again, I promise I won't go MIA like that again...now that I'm controlling my Post-Potter Depression, and with hockey looming around the corner, I think I'll be in the right frame of mind again. Hopefully Pottermore doesn't detract me too much...

Mischief managed!

Thoughts on the Stanley Cup

2011-06-18T12:00:00.003-04:00

Well, the 2010-2011 NHL season is officially in the books and we have new Stanley Cup champions: The Boston Bruins.

I've mentioned before that I wasn't a fan of either team and I really wasn't looking forward to the match up. But of course as a hockey fan I couldn't just tune out the series completely. So I watched and tried to get a feel of the series and I tried to figure out which team I would hate seeing win the Cup less. And honestly, I never really figured that out. It was a pretty even series and both teams each had uncanny similarities...which was highlighted in this brilliantly hilarious piece done by Down Goes Brown.

In the end, I could only find one way to justify which team I wanted to win, and that was Tim Thomas. I really like him and he seems like a real good guy off the ice. It's been fun to watch his success (despite the fact that his success means success for the Bruins), and he was outstanding throughout the entire playoffs, especially in the Finals. I was real happy to see him raise the Cup and in my own little world he was a one-man team out there, making all the saves and scoring all the goals. Yeah...that sounds a lot better than the gross Bruins winning the whole thing, doesn't it?

The only known photograph from that night.

So congratulations, Tim Thomas!! You deserved it.

And as for the way some Vancouverites reacted to the loss... As each goal ~~the Bruins~~ Tim Thomas scored, and as each minute wound down, I had a feeling things were going to get ugly in downtown Vancouver. I know hockey is an emotional sport, but the concept of rioting over something like that just doesn't make any sense. Way to kick yourselves when you're already down. Your team just lost the Stanley Cup and to add insult to injury you are going to try and destroy your beautiful city and harm your fellow citizens and fans. I don't know...I guess I can understand some havoc and raucousness, but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed and was crossed. I just hope when the Sabres are in a similar situation (win or lose) we will have enough respect for ourselves and our city to not to try and destroy it when we are either celebrating or mourning.

I hope the people who injured others and lit peoples' cars on fire are caught and held accountable, and I also hope that the Canucks can some how find a way to give back to those who came to clean up after the rioters the following day.

Blogger Summit Recap

2011-06-17T13:26:00.005-04:00

When I first got the invite to attend the Blogger Summit I was very excited but I also had no idea what to expect. I honestly pictured us being in a board room-type of space where we would all be sitting at a table and we would shoot the breeze.

When we were taken up to the 200 level and brought into a room with a bunch of tables with bright lights and cameras and a podium up front for Ted, I was extremely impressed (and also a little intimidated!). We were given our own name tags when we first got there and waiting for us in the room were notecards with our information to place in front of us during the event. I felt so official!

After we all introduced ourselves to each other, Ted Black came in and introduced himself. We were told that pizza and wings were arriving shortly, but beverages were already there if we wanted some. I went and grabbed a bottle of water and Mike Gilbert (Director of Public Relations) told me to get a beer. "We get beer?!" I thought. I don't know why but I thought that was really cool haha. I couldn't help but think if the media members get to have beer during their Q&A sessions. Sure, the bloggers don't have press box or locker room access (yet), but we get beer!

Kevin Sylvester was there to moderate the session and he did a great job adding some insight and he helped with the "flow" of the session. It was also good that Mike Gilbert and other members of the organization were there to provide additional information.

I didn't ask any questions during the on-camera portion, but my first question was asking Ted about the Sabres doing a "24-7"-type of documentary to give fans a more behind-the-scenes perspective on the team. Ted said that he'd be very interested in doing something like that, especially with the team going to Europe. I think it would be awesome to see more behind-the-scene things with the team, I thought the HBO 24-7 documentary was fascinating, so I would imagine that watching documentary in the same vein with the Sabres would be so much fun to watch.

I think my favorite part of the summit was when Ted brought out his Pegula Day app on his iPhone and started messing around with it and said that it would be fun to prank phone call Darcy with it haha.

It was also neat to hear that the Sabres players will be delivering season tickets to season ticket holders next season. That's such a fun idea, and it makes me want to add my name to the season ticket waiting list!

I was very impressed with how much time and effort the Sabres put into this summit, but I also enjoyed how informal it was. We could ask Ted important questions regarding the team, but then we could also goof around and ask silly questions (such as what type of aftershave does he use). I guess that's one of the perks about being a blogger, no?

I'm very grateful that I was able to participate in this event and I think it's awesome that the Sabres are embracing the bloggers and the fans like this. It was also great to meet with all the other people in attendance. We chat all the time over Twitter or in blog comments, so it was cool to finally meet people face-to-face. It is certainly a night I won't ever forget!

Blogger Summit

2011-06-15T12:35:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone! I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that I will be making my ~~television~~ internet streaming debut tomorrow night as I will be participating in the first-ever Sabres Blogger Summit with Ted Black and several other Sabres bloggers!

I am very excited to meet with Mr. Black and all the other bloggers who will be in attendance. I really have no idea what to expect but that's what maktes it more exciting.

Be sure to follow myself (and the other bloggers) on Twitter where I'll be tweeting during the event. I'll be using the hashtag #SabreSummit (coined by @SabresDotCom) so it will be easier to keep track of the tweets pertaining to the event.

I hope everyone tunes in!

Beginning of the end

2011-05-31T17:52:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow marks the first day of the Stanley Cup Finals, and in a few weeks there will be a new Stanley Cup Champion. For the first time in a while, I am really not looking forward to the series. I don't like Boston or Vancouver. It's easy for me to come up with reasons why I don't like the Bruins, but when it comes to the Canucks it's hard to put my finger on it. Maybe it's kind of like a sibling rivalry...the Canucks are our "sister" team as they were the other team that was founded in 1970. I'm not sure if that has something to do with it, but it probably does. Either way, I don't want to see either team hoisting the Cup. So that puts me in quite the conundrum, doesn't it? I suppose I will just have to see how the series plays out until I can decisively figure out which team I dislike the least.

Meanwhile, the Sabres are still well into the offseason and I really haven't missed them... After the elimination, I think every fan goes through a depression where they think, "What am I supposed to do now?! What is my purpose in life?!" And believe me, I felt like that. I couldn't imagine going through months with no Sabres hockey, especially considering how much fun that season was. But the depression comes and goes, and eventually I realize that I sort of embrace the offseaon because it's time to put the Sabres on the back burner and enjoy other things that I like to do. And that's what I've been doing. Enjoying not having to go to class and complete assignments, enjoying going out with my friends, planning little getaways, going to concerts and festivals, and everything else that the summer brings.

And then Sabres.com posted a story about the locker room renovations. I thought to myself, "Hey, that's pretty cool. Everything sounds like it's going to be a kickass facility for the players." And then I saw this picture on the team's official Facebook page. And my heart did a little back flip.

It's Ryan Miller!!! Going over the locker room plans with Terry Pegula!! When the season ends, the players all disperse and go their seperate ways, and I know that it will be months until I get to see their faces again. So when I get a picture of Ryan Miller right in the thick of the offseason going over the locker room plans with Terry Pegula, it's just like a little bonus for me! And it may or may not have made my day when I saw it. If I had more shame I would probably be a little embarrassed admitting that, but...I don't.

So even when I think that I don't really miss the Sabres, I do. And me getting excited over this picture just proves that there's no way that I can stop liking this team, even if I wanted to.

And I'm not going to lie, the picture of Darcy Regier and Ted Black breaking the locker room wall was pretty awesome too:

I will be sure to update as soon as I figure which team I hate less in the Finals, as I'm sure you're all eager to find out.

A little entertainment in the offseason...

2011-05-17T13:29:00.003-04:00

Considering it's mid-May and the Sabres were eliminated last month, there is not much to say regarding the team...and to be honest with you I thought the second round of the playoffs was pretty lackluster, so things have been pretty quiet around here to say the least.

So I thought I'd just leave you with this, incase you haven't seen it already.

Here is Pasi Nurminen, goalie coach for team Finland, exiting the plane as the team celebrates their IIHF World Championship victory:

An even better view...

Hope everyone is enjoying the offseason!

Reflecting: Onward & Upward

2011-05-01T14:55:00.002-04:00

Well another season is in the books, and a lot of fans are feeling an array of emotions. A lot of us are sad, upset, disappointed, but on the flip side we are also proud, optimistic, and eager to see what happens in the offseason.

I truly believed that the Sabres were going to win the series and that they would take Game 7, but they just weren't ready to advance. I think the way the Sabres lost Game 7 is what stings, they just weren't skating and it honestly just looked like a regular season game. It was disappointing because the rest of the series was full of great, tight games and I expected Game 7 would be the same way. I had that horrible feeling in my stomach as soon as the Flyers went up 1-0 and it didn't go away until a few days later. It was bad, and I was longing to experience the satisfaction a fan gets when their team advances deeper into the playoffs. We haven't had that feeling in a while...

But enough of being depressed, you can only move forward after that. In Pegula's words, this team is definitely moving "onward and upward", so to see what unfolds in the upcoming months and leading into next season will be exciting and fun.

When Pegula took over, everyone was excited that a man who is passionate about the Sabres would be taking the reigns. But I don't think anyone could have expected how much his presence make such a positive impact on the team. The Sabres really turned it around and the attitude just seemed really different. I think what the Sabres did was pretty great and even though they didn't advance out of the first round, the fact that they made the playoffs and proved that they can be a great team after such a rough first half was so much fun to watch. Pegula has revitalized the franchise and I think the players are probably more excited about the future than the fans are.

I'm happy about Lindy Ruff's contract extension. I think it's special that Lindy has been with the organization for so long, especially in today's world of sports as big business. I like that Lindy truly wants to win a Cup here and the Sabres organization believes in Lindy and believes that he is the best coach to have to get the job done. I like how the Sabres are also commited to their own players and that many of the players have echoed that they would like to win a Cup in Buffalo, with the teammates that they've been playing with for several years. But that's not to say that outside help isn't an option and shouldn't be considered, so it will be interesting to see what gets done in the offseason now that Pegula is the owner.

All in all, I'm still pretty bummed that we won't be seeing any Sabres hockey any time soon, but life goes on. One day it will be "our day" and we'll see the Sabres win the Cup. I'm sure of it. And with Pegula in control, I believe that day will come sooner rather than later. I'm still not completely over the elimination, and I'm going to miss the boys dearly, but eventually we'll know what it feels like to go all the way.

But right now, I'm just trying to figure out who I want to win the Cup this year...

Game 6: Missed Opportunities

2011-04-25T13:38:00.004-04:00

I'm trying really hard to take this loss in stride. It's all apart of the playoffs, right? There's nothing like a Game 7...but damn, Sabres. I REALLY believed we were going to be witnessing a handshake at center ice last night, not a bunch of jerks in orange hooting and hollering and celebrating their comeback win.

I still believe in this team. I know the Flyers are one of the best teams in the league, but I also think the Sabres are too. When they play "their game", they can compete with the best. It will certainly be interesting to see how our mixture of veterans and our young guys will rise up to the task.

I also wanted to touch on Mike Richards's hit on Tim Connolly and the NHL's response...

I don't think anyone is surprised with this outcome. The league doesn't care about the safety of its players and they certainly don't care about looking like an objective organization because the double-standards and inconsistency would almost be comical if it didn't involve players getting seriously injured. No, that just makes it sad.

But like others have echoed, it's time to move on from this and look forward to Game 7. I know Miller and Ruff were extremely upset about the hit, and I'm sure the rest of the guys are too. Hopefully they can use that in their favor, while playing smart. Then they can advance to the second round and leave Richards and the rest of the team thinking about what could have been.

Having Derek Roy back doesn't come at a better time, with both Connolly and Pominville injured. It will be interesting to see how he plays, considering he hasn't played in several months. I don't know if he will be able to pick up where he left off, but I think he will be a great addition to the lineup nonetheless. The possible returns of Jochen Hecht and Andrej Sekera would be big too.

Last night was a gut-wrenching loss, but it's all part of the ride... I will be nervous and anxious for the rest of the day today and all day tomorrow following up to the game. I have to keep stopping myself from looking back at last night's game and thinking about all that went wrong and what the Sabres could have done to win. It's frustrating, but right now it's time to focus on winning Game 7. It's time to stop being upset about losing Game 6.

I believe that Lindy Ruff is one of the best coaches in the league and will do what he has to do to refocus his troops again. I believe that Ryan Miller is one of the best goalie and competitor in the league and will do what needs to be done in Philadelphia. I believe that Nathan Gerbe will do everything in his power to provide the spark and energy that the Sabres will need to take on the Flyers. I believe that Thomas Vanek has what it takes to be this team's captain and he realizes what he has to do to carry his team to victory. I believe that this team, despite their inability to hold a 2-goal lead last night, knows how to play with their backs against the wall and have thrived on that for the last half of the regular season. I believe that the Buffalo Sabres will win Game 7 and the series, which I have believed all along.

Game Five

2011-04-24T02:51:00.004-04:00

I was sitting on my couch gripping a pillow. I was making a noise that was a combination of a dejected sigh and a whimper. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that convinced me that I may get physically ill. I put my head in my hands and muttered something that sounded like a prayer that hopefully the hockey gods could hear. Yep, it was overtime in the playoffs. I don't think there is anything in pro sports that can match the intensity and wave of emotions that an overtime playoff game in hockey can.

Late in the 3rd and during intermission going into overtime, I couldn't help but think to myself, "I REALLY hope no one on the Sabres is feeling the way I'm feeling right now." I just had a bad feeling in my stomach that developed after Briere scored the game-tying goal and it wouldn't go away. I'm an optimistic person by nature and that transfers over to my fandom, and I was trying really hard to remain positive and optimistic, but I had a tough time getting rid of that terrible feeling, despite the fact that the Sabres played a pretty strong 3rd period.

I regained some confidence and positive vibes during the overtime, because the Sabres looked really good and I could tell that they weren't playing scared and they were trying to end the game. I've been in this position before and I've experienced both ends, when the Sabres lose a big playoff game and when the Sabres win a big playoff game. I know what it's like to experience that awful feeling of seeing the other team score and celebrate on the ice while our team skates silently off the ice. I also know what it's like to see a player on the Sabres score and for that moment nothing else matters and you're shaking with excitement and pride and you feel that there is nothing that could possibly go wrong ever again.

I wanted that feeling so badly, and I found myself pleading to the Sabres on TV to let me experience that feeling again. I was actually planning my night and Saturday around whether or not the Sabres were going to win. I was thinking how I wouldn't be able to go out after a loss because I'd be in such a foul mood that it wouldn't be the wisest of decisions to add alcohol and socializing to that equation. I was thinking how I wouldn't be able to go to the Broadway Market the following day because I wouldn't be any fun to be around because I'd be so pissy. I was dreading that feeling you get when you wake up after a Sabres playoff loss. I didn't want to experience any of that.

But even though I was scared and nervous that I would feel that utter disappointment if the Sabres lost, I was able to stop and think about how fun it is to be so emotionally invested in this team, through the good and the bad. I couldn't stop caring about this team even if I wanted to. And that's what made Ennis's game-winner so much more sweet. Everything else is worth it. I really wouldn't trade it for anything. And the feeling of victory is indescribable...the whirlwind of emotions that you experience in every game is awesome, and we get to experience it all over again in Game 6...

GAME FOURRAH SHENANIGANS

2011-04-20T21:59:00.010-04:00

So I'm all frazzled and excited by tonight's win, so instead of attempting to write a cohesive, fluid blog entry, I'm going to try and seperate my thoughts in categories.

First off (should you be surprised?)...

Ryan Miller:

How amazing was he?! Just solid all around and he made some superb saves, especially the one on Briere. And that means ANOTHER shutout! I love shutouts. Who doesn't right? I know Miller has had is doubters all season long, but time and time again he shows that he is a world class goalie, and yes, world class goalies can play sub-par or just bad games sometimes. But that wasn't the case tonight.

I loved at one point it sounded like Rick Jeanneret was going to say, "OH MY GOD!" over a Miller save, but instead he said, "OH MY RYAN MILLER." Fitting.

Speaking of quotes, I loved what Miller had to say when he was asked about his critics as of late:

"I don't need to listen to all the BS that's out there from people who don't know how to play goalie. I really don't give a [expletive]."

Preach it, Ryan.

And how about his mustache and sideburns? I'd like to think it's a tribute to Rick Martin.

Behold the power of the stache and sideburns.

And have you seen his new mask?

Photo taken from Ray Bishop's Facebook fan page.

Love the "Buffalo" that's been inserted on the chin!

Patrick Kaleta:

I just loved him tonight. Except for when he lost an edge and dislodged the net late in the 3rd... But other than that. He was just being himself tonight. He drew a 5 minute penalty when Richards dangerously elbowed him when Kaleta was going in to hit him. I doubt Richards will get anything beyond that 5 minute major, but I'm glad it was called. May have not been an intent to injure but he saw Kaleta coming and lead with his elbow. Dangerous play.

Also, did anyone notice that when Zherdev pinned up against the Sabres bench, Kaleta opened the door which caused Zherdev to fall in? Hilarious. Classic Patty K.

Superstitions in the playoffs:

I'm definitely not a superstitious person, but I can't help but be in the playoffs. Just a little bit... I'll change where I sit in my living room, I'll take off/put on my jersey, small things like that. My brother stayed in and watched the game with us during Game 1, but went out and watched Games 2 and 3 with his friends. So he decided he'd stay in and watch the game tonight since we won the last time he did that, and well...we won 1-0. Coincidence? I think NOT.

Hating players and loving it:

The hatred that a seven-game playoff series can bring out is pretty awesome if you think about it. Seeing all the players boil over after the buzzer in the 3rd really showed how much these teams are growing to hate each other. It will be interesting to how Game 5 will start off...

So far, the players that I hate the most this series is Carcillo and Hartnell. I mean, just look at them, how can you NOT hate them? They're gross and I hate them.

Well that was my attempt at organizing my random thoughts somehow, I don't know how it worked out...but that's my post game analysis. See ya after Game 5.

Game Two

2011-04-16T22:27:00.003-04:00

So the series is tied 1-1 heading back to Buffalo. Not too bad.

I really don't want to give the Flyers too much credit for that win, I think the Sabres lost that game by taking so many penalties in the 2nd. Some of the calls were questionable, but some of them were really, really stupid and unnecessary. The Sabres for the most part did a great job killing them off (except for their last power play goal, of course), but taking so many penalties was almost laughable. It also ruins the "flow" of a game, as our penalty killers are getting so much ice time while our scorers are just keeping the bench warm.

I think if it hadn't been for all the penalties in the 2nd period, we had a real shot at winning the game. Hell, even with that 2nd period, we only lost by a goal.

The Sabres just have to stay composed and play smart. They can't let Philly get in their heads. They just have to play their game and be disciplined. Which can be hard to do when there is so much at stake and emotions are running high. But I think the Sabres can do it. It's great that they are heading back to Buffalo for the next two games. When they are playing at their best I think they can beat any team in the league. This time the Sabres will be welcomed home by thousands of Sabres fans, hopefully that gives them an extra boost to come out strong as soon as the puck drops.

Game One

2011-04-15T17:13:00.004-04:00

I'd like to think that I'm a pretty even-keeled fan. I feel like I can see the bigger picture of things and I don't panic very easily. But that goes out the window during the playoffs. I toss and turn at night, and I'm antsy during the day prior to puck drop. During pregame I'm jittery and I make weird noises and I can't sit still. And several times throughout the game I say to myself, "This can't be good for my heart." Oh yes, it certainly is a new season.

I got a huge rush and immediate chills when I heard the Sabres being greeted with deafening boos from Flyers fans when they first stepped onto the ice. In a way, it pumped me up more than if they were being greeted with loud cheers by Sabres fans. Hearing the disdain from the Flyers fans just makes you realize how big these games are. I can only imagine that the team must feed off that.

Overall, I thought the Sabres played a pretty good first period. A lot of fans were saying that we were lucky to come out of that period scoreless, and that may be true, but it's Game One of the first round and they were on the road and they kept up with the Flyers pretty well. By the second period, it was apparent that this was going to be a low-scoring game, and that every mistake made could be very critical.

I think we took some stupid penalties, although some were pretty questionable. I saw Flyers diving all over the place, which is to be expected because you want to draw a penalty any time you can, and I know I've said this several times, but I wish that refs would call dives more often. The penalty kill was really one of the difference-makers in the game, killing of that 5-on-3 was huge.

The Gerbe-Gaustad-Kaleta line was probably my favorite line of the night and I was glad to see Kaleta get our goal. It was funny because very early in the game my brother predicted that either Gerbe or Kaleta would score our first goal and it turned out to be true. After Kaleta scored I was on even more of an edge than when it was 0-0, but when the Sabres were on the penalty kill late in the period, my confidence surged. Seeing them completely smother Philly and not let them get a chance on the PK really made me feel that we were going to win. I could tell that the Sabres weren't going to let anything get by them.

Ryan Miller was excellent, I was very curious to see how he would play after getting extended rest during the regular season. It didn't even register to me at first that he got a shutout, I was just so excited that we won that it took me a minute to realize that Miller also earned a shutout in the process. I was so proud of him! He was certainly on and that's exactly that type of game we're going to need from Ryan in the postseason. It's why I thought it was so ridiculous that people on the radio were even considering starting Enroth. Jhonas played great and he was exactly what we needed after Miller got hurt late in the season, but come on, Ryan Miller is Ryan Miller. He's as rested as he has ever been entering the postseason, and he's such a fierce competitor so it's always fun watching him play.

So the Sabres are up 1-0 in the series and it would awesome if they could come back to Buffalo with a 2-0 lead. There really is nothing like the playoffs and the emotional rollercoaster that it takes you on is something that you can't really control even if you wanted to. Once you're on, you're on. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Q&A with Ted Black

2011-04-10T19:58:00.010-04:00

A few weeks ago, I bumped into Ted Black in the lobby of the hotel where he is staying when I was picking up my mom (she works the front desk). We chatted briefly and my mom (being a typical mom), mentioned my blog to him. Ted handed me his business card and graciously offered to contribute to my blog. Although his schedule is obviously busy during this exciting time in the hockey season, Ted took the time to answer a few questions for me. Here's what he had to say...

Where were you born and where did you grow up? Have you lived in many different places?

TB: I was born in Cheverly, Maryland, in 1965. I don’t remember much about my life there. We moved to New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1969. NB is a small town near Clarion, about an hour north of Pittsburgh. After college and law school, I lived in various places in Pittsburgh until my new adventure in Buffalo began 6 weeks ago. Now I live in a hotel in the city… (and go to Pittsburgh on weekends to see my wife and kids, who are staying there until school is out in June).

Were you a fan of any sport growing up? Did you play any sports competitively?

TB: I was a fan of the Pirates and Steelers when I was a kid. I played basketball, football and track in high school. I was a pretty good athlete, but was never exposed to hockey (there were no rinks near our town). I think I would have really loved growing up playing the sport.

How did you become involved with professional hockey?

TB: I met Ken Sawyer at a party around 1998 and tried to help him with a couple business consulting ventures he was involved in at the time. About a year later, Ken became the president of the Penguins and he brought me in to interview as the Penguins’ vice president and general counsel in 1999.

Other than the fans, what has been your favorite thing about Buffalo so far?

TB: Hmmm, that is a tough one, because so much of what I love centers around the fans. I do love how hockey is so firmly entrenched in the culture of Western New York and that Buffalo has a big small town feel (I mean this as a compliment for sure).

Have you discovered any favorite restaurants or areas in the city?

TB: Tempo and Spot Coffee on Delaware. The Elmwood/Delaware Park area.

Do you think your family will like it here?

TB: They will love it here.

In today’s world, professional sports has become big business. Since the change in ownership, the new attitude has brought an energy that makes it feel more like a sport again (by the way, congratulations on making the playoffs!). Can you tell me a little about your philosophy of a sports franchise as a business?

TB: I think it “feels more like a sport again” because Terry admittedly doesn’t run the hockey club like a business – he runs this business like a championship hockey club. His approach seems to have energized Buffalo fans all over the country, who have fallen in love with the 2010-11 Buffalo Sabres. Like the players, fans take their cue from the owner. If the owner obsesses about the bottom line, the fans will do the same. If the owner is consumed with the goal of winning the Stanley Cup, the fans (and players) will do the same.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

TB: We are driven by the thought of how much generational joy that a Stanley Cup will bring to the city of Buffalo and to the Buffalo diaspora. Thanks for being such great fans.

...................

I'd like to thank Ted Black again for his time and willingness to share his insight with the fans. The bridge that he and the Pegulas are building between themselves and the fans really shows how much they care.

Appreciation Day

2011-04-08T19:50:00.007-04:00

Just some random thoughts about the team's final home game of the regular season/fan appreciation day...

- I was pleasantly surprised and stoked that Miller was voted team MVP by the players themselves. A lot of fans would consider his season disappointing, and I understand those sentiments and agree to an extent. He didn't have the season he had last year, that's for sure and he didn't play as great as he's capable of in some games. But he was also apart of the team's great turnaround. That shouldn't go unnoticed. He wasn't the only player who started off the year poorly. They all did (yes, even Vanek!), and it reflected.

Some fans/media members disagree that he was chosen, but I think I hold the players' opinion on who should be the team MVP higher than the fans' or media's opinions. Fans and media see the player on the ice. Players see their teammates on the ice, in the locker room, on the road, etc. There is a lot that goes on "behind closed doors" that can attribute to being considered a team MVP, and I think the players would know that more than any fan or media member. So congratulations, Miller!!

And to those who don't agree with it, well...

- Speaking of the awards, I was glad that McCormick won unsung hero and Ennis won rookie of the year. Both great choices, and I love that the Sabres have implemented these awards at the end of the season. I'm sure it's fun for the players and it's definitely fun for the fans.

- The pre-game ceremony was an excellent idea and so much fun for everyone. Fans spanning from all generations were all excited to see their favorit players from their respective eras. It must have been a blast for all the alumni to come back into town and see everyone. My mom works at the hotel where all the alumni were staying, and she said that the guys were having a ball in the lobby seeing everyone arrive.

- I thought it was a great touch to have Joe Crozier walk out with Rene Robert and Gilbert Perreault holding Rick Martin's jersey when they were bringing out all the alumni out on the ice.

- Lindy putting Miller into the 3rd was an awesome move. He was just awarded team MVP, and we were trailing in the 3rd. Not saying Enroth deserved to be benched, but sometimes your team needs a spark and a goaltender change is usually the best way to do. Props to Lindayyyyy.

- Gerbe is da man. And should have asked for a congratulatory head pat from Carcillo.

- Seeing both teams just standing around waiting for the overtime was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. But it was awesome.

- Miller on the ice after the game pumping up the crowd was one of the best things I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy!

- PLAYOFFS BABY! Tickets go onsale Monday. :)

Proud Mama

2011-04-07T17:34:00.003-04:00

It sure is a fun and exciting time to be a Sabres fan, isn't it?

We've been through a lot with this team over the years, but this season has just felt...different. I think it's just from all the different twists and turns this team has taken since October. Fans were ready to throw in the towel earlier in the season, completely writing off the playoffs and just hoping that we would at least finish above the Leafs. Not only is it demoralizing to be at the bottom of the league, but it's even worse when the Leafs are ahead of you in the standings. Or maybe that's just me.

We then saw the team improve, but they were sort of just treading water because every few games they would win and then drop the next two. It was incredibly frustrating, but things got a little more interesting when the Sabres were able to move a few spots up in the standings and they officialy were in the talks of being a playoff bubble team.

Things took the best turn when Pegula took over. Things just felt a lot more positive and fans were simply in disbelief. It was a nice and an unfamiliar feeling... And things just went up from there. The Sabres are currently one point away from clinching a playoff berth and while nothing is officially set in stone yet, I'm just so proud of the team, the organization, and of being a Sabres fan.

I think the season so far really exemplifies why hockey is such a great sport. It's a long season, and anything really can happen. You can never be too sure what will happen in a season, a series, a game, a period, or even a shift. I mean who would have really expected that the key players of the team's most important game of the season (against the Hurricanes) would have been Enroth, Gragnani, and Butler?

I love the late season dramatics. Even during the Washington game, it was a frustrating game for Sabres fans, but it was such a fun game. I was disappointed that the Sabres were scored on late in the game to take it to overtime, but I couldn't help but take a second to realize how much fun it was to be so emotionally invested in a game. These late season games can sometimes be more exciting than playoff games because they have more on the line...when every single point counts, things get really interesting and the unexpected becomes a little more...expected.

It's been one hell of a ride and it isn't over yet, I can't wait for the game tomorrow and I can't wait to reassess the team and our situation once the game is over.

Memorial Service for #7

2011-03-24T20:45:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to touch on the memorial service for Rick Martin that was held today at the HSBC Arena.

I went with my mom and as we were sitting in our seats waiting for it to begin, we could already tell what a great service it was going to be. The lights were dimmed down low, Martin's banner was lowered down to the stage, and his favorite music was playing over the speakers.

Hearing Rick's loved ones talk about him onstage and remember memories of Rick was very emotional and bittersweet for the fans sitting in the stands. While a lot of fans were lucky to get to know Rick as a person after his hockey career, a lot of fans like me just knew Rick Martin the hockey legend, so it was nice to hear his friends, family, and teammates talk about what a great man he was.

The service was simple and elegant, and the photos that were shown on the jumbotron showed a man full of life who touched everyone's life who had the chance to know him.

Everyone's speech about Rick was great, but his son, Cory really nailed it. You could tell he was just speaking from his heart and he portrayed a wonderful man, hockey player, friend, husband, and father. It was especially moving when he said that it was comforting to know that his father now has the best seat in the house to watch the Sabres finish what he began. I also loved When Gilbert Perreault said, "Who knows, maybe in another life we'll reconnect again."

Buffalo and the hockey world lost a great man on March 13, but I'm proud that I was able to attend a service celebrating Rico's life, and I'm even more proud of the Sabres organization who put it together. It meant a lot to fans and I'm sure it meant so much to Rick's family. It was the perfect send off for number 7.

Was that real life?

2011-03-22T00:07:00.005-04:00

Uhh...so I think I needed a whole day to process last night's collapse against the Predators.

I was engaging in some delightful St. Patrick's Day parade activities and while doing so, I essentailly missed the entire game...except for the final 3 minutes. Yep. I caught a beauty.

Here's a basic rundown of my game watching experience and reaction at the bar:

Me: Yay! We're winning 3-1!!!! The parade was so much fun and now the Sabres are winning! This is the best Sunday EVER.

Me: PLAYOFFS HERE WE COME!!! Woah, did Nashville just score?

Me: WAIT...WHAT. Nashville...tie game...what?

Me: Jesus. Talk about a collapse. Get it together boys, it's now or never.

Me: It's okay. We'll get it back in overti---

*goes back to drinking and pretends like it was a big, drunken bad dream*

The Dominator and random thoughts...

2011-03-19T22:47:00.004-04:00

I was ecstatic when I found out that Dominik Hasek was going to be in town for the Thrashers game on Saturday. Hasek was one of my first Sabres idols when I was a kid. I've been going to Sabres games for as long as I can remember, but I guess Hasek was the first player that really stood out to me and he's the first player I associated as being a fan of. I've always been a fan of the Sabres, but when I was watching Dominik Hasek tend goal I realized I was a fan of him as an individual, as a goalie, as well as just being a fan of him because he was a Sabre.

So naturally as soon as I heard he'd be making an appearance on Saturday I immediately bought tickets. It was such a wonderful moment watching him step onto the ice in a Sabres jersey and hearing the reception he received from the fans. I was so proud and it instantly brought back memories of me as a kid cheering on Hasek. I still have posters that show him winning his numerous awards and playing on the ice. I was so glad to be apart of the crowd cheering him on and welcoming him back to Buffalo.

The memories also came flooding back when I heard his interview with Kevin Sylvester. Hearing that thick Czech accent and somewhat broken English brought me right back...I never realized how much I missed Dom! I never really had any ill will toward him when he departed Buffalo and I always kept tabs on him as Red Wing (and as a Senator), but it just felt so right seeing him back at the HSBC Arena. Hopefully we'll see his number hanging from the rafters soon.

Dommmm!!

Some other random thoughts from the game...

- Watching Miller making those sprawling saves made me realize how funny it would be to watch goalies make saves without any of their goalie gear on... Just imagine Miller or any other goalie in normal, every day clothes rolling around on the floor making saves. Come on, it's funny.

- I love the jabs that people in Buffalo make toward each other depending on what area from WNY you hail from. For example, one time at a game a lady with really poofy, 80s-stylish hair was standing up and was blocking everyone's few, and some guy was telling her to sit down but for some reason she refused to do so. So he goes, "Hey, why don't you take your Cheektowaga hair and sit the hell down."

Or another time at a game, some girl was very, very drunk and was making a fool out of herself and some guy turns to me and says, "Gotta love South Buffalo..."

And finally, the last game I was at there was a group of guys who were extremely obnoxious (but pretty funny) sitting behind me, and at one point they revealed that they were from North Tonawanda, and the guy sitting next to me says, "Soooo...who's surprised that those guys are from Tonawanda?? Not this guy!!"

It just makes me laugh because it's only something that someone from WNY would understand.

- Some guys in the section next to me were trying to start a "Let's Go Buffalo" chant the whole night, but they were getting the chant wrong! It's "Let's Go Buff-a-lo!", NOT "Let's Go Buffa-lo!" There's a difference!

- I'm digging the "Swords of a Thousand Men" as our goal song.

That's it for now... Until then, Let's Go Buff-a-lo!

PS...I just had to make a "Dominik Hasek" tag. If I had this blog in the late 90s, there probably would have been over 200+ entries tagged with "Dominik Hasek". Ahh, nostalgia.

Farewell, Rico

2011-03-15T18:13:00.007-04:00

It was hard to believe it was true when I first heard the horrible news of Rick Martin's death. Although I wasn't born during the French Connection days, I'm a Buffalo native and have been a Sabres fan for essentially my entire life, so I knew how special that line was. Like most Sabres fans, we had an immense pride that the French Connection was apart of our team, and the memories and their legacy will live on forever.

During my internship for the World Juniors, I got to meet Rick and the rest of the French Connection and I took their picture for the blog I was writing. It was the only time I met Martin (or Perreault or Robert), but I know over the years many fans in the area got to know him quite well. It's one of the great things about Buffalo being such a tight-knit community. Fans have a chance to befriend their childhood sports idols and see a more human side to them later in life. I think that's pretty special.

7, 11, and 14

I was also one of the lucky 18,690 fams who got to witness Terry Pegula's introductory ceremony and what would be the last time Robert, Perreault, and Martin would take to the ice as the French Connection. It was a wonderful moment for Sabres fans everywhere, and it's very poignant that Terry Pegula, a life-long fan, was able to reunite them before Rick died and I know that we're all very thankful for that now.

A fan with his heroes.

Aside from losing a great person, another thing that hurts about Rick's death is the fact that the French Connection will never be whole again. What made them so special and magical is what they created when they were on the ice together, and only having the two-thirds of the French Connection just seems so wrong. It was obviously bound to happen at some point, as no one lives forever, but it was just too soon. It's hard to believe and it's tough to take.

As I was reading, listening, and watching everyone's reaction to Rick's death, it made me realize how treasured hockey is to Sabres fans the people of Buffalo. Rick's death affected so many fans, ranging from those who remembered watching him play, to those who are relatively new fans, to those who aren't even from Buffalo and have never lived here, and to those (like me) who simply weren't born during Rick's playing days. But it still affected everyone, because we all knew how special he was, whether we got to see him play or not. Everyone was still shocked, saddened, and upset. And while I don't welcome the terrible feelings I got when I learned that he died, they were painful reminders of how much I love the Sabres and what this team means to me. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

So long, Rico...legends never die.

Movin' On Up

2011-03-10T21:47:00.003-05:00

I can't be the only person who immediately thinks of this song every time the Sabres climb up in the standings, right?

Took a whole lotta tryin', just to get up that hill. Keep it up ~~Boyes~~ boys!

WINNING!

2011-03-06T20:48:00.003-05:00

Charlie Sheen ain't the only one doin' it...

Enroth was outstanding, Drew Stafford won it for us in overtime with a beautiful goal that was reminiscent of Jason Pominville's OT goal against Ottawa, and best of all... ROB NIEDERMAYER SCORED!

Welcome to 8th place, Sabres.

LIKE A BOSS

2011-03-01T21:57:00.003-05:00

So who in charge do I have to speak to (I hope you're reading, Terry Pegula) in order to get a reenactment of this video?

Can't you picture it? Terry Pegula sitting down one-on-one with Miller for a performance review, and then the scene cuts to Miller in the hockey hallway with his teammates behind him singing about the things he does "like a boss"? Too bad I don't have the creativity to re-write the song or the power to get Terry Pegula, Ryan Miller, and the rest of the Sabres to agree to this music video. But certainly someone up high in the ranks does, right?

I think I know what I'm going to submit to the Sabres Suggestion Box. Let's do this.

A New Era, A New Hope

2011-02-24T18:47:00.005-05:00

There's not much else I can say about Pegula that hasn't already been said, but I'm just happy that he's the team's new owner. In the press conference, Pegula came off as down to earth and extremely excited about being the owner of the Buffalo Sabres. He made a connection with the fans and was genuine, which can sometimes be hard to do when you're a billionaire. Seeing Pegula break down in tears when he saw Perrault and the other Sabres alumni in the room was just so endearing, because it showed the honest emotions that sports can bring out in a fan.

I wanted to wait to write about the change in ownership until after I attended the game last night, because I knew it was going to be special. The fans are excited that Pegula is now the owner because we believe in him and his philosophy. We believe that he can be the right owner who can get the right players and personnel in to bring a Cup to Buffalo. But when I saw Pegula walk out to center ice with his family in front of the team and all the fans, I wasn't thinking about all that. I was thinking about just Pegula, and how excited and overwhelmed he must have been. I was happy for him. He said that it's been a life-long dream for him, and he told countless people over the years that he wanted to own the Sabres one day. And there he was, front and center standing next to his boyhood idol being embraced by tens of thousands of fans. I can't even imagine how that must have felt for him. He admitted after the game that the whole night was a blur for him, and that he didn't realize that it was Lindy who handed him the game puck until someone told him after.

Taken from Sabres.com

I just love that picture! I love Lindy, I love that Pegula stated that Lindy "ain't goin' nowhere", and I love that it was Lindy that handed Pegula the game puck.

I know some fans are approaching this change in ownership as being cautiously optimistic, which is understandable. We need to remember that an owner can't bring in a championship alone, that it takes a team. But I believe that Pegula's excitement is definitely contagious, for the fans and the players alike. The Buffalo News posted a photo slide show of the press conference, and the people in attendance were the players, the coaching and training staff, the media, and the employees of the Sabres. You could see a smile on the players' faces when they were listening to Pegula speak, and it seemed like they were all happy and excited to hear him talk. Thomas Vanek's latest blog entry is a real interesting read, he discusses how he believes that the "little things" that Pegula wants to give to the players and their families is going to make the team even more closer. He also said that he believes that Pegula owning the team is the best thing that could have happened to the team and the fans, which is great to hear coming from a player.

The last time I remember there being such a buzz and excitement about the Sabres was during their 2006 playoff run. Everyone seems to be inspired and full of hope, which is always a good thing. In an interview I saw on the news after the press conference, Ted Black said, "People may be thinking, 'This is too good to be true', but some things are too good and true." The jury still may be out on the second part, but many Buffalonians can relate to the first half. It's just great for everyone to be excited and it's just a great story all around. How can someone not get behind a guy like Pegula? A die-hard fan who worked hard to make his fortunes, and then fulfills a life-long dream and purchases his favorite sports team? It does almost sound too good to be true, but it happened. And I'm excited for the future, and I'm also excited for right now. It feels good. Let's go Buffalo!

Things I Hate In Hockey

2011-02-20T17:25:00.002-05:00

Well the Sabres answering their 3-game win streak with a 3-game losing streak is not what anyone wanted to see. The Sabres had fantastic opportunities to use their games in hand to win games and put themselves in a playoff position, but has failed at the task so far.

But instead of going on and on about how frustrating it has been to see them lose (especially to the Leafs...), I want to express my anger and frustration in more of a lighthearted way... By talking about my biggest pet peeves when watching hockey. We all have them, and it's time to air our grievances about the insignificant but annoying things in hockey!

I'm going to start off by saying I'm going to leave out the obvious annoyances (poor officiating, dangerous hits to the head, Maple Leafs fans, etc.) So here we go...

Things That Need To Be Eliminated From Hockey:

- fans banging on the glass
- fans who stand up and wave to the camera
- fans who automatically boo the opposing team's good player
- fans who boo and whine when a player on their team gets called on a very blatant, obvious penalty
- refs refusing to call a dive
- the word "soft" or "softie" when referring to a bad goal. Just call it weak, cheap, bad, etc. The word "soft" just absolutely rubs me the wrong way.
- the word "squirts"...I don't like that word ever. "Squirts", you stay away from hockey.
- the word "classless"...way overused
- the word "elite"...especially when referring to a goalie. "He's great, but is he elite?" I don't think many fans have enough knowledge to make to differentiate the two. "Elite" is another way overused term too.
- the phrase "and it isn't even close". Like when fans say, "This player is better than that player and it isn't even close." or, "This team is better than that team and it isn't even close." It's probably a lot closer than you'd think, you fools.
- Tyler Kennedy's face
- A good, clean, hard hit that results in the team jumping the other team.

I'm sure there's more, but these are all the things that came to mind right away. What small things bother you the most in hockey?

Thoughts on Miller

2011-02-14T14:14:00.007-05:00

I figured I should talk about Ryan Miller, because I'm sure you've noticed by now, he is one of my favorite people to talk about.

Miller, Miller, Miller. It's obvious he hasn't been at the level he was last season when he won the Vezina. But I think fans have to realize that he isn't going to win the Vezina every season. But I understand that now that he's won the Vezina, expectations are higher and criticism will be more frequent when he doesn't live up to standards. I understand all of that and there is nothing wrong with it. What bothers is me is how shortsighted fans can be. I mean, what the hell is up with WGR 550's latest poll on their website? Should Ryan Miller be apart of the "core" moving forward? You kiddin' me? I'm just glad owners and GM of sports teams aren't as rash as fans. I think it just comes with the position, but I feel like all of the great goaltenders in the NHL today have been called overrated at some point. Fleury, Price, Brodeur, Luongo, they have all been called busts or simply "overrated". Hell, Roy was practically run out of town in Montreal and Sabres fans used to boo Hasek at home.

Kate already brought this up in her latest post, but I think Corey Griswold made some great points last night on his Twitter page. Aside from last season, Miller's stats aren't that phenomenal. He's never really been a "Stats King", if you will. But stats aren't the be all and all, and they certainly don't tell the whole story. You can't look at Miller's current GAA, which is 31st in the league or something like that and say, "Oh, well that means that the 30 other goalies are clearly better than Ryan Miller." It just doesn't work that way. Miller's stats are bad this season no matter how you look at it, and that's an indicator of something, but I just wish fans could look at the broader picture at hand instead of being so hung up on the numbers.

I also want to touch on Miller's post-game reaction last night... I think people are making it a bigger deal than it is, but Buffalo is a small town so that's not surprising to me. Ryan was clearly frustrated, and he said so several times in his interview. I don't think John Vogl's original question was particularly bad, but I think it was quite obvious that Miller wasn't going to give any other answer than, "I feel fine." and he was irked by the question. But Vogl still pursued with the question which made Miller more annoyed. I understand Vogl must have been taken aback by Miller's reaction, but he's also a professional sports journalist and I think he knew what he was doing when he kept repeating the question to a very frustrated Miller.

As for Jerry Sullivan, I think he's a jackass. He really didn't have any business jumping in on the scuffle between Miller and Vogl, other than to further stir the pot. Which is what I think he wanted to do. I have no problem with Miller calling him out and them exchanging pleasantries (as Rick Jeanneret would put it). Sullivan apparently called Miller "thin-skinned", but to me it seems like Sullivan was the one acting a little too sensitive to Miller's criticism. Miller had a rough night and his temper was high, so his reaction may have not been professional, but it was understandable. Sullivan on the other hand, there really was no reason for him to be so bent out of shape and to insult Miller like that. Pro athtletes like Ryan Miller are the reason that sports columnists and reporters like Jerry Sullivan are even employed. There needs to be some level of respect. They can write their columns and reports and criticize players all they want, but I also think players/coaches have a right to dish it back out if they feel it is warranted.

All in all, I'm sure Miller would have handled the situation differently had it not been in the "heat of the moment", and I'm sure Vogl and Sullivan are used to athletes snapping at them because it just comes with the job. Miller having to answer to the media comes with his job to, but everyone involved in this is obviously human and mistakes will be made. I'm also not saying that any criticism Miller is receiving this season isn't deserved or is unfair, I just wish fans used a little more perspective in their criticisms.

Thoughts on Golisano's Press Conference

2011-02-03T18:08:00.004-05:00

I didn't get a chance to watch Tom Golisano's press conference until I got home from class around 5 tonight. I really did like the way the press conference went, and it was nice to hear Golisano talk about his accomplishments with the team during his tenure.

I think for the most part, fans are grateful for Tom Golisano stepping up at the right time when the Sabres were in turmoil and he's done a lot of positive things to the organization and the WNY community since then. But there are certain fans who quite frankly, are acting like spoiled brats with this whole thing. No, we didn't win a Stanley Cup during the Golisano Era, which is the ultimate goal. And these are the same people who expect Terry Pegula to come in riding on a white horse and change everything almost instantaneously in our glorious run to the Stanley Cup. Please.

Fans don't have to agree with every decision upper management makes, but it would be nice if fans could stop acting as if they know how to run a sports team and that every single fantasy deal is realistic. Obviously it's okay to be angry and impatient when things aren't going right, and it's natural to look for someone to blame. It's easy to pick out scapegoats; Golisano, Larry Quinn, Darcy Regier, Lindy Ruff, and certain players. The bottom line is it's a team and they win as a team and they lose as a team. There is no "quick fix", it just simply isn't easy to win a Stanley Cup. Sometimes great owners, general managers, coaches, and players can't bring home a Cup.

I'm not asking for Tom Golisano to be inducted into the Sabres Hall of Fame any time soon, but it would be nice to see fans be a little more gracious about Golisano's departure.

It's been real, Tommy G. It's been real.

With all that said, I can't wait to learn more about Terry Pegula and how he'll run the team. Over the next year or so during this transition phase, it's going to be very exciting and interesting for Sabres fans. Hopefully the players themselves can contribute to that excitment by playing some good hockey. Go get 'em, boys.

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2011-02-01T19:57:00.004-05:00

Hello strangers! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've been very busy working and going back to school, but the truth is that I just haven't been real inspired to write about the Sabres. But now that the Sabres are right in the thick of things in the playoff race coupled with the new revelations about the change in ownership, it's made me want to throw in my two cents.

It's exciting that the Sabres are only 6 points out of 8th place with 3 games in hand. It was so frustrating watching them play solid hockey and get the 2 points, but seeing them just treading in 12-11th place. I was actually pretty surprised to see how well their record has been lately, because it felt like every loss was just another nail in the coffin. But here they are, after the All-Star break and they have a chance to make a real run. In the past few seasons where the Sabres missed the playoffs, they put themselves in a position where they needed other teams to help them out by winning/losing certain games in order for them to make the playoffs. I hate that, I'm sure everyone does. It's not exactly an ideal position to be in. But as of now, the Sabres don't need any team's help as long as they can play good hockey and win their games.

I never realized how appropriate Michael Jackon's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was for the Sabres victory song. I'm sure everyone has heard it playing in the background of post-game interviews after a win. At first I thought it was just an amusing, goofy song to play because Michael Jackson isn't exactly the first musician you would expect to be playing in a professional sports team's locker room. But that's what the Sabres have been doing, they've been keeping on with the force even when things were pretty grim, and they have put themselves in a decent position. But there is still a lot of work to be done and it's going to be a hard-fought battle for the remainder of the season to make the playoffs. By the way, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is one of my favorite songs to dance to in the Michael Jackson: The Experience video game for the Wii. My birthday was last week and it was my birthday present...that game is ridiculously fun!

"Keep on with the force, don't stop. Don't stop 'til you get enough!" MJ speaks the truth, Sabres.

Moving on, today was quite the fun day for Sabres fans and the media, wasn't it? The Sabres have finally announced the sale of the team to Terry Pegula. It's always exciting when something new happens to a sports team, especially when it's something as big as new ownership. It gives plenty of things for fans and the media to speculate and fantasize about. Pegula seems like a man who loves hockey and who has wanted to own the Sabres for quite some time, so it's going to be fun to see what happens when he is officially handed the reigns.

Although I was disappointed to read The Buffalo News article on Pegula's gas drilling violations. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though, a billionaire who made his profits on natural gas drilling is bound to have some dirty laundry. While I'm no expert on how to become a billionaire (too bad), I'd imagine that ethics, morals, and honesty are sometimes put on the back burner when you're making your profits. But I love the Sabres and I always will, so I can only hope that Pegula will bring nothing but success to the team. I couldn't help but think of Paul Gaustad spitting out his Kick Save Krunch when was reading that article in the Sunday paper, though.

Sabres fans also found out about Darcy Regier's ~super secret~ contract extension he received last fall, which created quite a stir. Honestly, when I read the article I basically just shrugged to myself and said, "Oh, okay." I really didn't expect Pegula to come in and immediately fire Darcy, and even if that was his intention, he could still do so regardless of this extension. What did intrigue me though was the revelation that Lindy Ruff was offered an extension as well but rejected it. Which explains why the Sabres didn't publicize Darcy's extension, because questions would have been asked regarding Lindy's status had they announced Regier's extension. But why didn't Lindy take the extension? I love Lindy, and I'm attached to him. I'm not afraid to admit it either. I feel like sometimes fans are afraid to admit that they get attached to certain players or coaches because you're not "supposed to", like it makes you look unprofessional or something. Well guess what? I'm a fan and I get attached to players and I'm also attached to the head coach who has coached my beloved Sabres since 1997. My heart melted when I was watching his interview on the news and he smiled while he said, "Yeah, I want to be here." when he was asked. So why didn't you sign, Lindy?! The world may never know. I hope he sticks around though. I like that guy.

I'm Back!

2011-01-06T17:51:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm back by ~~popular~~ my own demand. The World Juniors has wrapped up which means that my internship with the Sabres is also complete. It was a great experience and I had a wonderful time doing it. It was a lot of work, but since I kept busy, the tournament really flew by and by the end of it I was surprised that it was already over. I met some great people during my internship, including a Russian reporter named Maria. When I first met her, Russia was on the brink of elimination in the preliminaries, so it was great to stay in touch with her throughout Russia's quest for the gold medal. Russia really impressed me throughout the entire tournament, and I couldn't believe that the managed to pull off another amazing come-from-behind victory in the gold medal game.

I really do think Buffalo was a great host city for the tournament due to the fact that WNY is a huge hockey area and since we are close in proximity to Canada. I know some people were disappointed that there was such a "Canadian Invasion" and that not enough Americans came out for the tournament, but let's be real here... This tournament is for the Canadians. They made the tournament what it is. While I'm proud to say that I'm an American hockey fan, the hockey culture up in Canada is just a completely different animal. Many Canadians joke about how they learned to ice skate before they learned to walk. Hockey is a way of life up there, and while over the past several years, USA hockey programs have taken great strides in the hockey world, Canada just has such a long and storied history when it comes to hockey. I just didn't think it was fair to believe that US hockey fans would ever come out in large numbers like the Canadians did, even though the World Juniors was held in the US.

I really think that the Sabres and the city of Buffalo did a great job hosting the tournament. Buffalo got a few insults here and there, but as a Buffalonian, I knew it was to be expected. But I also knew that people would be quick to defend the city, and while I think booing a 17-year-old who plays on your national team is uncalled for, I really liked reading the several columns that writers and analysts posted afterwords. This column (and the comments that were posted) written by Damien Cox was one of my favorites.

Anyways, onto the NHL... The Sabres are still on quite a rocky road, and it amazes me that a team with as much talent as they have are playing so poorly. There are a few bright spots; Stafford, Vanek, and Pominville seem to be getting on the scoring track, but it remains to be seen if they can stay consistent. Miller playing less-than-stellar has hurt the team and has also been pretty worrisome since his strong presence in net is so imperative to this team. Miller's play can also be reflected on our defense... It's no coincidence that when the defense is on Miller usually is as well, and vice versa. I really have no idea what to think of the team. While making the playoffs is still a reachable goal, I can't recall when the Sabres put out a stretch of great hockey this season, which is very telling. But I'll still be watching every game, hoping for the best.

I finished watching HBO's documentary, 24/7 on the Penguins and the Capitals and...wow. I was blown away with it. It was truly a must-see for any hockey fan and I enjoyed every minute of it. You could tell that whoever was in charge of the documentary really understood hockey inside and out and knew how to portray it. I really wish the NHL would do something like this more frequently, not just building up to the Winter Classic. It would be neat to do it every other month or something like that, and follow a team for a week or two. What do you have to say to that, NHL?

Well it definitely feels good to be back blogging here and for those of you who read my blog during the World Juniors, I really appreciate it. During the USA-Canada game I met a young woman named Amanda who told me that she reads my blog and that was really awesome. I'm glad I met her and I'm glad that she likes reading my blog! If you're reading right now, Amanda, it was great to meet you and I hope you keep reading. :)

Going On Hiatus

2010-12-26T11:38:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! Recently I mentioned that I'm going to be interning for the 2011 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, which means that I won't be posting on here during the duration of the Championships. Please make sure to check out the World Juniors official website, http://buffaloworldjuniors.com/ for updates. Also be sure to check out the official blog, http://buffaloworldjuniors.blogspot.com/, where I'll be posting about all the events and festivities going on in the city surrounding the Championships. We'll also be tweeting updates on @2011IIHFWorldJr, so be sure to follow us on Twitter as well!

Congratulations Are In Order

2010-12-21T14:23:00.004-05:00

The Sabres are kind of depressing me at the moment, so I don't know if I have it in me to dedicate a whole post discussing them and their current state. Let's just say that I'm getting a tad more worried as each game passes, and I hope that the team can get themselves in order...

So let's move onto something more positive, shall we? I know I'm not the first to ~break~ the story and I'm sure if you're reading this you're already aware of the news, but my favorite goalie in the entire world got engaged this past weekend! It's funny, even though Ryan is older than me, it's almost as if I've watched him grow up. I remember when he was on the Amerks and got called up to the Sabres. And now he's all grown up and getting married... They grow up so fast. :')

I volunteered at the Carly's Club holiday party last night and Ryan and his now fiancée, Noureen DeWulf were there. It was there that I heard that they got engaged and I got a glimpse of the ring...which I didn't see up close but looked beautiful (and very large haha) from afar. There had to be over 400 people in attendance and Ryan made sure to meet with everyone who wanted an autograph and a picture.

The WNY community has embraced Ryan so much over the last several years, and he's done so much to show his appreciation. I'm glad that he's met someone who he loves and makes him happy, because he most definitely deserves it. I've met Noureen a handful of times at Catwalk for Charity, and she came up and said hi to me at the holiday party last night (I'm assuming she recognized me from Catwalk), and she's always been so nice and Ryan seems very happy when they're together.

So congratulations to Ryan and his lucky lady! Maybe the exciting news will inspire Ryan's teammates to want to play a better in front of him... (a fan can dream).

Here's a photo of Ryan and a fan (and Santa!) from the party last night:

You can see more photos from the event right here.

SIQ GAME

2010-12-04T21:57:00.002-05:00

Ryan Miller has back-to-back shutouts! Everything is amazing! I said before the shootout how pissed I would be if I was a goalie and lost 1-0 in a shootout. Apparently Brian Elliot is still credited with a shutout, but lost the game... But Ryan Miller on the otherhand...

(I made that .gif a long time ago and I've been dying to use it)

Thoughts on Jim Kelley

2010-12-01T17:25:00.002-05:00

I was saddened to hear last night that Jim Kelley had passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer. If you grew up in the Buffalo area then you remember reading Kelley's columns in The Buffalo News. You remember the infamous Hasek incident. And anyone who follows hockey knows Jim as one of the most respected hockey writers in the league and a Hall of Famer.

I remember about a year or so ago reading one of Kelley's columns on Sportsnet.ca where he briefly mentioned that he was battling cancer and it was pretty serious, but he didn't want to elaborate much other than that. So hearing that he died last night was a painful reminder that he had been battling the disease and he unfortunately succumbed to it.

Being a columnist, especially in sports, can naturally be a controversial position to hold given you're interjecting your opinion in your writings, and even though Jim had his fair share of critics over the years (see Hasek, Dominik), he was always respected for his hockey insight even if everyone didn't always agree with him at times.

I'm not sure where I planned for this post to go, but I just felt like I should say few things about his death because I was so saddened and surprised to hear about it. If you haven't already checked it out, Mike Harrington posted some great columns written by Jim over the years, including a fascinating recollection of the controversial "No Goal" against Dallas in the Finals. He also posted various tribute columns written by others that are worth reading as well.

My thoughts go out to Jim's family and friends, and his hockey insight will be sorely missed by many hockey fans throughout the league.

Sabres Fans Atwitter Over Rumor

2010-11-30T16:37:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I stumbled across a thread on a message board where people were discussing rumors about the Sabres being sold to a man named Terry Pegula. Then last night on Twitter, TBN writer Mike Harrington sent out a coy tweet telling Sabres fans to stay tuned for an exciting story that would be posted today. And here we are.

I feel like ever since Golisano bought the team there have been various rumors that have sparked about him selling the team, but this one seems to have generated a lot more interest with the more credible sources out there, such as The Hockey News and TSN. Obviously right now the Sabres are downplaying the rumor, which is to be expected considering the rumor essentially broke today.

Personally, I think there is a lot truth behind Pegula having a serious interest in buying the team, but I am wary about all the "information" that has come about that has to do with the letter of intent and when all of this will be official. In this day and age with Twitter, blogs, and message boards, it's so easy for people to get ahold of certain things and run away with it. Hell, if Matthew Barnaby's tweet about Roy punching Tim Connolly at Catwalk for Charity can generate a buzz among the hockey world, then we ought to be a little cautious when people start reporting details about all this.

Still, it's fun for fans to speculate. He's filthy rich, his wife is an avid Sabres fan, and he has strong ties to hockey. Which all bodes well for Sabres fans. I've always respected that Tom Golisano said that he is open to selling the team as long as the owner will keep the team in Buffalo. It's certainly going to be interesting and a lot of fun to see how all of this unfolds.

Moving onto the team, with the Sabres being off until Friday, I was going to get around to putting up a post describing my current feelings towards the season so far. Which could be summed up in one word basically: uncertain. I wanted to make a big post about my feelings and where to go from here, but with all this talk about the team being sold, that doesn't seem very interesting now, does it?

Catwalk for Charity V Recap

2010-11-22T13:41:00.004-05:00

SO. This year was their 5th year and it was 80s themed and everyone was pretty into it. This year seemed to be a lot more crowded than last year, I don't know if they sold more tickets than year's past or something but it just felt more crowded. It was a lot harder to talk to Ryan because there were a lot of people and media that wanted to talk to him, plus he was hanging out with his lady friend the entire night, but I made sure to shake his hand and congratulate him on last year with the Olympics and him winning the Vezina. I made sure to get a picture with him because it's like a ~yearly tradition~ for me to get a picture haha.

I also got a picture with Ryan's awesome younger brother Bryce and his dad Dean. I volunteered with them over the summer when they needed help at an event selling Steadfast memorabilia so it was nice seeing them again. Dean is HILARIOUS...which I'm sure you will be able to tell from the picture of us haha.

Bryce and me

Dean and I

When it was time for the auction Ryan came onstage in a Tommy Lee/Motley Crue outfit which was hilarious for everyone to see... Some of the auction items were traveling with the team to a road game, having Ryan Miller come over to your house for dinner, a replica of his Olympic mask, and an adorable bb toy poodle.

Ryan was also surprised with a custom made guitar inspired from his Olympic mask, which was painted by the same man who paints his masks, Ray Bishop.

American hero

But the real fun starts when the players strut their stuff on the catwalk.

Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale, as Wayne and Garth!

Dean strutting his stuff.

The most hilarious part of the catwalk was when Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis were dressed as Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger from the movie Twins and Myers was carrying Ennis on his back!

Blurry pic, but you get the idea.

Then at the end of the fashion show the players come out in their normal clothes, which made me kind of sad to see Ryan changed out of his Tommy Lee outfit, because I would have loved to have gotten a picture with him in his costume. Oh well, there will be plenty of other opportunities to get a picture with Ryan dressed as a member of Motley Crue...

So after the fashion show a band comes onstage to perform and the party sort of winds down from there. My friend Steph and I hung out for a little bit and I saw Ryan on my way out and I thanked him and congratulated him on another successful Catwalk and I told him how much fun I had and I said that I hoped that his ~lower body~ would feel better soon. All in all it was another fun night and there was a lot of money raised for a wonderful cause at the same time. Catwalk for Charity is definitely the party of the year in Buffalo, after attending them year in and year out, I can say that the night is still full of surprises and it's always a great time. You never know what's in store when you go to Catwalk, but you always know that you will have a great time and there will be a lot of money raised to support Ryan's Steadfast Foundation!

You can see a lot more pics I took over on my Flickr page.

Exciting News!

2010-11-15T16:14:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I have some exciting news that I want to share with you. I got an internship with the Sabres to work as a Media intern for the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships! I will be writing feature stories on news and events that will be going on in the area pertaining to the tournament and may also be doing game reports and recaps that will be posted on the World Junior's official website.

I was originally hired as PR intern but a few days ago I was contacted about the Media internship and was asked to come in and interview for the position if I was interested.

I'm extremely excited about this opportunity and I can't wait for it to begin. It's going to be a wonderful experience and it's going to be interesting to cover such a big event.

Anyways, just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I've been pretty tight-lipped about it but I decided that it was time to share the news!

Forty: The Sabres in the NHL

2010-11-14T19:54:00.005-05:00

So right now everyone is feeling prettaayyy, prettaaayy, prettaaaayyy good now that we have FINALLY seen our two sports teams win at home! And we're all still reminiscing over Vanek's SIQ GOAL. Sometimes sports is all about living in the moment, and right now, things just feel good. So if you're in the mood to reminisce a little more, head over to the Albright-Knox art gallery for the Sabres exhibit.

That's what I did today with a few friends. And it was really awesome. I could have easily spent hours in there just looking at all the great photos that were taken over 40 years. Accompanying the great pictures were video compilations of various things. Highlight reels focused on the goalies, the fights, and the fans. Lindy and Ryan Miller were the commentators in the goalie video where they talked about the great goalies over the years, mostly focused on Dominik Hasek of course. Then Rob Ray, Matthew Barnaby, and Brad May were the main commentators in the fights compilation. It was fun to weave through the exhibit looking at all the pictures while hearing classic Rick Jeanneret calls, fans cheering, and the goal horn that were coming from the videos.

The coolest part of the exhibit was the NHL in 360º feature that they had. You went in a room that had a huge projection on the wall where you got to see a Sabres game through the perspective of the players. You got to see what it's like to be sitting on the bench during the action and having Lindy bark orders in your ear. You got to see what the game looks like in Ryan Miller's perspective, when the action is right by the net or when he is making a save. You got to see it through the skater's eyes, and you got to see what it's like to change on the fly. It was all really awesome. I could have sat in that room alone for a few hours just to take it all in.

The exhibit runs until January 9th so you still have plenty of time to see the exhibit, I'm sure I will be there a few more times before it ends. The Cup and other trophies will also be at the art gallery from January 2nd-5th to go along with the World Juniors. I've seen the Cup when it was at the art gallery before, and I'd highly recommend going... You get to see it up close and touch it just like you would able to at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Other trophies like the Vezina Trophy will also be there too, which will be especially cool to see now that our very own Ryan Miller is now a proud winner of the award.

Here are some pictures I took at the exhibit...

My friend Saletha getting cozy with Ryan Miller.

Our coach.

Great shots of the fans in the stands over the years.

I just love this one!

You can see more pictures I took at the exhibit right here.

For Thomas Vanek:

2010-11-13T21:53:00.003-05:00

^ click

Thank you giving the Sabres their first home win. Sweet, sweet victory!

Love,
Caroline

Catwalk Preview!

2010-11-11T22:37:00.003-05:00

The Sabres have had their ups and downs so far this season, but they put out better efforts in their last road trip which resulted in some wins. There was a great come-from-behind shootout victory against the Leafs, which was especially sweet because it was against the Leafs. Jhonas Enroth also picked up his first NHL victory. Then the Sabres also came from behind in New Jersey, and with the help of Ilya Kovalchuk, the Sabres won their second straight in another shootout and Lindy Ruff got to see a victory in his 1,000th game coaching the Sabres.

Unfortunately the Sabres fell short in New York against the Rangers where I thought they played a real solid game and Enroth came up with some big saves. The proponents are all there, but the Sabres just need to play a smarter game. And Vanek needs to make an appointment with a sports psychologist. All was not completely lost, as the Sabres did pick up a point which is better than nothing I suppose. Just have to keep building off the positives at this point.

So Sabres fans probably all feel a bit of mixed emotions right now, at least we can focus on something that is uplifting and exciting... Catwalk for Charity is next Sunday! It always creeps up on me. I look forward to it all year, buy my tickets as soon as they go onsale, and then all of a sudden it's right around the corner. I can't wait to see all the Sabres and everyone else dressed up in their 80s glam outfits and I can't wait to take a bunch of pictures and eat good food and drink awesome drinks and raise a lot of money for The Steadfast Foundation.

I was browsing on Steadfast's website today, and I saw a new video that was posted showing what Ryan's foundation does for all the young patients at Roswell. Be sure to watch it so you know where all the money that is raised at Catwalk for Charity goes to!

I also saw that they posted all of the live auction items that will be auctioned off this year... These are always fun to look at. I'm excited to see that the actor that played Scut Farkus (Zack Ward) in A Christmas Story will be in attendance at Catwalk this year. Watching A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve and on Christmas is sort of family tradition. I remember watching it at my grandparents' house on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. And I still laugh at it as if I'm watching it for the first time! It's a classic. So it'll be fun to see Scut Farkus in the flesh. There are tons of other fun auction items up for grabs this year... The Buffalo Sabres road trip where two fans get to travel with the team to a road game would be awesome.

But the best auction item is obviously the dinner at your house with Ryan Miller. Now THAT would be sick. Imagine texting your friends, "Oh sorry, I can't go out tonight...Ryan Miller is coming over for dinner." No big deal or anything. Although it would be kind of stressful to cook up a meal for the occasion (although it does say in the description that he's a fan of chicken parm). I would imagine that if he came to my house I would probably act like a little kid and give him a tour. "And THIS is where I watch TV." "THIS is MY desk." "THIS is MY giant poster I have of you hanging up in my bedroom." "And THESE are all MY Ryan Miller jerseys!" Ahh, yes. Who knows, if you get enough alcohol in me, maybe I will be the lucky one to have Ryan Miller as my guest! Dare to dream...

Anywaysss....if you're going to Catwalk and you see me make sure you say hi! And if you're not going, I will post my annual recap of the event along with a bunch of photos as always.

Buffalo: This Place Matters

2010-11-05T18:33:00.004-04:00

So with the Bills and the Sabres both in dead last in their respective leagues, things aren't going so well in the big, bad Buff... We're all feeling a mixture of emotions that include confusion, anger, disappointment, and sadness when it comes to our sports teams. We're not sure when things are going to turn around. But things aren't all that bad, and there are reasons to be proud and optimistic. Check out this video that was presented by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau and Paget Films. It highlights the features of our city and they really did a beautiful job. Who knows what's going to happen with the Sabres game tonight, but this video will be sure to cheer you up:

Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

2010-11-02T13:57:00.009-04:00

If you're friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, then a few of you might have been aware that this past weekend I flew down to DC to attend Jon Stewart's/Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. I don't want mix my political views on my Sabres blog (but really, you should go out and vote today), but I know a few of you wanted a recap about my experience, so at the risk of me maybe getting a little "too political" for some people's liking, here it is...

My mom and I flew down to Baltimore on Friday morning and arrived to DC via train around 11:30 am. I have been to DC twice before, and my mom lived there for a few years before she was married with kids, so we decided that we weren't going to spend too much time doing any sight seeing. Both times I was in DC that's what I did, but other than that I wasn't very familiar with the area. I wanted my mom to show me around the places that she used to go when she lived there, so that's what we did. We decided that we should check out where the rally was going to be so we could scope out the area and figure out what the best way to get there would be and where would be the best subway stop to get off at.

Everything was set up already and we were able to walk right up to the stage and there were a few other people hanging around the area checking everything out. My mom and I decided to get a picture of us by the stage because we knew that tomorrow was going to be crazy and we probably wouldn't get another chance to be so close to the stage.

After we checked out the stage, we grabbed something to eat and then headed up to Georgetown. Georgetown is gorgeous! There are many restaurants and high end shops and there are so many beautiful townhouses that have been around for hundreds of years. This was my favorite place to take pictures. I couldn't get over how beautiful the townhouses were and how posh I would feel to live in one of them. My mom and I went to the clothing store Anthropologie which was a lot of fun because we don't have an Anthropologie around here but I get their catalogue and it's always fun looking at their beautiful clothes.

Townhouses on Potomac ave in Georgetown

Clothing store on Potomac

Georgetown

After we spent some time in Georgetown, my mom wanted to take me to a restaurant called The Fish Market in Old Town (Alexandria, VA) that she used to eat at when she lived there. Old Town also had the swanky, high end feel like Georgetown, but it also had a more charming, quaint feel to it as well. I liked that it was so close to water (the Potomac River) and it was a real enjoyable walk to the restaurant. My favorite food is probably seafood and The Fish Market definitely did not dissapoint. My mom and I got peel-n-eat shrimp which were delicious.

Walking into the restaurant, I noticed there was a sports bar called Bugsy's. I did a little bit of research before my trip to see what bars in the area would have the Sabres game on and Bugsy's was one of the places I found in my search. At the time I didn't even realize it was right next to The Fish Market, so it was a nice surprise when I walked up and saw it was right there. Bugsy's is owned by a man named Bryan "Bugsy" Watson who is a former NHL player who won a Cup in Montreal. He was a real nice guy and he walked around to make sure that everyone was enjoying themselves. He also bought my mom and I a few drinks which was real nice. I knew I was in the right place when I saw old pictures of Bugsy back in his playing days. There was also a guy wearing a Sabres jersey and a hat waiting for the game to start. Later on a guy came in wearing a Miller USA jersey. There were a few people in there who were former Buffalonians so it was nice talking to them...the bartender was also from Buffalo. Even though the Sabres lost, I still had a good time talking with everyone and watching the game with everyone. If you happen to be in the DC area when the Sabres are playing, this is a perfect place to watch the game.

The next morning, my mom and I woke up at 7 am and we were planning on heading to DC by 8:30. The rally started at noon, but there was a pre-show at 10. We knew that there was going to be a huge turnout, so we wanted to get there as early as possible. When we arrived at the train station around 8:30, we discovered that trains to DC were sold out until 12:30. We quickly got a few other people to split a cab with us to take to DC which cost us around $20 bucks a person. Our cab driver was awesome! DC was a mess with a ton of traffic and roads closed because of the rally, but he was able to drop us off right by the mall right where the rally was held. I am very grateful for that because later I found out that many people got stuck in the subways due to the abundance of people riding them to the rally and they didn't get there much later. It was a blessing in disguise that the train tickets were sold out by the time we got there because we probably would have been among the people who were stuck in the subways if we had gotten on the train. A cab driver told me that some of the lines at the stations were so long that they streched up above ground and wrapped around the block. Yikes...talk about an uncomfortable train ride! I also heard that many people got stuck in Baltimore due to the trains being sold out and a lot of cab drivers refused to drive people to DC because of the traffic. So we really lucked out.

I could feel the energy as soon as I stepped out of the taxi and started walking towards the rally. Everyone was very excited and there were hilarious signs all around... The closer to the rally the more crowded it got. There were people in costume, photographers, and reporters all over the place. I even saw a few people wearing Miller USA jerseys! I was disappointed in myself for not thinking of wearing mine... It would have been a perfect way to be patriotic while showing off my Ryan Miller/Buffalo pride all at the same time. My mom and I saw the ~VIP section~ and like "jedi masters", as some guy referred to us as, we snuck in haha. We were really close to the stage! It was really cool. We were right next to the "real" VIP section where the press and others were watching. It was cool seeing those people walk in. I saw many people from the Daily Show and Arianna Huffington which was neat. Here are some funny signs that I saw at the rally...there are a bunch of hilarious ones that you can view here.

Since we were so close to the stage, it was hard for us to really grasp on how many people were in attendance, but from the loud cheers that echoed off in the distance and seeing countless people endlessly pour in, we could tell that there were a lot. The rally started off with The Roots peforming and then John Legend joined them. They were great and it got everyone pumped up. The whole rally was aired live on Comedy Central, so I'm not sure how many of you watched, but I'm not going to give a total play-by-play rundown of the rally just incase. My favorite parts of the rally was Guido Sarducci's benediction. What can I say? He's just hilarious and he provided some great humor. But my favorite part was seeing CAT STEVENS! I am a HUGE Cat Stevens fan and I was both surprised and ecstatic when Jon Stewart introduced him. It was hilarious when Colbert interrupted him playing Peace Train and then had Ozzy Osbourne come onstage to perform Crazy Train. I was almost in tears when Ozzy Osbourne and Cat Stevens were battling onstage trying to peform their respective songs. I think it was the highlight of the rally. The only complaint I have is that I wish Cat Stevens could have performed more songs (or at least finish Peace Train).

Me and some patriotic dudes

Uncle Sam

Marilyn even made it out to the rally!

The Roots

Cat Stevens!

Colbert & Stewart

I took a bunch more pictures...you can view the rest here and if you want to see the rest of the pictures I took around DC, you can view them here.

All in all, it was a great event and in the end my mom and I were so glad that we decided to take the trip. I'm glad that the rally was held by two comedians, it made it more welcoming for people from all over the political spectrum to attend. It wasn't about what your political affiliation was, it was about people wanting to finally feel like they can have a voice in the direction they want the country to head without being too extreme about certain issues. I think in the world of politics as of late have just gotten so polarizing and black and white, and I think that most of the most reasonable and knowledgeable people in this country have felt shut out. People have been turned off by the constant bickering and mud slinging and the extremeness of it all. It's not surprising that a lot of people have become jaded by politics, but it's also disappointing because I think that as citizens we should all try to be more informed about what's going on and try to be a little more involved...we all live in this country for better or for worse, and we all have some sort of duty to ourselves to want to be apart of it. I think that this is what this rally was all about... People are sick and tired of the complete opposite ends of the political and social spectrums getting all the media attention, when there are so many of us in the "middle" who want a voice too. The point of the rally is in its title...to restore sanity. It was really inspiring and assuring to be around so many people who feel the same way. The rally was a fun, light-hearted way for us to show our pride and to say that we have a voice too.

After the rally, my mom and I decided to head out of downtown DC because it was completely mobbed, so after walking a few blocks we found a cab and headed back to Georgetown for dinner. After dinner I wanted to check out another bar that I found in my research that played the Sabres games. I ended up at Kelly's Irish Times on Capitol Hill. When I walked in I wasn't sure I was in the right place because the entire bar was decorated with police patches, but tucked away behind the bar surrounded by all the police memorabilia, I saw a Ryan Miller picture with the saying "Miller Saves" on it so I knew I was where I was supposed to be! I met a guy who went to UB and I also talked to a guy from Boston who said that the Sabres are his 2nd favorite team (behind the Bruins). I also talked to some Caps season ticket holders who were kind enough to buy me a shot of tequila while I was watching that debacle of a game.... Thanks Navi, wherever you are!

Sign I saw at the bar. I like that there is an Orchard Park Fire Co. hat next to Ryan's picture!

After my mom and I made it back to Baltimore we immediately went to bed after our exhausting weekend. Our flight from Baltimore left around 12:30. Being in the airport on Halloween was a lot of fun because a lot of people were in costume. It was funny seeing some girls in their skimpy little costumes in line at security, since security is supposed to be such a no nonsense, serious zone. I even saw two people dressed up as the Spartan cheerleaders from SNL and they did a routine at their gate. We made it back to Buffalo in time for me to carve pumpkins, pass out candy to trick-or-treaters, and get in my costume (I was a she wolf, ah-wooo!) and go out with my friends.

My costume!

It was a crazy weekend but it was so nice to get away for a bit and do something like that. I'm glad that I can say that I was there!

Yo mama's so ugly they renamed Halloween "Yomamaween".

2010-10-31T14:31:00.002-04:00

Or more like, Yo mama's so ugly they renamed Halloween "Last night's game against Dallas."

Haahh... Just kidding, but not really. I just got home from attending John Stewart's/Stephen Colbert's rally in DC. I'm going to post a big recap on the event and my time in DC, so stay tuned for that. Until then, I hope everyone has a great Halloween!

Just a reminder...

2010-10-22T13:49:00.005-04:00

Tickets for this year's Catwalk for Charity are now onsale, you can print out the order form right here!

And just incase you needed another reason to attend this year's event, well, I'll just leave this here...

Taken from Catwalk for Charity's page on Facebook. Be sure to "like" it to see other gems such as this picture.

My friend and I are going shopping next week for our outfits, so I'll be sure to use this photo as ~inspiration~.

Sabres Win, Cody McCormick is HOTTT.

2010-10-21T01:50:00.004-04:00

The Sabres won tonight!! Wasn't it a wonderful feeling? We were deprived of that feeling for 6 whole months, then the Sabres won their season opener and got us all feeling excited and ready to take the journey that is the 2010-2011 season, but then they decided to make us feel all gross and confused by subsequently losing their next 5 games.

To be honest, I was pretty apathetic about the Sabres losing. It sort of worried me. I was concerned that I wasn't concerned. While I was watching the Sabres play god awful hockey, basically all I did was say some sarcastic, smart ass remarks and then I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "Whatever." A few seasons ago, I probably would have developed a stomach ulcer by this point.

But my apathy shifted when I was watching the game tonight. This was me when the Sabres went up 3-0 against the Thrashers:

Sooo, I think it's safe to say that I'm not worried about my lack of concern anymore.

I also think it's safe to say that the Sabres are feeling prettayyy, prettayyyy, prettaaaayyy good about snapping their losing streak. In Ryan Miller's post-game interview, you can hear Paul Gaustad shouting in the background about how hot Cody McCormick is. I'm not sure if he means "hot" as in that he's scoring goals, or "hot" as in that he's one sexy individual. I don't think it's my place to make the distinction, so I'm going to say that Paul meant both. I always thought McCormick looked like one of those crazy kids in high school that you were always nice to, just incase they were making a "list" of some sort incase they decided to do something sinister. But I think that's what makes him so endearing to Sabres fans, no? That and the fact that he's been scoring. I don't want to take credit for his goals or anything, but 8 is my all-time favorite number, sooo.... Just putting that out there.

Thoughts on the Season & Pommer's Hit.

2010-10-12T16:07:00.009-04:00

Well, the season hasn't started off as well as any of us would have liked, but it definitely isn't time to get overly worried. With last season's early exit in the playoffs combined with the disastrous Bills, which at this point is almost comical (I say "almost" because it's not funny anymore when they have been this bad for this long), Buffalo fans were eager for the season to start and we were all hoping for better results.

We are really fed up with the Bills being 0-5, so with the Sabres being 1-2-0, it doesn't make anyone feel good. I think some us need to remember that there are more than 16 games in an NHL season. In fact, there are 82 of them. So we all need to relax and ride out the next few weeks until we can really gauge where this team is at. There have been some bright spots (Roy, Stafford), there have been some uncertainties (where is our defense?), and then there have been downright ugly moments (Hjalmarsson's hit on Pominville).

Which brings me to the hit... I'll try not to say much because I'm sure my thoughts on the hit are basically the same as most people. But I am just sick and tired of how much of a gray area there is when it comes to illegal hits like this. Was the hit an intent to injure? Does the player have a history of dirty hits/plays? It's all bullshit. How many times am I going to have to say "The NHL really needs to crack down on hits like this"? The league needs to implement a 0 tolerance policy on hits like this. I don't care if the player wasn't intentionally trying break a player's neck and leave him concussed. I don't care if the player has never done this before. Hjalmarsson's hit on Pominville was stupid, unnecessary, and dangerous. With hits like that, it should be an automatic suspension, plain and simple. Why would anyone think that these kind of hits will cease if the NHL has a reputation for being completely inconsistent when it comes to the consequences?

It's time for the NHL to stop referring to their flow chart on how to suspend players. I know fans have touched on this before, but I think a good way to decide how long a player should be suspended for is to see how long the injured player will be out for. You hit a player and now he's going to be out for a month? Have fun sitting in the press box for a month without pay. Or how about if a 4th line goon takes out a star player, maybe that team should sit out their star player until the injured player is ready to return. Maybe that would take care of the kind of hits like Cooke's hit on Savard which is still keeping him from playing. I know it would be too controversial and complicated to implement a rule like that, but at this point, I think going to extremes like that might be the only way to stop these foolish and dangerous plays that cheapen the game.

Thoughts on Preseason

2010-10-02T12:29:00.004-04:00

Happy October, everyone! October is a great month... The weather is beautiful, the leaves are changing colors, pumpkins, (spiked) cider, Halloween... And... HOCKEY!

The season opener for the Sabres is this Friday, October 9th and they are just about to wrap up preseason. They have one more game tomorrow against the Flyers, but I just wanted to give my thoughts about what I've seen (more like heard) so far.

- After I attended the preseason opener against the Leafs, I mentioned that it's been hard for me to get a read on Gerbe. Since then I think he's had a real impressive preseason and you can tell that he is trying to work for a spot on the Sabres roster. He's scored some goals for us and he plays with a lot of heart despite his size. While he has been solid, I still wonder where exactly he would fit on the team. I think that he is still going to have to remain in Portland and wait for when a call-up is necessary.

- Luke Adam had a great game against Montreal...seems to have great offensive prowess.

- I think Enroth has looked really solid... I expect him to have a great year in Portland and I'm sure he'll be seeing more playing time with the Sabres than he did last year.

- All in all, I'm liking what I'm seeing out of our vets, which is pretty important. I'm looking forward to seeing what Vanek and Roy can do for us this year. I'm sure that they know that they have a lot of expectations to live up to and I'm interested to see if they can live up to the task.

- Drew Stafford has been refreshing... He has the potential to be a real difference maker, but last season was real lackluster for Drew and a big disappointment for Sabres fans. There have been numerous articles and stories with comments from Stafford where he has mentioned that he made adjustments in the offseason to improve his game, both physically and mentally. So far he's looked good. Ryan Miller sat down with ESPN and he was asked which player does he expect to have a breakout year and Ryan was quick to say Stafford. He said that he gets a sense that it could be a big year for Drew, so it'll be interesting to see how things shake out... But as of now, things are looking good. You can watch Ryan's interview with ESPN here. It's a good one, towards the end of it he talks about the wonderful eating habits that college teaches us.

- Mike Grier is awesome. I don't think I need to elaborate much more on that.

So a new season is upon us and it's time to get very excited! Incase you're still having trouble getting excited for hockey, I'll just leave this here...

It's a commercial for the NHL featuring Ryan Miller and he's doing what he does best...being sassy and fierce. Wow...it's been too long since I've used the word "sassy", don't you think?

Look at this Goalie

2010-09-27T17:23:00.005-04:00

Talented, flawless, amazing, wonderful, the next Richard Avedon, etc.

A few weeks ago, 20 NHL stars were in NYC promoting the start of the NHL season. One of the activities that took place during the media tour was Ryan Miller photographing a few of the NHL stars for Vanity Fair. It was a clever promotion because as a goalie, Ryan is used to players taking shots at him, and now it was his turn to do his own shooting....BEHIND THE LENS! I'm sure most of us know that photography is one of his biggest hobbies so I was excited to see how the pictures turned out. You can see the pictures and read the story that goes along with them here.

Let's take a look at the amazing, wonderful, stunning photographs that Ryan took:

Here he captured Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist in an almost sullen, melancholy tone. Perhaps as Ryan was photographing him, Lundqvist started reminiscing over the fact that he is 0-3 when it comes to Vezina nominations, while Ryan is a perfect 1-0. Henrik can always take solace in the fact that he is a pretty snappy dresser.

Again, Ryan seems to capture Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins in deep thought, with a touch of saddness in his face. When Bergeron saw Ryan he was probably reminded of the playoffs last year where he and the Bruins eliminated Ryan and the Sabres in Round 1. But as soon as Ryan was about to snap the picture, Bergeron was immediately reminded that his Bruins were then eliminated by the Flyers in Round 2 after being up 3 games to none in the series, which in turn resulted in Bergeron looking so somber in this photograph.

Here Ryan captured Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning looking very poised and confident, and.... Um... Let me just remind everyone that Ryan had NO part in the styling of this photoshoot.

As you can see, Ryan does a superb job at bringing out the raw emotions of his subjects and really knows how to convey the true essence of the photograph to his viewers. He is such an artist, both on and off the ice.

Recap on the Sabres/Leafs Opener

2010-09-26T16:54:00.008-04:00

Hockey is back! It feels so good to say that. I love the feeling you get when the lights finally dim down after you've been sitting in the arena with a few thousand hockey fans waiting for the game to start. I love hearing the announcer announce the starting lineup (especially how he says RYAN MILLERRRRR). I love hearing the Canadian and American anthems (especially when they're sung by Doug Allen). I love hearing the announcer shout, "NOW LET'S PLAY SOME HOCKEY!" It's enough to get any hockey fan excited and preseason hockey is a nice reminder for fans that hockey is finally back. Here's a little recap of my game experience:

- I went to the game with my good friend from Cleveland who I hadn't seen in several months. She is also a huge Ryan Miller fan and I hadn't seen her since the beginning of the last season, so while we were sitting in our seats waiting for the game to start we talked about Ryan's Olympic performance and him winning the Vezina which was nice.

- I was hesitant to wear my Miller Team USA jersey because I knew I would be in the company of a bunch of Leafs fans who are both: a) Canadian and b) don't like Ryan Miller (the feeling is mutual, bitches!)... But I decided that I'm not going to let stupid Leafs fans get in the way of what I want to wear in MY arena and I'm proud of owning a Miller USA jersey, so I wore it with pride.

- With that said, no one gave me a hard time over the jersey and the Leafs fans that I experienced were mild mannered. I'm guessing that has to do with the fact that it was a preseason game, but when I was in Toronto last year for a preseason game, things were pretty hostile.

- I didn't really go to the red carpet festivities (I sort of sashayed by it on my way inside when I got there around 6), but between that and looking at pictures of it online, I gathered two thoughts regarding it:

Kevin Sundher is really hot.
It doesn't get much cuter than this:

Taken by Mark Mulville for The Buffalo News. Enlarge for maximum cuteness.

- Now onto the game itself... I was really pleased when I found out that Miller was going to be playing. There's not much left to say when it comes to giving him accolades about his goaltending, but it was nice to see him between the pipes again. I thought that Enroth looked real good so I'm looking forward to seeing him get some playing time up here this season.

- I really liked Kassian. I know he's been impressive in training camp so I was eager to see him out there, and I think most fans were excited and pleased with what they saw out of him. I'm assuming he'll be seeing a lot of playing time during preseason, so we'll have to keep an eye on him.

- I liked what I saw out of the Morrisonn-Myers pairing. I liked the physical play out of Morrisonn.

- The power play is still worrisome... I know it was only the first game of preseason, but things were just looking a tad too familiar for my liking when it came to the power play.

- But the PK was spot on, like it was last season. But we were playing a Leafs team full of prospects and rookies, so...

- I still can't get a good read on Gerbe. Is he going to crack the NHL anytime soon?

- Ennis is very exciting.

- Saw a few of the guys out after the game. Derek Roy is still a diva. Some things never change.

I had a great time and it was great to catch up with my friend. She's a huge Sabres fan too, so she's always excited when she can make it out to Buffalo for a game. I also like taking her out to show her the Buffalo night life which usually never disappoints. The highlight of my night was watching a really sloppy drunk girl completely eat it in the bathroom. It was pretty hilarious but her drunkenly lying on the dirty, wet bathroom floor was slowing down the line and we had all been waiting in it for a long time considering there were only TWO STALLS.

Oh by the way, how lame is it that the NHL Network is blacking out our preseason games? I was lucky that I was at the game last night, but apparently they blacked out the game that was aired at 11pm on a tape delay. Really, NHL? It's cool that the NHL Network is airing 5 out of our 6 preseason games, but they are really going to black out the local market? Come on... It's the end of September, we are fiending for hockey, specifically Buffalo Sabres hockey. FIENDING. If I'm going to have to search online for a crappy feed of the game on Monday to stream on my computer, all while knowing that the rest of the nation gets to watch the game in HD on their nice TVs, I'm going to be one pissed off broad.

I Wanna Rock

2010-09-22T19:04:00.005-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, the press conference for Catwalk for Charity was coming up, and today Ryan Miller announced this year's event and reminded us why it's such a fun event for a great cause.

The theme for this year's event is "A Reason To Rock" and it will be dedicated to the spirit of the 70s and the 80s. I'm definitely looking forward for rocking my Run DMC t-shirt with acid wash skinny jeans and fingerless lace gloves...it's going to be pretty bitchin'.

If you've never attended, I highly suggest that you do... It's just one big party and there are really cool auction items up for grabs and a bunch of hockey players wandering around and strutting their stuff on the catwalk.

I'm sure most of you are aware that it's the annual fundraiser for Ryan's Steadfast Foundation and it's also to help raise awarness of cancer and to get people to go out and get involved in their community. After attending Catwalk for Charity year in and year out, I started volunteering at Roswell Park once a week and I also help out at events for Carly's Club. It's been a rewarding experience and I'm so glad that I'm doing it. I'm a proud Buffalonian so I'm glad that I can give back to my community in some way. Volunteering at Roswell has also lead me into new interests that I didn't have before, which has been awesome.

So if you can, I really hope you make it out to this year's event...it's a perfect night for any Sabres fan and you can feel good that you're supporting Ryan's foundation and a great cause all at the same time!

Another exciting thing about hockey season starting again besides the actual hockey of course, is... Ryan Miller interviews! I forget how much I miss his insight during the offseason, so I was glad to read this interview he did with NHL.com. One of my favorite parts of the interview is what he said about Darcy's activity during the offseason:

Yeah … you don't just tear everything apart because we didn't get what we wanted in the playoffs. We put a lot of hard work in and it was a culmination of a lot of years of work. We had some good runs a few years ago. We had some down years that really led to a good year last year. We have to get to that point, and sometimes things don't go your way. I think that I'd rather learn the lessons and come back with the same group than be a part of team that doesn't show any patience. Sometimes you have to go through tough things in order to improve and be better. We had our fair share of success last year, but the end was definitely frustrating. You grow from that and learn from that.

I think fans have a tendency to be too impatient and too reactionary when it comes to sports. I know Darcy isn't always the most popular guy in Buffalo, but I think it's common for a sports organization's management to be pretty unpopular in their respective cities... But I think fans need to realize that making the "right" moves isn't as always black and white and simple as the video games, fantasy leagues, and sports columnists make them out to be. I also think that "blowing it up" isn't usually the answer either. I know what it's like to be frustrated and fed up, and I know a lot of fans believe that their favorite sports team "owes" them a championship, but building a championship winning team takes time, and if you go out and get rid of everything that you've worked for over the past several years, I just don't see how that's going to be your answer to a quick Cup. But what do I know...

Well I think that's enough insight out of me for today. It feels good blogging again... I know my posts have been few and far between, but I'm really going to try and post more frequently again. I know for sure that I'll post about going to the game on Saturday, and hopefully I'll take some nice pictures as well.

Puck Drop, New Joiseys, and Catwalk

2010-09-20T11:41:00.007-04:00

This past Saturday I attended Puck Drop along with 3,500 other Sabres fans. It's a nice way to bring in the new season and to tell fans that hockey is right around the corner. I got there a little late, right around the time when Rick Jeanneret was announcing the team on the ice and the players were coming out wearing the new jerseys.

I think the new jerseys are sharp! I'm sure most of us saw the leaked cell phone pictures of them, but when you see them up close and in person, obviously you appreciate them much more. I love the colors of the third jersey, and the homage to the Buffalo Bisons with the "Buffalo" script on the front. The one thing I'm not crazy about is the gold name plate. But I love the pants with the gold vertical stripe that the players wear with the thirds.

Not crazy about the gold name plate...but everything else is nice. A lot of people aren't crazy about the stitching on the numbers, but I think it looks neat.

My favorite of the two new jerseys is the white away one... I am definitely going to have to purchase one this season (A Miller one of course, who else?). The last time we saw the Sabres wear the white jerseys with the vintage logo was at the Ice Bowl a few years ago. I remember seeing the Winter Classic jerseys when they were first released and it reminded me how wonderful the old white jerseys were and I'm just glad that the Sabres are finally wearing them again. I know most people weren't crazy about the "slug", and I wasn't either...but after the first season I just got used to it. But I never got used to the road jerseys... Honestly I hated them. I thought the yellow logo against the white was pretty ugly.

Muuuch better than the "slug" roads... I'm gonna have to invest in one of these babies.

After RJ announced the players and they skated a few laps around the ice to show of their new duds, the team was split up into two teams: Blue (Team Norty) and White (Team Seymour). Naturally I had to cheer for the White team because my main man was in net...but I left after the second period. Miller was already on the bench by that point but I think they were up 2-1. I think they eventually won in a shootout, according to Sabres Edge.

All in all it was a fun way to spend a Saturday and it's a fun, cheap (unless you forked over some cash to buy a jersey) way to celebrate the start of a new season. I think what I enjoyed the most out of the day was hearing Rick Jeanneret's voice announce the players, and the reception that each player received as they skated onto the ice (can you guess who got the loudest reception?). I also enjoyed the sounds of the game... Just sitting there listening to the sounds of the blades of the skates on the ice, the sounds of the puck hitting the stick after a pass, the sounds of the sticks banging on the ice, the sounds of the players hitting the boards, the sounds of the players shouting at each other on the ice... Just the sounds of hockey. That's when it really hit me that hockey is back.

Moving on from Puck Drop, yesterday I volunteered at a fundraiser that was held at Caz Park and at a bar called Charlie O'Brien's in South Buffalo where all of the proceeds went to The Steadfast Foundation. I thought it was pretty successful given it was the first year that it was held... I had a good time selling Steadfast merchandise despite the fact that I was watching the Bills get their asses handed to them at the same time. Just another Sunday in Buffalo...

Here's a picture of me from the fundraiser:

You can see all the other pictures from the event here. All photos were taken by my friend Kathryn Ross who works for Buffalo.com

I was told that the press conference for Catwalk for Charity this year is going to be held very soon. Like, next day soon probably. Soooo that's something to look forward to! If you're going, I hope you're actively thinking about what totally radical get up you'll be wearing to the event.

So with the season so close and Catwalk coming up, it's a very exciting time of the year for Sabres fans. I'm going to the preseason game against the Leafs this Saturday and I'm really excited! My friend is coming in from Cleveland for it and I'm real excited to see her as well. Should be a good time.

The Next Richard Avedon*

2010-09-15T17:14:00.005-04:00

Hockey is still a few weeks away, but to get us psyched up, the NHL is holding a media tour in NYC over the next few days. The event is super ~exclusive~, as only 20 of the NHL's best (and most marketable) were invited. So to find out that Ryan Miller was in attendance was clearly no shock to anyone.

But how awesome was it to find out that he was going to photographing his fellow NHLers for a Vanity Fair photoshoot? Oh, to be a fly on the wall during the photoshoot... I don't know if the pictures are going to be in an issue of Vanity Fair or on their website, but all I know is that I can't wait to see the photos once they surface. Who would have thought that the NHL could persuade me into buying a Vanity Fair magazine? Well done, NHL marketers, well done.

So with the media tour wrapping up, that leaves us with only a few days until Puck Drop. Even though it's been several months since we've watched the Sabres take the ice, I still can't believe that hockey season is pratically here. I'm super stoked about Saturday's festivities, and I'll try to take some good shots of the guys on the ice and post a recap of the events!

* If you don't know who Richard Avedon is, I highly suggest you check out his photographs on his website.

Numba 3

2010-08-19T14:11:00.004-04:00

I'm not a subscriber to The Hockey News, but thanks to the wonderful world of blogging and fan forums, I've gotten word that Ryan Miller was number 3 in THN's Top 50 players in their 2010-2011 yearbook edition. He was only behind Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin...shocking! According to Sabres Edge, the next goalie on the list is Ilya Bryzgalov at number 20.

It's awesome to see Ryan Miller being discussed in the same vein of Crosby and Ovechkin when it comes to talent, importance, and marketability. It's nice to see that has become another face of the NHL and it's certainly deserved.

Speaking of Ryan... He was featured on NHLPA.com's In Studio feature. It's just a short 2 minute interview where he talks about what music he likes (The Raconteurs), his hobbies (photography), and his best hockey memories. Nothing we haven't really heard before...but it's nice to see our beloved players during the offseason!

Can't believe it's already late August... The bad news is that I'll be going back to school in the very near future. I'm actually looking forward to it, but I could use a few more weeks of summer. But the good news is that hockey will be here before we know it. Soon, the players will start trickling in from their hometowns or wherever they spend their offseason, they'll play some shinny hockey together at the Pepsi Center, and then training camp will be upon us! Then there's some preseason and all of a sudden the 2010-2011 season will be in full swing.

Since August can be pretty slow in the hockey department, I decided to read "The Game" by Ken Dryden. It's a book that I've always heard about and everyone has recommended, and I decided that it was finally time to pick up a copy and read it. I have to say that it's an absolute must-read for any hockey fan...or anyone who is remotely interested in hockey. It is truly a gem. Ken Dryden gives fans an inside look into one of the best hockey teams in history and what it was like to play goal in Montreal during that time. He gives us a rare behind-the-scenes look into what it's like to be a professional athlete, from life spent on the road, what goes through your mind during a game, the celebrity of it all, the money, the affect it has on your family, your relationship between your teammates and coaches, and everything in between.

What impressed me the most is how timeless the book is and how it's still relevant today. The book was written in 1983 and a lot has changed in the NHL since then, but this book seems to stand the test of time. It's a testament to intelligence of Ken Dryden. It's truly a special book and if you haven't read it yet then I suggest you go out and get a copy ASAP.

It's A-Comin'...

2010-08-11T17:18:00.005-04:00

...Hockey season, that is.

The Sabres have announced the date for this year's Puck Drop, which kicks of the start of hockey season! It's an all-day event occuring on September 18th which (scarily enough) isn't that far away. Which really means that hockey isn't that far away either when you really think about. What I'm excited for is the 40th anniversary jerseys they will be unveiling. I love the promo pic they used on the announcement:

Vintage!! (said in Regina George's voice)

The Sabres have also announced the team's preseason schedule. Preseason is always fun because the games are essentially meaningless, you get to see players from the minors that you probably haven't seen play before, and it gets you back in the swing of things when it comes to following hockey again. The Sabres only have two home preseason games this year, their first game against the Leafs on September 25th, and their final game on October 3rd against the Philadelphia Flyers.

I guess I should say something about Tim Kennedy. I'm guilty of not posting very frequently in the summer, and in result whenever something news worthy does happen, by the time I want to weigh in on it, the topic has already been beaten to death. My sentiments on what happened is that if this happened to a non-Buffalonian similar to Tim Kennedy's role, I don't think fans would think much of it. A lot of Sabres fans have been complaining over the past few years that the Sabres have a hard time getting rid of their dead weight and they seem to hold onto their players for too long. With Ennis coming along, Kennedy just didn't seem to have a role on the team anymore and the Sabres had to find a way to release him.

With that said, I think it also just flat out sucks how the events unfolded, and as a fan, I can't help but feel awful for him. I'm sure it was quite an unpleasent shock to Kennedy to find out that his hometown was taking the steps into buying out his contract, but hockey careers can take you on unknown paths sometimes and I'm sure he'll find somewhere to play eventually.

In better news, the Shaone Morrisonn (I almost spelled his name correctly without having to look it up! I only goofed up on wanting to add two s's to his last name) signing will be a nice addition to our team. The Sabres have also signed Williamsville native goalie David Leggio to back up Enroth in Portland. When I first heard of the news all I basically thought was, "Oh...that's nice." Then last night on the news I saw an interview with him....and, well why didn't anyone tell me he was so hot?

Helloooo, Mr. Leggio.

Ryan Miller might have some competition. Probably not in the goaltending department, but in the porn stache wearing department.

Observe...

I don't know... Does he have Ryan beat?

Someone doesn't look too amused with that notion...

By the way, if you type "Ryan Miller", on Google, the 2nd thing on Google's suggested search is "ryan miller mustache". This warms my heart in more ways than one.

Ahh, hockey...I've missed you.

Steadfast at the Empire State Games

2010-07-24T11:26:00.005-04:00

Hey guys... I know this is short notice but I figured I'd share anyways. Ryan Miller's father Dean and brother Bryce are in town for the Empire State Games to raise some money for The Steadfast Foundation. They have a booth at the Pepsi Center where they are selling autographed Ryan Miller items for very reasonable prices. You can also go and see a continuous loop of Ryan on his webcam talking about MYESPN Highlights over and over and over. (Hey kids, it's Ryan Miller...)

Anyways, I went yesterday to help sell the items and I had a great time helping out and spending time with Dean and Bryce who were very nice and friendly as always!

They are going to be here today (Saturday) and Sunday from around 10 am - 7pm I believe at the Pepsi Center. So be sure to stop by if you're in the Amherst area!

Bryce and I at the boooooooth!

Mind Games

2010-07-19T12:14:00.003-04:00

Inception is the movie of 2010 so far... Go see it! It seems lately, a lot of movies have been all about mind blowing special effects, but all too often the plot leaves a lot to be desired. But not only were the special effects fantastic, the idea and storyline behind this movie is unique and thought provoking. Great acting and a great musical score (Hans Zimmer) as well. Leo, you done good.

#30 turns 30

2010-07-17T13:09:00.005-04:00

Happy birthday, Ryan Miller!!

Today our all-star goalie turns the big 3-0. This past year has been a great one for Ryan, and he's got a lot to be happy about. He had a career season with the Sabres putting up excellent numbers, he became an ~American hero~ tending goal for Team USA in the Olympics and he earned himself a silver medal, and to top it off he won the Vezina!

He's now entering what happens to be my favorite decade for men... I don't know about you ladies, but I think men in their 30s are in their prime. We all know it takes a little longer for men to mature (and we know deep down that they never really fully do) so once they're in their 30s they've calmed down a little bit and they no longer act like their freshman in college (or sometimes, freshman in high school). Yes, they're wiser and more experienced and they still look good. Yep, men in their 30s are the best...welcome to the club, Ryan.

I hope wherever Ryan is he's celebrating his birthday in styyyyleeee and he's enjoying his day. He certainly deserves it!

Interesting side note, it also happens to be Maya Arulpragasam's (aka M.I.A.) birthday, who is one of my favorite musicians. Her 3rd album, /\/\/\Y/\ was released a few days ago, so if you're into her music you should check it out!

ESPY TYME

2010-07-12T19:22:00.007-04:00

The ESPY Awards are this Wednesday and our favorite goalie is nominated for best NHL player! I did my part by casting my vote for him (did you?!) so let's hope Ryan's award winning streak stays alive and he picks up that cute little ESPY trophy. The other nominees are Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Henrik Sedin, and Steven Stamkos... I'm sure most NHL fans are a little sick of Crosby and Ovechkin getting the accolades, and Sedin and Stamkos certainly aren't talked about as much as Crosby or Ovechkin...but Ryan Miller is simply better and deserves to win, amirite?

Thanks to a heads up from Ryan's good friend and event planner, Therese Forton, she informed us on her website and blog that Ryan will be calling in at 8 am on Wednesday to 97 Rock to talk about his ESPY nomination and the upcoming Catwalk for Charity. So if you're an early bird, hearing Ryan on the air would be a nice way to start your morning, don't you think?

Speaking of Catwalk for Charity, I mentioned it in my last post that the date and theme has been announced, and already my head is swirling with ideas on what to wear! I don't know about you, but I love themed parties and events, and I always try and get into them by dressing accordingly. I love thinking ahead and planning on what I'm going to wear, so the last few days I've spent some time thinking about what I'm going to wear. Hell, a few months ago I started thinking about what I should be for Halloween this year (what SHOULD I be?), so it's not really crazy for me to be thinking this far ahead about what I'm going to wear at Catwalk. In my last post I said I wanted to wear one of Lady Gaga's outfits in her Telephone music video, but then I started thinking... While showing up in a studded leather bra and underwear wearing a leather jacket with pop cans in my hair will surely bring me a lot of attention, I'm not quite sure if it's the kind of attention that I would want. Plus, while I think Lady Gaga is fun and all, let's be honest...a lot of her crazy looks can be stemmed back to Madonna. So why would I want to rip off someone's look who already ripped off their look from someone else? ANSWER ME THAT! So I decided that making up my own look would be more fun and a little more original... And so far I've come up with this:

Yeaaah! If I was a 20-something girl in the 80s (or a 20-something hipster in 2010), then this is probably something I would wear. Run DMC were a major part of the hip-hop movement in the 80s and they're one of my favorite rap groups so it makes sense that I would wear one of their t-shirts... I'm thinking about cutting the neckline to make it reveal one of my shoulders for more of an authentic look. And let me tell you, I would feel like one of the coolest, baddest chicks around with my studded belt and chain and my fingerless lace gloves. Hell yeah! Don't you ever wish you could go back in time, but remain the same age you are now? I always wish I could go back and be in my 20s in the 90s so I could go out clubbing while dancing to all those amazing 90s dance and club songs. And now I wish I could go back in time in the 80s so I could strut my stuff in those duds.

One thing I'm probably going to leave out in my look is the hair. I know, I know...hair is an essential part in completing in 80s look. And while it's fun to dress up in past trends, between you and me, I think there are just certain past trends that should be just that...past trends. So I think I'll give my dignity and the ozone layer a break and stay away from that can of Aqua Net.

A Midsummer Update

2010-07-09T17:55:00.006-04:00

So it's been pretty quiet around here and I haven't addressed any of the Sabres' free agency moves, because I've been completely enamored by LeBron James and his decision on where to go. But now that his decision has been made, I can finally move on and blog. HA! Just kidding...I don't give a shit about what's his face and his hour-long specials about this groundbreaking moment in sports history.

Anyways... In summary, Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder are no longer Sabres. We've acquired Jordan Leopold and Rob Niedermayer, Patrick Lalime re-signed, and our Buffalo boys are going to salary arbitration for one reason or another. While none of these moves are particularly cutting-edge, Darcy has been a little more proactive than he usually is and I like adding players like Leopold and Niedermayer. It remains to be seen if their stints will be successful in Buffalo, but they seem like solid moves. Darcy doesn't go out and try and lure star players with huge contracts, which some fans hate...but I think it's more logical to make small tweaks and adjustments instead of "blowing it all up". Darcy likes to improve from within, and because of that we have seen players like Vanek and Miller become the players that they are today for our team. And we've got a group of young players like Ennis, Myers, Kennedy, and Gerbe who can hopefully follow lead.

OKAY! Now that I've somewhat addressed the moves that the Sabres front office has made so far, now it's time to talk about much more important (and fun) topics...such as Catwalk for Charity! You know, the event of the year as far as I'm concerned. This year's theme seems to be a rock-star, punk, 80s theme... Looks like I'm going to have to whip out my leather and studs and heavy eyeliner. Sounds good to me. What do you guys think Ryan would do if I showed up looking like this?

I'm k-kinda bussaaaay

Soooo...obviously I look forward to this event every year so I can't believe it's approaching already. You can guarentee as the date comes closer I'll be posting more and more about it and how excited I am for it, but until then you can always click on my "Catwalk for Charity" tag and read all about my experiences from past events, but I'm sure most of you already have.

So with all the recent Sabres news and the announcement of Catwalk for Charity V...I'm feeling preeettaaay, preeetttaaay, preeeettaaaay good about next season. I'm also enjoying my summer a whole lot and I've got the intense sunburn to prove it. SPF-whatever doesn't do shit for me and my fair Irish skin.

I feel like I've got a whole lot to say but I don't really have the time to put it together, so until then my lovely readers, I bid you adieu...

Precious Jewels

2010-06-24T00:49:00.008-04:00

Well...I am happy to report that I didn't have to have a Kanye moment! We were victorious my friends! And by we, I mean Ryan Miller and Tyler Myers.

Smiles all around... Look how proud and happy they are! Their speeches were so cute... They both seemed very humbled over the fact that they had won. Ryan seemed a little nervous giving his speech which was both adorable and endearing. It was a fun season to watch the Sabres and especially Ryan Miller. He worked hard to get in the position that he is in right now and he deserves all the accolades that he's getting. I'm so proud! He also won the NHL Foundation Award where he was awarded with $25,000 to go towards The Steadfast Foundation which is awesome.

Overall, I enjoyed the NHL Awards... Myers and Miller walked away with some hardware and I thought the Getzlaf/Ryan bit was really funny. The best part was the painting competition. And I got to see Miller and the rest of the hockey players all dressed up and lookin' snazzy in their suits...and we all know how well Ryan can rock suit which can displayed both here and here.

So congratulations, boys...you two really deserved it. Now go and enjoy your summer!

NHL Awards Are A Go!

2010-06-23T00:13:00.005-04:00

In the offseason, you take what you can get... There are three important events that occur in the NHL's offseason: the NHL Awards, the draft, and free agency. If you're more interested in what your favorite team's management intends on doing to try and improve your favorite team in the immediate future and down the road in the years to come, then free agency and the draft is probably your favorite part of the offseason. If watching NHLers stroll down the red carpet pretending they're attending the Oscars and then watching them awkwardly accept awards onstage, then the NHL Awards is probably the most exciting time in the offseason for you. Well where do I stand? I think the answer is obvious...

I actually have to admit that I've never really watched the NHL Awards before. I've seen the pictures of the NHLers looking all snazzy on the red carpet wearing their tuxes with their hot dates or their families...and obviously I've paid attention to who the winners were, but I never really sat down and watched them on TV. But that has all changed now that my favorite 19-year-old 6-foot-8 rookie defenseman and my favorite wonky eyebrowed goalie are up for awards!

Tyler Myers is up for the Calder... Look, if I really wanted to break it down as to why I think Tyler should win, I really could... But I feel like if you're reading this blog then you've probably read arguments for and against Myers all over the place. To sum it up... Tyler Myers was NINETEEN YEARS OLD in the beginning of the 09-10 season without having played in A SINGLE NHL GAME PRIOR. Now bearing that in mind, now take a look at his STATS. I rest my case.

Now...onto my favorite...the main reason why I am so excited for the Awards because it should be a big night for my main main, Mr. Miller. I know falling short in the playoffs was disappointing, but despite that, this season was so much fun for me to watch because Ryan really became a household name and showcased his talent to people all around the world in the Olympics. It really was Ryan's year and he is getting some recognition for it by being nominated for three awards in the NHL. Everyone knows that he's nominated for the Vezina, but he is also nominated for the Bridgestone Messier Leadership Award and the NHL Foundation Award. I think Sabres fans are well aware of Miller's role he plays as a leader on the Sabres and all he does for the WNY community off the ice with his Steadfast Foundation, so it's really nice to see that he's nominated for these two awards and it would be great to see him win.

Obviously, the most important award for him would be the Vezina... I always knew Ryan was capable of being a Vezina candidate, and I would be overjoyed to see him get it. Bryzgalov had a spectacular season too, but I just feel like this is Ryan's award (I'm not even going to bring up Brodeur because I feel like he was just nominated as a filler. It's really between Miller and Bryzgalov). Not only did he have a phenomenal NHL season, but his Olympic run was nothing short of amazing... I know the Olympics shouldn't play into who wins these awards as they weren't NHL games, but let's be real here...they are going to be a factor and I don't have a problem with that because ~~it directly benefits Ryan's chances at winning~~ Ryan's performance in the Olympics benefitted the NHL even though they weren't NHL games.

Honestly, if Ryan doesn't win the Vezina I'm going to have to go all Kanye on their asses. I'll get onstage and be like, "Yo Ilya I'mma let you finish...but Ryan Miller had the best 09-10 season of all time. OF ALL TIME!"

Let's hope it doesn't have to come to this.

The festivities start tomorrow... I'll be sure to report back with everything that happens. And by everything I mean what happens to Tyler Myers and Ryan Miller. Eff everyone else. Especially you stupid Hart Trophy nominees... RYAN MILLER HAD THE BEST 09-10 REGULAR SEASON MVP PERFORMANCE OF ALL TIME... OF ALL TIME!

Congratulations Are In Order

2010-06-10T22:36:00.003-04:00

Well, well, well... You gotta hand it to the kid. Congratulations to the Blackhawks, Pat Kane, and his family! Who would've thought that when I was watching that kid in all black skate around with my brother years ago that he would be the future number 1 overall draft pick, an Olympian, and a Stanley Cup champion? It's pretty crazy to think about. He may have started off on the wrong step this year with the infamous cab incident last summer, but there's no denying that he's a hell of a hockey player...you have to be proud that he's a homegrown Buffalo boy, and it was great seeing that he is proud of that as well as it was the first thing he mentioned when he was interviewed on the ice right after they won the Cup. I loved when Pierre McGuire told him to behave himself during the parade and Pat just responded by saying, "Not a chance..." Live it up Kaner, you've earned it.

Now that the 2010-2011 NHL season is officially in the books...we can look forward to next season. The draft, trades, and free agency are imminent so it will be fun to see what changes happen to our roster. Until then... I'll be looking forward to the NHL Awards that are in a few weeks. I can't wait to see Ryan looking all snazzy and dapper in his suit and hopefully he'll pick up that Vezina!

We Interrupt This Hiatus To Bring You...

2010-05-29T22:51:00.004-04:00

...this:

I didn't realize how much I missed Ryan Miller until I saw him being both awkward and awesome at the same time while giving us a tutorial on how to be a goalie in the NHL. He looked so snazzy in his suit and I enjoyed listening to his thoughtful insight on the game and each team playing. I did feel a little sorry for him that he had to be between Pierre McGuire and Mike Milburry... Pierre and Mike kept shouting back and forth while Ryan was being his typical calm and collected self and Mike kept cutting Ryan off and telling him to agree with him. But other than that...it was such a nice treat to see Ryan being his awesome self again! Even though he and the Sabres haven't really crossed my mind so far during this offseason, he has been missed! Really!

Oh, and apparently there was some crazy hockey game going on in between the intermission reports. Who would've thought...

Okay...going back on hiatus now. Carry on...

Hockey...and stuff

2010-05-16T16:27:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to check in since I've been pretty M.I.A. lately, my posts will be few and far between this summer, but you know...it is what it is.

Here's a little rundown of my thoughts of what's been going on during the playoffs and what's been going on in my life. First off...

- I MET LINDY RUFF!! Like, for realll met him. I've seen Lindy in person twice before. Once when I was with my dad in the players hallway about two years ago, and another time I saw him in a store on Elmwood over the winter. But a few weeks ago, my mom and I attened a fashion show fundraiser to benefit Roswell Park at Nektar martini bar on Elmwood, and Lindy and his family were in attendence! It was a nice moment for me to shake his and hand talk to him, because I've always been a big fan of Lindy's and I always like defending him when some fans aren't happy with him being our coach. I didn't have a camera, but I re-created the moment with my glorious Photoshopping skills:

Juuust kidding. Lindy was very nice and gracious and I wasn't looking like a giddy school girl (although I was freaking out on the inside as I was trying my best to look cool and calm with a martini in my hand). It was a great event for a really good cause and it was a nice surprise to see Lindaaaayy there.

- How crazy are these playoffs? I really have no ill will against the Bruins for eliminating us, but seriously, how awesome was it to see them choke away a 3-game lead? They completed it by choking away a 3-goal lead in Game 7, no less...talk about symbolism. I mentioned it on Twitter but the people behind the "History Will Be Made" campaign must have been going apeshit over the result of that series. It's crazy to think that the only two teams left in the East are the 7th and 8th seeds... Especially considering it took 82 games and a shootout for Philly to get in the playoffs. Just goes to show you that old saying "anything can happen in the playoffs" is true.

- With that said... I think I'm rooting for Chicago to win it all. I like the city of Chicago and the Blackhawks are a fun team to watch. Philadelphia fans are vile and I just worry about the lives of Habs fans if they were to win it all...although them getting eliminated will probably be just as dangerous, but whatever. San Jose, well I guess I wouldn't care but I just like Chicago more.

- I'm finally done with school! My last exam was Thursday and I still haven't really registered the fact that I'm on summer vacation now. I'm starting to think about what I want to do in the summer and where I want to go. I've got a few plans in mind but right now things are all up in the air. I know I want to take my annual trip to Chicago in August for Lollapalooza, and I also want to see Kings of Leon in July when they come to Darien Lake. I'm also excited for one of my favorite musicians, M.I.A.'s third album which is coming out this summer. The singles she's released so far have been so different from each other, and they've all been so boss. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the music video for her latest single, XXXO...which I'm assuming will be less violent and graphic than her music video for Born Free. You never know with Maya though.

Hopefully a few changes are coming my way in the near future which should make my summer interesting.

St. Ryan

2010-05-04T22:14:00.004-04:00

So it's only been like a week into the Sabres offseason and I'm already doing nonsense like this... While I should have been working on a presentation (that's not overdue or anything...) and studying for my finals next week, I was making this instead:

I think I really outdid myself this time, it's even better than my Miller Obamaized creation. I was inspired because I saw that image with Elvis's face, and I thought...welllll....DON'T MIND IF I DO. And I got to work.

Too bad it's the offseason and that image won't be relevant for a few months. But I'll whip it out in June when the NHL Awards roll around.

Anyways, I should get back to... I mean... START studying and working my presentation. Carry on.

Coming Around

2010-05-03T13:51:00.002-04:00

Well, it's safe to say that I was pretty bummed out when the Sabres were eliminated. I was just getting used to the feeling of them competiting in the playoffs and as soon as it came, it went just as fast.

But really, looking back...it was a good season. There were a lot of things to like about the 2009-2010 season, despite the fact that they got bounced in the first round. I wish they could have done more damage in the playoffs, but it's another lesson learned. We saw some great things this past season, and we can only hope that the team will take that and move forward and they'll be better for it next year. I'm so sick of always looking forward to "next year", but you have to be patient. The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, and it's not an easy road to get there. This season was a lot more fun and exciting than the past few seasons, and I think we started to see our team evolve into something special. We've got exciting young players like Myers, Ennis, Kennedy, and Gerbe...and our young guys from 05-06 are now becoming experienced veterens.

I liked what I heard from the press conference that Lindy, Darcy, and Larry gave. I liked that Lindy's contract was picked up for one more year and that he was very adament when he said how much he wants to win a Cup in Buffalo. I liked that he said he's real excited about our team moving forward. I liked hearing Mike Grier saying that he's interested in re-signing with the team.

While I wasn't ready for our season to end two weeks ago, I think that it will be nice to get a little break from Sabres hockey for a bit. It sucks to know that we won't watch them again until October, but on the other hand there's a whole summer out there for us to enjoy. Summer is my favorite season and it will be nice to enjoy it and not have to worry about hockey for a bit. My semester is almost finished and it's a very hectic and stressful time of the year. But in two weeks it will be finished and I'll be able to enjoy the summer. I'll enjoy the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but I've never been one to jump onboard with another team and root for them. I just like watching good hockey... And from watching, it seems as though Vancouver has a real shot and winning it all this year. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

Right now I'm making a few changes in my life that I think will be for the better, although it's a little scary moving forward...but at the same time I'm excited and I'm glad that I'm doing it. With that said, my mind has been elsewhere for the past few weeks, and I expect that me blogging will be a little scarce for a bit. But that's to be expected anyways, considering this is a Sabres blog and the Sabres are currently galavanting around the streets of their hometowns, on the golf course, or whatever else NHLers do in their offseason.

So in the end, I'm looking back at last season on a positive note. It was a good season, and I had a lot of fun watching them. My favorite part had to be the Olympics...it was just so fun to see Ryan Miller compete in such a large spotlight and see him getting a taste of being a national celebrity for a bit. Being such a big fan, it was fun to see him getting the recognition that he deserves and I was so proud of him.

There a lot of good things to look forward to when it comes to the Sabres. So until then... I'll see ya when I see ya...

Still Sad...

2010-04-28T23:25:00.002-04:00

Waking up after the Sabres are eliminated from the playoffs is a bad, bad feeling. It's a combination of waking up with a terrible hangover and after you've just gone through a bad break up.

But being my optimistic self, I tried to look on the bright side of things. Yesterday I tweeted that Ryan Miller was still sporting his amazing porn stache despite that the Sabres had been eliminated. One tiny glimmer of hope.

But then, I say today's locker room clean out videos and...

(^ click for added ~drama~)

I guess all is lost... And things still suck. :(

R.I.P. 2009-2010 Buffalo Sabres

2010-04-26T22:46:00.003-04:00

I don't have it in me to dissect the game or the series. We all know what happened. I'm disappointed, just like every other Sabres fan. I think the Sabres are a good team, and they are more than what they have become. They shouldn't have been bounced in the first round. I think they need to have a few sessions with a sports psychologist.

Another season in the books, and another looooong offseason. I haven't really wrapped my head around the fact that I won't be watching the Sabres again until October. And I'm disappointed that Ryan Miller's porn stache was short lived. This sucks.

via Toronto

2010-04-24T18:52:00.005-04:00

Well, I'm currently in Toronto for a school thing until Sunday afternoon. I haven't watched the game yet and I don't know much about it, aside from what people have texted me.

But I'm pretty sure the most important parts consist of:

Look at this fucking pornstache.

RYAN GETTING IN A FIGHT/MINI-BRAWL!

Behold the power of the pornstache.

I'll be sure to watch the game as soon as I get home, but don't expect a serious analysis of the game, because all that matters is Ryan Miller's fucking pornstache.

Not Over Yet...

2010-04-22T12:58:00.003-04:00

I'm going to be honest, yesterday was pretty devastating. For some reason I had a real good feeling going into last night's game, and I felt pretty good through the entire game... Until, well you know.

I've never really been one to blame the officiating for a loss... Yes, there are times when the officiating is questionable and your team gets the short end of the stick. There are inconsistencies in every league and there is no fool proof way to ensure that every single game is evenly officiated. But you know what? Those two calls on us in the 3rd period were utter garbage and downright disgraceful. Forgive me if this sounds like I'm a biased homer, but I don't care. I'm too upset at those calls to think otherwise. Can anyone honestly say that those two calls were good? McCormick driving to the net, gets hooked by a Bruin, which causes him and the other player to crash Tuukka Rask's net. When you watch the replay you can even see that McCormick never even made contact with Rask, it was Rask's teammate. I mean, if I can sit at home and see that McCormick got hooked, then a god damn official who is paid by the league to officiate the games should see it too.

You guys know the end of this story. Kaleta gets a bogus charging penalty because of his hit on Lucic, nevermind the fact that his hit looked no different than any other hit that was laid this series. So the Sabres got jobbed... It's unfortunate, because I thought they looked real good last night.

But despite the fact that the officiating was pathetic and embarrassing, the Sabres had chances to put the game away earlier by going up 3-0, but they failed. Double overtime was pretty insane, and I think I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't for the penalties assessed to the Sabres earlier that made the momentum shift which was a big part as to why it was in overtime in the first place. But regardless of that, it happened and the Sabres should have found a way to battle through that. Ryan Miller made some spectacular highlight reel saves, but in the end they came up short.

So right now I'm sitting here pretty heartbroken and I'm in that "funk" you get it in when things are looking pretty grim for your team. But I'm optimist at heart, and I'm just going to try and look forward to Game 5. Remember, this is a best-of-7 series and it's not over yet. Odds aren't in our favor, but stats and odds are thrown out the window during the playoffs, as we have all seen. When you just break it down, the Sabres have to win 3 games in a row. It's not impossible. It just starts with one win. If the Sabres can battle through the adveristy that the past few games have given them and just win on Friday, then they've got something going. Vanek may be back for Game 5, and I'm sure he is just jonesin' to get some goals. Ryan Miller showed in overtime why he's a finalist for the Vezina. I just want them to win on Friday and go from there. When your team is in a hole like this, you have to think of smaller goals. Forget about the series in its entirety for a moment, and just hope for a win on Friday. That's all.

My head is saying that it's not going to happen, but my heart is telling me otherwise. I just can't get myself wrapped around the fact that the Sabres are going to take a first round exit. Not yet. It's easy to just give up, but I can't give up on my team... For better or for worse, the Sabres are my team. You can give up and bitch and moan about them, or you can try and believe and be positive and upbeat until the end. Whatever you choose, it's still not going to change the final outcome. The Sabres aren't going to win or lose on Friday night because you decided to either give up on them or believe in them. It's not going to hurt any less if they get eliminated if you decided to give up on them. So, why not believe? What else is there?

Trailing...

2010-04-19T21:41:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm not feeling too good right about now considering we just lost. But trailing 2-1 isn't the worst thing in the world, and winning the series is certainly still very much in reach for the Sabres. It's in their hands, and I think this loss is good for them in a way because for a lot of the game I didn't feel as though the Sabres were playing "playoff hockey".

I did think they played better than they did Saturday, and I liked how the Sabres dropped the gloves and sent a message to the Bruins after the Bruins went up 2-1. It seemed the Sabres were getting pushed around every time they created traffic in front of Rask, and they responded by starting a few fights. The momentum seemed to shift after that, but it was too late in the game. Maybe they'll take that with them on Wednesday.

It is what it is... Just have to look onto Game 4.

All Tied Up

2010-04-18T15:22:00.004-04:00

Well, Saturday's matinee didn't exactly go the way the Sabres or their fans wanted it to. I would describe myself was a level-headed, even-keeled person. But when it's the playoffs, and when I'm watching my team compete in them for the first time in 2 years, I live and die with every moment. Yesterday I got pretty upset when the Bruins tied the game 2-2. A few drinks later, I came back down to earth and realized that it's not the end of the world. The series is tied at 1 a piece, and so is every other series, aside from the Chicago-Nashville one since there's only been one game played.

This isn't going to be an easy series for either team. There's going to be adversity, and the Sabres are going to lose some games. I think Ryan Miller said it best in his post-game interview, that it doesn't matter which order you win the games, as long as you win 4. So the Sabres didn't win Game 2, and people can say that now the momentum is in Boston's favor now that they're heading back to Boston, but whatever. I think it will be interesting to see how our group of veterans with playoff experience respond, along with our young players and rookies who have yet to experience it.

The Sabres definitely have some things that they need to work on, like the frickin' power play. When the Bruins tied the game and then took the lead, the Sabres had opportunities to get back in it by scoring on the power play, and they failed to capitalize on any of their chances. I don't want to sound like a broken record because I'm sure I've said it multiple times on here already, but they could be in serious trouble if they can't figure out how to score on the power play. They also need to learn how to not take their foot off the gas, which I thought they did in the 2nd period again. I don't think they're stupid, they are well aware that no lead is safe in hockey, but for som reason they seemed to sit back in the 2nd and Boston scored twice to tie it up. But you also have to give Boston credit for battling back and scoring on the bounces and chances that they got. It's not like the Sabres were absolutely terrible and handed the game to Boston, that wasn't the case at all.

Vanek's injury is a huge blow, and it seemed to suck the air out of the arena when he was crawling off the ice. It looked pretty bad, but according to the The Buffalo News, while he is likely out for Game 3, he should be back before the series is over. So that's pretty reassuring. Drew Stafford could also be back for Monday's game, even though he's had a disappointing season, maybe the playoffs will kick start something for him.

The bottom line is, I believe that the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in all professional sports. In no way is it going to be easy, and having the series tied is not a big deal. The Sabres know why they lost on Saturday and they know what it takes to win. It's a wild ride of emotions when your team is in the playoffs, you just have to sit back and hope for a better outcome on Monday.

To try and keep things positive, let's relive the memories of Game 1. I've got my pictures and videos uploaded.

This cracked me up hahaha

Dialed in.

Announcing the Sabres roster...ahhh everyone was so READY for the puck to drop.

The rest of the pictures can be viewed here.

And now some videos!

This is a video of us coming down the escalator from the 300s to be greeted by thousands of jubilant Sabres fans.

This one is of us coming down the escalator in the atrium. About a minute in is when the guy fell through the partition between the escalator and stairs.

I've got a few more videos of us leaving the arena, the last few seconds of the game, and us walking around the streets of Buffalo which can all be viewed here.

Here's me sending positive hippy vibes (remember those?!) to our favorite boys... Let's Go Buffalo!

15

2010-04-16T13:20:00.005-04:00

Can you feel it? The buzz of playoff hockey that hasn't been around for 2 years? Yesterday before the game I was sporting my Miller jersey on campus and I had a bunch of people cheer and talk about the game as I passed along. In the parking lot in Shwegz I got people asking me if I was ready for the game. I was so overwhelmed with excitment and anxiety that it was hard for me to concentrate on anything. As soon as I got home from class I was pretty much pacing and taking deep breaths until it was time for me to get ready. My mom even drove me down to the arena because she thought I was too caught up in nerves and excitment to be on the road...good call, mom.

My brother and I checked out the festivities going on at Party in the Plaza, where there were tons of Sabres faithful sporting blue and gold face paint, blue and gold spray painted hair, and signs that had messages about giving Ryan Miller the key to the city or how the Sabres were going to ruin the Bruins. Everyone was excited. Seeing "Stanley Cup Playoffs" painted on the ice, the Stanley Cup Playoffs banners hanging from the rafters, and the announcer shouting, "Now, let's play some playoff hockey!" was what every Sabres fan has been waiting for since 2007 and now that it was finally happening again everyone was all revved up.

Nothing can quite compare to the intensity of a playoff game, and last night's game was no exception. Every hit, every save, every chance, every penalty...everything was so intense and you could feel it as the fans reacted to everything. I thought the Sabres were excellent in the first period. I thought they did a great job at matching the physicality of the Bruins, even Myers had a sick hit, which many people have hoped that he'd develop a "mean streak" as he ages. Kaleta was Kaleta, and our guys weren't afraid to drop the gloves at any time... Even Lydman was ready to take on Lucic...which by the way, what's up with guys like Lucic and Chara picking fights with guys like Lydman, Kennedy, and Roy? Real tough...

I thought the Sabres did a good job keeping Boston tied up in their own zone and they did pretty well when Boston was in ours... During the 2nd period it was no surprise to see the Bruins have more control of the game and the Sabres made a few mistakes, but Miller made like 23 saves alone in the 2nd period. I was watching him during the warmups and he was DIALED IN. Made me excited because his playoff runs in the past have been so strong.

The only thing that made me nervous during the game was the power play. They had chance after chance but couldn't put it in the net... I really hope that changes because I'm afraid if they can't score on the power play it's going to end up biting them in the ass. But regardless of them not scoring on the power play last night, they took care of business and locked down to secure the win. They've done a superb job at that all season long, as I'm sure everyone is aware that they are undefeated when they lead after 2 periods.

I've gotta say that one of my favorite parts of the game was during the first period when that little brawl broke out. Both Miller and Rask skated out of their crease and just started staring each other down. Obviously I couldn't exactly tell from where I was sitting, but it looked like they weren't looking at anything else, except each other. Made me think of how Miller half joked about the only time him and Rask will have any interaction if there was a bench clearing brawl. It was like Miller was staring him down from across the ice thinking, "I'm watching you, BITCH!" Then as soon as the fights broke up, they both silently turned around and skated back to their creases.

The atmosphere after the game was basically just one big party. Everyone was chanting and cheering throughout the arena on their way out to the streets of Buffalo. There was this group of drunk guys who were chanting anything, and I mean anything on their way out. They passed an ATM machine and one guy was like, "ATM! ATM! ATM!" haha. It was pretty rowdy and some guy was climbing up the partition between the stairs and escalators in the atrium and he FELL RIGHT THROUGH IT. I took a bunch of photos and videos with my Flip Camera, so I got that one on video... I didn't see, but my brother told me that the security guard's face was pretty priceless when he saw that. The streets were full of people honking their horns to "Let's Go Buffalo!" and people running up and down the street high fiving each other and cheering.

For that night, everything was perfect. Nothing was wrong. The Sabres were back in the playoffs and they just won Game 1. Everyone was friends with each other in the arena and in the streets and we were all happy to share the moment with each other.

Sorry that this post is sort of all over the place, but that's kind of how I feel right now. It's a whirlwind of emotions that I can't really articulate, but every Sabres can understand what I mean. Being so emotionally involved with a sports team is just a rollercoaster emotions and right now we're strapped into the most intense ride of the season, the Stanley Cup playoffs. 1 down, 15 more to go... Can't wait for Saturday.

Peekture Time!

2010-04-14T12:12:00.003-04:00

So I suck at uploading pictures in a timely fashion. I've been having so much going on lately that I hadn't even begun to think about uploading and editing my pictures. That's resulted in hundreds of pictures piling up on my memory card, which resulted in me uploading hundreds of pictures and having them sitting on my computer waiting to be edited. I finally got around to uploading my Sabres pictures from March 3rd and March 24th (hah). I figured I had to get them uploaded before the playoffs begun, so here we are...a day before the craziness begins and I have pictures to share!

You can see the pictures from the Caps game here, and pictures from the Habs game here. Here are a few of my favorites...

Hope you like them!

It IS Time!

2010-04-11T23:32:00.004-04:00

Well, the 2009-2010 NHL regular season is officially in the books and now we move onto the PLAYOFFS. I am beyond excited. Today I also landed some tickets to Game 1, I'm just so stoked. I can't wait to arrive early and hang out with 10,000+ of my fellow Sabres fans and then enjoy the game with 18,000+ inside of the HSBC Arena.

The Sabres tried to overtake the Devils in the standings today, but came up short... But Lalime tripped a referee in the process so everything's okay. So that means that we're taking on the Bruins in the first round. I've never been one to make predictions and I'm not going to start now. All I know is that it's the playoffs and anything can happen...it makes for extremely exciting and nerve wracking games. Boston has got solid defense and grit, and Tuuka Rask is having one hell of a season. It will be interesting to see how he does in the postseason. A good core of our players have competed in the playoffs, most of them have done it together on the Sabres. Then we have rookies like Myers, Ennis, and Kennedy who haven't yet experienced the playoffs in the NHL. Although Vanek has only been back for two games, he's really been on FIYAH by scoring 4 goals in Ottawa and the Sabres' only goal in New Jersey. And then there's that one goalie we have who played like a CRAZY JACKED UP EARTHY JESUS HIPPY in both the 05-06 and 06-07 playoffs, and he's also been having a career year this season with a phenomenal Olympic run in the process. SO it should be fun to see how everything all shakes out.

Last year I mentioned my appreciation for hockey's playoff beard tradition and I said that I was sad that I wasn't able to wear my God Bless Beards t-shirt due to the Sabres missing the playoffs the past two years. Well my friends, that has all changed. I am so excited that I get to rock this awesome amazing t-shirt all while supporting the Sabres at the same time.

Thanks for the new shirt, Jeff!

If you want to pick one of these bad boys up, you can buy one here. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Sabres Foundation as well so you're supporting the team in more ways than one!

So wearing a t-shirt commemorating playoff beards somewhat fills the void of my inability to grow one, but Anne also gave me an idea on how to cope with my beard envy! Painting my nails blue and gold. Genius, I tell you. So today I ran out and got some blue & gold nail polish and I also got some blue & gold face paint, so I could decorate my mug with some war paint to show my ultimate support for our boys who don the blue & gold and battle on the ice to compete for the Stanley Cup. Awww yeaaaah....

Let the games begin!!

Division Champs

2010-04-06T23:44:00.006-04:00

Did the Sabres win their final home game of the regular season while clinching the Northeast Division at the same time? Check.

Did the Sabres beat the disgusting, pathetic, disgraceful New York Rangers which could potentially keep them out of playoff contention? Check.

Well, then. Everything seems to be a-okay with me. And it's always nice to see Ryan Miller get all fiesty and getting himself a roughing penalty when players want to rough him up...yeah, we all know he's got a badass streak underneath that cool and calm personna. Oh, and him making a spectacular save on Marion Gaborik on a 4-on-1 wasn't too shabby either.

Enjoy your ~spa day~, Ryan.

Congratulations to the rest of the boys and bring on the playoffs!!

April Fools

2010-04-01T21:46:00.001-04:00

Uhh, so I think it's crystal clear that the Sabres wanted to pull a prank on their fans by losing to the Maple Leafs in their final meeting this season. Real cool... But I was thinking...maybe a Sabres loss to the Leafs equals a Sabres win against Ottawa. A bit of a reach? I think not.

So aside from those goofy Sabres pulling a prank on us, did anyone get tricked or pull any pranks today on April Fool's Day? I've never been the prankster type, but my mom actually convinced me that an elephant was loose in Orchard Park. Shut up... It's because I forgot it was April Fool's Day and I have this weird fascination with animals escaping the zoo/circus, OKAY?! Maybe I just wanted it to be true, so my mind convinced itself that it was. Also, I'm pretty sure my mom has used that prank on me on every April Fool's Day since I was about, oh I don't know, seven.

In other things that are amusing, I stumbled across this short but sweet video yesterday, it was during Ryan Miller's magical media tour he did in NYC right after the Olympics... Ryan answers five random questions, not sure if they were submitted by fans or not, but they ranged from his guilty pleasures to what he would be doing if he wasn't a goalie.

I was amused that listening to Miss Sasha Fierce herself is considered his guilty pleasure, because I've always said that Lady GaGa and Beyonce are my guilty pleasures... But Lady GaGa has since been taken off that list because I'm not embarrassed to admit that I like her. Just took me a few months to catch on to her wacky ass self. But I still have to say whenever a song by Beyonce comes onto my iPod while I'm driving with friends I feel a little embarrassed, because her songs are cheesy as hell. But you know damn well when I'm driving by myself I love singing out loud how if he liked it then he shoulda put a ring on it, or how I love his huge ego (he walks like this cuz he can back it up, right Ryan?).

The last question is one of the weirdest questions I've heard...if you were a ghost, where would you haunt? Umm... I love how Ryan picked ~~Fright Fest~~ Disney World because it's "somewhere fun". I've been thinking about it, and I don't know where I would haunt if I were a ghost. Where would YOU guys haunt?

Things That Are Funny

2010-03-31T10:53:00.005-04:00

So I was browsing through my blog the other day, and I was looking through all of my tags that I have used over the year or so that I've had this blog... It came to no surprise to see what tag I have used the most on here, I just didn't realized I used it so much. Let's take a look...

Ryan Miller (112)

112 times... Good god. I've tagged my posts with "Ryan Miller" 112 times? I should probably be embarrassed (I'm not). Well, it's safe to say that the tag "Ryan Miller" leads the list by far, but for fun I decided to see what tag do I use the second most...

About Me (42)

So, let's get this straight. The two things I talk about the most on this blog is Ryan Miller and myself? Yeah, makes sense.

Also, this is another thing that is funny. Enjoy!

Well, it's officially official.

2010-03-29T16:13:00.006-04:00

THE SABRES MADE THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!

It's an amazingly wonderful feeling. Just the fact that it's "official" now is so great, because I can talk about the Sabres in the playoffs, their possible opponents, where I'm going to watch the games, what games I'm going to be attending, and all that fun stuff without any guilt of jinxing them in any way.

When the Sabres beat Tampa to clinch a playoff spot, first I jumped for joy.

Then I cheered and did a celebratory fist pump.

I am so ready for the spring weather and the playoff hockey that comes with it. Playoff atmosphere in Buffalo is so tangible and everyone jumps onboard. There's something so electric when you're watching the Sabres on the big screen outside of the HSBC Arena along with 10,000+ other fans...while there's another 18,000+ inside. And then of course actually being in attendence for a playoff game. Nothing like it. For the past two years, I had to sit in on other team's fun and watch them compete in the playoffs, but it's so exciting knowing that the Sabres are going to be there. Anything can happen in the playoffs as we have seen, and I can't wait for it.

It's a little worrisome that some of our key players are going down with injuries right now, but let's hope that they're all ready to go once the postseason begins... I also hope that the Sabres figure out their power play too, although it seemed alright against Tampa. But then again, it was Tampa. We all know how spectacular Ryan Miller has been for us, and I can't wait to see him in playoff action! I knew he was going to be wonderful in the Olympics and he certainly didn't disappoint. During Sabres games, MSG has been showing flashbacks of playoff games and seeing the clip of Ryan Miller in 05-06 made me remember how excellent he is come playoff time. I think over the years Sabres fans have seen firsthand what a great goalie can do for his team. All in all, although this goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway... We're damn lucky to have Ryan Miller!

We're also lucky to have him because he gives great interviews, such as this one. If you're an ESPN Insider, you can click here to read the interview with Ryan where he's asked about hockey, his personal life, and designer jeans... If you're not an ESPN Insider (like moi), well my friend Alex typed out the interview and posted it on a Sabres forum that I post on, so if you want to read it you can right here. The best part of interview is when they start talking about designer jeans, and Ryan gives us this little piece of information:

RM: Those are the only jeans that fit me. I'm too skinny. I have to wear designer ones.

Oh Ryan, I'm sure we can all relate. Don't you just hate it when you're too skinny so the only jeans that fit you are designer ones so you have to buy them? Am I right, ladies?

So between that little tidbit and that .gif of him stretching his groin that was the best sexual innuendo I've seen in a long, long time...I think it's obvious that we're lucky to have a gem like Ryan Miller. Oh, and the fact that he's a damn good goalie is important too.

Not Looking Back

2010-03-25T22:44:00.005-04:00

Well...it feels weird (but a very GOOD weird) to say this, but I am in playoff mode! It's been two years, two very long years since I've seen my favorite hockey team in the postseason, and dammit, I'm excited that it's about that time of year again. I've never been one to make predictions, so I never predict at the beginning of the season where the Sabres are going to be standing at the end of the regular season. Obviously, I hope for the playoffs every year, so I just sit back and try to enjoy the ride and hope that they will make it.

After the Sabres' impressive road trip I've been asked if I was feeling the "playoff fever" yet, and to be honest with you, I wasn't. That's not to say that I thought that the Sabres weren't going to make it. I mean, come on let's be serious...despite the fact that they struggled for a bit before the Olympic break, the Sabres just started off too strong to fall out of playoff contention. And it's also not to say that I wasn't optimistic that the Sabres could do some damage in the postseason. But for some reason...the playoff fever just hadn't taken over on me at that point.

Then I went to the Sabres-Habs game last night. Funny how quick the mood can change at a hockey game. It went from one of the more frustrating games I've attended to one of the most thrilling. When the Sabres finally scored on the power play with 2 minutes left, I was very relieved that they scored, but I honestly I thought in my head, "Nice...now let's watch them dick around for the next two minutes." But as soon as they scored again, with about 49 seconds left in regulation, I think it's safe to say I was overcome by playoff fever. I couldn't believe it! You just never know with this team...they honestly can find any way to win. And that's the kind of team you need when competiting in the playoffs. They find ways. Some people said they didn't deserve to win that one, and I can understand that sentiment, but good teams find ways to win.

The final 2 minutes, 5 minutes of overtime, and the shootout made those previous frustrating 58 minutes totally worth it, from a fan's perspective. I had to deal with cocky Habs fans for 58 minutes taunting Sabres fans in our own barn and acting as if Carey Price was "Jesus Price"...they went from the most jubilant fans in the world to the most upset fans in the world in a matter of minutes...and it was awesome! I tried to get an "Olé!" chant going after the win, but no one in my section complied, but I made sure to sing it every time I walked past Habs fans on my way out.

I can't remember the last time I cheered so much after the Sabre scored their 2nd goal to tie it up. It was awesome, and it was a playoff atmosphere in the arena, despite the fact that half of the fans had already bailed and left early (which by the way, was kind of nice...because it made for a much faster exit out of the parking ramp). It's always fun to be stuck in game night traffic after a win, because you get to honk your horn to the tune of the "Let's Go Buffalo!" chant (beep-beep-beepbeepbeep) and you've got your windows rolled down as you cheer with the rest of the Sabres faithful who are roaming the streets.

You have to give props to Lindy for pulling Miller when the Sabres went on the power play with 3 minutes left to go. Balls to the walls, baby! You could tell that Ryan was ready to get off the ice, he kept banging his stick on the ice to get Lindy's attention and he seemed a little annoyed when Lindy told him to wait for his signal, it seemed as though he wanted to get off so the Sabres could get the extra attacker ASAP. It certainly worked, and I was glad to see that Lindy didn't waste any time pulling Miller again as soon as the Sabres scored. The ball was in their court, and I'm glad Lindy didn't wait to put the extra attacker on once again.

I was also happy to come home to another gem courtesy of Rob Ray and Patrick Kaleta. I had the game recorded, and right before they went to a commercial break, they talked to Rob Ray who down by the ice and his mic picked up Patrick Kaleta shouting, "Fucking geek!" to Dominic Moore. Rob Ray's reaction was priceless. It wasn't quite as comical as this, but it was still pretty damn funny.

So the Sabres have another chance at getting a win against the Sens before the regular season is over, and it's certainly going to be interesting. I think I speak for most Sabres fans when I say that the Senators scare me, and I'm just hoping that last night's win against the Habs coupled with their winning streak will give the Sabres the extra confidence that they'll need. A win tomorrow night would also clinch a playoff spot for them (yes...seriously!), so there's added incentive.

My sights are set on the playoffs and I'm not looking back...it's been awhile and I'm just hoping that the Sabres can enter the postseason on a hot streak, because a hot team in the playoffs (along with a superstar, wonderful, spectacular goalie...Hi, Ryan!) can really make things interesting.

Insightful Hockey Commentary

2010-03-21T15:36:00.003-04:00

I don't really know what's wrong, but I'm in some sort of blogging rut...I just don't really feel like I've had much to say regarding the Sabres and the NHL as a whole. This is one of the more exciting times of the season, as the league is in its final stretch of the regular season and teams are pushing to position themselves into the playoffs... I should have tons of things to say, but I really don't...which is why this blog has been lacking as of late. But then last night as I was watching the Sabres-Panthers game, I finally found something worth writing about.

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate Rick Jeanneret pondering whether or not Ryan Miller could "cut a rug like Fred Astaire". Don't play coy, you all know you have wondered the same exact thing, it's just that RJ was the first to wonder it out loud. Well, RJ... Ryan Miller CAN cut a rug like Fred Astaire, and I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for the NHL schedule getting in the way, he would be a contestant on "Dancing With The Stars" and he would own the dance floor. Who really cares about that lady with 8 kids whose soon-to-be ex-husband is going through a mid-life crisis? We want Ryan Miller, a true American hero...but unfortunately I think we're just all going to have to make due with watching him compete in the Stanely Cup playoffs. But seriously, I love Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale together. They have this sort of humor that goes over a lot of the younger people's heads (myself included), but that's what makes them so great. I loved Harry's analogy when Miller got pulled in Atlanta... "Even Betty Crocker burned a cake occasionally". Right on, Harry, RIGHT ON.

I also love the fact that Ryan Miller and Jim Craig met each other after the game in Tampa. I wish there were pictures to accompany, but I found it funny that Ryan was a little worried that Jim Craig might have thought that he was from a family of lunatics because Ryan's cousins sat with Jim during the Olympics and were high fiving him and hugging him every chance that they got. Well I know I would hug and high five Jim Craig if I was ever given the opportunity. Same goes for Don Cherry too. And Larry David...

Anyways, the Sabres take on the Hurricanes today (I say today because it will still be daylight for a few hours after they drop the puck...how awesome is that?) at 5 pm. I appreciate the Ottawa Senators for cooling down over the past few weeks which has given the Sabres some breathing room, but I am really disappointed in Montreal for creeping up on us and giving us another team to keep an eye out for. How rude.

Still Here

2010-03-13T13:23:00.006-05:00

I apologize for the lack of blogging lately... I've been too caught up in things to get a chance to sit down and post. I've been pretty sick over the past week, I've had assignments for class due, midterm exams, and I also had a death in the family... So to be honest I haven't really thought much about this blog, but I've been watching every Sabres game.

The Sabres got back on track with a win in New York and another at home against Dallas, but couldn't get the W against the Wild last night...

Have to say that I've been impressed with Vanek lately. He's been one of the more frustrating players to watch this season, and it's good to see him finally putting some pucks in the net, instead of watching him miss great chances or elect not to shoot when he probably should have. Seems like it's a confidence thing with Thomas, so maybe him scoring a few goals will help him out.

I liked the way Mancari has looked, I know for him he's got a lot to prove if he wants to finally make the jump to the NHL, and his recent stint here was pretty impressive. Although now that Gaustad has been activated back to the roster, Mancari has to go back to Portland. Sort of bummed, I was interested to see what else he could have done with us down the stretch. But it's good that the Goose is back.

It's pretty crazy that ME, of all people, hasn't really commented on the recent magical Ryan Miller media tour that occured last Monday in NYC. Well what can I say? It's very cool to see Ryan getting all this attention and I'm very proud of how he's handled all of it. The Olympics were surreal, and now that they're over it's still awesome seeing different media outlets interested in him. I don't know if the NHL could find a better representative than Ryan Miller. He's smart, articulate, thoughtful, humble, and genuine. I think Buffalonians have known this for a long time, so it's nice to see other people taking notice. I thought he did a great job on the Today Show. I would consider him an "adopted Buffalonian", so I feel as though he's not only representing the NHL, but he's also representing Buffalo in a way. It's refreshing seeing how many people are taking an interest into him, and I think Buffalonians should feel a little bit of pride knowing that he's a guy who really likes it here and has embraced our community. I think the coolest thing so far about Miller's recent celebrity was that Elton John wanted to meet him before his concert with Billy Joel earlier last week. Now that is cool...

I was glad that The Buffalo News gave us an update on how Mike Robitaille is doing... I have been worried about him. Sounds like he's got quite the recovery ahead of him, but he seems to be in good spirits which is good. I've liked Danny Gare on the broadcasts, but I've missed Robi. Hope to see him back with Kevin Sylvester soon.

So the Sabres take on the Red Wings in Detroit tonight. I actually wanted to go to this game because it would have been neat to see Ryan and his brother Drew play against each other...but things came up that I mentioned earlier and I wasn't able to make it out to Detroit. I'm actually not even going to be able to watch this game because my job is going to be short staffed tonight, and even though I don't work Saturday nights I'm coming in as a favor... I sort of made a deal that if I can came in tonight that I would have Sunday off so I could spend the day downtown for all the St. Patrick's Day festivities...seems like a decent trade off.

I'm aware that this post is sort of all over the place and it doesn't really "flow", but whatever. That's just what has been on my mind and I haven't had a chance to blog about it. I'm actually working on a post right now about our goaltending situation... It's going to be full of fun stats and numbers and I'm not really sure where I'm going with it at the moment, but it's been something that I've been thinking about for a while so I decided to do some researching. So stay tuned for that...

Bits & Pieces

2010-03-05T23:36:00.006-05:00

So I've been meaning to write a nice, insightful post on my feelings about the Sabres as of late, but I just keep putting it off, and there are too many points that I wanted to touch on. I feel if I attempted to write a post, it would just be way too long-winded and boring and I just don't have the attention span to write it, so I'm pretty sure no one would have the attention span to read it. So here a few little bits and pieces on what I've been meaning to blog about over the past few days:

- First, I have to welcome Raffi Torres to the Sabres. I don't know a whole lot about Torres other than the fact that he's now the highest scoring Sabre on our roster and that his last reminds me of a certain Spanish pastime. It's also a little sad because him coming to Buffalo means that he won't have many more opportunities to get interviewed by his twin brother reporter:

- I also have to bid adieu to Clarke MacArthur and Nathan Paetsch. I will miss Clarke's jew fro and now I can't compare MacArthur to my younger brother, who shares a striking resemblence to him (jew fro and all). I no longer have the opportunity to drunkenly approach him at Catwalk for Charity and tell him how much he looks like my brother only for him to respond by saying, "I know, you told me before." And Nathan, I'm glad he will be given an opportunity to get more playing time with another club (hopefully), because I have always admired his work ethic and I appreciated the fact that whenever he was inserted into the lineup he really seemed to give it his all. And from what I've heard from Lindy and co, he never seemed to complain about the fact that he saw so little playing time. It has to be hard for a player to always be sitting in the press box, only to be inserted into the lineup when there is an injury, so I've always had a soft spot for Paetsch and I wish him and Clarke nothing but the best.

- I went to Wednesday's game against the Capitals and I am more than a little peeved that my winning streak has ended, up until that game the Sabres were undeafeted when I was in attendence this season. The most entertaining parts of the game was crowd's standing ovation to Miller, and that I met up with several Sabres bloggers in between periods. It was also funny because I rarely see people I know when I go to Sabres games, but on Wednesday I bumped into so many people that I knew. I wonder if it was because it was the team's first home game since the Olympic break, so a lot more people made it out to the game. Although most games that I attend are sellouts anyways, so there goes that theory.

- That old feeling of "Here we go again..." is starting to creep in, so I've been avoiding looking up any stats or taking a peek at the standings. Hard to believe that with tonight's win over Philly the Sabres are again leading the Northeast Division with a few games in hand...what the hell?

- Ryan Miller shaved his beard and that disappoints me.

- How the hell did Emilio survive Project Runway's last elimination?

- I've never had the desire to get into any sort of physical altercation with anyone until I started working at my job. Today I was almost positive I was going to get into some fisitcuffs with a greasy haired, Walmart-loving white trash imbecile and some fat, mean spirited lady who was wearing her hair in pigtails despite the fact that she was pushing 50.

- I got a Tumblr! It will be a fun place for me to post things that inspire me, so follow me if you want to see a bunch of beautiful, wonderful photos of Marilyn Monroe.

Trade Deadline Mega Chat

2010-03-02T22:43:00.008-05:00

The guys over at The Goose's Roost have put together a live, all-day chat so everyone can join in on all of today's hoopla. Make sure to stop by to chat with me and other fellow Sabres bloggers so we can discuss what goes on today! Should be a good time...and even if Darcy doesn't do shit at least we can all sit around and bitch about it together. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? I'll be poking in and out of the chat throughout the day, I plan on going to the Sabres morning practice and then I have a few errands to do before heading off to class at 3...but I'll try to join in as much as I can. I'm also going to the game tonight, so regardless of what happens today, I'm still stoked for that. Can't wait to give Miller the best standing ovation ever known to mankind!

Trade Deadline Mega Live Blog

Ryan Miller, je t'aime

2010-02-28T21:54:00.005-05:00

I hope Ryan realizes how proud he's made Americans, Sabres fans, and Buffalonians. There's no one I would want to represent our hockey team and city in the Olympics more than an athlete and person like him. He's done us proud. <3

Stay Gold

2010-02-26T14:31:00.010-05:00

Sunday is the moment we have all been waiting for: Team USA is going for the gold against Canada. It's been a pretty crazy ride and I've been loving every second of it. I couldn't be more proud of Ryan Miller and the rest of Team USA, it's been such a joy to watch them get to this point. I especially loved watching them play against the Finns. Despite the fact that they were up 6-0, they were still battling and diving to block shots and make key defensive plays as if it was a 1-0 game. I've been loving their work ethic. Sunday is going to be absolutely crazy and regardless if they bring home gold or silver I have been so proud that these group of guys are representing the United States.

It's also been really funny seeing Ryan Miller getting thrust into a huge spotlight. We've seen it happen to him in Buffalo, and now he has to embrace a much larger spotlight. Personally I am getting a kick out of all this attention he is getting. Getting interviewed by Ryan Seacrest, appearing in tabloids, it's just really funny to me because he is the last guy you would expect to see getting this kind of attention. It's funny for Buffalonians because he's been a celebrity here for a while now, but now that the whole world is watching him, more people want a piece of him and a peek into his private life. It's kind of feel like some fans want to be like, "Hey, world! Back off...we had him first!"

I think he's handling it very well, which shouldn't surprise anyone because he has always been such a class act. Here is a great article by Puck Daddy discussing how Ryan is handling all the attention. I think he appreciates his privacy and never wanted to live the "Hollywood life", but he is acknowledging the attention that the Olympics is bringing him and he's doing it gracefully. I'm glad to see a person like Ryan Miller being such a huge representation of hockey right now. He's modest, hardworking, professional, and smart. The fact that he is American could also go a long way for recruiting new fans in the US. I've already talked to several of my friends from all around who haven't watched hockey before that are now completely captivated. It's funny seeing them update their Facebook status cheering on Ryan Miller and Team USA. I've read on a few message boards where people have said that they have "converted" into a hockey fan...it's awesome.

I think some people might be worried that all this media attention might make Ryan lose focus, but I really don't think that's the case. Buffalonians should know that he's better than that. Right now, he's one of the more talked about athletes in the Olympics, so different media outlets like Ryan Seacrest and Hollywood tabloids are going to want to talk to him, and believe it or not...they may not always be interested in the hockey part of his life. They might want to talk about his romantic life...but exposure is exposure and that kind of media attention won't last. A few weeks after the Olympics have wrapped up, I don't think we'll have to worry about paparazzi chasing him into Wegmans or him grazing the coveres of tabloids exploiting his romantic life. All this national attention may be short lived, so I think we should enjoy the fact that the rest of the world is getting a chance to appreciate Ryan Miller too.

So while his personal life may not always be a topic of discussion on Ryan Seacrest's talk show, all this national attention may open some people's eyes to hockey and maybe we'll get a few more fans out of it.

And as funny as it was to hear Ryan get interviewed by Ryan Seacrest, I think it's pretty funny that an impersonator claiming to be Ryan Miller prank called MSNBC and they aired the interview. Have to say that's pretty damn funny... Here is a video of MSNBC's Willie Geist interviewing the imposter, and then he later apologizes on-air and he interviews the real Ryan Miller, who seemed to be a good sport about MSNBC's gaffe. I wonder what they said to Ryan when he called in to be interviewed ("Okay, so you're the REAL Ryan Miller, right? Right...?).

It's been so great to see Ryan finally compete in the Olympics and I can't imagine how exciting it must be for him... I'm so happy for our little Olympian! Throughout this crazy ride and national attention he's getting, he's remained his classy, humble, professional self. Sunday is going to be one of the biggest games of his life and I can't wait to see how it all shakes out.

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

Miller or Hiller Time?

2010-02-24T18:24:00.004-05:00

After I saw Switzerland beat Belarus in a shootout yesterday, I knew that goaltending would be a huge part of today's game. Hiller was absolutely lights out and was much busier than Ryan, but in the end, Ryan and Team USA got it done and indeed, it still is Miller Time...

Ryan also earned a shutout en route to Team USA's victory which now advances them to the semifinals. Very exciting!

This game was certainly nerve wracking and it didn't go without some controversey, a very close call at the end of the second period when the US scored just when time expired and when a goal was waived off in the third period. Zach Parise scored early in the third and then sealed the deal with an empty-netter, which led to a huge sigh of relief by myself and I'm sure many other USA hockey fans.

I think it's so cool how much love Jim Craig is showing Ryan Miller on his Twitter. I think that's a pretty huge honor for Ryan, and the funny thing is it seems as though Craig is just as honored to have Miller be apart of USA hockey.

Speaking of which, here is an adorable interview with that 5-year-old kid who went viral a few months ago for reciting Herb Brooks' speech from the movie, Miracle. To be honest with you I haven't even watched the video of him reciting the speech until I saw this interview...I guess I never got around to it. But in the video the boy says that he recited the speech to Team USA before their big game against Canada, and he even went up to Ryan Miller and told him that he was going to have a great game. It's a really cute interview, the little boy is really adorable and he's so confident in front of the camera!

Semifinal round is on Friday... Go USA! Now onto watch the Canada-Russia game. Should be great...can't believe that one of them is going to go home empty handed.

So Proud

2010-02-21T22:29:00.007-05:00

Hey, USA... This is Ryan Miller and he's absolutely wonderful:

So proud of him right now... I'm proud that he's representing the USA, I'm proud that he's the goalie for the Sabres, and I'm just proud to see him getting so much national attention so far because he's a true competitor and he deserves it. Buffalonians all know how great he is, and now Ryan is showcasing himself in front of the whole world whenever he's in between the pipes during these Olympic Games.

The game was absolutely awesome...I can't remember the last time I've watched such an exciting game. It was pretty surreal seeing all those superstars all on the ice at once and it certainly made for an emotional game. I'm so proud of the entire team right now, but obviously I have to tip my hat to my main man... I knew he was capable of being as dominant as he was tonight, and I'm just so glad to see him win.

The Olympics are far from over...but I think most hockey fans were most exciting about tonight's game. Who knows what will eventually happen in the end, but all I know is that I'm overjoyed at the moment and couldn't be more proud of our little Olympian/superstar goalie!

And check this out...Ryan Miller was the number trending topic on Twitter tonight! How funny is that? I got such a kick out of it I had to capture the magic:

Yeah that's right...he was even ahead of the Kardashians. Such a celebrity.

Even celebrities like Joe Jonas and Alyssa Milano were showing Ryan some love. Gotta love it... I thought it was also cool that Jim Craig was tweeting throughout the night giving Miller all kinds of love. Very cool!

Can't wait to see what else Ryan and Team USA is going to do in Vancouver... Only wish I was there so I could celebrate with all of my fellow USA fans, and maybe buy a few rounds for the boys.

Olympic Fever

2010-02-20T00:40:00.004-05:00

Well the Olympics are in full swing and I am officially caught up in the Olympic hype! I think the shootout against Canada and Switzerland sparked it. The fact that Team USA is leading their division is pretty damn cool! I'm so excited for the USA-Canada match up on Sunday. I remember when the schedule was released a few weeks ago, I made sure to book off work on Sunday to ensure that I would be able to catch the game live.

Unfortunately I only got to watch the first period the USA-Norway, so I missed the glorious moment when Ryan got an assist! Man, first I was blown away when he made his first Olympic save, but now he has his first Olympic point. It can only mean one thing which is that he is now clearly an offensive threat and Team Canada better be prepared.

Anywayssss.. Aside from the hockey, the other sports that I have been enjoying the most is figure skating and snowboarding. I was real happy for the Chinese pair to win gold, it was a cute story to see how they put married life aside to train in hopes of finally winning a gold medal in their very last Olympics, so it was a feel-good story to see them win. And then there is Shaun White...need I say more? One thing I will say about him is that I am extremely jealous of his hair. One day, I hope I get the opportunity to run my hands through those glorious locks. The locks of a champion!

So perhaps Team USA got a little extra confidence knowing that they are leading their division...and I think some Canadians might be a little nervous seeing their team going to a shootout against the Swiss. It's funny how people overreact to things... Some of my Canadian friends were definitely overreacting saying how Team Canada sucks and so does Brodeur, and the some Americans (myself included) are all , "OMG TEAM USA AND RYAN MILLER! AMERICAN HERO!!" But that's the fun of it all...getting caught up in the hype. It's the Olympics, and anything can happen when it's one game.

By the way, Therese Forton, the woman who organizes Ryan Miller's Catwalk for Charity events every year, has started a blog where she will be reporting from Vancouver and she is giving all of her readers a behind-the-scenes look into all the action. After only a few updates, she's already shared some pretty fun info that you won't get anywhere else. Like how she helped send Ryan off to Vancouver by driving him to the airport and how she cooked him his last meal. She also has really cute pictures up of Ryan's family after the USA-Norway game, where you can see Ryan's mom wearing the coat that she sewed specially for the Olympics that was discussed in this story from the Buffalo News. Looking forward to her updates throughout the Games!

Can't wait for Sunday...

Makes Me Melt

2010-02-17T20:20:00.003-05:00

So I have to apologize to all of my friends in advance, but to be honest I have no shame in saying this, but I am going to be a complete Ryan Miller fangirl during these Olympics. I was so excited to see him out there in his Team USA jersey representing the United States. When he made his first save I was all, "RYAN'S FIRST OLYMPIC SAVE!" and I kept saying bullshit like that throughout the game. But you know what? I don't care...the Olympics are every four years and this is the first time that my favorite athlete is competiting in them and I'm pretty damn proud to see him out there. He's earned it, and I can't wait to watch him compete. The Olympics are such a fun time and it's the only time when I can watch fascinating sports like curling and speed skating. Honestly I have watched at least several hours of curing and I still have no idea what the hell is going on, but I keep coming back for more!

Anyways, the main reason I wanted to update is to show everyone this precious commerical. Whether you've seen it or not, I still feel like I need to pass it on because it gets my every time! I already mentioned it on my Twitter, but this commercial just makes me melt every time I see it. It's so sweet and it reminds me why the Olympics are so special.

I could cry every time I see this commercial, it just warms my heart!

Hope everyone is enjoying the magic of the Olympics so far. And a big congratulations goes out to Ryan Miller and the rest of Team USA for their victory against Switzerland yesterday. Tomorrow they'll be taking on Norway. Unfortunately I'll be in class, but my handy DVR will have the action waiting for me.

And for all you Team USA supporters out there, here's a nice site that has updates and cool widgets to keep you involved with all the athletes and events: http://teamusanews.org/

Goalie in Revolt

2010-02-16T02:27:00.010-05:00

Over the past few weeks, pictures of Miller's Olympic mask has floated around the internet and I think the overall consensus was that it was a pretty badass mask. The image of Uncle Sam rolling up his sleeves and getting to work is a great representation of Team USA and the vibrant colors will surely make it stand out. Like Ryan's other masks, the back is where it gets the most personal: the slogan "Miller Time" makes its normal appearence, as well as a tribute to his cousin, where "Matt Man" is written... I think I can speak for most fans when I say that I always think it's neat to look at the personal side of a goalie's mask, but apparently the IOC thinks differently...

This article says that Miller's mask has been ruled against Olympic rules. The IOC does not approve of the "Miller Time" slogan, since it's the same slogan as Miller Beer, and I can understand the sentiments behind that... Apparently Jonathan Quick's mask is also under scrunity because it says "Support Our Troops" on the back, because political messages are prohibited by the IOC. But they also do not approve of the "Matt Man" tribute to his cousin, which I really don't understand. The article says that Ryan doesn't really mind that the IOC isn't approving the appearence of "Miller Time" on the mask, but it says that he's petitioning to keep the "Matt Man" tribute.

I say good for Ryan for petitioning to keep it... We all know how much of an impact Matt's legacy has been for Ryan, and I think it would be a shame if he can't showcase a tribute to someone so important in his life in such a large spotlight like the Olympics. Here's hoping that he gets to keep it on his mask.

With all of this mask hoopla aside, I'm very excited to see Ryan compete in his first ever Olympic game tomorrow against Switzerland. I had originally thought I was going to miss the game because of class, but then I found out that Buff State has unneccessarily given us Tuesday off as well so we can have a ~President's Day recess~, rather than having a day off just on President's Day. So thanks, Buff State! I owe you one (actually no, I don't...you will forever be indebted to me every single time you make me late for a class because I can't find a damn parking spot). Channel 2 News is going to have features of all of our Sabres that are going to be participating in the Olympics, and tonight they kicked it off with a feature on Miller and it got me all excited for tomorrow! I'm not sure if the actual feature is posted on their website, but here is a video that shows clips of Miller addressing the media after arriving in Vancouver.

Tomorrow's the big day...

Picking Up Good Vibrations

2010-02-14T18:35:00.004-05:00

Well, I think I can speak for most Sabres fans when I say that I was getting a little worried. And it's not to say that all of the Sabres' woes are going to suddenly vanish because of last night's win, but I think a prevailing victory heading into the Olympic break is just what the team needed. Confidence is so essential, and it's just a vicious cycle when a team is losing. The lower they get, the more scared they are going to play which leads to more mistakes which leads to some more tallies in the "L" column.

The break couldn't have come at a better time, and I hope that our players get some much needed rest and they can start off strong in March.

Clearly the win over the Sharks is good for the Sabres, it helps boost their confidence and maybe it reminded them of the good old days when they used to play hockey and when they would actually win games. That would be super. But I also have to say that I'm glad that the Sabres won because I was worrying about our little Olympian...

I think if you're familiar with my blog, you know that I love me some sassy Miller interviews. I've noticed that this season Miller is a lot more composed and even keeled when being interviewed, even after a loss. But after the overtime loss in Carolina, Ryan was, how shall we put it? A little less than impressed with his team. He said he has been pissed off for months and you could clearly see it in his face that he was livid. He's also been part of the problem with the team's losing streak, and I was afraid that our little US Olympian was going to head into Vancouver with a bad attitude and some negative vibes. I know how much the Olympics mean to Ryan and I have to say that I was a tad concerned that our beloved goalie was going to have his Olympic experience a little clouted if he had to go into the Games after a loss against San Jose. So I'm glad that the Sabres looked like their old selves against San Jose and Ryan can head into the Olympics on a higher note. Plus, it will be good for Team USA because he'll have more confidence after of his performance against San Jose and because of the win of course.

Speaking of the Olympics, how cute was the little cermony before puck drop where the little kiddies skated over to our Olympians and gave them jerseys from their respective countries...it was so precious! I loved how the Sabres fans paid homage to Miller by chanting, "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!" during the last minute of the game. It was so classy and I only wish I was in attendance so I could have joined in.

The Olympic break is officially upon us and as I'm sure you all know, I'm very stoked for them and I can't wait to watch Team USA compete. It's definitely going to be interesting and they have their work cut out for them, but that's the fun of it all. They will be competing against the best in the world and it will be fun to watch regardless of what happens. I know a lot of Sabres fans are worried about Miller in the Olympics because we don't want him getting too run down, and believe me, I'm part of the category. But I am just going to enjoy the Olympics and hope for the best because I think it's great that he's there representing our country. I'm a Sabres fan first and foremost, but the Olympics are something special and they only come once every four years, and it's fun for me to see my favorite athlete compete in them.

So if you haven't had enough of the hype that has been surrounded around Miller and Team USA, here are few things to read, watch, and listen while you're waiting for the Olympic action on Tuesday. Bucky Gleason recently wrote a story about Miller, his hockey roots, and his road to becoming an NHLer and an Olympian which was a good read. Amy from Shots Off The Crossbar posted a link to a video that featured Miller's family, including his mom and his cousins which is especially adorable when they talk to Ryan's little cousins and how cool they think it is to be related to him. And finallyyyy, the other day Miller was on the Jim Rome show, and you can listen (for free, yes really!) to the interview here. It's from a few days ago and Ryan just talks about going to the Olympics and they talk about his mask, but it was pretty cool that he was a guest on the show and I thought he did a good job with it.

Well I hope all of my lovely readers had a nice Valentine's Day, and if you don't have a Valentine, don't forget to tell yourself that you're wonderful and give yourself a big hug. And I think it's safe to say that all of us in Sabreland could use a nice little break from the Sabres, and now is a nice time to sit back and enjoy the Olympics!

Precious Memories

2010-02-11T21:47:00.001-05:00

Remember when the Sabres used to play hockey? Remember when they were good at it?

What Kind Of Fuckery Is This?

2010-02-08T13:36:00.002-05:00

Here's Rob Ray's reaction to the Sabres' recent ~~shit show~~ stretch of games:

I know, Rayzor...it's been tough on all of us. But something's telling me that it won't last... Well, one can only hope.

Come To Mama

2010-02-03T17:20:00.004-05:00

So I didn't watch the Pens game so that's my excuse for not wanting to discuss it...and frankly anything involving Ottawa scares me so I don't want to talk about them either. I'm only kind of looking forward to tonight's game just because the last game I saw was the Boston game (which I attended), so I want to see some Sabres hockey... But mostly I'm just nervous about tonight. It's kind of like wanting to cover your eyes during a scary part in the movie and having someone telling you when it's over.

So enough of the big, bad Sens...let's talk about happier things. Like the fact that I finally got my hands (figuratively speaking, it hasn't arrived in the mail yet) on this thing of beauty:

So excited. I called about every single sports store in Buffalo, e-mailed several online stores, but to no avail...Nike is completely sold out of the Team USA jerseys. I thought I was going to have to make due with the Miller Team USA t-shirt that I got...or I was going to buy a youth jersey and hope that the largest sized would fit...now I have to do none of that. I got the real deal. I was contemplating getting a blank Team USA jersey and then have someone customize it with Miller's name and number, so I went on NHL.com to try and find the exact lettering and numbers Team USA is using. And low and behold, they were now selling the Team USA jerseys! I immediately placed my order and now in a few weeks I'm going to be a proud owner of that baby. I even called NHL.com's customer service to confirm that I had indeed ordered a Ryan Miller Team USA jersey. I was all, "Let me get this straight...I just ordered an adult Nike Team USA IIHF 2010 Road Replica Jersey? That will say "Miller" and "39" on the back? Yes? This isn't a joke?" Sweet, sweet victory. If anyone is planning on buying a jersey through NHL.com, let me know because I have a code to use that will get you 20% off the order.

Anyways, I uploaded the pictures I took at the Sabres-Bruins game last Friday. They're up on my Flickr...here are a few of my favorites:

Hope you like them...

Oh and I'd like everyone to know that I've added NHL Predictions under my favorite websites section of my blog, so if you're into making predictions and betting on NHL games, check this site out.