Bye STH!

by Anne

Well, here is the final post in Sabretooth's House.

The madcap hilarity will continue on over at Queen City Sabres Blog. Join me, won't you?

Clicky

Come on over!

Schenner in a Kings uniform

by Anne

While I attempt to digest dinner, I just need to toss out this exciting bit of information:

Tonight, 2009 1st round draft pick Brayden Schenn will be making his debut for the Los Angeles Kings.

He signed a one-day amateur contract but can sign an entry level deal and stick around for a few more games if need be.

I was contemplating falling asleep before tonight's game but now that Greener is on a goal-scoring streak... ok, maybe the start of one.... ok I know... and Baby Schenner is going to play in his first game, I'll try to stay awake.

Sidenote: I didn't know that teams could do that with the one day contract thingy.

Yay!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know you're Canadian, but wooo!

I'm sure Luke is pumped as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

by Anne

Hey y'all. I'm ridiculously tired from the good times last night, so here's a list.

Things I'm thankful for:

• The Buffalo Sabres, even if they can't score a goal to save their mother-effing lives.
  

• The Los Angeles Kings, who won last night 3-1 over Edmonton
  

• David Backes deciding to be David Backes last night and having an awesome night for my fantasy team. 1G, 1A +2, 10 FOW, 6 SOG, 2 Hits, 1 blocked shot. :)
  

• My girlfriends and guy friends who I went out with last night because I had a totally awesome drunk time.
  

• Matt Greene scoring his first of the season, the game-winner, on the road against his old team. I wish he'd waited until I was watching, but I'll take it.

• All that usual stuff like family and friends. I have both in abundance and it's fantastic
  

• The refs for ejecting Ovechkin for his hit on Patty. Not because I thought he really deserved it, but because maybe they're going to do something about hits to the head/from behind now. Maybe. They're really touchy about Ovechkin v. the Sabres, huh?

• This quote:

"For a guy like me, who scores once a year, to say that I was picking my spots, is way more than an overstatement.”

Excuse me Greener, you scored TWICE last year...

• And lastly, for all you people who read this blog and will read the new one (that starts being the only updated blog tomorrow. I hope your team wins, your favorites play well, your families are healthy and happy and you have all that you need in life.
  

• Happy Thanksgiving!!

:)

Olympic Teams of Hottness

by Anne

An executive decision has been made by me that it takes long enough to make two rosters (east and west) for the All-Star teams that trying to compile three will make me go insane.

Therefore, the Steve Yzerman and Brian Burke in me have decided to make one six-man line-up for each country (USA, Canada and Team Everywhere Else) and have you all vote on which team takes the Bronze Silver and Gold medals of hottness.

Those will be posted probably around Christmas time which means I have a lot of soul-searching to do and hot pictures to examine. There is the chance that I may need your help to make some tough close-calls. Therefore, you should follow me on Twitter, as I'll post those questions there. My tweets are protected because I have students whom I don't want following me, but just request and I'll add.

Wow, life's tough. :)

Also, remember that the new blog is Queen City Sabres Blog. Starting Black Friday there will be no new posts posted at Sabretooth's House. The hilarity and goodtimes (including the hotties voting) will continue over at QCSB. As of right now, all the posts are cross-posted.

Six of one, Half dozen of the other

by Anne

In the last three years the Sabres "Top 6" has looked like this:

1. Vanek

2. Connolly

3. Pominville

4. Roy

5 & 6. Stafford, MacArthur, or maybe Hecht. Someone's hurt? Move up Paille. No luck? Ok let's toss Goose up there. Not working? Afinogenov? Kotalik? Maybe Mair for a shift or two? Nah, let's scrap it and start over.

Basically, other than spots 1-4, things have been rather jumbled since Drury and Briere skipped town.

However, this season, the top 6 have basically remained consistent. The only differences were when Stafford was coming back from injury he was testing things out on the 4th line so he wouldn't hurt himself again.

Pominville, Roy, Connolly

Vanek, Stafford, MacArthur

------------------------------------

Grier, Ellis, Hecht,

Kennedy, Kaleta, Gaustad

+Paille or Mair, occasionally Paetsch

Looking at the line-ups for the past few games, you can't really disagree about that line of demarcation. No one's crossed it for more than a few shifts except Stafford, but he was an exception. Also, when a top sixer was hurt, instead of moving up a bottom sixer, Lindy brought in Ennis. I like this plan so far. I'm not sure why "Tennis the Menace" (thank you, Drew Stafford) wasn't brought up for Saturday's game instead of playing with eleven forwards.

In these recent goal scoring struggles, does Lindy leave his top 6 and bottom 6 in tact and just try to kick them into high gear? I'm  much happier with the way the boys below that line have played. Does one of them get rewarded for that? Who would get bumped down? If any change were to be made, I think I'd propose switching out Pommer or Vanek and Hecht or maybe Royzie and Kennedy, even if only for practice. Maybe get Gaustad up with Stafford and MacArthur.

Lindy shook up the lines in practice today, but he didn't switch between the groups. The top 6 were still the top 6 and the bottom were still the bottom.

Will Lindy make any switches? Probably not, but if he needs to send a message to a top 6 forward, creating such clear groupings will help him to send those types of messages down the line, even if not right now. If a top 6 player spends just one practice with the bottom 6, that should send a clear message, even without changing the line-ups for a game. It's a mental thing. Mindset is just as important in this game as conditioning.  I like it.

How we gonna paaaaaayyy...

by Anne

I didn't watch Saturday's Sabres' game. I was seeing a musical about people who have foreclosed on their homes called "mortgage." Or something like that. They all seemed to have AIDS and all the girls were in knee high boots with crazy curly hair. I'm not sure, but that sounds like me on a typical Saturday night. Wait, I don't have AIDS. Not that there's anything wrong with having... nevermind.

ANYWAY, the point is I didn't watch the game and henceto therefore happenstantially I can pretend it went anyway I want.

Here's my take:

The Sabres had a COMMANDING 3-0 lead CHARGING UNRELENTINGLY into the third period. Patrick Lalime had already stopped 34968734.4 shots, all by Jason Spezza with two somehow by Dany Heatley all the way in San Jose Theodore.

THEN, as if by BLACK MAGIC, Chris Neil and Jarkko "Chompy Times" Ruutu held Lalime hostage and locked Miller in a beer portable and the Sabres were forced to play the entire third period with NO GOALTENDER.

THEREFORE, Myers, Tallinder, Rivet, Lydman, Sekera, Perreault, Korab, Barnaby, McKee, Mogilny, and TSUJIMOTO combined to block an additional 5386723 and 2/3 shots. HOWEVER, those evil RAT BASTARD Ottawa Senators managed to fire off 5386728 and 2/3 shots and they won 5-0. Or wait, I guess it was 5-3 with the Sabres 3-0 lead EATEN ALIVE.

ANARCHY AND CHAOS AND PANDEMONIUM SHALL RAIN DOWN FROM THE STREETS OF BUFFALO.

This is how I choose to believe WHY WON'T MY V KEY WORK PROPERLY that game went.

In a related story, the Ottawa Senators have released their new uniform design:

I JUST REALIZED THAT MOST OF THE SENATORS I REALLY HATE ARE ON OTHER TEAMS.

Whatevs.

Good night.

The Kings lost too.

They suck.

MAYBE IT'S ME? Why do all my teams SUCK and then alternately ROCK sometimes? I can't take the swinging of the pendulum, BOYS. WIN MORE.

I wish the Sabres were more like my fantasy team. We are kicking ass and TAKING NAMES. What does that expression even mean V KEY START WORKING ALL THE TIME PLEASE VVVVVVVV.

Yes, I am intoxicated.

Oscar has some thoughts: lp.tjuvb jnhb

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Good night

Another Snoozer for the Sabres; Thriller for the Canucks

by Anne

Once again, no one stepped up and took control of the game. Well, someone did; Patrice Bergeron did. For those keeping score, Patrice Bergeron does NOT play for the Buffalo Sabres.

Whatever, I don't have much to say about that game. Good job, Goose. Cookies for Goose, and for Staffy. Staffy is hurt with a bone bruise. That sounds unbelievably unpleasant. Does this mean Tyler Ennis makes the return trip? Is Gerbe healthy yet? Here's hoping one of them is ready!

Tonight they play the Senators. I'll be at a show, so I won't see it. Too bad.

The Canucks won last night. The first period started out pretty darn rocky, with the Avs jumping out to an early two goal lead. After cutting the deficit to one in the second period, the Canucks scored four more unanswered goals in the third to take a 5-2 victory. Their last game, ten years ago it feels, was an 8-2 victory over the Avs. Wooo! Big Bear scored a PP goal on  a nifty little deflection:

They may have fallen to #3 in my heart but I still loves them.

Especially Big Bear.

Especially goals like that.

Please don't go six days between games again, I don't like that and neither does my fantasy team.

 Nothing to do with the game

But how adorable are Henrik Sedin and his son?

Other things:

• Danny Briere and M-E Vlasic fought last night. Yes, you read that right. I... I'm so confused. I wish I had seen it live. It's just so bizarre:

The best part is the looks of disbelief on their teammates' faces.

Also, I don't think any punches were thrown, but gloves were off.

hahahahahaha fantastic

Good job, Pickles!

You don't let Danny Briere attempt to put you in a headlock!

• Also in that game, Dany Heatley had his second hat trick of the season. This pleases me for two reasons: It was against the Flyers and he's a Sunny Hedgehog Enchanter. Yessss.
  

• Tonight the Sabres play in Ottawa (barf), the Kings host the Flames and the Pens are in Atlanta. Hopefully I'll be able to watch some bitchin' highlight reel goals scored by the Sabres and Pens during the intermissions of the Kings game tonight! They're all gonna win, right? Please, Sabres? I don't know what's in the kool-aid you drink before Senators games, but they're not freaky zombie people, out to eat your brains and such. Especially now that Heatley's gone. Please win? Thanks.
  

• ETA: The Kings game is at 4:00. Good thing I looked at the schedule again!

Worst Game Day Ever

by Anne

I'd love to be able to write a whole blog post about tonight's game against the Bruins and them being a divisional opponent and what not. Here's all I can think of to say:

• Lydman in, Sekera out
  

• The Bruins played last night all the way to a shootout in the empty cave known as Philips arena in Atlanta, GA; they didn't skate this morning
  

• Tim Thomas is hurt with a "minor undisclosed injury" according to Bruins' head coach Claude Julien.
  

• I have to leave early to help everyone in the Arena put up signs to point Danny to the right locker room 

But Drew and Clarke and Paul and Adam and Hank and Ryan and Thomas and Tim and Derek and Jason and Jochen and Steve and Nathan and Mike and Other Tim and Matt and Pat and Craig and Toni and Reggie and other Pat and Chris and That Big Guy are in THAT room.

Yes Danny, I know, but you go with them now:

Oh. Ok. See ya later.

 :'(

Hero of the Game

by Anne

All Sabres fans are well aware that Ryan Miller is the hero of the Sabres roster. I don't need to go into anymore "night after night" platitudes and blah blah blah because we all know what he does.

However, on those nights when the Sabres find themselves down a goal or two heading into the third, who do they rely on to get them those clutch goals?

Uhhhh? Vanek? Not at this pace. Connolly? Maybe. Royzie? He's too busy losing clutch faceoffs. MacArthur or Stafford? Occasionally. Pominville? Not this season.

When you can go through your top 6 and confidently say that none of them are heroic, reliable goal scorers at this point in the game, you have a problem.

Last night at the Arena while I was changing to go home, the score was still 3-2. I found myself standing in the lockerroom thinking this sentence: "Ok _____ time for some magic." And it occurred to me that I have no idea who could fill in that blank.

Last season Vanek offered heroics, and we've been able to rely on him a lot in the last few years to do that. This season has been slow going and no one else has stepped up to offer that boost, that feeling of "Don't worry, get him the puck and things will happen."

All of the boys in the top 6 can score goals, and they all have been (some later than others, ROYZIE). But none of them are are go-to goal scorer. That keeps the other team's defense guessing, they can never bee 100% sure who's going to be that player with the quick trigger. Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Kopitar, Nash, Iginla, Zetterberg, Kovalchuk, all over the NHL there are teams with that one player or more than one sometimes. You keep that guy covered at all times. The balanced attack makes for a confused opponent, but it also leaves us without the game-saving goal scorer.

Miller can stop the pucks from going in (most of the time) but he can't score the goals for them. Someone needs to kick it up a notch or 10. Not just someone, but a lot of someones.

12-5-1 is still a good record through 17 games, let's not kid ourselves. This team isn't completely perfect. It's got a lot of really solid elements, but now that they've gone through their feeling things out phase, it'll be nice to see them kick it into that next gear they should be able to kick it into.

They need to push harder and drive harder and score more. Who's going to do it?

What the HELL was THAT?/Blog news

by Anne

I have very little to say about that game. When I left the Arena it was 3-2. When I got home and realized it was 6-2, I was pretty sure I was misreading something. I was not.

I didn't pay attention to that game because there was lots of shenanigans going on in the 300 level so I can't offer any pithy insights other than: they should've played better in the last two minutes.

So after much deliberation, I've decided to create a new blog. I've been thinking about it for a while but I've finally decided to do it. This blog will be just mine, that's the biggest difference.

S(h)ara and I hate each other's guts so she's not joining me on the new blog.

Ok, the first part of that sentence is not true. S(h)ara and I are still BFFLFAE (Best Friends For Like Forever and Ever) but we are parting ways in the blogging world.

SO. Without further ado: please to be updating your Google Reader or Blogs You Follow or Bookmark entitled "BEST BLOGGER EVER" and add:

Queen City Sabres Blog

Since I've finally fully committed to the LA Kings being my 2nd favorite team, the Kings will be getting a little more love, particularly by being included in the banner of the new blog title.

All the posts from Sabretooth's House have been posted to Queen City Sabres so you won't have to look far to revel in past hilarity and carryings-on. Basically it looks exactly like Sabretooth's House with only minor modifications.

I'm going to crosspost until Thanksgiving and then I'll make the full switch on Black Friday, just in time for the holidays.

Anne! Anne! Anne!

Kin I come too?

Yes, you're all coming with me, Danny.

Where we goin'?

The other blog, Greener, weren't you paying attention?

I WILL OVERTHROW THAT BLOG AS WELL.

Whatever, Evil Timmy.

You HAVE to bring us.

LOOK HOW MUCH FUN WE ARE.

Hordi, SO'B, just because I love the Kings more, doesn't mean I don't love you Canucks dearly, you're just not as lovable at the moment, I'm sorry.

I'm ready to go.

Yes, Iggy, yes you are.

Join me, won't you?

New Blog?

by Anne

I've been kicking around the idea of starting a new blog. I'm tired of the name of this blog, mostly because it's not original and it belongs to something that already exists.

It's not as though this just started bothering me. We've been writing in this thing since January of 2008.

I've mentioned this before but I'm more serious about it now.  I wouldn't want to delete this blog and lose the over 900 entries that have been written over the last almost two years. I've already exported it to put it up somewhere else with a different name.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not going anywhere, I love writing in this goofy blog and I won't stop blogging any time soon, I'm just looking for a new venue. We shall see what happens.

Would you guys follow my ramblings to a new URL?

Danny will come too:

Where we goin'?

I don't know Danny, we'll see what happens!

Ah, Dick, We Hardly Knew Ye

By S(h)ara

Ok, maybe the title isn't all true, but it sounded catchy.

Dick Jauron was fired today as head coach of the Bills. I'm sure you're all surprised as I am. The story just broke, but I found a (very) brief article online. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/bills-hand-jauron-pink-slip-report/article1366762/

At this point though, can't we just settle for a good draft number and be done?

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2009/11/nflcom-buffalo-bills-fire-head-coach-dick-jauron/1 is a better article. I have to say though, I hate that they say fans in Buffalo put up a billboard. It was some unemployed dude in Erie, PA who did that.

Monday Night Hockey/Record Intact!

by Anne

This Sabres Wednesday - Friday - Saturday schedule, while mostly annoying, is at least helpful in keeping track of when the Sabres play  this month.

Monday is not one of the days listed above, therefore, the Sabres did not play tonight. However, the Kings did.

The Kings played the Florida Panthers in Florida tonight in a very back and forth game. The first period was close and scoreless and the second started much the same until the Pussycats potted two fairly quick goals to make the game 2-0. The Los Angeles Kings, more experienced this season and less prone to panic, kept their wits about them. Wayne Simmonds decided to help things out the best way he knows how. Beating the crap out of someone:

Simmer (as he punches): WHAT. KIND. OF. NAME. IS. KENNDAL. ANYWAY?

Ok, the fight was fairly even actually, but I'm giving Simmer the edge on this one. Not long after, Jack Johnson or JJ3 or JMFJ as he has been known (the first only by me) scored. Jarret Stoll made it 2-2 and Randy Jones, filling in for The Piece who is out with injury, scored a shorty to give the Kings their first lead of the game.

Then a fustercluck (TM Amy at Shots Off the Crossbar) of activity in front of Quickie Monster gave the Panthers the equalizer. Quickie lost his stick and in the scrum a Panther shot his stick into the corner. Yes, it was definitely deliberate. Isn't that some kind of penalty? Ugh.

Anyway, nothing doing in OT so it headed to a shootout, the Kings' fourth of the season. The first two came against the San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks. The Kings lost both 2-1. The other was Saturday night in Tampa and the Kings won 2-1. Tonight, the Jon Quick was 3 for 3 and Jack Johnson scored in the shootout to give the Kings the win!

They finish this five game road trip 3-2. We are never speaking of that Thrashers game again.

The Kings next game is Wednesday night home against the Flyers. Ewww. Hopefully Mr. Jones can play against his former team. He's been pretty solid thusfar. I don't know if Scuds will be back by then.

Elsewhere:

The New Jersey Devils were vying for their 10th straight road victory to start the season, in an attempt to match the record set by our very own Buffalo Sabres in 2006. They faced the Phlyers. This is the only time in my life I have ever wanted to see Ray Emery win at anything. The Flyers won and the Sabres record still stands as their own. Woo!

Danny Paille scored his second of the year as the Bruins lost to the surprisingly not-terrible New York Islanders. I didn't say they were good, I just said they were not-terrible. They're quite like the 2008-2009 Los Angeles Kings. Not good, but not as bad as people were anticipating. Lots of youth, lots and lots of talent and a few veterans like Weight and Streit. They need more pieces, obviously, but the Islanders are treading water respectably.

Mouth open.

Perfect

I hate those yellow socks.

Vinny Lecavalier, a prominent Sunny Hedgehog Enchanter, remembered that he's really good at hockey and had himself a three point night (2+1) and was a +3 in the 4-1 win over the Coyotes. Fortunately, Vinny's Enchanters teammate Ilya Bryzgalov was not in goal.

Marty scored like that

Vinny helped

Tuesday night none of my teams play. Alas.

Lastly, enjoy this unmitigated FAIL from ESPN.com:

Oh ESPN.

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

He's a Star!

by Anne

Not that we didn't already know that he was, but Ryan Miller was named one of the Three Stars of the Week by NHL.com. Woo!

Here's the blurb:

Ryan Miller  -- In a season that has seen several goaltenders get off to blazing starts, no one has done more with less than Miller, who won all three of his starts last week while allowing only four goals -- even though his team scored only six non-empty netters. He leads the League in wins (12), goals-against average (1.77) and save percentage (.939)

Love.

Hopefully getting pimped by NHL.com won't make him too FAMOUS

I've decided I need to know more about hockey

By S(h)ara

I need to learn more about hockey, so that I don't have to keep asking Anne dumb hockey questions. (Like, does a short-handed goal still count as special teams? It does, in case you were wondering.) Anyway, fantasy hockey is helping me with that, and Harry Neale just ends up confusing me when he starts talking about rules the NHL needs to change. Although, judging from some of the tweets I read, he confuses a lot of people.

The mighty Saskatoon Topnotch Lemons are doing pretty well. We're in 5th place, currently, and since both Zetterberg and Henrik Sedin had hat tricks last night, the team owner is in a pretty good mood.

Anne has been helping me with the process of loving the Sharks. I mean, I already love Joe Thornton, so you wouldn't think it would be that hard. There is a part of me though that is starting love Edmonton a little bit. Just a little bit. It's a work in process.

In the meantime, San Jose is losing to the Blackhawks right now. Hey, Jumbo Joe! I need some more goals/assists, so pass the word on to Demers and Clowe. And just as I was typing that, you got an assist. Well done. You listen well. I'm proud of you, Grasshopper.

Winning Is So Much Better than Losing

by Anne

All four of my favorite teams played yesterday, and in an effort to make up for last weekends failures, they all won! Woo!

The Sabres have won three in a row! They won back to back games! One on the road! They beat Ray Emery and Danny Briere and Chris Pronger and all those other disgusting, repulsive Flyers! Wooo!

The mark of a good team isn't just winning blowouts, it's winning close games, especially on the road.

The Flyers entered last night on a five game winning streak, with one of those five games coming at the expense of the Sabres last week, jerks.

Thomas Vanek scored on the power play to open the scoring and the Sabres never looked back.

Tyler Ennis was re-called just before the game (literally) to fill in for Little Foot who was injured in the Calgary game. He had a grand total of about two hours to get acclimated to the team and the surroundings before being tossed onto a line with Vanek and Connolly. He saw time on the top powerplay unit and scored his first NHL goal! Yay!

Lookit that babyface

Happy face.

Congrats, little Tyler!

Goose tipped a Myers shot from the point on the powerplay by Emery to give the Sabres the 3-2 edge.

The downsides included Jeff Carter scoring an incredibly gross shorthanded goal and some other Flyer scored but I don't remember who because they're disgusting. I think it was Pronger.

Pat Kaleta had a great game with his usual hitting-everything-he-sees style and one incredible takeaway where he skated from the goal line to the opposite blueline and effortlessly stripped the Flyers forward of the puck. It was pretty phenomenal.

There was lots of in-crease pushing and shoving, as is to be expected when you play a team as vile as the Flyers. One particular scrum between Goose and Pronger got things fired up. Goose and Pronger were pushing and shoving a lot near Emery and Goose took serious exception to Pronger being his usual self: a total douchebag.

Pronger was being a douche after the whistle.

Goose was not happy.

He looks so hot when he's bloodthirsty

Elsewhere the Canucks routed the Avalanche 8-2. Big Bear responded to me dropping him from my fantasy team by scoring two goals. Hooray! I was out bustin' a move on the dancefloor so I did not watch this game. There were, sadly, no photos of Big Bear on the Canucks website. Tragic. Henrik Sedin had a hattrick. Hooray!

The Kings somewhat redeemed themselves with a 2-1 shootout win over the Lightning. Quickie won but I benched him because I'm not currently speaking to him. He stopped 28 of 29 pucks. That would've helped both my team's GAA and SV% but it wasn't a risk I was willing to take. Oh well.

Yo.

The Pens beat the Bruins 6-5 in OT. Jay McKee scored his first of the season! Wooo!

The Bills are currently losing to the Titans 17-14. The Titans just attempted a 60 yard field goal. Needless to say, it was short. They will lose 27-21.

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. 
  

An Open Letter to David Backes

by Anne

Hey David!

How's it going? How's your wife? Is she still in school? How about all those puppies you two rescued? How are they holding up? Great!

I thought you might like to know some interesting factoids about how my season as a hockey fan has been going.

First off, the Sabres are doing well, thanks for asking. They lost two stinkers over the weekend but finally beat Hotmonton (as Drew Stafford called them) last night. Drew Stafford scored a goal! It was spiff-o-riffic.

Hey! You and Staffy have been teammates at the World Championships the last two seasons. How exciting for you both! You must be so happy for him!

Look! There you both are!

Hooray

Good times.

Hey, also, this season I started my first fantasy team! I know! I'm excited too! I drafted you! Yeah, really! Isn't that great? I had just named you my favorite St. Louis Blue and you were all foxy and swift for team USA at the WCs in May and it was warm happy fuzzies so I picked you up! You had 54 points last season, 31 goals! That's great! Smiles and happiness.

 HappyFunTimes

So here we find ourselves headlong into November. Teams are shaking off that "new season" smell and starting to show their endurance or lack thereof, injuries are piling up, some players are returning and the real muck and grind of the season begins. This season's stars are starting to shine, rosters are being shaken up, all sortsa stuff is going on around the National Hockey League. I'm first place in my fantasy league, but this week's lead is tenuous. I'm playing a tough opponent, I need all my top players to produce!

That leaves me with one question:

HOW DO YOU ONLY HAVE THREE POINTS IN SIXTEEN GAMES?

Are you hurt? BADLY? What is the DEAL? Pick up the PACE, BUDDY BOY. Don't MAKE me drop you or switch to a new favorite St. Louis Blue. Eric Johnson is waiting in the wings, my friend. At least VINNY has twelve assists to go along with his pathetic TWO goals. He has FOURTEEN points in fifteen games. That's just under a point per game pace. SWEET. YOU, sir, are on pace for fifteen points for the ENTIRE SEASON.

MATT GREENE HAS MORE POINTS THAN YOU. MATT. GREENE.

SNAP OUT OF IT, KIDDO.

I took a quick picture of myself while writing this post so you can truly see my displeasure at your lack of production, DAVID:

Fear my wrath

FEAR IT.

Love and smooches,

Anne

This feels a lot better

by Anne

Wheee!

Between Friday and Tuesday the Pens, Canucks, Kings and Sabres played eight games. In those games those four teams went a combined 0-8-0. WHAT? That's terrible. I was not too happy. Eight straight games of FAIL.

Tonight, my two favorite teams (Canucks, you'd better get your act together to try to reclaim this title from the Kings) played two splendid games.

Clearly, I saw the Sabres game, but I did not see the Kings game because they are in the midst of an East coast trip and their game was also at 7:00.

First my beloved Sabres won somewhat of a snoozer against Edmonton at HSBC Arena tonight.

Steve Montador scored his first as a Sabre and the line of Stafford - Connolly - Vanek, known (by me only) as the Should line (because it SHOULD work) contributed the first goal from Staffy and then provided some stifling offensive zone pressure to set up the Full Monty's goal. Yoyo added the empty netter to seal the 3-1 win.

The Sabres powerful is godawful terrible. Good LORD. They were 0 for 7 against the Bruins the other night and tonight they went 0 for 4. Maybe practice the power play in practice lots and lots? Thanks.

Clarke MacArthur accidentally pulverized Liam Reddox into the boards with only a few minutes left in the third period which drew a five minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. I didn't see the hit but me may be suspended. Dang. Although maybe Mairsy will play? Grier had a strained groin and if he misses time, Mair will definitely be back. Maybe Paetsch will be in at forward? I hope Grizz doesn't get suspended. I think it's clear that he had no intention of hitting him hard from behind; Maybe taking the body to knock him off the puck, but he seems to lose his footing at the last second.

Still scary, regardless of intent.

That five minute penalty was interesting. For the first two minutes of it, the crowd was holding its collective breath, as if we were willing the puck to stay out of the net. Then as the PKers started to really control the situation, a loud "Let's go Buff-a-lo!" chant energized the Arena and the penalty was killed and met by a standing ovation from the crowd.

Hey Should line.

Good job

Cookies for you.

Well, maybe not you, Tommy. You took lotsa penalties.

Next game IGGY COMES TO BUFFALO!

:) :) :)

Also on tap, and experienced by me via boxscore checks and LAKings.com highlights, was the Kings 5-2 win over the flailing Carolina Hurricanes. Tonight's loss brings the Butter Snaps losing streak to 13 games. I believe they are 0-10-3 in their last 13. Yeesh.

Erik Ersberg made his second start of the season and got his first win.  Anze Kopi-star had two assists upping his league-leading points total to 30 (14+16). Oh snap.

Randy Jones, the Kings 7th defenseman recently acquired from Philly, played in his first game as a King and recorded the game winning goal and an assist. Woo!

This line is also foxy.

This line contributed six points tonight (2+4)

Well done, boys.

I love you.

Lots.

Both teams are off tomorrow and then both teams play Friday. Then, of course, both teams play Saturday. Yeesh, schedulers!

Pie for everyone!

by Anne

Last night Danny Paille scored his first goal of the season and it was spiffy:

Then, if you were fortunate enough to peruse the front page of NHL.com, this is what you saw:

:')

I miss Pie

Too bad he beat the Pens. Oh well.

The Canucks played an atrocious game last night. Andrew Raycroft let a goal in on the first shot he saw and it didn't get much better after that. The Blues ended the first period up 4-0 on thirteen shots. Luongo came in for periods two and three even though those goals were garbage and Raycroft had no help. One of them was banked into the net by a Canuck. Just terrible. They lost 6-1. Henrik Sedin scored the only goal for Vancouver.

The Sabres play the Oilers tonight at HSBC Arena. The last time the Sabres went to Edmonton they put up a 10-2 victory. Here's hoping the Oilers do not return the favor and that the Sabres can get their act together. Puck drops at 7:00! See ya there!

Catching Up

by Anne

There's much to catch up on.

• Adam Mair cleared waivers.
  

• I'm surprised no one claimed him.
  

• The Sabres have the option of sending him to Portland or keeping him in Buffalo. Happily, they opted to keep him in Buffalo as our thirteenth forward :)

The dog is thrilled.

• I lost forty pounds a few years ago and I've gained about half that back, so I'm getting back on track. Any and all unsolicited encouragement is welcome.
  

• The Kings "played" a game against the Blackhawks. They lost 4-1. It was not pretty. 
  

• Kopi scored, Dewey got an assist and then they all pooped the bed and rolled around in it. The game was close through the first and second, you knew it was going to explode in the third and unfortunately it was the Blackhawks who decided to start scoring. :/
  

• Drew Miller was put on waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning, as was Tyler Arnason who reportedly signed a deal with a team in Europe and was subsequently suspended by the Rangers
  

• After the Kings "game" last night, it looks like there might be some shakeups in the lineups and Mr. Jones may get into the lineup soon. That's good. Terry Murray didn't rule out the possibility that he'd get in tomorrow. Who sits? Greener only played 14:30ish last night. Peter Harrold already sat out last night.
  

• If the Kings don't beat the Hurricanes tomorrow, I'm never speaking to them again.
  

• Because the Canes are unspeakably bad, Erik Ersberg may get the start the other night. I think Quickie needs a break. He's started all but one of the Kings' 18 games.
  

• Canucks play at St. Louis tonight, Pens play at Boston. Woooo!
  

Adam Mair on Waivers

by Anne

Maxim Afinogenov.

Nathan Paetsch.

Henrik Tallinder.

Just a few of the players we have BEGGED Darcy to trade or waive over the last two seasons. Today, he decided to do just that. He put a player on waivers.

That player: ADAM MAIR?!

Why Mairsy? I just don't understand why he was in the doghouse. I understand that we were playing fine without him, but I assumed he'd be hanging out in the pressbox with Paetsch until his services were needed. Apparently not?

Nooooo!!!

Maybe Darcy is trying to clear cap space for something? Even if we're off the hook for Mairsy's entire salary, Paille and Mairsy's combined cap hit is only $1.91 million.

Sad times.

ETA: Even though he was waived, Mair still practiced with the Sabres this afternoon. Ho-kay?

Enroth to Start?

by Anne

The scuttlebutt around the Sabres is that Jhonas Enroth may get his first NHL start tonight. That was the idea earlier in the week when Lalime was hurt, and after last night's five goals allowed by Miller, it looks like he may need to cleanse his palate of that effort.

Let's all remember how atrocious Ryan Miller was in his first NHL season, 2002-2003. Well, maybe "atrocious" is the wrong word, but he certainly wasn't the "Millerrrrrr stops 'em cold!" we know him to be today. His first season in the NHL he played 15 games and was 6-6-2-1 with 1 shutout, 2.63 GAA and SV% of .902. Not bad, but not phenomenal. He actually regressed the next season, had three starts, was 0-3 with 5.06 GAA and a .795 SV%. Basically we learn almost nothing about the longterm capabilities of a goaltender based on his first NHL start. I'm sure all the brilliant folks who read this blog knew that already.

The Bruins have been struggling offensively, shutout two games in a row and scoring only one goal in the last three games. Looks like being without Savard, Kessel, Lucic and Krejci is adding up to some serious goal-scoring droughts. I have no doubt they'll turn it around... just hopefully not tonight, especially if Enroth plays.

Don't be nervous!

I'm sure you'll do just fine, kiddo!

Enroth needs a nickname. That shall be my project for the evening. I've already created two nicknames that others have picked up, maybe I can create a 3rd and SWEEP THE NATION... or the Sabres' fanbase...well the fans I talk to... ok just maybe my Mom.

Puck drops at 7:00 at TD Banknorth Garden! ETA: Apparently it's just TD Garden now? Lame.

The Kings play the Predators at 4:00 and the Pens play the Sharks at 10:30 (ugh). Yay for all-day (or afternoon and evening) hockey!

What a night!

by Anne

Last night the Pittsburgh Penguis rolled into the Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Kings.

The reigning Stanley Cup champs v. a team that hasn't made the playoffs in 25 years (figures estimated).

Both teams played a tight, close game through two periods. The Kings were outshooting the Pens, but the Pens took a 2-1 lead into the 3rd period.

That's when this game kicked into overdrive, the kind of overdrive that all fans (of the winning team, anyway) can enjoy: lots of goal scoring to clinch a victory. Not the overdrive where players just start beating the snot out of each other or anything like that.

No fights tonight, which makes me happy.

Anze Kopitar continues to dominate teams from all over the standings. He had another two goal night to up his season total to 13 and put some space between him and those trying to catch him in the scoring race.

The Kings also got goals from Wayne Simmonds, Jarret Stoll and Dustin Brown. They fired lotsa shots on goal, played with lots of speed, and shut down the Penguins top players.

This game, particularly the 3rd period was just what the Kings needed to really draw some attention to themselves on the East coast. They didn't do so well in their Eastern trip in October, and playing this well against the reigning champs sends a statement to the rest of the NHL.

Major props to the Pens post-game analysts who were full of praise for the Kings, unlike the Sharks analysts who ripped them apart when the Sharks were defeated by the Kings. Yes, the Pens were playing without Gonch, Geno, Talbot and Kennedy, but the Kings played them the way they should play a team that depleted. The Pens have been on the other side of that score many times so I'm sure this was unfamiliar territory for most of these boys.

This was the Pens first road loss of the season which is still pretty damn impressive.

Jordan scored the Pens first goal at 1:10 of the first period

Which was actually the second goal of the game as Kopi scored at :27 of the first

Greener didn't score, obvi.

But he had some good passes(!)

And was used by Craig Adams as a battering ram to break some glass.

The Canucks won last night by an identical score but the game wasn't as crazy and exciting because the Wild aren't very good at hockey.

Darcy Hordichuk of all people opened the scoring. Raymond scored, Henrik added a shorty, Matt Pettinger scored his first of the season and Burr added an empty netter to seal the deal. Andrew Raycrot has been solid in relief of the injured Roberto Luongo. Raycroft improved to 4-1 on the season. I picked him up on my fantasy team and all four of my goalies won. Sweeeet.

 

 Somehow, Kyle Brodziak scored two goals

Christian "The Hoff" Ehrhoff's crazy face shows his disbelief

Big Bear has the flu and didn't play. Poor Big Bear, I'll be right there with Cold-Eez, soup, tea and tissues. Never fear!

What a fantastic night of hockey it was!

AM/PM Fail

by Anne

Ed. Note: I wrote this post to publish this morning but it didn't. Whoops. I scheduled it for 8pm instead of am.

Tonight my #2 Eastern Conference team and my #1/#2 depending on the day Western Conference teams are playing each other.

I'm not quite as conflicted about this game as I am about when the Canucks play the Kings. Quite simply, my allegiance for the Sabres comes into play here and, because it will be better for the Sabres, I'd prefer it if those two points stayed in the Western Conference.

I don't give the Pens enough love on this blog, mostly because once the season starts it's hard to keep track of them and the Sabres at the same time.

I still love me some Pittsburgh Penguins and it can't be denied that they're probably the best team in the East, maybe the whole league, but Craig Anderson and the Avs might have something to say about that statement.

Anywhoozle, I don't want either team to lose, but as we all know, in the post-lockout era, that can't happen.

NO TIES FOR YOU!

I hope that they play a good clean game, both teams have lots of shots on goal and that there isn't a blowout on either side.

The Pens are dealing with injuries to Gonch and Geno while the Kings don't have any major injuries to speak of. Advantage: Kings

Jonathan Quick has played very well for the Kings this season, but Flower has been even better for the Pens. Advantage: Pens

The Kings have the league's leading scorer in Anze Kopitar, the Pens have Sidney Crosby. The Kings have Dewey and JJ3 the Pens have Letangarang and Go-Go boots. Advantage: Draw

It should be an interesting game, a chance for the Kings to test themselves out against the best in the East.

Rob Scuderi's first and only chance this season to take on his former team. The Piece is ready for business, I'm sure.

Ok boys?

Raitis: Just gettin' ready as per usual

Eric: Gettin' ready to play my type of hockey

Sigh. Ok, well at least my two favorite blondes will attempt to keep things running smoothly:

Greener hears my cry for sanity

Jordan's ready to keep things clean and happy.

Puck drops at 10:30pm EST (barf)