Hockey is Life

Super Mega-Post

2010-01-19T19:07:00.002-05:00

A couple of things to cover in this post, let's see how I do it.

First... the Sabres won last night in a commanding performance. The 7-2 win was the most goals we've scored in any game this season, and it was great to see some *other* guys score - Myers, Butler (first of the season). Great to see Thomas score again too, as I know he's been beating himself up over it lately.

We haven't lost in regulation since December 23rd! That's almost a month! :D

The Sabres are tied for FIRST PLACE in the Eastern Conference. Well-deserved, I say.

Tim Connolly is on a twelve-game point streak.

Tyler Myers leads rookies in assists, plus-minus, and ice time!

Things are going well. Anaheim will be a challenge, and so will Los Angeles, and San Jose, and Vancouver. This West Coast road trip won't be easy, that's for sure. We'll have to get used to the time change, and play the full sixty minutes, and stay disciplined like we pretty much managed to do last night.

It won't be easy, but we can do it. I'm confident in these boys.

Last, but certainly not least, today is a certain someone's birthday... a certain Austrian, perhaps? ;)

Happy 26th birthday, #26! <3

Preview: Sabres vs. Coyotes

2010-01-18T10:55:00.000-05:00

First published at InsideHockey.com

2010 has been good to the Buffalo Sabres so far, as the team has yet to suffer a regulation loss in the new year.

In fact, the team has gained at least a point in each of its last ten games. Their last regulation loss was a 5-2 contest against the Washington Capitals on December 23rd.

In that ten game stretch, the team is 7-0-3.

The Sabres look to continue this bout as they play the third of a seven-game road trip tonight in Phoenix before hitting the West Coast for several late-night starts.

The lineup will remain the same, with Patrick Kaleta back in. Matt Ellis, Nathan Paetsch, and Andrej Sekera will most likely be healthy scratches for the Sabres.

Ilya Bryzgalov will be in net for the Coyotes, who are second in the Pacific Division with 61 points. The team is also on a two-game winning streak.

Taylor Pyatt, who was a member of the Sabres organization from 2001 to 2006, has eight goals and four assists in 42 games this season.

In their first match-up of the season, the Sabres beat the Coyotes 2-1 on a Thomas Vanek power play goal (October 8, 2009).

Key to the Win: If the Sabres want to continue this streak, they'll need to stay out of the penalty box. Although their penalty killing has been excellent as of late, taking too many consecutive penalties doesn't help the team. They saw this in Atlanta on Thursday, when their sixth penalty of the game finally cost them a goal. If they can stay out of the box, the team won't have to worry as much about killing penalties and can instead focus on their offense.

Tim Connolly will look to extend his point streak to 12 games.

Good way to start a road trip.....

2010-01-15T09:34:00.005-05:00

All I can say is.... finally! The four days between Sabres games seemed like an eternity, even with the other hockey games on Versus and NHL Network. It's just not the same, and last night was such a relief to see the boys again.

It was a good game, albeit a little boring at times. It was very exciting to see Patrick Kaleta score in his first game back! He's been injured so much lately, on and off, and I think hadn't played a full game since before December 16th. So to see him score and do his adorable little goal celebration was very nice. Good to see him make an impact, not just in hits but also on the score sheet.

The one major problem I saw with the game was that we took too many penalties. Granted, we were able to kill almost all of them, but they need to stop. Discipline and less penalties would make things significantly easier on them!

Can I just put this on the record? I HATE OVERTIMES. They are so nerve-wracking.

Yet, for the second straight time against Atlanta this season, Derek Roy came through and clinched the win in overtime. Thanks, Derek!

(Oh, and a special thank you to Zach Bogosian for getting that penalty in overtime.)

Now, the Sabres are in Long Island! According to the Buffalo News, they have a practice at Nassau Coliseum today at 2 p.m., before the game tomorrow night.

It's a good way to start this seven-game road trip; let's hope it continues!

You Can't Win if You Don't Play....

2010-01-09T22:14:00.004-05:00

I literally cried after we lost tonight. I wanted Patty to get his 200th win SO badly, and I wanted us to have a seven-game winning streak. Not that six games in a row is bad, and at least we got a point - one we didn't really even earn - but I would've loved seven. And especially for Lalime.

So, basically, tonight didn't go too well.

I can't be mad at Matt Duchene. He's my favorite Avalanche player (and one of the few Avalanche I actually follow) and I've loved him since the draft. He's been doing really well, and with the two goals tonight, he's now leading in rookie scoring.

So, who CAN I be mad at?

Ugh. I don't even know. The shootout was terrible. I was a wreck, and I wasn't even at the game. I hate shootouts, and this one was way too long. I was praying, praying, praying.... and all for nothing. It didn't work.

We played terribly through most of the game. As Harry Neale & Rick Jeanneret said, for a good portion of the game it was like the Gaustad-Ellis-Mair like was the ONLY line doing anything. But it wasn't enough. It's never enough. The quick two-goal deficit wasn't good, and it was all downhill from there.

It looked good, for a while. We started to actually PLAY (which we tend to not do in front of Patty sometimes!) and scored the two goals and then tied it up and I went "OMG OMG OMG OMG YAYYYYYYYYYYY!~~~"

When Monty got the penalty late in the third, I flipped out. I love, love, love him... but getting a penalty that late in the game/carrying over into overtime when we JUST battled back to tie it is not the ideal situation. Thankfully, we were able to kill the penalty once again, but it was a nervewracking two minutes.

I don't even want to talk about the shootout. 11 shooters. Patty did an amazing job, and I'm very proud of him (and Matt Duchene!) :D

Oh, and I'd just like to include this picture because I think it's funny. MATTY, the net is not a playground!

Tyler Myers is Amazing.

2010-01-09T21:01:00.002-05:00

Yep, the title pretty much says it all.

Tyler had 2 goals and an assist in last night's game - his first multigoal game in the NHL! I am so proud of him. He leads rookie defenseman in points, and is up there in rookies overall.

Maybe part of my love for him comes from the fact that he's only a few months older than I am, but either way... he's amazing. Just imagine how he'll be in a few years with more experience.

Ryan Miller had 48 saves - a career high - and earned first star on NHL.com! I didn't realize the shot count was that high, but... wow. Great job in that department. Overall, we had a good start to finish game, though panic hit when the Leafs scored their two goals. They had some good chances in the last few minutes to tie it up (heart attack city!) but, alas, the Sabres were able to hang on for the win.

That makes six wins in a row :)

Fast Start is Key...

2010-01-07T22:54:00.000-05:00

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=238811024727
A fast start proved to be just what the Sabres needed Wednesday night.

Three goals in 1:48 – the fastest such lead in franchise history – combined with a stellar thirty-six save performance by Ryan Miller for a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Before many fans had even settled into their seats, rookie defenseman Tyler Myers opened up the scoring just 23 seconds in, on a slapshot from the point.

Jochen Hecht and Clarke MacArthur followed up with two goals just a minute apart to give the Sabres an early 3 goal lead before Tampa Bay had notched even one shot.

The Lightning took their timeout, and goaltender Mike Smith remained in net after allowing three goals on six shots.

The lead didn’t last long, however, as Tampa Bay’s elite rose to the challenge. Martin St. Louis and Victor Hedman scored to make it 3-2 at the end of the first period.

“We’ve got to learn from those mistakes, and today was a good start,” Hecht said. “We came out good and dominated the first ten minutes and got rewarded with goals.”

In their past five games at home, the Sabres had been outshot 54-20 in the first period.

1:19 into the second period, the Sabres increased their lead once again as Drew Stafford notched his tenth goal of the season, on the remnants of a Lecavalier penalty that carried over from the first period.

Tampa Bay came back once again, as Lecavalier scored to close the gap to 4-3.

Just under two minutes later, Jason Pominville notched his eleventh goal of the season. The goal was put under review, as it was debated whether or not Pominville kicked the puck into the net. The lengthy review, which had both fans and coaches growing impatient, eventually ruled it a good goal, and Buffalo took a 5-3 lead into the third period.

The Sabres managed to hold off the Lightning during the third period and secure the win.

“It was nice to see us get pucks back in places where we could battle on them,” Sabres coach Lindy Russ said. “When you get 30-plus shots, it’s a better place for us.”

The Sabres had thirty-five shots and went 1-3 on the power play. In addition, they were perfect on the penalty kill, as Tampa Bay failed to score on their three power play opportunities.

There is now a four-way tie for the team lead in goals: Connolly, Pominville, Vanek and MacArthur all have eleven goals each.

Tyler Myers led the team with 23:57 minutes played, and Paul Gaustad went 12-11 on faceoffs in the game.

Gaustad (61.2%) is now second in the league in faceoff percentage, behind Washington’s David Steckel (62.0%).

The Sabres are now on a five-game winning streak, and hope to make it six when they host Toronto on Friday (7:30 pm) before the Colorado Avalanche come to town on Saturday.

(The old franchise record for the fastest three-goal lead was set in 1980, where the team scored three goals in 2:17. Ruff scored the second goal of that game.)

U-S-A!

2010-01-06T15:58:00.004-05:00

TEAM USA PRIDE!

Both teams played great. I got concerned when USA blew the 2-goal lead with just a few minutes to spare, but I'm glad we were able to get the win. I love Canada, and I'm sad they lost, but five gold medals in a row is enough (for now.)

USA! ♥

Paetsch Clears Waivers... Now What?

2010-01-05T13:53:00.002-05:00

Happy to report that Nathan Paetsch has cleared waivers!

A couple of things to mention regarding this:

First... I'm surprised. No, he hasn't played a lot this season... but he's very useful. He can double as a forward and a defenseman, and he's a versatile player. Teams are missing out.

Second... now what? Are the Sabres going to send him down to Portland? That'd be nice in a way - he could get some playing time, and at least his skills would be put to use. Do we keep him up in Buffalo (similar to Adam Mair) and keep benching him & wasting his talent?

One of the Most Boring Games of the Year...

2010-01-04T13:12:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm proud to say that the Sabres haven't lost yet this year! YAY!

In all seriousness.. we're 2-0 in 2010, and have won four straight. We're on a roll... even if some of the games weren't great. (I hardly consider two games with three-goal deficits "great.")

The game against Montreal yesterday was better. We limited their chances, and although we (again) didn't score in the 1st period, neither did they.

Most importantly, we were pretty disciplined. They've got the best power play in the league, so only giving them two chances (both thanks to Tim Kennedy... *ahem*) isn't bad. Too many penalties and we would've handed the game to them on a silver platter.

Ryan got the shutout - his 5th of the season... now he's tied for the league lead! That game also helped lower his GAA and save percentage, and he's now listed as second in both statistics.

It was a win... not very pretty, but a win. We played gritty, limited their opportunities, and stayed disciplined to wrap up the win.

The Sabres now have a three game homestand, with Tampa Bay on Wednesday, Toronto on Friday, and Colorado on Saturday.

(I expect Patty to play at least one of these games!)

Also... NATHAN PAETSCH has been placed on waivers... :( :( :(

Satan to the Bruins

2010-01-02T10:45:00.002-05:00

Bob McKenzie of TSN just "confirmed" yesterday's reports. Free agent Miroslav Satan has, indeed, signed with the Boston Bruins for the remainder of this season.

He's also picked up a no-trade clause with the deal.

This means that three Bruins players used to be part of the Sabres organization:
Danny Paille - PIE! I MISS YOU.
Miroslav Satan - Meh.
Dennis Wideman - Wait, WHAT?

I didn't know this, but the Sabres actually drafted Wideman in 2002, 241st overall! (Thanks to Shelby for pointing that out!)

Well, Miro.. I wish you success in Boston. I'll always remember that time I saw you and your girlfriend (or whatever she was at the time, I don't think they were married yet) at the Galleria Mall shopping for jewelry.

Down, But Not Out

2010-01-02T10:00:00.004-05:00

Three goals in less than eight minutes, and things weren't looking too good.

But have no fear, the Comeback Kids are here!

For the second straight time, the Sabres were down 3-0 and came back to win. A great performance by Hecht (2 goals and 1 assist) was pivotal in the game, and Jochen ended up getting first star on NHL.com. Granted there were only two games yesterday, but I'm still proud of him!

Dear Sabres,
Please stop falling behind during games. I don't mind as long as you come back, but it gives the fans a heart attack sometimes. I'd like it if you guys stop sucking during the first period (yeah... they've been bad) and started working hard from the first puck drop.

Anyways... I'm glad we won. The first period was not good - we looked like we did too much partying on New Year's Eve! And falling behind 3-0 wasn't good either, but I had no doubt that we could come back. And sure enough, we did.

Derek Roy, I don't really like you, but thanks for getting the game winning goal in overtime.

I'm very glad we won, especially with Boston winning earlier in the day. We're still top of the Northeast, and we've moved into SECOND in the conference, behind New Jersey! I'm proud of the way these boys have been winning as of late, and if they continue to work hard, I think we can do great.

Montreal might be a challenge tomorrow, and then we've got three home games in four days (Tampa Bay, Toronto, Colorado) and we've also got that West Coast trip coming in a few weeks... so it'll be a tough next few weeks. But we can do it!

(Oh, and a note I'd like to add: This is the first time in franchise history that the Sabres have won back-to-back games by overcoming a three-goal deficit!)

Winter Classic 2010

2010-01-01T20:05:00.004-05:00

I am a fail at updating this thing. Sorry! I swear I will try harder. I promise.

First off, Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a safe and happy night/morning, and that 2010 brings you all whatever you wish. I had a very nice night with some friends, including Shelby & Tamara of The Coldffalo Train.

Second... the Winter Classic. I was cheering for the Bruins, because I simply can't stand the Flyers. Yes, Boston's a division rival, but... I don't care. Dating within the division XD The only Flyers I like are Carter, Richards, and Coburn, but I still don't like the team.

It was a good game - the most physical of all the WCs so far, including the first fights in a WC so far! I still say that having the event in a football stadium is better than having it in a baseball stadium, for numerous reasons:

- Football stadiums hold more people. Ralph Wilson Stadium's 2008 WC hosted over 71,000 people, while today's event at Fenway Park only hosted just over 38,000.

- The set up at baseball stadiums is awkward. The rink isn't shaped properly to be placed on a baseball diamond, which makes it uneven in terms of how far it is from the fans. Some of the fans are SUPER close to the rink, while others end up super far away. I just don't like that idea. The football field & ice rink are shaped the same, at the very least, offering for a more even view for all.

Also... nothing will ever beat the 2008 Winter Classic. The "snow globe" atmosphere made it truly perfect.

Anyways, yes. Boston won! In overtime! Cheers!

I'm hoping that next time they do a Winter Classic, it's between two Canadian teams. Toronto/Ottawa (Battle of Ontario) perhaps? :D

The Sabres are now playing the Thrashers, it's scoreless after one. Let's win this one, boys!

Cheers for Wins!

2009-12-12T13:07:00.004-05:00

I'm so terrible at keeping this thing up! I'm sorry! School is nearly over (exam week coming up now) and I swear I'll try harder.

The Sabres have been working it out. They're first in the division, and third in the conference, with 38 points. This makes me super happy!

Ryan has been such a superstar lately. He's always been great, but this season, he's really been shining. He's top in GAA, save %, and shutouts. Some of the saves he's made... have been amazing.

Not to say that Patty hasn't been good! He did a FANTASTIC job of shutting down the Blackhawks last night.

I worked the press box at Wednesday's game (twas awesome. I love the press box and everything about being a sports journalist. It really is perfect for me.) It was my second time in the press box/locker room (the first was November 9th) and it was even better this time around. I can't believe I saw Semyon Varlamov! Unexpected. I also saw the Capitals kicking around a soccer ball before the game... I'd never been that close to Ovechkin before. Insane.

Oh, and I also talked to Paul Gaustad. No big deal ^_^

Also, Caroline's comment made me realize.. I should probably clarify things. I write for the Buff State newspaper (I'll be associate sports editor next semester), and we get press passes for some of the games. Therefore, when that happens, I usually eat dinner in the media lounge (which is next to where I saw Ovechkin & the Caps), sit in the press box for the game, and go to the locker room post-game to interview the boys. (This time, it was Hank, Monty, and Gerbe.) Lastly, I attend Lindy's post-game press conference... then write an article about it all for the school paper :)

Last night's game, I attended as a fan. I met up with Shelby (Puck Over The Glass) and Tamara (Robbing Him Blind) for warmups, which was nice because I LOVE CHICAGO. The Hawks & Penguins are my favorite teams besides Buffalo, so seeing them was awesome.

Shelby, Tamara, and I ended up sitting together for the 2nd and 3rd periods, so that was nice. I don't mind going to games alone - I do it a lot - but being with other people is obviously a lot better.

I hated that people booed Kaner. I LOVE YOU, KANER. I SUPPORT YOU. I was rocking my Kane shersey underneath my Gaustad jersey last night :O

Overall, we played really well. Lalime was spectacular, which is a huge part of why we won last night. Two-game winning streak say whatttt? :D

I just hope we can continue such play tonight against the Rangers.

Lastly... my condolences go out to Mike Grier and his family.

Mellon Arena

2009-10-31T14:20:00.001-04:00

First off: TYLER MYERS IS HERE TO STAY. Yay! :D

Second: my game at Mellon Arena was AMAZING.

I wrote about in my Project 30: NHL Arenas journal, so I'll just copy the entry from there.

Home of the: Pittsburgh Penguins

Visited On: October 24, 2009
Teams Seen: Penguins vs. Devils
Game Result: New Jersey 4, Pittsburgh 1
Section A20, Row E, Seat 10

I'd wanted to visit Mellon Arena for some time, and I got the chance over the summer. I visited my aunt in Pittsburgh the first week in August and was able to find my way down to the Arena via public transportation. It was so awesome from the outside, and PenStation was open so I was able to go in there... but not in the actual arena, save for a minute to purchase a pressed penny. It was then that I realized how much I wanted to see a game there, especially before the Arena closed.

Well, that wish came true. I bought my dad & I tickets at the start of the season (because I don't drive) and on October 24th, I was able to see a game at Mellon Arena. It was, in a word, amazing.

You can definitely tell it's an old arena, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful - and it is definitely beautiful. The outside is gorgeous, even at night (though I was disappointed that it wasn't better lit outside, made my pictures (see above) sort of dark. oh well.) It definitely looks (and feels) like an igloo.

The gates are right on the outside of the arena, so you have to line up outside the arena in order to get in. I thought that was odd, but maybe that's just because I'm used to the way it is at HSBC Arena. We went in, they scanned our tickets, and gave us FREE programs! A+ Pittsburgh! Granted, they are smaller programs, but there's very few advertisements, lots of good content, high-quality pictures, and for FREE. Awesome!

Our first stop before our seats was PenStation. I bought a Kris Letang white jersey, Letang jersey shirt (black), Penguins earrings, a Penguins third logo decal, and the book "Summer with Stanley" (which is a very neat book!) By the time I got out of there, it was pretty much time to go to our seats to avoid missing anything. I have to say, the store is VERY crowded. It's small, but it's got a lot of great things.

Our seats.... AMAZING. Five rows from the ice, in the corner, and my seat was on the aisle. Meaning.. um... my seat was an aisle's length (like... 2 feet) away from the Penguins' locker room entrance! I nearly died when I realized that, crazy. I didn't expect that at all, so it was a major bonus.

In addition, Brent Johnson (back-up goalie) was sitting about five feet away from me the entire game. Distracting much? Awesome.

The game itself wasn't great, but at least I got to see the Penguins score once! The crowd truly is special, the fans are really great and go completely insane when they score, and even when they don't... WOW. They play the "Hey" song, then shut it off and everyone sings the "HEY" part in unison. They get the wave going, and it got about 7-8 good, strong cycles.

The in-game videos are really special. I loved them all, and I wish I could find them on Youtube or elsewhere - I'll have to check, because they were fantastic. The intro video is also spectacular, I'll be downloading that as soon as possible too.

I'd never sat that low for a Penguins game before (at the Winter Classic, I was higher up), so I'd never seen any of this team up close. Crosby, Malkin, Orpik, Staal, Letang, Goligoski, Cooke... seeing them all up close was perfect. Amazing.

During the intermissions, I made sure to walk around the arena - the different levels and everything. It's sort of an odd setup, and you definitely feel like you're in an igloo in terms of shape. I went to all the different levels and took pictures there (like the one below), checked out the wall of jerseys, the championship memorabilia, etc.

After the game was over, I made my dad stick around and take pictures of me by the ice. As we were picking up our stuff, *someone* walks out of the Penguins locker room IN A SUIT. And I quickly realize... it's Sergei Gonchar! Wow! Just before we walked away, I said "I hope you get better soon!" He heard me, turned around, smiled, and waved. 'Twas adorable :)

Overall, the best part about this game... THE ATMOSPHERE. Mellon Arena truly does have a unique atmosphere, even though I can't exactly put my finger on what makes it so unique. A combination of everything, I think. The songs, the videos, the fans, the loyalty, the excitement of the players... everything.

Honestly, I was sitting in my seat during the second period and wanted to cry. It was all so amazing, so beautiful, so unique, and so perfect, and I was just so happy. At the same time, I was also very sad knowing that I'll probably never get to see another game in Mellon Arena, and that soon enough, it will all be gone.

More pictures can be seen here (from just the game) and here from the rest of my trip.

We Need.... Goals.

2009-10-16T08:03:00.003-04:00

So the Sabres have been winning lately, and are 5th in the Eastern Conference (however, that could change after this weekend's games.)

We've played FOUR games, and have accumulated 7 points. I think that's pretty damn good. We're 3-0-1, the only team besides Dallas who hasn't lost in regulation yet. The four teams above us in the conference have all played SEVEN games, except for Ottawa, who's played six. Even with that deficit in games played, we're up there. And I like it.

However, one thing we need to work on is our scoring. Last game helped, but before that, our goals for was just too low. One goal here, two here, one here, etc. Yes, we won most of those games, but in the future, such low scoring could hurt us. After all, you can't win if you don't score. It wasn't for lack of trying, though. The Sabres were shooting... the pucks just didn't want to go in!

But we seem to have figured out the problem, with the 6-2 victory over Detroit on Tuesday.

When Thomas Vanek was reported injured... I was scared. Lindy said he'd be out "weeks" and implied that it was a very serious injury, scaring Sabres fans all over. But the next day came, and we found that the injury felt significantly better overnight, and Vanek has been skating with the team!

Though he's not expected to play in tonight's game against the Islanders, he could return tomorrow against the Thrashers! Such good news!

We'll have to wait and see, I guess.

By the way... the Islanders? 0-1-3. Yikes.. that's all I'll say :)

2009-09-27T18:26:00.002-04:00

So, lots of exciting things have happened!

The Sabres signed Drew Stafford. Very exciting, he has a lot of potential and I think he'll do great this season.

I got tickets for the Penguins/Devils game (in Pittsburgh) on October 24th. SO exciting, my first (& only) game in Mellon Arena :D

Preseason is almost over. The Sabres are 3-1-1, which isn't bad. Lots of trouble last night at the Habs game - Paul got 17 penalty minutes, Kaleta got 20 minutes and a game misconduct! Can't wait to see what spills over to the home opener.

Mairsy is back and skating with the team. Good to see he's getting better.

The Sabres had a red carpet event before the Leafs/Sabres game on Wednesday, September 23rd. It was fabulous.

Regular season hockey is just a few days away!

28 days!

2009-09-03T19:59:00.002-04:00

The NHL regular season begins in 28 days!
Preseason... much earlier than that.

The Sabres' Puck Drop Event? 10 days away. The days are winding down and the excitement is building up! Hockey is coming!

The major point of this post was this: The Sabres are close to signing Drew Stafford! Darcy Regier spoke to several news sources recently, including the Buffalo News, and said he expects Drew to be signed (with the Sabres) by next weekend.

All I can say is... THANK GOD. I've been getting concerned, with us signing other guys, that maybe Drew wasn't going to be signed at all. But it sounds like Darcy is finally doing his job, signing the guys that matter. Will Staffy be overpaid this season? Possibly. But he should improve from last season and he's got the potential to be, in a few years, a top player on the team. Darcy's also working on contracts with Ennis & Mancari.

Taylor Pyatt signed with the Coyotes. As a Pyatt fanatic, this leaves me with mixed emotions. I love Taylor, and I'm glad to see he'll have a job this coming season. There are a lot of free agents out there who haven't signed with a team... I'm glad he'll still be in the NHL now. But, it also makes me sad. I would really have liked for him to sign with the Sabres (... dreaming!) or at the very least, with an Eastern Conference team. The Sabres play the 'Yotes twice (one home, one away), but I would have liked it to be more.

Oh yeah... classes have started at Buff State! I'm taking 18 credits this semester, plus working a new job at the library, plus working as managing editor for the school paper. Basically.. I'm going to be super busy! But there's ALWAYS time for hockey (:

I leave you with a lovely picture of Andy McDonald, my favorite Blue!

2009-08-13T14:59:00.003-04:00

Well, my trip to Pittsburgh was amazing. I was able to do just about everything I wanted (the Incline, Strip District, Station Square, to name a few), including a trip to MELLON ARENA!

Now, I had never seen that arena up close before. Driven past it? Sure, but then it seemed like only a blur, and I didn't begin to really love the Penguins until two seasons ago. So to be able to go there - and visit PenStation, the team store - was amazing.

It seems like such a small arena when I first saw it - but then you get right in front of it, standing on the sidewalk, and you're literally looking up at this giant igloo. You can tell it's an old arena not from the outside, which is gorgeous, but from the inside. Being that it's the offseason, the pavilion/concourse area wasn't open, but I was able to sneak a couple peeks through the windows in PenStation and the windows on the outside of the arena.

I was able to go into the pavilion area for a minute, when the lady at the store graciously allowed me to in order to buy one of those pressed pennies. I simply can't wait until I get to the game in October (that is, willing I can get tickets, which is going to be super hard!)

Also, when we walked around the exterior of Mellon Arena, we were up semi-high on a ramp and got a nice view of construction on the Consol Energy Center. It's really coming along, and I can just imagine how much more work will be done by the time I see it again. The last steel beam was put in place today (I wish I had been in Pittsburgh to see that!), and it's moving along at a really good pace.

I'm at work, so I'll talk more about hockey in an update later, but can I just say:

WHY HAVEN'T THE SABRES SIGNED DREW STAFFORD YET?!?!?!?!?!?

2009-07-23T08:40:00.003-04:00

I am SO sorry for not writing for so long! But in my defense, I've been busy writing for Bleacher Report and with my job and such, plus news has been scarce at best.

But now! There's much to discuss.

Like the fact that Martin Biron is now a member of the NY Islanders! Wow. The most amazing thing is that he went so cheap (1 year, $1.4 mil). I really expected him to go faster and for more money, but I suppose it's better than not having a job at all, which is the other possibility. And with Dipietro's constant injuries, the Islanders could really use another goalie.

The most amusing thing to me? Two former Sabres goalies are now playing on the Islanders: Biron & Roloson. They played together here, and now they're together once more.

What else... Hossa's supposedly nursing a shoulder injury that could keep him out for a while. Yikes! With all the money Chicago's paying him... I mean... come on. That's not a good sign.

Also.. I was listening to my hockey songs (153!) on the bus to work today and I realized I REALLY REALLY REALLY miss hockey. Like, I knew I missed it.. but I realized just how much. September 17th is the Sabres' first pre-season game. Training camp begins shortly before that. Regular season, October 3rd for us, but the 2nd for others.

I realized as of late that I really have grown to love the Penguins and Blackhawks more and more. I mean, I liked them all season, but it's only now that I realize to what extent. I'm going to a game in Pittsburgh this season - to see Mellon Arena before it closes - and I am no longer certain if I want a Malkin jersey. I love him, but I also really like Letang... so I'm just not sure which to get!

Oh, and I'm going to Pittsburgh for a week from August 1st-8th, so I may not post until I get back unless something major happens. We'll just have to wait and see.

So.. here's some videos to enjoy :)

Free Agency Frenzy

2009-07-03T14:00:00.003-04:00

Well, we've survived 2 and a half days of free agency thus far. The first day was CRAZY... yesterday, not so much.

Since free agency began, there have been 61 signings (as reported on TSN.ca/nhl, as of 2:08.) 20 of those signings were re-signings - and a whopping 41 have seen the relocation of players.

The Marian Hossa deal... just... wow. 12 years is a LONG time (Hossa will be 42 when it ends!) People are bashing Blackhawks management for not thinking enough, because Toews and several other prominent players will be free agents come next summer - and I agree, it'll be tough for them to fit everyone in. I love the Hawks, but let's be honest... I don't like Hossa.

I'm going to miss Spacek so much. It's so sad that he's going to be in Montreal now, and we'll have to see him a lot. He wanted a multi-year and stupid Regier was only offering him one-year. We are going to lose so many guys this year because Regier isn't willing to give multi-year deals.

Oh, and on that note... MONTREAL went insane. They signed Spacek, Hal Gill (who will be missed in Pittsburgh!), and Mike Camalleri, losing Mike Komisarek to the Leafs. Wowww. Word has it they also signed Mathieu Darche, but I haven't heard anything else about it (terms, etc.)

I'm also depressed to hear that Martin Havlat is going to Minnesota. ILY, Martin. He's promised the whole story through his Twitter, because a few weeks ago he said that Chicago was the only team he was even thinking about signing with. Now, he's saying Minnesota is great and he feels appreciated there. More to the story?

Oh, and let me just say... the idea of Avery and Brashear on the same team is kind of scary :O

What else will happen? More trades? Where will Heatley end up? Let's just wait and see!

Shameless promotion of my profile on Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/users/126501-melissa-kania. Check it out, read my articles and what-not.

OH AND GUESS WHAT? THE SABRES ACTUALLY SIGNED SOMEONE.

After Darcy said that trade would be the only way we'd acquire anyone this year, he signed Steve Montador. He's a fighter, and his first game in the NHL was IN BUFFALO. How insanely funny is that?

Here's a video of Steve fighting his future teammate Craig Rivet on February 2, 2009.

Prepping for the Draft

2009-06-26T09:38:00.003-04:00

Several news points to cover in this entry.

First: SERGEI FEDEROV HAS SIGNED WITH THE KHL.
That depresses me. I remember Feds back in the glory days of the Red Wings, when Yzerman and Shanahan were still there. I wasn't his biggest fan, but I did like him, and he'll be missed. His agent says that the move is to fulfill his father's lifelong dream of watching both his sons play together (as signing with Metallurg reunites him with his brother.) It's a good reasoning, that's for sure. But he'll be missed.

Second: ALL THE TRADE RUMOURS
I don't know what to believe, and I try not to look at rumours until they become fact. It all just gets too confusing. For instance, TSN has been told by a "reliable source" that Boston may trade Kessel to Toronto for Kaberle and a pick. That'd be one hell of a move if it happens.

Third: FREE AGENCY LOOMING
My relationship with free agency is a complicated one. Most of the time, it's been tragic. But it could be good... maybe. The Sabres have quite a few guys to sign, and of course Regier says he's working towards deals. Well... maybe he should start working HARDER.

---
- OMG just saw a super young Marc Crawford (from his Nordiques days) on NHL Network.
- Draft (and draft party) today! I'm excited. Tavares or Hedman? I think they're both great players and wherever they end up, they'll succeed. DRAFT PARTYYYY ftw.

In honor of Draft Day, I'd like to wind back time. 11 years ago tomorrow, the NHL draft of 1998 was held in Buffalo, NY, at what was then called "Marine Midland Arena." I was there. It was amazing. If my scanner worked, I could scan in pictures I have of the event, but it's not working right now. I MET VINCENT LECAVALIER at the pre-draft events. They had the top prospects sitting at tables, signing stuff. I have a pennant from that day with various signatures on it, some of which are not legible. But I also have a signed Lecavalier Team Canada card, which I got signed on that day. *swoon*

NHL Awards

2009-06-18T21:38:00.002-04:00

NOTE: SPOILERS LIE AHEAD. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE AWARDS YET AND/OR DON'T KNOW WHO WINS, STOP READING NOW!

I always love watching the Awards; seeing the guys get recognized for their hard work, get all dressed up in suits & ties, walk the red carpet. The whole atmosphere is just amazing.

Calder Trophy: Steve Mason. No shock there... ten shutouts in his rookie season is simply amazing. I really liked Bobby Ryan, and Kris Versteeg had a good year too. But hands down, Mason deserved it.

Lester B. Pearson Trophy: Alex Ovechkin. Mmk. But in my eyes.... Malkin > Ovechkin any day.

Masterton Trophy: Steve Sullivan. I can deal with this. He missed 142 games with a back injury, then made an amazing comeback! I was originally pulling for Zednik (obviously, the incident happened in Buffalo, and I feel a strong connection to him. But then again, he's left the NHL to pursue his Russian interests... so.... no.) Anyone but Chelios. Yes, he's 42 and I give him credit for playing so long... but just... no.

Lady Byng & Selke Trophies: Pavel Datsyuk. That's four Lady Byngs in a row for Datsyuk... which makes it pretty obvious that he MUST be a gentleman. I appreciate and respect that in a player. It's easy to get dirty, but Datsyuk doesn't. The Selke... okay. I can't bring myself to dislike Datsyuk.

King Clancy Trophy: Ethan Moreau. After reading up about all the stuff this guy has done in the community.... definitely well deserved.

Vezina Trophy: Tim Thomas. Uh.... I wanted Steve Mason :(

Jack Adams Award: Claude Julien. I wanted McLellan... but then again, almost none of these awards went how I wanted them to.

Norris Trophy: Zdeno Chara. Didn't expect. I really thought (and hoped) that Green was going to get it.

Hart Trophy: Alex Ovechkin. I WANTED MALKIN. DAMN IT.

(But guess what? It's okay, because GENO got the Cup. So while Ovie goes home and cuddles with his mini Hart and Lester Pearson trophies.. Geno can snuggle with the Holy Grail.)

::: Note: I don't hate Ovechkin. I actually sometimes adore him. But Malkin is much higher on the list:::

----- SPOILERS END HERE!

So that's that for another year. Hopefully next year some Sabres will be nominated so I can see them in suits and *swooon* over them. Nice to see Pat Kane (hometowner) presenting the Calder, and Pat Lafontaine (I sat on his lap when I was five!) presenting the Masterton.

Oh... and in other news. Blackhawks GM Rick Dudley has suddenly resigned "to pursue other options." I'm thinking maybe he got offered a coaching job somewhere?

Dan Bylsma received a call from PRESIDENT OBAMA to congratulate the Pens on winning the Cup.

And (based on this week's Sabres Lunch Express), Tim Kennedy is pretty awesome. He played with Justin Abdelkader at Michigan and dressed up like Scooby Doo, he's a hometown boy, and he went on vacation with Chris Butler. Sweettttt.

ps. The All-Star and All-Rookie teams were just announced. Geno (and Mike Green) FTW. Nice to see Steve Mason there too. And I'm pretty much in love with the All-Rookie team. Mason, Schenn, Patrik Berglund (my newest love), Bobby Ryan, Kris Versteeg, and Drew Doughty. Full of awesomeness.

2009-06-15T13:26:00.002-04:00

So, unless you've been under a rock, you know that the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS HAVE WON THE STANLEY CUP!!!! I've been busy going absolutely crazy, because although I don't live in Pittsburgh and Buffalo will always be number one, I adore the Penguins. They, and the Hawks, are my 2nd and 3rd favorite teams for sure.

Game 7 was just ridiculous. It was a nerve-racking, nail-biting, exciting, stomach-wrenching, sweating-out-of-nervousness time.

This year's playoffs have also made me realize how much I adore Max Talbot. He is such so HILARIOUS, seriously. From the "shhh" to the 2 goals in Game 7, to him & Jordan Staal running around the streets of Pittsburgh during the parade and slapping high-fives with fans and jumping up and down in the air. Some fan brought a sign (with a picture of him doing the "shhh") and he took it and waved it around in the air!

I've been watching the parade on WPXI.com, and they have really good coverage. I'm glad that I was able to find online coverage of this, because it's such a big deal and it's been so awesome. Geno and Sid letting their parents drink from the Cup on stage. Some of the guys getting off their vehicles and running around. Seeing all the guys in their jerseys and sunglasses (looking gorgeous, I might add. Though they must be sweating like crazy!).

It all makes me realize one thing: I want a Stanley Cup parade in Buffalo. Really really really badly.

So now, the summer begins (though technically, the Sabres have already been gone for 2 months!) NHL Awards this Thursday (June 18.) Draft next Friday and Saturday (yayy draft party at the Albright-Knox.) Free agency starts July 1st. Schedule likely comes out around July 15.

And I'll be relying on my hockey blogs, Youtube videos, all the tapes & hockey DVDs I own, my hockey music, and NHL Network to help get me through this summer.

Just one of the awesome pictures I've found:

2009-06-10T14:37:00.004-04:00

Well well well... looks like all that praying I did yesterday paid off! I couldn't stop shaking during that whole game... shaking from nervousness, excitement, hope, anticipation, fear. I didn't want to watch anytime they got near Fleury, ha. But we pulled it out!

Osgood played an amazing game. He really kept Detroit in the game; if they had won the Cup last night, he may have been named MVP. I still think he may be, but of course I'm pulling for Malkin, who leads the series in points. On that note, the goaltending was great at both ends last night. Fleury could've easily collapsed after that 5-0 loss, but it's good to see he was able to get himself together. (Oh, and a kiss from his mama didn't hurt either!)

So here we are. Game 7. Get your VCRs and DVRs ready, because I have a feeling this is going to be one heck of a game. It's a totally different series now. It's anyone's game. In fact, championship goods for both teams (Detroit, Pittsburgh) can be found on Shop.NHL.com (thanks to Puck Daddy for the tip.)

Just one day after I e-mailed the Sabres.com web crew to ask if they have any info about a draft party.... an official announcement about a draft party! YAYYY. This year it's at the Albright-Knox, which is weird but also cool. At first I didn't understand why they would change the location - you know how much I adore HSBC Arena - but then I looked at the arena calendar and found that "Walking with Dinosaurs" is playing at the Arena that night. So that explains that.

3 pm - 10 pm. Autograph signings with current & former Sabres. Street hockey for kids. A Sabres Store Sidewalk Sale (try saying that three times fast! ha!). Food. Plus, of course, the actual draft. I'm so excited! I didn't go last year because it was the same night as my senior prom. Is it bad that I actually considered skipping out on prom to go? If I hadn't paid for the limo...

Anyways, last year I missed Mike Funk. I was so mad, because I have adored him since training camp a few years back and have yet to meet him :( Plus, that was the first draft party I've missed in a while (I went in 05, 06, and 07.)

Oh, and the Awards are next Thursday. I'm excited, but I wish they would've kept them in Toronto. Why move them to Vegas?

I went back down to the Aud site on Monday. There's just one wall left, and lots of debris. It's so sad. They say the last wall will be down within a week. I've been taking pictures at every stage, and will put them all up as soon as I get the chance. In the meantime, check out this awesome tribute to the Aud that CBC did.

Cafepress has so many amazing hockey-themed shirts.. two of which I got today. One says "Wake me when it's hockey season", and the other says "Hockey Fan, 100% Crazy" (SO TRUE! haha.) They can be found here and here, respectively. There are about a billion more shirts I want from there, I've got to restrain myself.

Oh yeah... and watch out once I get a car. I've already started planning it out.. it's going to be crazy. Decked out in Sabres colors, with these huge car magnets I've found, a bunch of bumper stickers I've found online to order, etc. But I've got to start learning to drive first, now that I've got my permit.

Hmm... what gem shall I leave you all with today?

2009-06-09T13:18:00.003-04:00

I refuse to give up hope. Until the final buzzer sounds and the Cup is officially awarded to Detroit (once again), we're not out of this. Home ice has been the difference for both teams in this series, and I think Pittsburgh can pull themselves together and win tonight.

Game 7... well, that will be a whole different matter. But let's not think about that right now. We have to focus on tonight. We need a win.

I WILL cry if Detroit wins, either way. I just want Pittsburgh to push through. Fleury has the talent. Crosby, Malkin, and all the others can score. Detroit is defeatable. Let's do this.

Penguins Win; Detroit Leads Series 2-1

2009-06-03T15:35:00.003-04:00

We're down, but not out. Game three was just as intense as the first two, but even more exciting as we actually got to see the scoring open up a little. Pittsburgh picked up their physical play, but sometimes it seems like Detroit is positively unbeatable.

They attack from all angles, all sides, always keeping a guy parked in front of the net. It seems like you have no room to skate around them and are thus forced to shoot or pass to try and make a better move. The only way to get through is to play just as hard, just as physical, just as tough, as they do. And that's what Pittsburgh did last night.

As I watch the replay on NHL Network, I have to say: Pittsburgh actually tried in this one. If you want a chance at beating Detroit, you have to play at their level. You can't let them outskate you, you have to stay physical, and you have to take advantage of the opportunities you get, as Pittsburgh did on the power play.

Good to see Talbot and Gonchar step up, and Geno was key with 3 assists.

I think another major factor in the win was the home crowd. They just seem to play so much better at home, with the fan support and all. Maybe Joe Louis Arena is "intimidating" or "difficult" to play in. But I think home ice did the Penguins a lot of good yesterday, and will hopefully do the same tomorrow. Then they'll have that major boost to carry them into Detroit for game 5.

-sigh- I miss Sabres hockey, though.

Welcome!

2009-05-30T18:26:00.000-04:00

Considering that I've been active on Livejournal for over 3 years and a lot of my posts there are about hockey, I've decided to finally start a hockey-themed blog, appropriately titled "Hockey is Life."

So for this intro post, let me tell you a bit about me & my hockey life. I'm an 18-year old hockey fanatic hailing from Buffalo, NY. I have been a fan of this game since I was six years old (just as Memorial Auditorium closed, and the eventual HSBC Arena was being built.) My first hockey memory was driving downtown with my family every week to see the construction of the new Arena, and my love for the sport has grown endlessly since then.

My #1 team is the Sabres - always has been, always will be. But I also really love the Penguins and the Blackhawks... and have soft spots for the Blues, Senators, Canucks, and several other teams. To date, I have 46 hockey shirts, 150 hockey songs, and a billion hockey things in my bedroom.

I have many memories of hockey events from when I was younger, and some of my hockey experiences have truly been the best moments of my life, including the 2008 Winter Classic, several playoff games, and a recent game. But I'll save that for a real post.

I know the sport. I'm not a puckbunny, and I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those pink (or even the ice blue) jerseys. If you're a true fan, you wear the real jersey - simple as that. I'm opinionated about hockey, and I'm not afraid to show it. That being said - I'm still a girl, and I still get fangirl-y and fawn over my boys sometimes. Deal with it.

So this blog will be a combination of game experiences/thoughts, rants & raves and news updates. It will also feature pictures & videos I find online to share with you all - and I've found some good ones.

Let's count down the days till training camp together! I leave you with a quote and a video, one of my favorite old hockey commercials.

"Hockey is life; nothing else matters"