this is it

Game 7- someone goes on, someone goes home.

I'm ready.

Are the Sabres ready?

Guess we'll see.

DEREK ROY IS READY!!! So no matter what else happens tonight, I will get to see my main man play at least one more game this year.. first time since December! YAAAAAYYY!

Will he be the difference maker?

Is this the year?

I don't want to see or hear anything more about Danny Effing Briere after tonight. (and I don't want too much tonight either, get it?)

I want Tyler Myers to stay mean.

I want Tyler Ennis to be all smiles after the game.

I want Derek Roy to step in and step up and be the hero.

I want Mike Weber to beat someone's face.

I want Rob Niedermayer to continue to show just why the Sabres picked him up.. THIS is why!

I want Brad Boyes to show up.... is he still on the team?

I want Drew Stafford to return to mid-season form.

I want Thomas Vanek to continue to shine.

I want Gaustad to own all comers in the faceoff circle.

I want to yell "The Butler Did it!"

I want to scream Let's Go BUFF-A-LO at the end of a game 7 win!

I want more SABRES hockey after tonight.

That's not too much to ask, is it?

I'm sure everyone has read about all the angles of the matchup, and I don't really have anything constructive to offer. I'm just excited for post-season hockey that I really care about with MY team in the running. (not to say that the Red Wings and Devils aren't MY team as well, but the Sabres are different because I live here and watch them all year, not just when they are on VS or during the playoffs.)

I think I'm going to Saturday's game.. wooooo!

I will be watching tonight- but on a bit of a delay since I have a commitment this evening. SOOO excited though- I'm wearing my Sabres jersey- in April! (*and not just for fun, which I do, but this time it has a purpose. hehehe*)

To all my buddies going to the game- have fun! :)

And the only tidbit about the matchup that really caught my eye was this:
Coaching Experience: The longest active tenured coach with one franchise (and 3rd all-time behind Al Arbour and Billy Reay), Lindy Ruff will step behind the Sabres' bench in the post-season for the seventh time. Ruff's.591 playoff winning percentage ranks third among active coaches behind Dan Bylsma (.667) and Mike Babcock (.644). In the six years that Ruff has guided his teams into the post-season, they have reached the Conference Finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final once.

WOW is all I have to say. WOW.

Let's Go Buffalo! :)

The Great Oz has spoken

YAY Osgood got another shutout. He's SO the man. The Pens are getting owned all over the ice and I LOOOOVE it!

After reading all that blahblah about how they are the next Oilers dynasty (Hello, don't you have to win a coupla Cups to start being thought of as a dynasty?) on NHL.com today it was kinda nice to see that.

Oooh wee were those some sweet goals. I love the Wings. They just get it done. Who thinks they are boring? Their transition game is one of the best in the league, they are fast and furious and have some sick moves. They can hit, they can score, their goalie is a beast. They are just awesome. (they are evertying Pittsburgh should be but somehow isn't doing)

I think the Pens were more organized tonight but they could not get past OSGOOD because he is the man. Last time a goalie started the finals with 2 shutouts? I believe it was Marty Brodeur in 2003 on his way to Cup #3 with the Devils. :):) GOOD JOB OZZIE!

Oh and this has been bothering me, but I could swear that Chris Osgood doesn't have any eyebrows. I watched his interview tonight and every time I see him it's like there is something strage going on with his face (besides the fact that he still looks like he's 12 LOL) and I finally realized it- if he does have eyebrows, they are so light that you can't see 'em. But I was looking hard and could not tell. Then I remembered about a teacher I had in high school who had this weird condition where the hair on his body (except his head) started falling out- he had no eyelashes or eyebrows. We didn't notice till he pointed it out because he had blonde hair anyway but then it was SO STRANGE. So now I'm wondering about Ozzie. I must research.

But I also need some sleep. I had a busy day and I've got to be up early tomorrow so peace out homies.

here we go again

yay I stole the laptop so I can blog and watch the game at the same time. Wheee!

Pre-game thoughts:
-I can't believe the Wings and Pens did not play even ONCE all year. WTF is up with that?
-I loooooved that Mario and Stevie did the ceremonial puck drop. I almost cried. I love Stevie so much. and he looked SOOOO tiny next to Mario. Weird. which means that either Mario is HUGE or Stevie is tiny or both. LOL
-I also enjoy that Messier is in the studio. he may have captained the Rangers to the theft of Stanley in my first hockey season but I dunno, he's just great. I can't seem to hate him. so woo.
-WHY do the announcers have to yell all thetime? Guys, we can hear you, I promise.
-Crosby looked totally annoyed that Chris Simpson was harassing him right before faceoff. I would be too. Totally rude.
-What is up with Lidstrom's 'C' being on the right side? It goes on the left, over the heart. That makes no sense! Somebody help answer this question..

First Period:
The Wings are taking a lot of penalties. How strange.
Ossie is bustin! Good job my boy!
I can't believe that goal was disallowed. Seriously that was a dumb penalty. Grrrrr at that. Fleury was NOT in the crease. That means he was fair game!
Oh and has anyone noticed that Draper has been the Dockers player of the game for about 20938495 games now? It's weird cuz they act like it's something new every time. no clue about that. but in case you didn't know, Kris Draper likes golf. and wearing jeans and t-shirts.
Oh and can they PLEASE stop taking to the players in the middle of the game? that is so distracting and annoying. Why do they do that?

Intermission:
not much to talk about. I read in the Hockey NEws that the NHL is not advocating playoff beards- because they think that ad agencies won't want pictures of scruffy players. WTF yo? Have they ever watched playoff hockey? A full, bustin beard (unless you're Sid, who can't grow one, or Ovie who sprouts overnight) means you have stood the test of several rounds. It's like a badge of honour. And it's mad tradition. I think it's absurd.
Honestly, I don't know why no one has told Brian Engblom that the mullet has to go? It's horrid. Worse than horrid. You think I would get used to it but I just can't seem to. Yeugh.

Second period:
Some good chances. Pittsburgh doesn't have much defence.
I like the crowd. Good ole hockeytown!
Sweet action Detroit scores!!! wraparound even. That was solid. and Fleury was sllooooow on the uptake there. WOOOOHOOOOOOOO!
They have been better than usual about the constant Crosby reminders. That's refreshing.
Fleury has had some nice stops since the goal.
Kronwall is a BEAST. I love it!

Lets talk about commercials...
Can VS. please get some new ones?
I am so sick of the same stupid Touch of Gray, Enterprise, Extreme Cagefighting matchup, Edge shaving gel blah blahblah. I just hate stupid commercials, if they were good, I wouldn't mind. BUt these SUCK! Although the Bud Light carpet one is pretty funny.

enough of that.

3rd Period- Detroit still up 1-0:
Samuelson with #2 for the night.. WOOOOOOHOOOO baby.
Whenever they show Thierren, he looks like he's about to cry. Maybe that's cuz they show him after Detroit goals but man. that's rough.
Sorry Fleur, you screwed up there.
I think that 'ricochet' is Mike Emrick's favorite word. lol
*I need a beverage* .... ahh Mt. Dew- Yummy.
They just showed some Army dude who worked with the Pens and is in Afganistan- I should get a pic of my sis the Red Wings fan from Iraq and sent it to VS..
Woooo Osgood stops the Kid with 9 mins left to keep it scoreless for the Pens.
The Wings are SO GOOD on the transition. They are amazingly fast.
Like Lidstrom really had 2 penalties tonight? I don't think he had 2 penalties all season?
Happy B-day Draper.
WOOOOOOOOOO! 3-0. Cleary. :) That was supreme. What a headsup play to pounce on that puck. Oooh no way! Zetterberg- it's 4-0 with 12 seconds left. Bring it on baby!

Aaaaaaand Osgood with the SHUTOUT!!! :) Brilliant.

GOOD JOB WINGS! Osgood is 5-0 in the finals in his career. That's great. :)

**and the Cincinnati Cyclones won tonight in their ECHL Kelly Cup final game 1 too. Well done boys!**

I'm outta here.

P.S. Babcock is no Lindy Ruff, but he is kinda being pissy at the press conference. He was mad about that call on the disallowed goal, "you're trying to set me up. His stick was in the crease? Is that against the rules? Did they change it when I wasn't watching?" but that's not as good as Lindy's "Wake up, geezus, Wake UP!". ANd Babcock has a weird voice.

ANd WHOA but that placed cleared out really fast!

Can Stanley come out to play?

Ahh it's that time! It FINALLY feels like Spring in Buffalo and it is also (at long last) time for the FINALS! :) And even though it's not our beloved Sabres, the Red Wings are playing for Lord Stanley, and I have been a Red Wings fan since I've been a hockey fan. (14 years now) so I think it's okay for me to get excited about the idea of them winning! They are not my #1 team- truth be told, they never were #1- that honor belonged to whichever team Pavel Bure was playing for because he's my main man- but they have always been my 'other' team. We have endured some really lame times along the way, the Wings and I, with some poor showings and early round exits, and of course the loss to the Devils in 95 (which started a slow burning passion for Marty Brodeur that took some years to flower itself..) and then we got to feel the GLORY of Winning- in 1997, ending the drought of the half-century, and see Stevie Y lift the Grail over his head. Ahh that was magic. Then I was IN Detroit a couple of weeks later, to see the banners everywhere, and the statues wearing Red Wings jerseys, it was SO COOL!

Then we got to do it again in 1998. And 2002.

But now it's 2008 and there are a whole new corps of Wings who haven't tasted Stanley's champagne yet. It's their turn. And I'm cheering for them!

I actually don't really have anything against Pittsburgh. I prefer the Wings but if the Pens win, I won't be too upset. At least it's not the Rangers or the Flyers, thank heavens.

Looking at it from a talent/stats point of view, I think the Wings have the better deal. If I was a Pens fan, I'd be worried about Fleury's ability to stand up to the Wings offence. He has been VERY good thus far, but the Penguins have not been tested by a true offensive juggernaut. It will be interesting. I also think Detroit has better defence. They are going to have their hands full with Sid, Geno and Hossa for sure, but I think that they are up to the task. And Osgood knows what it takes and he is ready. :)

This should be an exciting series. I'm looking forward to it. But I think Wings in 6. 7 would be even cooler.

GAME ON!