The Pirates, The Sabres and the Rest

by Anne

• The Pirates game on Thursday was lots of fun. I wasn't feeling too solid about attending, mostly because the Amerks are the best team in the AHL and the Pirates are the worst. Umm, awesome news heading into the game.
  

• Jimmy "Parsley" Bonneau plays for the Amerks now and Kim was unable to contain her sadness, especially when he and Derek "Noodles" Whitmore were on the ice together.
  

• Cody McCormick, who tried REALLY hard at the end of training camp to take Adam Mair or Pat Kaleta's job, was desperately in need of a spice-related nickname. After much consideration, we settled on Dill Weed.
  

• In the first period, I don't think the Pirates had one completed tape to tape pass, the Amerks were constantly lifting sticks and getting in the way; although the Pirates were doing a lot of that themselves.
  

• The second and third periods were more fun, mostly because there was lots more scoring. In the end, the Pirates ended up winning 6-3. Hooray!
  

• The crowd was much smaller than the 11,000+ that attended last year's game and it was more mixed between Amerks and Pirates fans. It was still a really fun game and barring any unforseen circumstances, I'll definitely be attending the second game in March(?)
  

• The Sabres continued to win last night in another close game. They beat Jarome and the Calgary Flames 2-1 in a shootout. 
  

• I think it was on Thursday that someone, maybe Cari, said that it had been a while since there had been any good fights, at least as far as the Sabres are concerned. Last night, the Sabres obliged this lack of punchy hockey. Both Mair and Gaustad had fights and there was lots and lots of pushing and shoving in and around the goal creases.
  

• Royzie scored his fourth of the season (on the powerplay, thank goodness) and Royzie and Pommer, who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn last night, scored in the shootout to give the Sabres the win. 
  

• Hooray!

This picture was on the cover of the Sports section of the Buffalo News

Such joy and elation.

I love Pat Kaleta

• Drew Stafford's thoughts on the victory are here 
  

• Iggy didn't score and he got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Excuse me, but Jarome Iginla is never unsportsmanlike. Pat Kaleta got the same penalty. Him, I might agree with.
  

• The Los Angeles Kings played the Thrashers last night using ministicks, having not slept the night before, with one skate on, wearing blindfolds.
  

• Photographic proof of this is sketchy, but it's the only explanation I can come up with when they lost 7-0.
  

• Of this we shall never speak again.
  

• Geno is back for the Pens! 
  

• But now Chris Kunitz is hurt. OF course he is.
  

• David Backes responded to my strongly worded letter by getting zero points, 17 PIM and 10:31 in ice time. I wasn't clear enough.
  

• Sabres play the Flyers tonight in Philly. Ugh, gross. I predict a 4-1 Phlyers victory, the Kings play the Lightning, the Pens play the Bruins and the Canucks play the Avs.