Quick Hits

by Anne

• Why do I still write "by Anne" at the top? It's clearly only me who posts in here.
  

• Patrick Lalime played well! Woo!
  

• Timmy did too! He was so cocky and swaggery and baaaaadass on his shorthanded goal
  

• I want to make babies with Mike Grier, except our children would be PAINFULLY slow on their skates. Oh well, I still loves him.
  

• Umm We're like the only team in East with a winning record against the West. We might not be the only ones but I'm pretty sure we're the only ones undefeated against the West.
  

• I was only partially paying attention to the beginning of the game because my sleepiness won out.
  

• I could've lived a long life without looking at a hairy shirtless Tim Connolly in his post-game interview. Jussayin'
  

• One team is totally PWNING the other teams in our poll to the left. I won't say which team but if you're concerned about your favorite fictional team winning a meaningless medal, I'd step up the votage.
  

• Drew Stafford, I love you. I want to love you but this relationship is painful. You're always hurting me and I just don't know how much more I can take this abuse.
  

• I'm going to see Avatar tomorrow and I'm super stoked.
  

• Woo!
  

Shweeeep!

by Anne

This would've been even more fun if it hadn't been the Blues. I have nothing against the Blues. They are a classy organization and its really too bad they couldn't connect to win at least one.

But still:

THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS TAKE ROUND ONE FOUR GAMES TO NONE!

That, my friends, is a sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

Alex Burrows scored the game-winning goal with 18 seconds left in OT.

Burrrr its cold in here!!!



Alex Burrows
What a guy
What a story
What a season
What a player.

love love love

:)

Around the League Last Night

by Anne

David Backes, somewhat recently discovered pretty boy of the St. Louis Blues, scored four goals last night. In one game. Against the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit Red Wings 4 - David Backes 4 (plus he allowed Andy McDonald to score as well, he's very thoughtful that way). It was also his first hat trick. Congrats, David! You've definitely tilted the battle of Berglund v. Backes in your favor last night.

Your move, Patrik Berglund


Ah, the black polo.
Well played.
This isn't over yet, sirs.

Between them, the Canucks and Ducks (ha! that rhymes) scored about 47 goals and the Canucks lost in the shootout. BUT! They got the one point they needed to clinch a playoff spot! Hooray! Confetti and balloons!!

Hooray!
Playoffs for the Canucks!!
Good boys!

The Kings lost which all but eliminates them from the playoffs. :(

Clearly Anze Kopitar and I were the only ones who thought they had a chance a few months back.
But still.
:(

Dear Jack Johnson, Dustin Brown, Jonathan Quick and Matt Greene:

Join Team USA?! You know you waaaant tooooo.

Love,
Anne

Be honest with me, people. Do any of you care about the World Championships? If the answer is no, I'm fine with that. I just want to know if I'm the only one who loves international sports over here. I get just about as much enjoyment out of the World Championships as I do from the Stanley Cup playoffs, unless the Sabres are in, then the playoffs rule, of course.

Sabres play tonight at Washington. I don't have a good feeling about this. 7:00 puck drop. I don't want to talk about it.

Comin' Closer to Home!

by Anne

This morning, Buffalo (ok, technically West Seneca) native and former St. Louis Blues forward, Lee Stempniak was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Carlo Colaiacovo and Alex Steen.

Yay! Woooooo!!! He may not get as much press as Kaner, but its nice to see WNY hockey players doin' their thing around the NHL!! Too bad I must dislike him now... jk!

The Only Thing About Tonight That Was AWESOME

by Anne

Ok, winning was awesome, and snapping a 13 year home losing streak is awesome, but mostly tonight was blah for me. Three goals in the first was obviously awesome and causing a goalie to be pulled always makes me smile, even if that goalie is someone as lovable as Many Legace. However, after the first, most of the rest of the game was kind of a snooze fest with a few "this is unnecessarily stressful" moments sprinkled in for color. God bless goaltender interference penalties.

Nice to see Lee Stempniak get a goal, most people booed as they would any goal, but I'm realizing that most people don't know he's from West Seneca. He's no KANER, after all, haha. Jay McKee played but didn't do a whole heck of a lot, hence the reason he was almost benched for this one.

Anyway, the win feels good, but nothing feels better than this:

Look at Goose leaping out of the net to hug Hank.

If only there were video of the awesome "I just scored a goal!! I NEVER do that!" shimmy he did after! I actually got to watch that goal which is pretty awesome considering I have a habit of having my back to the action when goals are scored. Playing with Rivet definitely seems to have improved Hank's game and playing with Teppo seems to have improved Toni's. Alas, it seems last year's uhhh "dynamic duo" are separated for good.

Yayyyyy!!! The looks of pure joy on Goose and Pie's faces make me all warm and tingly inside.

Let's not forget our "Adam Mair Funny Face of the Night" shot:

Apparently this mythical "Tim Connolly" is hurt, I wonder why this was reported considering he no longer exists.

My former boss was there tonight, we did not have a lengthy conversation and I am OK with that. My high school economics teacher also purchased some foodstuffs from me tonight and did not show any signs of recognition whatsoever.

Daniel Alfredsson's creepy shorter twin brother who must apparently be a Sabres fan was there and stood around me a lot. Seriously, this guy looked EXACLTY like Daniel Alfredsson, it was crazy, I wish I had my camera.

Speaking of my camera, there is an epic FAIL moment in the 300 level signage that I need to take a picture of. I can't believe no one has ever mentioned it before, or seems to even notice the error. Foolishness.

Oh and, Yoyo, Mary J. Blige? Really?

Nasher FINALLY scored a goal tonight in a loss to the Arizona Desert Dogs and Peter Mueller had 1 assist in the win. Can you believe Shane Doan has NEVER had a hat trick? He had two goals and an assist tonight and his elusive hat trick still awaits him. 897th NHL game tonight, still no 3 goal game. Yeesh.

I'm going to bed before hearing anything about the Chicago or Vancouver games so let me just predict:

Congratulations to Patrick Sharp for scoing 16 goals and 9 assists and congrats to Big Bear for scoring 12 goals and 52 assists and for curing depression and sadness throughout the world with your pudgy little chipmunk face.

I don't think I'm really that far off the mark with my predictions. Thoughts?

As I was writing that last pararaph Taylor Pyatt and Jonathan Toews scored. There's only like 9 minutes left in the 'Hawks game, Sharpie better get crackin'.

Free beverage upgrades at Starbucks does do wonders for bad moods though, I must say.

VOTE NOW. VOTE OFTEN. VOTE TEPPO.

Ahhh It Must Be Almost October

by Anne

Soooo it really must be that time of year again, time for the seasons to start changing, leaves are turning gold, apples are ripening in the orchards, spiced cider is a brewin' on the stove top, and injury reports are dominating the headlines on espn.com.

From the Buffalo end of things, Roscoe Parrish will be out 4 to 6 weeks with a thumb injury. He needs to have surgery to repair a nagging problem that flared up during the fourth quarter of the game against Oakland.

Booooooo. Roscoe is our top return guy so this isn't good. On the plus side, our bye week falls during those 4 to 6 weeks so he'll probably only miss like 4 games, but on the obvious downside, we've lost our top return man. This will be a good test for Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy to show they've earned their jobs in the NFL but stepping up and filling in the role vacated by Roscoe.

Where is this pool and is this an open invitation?!?!

On the hockey front:

Sergei Gonchar of the Pttsburgh Penguins is out "indefinitely" with a separated shoulder he suffered during a pre-season game. Grrrrrrrreat. The Pens defense is getting thinner by the minute.

NOW who is Geno going to pop his collar with and lean awkwardly to the left?

Erik Jonhson, the Blues #1 overall pick in 2006 will miss the entire season because he tore his MCL and ACL. How, you might ask? Hard check? rough collision? Awkward slide into the board? Accidentally getting his foot stuck between the brake and accelerator on a golf cart? Ding ding ding ding!!

Is anyone surprised he's blonde?

Last night during the Montreal/ Detroit pre-season game, Hab Mathieu Carle was knocked unconscious and had to leave the ice on a stretcher. No word yet on his prognosis but anytime you lose consciousness, thats, er um, BAD. Am I right, Timmy?! Timmy?! Aw, come on, Timmy! I was just kidding! Come back! I like this new reckless "smiling" behavior. You're living life on the edge and I LOVE it.

Poor Mathieu.
At least he's cute.
CALL ME DURING YOUR CONVALESENCE, MATHIEU!

And on the Sabres front, Tim Connolly is fine. I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!

Awww Timmers ILU.

SEE?!? It's not just ME!!

by Anne

Everyone wants Big Bear. Everyone but the Buffalo Sabres, it appears:

CHECK IT OUT

Ummm, $2.5 million? Really. I love you lots, Big Bear, and you provide a lovely physical presence, but that's more than I anticipated you'd rake in next season, and probably too steep for what the Sabres could really justify paying you, but YAY for Big Bear!!!!!

I loves me some Steve Bernier.

And:

CRAP

But MO-OM!! I wanted Jason Smith!!!

OTTAWA IS STINKY. I guess they needed to replace Redden somehow. I don't like it when things go well for the Ottawa Senators. It makes my stomach turn. Ugh. Fine, whatever. We're still not where we should be on defense, but its a better situation than last year.

Looks like that exciting prospect is GONE. Oh no. Two of the three things on my birthday wishlist have gone horribly horribly the other way. We lost BIG BEAR and now we don't get Jason Smith.

GASP!

Let me change my request.

PLEASE DON'T SIGN DANIEL PAILLE. I HATE HIM AND HIS TOTALLY NON-ADORABLY VACANT FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. I DID NOT FIND IT AT ALL INSPIRING THAT WHENVER HE WAS BENCHED LAST SEASON HE CAME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE AND BLEW US ALL AWAY. DON'T SIGN HIM. SHIP HIM TO OUTER MONGOLIA FOREVER. I DIDN'T LOVE WATCHING HIM SCORE 2 GOALS IN ONE GAME IN THE VERY LAST ROW OF HSBC ARENA WHERE I WAS DRUNK AND YELLED AT KOTALIK A FEW MONTHS BACK. THAT WASN'T TOTALLY AWESOME AT ALL. HE IS NOT MY 2ND FAVORITE SABRE. GET HIM AWAY FROM HERE!

Was that thorough enough, Hockey Gods?

Do you think anyone will review this off-season's moves and decide that losing Steve Bernier really affected the Buffalo Sabres? God I hope not.