Stop playing when I can't watch

by Anne

The Kings beat the Boston Bruins last night and defeated them 3-2 in the shootout.

Considering I didn't watch any of this game, I can't really comment on it.

The Maple Leafs just made a huuuuuge trade that sends Stajan, Hagman, White and Mayers to Calgary for Dion Phaneuf, Frederik Sjostrom and (defenseman prospect) Keith Aulie.

Aulie is somehwhat relevant to Sabres fans because he and Tyler Myers were a solid defensive tandem for Team Canada when they won gold at the 2009 World Juniors.

Then the Maple Leafs shipped Vesa Toskalol and Jason Blake to Anaheim for J.S. Giguere.

Burke said he plans to fill the gaps at forward (one forward coming in and four going out makes for a few holes to plug up) with Marlies. The little I've seen of the Toronto Maple Leafs (mostly from watching Steve Dangle's YouTube videos) has shown me that they have some pretty talented young players in the AHL that deserve to be up in the NHL far more than some of the guys in the big club.

Unfortunately, Hagman and Stajan were two of the players NOT being outplayed by Christian Hanson & Co. 

Whatevs, we only play the Maple Leafs one more time this season (on April Fool's Day, how ironic) so I'm not so concerned about these moves right now. I'm sure once we see the rest of Brian Burke's diabolical plans I'll pay more attention.

Also, I'm watching the Pens v. Red Wings game and Jimmy Howard is pretty darn good. There's no reason the Penguins shouldn't be winning this game 4-0 at this point. Well there is one reason, and that reason is Jimmy Howard. Well done, kiddo. 

Here's Brian Burke telling us where his plans for the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs are kept:

It's all riiiiiight here.

Thursday Night

by Anne

I didn't invest much emotionally into last night's game. Its too bad they lost but, eh. Whatevs. Its just pre-season.

The game went by really really fast, so I didn't get to watch much of it. Normally I get to watch a lot of it by standing in the aisles but without commercial breaks and all that jazz, and very few stoppages in play, the game flew by and I had to keep a-sellin'.

I'm really glad I'm working at the Arena again. I forgot how much I like a lot of the people I work with there.

Some stuff:

• Pie had the hit of the game. He did this:

Pie go boom.

• There was a moment where a player took a puck off his visor. I don't know who because I didn't see it. I only know it happened because it was SO LOUD I heard it up in the 300s. Imagine if that had hit his eyes instead of a visor?! Yikes

• TK's and Grizz's goals were classic examples of two basic hockey principals: #1 Just shoot the puck at the net, you never know what might happen (Grizz) and #2 Get to the front of the net and an opportunity may present itself (Kennedy)

• For the most part Lalime and Enroth both looked decent. Its a shame we probably can't keep Enroth for long. I'm sure he'll back up Miller in a few seasons but if he continues to develop as well as it seems he will, he'll be too good to be a back up in a few years. Oh well. We can still be Facebook friends, right, Jho?

• Royzie was wearing the C. Vanek was wearing an A. I didn't see anyone else. I assume Pommer? Yoyo was not.

• They took two penalties v. Washington's 5 or 6. Unfortunately, they were very untimely penalties as they occurred in the dying seconds of regulation which gave Washington their two man advantage heading into OT. Oh well, its only the pre-season.
  

Vancouver v. Anaheim:

• Big Bear scored!!!! :)x1,000

Wooo!
His goal was the opening and game-winning goal.

Los Angeles at San Jose

• I only listened to this one but both teams traded lots and lots of power play time. I believe the Kings PK was a perfect 8 for 8 while the Sharks PK was a still pretty good 7-8 or 6-7. I don't feel like checking.

• It was 1-0 Sharks until Brownie FINALLY scored on the power play with just 9.5 seconds remaining in regulation.

• Despite the two penalties they took in OT, Jon Quick came up big, and only allowed one shooter to score in the shootout. Unfortunately Greiss did even better and didn't allow anyone to score in the shootout so the Sharks won.

Yer doin' it wrong!

Elsewhere:

• Theo Fleury scored the deciding shootout goal for the Calgary Flames... I still have trouble remembering he's back. Its not that it makes a huge impact on my life, but my brain has become hardwired to read "Fleury" and think "Marc-Andre" not "Theoren" so I keep getting tripped up by this comeback.

• Dion Phaneuf was convicted for the attempted murder of Kyle Okposo in last night's Flames/Islanders game. Okposo was diagnosed with a mild concussion. Seeing someone laying on the ice, head in their hands while goalies and linemates wrestle for his defense is not something you expect to see in the pre-season. Okposo irritates me when he's on Team USA but Phaneuf irritates me all the time, so advantage Okposo. Get better soon.
  

Everything about last night's game from employees to the game itself felt very pre-season. There wasn't the usual amount of nervous energy you feel at most Sabres games. There wasn't as much shouting in the concourse, there wasn't as much beer consumed. But there was still a lot of excitement. Unlike games where the Sabres HAVE to win or they're screwed, people were genuinely happy. Even when they lost, people were ok with it. Everyone seemed just happy that hockey is FINALLY coming back.

*Slow Clap*

by Anne

Yes, Sean Avery, yes. I hate you but my GOD do I love it when you run your mouth and this one has got to be my favorite of all time:

''it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds.''

Mike Komisarek must be sinking down in his chair right about now.

Amazing.

ETA:

WTF?!?! Avery's now been suspended INDEFINITELY for his comments. Freedom of speech, Gare Bear?