Back to Business

It's time to get back to business - on so many levels.

After a summer of job-hunting and resume-writing, I've finally settled down at a job I love: writing and editing educational books for children. Now that I feel settled in this crazy new life, I'm ready to get back to making this blog the best it can be.

After tonight's preseason game, it looks like the Sabres are ready to get back to business too.

A 9-3 rout of the Flyers was exactly what I needed to get back into the swing of blogging. It may have only been a preseason game, but it felt close enough to the real deal. The crowd was chanting, "Sweet Caroline" was playing, and it felt good to be back at the arena after an offseason that felt too long once again.

The best part of the game wasn't Stafford's highlight-reel goal. It wasn't even Kaleta's fight - as thrilled as I was to see my first fight of the season. It was getting to share it with two of my best friends and watching one of them experience a game at the arena for the first time. Explaining all of the best parts of the game I love so much and sharing the fun of seeing a game like that in person reminded me of why I love blogging. Writing this blog is another way of sharing all of the parts of the game I love with some pretty fantastic people. It's a way to celebrate games like tonight's and commiserate together over the bad games that are sure to come.

As I left the arena tonight, the goal chants still ringing in my ears and the smile still on my face, only one thought was left in my mind. It wasn't which defensemen were going to make the opening night roster, and it wasn't whether or not Stafford has turned a corner. It was: Is it Friday yet?

It felt good to be back. It felt a lot like coming home.

A Rare Occurrence

The title of this post isn't just in reference to the score of last night's Sabres-Oilers game. Yes, putting a 10-2 hurting on a playoff team on their home ice is something we hardly ever see from any team, much less this Sabres team.

It's also not in reference to the fact that the Sabres were actually one of the lead stories on ESPN last night and this morning. I was actually going to take a picture of the crawler because we know that's not going to happen too often.

No, the title of this post is in reference to the fact that the Sabres played so well last night and made me feel so comfortable that I actually fell asleep in the middle of the third period. I'm sure some of it had to do with the book I was reading for class today, but I genuinely liked the feeling of not thinking that I had to stay on the edge of my seat the whole game. I liked the idea that when I opened my eyes, we would still have a commanding lead, and maybe a few more goals to boot (which we did).

Let me put one thing out there: I am an extremely nervous hockey spectator. Ask anyone who has ever watched a game with me; I am biting my nails and twirling my hair until the final horn sounds, maybe even hyperventilating at points. So thank you, Sabres, because tonight I was able to watch a hockey game and truly enjoy it. Sometimes I forget how nice it is to see a game start out good and finish even better.

Drew looks ready for a nap...I guess scoring a hat trick takes a lot out of you.

I guess I can't decide what really happened last night. Were the Sabres really that good or were the Oilers really that pathetic? At this point, I honestly don't care because I think that the Sabres were good enough - maybe not "10 goals good," but good enough.

The team played with fire and passion from the first 10 seconds on. What was most impressive about that fact was that this was the type of game that we used to lose and lose badly. Coming off a five-day break, flying across the continent, enduring the time-change...we've heard those excuses before. I think the thing that made me happiest about last night's game was that we didn't have to use those excuses, and that is real sign of maturity coming from a group that we all thought would never really grow up.

Another thing that I liked about last night was the fact that the team didn't really go back into old habits once the score started going up. Sure, there were pretty plays, but they weren't at the expense of sound hockey and playing as a unit. The forwards covered for the defensemen when they were pinching, and the forecheck was relentless (I was especially impressed with Clarke MacArhur in this area last night).

My unsung hero of the game goes to Ryan Miller. In a blowout like that, goalies often get forgotten, and in the moments when the Oilers put on the pressure, Miller stood tall. In a game that will be remembered for its offensive fireworks, I'll remember some excellent goaltending as well.

The only bad thing about last night was the lack of close-ups on my new favorite Oiler, Andrew Cogliano. I developed a serious crush on this boy after an interview a few weeks ago on Hockey Night in Canada, where he was extremely well-spoken and surprisingly funny. The fact that he was the fastest skater at the All-Star Skills Competition certainly helped him stay in my mind:

Tonight, the Sabres face the Calgary Flames, one of my favorite teams in the West because of how hard they play every night. It also bears repeating that the man I consider the ultimate NHL Captain will be out there against us tonight:

If I was a guy, Jarome Iginla would be my man-crush.

I don't know how I feel about the outcome for this one, but I guess if last night taught me anything, it's that I shouldn't count these boys out.

PS: If anyone knows where I can find the picture they showed on the broadcast of baby Staffy in his Oilers jersey, please let me know; that was too cute not to have on my computer!

I also heard this morning from Paul Hamilton on WGR that Stafford was awarded the Pigeon of the Game, and he was doing postgame interviews with it on his shoulder. Is it just me, or is that image hilarious?

A Love-Hate Kind of Game

Things I hate:

• Versus commentators. Listening to them, you would have thought that the Sabres were off to last season's start. I mean, I know they didn't play perfectly by any stretch of the imagination, but you would have thought you were witnessing a total domination by the Bruins, which, by the second period, was hardly the case. However, they did provide me with the "that's what she said" moment of the game when they kept referring to Manny Fernandez's "big stick." Yes, I am 12 years old.
• Looking like we were the team coming off back-to-back games in the first period.
• When they interview players on the bench during the game. These guys need to be focused; they don't need a pretty commentator asking them dumb questions while play is actually going on.
• How much my heart rate increases during shootouts.

Things I love:

• Drew Stafford coming up big in regulation and the shootout. That tying goal was a thing of beauty.
• Ryan Miller making a case to be considered one of the league's elite goalies. He was a rock once again, and I love his post-shootout celebrations because they seem so against his usually stoic nature. I love when he lets his guard down.
• Thomas Vanek staying hot and saving the game in the shootout, his Achilles' heel last season:

You can't stop him. You can only hope to contain him, and you can't even do that right now.

• Watching the boys give each other facewashes, noogies, and high fives after that win. I love when their inner dorks come out in a moment of victory. Besides, if I had just gotten two points when it looked like I wasn't supposed to get one, I would want a group hug, too:

My Unsung Hero of the Game goes to Clarke MacArthur, who has quietly amassed three goals this season, a season in which he wasn't even supposed to be on the starting roster.

Go Canada! (I guess...)

At least there's still Derek Roy...

Team USA got eliminated last night in the Quarterfinals of the IIHF World Championships after a 3-2 OT loss to Finland. This means no more watching Pommers, Staffy, or Kaner play until fall. Oh well, at least this means Kaner will be home in Buffalo sooner, increasing the chances of running into him, and my master courtship plan can begin in earnest...

This also means no more tales from Camp Morningwood - the hilarious nickname penned by Anne over at Sabretooth's House. However, Adam Burish did leave us with one final blog:

Some guys took the opportunity to go fishing. For some, it didn’t go as planned. Kessel got pretty sea sick as he spent most of the time leaning over the end of the boat, so guys were joking with him about that the past couple days, and Mueller didn't fare so well at sea either. O'Sullivan and Backes came back with a pretty good tan, and I would say Greene did too but he had a bit more of a lobster red shade to him, ha! Over all they had a great experience catching a ton of cod. Other guys spent a lot of the day walking around the downtown Halifax area eating outside and shopping.

Now boys, you should really put on some sunscreen, especially you, Staffy, you seem quite pale. Pommers seems like someone who would follow them around with the bottle of SPF 50: "Guys, sunburn is not part of the system!"

Sorry Team USA, and it stinks that you won't have any Sabres next summer because we will be busy tearing it up in the playoffs (right, boys?)! At least now Pommers can get back to spending his summer taking care of his recuperating best friend:

Obligatory Goose reference of the day - Check!

Now, this next point is for my best friend and lover of a certain diminutive Sabres center:

Derek Roy is a beast!!

Seriously, though, Royzie had a hat trick for a 4-point game in Team Canada's 8-2 beatdown of Norway. Even though Team Russia is still in with Max and Kalinin, I am now embracing my imaginary Canadian heritage for the remainder of the tournament. Go Royzie!

Royzie is happy he scored, but secretly wishing these uniforms had a little more pizazz

Brief NHL mention of the day: Go Stars!! I really don't care who wins this series, but it's nice to see them avoid getting swept. Go Stuuuuu - even though you will always be a Sabre to me!

Pens vs. Flyers tonight - Here is a sweep I would love to see (sorry Marty and Danny). Go Sid - keep the power of the Chops going for another series!