MOVING ON....

We lost to Detroit and yeah I understand that it was an important game and it would have been nice to win and all but seriously before tonight we won 4 in a row one of the longest winning steaks we've had all season. Let's face it though Detroit is 3rd in the league it wasn't exactly a no brainer that we were going to lose and that's not just me being negative. We played last night, Detroit didn't and if the first two periods of last night's game were any indication we were tired or just not trying hard enough to win although we somehow squeaked by with a win. If we were having that much of a problem against the Rangers it was almost a guarantee that were going to have an even bigger problem against an even better team (aka Detroit).

I have to say that I didn't watch much of the game mainly because I was standing in a crowded bar with fellow bloggers discussing hockey related things (most of the time). It was also hard to watch the game with no sound because the bar was also showing the football games that were on tonight so the sound for the Sabres game was turned down so as not to distract the other patrons from watching grown men tackle each other over possession of a pig skin (not that I'm dissing football, I just think that hockey is more interesting but I've got to be PC here I couldn't risk pissing someone off but then again it's our blog we can do what we will with it anyways back to hockey).

When the Sabres scored I almost let myself believe that maybe we could pull it off (yay Derek Roy) but once again it is the Sabres curse to get your hopes up only to have them dashed at the last second, or the last 3 minutes, which was how long it took Detroit to take a game that was relatively evenly matched to a game that was most certainly a Detroit win.

Even though the Sabres lost I still had fun tonight it was nice meeting everyone and being able to put faces with blogs. Now I'm off to bed to get ready for my return to the academic world on Monday I've got to get all the sleep I can because once school starts it's going to be in short supply.

Highlights From TBN'S NHL Preview. (AWWW!!!)

This is going to get lengthy...

So I woke up at 8:00 am for nothing because right now it's 8:35, and still no Derek Roy report.  They just told me that he'd be on after they played Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours," which is fine by me because I love him too, but after that, they're now playing "Sexy Can I?"  I'm a little miffed.

ANYWAYS...

There is some silver lining, in these finer points provided by today's TBN:

-  Ryan Miller, on his teammates, specifically the ones he played in Rochester with, and the ones he now plays with:  "I'm sitting here sever years deep with a few guys, and I consider them some of my best friends.  It's just kind of the attitude.  You're around them, you get to know each other, you have a history.  I know just a ton about these guys, where they come from, what they're all about, what they want to do in their life.  Not just in hockey, but everything, because you have time to talk.  You're sitting on the bus, and you're talking about everything.  You're on the plane, you're goofing around, and you're talking about life.  It's what you do with your friends--your best friends."

-  Ryan and Paul traveled across Europe together this past summer, and there were "standing next to [each other] in the fall of 2005, when their lifelong dreams were fulfilled...  One day Lindy Ruff summoned them.  Surrounded by uncertainty, they marched to see the coach.  Guys, he said, it's time you found a place to live."

-  Lindy Ruff:  "We had a winning year last year; but it wasn't a playoff year.  In my book, winning is calculated by being able to play past the regular season.  We didn't quite make it, and the character part of this is you learn from your disappointments."

-  Despite playing only 48 games last season, Tim Connolly was 6th on the team in scoring (40 points), 3rd in assists (33), 4th in home scoring (29), and 3rd in home assists (24).  I guess when he's really, really bad, he's actually really, really good.  That could explain A LOT.

-  Connolly had this to say:  "I'm by far in the best shape of my life, bar non.  All the physical testing results are the highest I've had in my career.  It was a long summer of rehab and training and getting ready.  The goal is playing every game.  Contribute at both ends of the rink and contribute on the special teams because I feel like I can make the team better in those areas."  A later quote said this:  "I'm not authorized to talk about injuries,' a smirking Connolly said."  HE SMIRKED.  THIS IS NOT OUR TIM CONNOLLY.  He must be an imposter.

-  Matthew Barnaby will appear on SportsCenter on Wednesday and Thursday nights and also make rounds of ESPNews an ESPN radio and write for ESPN.com.

-  AND YAY AND PROPS TO FELLOW BLOGGERS HEATHER B AND KATEBITS FOR HAVING A SIZABLE ARTICLE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM!!!!!

Derek Roy FINALLY had this to say:

-  The team is ready and raring to go.

-  The team has been focusing on defense.

-  The officials are going to be cracking down on obstruction.

-  His goals?  "Pretty much the same...  More leadership."

-  "Not just making the playoffs, going deep in the playoffs."

-  Craig Rivet "is great."

-  Craig Rivet is "a 30-year-old trapped in a 14-year-old's body."

-  They're going to play tricks on the newbie.

-  He's expecting to be on the PK.

-  He likes to block shots.

-  Who's available to date?  Himself, Ales, Tim, Drew, Adam, Paul, Pat K...  They stopped there.  (He lied though, because we're dating.  And MJ is with Adam, and Kim is with Paul, so...  But he did confirm that Danny is engaged.)

-  "That's a random question."

-  Wants a cure for cancer.

-  Perfect pizza?  Taco pizza.

-  Most embarrassing moment?  Had an empty net in a championship game and missed.  Shot into the corner, and then fell down and ran into the post.

-  Worst pick up line he used or heard?  "I don't use them... but 'How much does a polar bear weigh?'  'Enough to break the ice."

-  Believes in ghosts.

-  Identifies most with Vinnie on Entourage.  His brother (which one?) would be Drama.

-  Identifies with the Roadrunner.  Because he's fast.

-  Likes to play Guitar Hero.

-  Has a guitar, but admittedly needs lessons.

Oh, and Clint Malarchuk shot himself in the face.  Don't worry; he's okay.  At least, as okay as he can be.  Apparently he was shooting rabbits on his Nevada property and was reloading the gun and it went off.  At least, that's what they were saying on Kiss before Derek came on.

And the TBN also had this in the Life & Arts section:  Country star Kellie Pickler last year battled depression and suffered severe reactions to antidepressants after struggling with family problems and an emotional breakup with her boyfriend, professional hockey player Jordin Tootoo.  I'd be emotional, too, if I had just broken up with him, although I feel my emotions would be the exact opposite of Kellie's, because I'd be absolutely elated.  Whatever, though.

Ramblings, and Ding Dong Ditch Anyone??

So while I should be in my Medical Terminology and Anatomy/Physiology lectures today, I'm posting, shopping, tanning, and not giving a damn.  I just had 2 major exams and I've worked 4 nights in a row with crazy old people.  Literally, they're crazy old people.  Not just the lady at the corner of my street who yelled at us when we were waiting at the bus stop if we put a toe on her lawn, but certifiable old people with Dementia and Alzheimer's.  So, yeah.  I'm taking a day off, especially since this is the only day I'm not working this week.

Topic #1  :  Derek Roy

AHHHHH!  My baby was captain!  So last night I was listening to the game at work on my headphones, not that I'm allowed to or anything, but since when do I care?  And when Rick said that some punk knocked Derek down, I got all offended.  And then someone slashed him or something, and I got even more offended.  The text messages between Kim and I were so frequent that I couldn't tell exactly what happened there, because every time I'd send or receive a message, my reception would go all fuzzy.  You give and you take, I guess.

Topic #2  :  NHL.com

I seem to remember the NHL mandating that all 30 teams in the league reformat and redesign their websites so that they all corresponded in layout and all that jazz with www.NHL.com.  Now, one year later, they've gone and changed their whole website.  That's pretty lame if you ask me, and I, for one, am not crazy about the look of it.  It's sleek, yes, but it's lacking color.  And they don't let you get the real-time scores anymore.  I wanted it last night at work, but all they give you now is the option to watch any game, live, on your computer.  BUT you have to pay.  It's Center Ice online, basically.  There is, however, a free preview on opening weekend.  I think I just might have to check it out; probably won't, though, since I can finally watch Rick and Harry.

Topic #3  :  New NHL Commercials

It was brought to my attention after reading someone's blog (sorry, I can't remember which one) that the NHL has a new campaign this year.  Well, actually, it's still the "Is this the year?" deal, but tweaked.  I'm not crazy about it.  There are the platform league commercials, and then each team has two of their own:  One focuses on the team, and then the other highlights a certain player.  Ours is Miller, obviously.  But they really could've taken the time to actually FILM a commercial, instead of putting a slideshow of pictures together and throwing some little diddy over it.  The one-liners at the end are pretty funny, but I preferred last season's clips which actually featured the players themselves.  Watch them here, but click on "NHL Presents," and they'll be on the menu on the right-hand side.  Miller's is last on Page 3, and the team one (or should I say Derek, Tommy, and Jason's) is first on 4.

Topic #4  :  Matt Ellis

WHO?  Um, can someone please explain to me why we claimed him?  I mean, I realize that he'll end up a Portland guy, but still.  They can snag this guy off of waivers and sign a whole bunch of randoms over the summer, BUT THEY CAN'T CONVINCE MIKE RYAN TO SIGN??  Lame.  No offense, Matt.  I just like Mike.

Topic #5  :  Chris Drury

Before you smack yourself in the face, this isn't another rant about how we let him get away.  Personally, I couldn't care less anymore.  We couldn't win it with him, so who's to say we can't win it without him, am I right, or am I right?  ANYWAYS, the TBN had an article featuring him today.  One, he now plays on the wing.  If Chris Drury is as good as he is at faceoffs, why the hell wouldn't you want him at center?  That's like using Martin Brodeur as your backup goalie when you know he had a 2.17 GAA and a save percentage of .920 through 77 games and 2,089 shots.  Two, he's making a push to be named the Rangers' captain.  Well, obviously.  But the paper says that he has been extremely vocal with the guys lately.  Now that's something I don't remember him being in Buffalo.  I remember him being the one to lead by example, on the ice.  All the talking and the pow-wows were left to Briere, I thought.  I don't know, but maybe the Big City has affected Chris.

Topic #6  :  Heather B

Heather B, the beautiful author of Top Shelf, was featured in the TBN this morning!!!  So exciting!  So go read about her there.

Topic #7  :  Injuries

All I'm going to say is WHY ISN'T PAUL GAUSTAD ON THIS STUPID THING?

Topic #8  :  Portland Pirates

The Pirates open their training camp this morning.  Exciting stuff!  Except for the fact that it's just a continuation of the Sabres camp, but whatever.  It's the first glimpse of our guys for the fans up in Maine, so it's cool.  I just can't wait to go to a game there in November!  Yay!

Topic #9  :  Ding Dong Ditch Proposal

(I feel like that should say Love Potion #9 in honor of Derek's boat)

I had this idea yesterday while Kim and I were out for lunch.  Now, most of my ideas, when they involve the Sabres, can get pretty crazy, but they're always fun.  I came up with this little scheme to play DDD with our boys.  That could get interesting, but I think it would be oodles of fun, don't you?  Who wants in?  Anyone????

That's it for now, I guess.  Maybe some more later after tonight's game, since I'm not working!!  That's exciting.