Hockey is Complicated

by Anne


What an evening of hockey THAT was.


WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! The only down side was that Versus and HNiC were broadcasting the Pens game, and neither of them broadcasting the Stars/Sharks game. I had to watch on Yahoo.com.


I really bring the Pens good luck, lol. The last game I started watching 1/2 way through it was 3-0 and they came back and won. Tonight I went out to dinner and came back 1/2 way through just to see the Rangers tie it at 3. Then they won this one. If only I had the same effect on my boys in blue and gold. Ahhhhhh. The Penguins are my regular season "other woman". It's nice to show my love for my hockey mistress this time of year, but we all know where my heart belongs.


And:


WOOOOOOOO!! Go Stars! YO, SHARKS! Do NOT mess up StUUUUUuuuuuUUUUU BARNES. Norstrom will eff you up by scoring a goal, which he's never done in the playoffs before this series. HA! He's got Nabby's number.


I haven't missed a Pens game thus far and they've won them all. The Stars have won every game that I've watched at least part of...iiiiiiinteresting.


Montreal has let down Sabres fans across the board. Most Sabres fans have been pulling for Montreal, which makes sense to me (they don't constantly wipe the floor with us, they for the most part aren't dirty players, etc.) and if the Pens weren't in this, I'd probably be pulling for them too. Yo, Montreal, what is the DEAL? You were so scary and good in the last part of the season and now you're falling apart....wait, are you secretly San Jose?


Oh yeah, the Avs lost to the Red Wings. I'm only disappointed because I thought the Avs might do it, based on how much Detroit struggled in the first round.....apparently not.


It was like I forgot Peter Forsberg played for the Avalanche. He was out for the first 2 games and I couldn't remember why I disliked the Avs so much. Then they showed him on the bench last night and I shuddered. I definitely should've picked the Red Wings. If for no other reason than I might get to hear more interviews with Zetterberg.


Thank goodness Ryan Miller was named to the NHLPA Goalie Equipment Working Group so I have something mildly Sabres related and relevant to discuss. I'm enjoying reading about Team USA, but mostly I'm grasping at straws over here.

On a related note: Here's a nice article about Kaner over in Camp USA. My favorite quote:

“Growing up my favorite player was Joe Sakic, and the game I scored my first goal, I was named first star and he was named second star,” Kane said. “Things like that hit you, and after that you’re like, ‘Wow, is this happening?’ ”

Yes Kaner, it is.

Anyhoot, does the name of this committee Millsey's on sound like a category in some sort of bizarre ice hockey themed dog show to anyone else?


Basically its 3 goaltenders (Brodeur, Pretty Ricky and Millsey) and 2 forwards (Heatley and Cammalleri) plus 3 people who aren't players including Brett Hull (ugh). They'll yammer on about the size of goaltender equipment being scaled back or being made out of tashcan lids or whatevs. They really should have J.S. Giguere on this committee. It looks like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is in net for the Mightily Mighty Ducks that are Mightily of Anaheim.


See?:

I am proud to announce that Iggy was nominated for the Hart Trophy.

This is his 3rd nomination. He came in 2nd in his previous at bats. There ain't no way Iggy's gonna win. Naming a 3rd nominee was almost a formality it seems. Most commentators have basically gift-wrapped the Hart and handed it to Ovie already, with a couple tossing it Malkin's way. It's ok, they had excellent seasons, but then again, Iggy did too, just not in the same explosive way. 50 goals ain't nothin' to sneeze at. It's ok, Iggy, you'll win my Heart! (Ha, see what I did there?)


If Bruce Boudreau isn't nominated for the Jack Adams Award, I will be irate.

Do I need to elaborate all the statbit-istical reasons he needs to be nominated? Look at his little face! He's so cute! He is without a doubt the most adorable coach in the NHL. Er, um, no offense Lindy.

: None taken, I know you think I'm tops.

: It's true, Lind-o, I do. You're still my main man.

: Thanks...is that you as a South Park character?

: Why yes, yes it is. Thank you for noticing.

: Any time. What are you holding?

: It's a Sabre....duh.

: Wow.

There is no hockey to watch tonight, ACK!

by Anne

Here's a question: Does ANY team really HATE the Buffalo Sabres?

I mean, honestly, most teams that we hate don't feel that strongly about us. Apparently, Carolina hates us, according to a broadcast heard by Matt at Life is like a Bowl of Porkchops, but I don't really see why. They eliminated us in 2006.

I think there's some mutual dislike between the Senators and the Sabres post-lockout, but I believe their rivalry with the Leafs is more prevalent for their fans as they're in the same province. Honestly, every team in the League...ok well maybe not every team, but most teams that have been around for almost 40 years, have that 1 rivalry in which they mutually hate each other's guts. I'm thinking the closest one we have this season is the Flyers or the Rangers, but I'd say Flyers and Penguins, once again because they're in the same state and/or province, is a much more heated rivalry. I mean, yes, we're 1 of 3 teams in New York State, but the Islanders, Rangers and Devils are much closer geographically and I think most people forget we're not in Ontario too because HSBC Arena is within spitting distance of Canada. Not that I'd spit on Canada, I like Canada and Canadians, except for that one douche bag who I met on Allen St. a few months ago who called me fat because he thought I was insulting Canada, but I was talking about how the Canadian national anthem is easier to sing than the American.... translation: Clearly, I think Canada should be blown up. That's what he heard anyway. Oh, and except for those morons who go to the outlet mall in Niagara Falls, buy tons of stuff and then leave all their empty packages and discarded tags and wrappings in the parking lot. I don't like those Canadians, but they don't represent you all. Besides, 1/2 our team is Canadian... and Canada has universal health care... and hockey comes from Canada.

I just Googled "I hate the Buffalo Sabres". The closest thing I got to actual hate for the team is 1 Leafs fan was mad about Saturday's game. And someone who posted that they didn't like the Sabres on a Newsies' discussion board in June of 2006. Without the quotation marks, you get 1 Senators fan who doesn't like Sabres fans, but doesn't hate the team. Wow, we're like the Switzerland of the NHL. No one really cares about us. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I mean, people SHOULD be indifferent about teams like the Nashville Predators or the Columbus Blue Jackets or the Florida Panthers but I thought Buffalo would draw a little more attention being that we were the boss of (almost) everybody last year.

Ok, here we go: "I hate the Sabres" brings us Gus Katsaros who hated the team a year ago because we were so good, and he's a Leafs' fan. Ok, the next several are Heather B. and other frustrated Sabres fans. Yeah, apparently the odd Leafs fan or Senators fan hates us, but that's about it. Who knew we were so palatable by the reast of the League?

I'll close this post with another picture show, because I really like them.

Anne's NHL Divisional Boyfriends

2007-2008 Edition

Enjoy:

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Ryan Getzlaf

I'm sorry, but after finding this photo:



J.S. Giguere is my new Pacific Division boyfriend....I hope his wife is ok with that...

Central Division

Jay McKee (um, duh?)

Northwest Division

Jarome Iginla

There's really no reason for this, I just like the guy. I don't really follow the Flames, but he's the kind of team captain I like: scores goals, gives entertaining interviews, has a great smile and drops the gloves as needed.

Eastern Conference

South East

Ilya Kovalchuk

HA! No, seriously read back to the last post, its Vinny.

Atlantic Dvision

This was a TOUGH call. I cannot lie.

After MUCH debate and deliberation, I hand the Atlantic Division of my heart to:

Pretty Ricky.

North East Division

At first, I thought I'd never be able to choose just one North East Division boyfriend. I mean, do I choose a Sabre, just because it seems right? But how could I choose? Do I give the nod to Chris "Slumpy" Higgins, just because I think he's hot? That's more or less why I gave the nod to Rick DiPietro. That Marc Savard is kind of adorable... Patrick Eaves is now in the South East... It seemed an insurmountable task But, wait! How could I forget? What single man (no, its not Sabretooth) has been there through it all? Hahahahaha, foolish, foolish girl:

Lindy Ruff

Lastly, according to Google Analytics, someone found our blog by searching for:

"cca652debbbaa20c2c5a0d6ce7415e425f42f79360922ac785f39d3e3824647e14919543bdc37e2ae6498eb637a964394bc8cebfd82f30ea7d1804b486db2aa7"

Well, welcome aboard, 1 random person on March 10th.