Habs 1, Sabres 3 - Glass half full of Diaz

I'm glad the media is completely off the bandwagon because you know what? Fuck you.

Contrary to the last two games, this looked more like the Habs we know, complete with missing wide open empty nets and screening their own goaltender. But they had the drive, they had the want, and they kept to all their assignments except for the two mistakes that cost them the game where one wouldn't have happened if Gorges didn't ice the damn puck with 7 seconds left in the 2nd.

And trust me, Jorje feels like shit about that one.

There's a lot to build off this one and still plenty to fix. Similarly the powerplay didn't produce but there were plenty of chances available. As JMart said, if they play like this more often then not they'll win more games. Assuming they finish. And actually cash in with the goalie pulled instead of taking a penalty (where they scored on a long empty netter). Honestly I don't care if you get 41 shots on net. The best one was smart and precise, and it was Diaz's goal.

Kind of funny the new guy exploited Ryan Miller's biggest weakness: he'll wait you out so much so that he'll follow you around the net if he has to. And I have actually seen him follow a guy behind the net. Diazling first NHL goal by Diaz.

And a Diaz goal means DIAZ INTERVIEWS! *Swoooooon*

Pretty...

Losing sucks, but being media fucktards about it doesn't make it any better. It just makes it more annoying. Try this on for size:

- Lightning 1-3-2, remind who.s their coach and who's on the roster again?
- Sharks 1-3-0 maybe regretting that Setoguchi trade?
- Rangers 0-1-2 but look to be winning their first 3-0 against the Canucks right now.
- Boston 2-4-0 and just had a goon festival today that should suspend most of the team.

The worst record out there right now is Mr Rick Nash's Blue Jackets at 0-5-1 but they didn't make the playoffs last season.

Onward to Pittsburgh. Maybe Price can get his 100th in the very place he got his 1st win? It's also Hal Gill's 1000th game. COWBOY UP!

A 2-1 score and 40 years ago...

Forty years ago the Sabres came into this world, blinking into the poor lighting of their old crappy arena. And probably the only things people really remember is ice fog and the death of a poor little bat by a high stick. The Aud may be gone now but someone managed to take some nifty abandoned pictures before that happened.

Forty years ago the Habs, wearing their road reds, were visitors and beat the Sabres wearing home whites 3-0.

The Pens called the Sabres after the game and apologized for forgetting to tell them that if they want to celebrate an anniversary, don't call the Habs. Party poopers.

Two of the most chillax goalies in the League and probably two of the only goalies in the League continuously hung out to dry by their teammates.

We all know how Buffalo plays. Lindy Ruff and Jacques Martin makes strange bedfellows. Both are system strong coaches, except Lindy screams a lot while Martin swears under his breath and doodles notes on his notepad all game. Both teams came off a rather annoying loss the game before, except the Sabres didn't score a single goal while getting outshot 35-24 by the shorthanded Devils. In fact, it was hard to tell which goalie was angrier after the result of their last game. Price entered this game as the only goalie in the League to face the most shots in 3 games. One thing's for sure, in spite of crap ice, the Habs came out way more determined than a supposed "angry" Sabres team.

- Ryan Miller is Ryan Miller. Carey Price is Carey Price. It's like "Hey, I made THIS save!" "Oh really, well I made THIS save!"
- After the penalty fest on Wednesday, nice to see the boys play more disciplined. Also the refs in this game decided they weren't going to call every little twitch or twat for once, probably keeping in spirit of the 40 years celebration.
- Who pops the cherry on the powerplay? JOSH GORGES! Complete with sound effect.
- Also on that note, El Jorje scoring means there really is a God. No sticks needed to be sacrificed either.
- For once a defenceman kicked the puck into the net NOT covered by Carey Price.
- Still can't make any saves while being glomped by 3 guys though. Seriously, why you do this to him... Why won't you let him have a shutout?
- Andrei Kostitsyn or bull in a china shop? If the Sabres set up a brick wall at their blue line he'd break through that too.
- Only thing, Andrei, dear... Kovy would have totally picked that far corner while having a tea and biscuit.
- I was upset that Rhino was benched for Picard, yet it turned out ok. Honestly I think he might have had that epiphany. With Eller drawing everyone's attention, he actually had the presence of mind to continue on the puck for the opening goal. And he only got caught once or twice, but there was no harm done.
- PK is special. He screws up, yet he fights hard to cover for his errors. This is why I love this kid.
- Yea, the ref that fucked up that too many men call after Miller left for the bench, I'm thinking you're in trouble.
- Of course after that travesty on Wednesday, we were happy to see some officiating in our favor for once... And to see Derek Roy pissed off is always lovely.
- Not cool sending out the truculence with 4 seconds left, Lindy...

Solid team win. For once, no passengers. Even Pouliot. And holy puck possession, Batman! You guys finally got the concept! And it was lovely seeing the goofy victory moves again.

The New Bulldogs!
Hey hey! The Bulldogs opened their season tonight! And they spanked the Amerks 5-2. It's weird though because Chuck Weber, ex-coach of the Cyclones, is now the Amerks coach. I'm sure he was proud when Wyman and Desharnais scored on his team. Rough time for Jacob Markstrom, Florida's prize goalie prospect (and WJC drama queen). I mean, CONBOY scored! Also Cunneyworth used to coach the Amerks.

What is this, Coach Swap?

Dogs didn't start off too good and found themselves down 2-0 early but then scored 5 unanswered goals. No one was a minus. Mayer held his ground. A couple of fights (typical Amerks/Dogs game). And they got their new coach his first win in his first regular season game.

Habs 0, Slugs 1: You just got Rick Rolled

Yes. Brok. That's exactly the noise I would use for this game.

This is the kind of game that makes you go bald. Oddly enough Coach Kirk looked to be the only one actively coaching today but I guess that's because he has more hair than Double-O Martini.

And this is why Price ain't going to the Olympics. His team just doesn't know what it's doing... Score and he'd win more games, you bastards! Or he'd try to bring you to OT. (Though I still hold my stance on NHL players should be banned from the Olympics, but I'll write about that later). However, in the two Sabres games he played in, he only gave up a goal in each. Put that in your notebook and stuff it up your arse, Coach.

The funny thing is that the Sabres didn't seem too interested in trying to score more. I guess we're not the only ones content with sitting on one goal.

There's really nothing to say about this 3 hour waste of our time. I could have done something productive with it. Like race vats of molasse. The best scoring chance came with only 2 minutes to go, but even then it was a textbook Markov cross-ice pass to Cammy that Miller saw on video two days ago. Benoit Pouliot got the 3rd star for what I assume is speaking the local language, ignoring the goalie who was playing goal, defence, and forward, and backstopping as catcher for baseball, and seemed to be the only one interested in getting the puck, other than the Sabres. Pleky and Cammy must have lost their bodies in Florida, and their brains. May as well have pulled Price for the extra attacker for the whole 3rd period just to make it interesting.

Meanwhile Kovy had a hat trick today, plus another goal and assist against the Flyers so nothing really moves in the standings. That's also probably his quota production for the month. The only other significant thing NHL wise was the Panthers smacked around the Penguins 6-2. Yea, you done real good.

Team Canada vs Team USA for gold. Try not to duck, Jake.