It's Hockey Season 2008-2009!

Well, almost. The season officially starts on Satureday Oct. 4, less than 2 weeks away. The Buffalo Sabres' 1st game is Oct. 10 (woohoo!) against the Canadiens at home. And this year, the Sabres will be visiting the Anaheim Ducks again at Honda Center on Feb. 2, 2009. The Mister and I are still debating whether to shell out some dough for some decent seats or just stay at home and enjoy the game in HD. We'll see.

Cool news from last week. The Sabres revealed their 3rd jersey, which includes the retro Buffalo logo with some updated splash (way better than the weird lightening bolt x buffalo head whatever-you-call-that logo). The retro logo is my favorite of all the logos. I also like the lace ups on the front collar. Guess what I'll be putting on my Christmas wish list this year??

Can't wait for the season to start. Punch them in the face!!!! (Hockey! Hockey! Hockey!)

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Sabres' Season Ends - Boo

Last night, the Sabres were finally eliminated from the play-offs by the Habs (those weenies). I admittedly wrote them off 3 games ago. Not because I lost faith (considering mathematically they still had a chance) but the odds were stacked up against them. (Ever see Dumb and Dumber? You got a 1 in a million chance---So you say I have a chance! Uh, no.) Not only did they need to win all the remaining 6 games at that point, the Bruins or Flyers also had to lose some, if not all their remaining games. It's one thing when you have full control, it's another when you have to ride on another team to lose.

I'm sure there will be plenty of what ifs, speculations and what nots in the next week about why last year's President's Award recipients didn't make it into the play-offs. IMO, there was just too much changes and injuries. If we were to look back from the beginning of the season, the Sabres have played exactly the way they did in the last month of their season. Uh, okay, the whole season. Ups and downs. Missed chances, lack luster power plays, too many give aways, lack of enthusiasm, blah blah blah. The loss of some very key players (due to free agency, trade, injuries) were the driving force.

A very young team was another factor. The Sabres biggest loss, IMHO, was the lack of a veteran leader. This is not to say that the Sabres didn't have veterans. They did, just not the true leader type. And in that aspect, I still stand by what I said about losing Chris Drury and the lost leader effect it would have on the team if he left. No, not the Lords of the Flies kind of effect, more like a ship without a router. Oh they had a captain, Ruff McAubrey is his name (another movie reference, if I may). But how do you expect a crew to sail a winning ship without a router? A captain can only yell out so many commands. Never mind the goals Drury brought but I felt Drury was the router of the team. As for the other loses, the Sabres proved that there are enough talent to make up for it. No question the team has talent, which makes not making the play-offs that much more painful. If they just plain sucked and had no talent, it would be easier to not expect the Sabres to make the play-offs. I mean, really, how many Sabres fans actually thought the Sabres "might not" make the play-offs this season?

BTW, Buffalo fans. Can we finally get rid of the saying "Believe"? Please, that's like the Bills mantra, "Strive for Five". Five what? Consecutive Super Bowl loses? These phrases didn't help the year before, or the year before that. What makes you think it'll help this year? I know, how about "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!" Works for those Dillon Panthers! (Sorry, FNL)

Some have to wonder what's going to happen to Ryan Miller when he starts to negotiate his contract. Maybe the loss of his cousin in the beginning of the season really messed him up mentally. Maybe he just can't play back-to-back games. Maybe he still has to mature as a goalie. Who knows what the answer(s) is but I sure hope Miller figures it out. He's got talent, there's not arguing there.

Well, I've hung away my jersey for the next 6 months. Official hockey withdrawal will start around June. I'll be sitting on the couch, jonesing for old hockey games to watch until the next season start. Now I have to pick some teams to root against during the play-offs (well, that won't be hard). I think I'm going to root for the Sharks.

It's going to be a nice weekend here in San Diego. Have a wonderful Aloha Friday and a fantastic weekend! And don't forget to eat well.

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Sabres Trade Brian Campbell to San Jose Sharks

Well, it's final. Brian Campbell did play his last game as a Sabres last night. He's now officially with the Sharks. Rumors were true but the writing was on the wall. At least the front office didn't do what they did with Chris Drury and Daniel Briere and got something for Campbell. Let's just hope that Steve Bernier as a first-round draft pick of San Jose in 2003 turns into something really good for the Sabres. The trade was Campbell and 7th round pick for Bernier and a 1st round pick.

So how do I feel about losing Campbell? Worse than losing Briere (sorry Danny) but not as much as Drury. Campbell has seasoned into a very talented player over the years with the Sabres. He's someone who the team can count on. Enough said, now Campbell is the past, like the others, so I'll focus on the future.

Bernier could be a good thing since according to the Mister, the Sabres are starting to run out of young talent from their once fully stocked pool. Having pulled up so many in the past few years, they do need to replenish the young talents. I watched some of the Sharks game footage and Bernier has good speed and decent puck handling. He's been doing pretty well with the Sharks, showing some good instincts, so I've got my fingers crossed.

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Finally Another Sabres Win

Perhaps my theory of tough love does have its merits (the bench looks a little cold, go warm it up). A win over Dallas last night was something the Sabres (and fans) needed. Most of the players looked solid and there were some beautiful moves. And I mean beautiful. I especially liked the double pass (the give and go) between Vanek and Roy for the second and winning goal of the game. It was beautiful! Bada bing, bada bam, bada boom. I think Derek Roy has found his sweet spot.

Another beautiful move was Vanek's redirect in the second period. No, it didn't count due to highsticking but it was beautiful, nonetheless. To be able to deflect a shot, in mid-air, going about 80-90 mph, with your back to the goal, and to have the puck go in...amazing. Now that's the Vanek we know. The Roy-Vanek-Stafford line has been working really well.

Even Andrew Peters got some action too, puck and fists. You gotta love Petey for his tenacity and ability to take punches. I don't care if he doesn't get the majority of the take downs, he's a scapper and I like scappers.

Dallas is a very physical, hard hitting team, like most of the west coast teams. The Sabres rely on speed and skill. So, it was really good to see the players finishing their checks and pushing back. Sometimes a little push (or push back) makes a huge difference in winning and losing. Stealing away the puck as much as they did didn't hurt either.

Jochen Hecht made a game saving move by poking the puck from Mike Ribeiro’s possession during the last heart stopping minute of the game. Right in front of Miller. You can see the relief on Miller's face when the buzzer went off. I even thought I heard God say "you're welcome" when I thanked him.

I've not written off the play-offs just yet. But if the team doesn't continue to play the remaining of the games like they did last night or the game against Atlanta, I'm going to bench my jersey for the season.

Have a wonderful weekend. Eat well, stay dry, and remember the all-star game is on Sunday, Versus at 3 pm PST. There's no football so why not watch some hockey?

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It's Miller "Amp" Time!

That's Amp Energy Drink. Although the Sabres lost the Winter Classics during shoot-out, Ryan Miller certainly has been making the rounds in commercials (a good thing). This funny commercial ran during the game and it's especially funny to me since Miller is trying to "yo' momma" in Mandarin. Apparently they spelled out the phrase phonetically for Miller, and it took several takes before he got it (no, really?). Not bad for someone who's never spoken a single word of Mandarin. In all honesty, I still don't understand what he said in the last part, I think I hear onion and cry but couldn't tell you what the rest is. Anyone want to translate for me in pin yin??

Postscript: I listened to this a few more times and I think I finally know what Miller is saying. First part sounds like he's saying it in Mandarin, which would be in pin yin, "Ni mama hao chou, yang-cong ye ku le." But he's annunciation of the last part is "ye kei lei,", which sounds like Cantonese (which I don't speak).

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2008 NHL Winter Classics

Yes, all you hockey fans, the 2008 NHL Winter Classics is just 4 days away. It is scheduled for Jan. 1 at 11 A.M. ET, LIVE FROM BUFFALO! The Buffalo Sabres will be hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium for the first NHL regular-season outdoor game in the United States. Crews have been working hard since Sunday, getting the outdoor rink ready.

If we were in Buffalo, I *think* we would be there, if we were lucky enough to get tickets. I say "think" only because it's going to be really, really cold. Mid-day temps are only 36 degrees F. So, just imagine a West Coast (barefooted) gal sitting out dere with a full-length park'a, wearing a face mask, 2 layers of fleece, lips so cold, she can barely utter "Let's Go Buffalo!" Yeah, it does sound like fun and the Mister would talk me into going because it's something not to be missed. Ever see Mystery, Alaska with Russell Crowe? That's the picture I have in my head.

If they're lucky, it won't rain on New Year's Day. It rained yesterday, which was kind of a good thing to help build the ice. Don Renzulli is heading up the team, who is working hard to make this event a success. If you're an NFL fan, you might recognize Renzulli's name, the ex-Senior Director of Events Operation of NFL, who has been part of the Super Bowl planning team for the past 10 Super Bowls.

Well, the Mister and I will be in our Sabres gear, sitting on the couch with the kids, nice and toasty, watching the game on the big screen.

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Great Hockey Weekend!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I've been under the weather but I think I'm finally on the mend. Hate cold season. But it's been an awesome hockey weekend! Sabres have won their last 4 games, and Thibault had his first shutout as a Sabres last night. Awesome!

It was a good win against Ottawa because they had just lost to them in their last game together. What's even better is that the Sabres swept Montreal. If you watched the game, you knew the (stupid) Canadiens were getting tired of being spanked by the Sabres. They were more focused on hitting Sabres players than actually playing the game. All the better that they were shutout, hehe.

It's nice to see Ryan Miller finally getting into his game, the more focused he is, the more so are the other players. It's been really exciting to see the newer players scoring. But some of the veterans have been a bit, quite a bit, disappointing. Afinogenov is the biggest so far (at a whopping -8 pts). I'm not going to get into how many game-losing pucks he's given way. Ruff has said he isn't ready to bench him yet, and Afinogenov has actually shown some improvement in the last 2 games. But I still cringe when watching him pass the puck in crucial moments. Come on Max, buckle down and tighten up.

Now what is up with Kotalik (-3 pts)? He was on my list to trade at the end of last year. Is he trying to prove me right?? Hey, Ales, most people try to prove me wrong, like Spacek.

The other disappointment has been Tallinder (-1 pts). It's like as if he wasn't even on the ice when his line is up. Maybe he's just still "mentally" recovering from his injury or perhaps he really doesn't feel 100%, which is causing his under-performance. Snap out of it.

But even with some very sub-par performances by these guys, others have really stepped up. MacArthur, who was brought up due to Connolly's injury, has been awesome. Vanek is starting to look like he did last year, Stafford and Gaustad, Campbell, Roy, Ryan, even Pratt, are looking mighty on the ice.

The real disappointment of the season, as it was last year, of course, are the refs. In every game, not just the ones Sabres play in, there always some bonehead ref not making penalty calls. I'm not talking about the gray zone (put it in the zone, eh!) types. I'm talking about blatant, in your face, only-a-blind-man-could-have-missed-that kind of penalty. But Rob Ray said it best, they're arrogant and think that the fans are out there to see them, not the team. HAHA!

Next game is tomorrow against the Capitals, and then the Blues on Wednesday. And the week after next, they'll be heading west to sunny SoCal to play the Ducks and Kings! Can't wait!

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Sad Sports Weekend

The Buffalo Sabres lost both its first 2 games. Sigh...they actually look hauntingly familiar to the end of last season, which is not good. I suppose part of it could be blamed on the abscence of Drury and Briere but I don't know how much credence I would give that explanantion (notice I didn't say excuse?). The majority of these guys were on the team last year. So it's not as if they were playing with all new teammates or a new coach. Half the time, the guys played like they didn't know where anyone was. So the lines were different, but how is that different than what Lindy Ruff was doing towards the end of last year and throughout the playoffs? But maybe that's the problem. Not much has changed other than a few faces from last season.

Ruff had a difference of opinion, "We improved in a lot of areas, we improved defensively. Our penalty killing was a lot more aggressive and on the same page. I thought our power play, we had two or three that were really good, and we got one power-play goal." He must mean having them play a little more up ice on the blue line and shooting a little more. That’s what gave Spacek his opportunities to score. But I still don’t think they are shooting enough.

The Sabres had 8 PP opportunities, that's 4 more than what they gave the Islanders. Okay, so that's definitely a positive. But both teams had 1 power-play score. Hmm, 1:8 ratio doesn't look all that good to me, but then maybe my expectations are a little higher than Ruff's and maybe he's thinking 1 is better than none. Another thing that irritated the crap out of me was that the Sabres were back to their puck-passing dance during PPs. They have got to increase their shots on goals during PPs rather than sitting back on their heals, passing the puck back and forth waiting for that perfect shot. Sometimes you just got to let it rip and be there for the rebound. If it takes you 3-5 seconds to set up your shot, what do you think your opponents are doing during that time?

Friday's 1st period actually looked like the Sabres that everyone feared last season, actually looked like the President's Cup Award winners. But the rest looked just like the team toward the end of last season. Maybe their penalty killing skills have improved, I don't know. I didn't do a comparison on those stats. And let's tell it like it is okay? Capitalizing on power-plays was and still is one of problems they struggle with. But maybe Spacek will change this.

We should be thankful that Ruff took what Spacek said to heart. Ruff and Spacek had an “airing out” conversation at the end of last season. Who would have thunk Spacek would be the go to man for PPs? Hey, if he want to earn his big paycheck, I say let him! I’m all for call him “da PP man” rather than the putz who looks like Dan Akyroid. Perhaps Ruff will learn from this and have similar talks with the rest of the team before the team becomes 1-10 (oh geez, just shoot me now).

In all fairness, the Sabres did have chances to tie or even win the game. Sometimes it all rides on the luck of the bounce. If Connolly had a little more luck, a couple of his crossbar hits would have bounced right into the net.

Ruff also said, “It’s going to be baby steps. There’s some guys that are trying to find their way, and this is a test for us.” Well, okay, I'll agree with that for now. But let's see how far the baby steps take them at mid-season. Maybe Ruff needs to run some tapes from earlier games of last season when they were so deadly to Friday and Saturday's games. It certainly can't hurt.

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Buffalo Sabres Season Opener Tonight

Yes, kids, it's that time! Sabres are opening their 2007-08 season tonight against the Islanders on home turf at 7:30 ET. Game will be shown on MSG in HD (HD baby!). Everyone watching will be interested to see how the Sabres do without last year's co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. Well, let's not get into my feelings about the loss of Drury. I'm trying hard to move on. It is what it is.

Don't' have much time to blog today since I'll be stuck in a half day management meeting. Geez Louise. But guess what? It's Aloha Friday, do dee, something something something! And it's a game night! woohoo! I just got to make it through that meeting without killing anyone. I'll secretly sit there singing the Aloha Friday diddy in my head, doing my toned down version Friday dance, and hide away in my own little Brazil. hehe. Gotta run. Have a wonderful weekend. Now go and eat well. And if you have some time, try to catch a hockey game or two!

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It's Hockey (Pre)Season!!!

Whoop! Whoop! It's hockey season!!!! Finally. Not sure I can take it, hockey season and release of Halo 3...

So from now until June 2008, there's going to be some hockey talk on this blog. A co-worker mentioned to me yesterday that he watched hockey once and it reminded him of watching soccer or baseball. I'm assuming he meant it was boring and/or slow. I would have agreed before the 2003 strike. I used to watch it every now and then with the Mister (a Buffalo Sabres fan) but after the Stanley Cup lose in 1999, I kind of lost some interest, partially because the games were a little slow for me.

But since the strike, rules have changed and the hockey that I know today is much faster, higher scoring, and much more exciting to watch. As a matter of fact, it's the only sport I watch consistently now (no, Iron Chef America doesn't count). NHL Center Ice, baby! (even better in HD!) Occasionally, I still watch a football game since the Mister (still) has NFL Sunday Ticket. But for me, it's all about hockey (punch 'em in the face!).

Okay, that's a story I have to tell, quickly. The Mister took me to my first NHL hockey game back in 2005 (LA Kings vs. San Jose Sharks). It was awesome! We've been to the SD Gulls games before when they were still in San Diego but the Mister said it was nothing compared to an NHL game. He was right. I started to get into hockey after the end of the strike (watching the Kings on tv) so he thought it was time. Now I'm a hockey fanatic. Oh yeah, the story.

So at the game, there were these guys sitting a couple of rows in front of us and one guy would yell "hit 'em in the face!" really loudly every now and then. It was quite funny and needless to say, the phrase became an inside joke at home.

So anyway, good news today about one of the Sabres players. Teppo Numminen is recovering from a successful heart surgery (his third). That's very good news. It would be great if he will still be able to play another year, well, he is considered as one of the "old" guys.

I'm eager to see what kind of lines Ruff comes up with. I certainly expect a different kind of play this season without Briere and Drury. But that could be a good thing. God, I hope it's a good thing. Also want to see how much Vanek and some of the other guys step up. Maybe by January we'll finally stop reading and hearing people talk about the missing co-captains (including myself). They're the past, let's move into the future, okay? Okay!

I also have tickets for 2 games for when the Sabres are in So. Cal. They are making a trip to CA in December to play Anaheim Ducks (2007 Stanley Cup champions) and the Kings. We're going to both!! It's going to be a road trip so I guess I also better get a list of some places to eat while we're up there.

My brand new Sabres jersey is hanging in the closet, the Mister's is hanging right next to mine. Waiting for the first game to break them in, which will be 2 weeks from today (Friday, Oct 5, 2007). Neighbors, better put in those ear plugs and close those windows cuz Momma is going to get loud! Bring it on, baby!! Whoop, whoop!!

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