time to get my life back

Thanks to a tip from Amy over at Shots off the Crossbar (you should read her blog, if you don't... she is great!), I learned that Ryan Miller was featured in The Onion. Now you know he's bigtime. It's just like I wanted.. I think I wrote it here? For Ryan Miller to become a household name, like Apollo Ono, Lindsey Vonn and Michael Phelps.. I think it worked. YAY Ryan! :)

On to the game.. wow what a game it was. I was super excited from start to finish, though I think I had a few minor heart attacks in there. The boys made us proud and they should hold their heads up high. Remember that going into this, no one really expected the Americans to even medal, let along challenge for the gold.

I wish the USA had played with a little more intensity to start the game. I think they were being too conservative with the defenceman and being too scared of Canada's big guns on offence. The D seemed to hang back and play it safe instead of getting involved with the rush, which they really needed to do. When they did that is when they had the best scoring chances. BUt all in all, it was a really solid game. Parise's goal with 24 seconds left was absolutely beautiful! :)

And of course Canada had to win it on a goal from Crosby. GAG me with a sock. I had literally just finished saying "Anyone but Crosby" when he scored. UGH. I don't even mind Canada winning so much- they earned it and it's really good for hockey and their national pride and sanity of the country (LOL) but I'd have preferred it not be him. Share the wealth a little, eh?

Whatev. I'm just happy it wasn't a shootout. That's no way to decide a Championship game. And Ryan Miller played his heart out- he has nothing to be ashamed of. (the 2nd goal in particular was a defensive lapse!) Wear that silver proudly. BUFFALO and the rest of the country are proud of all the boys!

USA USA!!

I had to turn it off before the medal ceremony- my fragile psyche can't handle that.. not after seeing the Women's hockey ceremony the other night.. but I heard that Miller got a rousing cheer. Very classy move on the part of the fans and I appreciate it.

Oh and if the Canucks decide they don't want the services of Ryan Kesler anymore, we'd be happy to take him off their hands. :) I love that guy! (I already liked him before the Olympics, now I realllly like him!)

Now bring on the Penguins and the Capitals! GO Sabres!

USA USA

Here's a neat article about the USA/Canada hockey rivalry. The funny thing is that even though Canada is very good at hockey in general, it's kinda weird that they "expect" to win the gold. I mean I know they want to win the gold and seem like they should- but Canada has only won 1 gold medal in Olympic hockey in the last 58 years. They owned it in the early days of the Olympics but not so much since. Just sayin.

I love Canada more than most Americans probably but when it comes to the Olympics (especially this year, since none of "my" boys are playing except Marty and he already has a gold!) it's USA all the WAY! :) (and no Russian conflict this year either since Pavel is not involved in the team this time around..)

I saw the end of the game last night and WOW it was sweet. I'm watching the rest of it now, on the dvr. I'm so proud of our boys for coming out on fire and really taking it to Canada. They will not be intimidated! YAY! And helllloooo Ryan Miller. I love love love how excited everyone is about him and we Sabres fans can sit back and say, 'heh, yeah he's OURS. We get to see this guy every game. And yes, the Sabres do that to him all the time. Poor guy is well versed with a zillion shots on goal and some spotty defence.' GO RYAN MILLER!!

✩✩✩ USA ✩✩✩

a good read

For those of you who don't get The Hockey News' daily newsletter, Here is a sweet article about Ryan Miller. It's got some nice things to say about our #1 guy, all of it well-earned.(and nothing we didn't know already, as Sabres fans!) :)

Just wanted to share!

I got it!

Okay it's technically Thursday (at least in my time zone LOL) but here's a hockey SAB for the week anyway.

I will weigh in on the schedule later, but I needed to share this while it was fresh in my mind.

So without further ado, I present you:



-Drew Cribley, guitarist for the (totally awesome and playing in Rochester next wednesday if anyone wants to go with me) band Thriving Ivory

AND



-Our beloved goalie Ryan Miller.

Separated at Birth? You be the judge. I never noticed it before, but I was watching one of their videos and it was like... whoa Drew looks like Millsy. He's even got the super tall/skinny thing going on. :)

Miller et al

Okay.. I was at the game last night so I guess it's time to weigh in on that punk Gomez.

It looked pretty intentional to me. If not an "I'm deliberatly trying to take you out" then at least he didn't try to avoid contact.

But I think the Sabres did the right thing. I am of a mind that Gomez would NOT have dropped the gloves like a man.. he would have skated off, leaving his challenger to face at least a 2 minute and possibly worse penalty. This would have been very negative for the Sabres who were already shorthanded when Miller went down and things could have gotten out of hand very easily. Also, it should be examined what in a game, which became closer than we would have liked on that first shot after the injury- who do you want to lose for 5 (or more) minutes of a 3rd period in a game that is very important in the standings? Peters is not dressed. Would you want Goose in the box? Mair? Rivet? I wouldn't. I think all of those guys needed to be on the ice and taking shifts in the last 15 mins of the period and losing one of them for starting a fight could have cost the Sabres the game.

As far as Hamilton's comment about "beating the hell out of" Gomez at the end of the game.. that's all fine and good, but who wants to get suspended?

I am really happy that they used their heads instead of fists and hurt the Rangers in the standings. Discipline will win you games.

I also think there should have at least been a penalty on the play but the refs were not with it last night. It happens.

Everyone was complaining about how the Sabres weren't physical enough in general last night but I saw plenty of hitting out there. There was one late in the 3rd with Gaustad and I think it was Orr- right behind the net- and not only the glass, but literally the boards themselves seemed to lift off the floor. It was huge. I also saw a lot of open ice hitting, and bodies flying all over the place. That seemed pretty physical with me. There were some little scrums behind the play as well.

All in all, aside from Miller's injury, it was a great game. A few other comments on the game last night:
-Derek Roy looked completely LOST during warmups. He was skating aimlessly, looking around like he had never seen a hockey arena before and just seemed.. off. I noticed this and was afraid he was going to have a terrible game. Guess I was wrong. Whatever planet he was on seemed to have rejuvenated him because he had a great showing last night. Whatever zen you were doing last night, Derek, just keep it up baby. ;)
-I don't know if you could hear this on the broadcast or if Harry and RJ mentioned it, but right before Sekera's goal, the entire arena yelled "SHOOT!"- since he had the puck for 34948654 years on the play before that, dipsy-doodled all over creation with it, then lost it. I just found it amusing that he actually scored on that shot. A few folks tried it later, but to no avail. GUess it was a one-time deal.

-They announced another "sell out" but let me tell you there were a TON of empty seats last night. Weird.

-I wasn't totally sold on the new opening video from watching it on the Sabres website. It looks pretty decent in person though. I still liked the "City of Blinding Lights" opener better or the one they used last year. Still, I was happier with it than I thought I'd be.

And I think that's it from me.

I'm a blogging fiend!

Read the last 3 or 4 posts if you feel like it.. I've been a little spazzy on the posting here in the last day or 2 but I seem to (suddenly) have a lot to say!

So, Buffalonians, take heart! Remember last year when we were having that (I shudder to remember that) 10 game losing streak.. and then the bustin win over Atlanta (ha) then the immediate return to crappy hockey. Well.. the real turning point for the 2nd half of last season (and Roy's personal season) was the game against Dallas- when Royzie had 2 goals and the boys won a hard-fought, nasty game in Dallas. I would love to see that happen again tonight. Heck, we could blow them out of the water if we want, I just want to see some good, hard-hitting, playing like WE CARE ABOUT WHETHER WE WIN OR LOSE hockey. Is that too much to ask for? Sometimes, with the Sabres, it is. I hope they decide to show up tonight.

and I say again, to the team that has scored 3 goals in 3 gameson behalf of Ryan Miller:


the end.

Ain't I been sayin it?

Derek Roy plays better with a beard.

Seriously- I've said this many times.. for whatever the reason, Royzie plays better when he's scruffy. Whether it's a day or 2 worth of growth for here- he seems like he's going for all out mountain-man action- the hairier Roy's face is, the better he is playing. Hmm.. maybe he gets less attention from the ladies, therefore less distraction? haha I dunno but whatever it is, KEEP DOING IT DEREK! (plus, I think it's kinda hot, I'm not gonna lie. Usually I'm not into guys with beards, but for Derek, the look just works.)

Okay.. enough of that. It's just a trend I have noticed on more than one occasion.

So.. random hockey statbits for you. Chris Osgood has a 3.25 GAA in his last 6 starts.. and yet the Wings are 4-1-1 in those games. DAMN. They can score! Take note Sabres- because Milsie's numbers are better than that I think.. if you would put a few more biscuits in the basket you might be able to scrape up some wins. What happened to our run and gun lead the league in scoring team from parts of last year and the year before? That was fun. Let's SCORE MORE GOALS! Do you think Ryan Miller ever feels like the Chik Fil A Cows? Like, does he stand around during practice with a sign saying:


I dunno.. maybe that would work. The Sabres seem like a bunch of idiots at times..

Now that I have amused myself enough for one night.. it's time to do something else more productive.. like unpack all my crap from the SF trip. Wooo. (or, more likely I'll waste a bunch of time online and then read my book. LOL I know myself too well..)

P.S. Any word on Patrick Kaleta? I miss seeing him on the ice.

message limit reached

My goodness but the Sabres have been busy! I keep getting text messages from them. LOL

TODAY it was that Miller has signed a 5 year extension! WOOOOHOOOO!

This is good. Very Very good. The Sabres are being smart and making people very happy.


YAY!

ANd that's really all, except that I have found my Hockey SAB for next week already- and it's Derek Roy! :)