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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.
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
All Tied Up
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!
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!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Rockin' the Wingzzz
So Tuesday I went to my first Sabres game of the (regular) season and it was...well, it was pretty damn awesome. Just a few things I feel like I should mention...
Things that make me happy:
- Me sticking to my main decision about having the Wings game being my first game of the season...a lot of my friends tried to convince me to go to the home opener and forget about the Wings game, since the Sabres always lose to the Wings anyways...
- Being surrounded by cocky Wings fans during a 6-2 Sabres victory
- Patrick Kaleta's first multi-point game of his career.
- The Ellis-Gaustad-Kaleta line in general.
- Once again...Tyler Myers. Kaleta's goal was all thanks to Myers, watching him carry the puck into the zone like that was wonderful and I just had a feeling the Sabres were going to score on that play. Still can't believe that it was only his fourth NHL game.
- Vanek's injury isn't as serious as once believed, and he shouldn't be out for WEEKS (WEEKS!!) like Lindy once feared.
- The fact that Lindy has decided to keep the lines intact instead of shuffling them around despite the absence of Vanek...why mess with a good thing? I'm especially glad that means the Ellis-Gaustad-Kaleta line will remain. Mair replacing Vanek should be interesting to say the least.
- The guy sitting behind me at the game who kept saying funny remarks about Mike Grier every time he touched the puck.
- The little girl sitting behind me who exclaimed to her dad, "DAD!! Look how big that player is!!!!" when she first saw Tyler Myers on the ice.
- Annoying the hell out of my brother by chanting, "MILLER! MILLER! MILLER!" every 10 seconds while driving to the game and walking to the arena (I get excited, ok?)
- Me being able to chant, "MILLER! MILLER! MILLER!" after he stopped Filppula's penalty shot.
- Where The Wild Things Are comes out tomorrow!! I know you've all read the book, and the movie DOES NOT look like it's going to disappoint!
Things that kind of bum me out:
- I won't be able to watch the game tomorrow because I have to work :(. DVR delay just isn't the same, but I guess I'm going to have to make due. I'm going to get my hockey fix during the day by attending the open practice in the morning.
- I brought the wrong lens to the game yesterday, so my pictures are less than stellar. Despite the fact that I was sitting three rows from the glass. I tried to take some pictures but they all came out kind of "meh." It's a bummer because that's the only game this season where I'm going to be super close to the glass and I could have gotten some real nice shots of the players.
- I didn't turn up in any of the pictures on GettyImages.com...one of my favorite things about looking at pictures from sporting events is the looks on the spectator's faces. One day I wish to be captured in an unflattering way at Sabres game...it's a tough goal but I am determined to fulfill it.
- COLLEGE. Ahh...the stresses of being a college student. I'm in the process of switching majors and even possibly transferring schools and it's just stressing me out big time right now...I'm just trying to keep everything in perspective because if I don't I might give myself a heart attack. Just trying to get through this semester...
- The Fire Dick Jauron billboard on the 190... Look, I get just as upset over a terrible loss as the next Bills fan, but putting up a billboard that reads, "Fire Dick Jauron!" or whatever it's going to say is just tacky... Despite him not being the greatest coach in history, he's also a human being with a family and a life outside of his coaching job. Believe me, I'm sure Dick Jauron is well aware that he's not the most liked Buffalonian at the moment, and he doesn't need a huge billboard that calls for him to be fired to remind him of that. We're classier than that, Buffalo. Just mi dos centavos.
Things that just confuse the hell out of me:
- My professor's accent. I know it's not her fault that she's hard to understand, but it makes Art History so much more difficult when I can't understand what she is saying. And she gets cranky when people ask her to write something on the board more than once. She's all, "I alveady vrote da vord on da board lahst class..."
- SpongeBob and Sandy are getting married?! What the...I always thought SpongeBob was gay...
Things that make me happy:
- Me sticking to my main decision about having the Wings game being my first game of the season...a lot of my friends tried to convince me to go to the home opener and forget about the Wings game, since the Sabres always lose to the Wings anyways...
- Being surrounded by cocky Wings fans during a 6-2 Sabres victory
- Patrick Kaleta's first multi-point game of his career.
- The Ellis-Gaustad-Kaleta line in general.
- Once again...Tyler Myers. Kaleta's goal was all thanks to Myers, watching him carry the puck into the zone like that was wonderful and I just had a feeling the Sabres were going to score on that play. Still can't believe that it was only his fourth NHL game.
- Vanek's injury isn't as serious as once believed, and he shouldn't be out for WEEKS (WEEKS!!) like Lindy once feared.
- The fact that Lindy has decided to keep the lines intact instead of shuffling them around despite the absence of Vanek...why mess with a good thing? I'm especially glad that means the Ellis-Gaustad-Kaleta line will remain. Mair replacing Vanek should be interesting to say the least.
- The guy sitting behind me at the game who kept saying funny remarks about Mike Grier every time he touched the puck.
- The little girl sitting behind me who exclaimed to her dad, "DAD!! Look how big that player is!!!!" when she first saw Tyler Myers on the ice.
- Annoying the hell out of my brother by chanting, "MILLER! MILLER! MILLER!" every 10 seconds while driving to the game and walking to the arena (I get excited, ok?)
- Me being able to chant, "MILLER! MILLER! MILLER!" after he stopped Filppula's penalty shot.
- Where The Wild Things Are comes out tomorrow!! I know you've all read the book, and the movie DOES NOT look like it's going to disappoint!
Things that kind of bum me out:
- I won't be able to watch the game tomorrow because I have to work :(. DVR delay just isn't the same, but I guess I'm going to have to make due. I'm going to get my hockey fix during the day by attending the open practice in the morning.
- I brought the wrong lens to the game yesterday, so my pictures are less than stellar. Despite the fact that I was sitting three rows from the glass. I tried to take some pictures but they all came out kind of "meh." It's a bummer because that's the only game this season where I'm going to be super close to the glass and I could have gotten some real nice shots of the players.
- I didn't turn up in any of the pictures on GettyImages.com...one of my favorite things about looking at pictures from sporting events is the looks on the spectator's faces. One day I wish to be captured in an unflattering way at Sabres game...it's a tough goal but I am determined to fulfill it.
- COLLEGE. Ahh...the stresses of being a college student. I'm in the process of switching majors and even possibly transferring schools and it's just stressing me out big time right now...I'm just trying to keep everything in perspective because if I don't I might give myself a heart attack. Just trying to get through this semester...
- The Fire Dick Jauron billboard on the 190... Look, I get just as upset over a terrible loss as the next Bills fan, but putting up a billboard that reads, "Fire Dick Jauron!" or whatever it's going to say is just tacky... Despite him not being the greatest coach in history, he's also a human being with a family and a life outside of his coaching job. Believe me, I'm sure Dick Jauron is well aware that he's not the most liked Buffalonian at the moment, and he doesn't need a huge billboard that calls for him to be fired to remind him of that. We're classier than that, Buffalo. Just mi dos centavos.
Things that just confuse the hell out of me:
- My professor's accent. I know it's not her fault that she's hard to understand, but it makes Art History so much more difficult when I can't understand what she is saying. And she gets cranky when people ask her to write something on the board more than once. She's all, "I alveady vrote da vord on da board lahst class..."
- SpongeBob and Sandy are getting married?! What the...I always thought SpongeBob was gay...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Not Much to Say
I don't really know what to say about last night's game. Funny thing is I really didn't have much emotion from the outcome, just some disappointment and confusion. Every time our team took a penalty I just rolled my eyes and shook my head. While it was impressive that the Sabres managed to kill off the majority of the penalties...the fact remains that they took 6 straight penalties. Playoff teams don't do that. Teams fighting for a playoff spot don't do that. 13 shots on goal for the entire game? Atta boys. That'll get you into playoff contention for sure. While many fans are going back and forth deciding whether it's the player's fault, Lindy's fault, or upper management's (Darcy, Larry, and Golisano) fault...I don't really feel like playing that game. Truth is I don't know what the hell is wrong with them and while I have speculated about it and have come up with some theories, I'm not going to go into it because I'm just a fan. I'm not a hockey player. I'm not a coach. And I don't run a sports franchise. So, what it all boils down to, I am not the best person to analyze what's wrong with the team. I am just a confused fan who wants to enjoy watching the Sabres again.
What's funny is that the teams around us are losing too...and it becomes an interesting thing to think about. Is it good or bad? Some would say it's good because it means that we still have a chance. Others would say that it's not good because this team is just a lost cause and it would just be better off if the team would just fall too far out of contention so people's hopes won't be built up. I'm an optimistic person by nature, so I obviously am in the first group of people and I still say that there's a chance. But last night's game wasn't promising at all and it just leaves me shaking my head. It would just be nice to have fun again while watching the Sabres. It's why we watch sports in the first place, right? It's entertainment, a form of escapism. So while I try my best to enjoy myself while watching them, it's been hard lately. I just end up getting nervous, pissed off, or just plain old apathetic. Trying to remain positive, but it's hard. At least we're still getting good news about Miller. He tested his ankle out more again today and faced some shots against some of his teammates. Who knows where the Sabres are going to be in the standings once Ryan returns, but I just want to see him back. I miss him. He works hard and does a good job. He deserves to be back.
Another posistive thing I have to talk about (and it doesn't involve the Sabres...surprising, I know) is Martin Brodeur. I mean what's there really to say except that he's truly special. He's been around for so long and it's amazing to see the success that he's achieved over the years. He's really something else...and it's been great to watch him play hockey. The longevity of his career is amazing and he really shows no signs of slowing down. He's played over 70 games a season since 97-98 season, and you know he would have done the same this season had he not gone down with an injury. People can debate back and forth over who's the best goalie (Roy or Brodeur...and sometimes Hasek is thrown in there), but honestly does it really matter? All I know is that they're all great goalies and it's been awesome watching all of them play. All of Brodeur's achievements have been well deserved and it's great to see him surpass Roy's record and make some history of his own.
Cutting out the net...awesome.
T-minus 2 days until spring break.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Uplifting News
So admist of all the sadness, frustration, and negativety...we've got some good news. Ryan Miller is skating again! Ryan is missed for obvious reasons, but I've also missed his thoughtful interviews. It's been awhile since we've been treated to one. And he looked so happy out there on the ice...it's nice to see. But what the hell was on the stereo in the locker room while he was being interviewed? Speaking of Mr. Sass himself, in my previous post I mentioned how I saw him at Delish! helping out Carly's Club, here are some cute pictures from the event...looks like it was a fun time for the kids.
So the Sabres still haven't been able to put up a nice winning streak and 10th place sounds so low in the standings...so it really does come as a surprise to see how they're still right in the thick of things only being 3 points out of a playoff spot with a game two games in hand. Doesn't their position sound better when you spin it like that? Of course those games in hand only come in handy when you win them...and the Sabres have been having a hard time doing that. Especially against our next opponent, the dreaded Ottawa Senators. Tellqvist will be in net for us, so it will be interesting to see how he does. Maybe tomorrow my Irish roots will come in handy and I can pass some good old fashioned Irish luck to the Sabres and see how that helps them.
Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, did any of you guys go to the parade? I went and it was a lot of fun. A big turnout because it was such a perfect day for it. Lots of sunshine, green, and drunk people of course. I took some pictures of the parade but I am still debating if I like them or not. I've got some nice pictures that I took at Delaware Park when I was in the area on Saturday, so I'll share those with you once I get around to uploading them. This is my last week of classes until spring break. Very exciting! Today wasn't a bad day at all, school-wise. I think the nice weather is making my mood turn around and I am getting a more positive outlook on my classes. If only my hockey team could lift my spirits too. Well, seeing Ryan skating around on the ice with our other goalies and enjoying himself did, so I guess that's a start.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Still Contemplating
So I was going to wait until after Saturday's game to weigh in on the Sabres. After the disappointing and frustrating loss in Philadelphia, many fans decided that it was the last straw and they decided that the Sabres will not make the postseason. But after last night's win in Florida I think it put a lot of fans on the fence instead of them just giving up on the team entirely. The outcome of Saturday's came will be a big indicator. If they lose, well, we all know what to think. But if they win, then fans might start believing that they can make a nice run to secure a playoff position. It's annoying that a lot of the teams that we are chasing are ending up with one or two points after they play a game, but it is what it is. The Sabres have had several opportunities to overtake some teams in the standings and they did not seize it. That's all on them.
The special teams last night was really impressive. The team did a great job killing off a lengthy 5-on-3. We were up 2-1 late in the third, and it could have been deadly if the Panthers scored to tie it up at that point. Then the Sabres took total control of the game when Vanek netted a power play goal late in the third to put the team up 3-1. Lalime looked strong in goal and was an important reason why the Panthers did not tie it up when they had the two man advantage. Still waiting for Pommers to show up. Same with a lot of our top-6 guys...I am well aware that there are other aspects in the game where players can contribute other than scoring, but where this team is at this point and given our circumstances, it's really imperative that our top-6 guys really thrive and show up big on the score sheet.
So Lindy addressed Ryan Miller's injury to the media today and said that he's still progressing. Not a whole lot of new information and still no time-table, but his comments are interesting. While Ryan still hasn't taken to the ice yet, he said that once he's at the point where he can get back on the ice then he'll be ready to return. He also said that Ryan's return is closer than it was before. Which is an indicator that he won't be out for the rest of the season which a lot of people are speculating about. I think I can speak for most of the fanbase when I say that I really, really miss Ryan. Come back to us, precious jewel.
So this week of class was an interesting one for me. While I've previously mentioned that I have been having a hard time getting motivated about doing work, I am strangely up for the task this week. After writing a lengthy book review that I am pretty proud of, I am ready to take on a few assignments that I have coming up. I've been more alert and involved in my classes which is probably contributing to me being more inspired about doing my work. But still with all that, I am still really glad that it's Friday. I've got another nice weekend planned. I'm kind of glad that there isn't a game on tonight because I plan on going out later tonight. The weather is warming up this weekend and it's going to be sunny! I'll have to bring along my camera incase I see some photo op's. This Sunday is the St. Patrick's Day parade and that's always...fun. Gotta celebrate my Irish roots! But seriously, you don't even need to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. But it sure helps. I really want this t-shirt. Classy, I know. I try.
The special teams last night was really impressive. The team did a great job killing off a lengthy 5-on-3. We were up 2-1 late in the third, and it could have been deadly if the Panthers scored to tie it up at that point. Then the Sabres took total control of the game when Vanek netted a power play goal late in the third to put the team up 3-1. Lalime looked strong in goal and was an important reason why the Panthers did not tie it up when they had the two man advantage. Still waiting for Pommers to show up. Same with a lot of our top-6 guys...I am well aware that there are other aspects in the game where players can contribute other than scoring, but where this team is at this point and given our circumstances, it's really imperative that our top-6 guys really thrive and show up big on the score sheet.
So Lindy addressed Ryan Miller's injury to the media today and said that he's still progressing. Not a whole lot of new information and still no time-table, but his comments are interesting. While Ryan still hasn't taken to the ice yet, he said that once he's at the point where he can get back on the ice then he'll be ready to return. He also said that Ryan's return is closer than it was before. Which is an indicator that he won't be out for the rest of the season which a lot of people are speculating about. I think I can speak for most of the fanbase when I say that I really, really miss Ryan. Come back to us, precious jewel.
So this week of class was an interesting one for me. While I've previously mentioned that I have been having a hard time getting motivated about doing work, I am strangely up for the task this week. After writing a lengthy book review that I am pretty proud of, I am ready to take on a few assignments that I have coming up. I've been more alert and involved in my classes which is probably contributing to me being more inspired about doing my work. But still with all that, I am still really glad that it's Friday. I've got another nice weekend planned. I'm kind of glad that there isn't a game on tonight because I plan on going out later tonight. The weather is warming up this weekend and it's going to be sunny! I'll have to bring along my camera incase I see some photo op's. This Sunday is the St. Patrick's Day parade and that's always...fun. Gotta celebrate my Irish roots! But seriously, you don't even need to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. But it sure helps. I really want this t-shirt. Classy, I know. I try.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Progress!
So, it still isn't much of an update, but it's something! Ryan Miller and his wonky eyebrow ankle are feeling better. Ruff said there's still no time-frame, but hey, at least it's something positive, right? Hopefully it gets better and heals quickly like Thomas Vanek's jaw seemed to. Thomas was being such a tease when he was all, "LOL @ me getting better in 4 weeks, it's more like 5-6 weeks lol so sry." on his blog. Ryan also updated his blog and he talks about what he's doing to get his ankle to heal and to stay in shape. He also discusses that he's going to have a new mask when he returns and that he's too afraid to get tattoos. Thanks for your blog Ryan, it truly is a gem.
So tomorrow is the TRADE DEADLINE...dun dun dun. Or as Anne would call it, the BEST DAY EVER. What's going to go down? Last year the hot story around Buffalo was Brian Campbell and we all know how that ended. But there really hasn't been all that much around here...except for Tim Connolly. Will he be traded? I doubt it. We really need him around if this team is serious about making the playoffs. So does that mean we're going to lose him to free agency? Who knows. As much as we want to know the inside scoop, we really don't know what happens behind closed doors and we don't know what direction both the Sabres and Tim Connolly want to head. I'd like to think that the Sabres and Timmy can get a deal done before he becomes an UFA come this July, but I really have no idea what's going to happen and I'm not going to sit here and speculate. Other players on the team that have been discussed about being moved are Henrik Tallinder and Maxim Afinogenov. Everyone's been disappointed with Hank ever since his arm injuries because he hasn't been the same defenseman since. Then there's Max. Max, Max, Max. I think the Sabres have been trying to move him for some time now, but they just haven't gotten any takers. Honestly at this point, I don't see how he'd hurt the lineup. Not with the way some players have been playing lately. Players like Hecht have been really disappointing night in and night out so how about we see how Max does for a game. Apparently he might be ready to go tomorrow night (if he isn't traded) so it'll be interesting if he does get to play.
So will Darcy make a move? I can't see how he wouldn't. He's not been known to do anything drastic, but I'm sure he'll acquire something to try and improve the squad. I know he gets a lot of shit, but I wish people would stop acting as if they could run a sports franchise with ease. There's just so much that goes on behind the scenes that we don't know about, so people shouldn't act as if they could do a better job than Darcy. People sit there and wonder why he hasn't acquired or signed a superstar defenseman yet, as if it's so easy to go out there and pick one up. If only it was as simple as calling up a GM from another team and say, "Gimme this guy, thanks." I'm not saying that Regier is the best GM in all of hockey and that he doesn't make mistakes, I just wish people would stop acting like they could do a better job when they really have no business talking about running a sports franchise because they haven't got a clue to what goes on.
Okay, I'll get off my soap box now. So with the trade deadline tomorrow and hearing some reassuring news about Miller, I guess it's been an OK day in Sabreland. Not great, considering we're now in 9th place and we're on a 3-game losing streak, yadda yadda yadda. But now that Vanek is back maybe this team's morale (and offense) will be given a boost and they can turn the tides a bit. And hopefully that 3 1/2 hour meeting that went down yesterday did some good. We can only hope.
Oh and has Blogger been acting wonky for anyone else lately? It has been for me for the past week or so. Just wondering if it's just me.
So tomorrow is the TRADE DEADLINE...dun dun dun. Or as Anne would call it, the BEST DAY EVER. What's going to go down? Last year the hot story around Buffalo was Brian Campbell and we all know how that ended. But there really hasn't been all that much around here...except for Tim Connolly. Will he be traded? I doubt it. We really need him around if this team is serious about making the playoffs. So does that mean we're going to lose him to free agency? Who knows. As much as we want to know the inside scoop, we really don't know what happens behind closed doors and we don't know what direction both the Sabres and Tim Connolly want to head. I'd like to think that the Sabres and Timmy can get a deal done before he becomes an UFA come this July, but I really have no idea what's going to happen and I'm not going to sit here and speculate. Other players on the team that have been discussed about being moved are Henrik Tallinder and Maxim Afinogenov. Everyone's been disappointed with Hank ever since his arm injuries because he hasn't been the same defenseman since. Then there's Max. Max, Max, Max. I think the Sabres have been trying to move him for some time now, but they just haven't gotten any takers. Honestly at this point, I don't see how he'd hurt the lineup. Not with the way some players have been playing lately. Players like Hecht have been really disappointing night in and night out so how about we see how Max does for a game. Apparently he might be ready to go tomorrow night (if he isn't traded) so it'll be interesting if he does get to play.
So will Darcy make a move? I can't see how he wouldn't. He's not been known to do anything drastic, but I'm sure he'll acquire something to try and improve the squad. I know he gets a lot of shit, but I wish people would stop acting as if they could run a sports franchise with ease. There's just so much that goes on behind the scenes that we don't know about, so people shouldn't act as if they could do a better job than Darcy. People sit there and wonder why he hasn't acquired or signed a superstar defenseman yet, as if it's so easy to go out there and pick one up. If only it was as simple as calling up a GM from another team and say, "Gimme this guy, thanks." I'm not saying that Regier is the best GM in all of hockey and that he doesn't make mistakes, I just wish people would stop acting like they could do a better job when they really have no business talking about running a sports franchise because they haven't got a clue to what goes on.
Okay, I'll get off my soap box now. So with the trade deadline tomorrow and hearing some reassuring news about Miller, I guess it's been an OK day in Sabreland. Not great, considering we're now in 9th place and we're on a 3-game losing streak, yadda yadda yadda. But now that Vanek is back maybe this team's morale (and offense) will be given a boost and they can turn the tides a bit. And hopefully that 3 1/2 hour meeting that went down yesterday did some good. We can only hope.
Oh and has Blogger been acting wonky for anyone else lately? It has been for me for the past week or so. Just wondering if it's just me.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Well...
I think it's safe to say that this team is in trouble. Losing to the Islanders? Not even losing, but being shutout? Terrible. Look, I know on any given night any team can beat any other team, despite their records, but...this is the Islanders. We are better than them, aren't we? It's not like they dominated us, far from it...but good god. I said before this game that if they lose then I am going to be very concerned. As Tim Gunn would say, this worries me. Um...at least Florida and Carolina lost? Yay? For some reason that does not comfort me in the least. Not when your team just got shutout by the ISLANDERS. Shit, if coaches always get canned after their team loses to the Maple Leafs, then where does that leave us?
Oh and can we please buy this guy a win? What the hell is he going to have to do to get another W in his record? Score a hat-trick? Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Look Sabres, if you don't give a shit about remaining in the top-8, the least you could do is win for your backup goalie whose been playing great.
Look at that face, tell me you don't want to see him skate off the ice victorious at least a few more times this season?
In other news, Maxim Afinogenov is claiming that he's been ready to go since the middle of February, but he's just been a healthy scratch since then. Surprised? It seems as though he's been on the trading block for quite some time now, there have just been no takers. Poor Max. I really wish him success, whether he's on the Sabres or not. I've always liked Max and it's a shame that it's never really worked out for him here.
And in MORE news...Ryan Miller's left ankle...oh wait. There hasn't been any news :(. I am really anxiously awaiting to hear ANY update. I don't even need a time-table, just something. You should see me when I get any wiff of an "update". Paul Hamilton yesterday said on the radio that he saw Ryan running around in the locker room wearing sweats which might imply that he's doing off-ice workouts. I was all,
"RUNNING?! Where you using that figuratively or was he for real running? DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING PAUL, TELL ME." Of course, running around in sweats is a lot different than playing goal in the NHL, so even if we was running that doesn't imply that he's ready to return soon...but still. I need to know these things. I propose that they launch a website called www.ryanmillersleftankle.com and they update ushourly daily on what's going on. I mean, we all know that Thomas Vanek's jaw was wired shut and he had a diet consisting of only SOUP, yet we can't find any more news on Ryan's sprained ankle? Blasphemy.
On a lighter note...I just bought tickets to see No Doubt this summer at Darien Lake. You guys have no idea how excited I am. They've been my favorite band since I was a kid and I've never seen them live. I've seen Gwen Stefani live twice but of course that's not the same. I wasn't expecting No Doubt to come to Buffalo/Darien Lake, but I was pretty sure they'd come to Toronto (which they are) so I was banking on that. But I was very thrilled to see that they are coming here! And tickets here are cheaper than the Toronto show so that's a nice incentive. I used to go to shows all the time but for some reason I haven't been to many at all this past year. The last one I went to was Lollapalooza (an awesome music festival) this past August in Chicago. Which was awesome and I plan on attending this summer as well.
Brand New is headlining UB's Spring Fest this year and I am very excited for that. I've seen Brand New twice and they're pretty good live. Albeit, they kind of come off as jerks, but I like them for their music and not for their personalities so I guess it doesn't matter. I've seen them at the Town Ballroom a few years ago and they played a very long set so that was nice. I then saw them at Lollapalooza last summer and they were being a little pissy because they knew that half of the audience were Rage Against The Machine fans just getting to the stage early to ensure they got a good spot once RATM took the stage. But I do have to say that I think RATM was the best show I've ever seen. They were great. Partly because I've loved them for so long and I never thought I'd get to see them live, so I really cherished the fact that I was watching them perform live. Live music is the best. I wanted to see Kings Of Leon in Toronto this April, but I think the tickets have sold out. My cousin told me that they always sell out fast. They seem like they'd be a great band to see live though. Maybe they'll be at Lollapalooza this summer, who knows.
Oh and can we please buy this guy a win? What the hell is he going to have to do to get another W in his record? Score a hat-trick? Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Look Sabres, if you don't give a shit about remaining in the top-8, the least you could do is win for your backup goalie whose been playing great.
Look at that face, tell me you don't want to see him skate off the ice victorious at least a few more times this season?
In other news, Maxim Afinogenov is claiming that he's been ready to go since the middle of February, but he's just been a healthy scratch since then. Surprised? It seems as though he's been on the trading block for quite some time now, there have just been no takers. Poor Max. I really wish him success, whether he's on the Sabres or not. I've always liked Max and it's a shame that it's never really worked out for him here.
And in MORE news...Ryan Miller's left ankle...oh wait. There hasn't been any news :(. I am really anxiously awaiting to hear ANY update. I don't even need a time-table, just something. You should see me when I get any wiff of an "update". Paul Hamilton yesterday said on the radio that he saw Ryan running around in the locker room wearing sweats which might imply that he's doing off-ice workouts. I was all,
"RUNNING?! Where you using that figuratively or was he for real running? DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING PAUL, TELL ME." Of course, running around in sweats is a lot different than playing goal in the NHL, so even if we was running that doesn't imply that he's ready to return soon...but still. I need to know these things. I propose that they launch a website called www.ryanmillersleftankle.com and they update us
On a lighter note...I just bought tickets to see No Doubt this summer at Darien Lake. You guys have no idea how excited I am. They've been my favorite band since I was a kid and I've never seen them live. I've seen Gwen Stefani live twice but of course that's not the same. I wasn't expecting No Doubt to come to Buffalo/Darien Lake, but I was pretty sure they'd come to Toronto (which they are) so I was banking on that. But I was very thrilled to see that they are coming here! And tickets here are cheaper than the Toronto show so that's a nice incentive. I used to go to shows all the time but for some reason I haven't been to many at all this past year. The last one I went to was Lollapalooza (an awesome music festival) this past August in Chicago. Which was awesome and I plan on attending this summer as well.
Brand New is headlining UB's Spring Fest this year and I am very excited for that. I've seen Brand New twice and they're pretty good live. Albeit, they kind of come off as jerks, but I like them for their music and not for their personalities so I guess it doesn't matter. I've seen them at the Town Ballroom a few years ago and they played a very long set so that was nice. I then saw them at Lollapalooza last summer and they were being a little pissy because they knew that half of the audience were Rage Against The Machine fans just getting to the stage early to ensure they got a good spot once RATM took the stage. But I do have to say that I think RATM was the best show I've ever seen. They were great. Partly because I've loved them for so long and I never thought I'd get to see them live, so I really cherished the fact that I was watching them perform live. Live music is the best. I wanted to see Kings Of Leon in Toronto this April, but I think the tickets have sold out. My cousin told me that they always sell out fast. They seem like they'd be a great band to see live though. Maybe they'll be at Lollapalooza this summer, who knows.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Shit Show Extravaganza
Oh my. What a difference a week makes, huh? Last week we were discussing about how far up the Sabres were going to climb up in the standings and we had a superhero disguised as a tall & lanky goalie in net for us. Now people are talking about which golf courses select Sabres are going to be teeing off at come April and we've got some 11 year old Swedish kid in net for us. Oh, hockey. You and your rollercoaster of emotions that you make me ride. Thanks to stupid sprained ankles, lame broken jaws, bum groins, stomach flus, old age, and good old fashioned laziness & stupidity, it's really hard to tell where this team is at.
Well last night can be summed up in one word...disappointing. I have to say the highlight of my night was sitting next to a guy who was eating a banana. It might quite possibly be the first and last time that I'll ever see someone eating a banana at a hockey game. As for the game itself...well, I don't think they looked awful. At times they did. But for the most part I thought they were pretty defensively sound, but those gaffes between the sound play is what will kill you. That terrible turnover at the very beginning of the game and the shorthanded goal comes to mind. I think the shorty is what really killed us. They never recovered from it. Now everyone is so quick to blame Lalime. Hold your horses, everyone. First goal came from a breakaway due to an awful turnover, second goal was deflected, and the third goal went off of Gaustad's skate. Now is that to say Lalime gets a free pass? Of course not. But to lay the blame all on him is ignorant. To me, it looks like a sorry excuse and it's easy to simply make Lalime our scapegoat. I think fans need to realize that Lalime isn't Ryan Miller. He isn't going to be stealing many games for us like Ryan can, and maybe he isn't going to bail out his team after they make costly mistakes as much as Ryan will. It is what it is. He's our backup goalie, not a bonafide starting goaltender like Miller.
So yeah, our goaltending situation at the moment certainly isn't ideal. But it gets better! It seems as though Lalime won't be playing tomorrow night against Carolina because he's come down with the flu. So we've got our little Swedish friend (who by the way looked surprisingly small in the warmups last night) in goal for us. So who's our backup goalie? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? The goaltending situation in Portland seems to be as troublesome as ours at the moment, considering they've been riding Enroth up until he got called up, so if they can't find a decent goalie in the AHL, then where does that leave us? When it rains it pours.
Remember the good old days when we had a really awesome goalie in net for us that threw really cool themed parties and resembled Jesus when he would skip shaving for a few days? Remember when we had a cool Austrian top-scorer who's mouth wasn't wired shut? Ahh yes, nostalgia. So while having both your top-scorer and franchise goaltender injured at the same timeis a recipe for disaster isn't ideal, can the Sabres suck it up? It's not like their next opponent is one point behind them in the standings or anything. Or that a loss against them would mean that we're bumped out of the playoffs. Nahhhh. No big deal.
I hope Ryan Miller's left ankle isn't getting any enjoyment out of all the attention it's receiving. Ryan better watch out, pretty soon his left ankle is going to be more popular than he is. It starts out pretty innocent. People will go up to Ryan and ask him how his ankle is, blah blah blah. But then pretty soon girls are going to be asking for its autograph. Kids will be wanting their picture with it. And then before you know, Ryan will be out at a bar and his left ankle is going to leave with more phone numbers than Ryan. So for the sake of Ryan's popularity, and for the sake of the Sabres fate, please heal quickly, Ryan's left ankle. Please? We all miss Ryan so stop being a little bitch and heal for him. Ryan's left ice skate misses you.
Well last night can be summed up in one word...disappointing. I have to say the highlight of my night was sitting next to a guy who was eating a banana. It might quite possibly be the first and last time that I'll ever see someone eating a banana at a hockey game. As for the game itself...well, I don't think they looked awful. At times they did. But for the most part I thought they were pretty defensively sound, but those gaffes between the sound play is what will kill you. That terrible turnover at the very beginning of the game and the shorthanded goal comes to mind. I think the shorty is what really killed us. They never recovered from it. Now everyone is so quick to blame Lalime. Hold your horses, everyone. First goal came from a breakaway due to an awful turnover, second goal was deflected, and the third goal went off of Gaustad's skate. Now is that to say Lalime gets a free pass? Of course not. But to lay the blame all on him is ignorant. To me, it looks like a sorry excuse and it's easy to simply make Lalime our scapegoat. I think fans need to realize that Lalime isn't Ryan Miller. He isn't going to be stealing many games for us like Ryan can, and maybe he isn't going to bail out his team after they make costly mistakes as much as Ryan will. It is what it is. He's our backup goalie, not a bonafide starting goaltender like Miller.
So yeah, our goaltending situation at the moment certainly isn't ideal. But it gets better! It seems as though Lalime won't be playing tomorrow night against Carolina because he's come down with the flu. So we've got our little Swedish friend (who by the way looked surprisingly small in the warmups last night) in goal for us. So who's our backup goalie? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? The goaltending situation in Portland seems to be as troublesome as ours at the moment, considering they've been riding Enroth up until he got called up, so if they can't find a decent goalie in the AHL, then where does that leave us? When it rains it pours.
Remember the good old days when we had a really awesome goalie in net for us that threw really cool themed parties and resembled Jesus when he would skip shaving for a few days? Remember when we had a cool Austrian top-scorer who's mouth wasn't wired shut? Ahh yes, nostalgia. So while having both your top-scorer and franchise goaltender injured at the same time
I hope Ryan Miller's left ankle isn't getting any enjoyment out of all the attention it's receiving. Ryan better watch out, pretty soon his left ankle is going to be more popular than he is. It starts out pretty innocent. People will go up to Ryan and ask him how his ankle is, blah blah blah. But then pretty soon girls are going to be asking for its autograph. Kids will be wanting their picture with it. And then before you know, Ryan will be out at a bar and his left ankle is going to leave with more phone numbers than Ryan. So for the sake of Ryan's popularity, and for the sake of the Sabres fate, please heal quickly, Ryan's left ankle. Please? We all miss Ryan so stop being a little bitch and heal for him. Ryan's left ice skate misses you.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Positive Vibes
Well today's update didn't really reveal anything new. With this injury, I guess it's just a waiting game and you have to feel it out to know when you're ready. So I think I've done all that I could with writing an encouraging letter to Ryan's ankle, so everyone send your positive vibes over to Ryan and his ankle in hopes that he recovers quickly. Instead of developing a stomach ulcer over this, I am just going to be positive about it, because that's just how I roll. The good thing is that Ryan said that the swelling has gone down and there wasn't much to begin with, and that the doctors have called it a "minor" high ankle sprain. Ryan is also using a walking boot, but said that he only really uses it when he's out and about and within the next few days he won't need it...which is good right? I'm assuming it means he's not completely immobile which means he can do some sort of workouts to stay in shape and such. Honestly, I'm not a professional athlete so I don't know what it means but I am just assuming. I'm sure he'll do all he can to remain in top shape without risking himself to any more injury.
So while we play the waiting game with Ryan's injury, believe it or not the show must go on and the Sabres will be playing all of their games on schedule. That means that Patrick Lalime is going to step up and be our number 1 guy for a little bit, while Jhonas Enroth has been called up to backup Lalime. A lot of fans have been disappointed with Lalime, but I have always stood by him. I think he's a lot better than his numbers would lead on. And now he's got a chance to get into a rhythm. As for Enroth, people have had high hopes for him as he's been considered a top goalie prospect around the league. I can only go by the reports I get from the games in Portland, but apparently he's been struggling as of late, which may be because he isn't used to the long AHL schedule. Perhaps him getting called up to the NHL will put some jump back into his game. But depending on how long Miller is out and how Lalime performs, we may not even see him in action at all. So can a Lalime/Enroth tandem hold down the fort until Miller returns? Stranger things sure have happened. We all know how important Miller is to this team, but we must remember hockey is not a one man show and that it's a team sport. While Ryan is a key component in our team's success, this team is capable of winning games in his absence. While I'd want nothing more than for Miller to return from his injury as quickly as possible, Patrick Lalime is getting my full support now that he's our main man between the pipes.
Now a lot of people have been toying with the idea of Miller being out for the rest of the season and not even being ready come playoff time. I'll say this. Let's just take it one game at a time. Regardless of Miller's injury, we should not be looking ahead to the playoffs yet. We still need to make them. So while I don't even want to process in my head where this team would be sans Miller in the postseason, I am not going to consider it because we simply can't be thinking that far ahead. We honestly have no idea what's going to happen, regarding both Miller's status and the team's fate.
Tomorrow's going to be real interesting. We've been saying how every game is "huge" so much that it's getting old, but now it's for different reasons. A victory tomorrow would obviously mean we gained 2 big points which helps us in the playoff race, but it would also be extremely reassuring to the Sabres and for the fans. We'll say to ourselves, "Hey maybe we can do this." But if it's a loss, well, we've all seen how the fans and the media reacts. I'll be at the game tomorrow supporting Lalime and the rest of our boys.
So my fellow Sabres fans, whip out your incense and meditation books (Ryan would be so proud) and send some really awesome and hippish positive vibes to Ryan Miller and his left ankle. OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. I can tell Ryan is trying to stay in a ~positive vibe hippie mode~ because he's still sporting that fantastic Jesus facial hair. Don't shave it bb, you look good. And hey, maybe looking like a mad earthy hippie will improve the positive energy. YOU NEVER KNOW. I've heard a few theories thrown around that the reason why Ryan Miller plays so great in the playoffs is because he looks like Jesus which makes him play more godly. Until they can prove that this theory is wrong, I am going to say that it's right. So in conclusion, Ryan, and the rest of you Sabres fans, reveal your inner hippie (we all know it's there) and work your magic. And since we're all feeling so earthy and loving, maybe we should take advice from one of my favorite movies/musicals...Jesus Christ Superstar (which is coming to Shea's in April and I am OH SO EXCITED). One of the best Jesus and hippie-loving rock operas there is out there. Take it from them, just try not to focus on the bad and try to remain positive. Everything's Alright!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Open Letter to Miller's Left Ankle
Dear Ryan Miller's left ankle,
Firstly, I want to express my deepest sympathies in the sprain you endured when your owner fell and landed on you awkwardly no doubt making you twist in a way that you didn't want to be twisted, which must have caused you a great deal of pain. Secondly, I am writing you this to let you know how important you are to us and how a speedy recovery is essential. Look, I'm sure you understand how important you are to Ryan. You two have been together since the beginning, and I'm sure after 28 years with him, you two have developed an everlasting bond and there's no question that you really mean a lot to him. But I'm not sure if you understand your importance to the rest of us. You're not only important to the Buffalo Sabres, but your important to all of the fans of Buffalo. Right now we're all pulling for you and you're currently the hot topic to talk about around the city. Right now you hold all the cards and you decide when Ryan will be able to return to tend goal for our beloved hockey team.
So Ryan's left ankle, I write to you not as a plea, but just to give you a few words of encouragement while you're not feeling so good. I hope you get all the R.I.C.E. that you need. I'm sure Ryan is going to do his best to treat you well during this difficult time, and I'd just like you to consider his feelings and how badly he must want to come back and play for us right now. This is a very important time in the season and your owner is very important to our team's success. After all Ryan's done for you (you're attached to a franchise NHL goaltender's body, and there aren't that many left ankles that can say the same, so I think you should show some gratitude), I think it's not too much to ask for you to recover as quickly as possible. I don't want to rush you, but if you could just do a solid for Ryan, the Sabres, and for all of the fans, then it would be greatly appreciated and it would not go unnoticed.
So get well soon and try to improve your owner's spirits by not being such a nuisance and heal quickly and properly! We're all pulling for you.
All my best,
Caroline
P.S. - Say hi to Ryan for me.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Good and The Bad
So, was tonight good or bad? We got two huge points, which is good...but our franchise goalie is now injured which is bad. Let's go through tonight's game, shall we?
Well look who decided to show up. Paille AND Hecht. Solid. When I saw Connolly back on a line with Hecht I just thought to myself how Hecht is just a lost cause and Connolly won't make him any better...well I am glad to say that I can retract that statement...for tonight at least. Roy was very good, making two great plays to set up both Paille's and Sekera's goals, and netting one for himself. It was a huge win considering that Carolina is right behind us and Florida won, same old same old. It's going to be like this for the rest of the season, I'm sure.
So...now onto the BAD. Ryan Miller. Hurt. Fuck. My initial reaction was just, "WHY?!", a la Nancy Kerrigan. Really though. He's been having a career year and just playing like a top-5 NHL goalie. When goalies were dropping like flies this season I just kept thinking to myself, "Count your blessings, Sabres fans. Be glad it's not Miller." With our two best players out indefinitely, and with the tight playoff race, it's going to be very interesting. I'm sorry if I come off too frank, but this just fucking sucks. I'm not ready to press the "panic" button and say our season is doomed, but we all know that this team owes a lot of their wins to Ryan Miller. He's been spectacular and has gone above and beyond to ensure that his team wins games. I guess you just don't have time to feel sorry for yourself because the standings are too tight and our next game is on Tuesday (which I'll be going to). Lindy was absolutely livid in his post-game press conference. He believes that the collision was intentional. Ryan did say that he doesn't think Gomez would do something like that. I don't really know what to think. But man Lindy looked furious, you could see it in his eyes. What I am thinking about is the reaction. There wasn't much. When Miller was getting bumped against Ottawa without any retaliation from our guys, a lot of fans complained that it was sending a bad message to other team's around the league and we were also saying, "God forbid if Miller got hurt...". Although they did show Timmy go after Gomez and you saw Kaleta shouting at him from the bench. But what do you think?
I'm pretty surprised that Miller agreed to an interview tonight. He was extremely upset, for obvious reasons. You could hear it in his voice and see it in his face. While I adore Miller getting sassy during interviews as much as the next fan, I couldn't get full enjoyment out of it tonight given the circumstances. He kept trying to leave but the reporters kept asking him questions. I love his facial expressions when he's pissed off, but man, all I wanted to see was this face:
I don't want to see Miller being all sassy and pissed off if it means that he's talking about himself being injured. I'll do my best to talk to the hockey gods tonight to see if they can help us out and make sure that he isn't out for a long period of time. This blows. I just hope he's not out for a long time for obvious reasons, but also because if he's out for a long time it might take him a little bit to get back into the swing of things. He's really been on a roll and now it's going to be interrupted by an injury. Great timing too, considering our top scorer is also out several weeks with a broken jaw. Cool.
I consider myself to be an optimistic person, so I'm going to hope for the best. Ryan will not be out for a long time, and while he is out, Patty Lalime and perhaps Enroth(?) both do a good job until Ryan is ready to return. And once Ryan returns he'll get right back to business and continue playing like he was before he got hurt. And then we all live happily ever after. The End.
Well look who decided to show up. Paille AND Hecht. Solid. When I saw Connolly back on a line with Hecht I just thought to myself how Hecht is just a lost cause and Connolly won't make him any better...well I am glad to say that I can retract that statement...for tonight at least. Roy was very good, making two great plays to set up both Paille's and Sekera's goals, and netting one for himself. It was a huge win considering that Carolina is right behind us and Florida won, same old same old. It's going to be like this for the rest of the season, I'm sure.
So...now onto the BAD. Ryan Miller. Hurt. Fuck. My initial reaction was just, "WHY?!", a la Nancy Kerrigan. Really though. He's been having a career year and just playing like a top-5 NHL goalie. When goalies were dropping like flies this season I just kept thinking to myself, "Count your blessings, Sabres fans. Be glad it's not Miller." With our two best players out indefinitely, and with the tight playoff race, it's going to be very interesting. I'm sorry if I come off too frank, but this just fucking sucks. I'm not ready to press the "panic" button and say our season is doomed, but we all know that this team owes a lot of their wins to Ryan Miller. He's been spectacular and has gone above and beyond to ensure that his team wins games. I guess you just don't have time to feel sorry for yourself because the standings are too tight and our next game is on Tuesday (which I'll be going to). Lindy was absolutely livid in his post-game press conference. He believes that the collision was intentional. Ryan did say that he doesn't think Gomez would do something like that. I don't really know what to think. But man Lindy looked furious, you could see it in his eyes. What I am thinking about is the reaction. There wasn't much. When Miller was getting bumped against Ottawa without any retaliation from our guys, a lot of fans complained that it was sending a bad message to other team's around the league and we were also saying, "God forbid if Miller got hurt...". Although they did show Timmy go after Gomez and you saw Kaleta shouting at him from the bench. But what do you think?
I'm pretty surprised that Miller agreed to an interview tonight. He was extremely upset, for obvious reasons. You could hear it in his voice and see it in his face. While I adore Miller getting sassy during interviews as much as the next fan, I couldn't get full enjoyment out of it tonight given the circumstances. He kept trying to leave but the reporters kept asking him questions. I love his facial expressions when he's pissed off, but man, all I wanted to see was this face:
I don't want to see Miller being all sassy and pissed off if it means that he's talking about himself being injured. I'll do my best to talk to the hockey gods tonight to see if they can help us out and make sure that he isn't out for a long period of time. This blows. I just hope he's not out for a long time for obvious reasons, but also because if he's out for a long time it might take him a little bit to get back into the swing of things. He's really been on a roll and now it's going to be interrupted by an injury. Great timing too, considering our top scorer is also out several weeks with a broken jaw. Cool.
I consider myself to be an optimistic person, so I'm going to hope for the best. Ryan will not be out for a long time, and while he is out, Patty Lalime and perhaps Enroth(?) both do a good job until Ryan is ready to return. And once Ryan returns he'll get right back to business and continue playing like he was before he got hurt. And then we all live happily ever after. The End.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Good Old Hockey Game
Well that was a nice little win! It was a good game to be at. I had a lot of fun. I sat next to a girl from Mississauga, Ontario. She's a Leafs fan but she said that any hockey over the Leafs is better at this point. It was fun to talk to her. But I told her that if I ever bump into her at a Leafs game then we're going to be enemies. Don't hate the player, hate the game.
Onto the game...it was great to see Timmy net two for us. I think we all forget how much of an asset he can be for the team when he's healthy. Oh, if only he can stay healthy. It's definitely a frustrating situation, for all parties involved. But it sure was fun seeing him perform well on the ice tonight. I think if he can stay healthy then he will be a huge difference-maker for us. Teppo scored one for us as well but he also took a puck to the face. On WGR 550 they were saying that they've heard that he may have broken a bone in his face and that he'd need surgery...not good. All of a sudden we're pretty thin on the blueline when just a few games ago Lindy was forced to rotate defenseman into the lineup because there just wasn't enough room for everyone. That means Paetsch will get his turn again to be back in the lineup. I know a lot of fans really want to see Weber up here, but that's going to have to wait as he is sidelined with an injury for a few weeks. The third period was pretty nerve-wracking because the whole period was basically spent in our zone. Miller once again stood tall to help secure a victory. It's good that the Sabres seemed to have turned around their troubles at home, winning all 3 of the home games this month. Granted, 3 home games is not a lot, but hey, they did win them all so what's there to complain about? It's crazy to think that their next home game will be on February 4th...
So I was nine rows up from the glass, and there was this really drunk guy up against the glass in my section. It was pretty obvious that he's never sat up against the glass before. He'd always stand up and press his face right up against the glass to try and get someone's attention. Anyone's attention. Whether it was Miller skating around the zone during commercial breaks, the ice cleaners scooping up snow, or the officials waiting for the play to start. He didn't care who it was, he wanted everyone's attention. At one point during a commercial break Jochen Hecht was hanging around near him and the dude kept banging the glass shouting, "JOCHEN!!! JOCHEN!!!" over and over again. It was pretty amusing. My parents were also at the game but they sat in the different section than I. My dad said there was a guy behind him trying to taunt Cam Ward with that typical taunting chant, but he couldn't figure out how to say his name because it was just one syllable. First he was trying to chant, "Waaard" and then he moved onto, "Caaaam". My dad said he then just settled with chanting, "Gooaaaalieeeee". Funny stuff.
So Ryan Miller updated his blog. I like that he's read Night and that he's interested in the Holocaust. One of my favorite books of all-time is All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein. It's a very powerful book and I've had the opportunity to speak with her and listen to her tell her story. She actually lives in Buffalo and I remember in the epilogue of her book she talks about Buffalo and how great the city and the people have been for her and how she's glad she picked it to be the place where she settled down. It was funny because I remember she was like, "My husband and I thought of either Paris or Buffalo, and we decided on Buffalo." And I loved the part in Ryan's blog where he talks about the dumb jock stereotype. Your wit and sarcasm is not lost on me, Ryan. Gotta love it.
So the game tonight was a very good way to spend my Saturday night, to say the least. I took some pictures that I'll have to upload. I'll post the link to my Flickr once I get all the pictures up there. I decided to try and take more pictures than just of the pregame warm-ups. The pregame warm-ups are just, you know...pregame warm-ups. I try to get some nice individual shots of players, since there's not a whole lot of action going on during the warm-ups. I can't get myself to sit and photograph the game, because I want to watch the game, not photograph it. I tried getting some shots of some interesting things between commercial breaks, and I took some pictures of the crowd when we scored...hopefully my eye for capturing the right moment improves the more I attend the games.
Between the huge comeback in Dallas and winning a nice home game that puts us 4 points ahead of the 'Canes, it's good that the Sabres can head on the road on a positive note. They've got another big game on Monday against the Panthers, as they are now clawing up in the standings (lame pun) and they are only two points behind us. It sure makes for some fun (and sometimes nerve-wracking) hockey watching...
Onto the game...it was great to see Timmy net two for us. I think we all forget how much of an asset he can be for the team when he's healthy. Oh, if only he can stay healthy. It's definitely a frustrating situation, for all parties involved. But it sure was fun seeing him perform well on the ice tonight. I think if he can stay healthy then he will be a huge difference-maker for us. Teppo scored one for us as well but he also took a puck to the face. On WGR 550 they were saying that they've heard that he may have broken a bone in his face and that he'd need surgery...not good. All of a sudden we're pretty thin on the blueline when just a few games ago Lindy was forced to rotate defenseman into the lineup because there just wasn't enough room for everyone. That means Paetsch will get his turn again to be back in the lineup. I know a lot of fans really want to see Weber up here, but that's going to have to wait as he is sidelined with an injury for a few weeks. The third period was pretty nerve-wracking because the whole period was basically spent in our zone. Miller once again stood tall to help secure a victory. It's good that the Sabres seemed to have turned around their troubles at home, winning all 3 of the home games this month. Granted, 3 home games is not a lot, but hey, they did win them all so what's there to complain about? It's crazy to think that their next home game will be on February 4th...
So I was nine rows up from the glass, and there was this really drunk guy up against the glass in my section. It was pretty obvious that he's never sat up against the glass before. He'd always stand up and press his face right up against the glass to try and get someone's attention. Anyone's attention. Whether it was Miller skating around the zone during commercial breaks, the ice cleaners scooping up snow, or the officials waiting for the play to start. He didn't care who it was, he wanted everyone's attention. At one point during a commercial break Jochen Hecht was hanging around near him and the dude kept banging the glass shouting, "JOCHEN!!! JOCHEN!!!" over and over again. It was pretty amusing. My parents were also at the game but they sat in the different section than I. My dad said there was a guy behind him trying to taunt Cam Ward with that typical taunting chant, but he couldn't figure out how to say his name because it was just one syllable. First he was trying to chant, "Waaard" and then he moved onto, "Caaaam". My dad said he then just settled with chanting, "Gooaaaalieeeee". Funny stuff.
So Ryan Miller updated his blog. I like that he's read Night and that he's interested in the Holocaust. One of my favorite books of all-time is All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein. It's a very powerful book and I've had the opportunity to speak with her and listen to her tell her story. She actually lives in Buffalo and I remember in the epilogue of her book she talks about Buffalo and how great the city and the people have been for her and how she's glad she picked it to be the place where she settled down. It was funny because I remember she was like, "My husband and I thought of either Paris or Buffalo, and we decided on Buffalo." And I loved the part in Ryan's blog where he talks about the dumb jock stereotype. Your wit and sarcasm is not lost on me, Ryan. Gotta love it.
So the game tonight was a very good way to spend my Saturday night, to say the least. I took some pictures that I'll have to upload. I'll post the link to my Flickr once I get all the pictures up there. I decided to try and take more pictures than just of the pregame warm-ups. The pregame warm-ups are just, you know...pregame warm-ups. I try to get some nice individual shots of players, since there's not a whole lot of action going on during the warm-ups. I can't get myself to sit and photograph the game, because I want to watch the game, not photograph it. I tried getting some shots of some interesting things between commercial breaks, and I took some pictures of the crowd when we scored...hopefully my eye for capturing the right moment improves the more I attend the games.
Between the huge comeback in Dallas and winning a nice home game that puts us 4 points ahead of the 'Canes, it's good that the Sabres can head on the road on a positive note. They've got another big game on Monday against the Panthers, as they are now clawing up in the standings (lame pun) and they are only two points behind us. It sure makes for some fun (and sometimes nerve-wracking) hockey watching...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Disappointment in Chi-Town
Ehhhh. What a friggn let down. I was all excited for this game, WHY? Beats me. The Sabres started off well and scored the first goal, but then we give up two and the momentum swings the other way. We gave the 'Hawks and their fans life. Especially after that pathetic 6 minute power play. I think the 'Hawks had more shots and chances during that time. How nice. Lalime could have been better, that's for sure...but the loss is not all on him. He's not the reason that the skaters in front of him couldn't bury their chances or score on the aforementioned 6 minute power play. I just hope that Ruff does not lose his faith in Lalime, because we cannot ride Miller for the rest of the season and expect him to continue to play like he has. He needs to be rested if we want him to perform like he's capable of. I hope Lalime plays in one of the games in Florida. So what about Stafford's hit on Duncan Keith? Yay or nay? Dirty or clean? A lot of people think it looks a lot like the Drury hit from Neil back in 06-07. Ben Eager thinks it's a dirty hit. The difference between Stafford's hit and Neil's is that Drury's hit was late and there was a high elbow involved. I don't think Drew's elbow was high.
Sekera is out with a lower body injury and Lindy said that he might be out for awhile. I guess the positive to come out of that is it means that Butler will be able to remain in the lineup without being scratched or having to be sent down to Portland. I really hope that the Sabres haven't become too complacent with winning on the road, because then they're going to start to coast and think that they can take nights off.
So tonight the team is facing the Dallas Stars. They've struggled and have faced some adversity this season, between the disaster that is Sean Avery and Marty Turco having a hard time finding his groove. But after the Stars cut things off with Avery, they've seem to be a better team...go figure. But Turco is still having a hard time so hopefully the Sabres can exploit that and capitalize on that. Maybe then we won't have to sit and listen to another post-game interview where various members of the team say, "We have to bury our chances." or "We have to be better."
I had a nightmare last night that the Sabres lost to the Stars 9-4. But since it was a dream it was a little more bizarre than a normal hockey game. We were playing at home and we were down 9-0 but we "rallied" to score 4 goals. It was terrible. I was so relieved to wake up and realize that I just had a bad dream. I wonder what the Sabres dream about after a bad loss? Or do they even sleep at all?
Well, what most females do after they're bummed over something is go shopping! I'm going to the Galleria in a little bit to do some ~serious~ shopping. And by serious I mean I am looking for a dress for Catwalk for Charity. I've seen a few that I've liked online, but I figured I'd take a look around some stores at the mall before I go ahead and buy one online. Ladies (and gents), you have no idea how excited I am to dress up for this event. 1920s glamour is so fabulous. I am going to try my best to pay homage to my favorite lady, Marilyn Monroe. She played the loveable Sugar Kane in Some Like It Hot. One of my favorite movies. It's a classic. It's considered one of the best comedies of all time. It's about two musicians who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929 and they flee town because they're being chased by the mob. They join an all-female band and they disguise themselves as women. That's where they meet the beautiful singer Sugar Kane and they both fall for her. They try to earn her affection all the while trying to maintain their cover as being two women. It's a very cute and hilarious movie. Marilyn as always looks beautiful and her 20s get ups are beautiful and glamorous. Now if only I could have an Oscar winning costume designer make me an outfit for Catwalk, but that just isn't in the cards now is it, baby? I'll still try my best to represent my homegirl...I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
Beautiful :')
Oh, and it appears that Carey Price will be unable to participate in the All-Star Game due to a nagging ankle injury (take that, you whackyballot stuffers Habs fans). That means there's a third spot open for a goalie (Tim Thomas and Henrik Lundqvist are the two reserves). Could Ryan Miller get the invite?
Sekera is out with a lower body injury and Lindy said that he might be out for awhile. I guess the positive to come out of that is it means that Butler will be able to remain in the lineup without being scratched or having to be sent down to Portland. I really hope that the Sabres haven't become too complacent with winning on the road, because then they're going to start to coast and think that they can take nights off.
So tonight the team is facing the Dallas Stars. They've struggled and have faced some adversity this season, between the disaster that is Sean Avery and Marty Turco having a hard time finding his groove. But after the Stars cut things off with Avery, they've seem to be a better team...go figure. But Turco is still having a hard time so hopefully the Sabres can exploit that and capitalize on that. Maybe then we won't have to sit and listen to another post-game interview where various members of the team say, "We have to bury our chances." or "We have to be better."
I had a nightmare last night that the Sabres lost to the Stars 9-4. But since it was a dream it was a little more bizarre than a normal hockey game. We were playing at home and we were down 9-0 but we "rallied" to score 4 goals. It was terrible. I was so relieved to wake up and realize that I just had a bad dream. I wonder what the Sabres dream about after a bad loss? Or do they even sleep at all?
Well, what most females do after they're bummed over something is go shopping! I'm going to the Galleria in a little bit to do some ~serious~ shopping. And by serious I mean I am looking for a dress for Catwalk for Charity. I've seen a few that I've liked online, but I figured I'd take a look around some stores at the mall before I go ahead and buy one online. Ladies (and gents), you have no idea how excited I am to dress up for this event. 1920s glamour is so fabulous. I am going to try my best to pay homage to my favorite lady, Marilyn Monroe. She played the loveable Sugar Kane in Some Like It Hot. One of my favorite movies. It's a classic. It's considered one of the best comedies of all time. It's about two musicians who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929 and they flee town because they're being chased by the mob. They join an all-female band and they disguise themselves as women. That's where they meet the beautiful singer Sugar Kane and they both fall for her. They try to earn her affection all the while trying to maintain their cover as being two women. It's a very cute and hilarious movie. Marilyn as always looks beautiful and her 20s get ups are beautiful and glamorous. Now if only I could have an Oscar winning costume designer make me an outfit for Catwalk, but that just isn't in the cards now is it, baby? I'll still try my best to represent my homegirl...I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
Beautiful :')
Oh, and it appears that Carey Price will be unable to participate in the All-Star Game due to a nagging ankle injury (take that, you whacky
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Injury Bug bites, man.
So it appears that the Injury Bug has hit the Sabres yet again, but what else is new. Our little Nathan Gerbe took quite a hit against New Jersey that will have him sidelined for two weeks. Craig Rivet is also out for at least two weeks, which really sucks. But I really wasn't surprised when he said his knee wasn't 100%. You could tell he wasn't playing the way he likes to play, and I suspected it was because of his knee. Knee injuries suck and they usually take awhile to heal. I hope when he does return he's 100% and he can play his game again because I was very impressed with him and what he brought to the team. Poor Goose and Patches also took a beating in practice the other day. Hockey is such a rough and tumble sport, your teeth aren't even safe in practice. Let that be a lesson to all of you kids out there. In better news, Patrick Kaleta has been cleared to play, that'll be nice for the team to have him back again.
Isn't it strange how three days off seems like two weeks in hockey? I can't wait to see them play again. It seems like it's been so long since they played against New Jersey...good thing tomorrow night they'll be playing against....New Jersey. My question of whether or not Ryan Miller has shaved will finally be answered. I've been left hanging for three days! I'm guessing he has, but it would be pretty badass if he hadn't. These are the questions that keep me awake at night. Only kidding. But I love me some Jesus-looking goaltenders.
Um, so uh...speaking of Jesus, I decorated my Christmas tree last night! Here are some peekturessss:
The flash kind of ruins it, but the lighting was poor so without the flash made it pretty blurry...you get the idea though.
My Saves for Cancer ornament I bought when Ryan Miller was at Rotary Rink lighting the Christmas tree.
I strategically placed this ornament near the Ryan Miller one...oh yeah I'm clever.
So tomorrow I want to do some window shopping on Elmwood to get some ideas on what to get my friends and family. I'm thinking maybe I'll head on over to the arena beforehand to watch the boys practice at the morning skate. I haven't been to a morning skate in a long time and I figured it's probably best to go during the week because not that many people will be there. We'll see...
Isn't it strange how three days off seems like two weeks in hockey? I can't wait to see them play again. It seems like it's been so long since they played against New Jersey...good thing tomorrow night they'll be playing against....New Jersey. My question of whether or not Ryan Miller has shaved will finally be answered. I've been left hanging for three days! I'm guessing he has, but it would be pretty badass if he hadn't. These are the questions that keep me awake at night. Only kidding. But I love me some Jesus-looking goaltenders.
Um, so uh...speaking of Jesus, I decorated my Christmas tree last night! Here are some peekturessss:
The flash kind of ruins it, but the lighting was poor so without the flash made it pretty blurry...you get the idea though.
My Saves for Cancer ornament I bought when Ryan Miller was at Rotary Rink lighting the Christmas tree.
I strategically placed this ornament near the Ryan Miller one...oh yeah I'm clever.
So tomorrow I want to do some window shopping on Elmwood to get some ideas on what to get my friends and family. I'm thinking maybe I'll head on over to the arena beforehand to watch the boys practice at the morning skate. I haven't been to a morning skate in a long time and I figured it's probably best to go during the week because not that many people will be there. We'll see...
Friday, October 31, 2008
That was a JOKE
I hope that's what Adam Mair said after last night's shit show game. I can't believe I sat through 3 periods of that nonsense. But the Sabres fan in me (and Goonies fan) said, "Never say die." and I stayed until the bitter end. Okay I may have left with 2 minutes to play but we did beat the traffic!
Anyways. I don't really feel like analyzing that game other than just saying the Sabres played bad. Pretty obvious. They were chasing the puck the whole game. It seemed as if Tampa Bay had control of the puck the entire time. Every time the Sabres went down another goal, it seemed as if they got more afraid and did not want to take any chances. That way Tampa Bay had their way with the Sabres the entire game. The defense looked like they did last year. Garbage. Rivet is more than a stay-at-home, gritty defenseman. He's smart. He's experienced. He's a veteran. That's key for a young team like the Sabres and they need that type of player to help the young guys out. You would have thought that last year the players would have learned that they can't be too cute. I think having Rivet and Hecht come back will help out this team immensely. One can only hope right?
Another thing I'd like comment on is Ryan Miller's post-game interview. Athlete's interviews are so cliché, you can almost predict what they're going to say before they even open their mouths. That partly has to do with the questions they are being asked. But Miller's interviews are always different. They're really honest and smart, I think. You never get that cliché interview with him. I always find that I enjoy and look forward to his interviews the most out of any of the other players in the locker room. No offense to them.
But last night, well we all saw how we played. He was honest and he went through all of the goals one by one and explained what his thinking was and why it went in. He also said he was glad that he stayed in the third period and battled through his tough night. I liked what he had to say about the team as a whole, how the freewheelers really need to learn how to control themselves. I've noticed a lot that fans will criticize Ryan for being too honest in his interviews. Some say that he's looking to excuse himself for his play and he tries to lay the blame on the entire team. I just never saw it like that. I think he has every right to crticize his teammates when it's warrented. I don't think Ryan has every shyed away from his performance, whether it's good or bad. He knows when he messes up and he's just honest I think. As a fan I just appreciate that because honestly sometimes player interviews aren't worth listening to because of how predictable they are. Miller's are worth listening to. I feel I get a real insight to the game that was just played when listening to his, rather than the other player's who will say something like, "We need to move our feet more." or something typical like that.
Sorry for no awesome pictures of our favorite Sabres dressed up in Halloween costumes. I am seriously deprived in the amateur-photos-of-the-Sabres deparment. Help a sister out. I can say though that I am a puck bunny this year. I wore my costume to the game last night. I'm sure most people thought that I was seriously a real puck bunny who dresses that ridiculous to every game. Oh well. I did get a hockey player's attention during the game though. Too bad it was Mark Recchi. Yikes.
Oh and my friend Jael started a blog, Sabres on the Warpath. You'll love her insight into the team because she's really smart. Go read!
Anyways. I don't really feel like analyzing that game other than just saying the Sabres played bad. Pretty obvious. They were chasing the puck the whole game. It seemed as if Tampa Bay had control of the puck the entire time. Every time the Sabres went down another goal, it seemed as if they got more afraid and did not want to take any chances. That way Tampa Bay had their way with the Sabres the entire game. The defense looked like they did last year. Garbage. Rivet is more than a stay-at-home, gritty defenseman. He's smart. He's experienced. He's a veteran. That's key for a young team like the Sabres and they need that type of player to help the young guys out. You would have thought that last year the players would have learned that they can't be too cute. I think having Rivet and Hecht come back will help out this team immensely. One can only hope right?
Another thing I'd like comment on is Ryan Miller's post-game interview. Athlete's interviews are so cliché, you can almost predict what they're going to say before they even open their mouths. That partly has to do with the questions they are being asked. But Miller's interviews are always different. They're really honest and smart, I think. You never get that cliché interview with him. I always find that I enjoy and look forward to his interviews the most out of any of the other players in the locker room. No offense to them.
But last night, well we all saw how we played. He was honest and he went through all of the goals one by one and explained what his thinking was and why it went in. He also said he was glad that he stayed in the third period and battled through his tough night. I liked what he had to say about the team as a whole, how the freewheelers really need to learn how to control themselves. I've noticed a lot that fans will criticize Ryan for being too honest in his interviews. Some say that he's looking to excuse himself for his play and he tries to lay the blame on the entire team. I just never saw it like that. I think he has every right to crticize his teammates when it's warrented. I don't think Ryan has every shyed away from his performance, whether it's good or bad. He knows when he messes up and he's just honest I think. As a fan I just appreciate that because honestly sometimes player interviews aren't worth listening to because of how predictable they are. Miller's are worth listening to. I feel I get a real insight to the game that was just played when listening to his, rather than the other player's who will say something like, "We need to move our feet more." or something typical like that.
Sorry for no awesome pictures of our favorite Sabres dressed up in Halloween costumes. I am seriously deprived in the amateur-photos-of-the-Sabres deparment. Help a sister out. I can say though that I am a puck bunny this year. I wore my costume to the game last night. I'm sure most people thought that I was seriously a real puck bunny who dresses that ridiculous to every game. Oh well. I did get a hockey player's attention during the game though. Too bad it was Mark Recchi. Yikes.
Oh and my friend Jael started a blog, Sabres on the Warpath. You'll love her insight into the team because she's really smart. Go read!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Goose Has Returned!
It was great news to read that Gaustad has been practicing fully, and now the Sabres have reported that Gaustad will be in the lineup Thursday night. Awesome.
I'm excited that he's returning tomorrow because the Ottawa game showed that this team can be vulnerable when a good chunk of the veterans are out, and Gaustad always has a tough and gritty presence that this team can always use. Plus, I'll be at the game tomorrow so it will be nice to see him in during his season debut! It's also good knowing that Rivet's surgery went fine and that he should be back soon. Poor Timmy will always be a question mark during his whole career it seems, doesn't it? Sigh. Hopefully Hank and Hecht are close.
I took some pictures of the team when I attened the Canucks game on 10/17, and you should all check them out! Please pretend for a moment that I am not shamelessy self-promoting myself. I got to the game late so I could not really get a good view of the entire team. Which was a bummer because I really wanted to get some nice shots of El Capitano (Roberto Luongo). But I didn't really feel like pushing and shoving little kids to try and get a good view against the glass. So I could only get a few good shots of certain players. I mostly got Ryan Miller because I was sitting right near the net. So all you Miller fans might want to take a look. I got two nice ones of Derek Roy too.
(lol @ the kid in the background)
If you want to see more, head on over to my Flickr collection. I've got more photos around there other than just the Sabres, so feel free to browse around!
Oh and I just want to thank everyone for their warm welcomes and nice comments they all left me in my first post! It was definitely appreciated!
I'm excited that he's returning tomorrow because the Ottawa game showed that this team can be vulnerable when a good chunk of the veterans are out, and Gaustad always has a tough and gritty presence that this team can always use. Plus, I'll be at the game tomorrow so it will be nice to see him in during his season debut! It's also good knowing that Rivet's surgery went fine and that he should be back soon. Poor Timmy will always be a question mark during his whole career it seems, doesn't it? Sigh. Hopefully Hank and Hecht are close.
I took some pictures of the team when I attened the Canucks game on 10/17, and you should all check them out! Please pretend for a moment that I am not shamelessy self-promoting myself. I got to the game late so I could not really get a good view of the entire team. Which was a bummer because I really wanted to get some nice shots of El Capitano (Roberto Luongo). But I didn't really feel like pushing and shoving little kids to try and get a good view against the glass. So I could only get a few good shots of certain players. I mostly got Ryan Miller because I was sitting right near the net. So all you Miller fans might want to take a look. I got two nice ones of Derek Roy too.
(lol @ the kid in the background)
If you want to see more, head on over to my Flickr collection. I've got more photos around there other than just the Sabres, so feel free to browse around!
Oh and I just want to thank everyone for their warm welcomes and nice comments they all left me in my first post! It was definitely appreciated!
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