And the winner is...

...those who watched the NHL Awards with low expectations.

Don't get me wrong; I love a good awards ceremony, but this was pretty predictable in every way. The only thing that really surprised me was Richard Zednik getting snubbed for the Masterton, and that was a disappointing surprise.

However, eternal optimist that I am (today), there were some things that I absolutely loved about the ceremony:

* Seeing Max Talbot and Evgeni Malkin as unofficial "Keepers of the Cup" never fails to make me smile. I love that a grinder like Talbot is getting his time in the spotlight.

I love that Geno has keep a hand on the Cup like it might run away.

* Patty La sighting! He was one of my first "favorites," so I still light up every time I see him.

* Timmy Thomas was phenomenal with both of his speeches. He got me choked up to hear him thank his wife for following him wherever he had to play. He also got me snickering with his comment to Manny Fernandez when they accepted the Jennings Trophy:

I think that wins the title of "Best Unintentionally Comedic Moment at a Boring Awards Show"

* Jarome Iginla and his pearly whites made an appearance to accept the Mark Messier Leadership Award.

When I heard him talk about their "core" of players and how long they've waited to win the Cup; it actually made me kind of sad. Not that I don't love Craig Rivet, but I wish our captain was part of our "core," grew up with the nucleus of our team. Who am I kidding, I just wish Goose was our captain, and I'm starting to get bitter about it.

Someday...

I know that there are reasons to be mad about last night if you're a Sabres fan:

* Miro Satan won a Stanley Cup...I'll give you all a second to swallow the bile back down.

* Sidney Crosby won a Stanley Cup - and proceeded to reenact his Winter Classic screech on an even more ear-piercing level.

*Pittsburgh changed their coach and won a Cup, and the Sabres...like Lindy Ruff more than I do (which is saying something...and not necessarily a good thing)

*A team won the Stanley Cup last night, and that team was not the Buffalo Sabres...again

But there are also reasons to be happy.

No matter how bitter and jaded I can get as a hockey fan, I still get goosebumps whenever I watch a Stanley Cup celebration. I'm a human-interest story nerd at heart, and those moments always know how to tug at the heartstrings. It's pure emotion on display - tears and laughter and blissful exhaustion - with no veneer of professionalism to separate the fans from their champions.

I know some may think that watching another team lift the Cup would make a hockey fan whose team didn't make the playoffs feel even more hopeless.

Not so for me.

Last night, I didn't go to my usual unhappy place filled with thoughts of how that will never be my team. Instead, I let myself think about what would happen if that ever was my team. I thought of how I would feel if Craig Rivetwas in Sidney Crosby's place or if it was Goose scoring those goals instead of Max Talbot. What would it feel like if Ryan Miller got to wrap his skinny arms around all that silver...if Lindy got doused in champagne?

Right now, I have no idea how that would feel. I've never watched a team I really cared about win a major championship. Yesterday may have been the closest I came just because my favorite non-Sabre's best friend got to be the first to lift the Cup (yes, I am pathetic). I can only hope that we here in Buffalo can someday soon feel what they're feeling in Pittsburgh today - the pride of knowing that it's our boys - the ones we yell at, laugh at, obsess over, wear the jersey of - that came out on top.

Until then, at least the Cup should be coming back to Buffalo again:

Congrats, Brooks Orpik - you did us proud!

As Easy as it Looks?

I was really starting to get bored with hockey.

Until tonight.

Don't get me wrong, the playoffs have been full of great hockey games, but in all honesty these Finals were nothing short of a snooze-fest for me during the first two games.

I'm sick of the Red Wings.

I know that dominance like theirs comes along rarely, but it's really getting on my nerves. They make winning look easy, and this is a double-edged sword. It's nice to hear that you make things so difficult look so effortless. However, there is the chance that your ability to do this makes things boring. That's how the Wings often look when I watch them - like a well-oiled machine that just does its job to perfection (and what's exciting about that?).

They'll probably still win this series (I think in 7 games this time), but it's nice to see them deal with adversity in doing so.

That's what makes tonight's win by the Penguins so great - it really did make this a series. It proved that Pittsburgh can hang with Detroit (at least for a little while). Mainly, though, it made the Wings look human. It reminded me that winning isn't really all that easy - no matter what the Wings usually look like. Winning is hard - and exhilarating, and suspenseful, and full of desperation, and it's nice to see that with the hardest trophy in sports to win on the line.

I, for one, can't wait until Thursday.

Four Things for Four Goals

Four things I loved about last night's 4-3 win over the Penguins:

1. The Sabres beat the Penguins for the first time in over a year. I almost forgot what it was to see Sidney Crosby skate by Ryan Miller and the boys in defeat. It's a beautiful thing.
2. The Sabres overcame a lot of questionable officiating in order to win. The PK looked great and really aggressive, but that may have something to do with how bad the Penguins powerplay was. Seriously, for having all that talent, you would think they would look a little sharper. Oh well, I'm not complaining about that.
3. The excitement our boys showed after the win. That may have been the best Sabre-love huddle of the season. I wish I could find a decent picture of it because it made me feel happy to see them so happy. I especially loved the giant attack that Goose and Pommer unleashed on Ryan that pretty much shoved him into his net. It just showed how much this win meant to them, and I love when they show what a family they are in their celebrations.
4. Paul Gaustad. As I'm sure all of you know, nothing beats seeing your favorite player have a game like that. I'm still trying to wipe the smile off of my face.

I haven't done this in a while (mainly because we weren't winning), but my Unsung Hero of the Game goes to Max Afinogenov. He played a fantastic game last night, and seemed to be out to prove Lindy wrong. For one night, Max, mission accomplished.

Quick Hits

• I apologize for being a terrible blogger lately. Between school and trying to choreograph dances for the studio, I've pretty much been eaten by work for the last week or so. I promise to be returning to my (semi) regular posting this week because my late class is cancelled and my dances are coming along smoothly.


• I have nothing to say about the 6-1 loss to Columbus last night, mainly because I didn't see any of it. I went down to Chippewa for the first time for my best friend's 21st birthday (by the way, I highly recommend The Chocolate Bar for all of your sweet-tooth fulfilling needs). The most I got out of the game was that when Pommer scored our lone goal, you could hear the cheers from every bar on the street. We thought that meant we were doing well, but the bartender informed us when we walked in that everyone was just happy that we actually got a puck in the net.


• The only other information I got about the game came from repeated text messages sent by Ryan from the Roost informing me that he wanted to shank Derek Roy.


• Speaking of everyone's favorite metrosexual center, there was a sign at Bayou on Chippewa for an appearance Royzie's doing there after the Isles game next weekend. This is the exact wording: "Get Behind Number Nine." Do what you wish with this statement; I know I had too much fun with it already(yes, I do have the mind of a teenage boy)...


• I know Patty Lalime had a bad showing last night, but I think we all need to remember just how adorable he truly is (or else we'll go insane). Check out around 2:12 of this video and just bask in how adorable he is talking about his daughters:
  
• I'm not really in the mood to talk about the Bills either besides saying that Monday night has the power to keep us alive or kill our dreams for another year (I'm so positive, aren't I?).


• However, I will say that Matt Cassel from the Pats looks like Woody from Toy Story:

I have no idea as to the significance of this, but I think it's funny

• Tonight, the Sabres play the Pens, which means we get to see Sid the Kid for the first time this season. Sid, normally I never root against you, but tonight I hope that you get Kaleta'ed on your tush.
  
• Finally, have you voted for your Sabres today?

It's Getting Hot in Here...And Other Random Thoughts

I think this pleasantly unusual Buffalo heat wave has melted all of my brain cells. Then again, when has this blog ever been about intelligent thought?

I think my last post pretty much sums up how I feel about the Stanley Cup Finals. I was so sad for Flower and his unfortunate tush-push that landed the third Detroit goal in the net. I also felt so bad for Sid - I always harp on him to show emotion, but his postgame interview was just heartbreaking. Between the red-rimmed eyes and the cracking voice that made him sound even more like a little kid, I could barely take it. My protective instinct kicked in again, and I just wanted to shoo all the reporters away and snuggle him.

However, I couldn't totally hate the fact that the Red Wings won. I liked that a European captain finally lifted the Cup, so maybe that stupid prejudice can stop (probably not, though...). I also liked seeing them with all of their little kids; it made the Robo-Wings seem much more warm and fuzzy. Also, congrats to Henrik Zetterberg on winning the Conn Smythe Trophy; he truly deserved it.

A caption would only ruin the greatness that is this picture.

In lieu of signing Goose, Darcy thinks he can win me over by having a draft day party. Yes, Darcy, I am easily distracted by free parking, food, and the promise of Sabre autographs, but DO NOT think this will hold me over for long. If Goose is there, expect me to be practicing my PR skills and starting negotiations for you. Don't tempt me.

Goose is contemplating the 25-year deal I'm sure Darcy is planning for him.

Speaking of Goose, I wonder which of our lovely boys will be there? I can assume Kaleta because he lives a hop, skip, and a jump away, but who else remains a mystery. Hopefully I'll run into some of you there, fellow bloggers!

This weekend is my dance studio's recital, so I will be on hiatus until Monday while I dance my feet off and hope my first year as a teacher goes off without a hitch. This also gives me time to plan how I will begin life as an offseason blogger. Hope everyone enjoys the warm weather in Buffalo - because we know it's short-lived!

Both Sides

The thrill of victory...

The agony of defeat...I promise tomorrow to have some kind of meaningful response to this game. For now, I'm emotionally drained from watching how sad my adorkable, favorite non-Sabres have become and wondering when we will FINALLY be where the Red Wings and their fans are tonight.

Someday...

Forever Young

Further proof that the Pittsburgh Penguins are really a team of highly-skilled, overgrown Timbits hockey players:

• The pizza in the locker room in between overtime periods, which only would have been better if it would have been Pizza Hut personal pans like you got when you were a kid.


• Their Captain looks 12 when he smiles, which I wish he would do more often.

The Chops are filling in nicely

• Their goalie likes to pretend his water bottle is a super-soaker. Before Game 5 began, Marc-Andre Fleury squirted Al Sobotka, the famous octopus-twirler, with his water bottle. Here, Flower tries adorably to defend himself:
  

  "It was an accident. I just missed my mouth by a little bit," Fleury said. "I don't know. It was just at the game, he does it to us [swinging the octopus]. And after the first two games, I thought I'll give him a little something back. And we won, so it's good."

Flower is impressed with his own antics

Hopefully, the youth of the Penguins becomes their greatest asset tonight. With Gonchar probably nursing an injury, Orpik needing IVs to keep him going, and the obvious mental and physical drain that Game 5 was, maybe age will be on the side of Pittsburgh. Let's hope those tired bodies bounce back a little faster than those of the Wings.

If not, Flower might have to bust out the water bottle on his own teammates.

There Will Be Blood

In their 4-3 triple overtime win last night (technically also this morning), the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled off a performance that was gritty, gory, and gorgeous.

Funny, all three of those words also describe Ryan Malone.

Yay for Bugsy lovefests!

There was more blood in this game than an episode of ER, and I loved it. That's what hockey is all about. As long as no one was seriously injured, it just proves how much these guys are willing to sacrifice to win it all or, in the case of the Pens, simply live another day. From Rob Scuderi's gusher that led to the winning power play to the puck that dented Malone's already broken nose, this game looked like a cage fight, and the Pens refused to be knocked out.

And now, for my three stars of the game:

3.) A Tie between Max Talbot and Petr Sykora: Both of these players stepped up in the clutch BIG TIME tonight. First, Max was put on as the extra attacker in the waning seconds of regulation, a big reward for a classic 4th line mucker and grinder. Then, he bangs in his own rebound to tie the game with 35 seconds to go. 35 seconds. That's how close Detroit was to winning the Cup, how close the Pens were to meeting the Sabres on the fairways. Thanks to the work of a true blue-collar player, the Cup was put back in its case.

Then, it became Sykora's turn to shine. With a four-minute power play in the 3rd OT, Malkin FINALLY made a great pass, which Sykora blasted pass Osgood to send the Pens back to Pittsburgh to play hockey rather than plan their vacations. Sykora said that in between OT periods, he told the team he was going to score. He said it was just something "stupid" to throw out in the locker room. It's looking pretty smart now, though.

2.) Ryan Malone: What a night for Bugsy! First, a puck to the noggin blasted open his already busted nose. I really thought he was done after that, but, this is the Cup Finals and he is Ryan Malone. I shouldn't have been surprised to see him the next period. Not only did he play, he laid down to block shots, and was screening Osgood on the winning goal. I LOVE gritty performances, and this one is one that I'll remember for a LONG time.

1.) Marc-Andre Fleury: If this wasn't obvious to you, you were probably watching something else last night from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. This was one of the most spectacular goaltending performances I've ever seen from a team with its back against the wall. It was said over and over again that Flower looked loose all day, and it showed in net with his 55 saves. By around the 2nd OT, I knew Detroit would need lucky bounce to win because of just how amazing Fleury was proving to be. It's nice when a goalie deserves a win and his team can find a way to gut one out for him.

Flower, making one of his 8 billion (ok, 55) saves of the game

The Chops live on until Wednesday as does hockey season. Let's keep this going as long as we can - all of us bloggers need material!

Delaying the Inevitable

"Denial. It's not just a river in Egypt; it's a freaking ocean." ~ Grey's Anatomy

That's pretty much how I feel today. I want to imagine that there's NOT a good chance that the Red Wings will lift Lord Stanley's Cup tonight and all of things hockey will fade into even greater obscurity than normal for the rest of the summer.

So, instead, I choose to live in denial. Sidney's Chops will be protected from razors for another day. Lidstrom will have to wait to become the first Euro Captain to win the Cup. The Igloo will host yet another playoff game this season. Army will motivate Sid to a hat-trick tonight. Geno will remember that he actually enjoys scoring goals.

Missing: Tall, Russian center who enjoys chewing on necklaces like a puppy. If found, reward will be paid in snuggles from Ryan Malone (or Penguin of your choice)

It's not even that I really love the Pens. I like them, but they're not "the one." Sid just can't compete with Goose in my heart.

I'm sorry, Chops, but I'm sure Army can help you handle this heartbreak.

I just don't want it to be over. I don't want hockey season to end. Even with our boys out of it this year, I've discovered that I just really like hockey - no matter who's playing it. Whatever will I write about for the rest of the summer? Baseball? I like Cleveland and, to some extent, the Yankees, but baseball's too hard for me to watch on TV. The Olympics? I love them, but that's a LONG time from now. The Bills? I love Paul Posluszny, but they're just not the Sabres. My sister's softball team? Be prepared to hear detailed reports about the exploits of travel fastpitch if nothing better comes along.

I suppose I'll just have to keep an eye out for tidbits thrown to us hockey-starved fans by generous men like Darcy Regier. You came through again, Darcy, signing forward Tim Kennedy to a 2-year contract. Yay for more Buffalo boys! South Buffalo is now officially a hotbed for cute, talented, blonde, hockey phenoms. First, my future hubby, and now Timmay.

Why did I have to be raised in Cheektowaga and West Seneca?

Well, it looks like we're going to have another local fan favorite on our hands; hopefully Kaleta can learn to share the spotlight. Welcome to Buffalo, Tim...Wait, I guess that's really not necessary...

Mixed Emotions

The Top 5 Things I Learned from Last Night's Pens 3-2 Win

5.) How to spell "Sacrifice" in languages I can't even discern:

Yes, I did just post this so we can all check out Sid's nice legs and Flower's scrawny ones

4.) Brooks Orpik is a hitting machine. Officially, he hit 4 Red Wings in the course of 14 seconds during one shift. That was such a thing of beauty. Way to do Buffalo proud, Brooks!

3.) Adam Hall is secretly very attractive, especially when scoring hard-working goals

Now THAT is a winning smile

2.) Sidney Crosby is a legitimate star and a true leader. He earned every bit of that 1st star last night. Not only did he score two goals, the first for the Pens in the series; his passion and drive carried the entire team. That was the kind of performance legends are made of.

Best. picture. ever. haha

This is the face of clutch - isn't it pretty?

1.) My advice in matters of hockey and bro-mances should always be heeded. Colby Armstrong must read this blog - it's the only explanation. He read my last post about how much Sid needed him, and he decided to outdo my suggestion of simply calling him and instead flew to Pittsburgh to work as an analyst for Rogers Sportsnet.

Check out the video on their homepage of Colby sharing what magical change he brought about in Sid. Apparently telling him the Chops "look better in person" gave Sid all the confidence he needed to perform the way he did. My favorite part of the video, though, is the 0.005 second shot of Colby seeing Sid before the game - I love how his face lights up!

Really, though, think about it. Sidney looks and sounds dejected and desperate before Game 3. Then his best friend shows up, and his teammates are talking about seeing a different Sid in the locker room. I'm not gonna say "I told you so," but coincidence? I think not.

Sid was given a much-deserved day off today. Let's hope he spends it with his new good luck charm, playing video games and dancing along with Ellen.

In sadder news, Vancouver Canucks baby d-man Luc Bourdon was killed in a motorcycle crash at the age of 21. The Canucks are my favorite Western Conference team, and I often watch their games late on Saturday nights on CBC, so this loss felt like it was to player that I had watched really develop in the past year alone. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with his family, friends, and Canucks family right now.

R.I.P. Luc. You will be deeply missed.

The Missing Piece

As the Pens get more and more trampled and my prediction seems more and more unlikely, I would like to offer a totally unreasonable explanation for the problems faced by those youngsters from Pittsburgh.

As I looked at their sad faces on the bench and my beloved Sid's endearingly delusional determination in the press room, I realized that the Pens are really missing a very important factor in their quest for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Scoring? Discipline? Defensive responsibility? All of these are very reasonable answers, but they're not what I'm looking for.

What the Pens are missing - what Sid is missing- is...

Colby Armstrong

It was said over and over again before Colby was traded in the Hossa and Dupuis deal - Army was the "glue" that held the locker room together. Now, these boys are becoming more and more "unglued" with each passing moment in these Finals. Yes, they're talented, but they're also young and feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. If there was one thing Army did, it was bring some much needed laughter and lightness to what could have been a very pressure-filled team.

I will admit, I have a EXTREME personal bias towards Colby Armstrong. He is in the running for, if not already the winner of, the title of "Katie's favorite NHL-er who is not a Buffalo Sabre." He is the definition of the kind of player I love - gritty and chippy, hits hard, plays far outside of his expectations, and is a great guy off the ice. When he got traded, I was more emotional than I was for Soupy. It still pains me to see that he is just as broken up about the trade today as he was 3 months ago. In a time where we often get jaded about player's attachments to a team, it's nice to see that it genuinely broke his heart to leave the Pens.

I read this article just before watching Game 2, and it made me so sad. What stung the most was seeing just how much he misses playing with Sid. I have a feeling the separation anxiety is mutual. Colby was Sid's grounding force, always making fun of him and allowing Sid to mock him right back. Seeing all the stress on Sid's face right now makes me wonder just how much he misses having someone to make him laugh and forget that he has to be the "face of the NHL."

There is nothing sadder to me than splitting up a perfectly good bro-mance

I know in the article Colby said he didn't want to call Sid because it would distract him and "he's a psycho," but I think that Sid needs his best friend right now. Hopefully, he can tell him how pathetic he thinks his beard is, but let him know that he's growing one, too.

I know that the sensible hockey fan in me says that the Hossa trade was the thing that made this run possible for the Pens. Colby is not a better player than Hossa; that I'll admit to. With Colby in Pittsburgh, who knows if they would have even made it this far. The thing is, though, that sometimes fanhood isn't sensible; it's emotional and totally irrational. I'm a fan of Colby Armstrong, and I miss him on my second favorite team. I miss celebrations like this:
So, come on, Sid, Protect the Chops, and do it for Colby.

Ouch.

This pretty much sums up last night's game for the Pens:

Oh, Flower. First, you get stuck with the least masculine nickname EVER, and now this. At least you were able to laugh it off, though.

Unfortunately, the replay of this moment was about the only thing that brought a smile to my face for the entire game. There's not much to say about it. What I've learned from this season in Sabre-world is that you have to try to put the really bad games behind you as quickly as possible and hope the team does the same.

For tomorrow's game, the Pens are going to have a new look on the ice, and it's one I'm totally in favor of. Malkin is playing with Sykora and Talbot, and I'm so happy to see "Maxie" (as Geno called him) up there. He is a true mucker and grinder and now his hard work is getting appreciated. The same goes for Ryan Malone. Bugsy gets to play with Hossa and Sid, and I must say that Malone and Sid on a line together will be very easy on the eyes. Plus, Gary Roberts is back! I love those cagey vets; he'll knock some sense into these little whippersnappers.

In short, Sid's not giving up and neither am I. As he said, "It's only game one, so I don't think it's desperation."

This is Sid's determined face...Be afraid...

I said Pens in 6, and I'm no quitter. Let's hope they're not either.

Waiting for Tonight...

(insert JLo music here...)

Tonight. 8 p.m. Versus or CBC (CBC, thank you very much). Be there.

If you haven't noticed, I kind of want the Pens in this series. However, no longer do I like them just because they are young, speedy, and adorkable. I don't even want them because they have SuperSid on their team.

This is why the Pens are winners, both in hockey and life in general.


Things I learned from this video:

• Max Talbot is more amazing than pretty much everything except the Buffalo Sabres.
• Geno and Gonchar make awesome Russian mobsters.
• I NEED to hear Geno speak.
• I miss Colby Armstrong.

Pens in 6.

At Least These Finals Don't Involve Studying

Are the Sabres playing yet??

Seriously, today is a pretty uneventful day in the hockey world. Last night the Red Wings eliminated the Stars to move on to the Stanley Cup Final, which will begin Saturday night. I have to admit, I turned the game off by the third period. It just wasn't exciting.

And I guess that's how I feel about the Red Wings in general. I have nothing against them personally, but their greatness kind of bores me. I totally appreciate their accomplishments and just how dominating they are, but they're just too stoic for my liking. I like my hockey boys a little quirkier, a little less polished, I guess.

Which is why I'm pulling for the Pens. They just seem so much like the Sabres off the ice - pretty to look at but dorky as all heck when it comes down to it. Detroit is so composed all the time, a team of grizzled vets. Pittsburgh has their share of those too, but they just seem to be enjoying every moment of these playoffs in a way that only NHL youngsters really can.

This is how they are in my head - Detroit is so stoic and Pittsburgh is so goofy. I'm sure there are plenty of young, fun-loving Red Wings...But until I get a picture of someone hugging Al the Octopus (see Max Talbot and Iceburgh in yesterday's post) this is my comparison.

So, I know what you're thinking. 'Ok, Katie, we get that you think the Pens are OHMYGODSOADORABLE! but do you really think they can win this thing?'

And, oh, yes, faithful readers, I do. I think that the momentum Pittsburgh has ridden throughout the playoffs will carry them through once more. I think this will be a long, tough series (wow, cliche enough for you?), but the Pens have the right mix of veteran toughness and young flash. They have speed, but they also have shown the ability to play very good defensive hockey when they need to. Not to mention their goalie has the ability to stand on his head when he needs to as well.

Pens in 6.

Weekend Recap

Now that was a great weekend!

On Saturday night, the Buffalo Bandits won the NLL Championship game 14-13 over the Portland LumberJax. Now, I've been to a few Bandits games in my life, and those fans are some of the CRAZIEST I've ever seen - in the best possible way. There has been much debate about whether this counts as a "major" championship in Buffalo. I know that I would rather have a Super Bowl or Stanley Cup win, but this is a still a Buffalo championship in a profession sports league, and I, for one, am very proud to be a card-carrying member of the Johnny Tavares fan club today. My two best friends are season ticket holders, and both of them have been so intensely into the NLL season that I've actually decided to go along with them for next year. So congratulations, members of "Banditland" - can't wait to join your ranks next season!

I think I'm in love with Mark Steenhuis and his magical orange shoes

And now for some hockey...

Yes, it was sad watching Derek Roy and his fellow Canadians get ousted by Ovie and the Russians in OT at the IIHF World Championships, but that was all forgotten because of this:

My Second Favorite Team is headed to the Stanley Cup Finals!!

Now I did not get to see the game in its entirety yesterday, but I would like to offer some specific congratulations:

Dear Ryan Malone:

Congratulations to my favorite Pens Mucker and Grinder on your two goals! I love when hard workers get rewarded on the big stage like that. And also, thank you for being SO good looking - it makes me miss Goose and Pommers slightly less:Dear Jordan Staal:

Another goal! Even though I still want to feed you chocolate chip cookies and cocoa after what happened to your grandpa, I would rather you go out and keep winning for him. The cookie offer still stands, though...

Dear Max Talbot:

Thank you for this photo.

Mascot appreciation is good sports karma - keep it up.

Dear Sidney Crosby:

PROTECT THE CHOPS! I don't care how ugly they are, they are winners and so are you. You know I love you (for reasons I still do not understand), and these pictures make me love you even more:

Sometimes I forget just how young you are, and then your face lights up like a Christmas tree, and I remember you're pretty much a little kid hanging with the big boys.

But you're also a very smart Captain, who knows what to do with a trophy that isn't the BIG ONE:

> > >>

Tonight's Game: Wings at Stars 8 p.m. I'm kind of pulling for the Stars now, even though I said Wings in 7.

And on a completely unrelated note, my dance studio won big at our competition this weekend, with my tap team coming only 4 points shy of a perfect score! So it was a very good weekend.

Also, Happy 15th Birthday to my little sister, Amy (who I'm sure you will be hearing about a lot over here)!!

Putting the Broom Away...

Dear Pittsburgh Penguins:

That's ok. We all know you just want to win at home. Just try to come alive before the 3rd period next time, even if I really did think you were going to tie it up.

Dear Philadelphia Flyers:

Way to almost choke away a 3-goal, third period lead in the Conference Finals. It's too bad that the Pens didn't tie it - I was ready to have another counterargument to Jerry Sullivan's "former players never gave up leads EVER" column.

Dear Marty Biron:

Hearing you on Versus tonight reminded me of how much I miss you. I still love you, but you're a Flyer now, so I hope you're back in Buffalo with your cute new baby as soon as possible.

Dear Sidney Crosby:

Just because you have tiny amounts of facial hair now does NOT mean you are tough enough to fight whenever you feel like it. Now, I know you want to be a Mucker and Grinder because you want my unending love, but Mario looked like he was going to kill you after you started fighting Richards.

As much as I love watching you try to prove you're a gritty Captain, you're totally GROUNDED when you get back to Casa de Mario

Dear Ryan Malone:
Now you are a true Mucker and Grinder; gritty is your middle name (Ryan Gritty Malone - works for me). Way to stick up for Jordan towards the end of the game. You also may rival Marty for prettiest eyes in the series.

Dear Jordan Staal:
Two goals! I was so happy for you! I think you made your grandpa very proud.

Now that is love...Not to mention the beauty that is Danny's expression in the background