Yo Ho Yo Ho...

...A Pirate's Life for Me!At a press conference today, the worst-kept secret in the NHL since the announcement of the Winter Classic was revealed when the Buffalo Sabres and Portland Pirates announced their new affiliation.

The Pirates were formerly the farm team for the 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks. Maybe some of those winning ways will transfer to their new parent club; we can only hope.

I have to admit, I am a little sad to see the Rochester-Buffalo affiliation end. It was nice to know that our little baby prospects were only a jog down the road if we ever needed them. So, farewell dear Amerks, you can take pride in knowing that you raised not only some of our best players but our best looking ones as well.

Goose and Pommer were such cute, little Amerks

I am very excited about this new partnership, though. Who doesn't love pirates?

I think Nate Gerbe would be Jack Sparrow (because he's cool like that) and Jhonas Enroth seems like he would want to rock that feathery hat (I really don't know why)

In other hockey news, Dominik Hasek has decided to hang up his goalie pads - possibly for good this time. The debate in Buffalo now seems to be centered around whether or not to retire his jersey at HSBC Arena.

My family and I were big Dom supporters when he played here; my little sister actually named her goldfish "Dominator" during the 1999 Cup run. I remember feeling betrayed when he asked for a trade to "Hockeytown," but I don't think a grudge is enough to deny the accomplishments he had while playing for us. Six Vezina Trophies and two Hart Trophies is nothing to sneeze at, and he is still involved with the community through Hasek's Heroes. No matter how we all feel about Dom personally, there is no denying his greatness between the pipes, which I feel he should be honored for in the town that brought him to NHL stardom.

Looking Back

Hockey season is over.

It hadn't really bothered me before because I was so busy. My dance recital went off with no major disasters to speak of, and my ballet class that I teach looked adorable if I do say so myself. Although today I think I'm battling what Lindy would deem "general body soreness" with the possibility of a "lower body injury."

Now that I have time on my hands, I feel like I should give these Sabre-less Stanley Cup Playoffs the send-off they deserve. So without further ado:

The Top 10 Things I Learned During the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

10.) The Calgary Flames are the poster team for mucking and grinding. The Flames play hockey the way I love watching it be played - physical, gritty, and with a little bit of an edge. I've decided that I would give my right leg (and that's my good dancing leg) for the Captain to beat all Captains (sorry, Pommer), Jarome Iginla. He exhibits all that I love about hockey - toughness, scoring prowess, ability to fight when called for, and true heart.

Pretty and gritty - what more could a girl want?

9.) I love watching the Ottawa Senators FAIL. As a Sabres fan, nothing in these playoffs was sweeter than watching the Sens get swept by the Penguins in the first round.

8.) For his own safety and sanity, Brian Campbell should sign in the Eastern Conference next year. Preferably with a team like Florida or some other place where hockey is second to NASCAR in popularity, so he can see how good he had it here. Seriously, though, Soupy looked down right intimidated by the physical style of teams like Calgary, and it showed in his poor performances and untimely giveaways.

7.) I miss Danny and Marty 1000 times more than Chris Drury. I think we all still bear the scars of being stabbed in the back by Chris Drury. While I wanted to see Danny and Marty succeed despite hating their team, I was glad to see the Rangers and their overpaid "intangible" leader exit in the second round.

6.) Ryan Malone is ridiculously attractive.

And his playing isn't too shabby, either

5.) The Sabres NEED Brooks Orpik. I know he's too expensive for a stay-at-home defenseman, but it's nice to dream. Watching this Buffalo native's hard-nosed blueline play this postseason has really opened my eyes to the kind of shot-blocking, gritty defense the Sabres have been missing since Jay McKee left.

4.) I miss Colby Armstrong on the Penguins. If you haven't picked up on this, today must be your first day reading this blog, so welcome! My name is Katie, and I am a recovering Army addict. Watching the Penguins get so far was the next best thing to having the Sabres in the playoffs, but it felt incomplete without Army along for the ride.

3.) Sidney Crosby isn't really a robot after all. Sure, he always seems to say the right things and never show any emotion whatsoever beyond what the NHL tells him to show. However, the Finals brought out the human side to the young man with the "Chops." Whether it was the clips of him lighting up at seeing Colby again as an analyst, or his ultimate disappointment with losing it all after coming so close, Sid became more "real" to me this postseason. His final interview was just heartbreaking, and made him seem like the vulnerable little boy that I think he really is.

I learned even superstars like Sid and Geno need snuggles

2.) Nothing compares to Sabres hockey. Yes, the playoffs were exciting. Yes, some players captured my attention and a little piece of my heart. However, my team is still my team, and a postseason without them helped solidify that feeling. Jarome Iginla is a great captain, but he's not Jason Pominville. Marc-Andre Fleury is a quirky, awesome goalie, but he's not nearly as quirky or as awesome as Ryan Miller. For as good as Sid and Malkin are, they're not Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek. And Ryan Malone, I'm sorry, as attractive and tough as you are, you will NEVER take Goose's spot in my heart.

1.) I really LOVE hockey. Even without the Sabres, the playoffs were still fun to watch because it's hockey. It's the most physically daunting postseason in sports, and it's great to watch these men put their bodies and their hearts on the line for one goal. How long until next season starts again?

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...