Friday, March 30, 2007

This shit's official?

Buffalo wins, Pens win, Detroit wins (but I'm not allowed to care) , All of Canada except Edmonton is winning (god damnit St. Louis the ONE time) and the Canes are losing spectacularly. New Jersey is officially number two in Atlantic tonight oh glorious day and Isles are as good as out of the race with their goalie having post symptoms but it would be fantastic if something would trip Tampa or the other not so contract happy New York team. I'm not even picky about this. And to top it all off in two more win Buffalo will clinch division and if they can hold out for three they break the team record they set last year for best season. Things are good.

And then this happened.

Video aside, wtfever happened to "We're gonna win that cup"!? It's a classic and this is a year of classics in Buffalo. I am full of depressed and I can think of a couple other people that won't be happy about this development either. I think I could record a better song myself on the little red tape player from when I was two. Who wants to sing back up?

Thursday, March 29, 2007

ANA @ CBJ: 2-5 LOSS

Dear Blue Jackets,

I am not pissed at you. You played well. I heart you guys seriously.

Love,
Skye
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Dear Officiating for the Jackets Game,

Go fucking jump of a cliff, you fucking morons. kthxbai.

WITH HATE,
Skye
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Dear Freddy Modin,

Please come back soon. Tonight proved that we need you.

Love,
Skye
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Dear Chris Pronger,

... ... ... ... ...

With Hate,
Skye
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Dear Sergei Fedorov,

BEAUTIFUL goal, Feds. Just beautiful. Do that more often, 'kay?

Much Love,
Skye
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Dear Jackets Announcers,

Joffrey Lupul doesn't play for Anaheim anymore. Maybe you need to write that down in your notes for next time, yeah?

Amused, but Not Really,
Skye

Monday, March 26, 2007

What? I live?

Apparently, I do. At least, I think I do, today. I hate Mondays sometimes. Anyways. I’ve had steady computer access for a little while now, but Google has been giving me shit whenever I try to post in the blog, because I created a new account, and it doesn’t seem to like the idea of letting me sign into my OLD account so that I can post here. Ugh.

Note to self: Poke at Blogger to add my other account.

Anyways. Hockey has happened quite a bit since the last time I posted. So, here we go with the bulleted list!

-The Jackets have played 7 games since I posted last, and lost only 3 of them. True, one of these losses was to Nashville, which means they swept the entire season series, but that’s not really surprising, given where they are at in the standings.

-We played Anaheim on the 14th, which wasn’t on TV, but we won it in a shootout, with David Vyborny getting the game winner. Way to go, Vybes.

-We then lost two straight in back-to-back games, one against San Jose, and one against Los Angeles. Both games were pretty much equally disgusting, with an abundance of penalties to go around. I didn’t pay much attention to either game, as I was on the phone with ‘Drea for the duration of both, but I paid enough attention to be disgusted each time.

-The only three players that seemed to show up against Los Angeles were Nash, Zherdev, and Platt, who combined for something like 8 points in the game. Platt with two goals, Nash with a goal, and Zherdev with assists on each goal. It seems to me like Hitch has hit a good line with these three. I personally hope that next season, Geoff Platt stays up with the big boys, because he’s got talent, and he’s producing. He may be little, but he’s quick, and he’s got a mean wrister. Size isn’t everything, as he’s proving (along with the Red Wings’ Jiri Hudler, who is the same height as Platt, and has been producing extremely well recently as well).

-After Los Angeles, we played Chicago, and won it soundly, 5-2. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen got his first NHL goal, so way to go, Ole-Kristian.

-Then there was the Detroit game on the 22nd. My mom and I watched this game together, and for the first time since she bought it, Mom wore her Sergei Fedorov jersey for the game. I, predictably enough, was wearing my Nikolai Zherdev jersey (though, the question really is, "When don't I wear that jersey?"). I've finally given in and admitted that I am a Red Wings fan, but this game was really no contest for me. I always want my Jackets to win, no matter who they're playing.
This game was, if nothing else, exciting to watch, and proved yet again, why Danny Gare and Jeff Rimer have taken to calling Fredrik Norrena "Steady Freddy".
When Detroit finally scored in the third, I was rather torn, because the goal was scored by Pavel Datsyuk, with an assist from little Jiri Hudler, both of whom I have extreme soft spots for. In the end, 'upset' won out over 'happy', because I wanted the Jackets to win this game. They had played phenomenally all game, and to see them play the way they had in that game, failure wasn't an option to me at that point. I wanted them to win.
With about two minutes left in the third, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen netted his second career goal, and tied it up, leading me to call 'Drea and flail to her that they had tied it up. The game went into overtime, where Steady Freddy reigned again, and it went to a shootout.
This is where I started flailing more. I am not a fan of shootouts. I like to watch them, but I don't like them deciding games. Especially Jackets games. Because history has shown that we're not very good at shootouts. Tonight, they would totally surprise me. I don't really remember much of the shootout, except for Rick Nash's beautiful goal that totally faked Chris Osgood out of his skates, Geoff Platt having his first career shootout attempt (and subsequently failing, but that's alright, he tried), and Nikolai Zherdev's failed attempt.
What I remember SO WELL, however, is realizing that the crowd in Joe Louis Arena was booing louder than they had all night. My head snapped up and I looked at the television. And there he was. Sergei Fedorov. The one that I defend ALL THE TIME against the Red Wings fans that are my friends. (Steph, looking at you.) Mom was yelling, and I told 'Drea who was up next for the shootout, and promptly started shaking. All I knew is that I wanted Sergei to net this one SO BADLY, to win this game. To win it against the Detroit Red Wings.
And he did.
Mom and I have never screamed so loud at home. 'Drea was laughing on the phone, and all three of us were just blown away by the fact that Sergei Fedorov had just won the game for the Columbus Blue Jackets, against his old team. I haven't been that elated over a win since the Jackets pulled out that amazing upset against Anaheim in January.

-Then, we played St. Louis last night, who had just come off of, ironically, a shootout win against Detroit. I had discovered earlier in the day that Manny Legace was injured, and apparently had been for a while (Uh, Steph? Why didn't you tell me? ;-;). The game started off well enough with a Jackets goal, and then St. Louis tied it up with a goal from Doug Weight. Fredrik Modin netted a goal for the Jackets, earning him his 20th goal of the season, and his 400th point of his career. What a milestone. Way to go, Freddy. Jason Chimera set a personal best for himself by tallying three assists on the night. Geoff Platt netted his fourth of the season in the third period, making the score 4-1, and made me love him just that little bit more. All in all, a good game.

So, in the time that I've been gone, hockey hasn't really been all that horrible to me. Let's hope it continues to be that way, yeah?

This is Skye-chan, signing out for now. I should be posting with more regularity soon (barring the possiblity that I don't get the job I'm hoping for, which will kill most internet chances for me, as well as my hockey watching).

Oh, oh, oh. And you know what else? Sergei Fedorov still rocks. :D

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

It hasn't been that long...

I can't decide how I feel about hockey tonight. Or how I've felt about it in general as of late. But lets just start with tonight. On one had the majority of the matches turned out favourably in my opinion. Though a lot of them seemed quite uneventful (seriously? When Jackets and Hawks are the most promising match and they deliver and it's the only game that I didn't/couldn't catch at some point tonight there is something not quite right in the cosmos.) However the two teams I actually cared about most failed me.

That would be St. Louis and the Flyers (shush it's not true). Both of which were about as much fun fun as a drive through the Minnesota wild with a grandfather who has tourettes and no there was no stoping at St. Mary's to oogle catch a glimpse of the future prospects. Flyers just had me in tears for their poor goalie but really that's come to be the norm. At least two of those goals were not his fault (oh the last one had me swearing like a sailor it did) and when you take twice as many shots on goal as the opposition well of course it makes sense that a couple more are going to go in especially when your team's defense has been vacationing in Key West since the Forsberg trade. That doesn't make it any less distressing though. This team has to be like a curse but I'm sure it's so easy for them to just give up, being ten points down from the second step on the ladder but still. I could go on but I'd just be repeating myself hesstillagoodgoaliedamnit.

Speaking of further disappointment I can't get through this without bitching about another upset imo that is the Sabres latest road trip (with 100% less room service, they kept it in the club). Yeah I'm sure it seems like I should be content. Six of eight is good. Especially when two of those teams were the vicious birds of the east (it's a wonder how threatening the flightless variety can be and I'm not talking about ratites). And over all there would have been content with the outcome had they maybe played like they deserved it. Which is the most upsetting factor. The Atlanta game. The only game where they actually decided to show up. In fact in my opinion they out skated and out played Atlanta the whole and the only thing keeping the Thrashers in the game was that damn Finn. No really. That and the fact that our special teams are like... shit. Even when they get it together. It was close. We got the point. I still wanted two. Which is the complete OPPOSITE of the Pens game. I'm actually disturbed that we got one out of that one. Dear Pittsburgh showed us up in every way that night and I was totally ready to wish that they crash and burn for the rest of the season (oh I was, my loyalties are so cheap) but they totally deserved that while we just got way too lucky. Even in Florida we were averaging 20 shots on goal maybe per night which I know is not everything but damn it's abnormal for them okay. It was rather disgusting to watch and I'm still not sure how we crawled back out of that hole we were clinging to the edge of for a short while there. (I sound so dramatic I'm sure but after spending an entire season at the top and you kind of like to stay there, especially over traitors).

So in conclusion once again Atlanta has crushed my hopes and dreams but could they had least have the courtesy to show up some of those other teams I'd like to see smacked down a few pegs. Of course not. Because inevitably at 78.3 percent of the time hockey is destined to plague me with emotional turmoil. I have a feeling those numbers are in the general area of normal.

And so this post isn't all bitch bitch negative! Sabres did clinch playoffs as of the Habs defeat of Toronto (not that there was doubt but it's nice to have that insurance from here on out so long as it's not an excus for slacking... but really if we even lost division and the advantage at this point I would be severely shocked and may have to default to afformentioned flightless birds who can seriously take a dive and pick themselves up without so much as a skinned knee. I don't know how they do it but they're quite the force~) . Speaking of which Pens are also all but assured. I am mostly okay with the way the playoffs are shaping up to be but I would like to see the Habs or Toronto make it in (so Carolina can get bumped out, if Edmonton's out I will not sleep until they are too!) St. Louis was a nice pipe dream while it lasted (really that was sealed the day they decided Guerin and Tkachuk were too cool to skip post-season [really really, I may just be delusional])

Also Ty Conklin finally decided that patriotism was dead (or something was, I'll be nice or Skye might eat me!) and got the shiniest of shinys and it's taking every ounce of will power not to ship over to Buffalo to go see it tomorrow night (that and the fact that the Russian threesome [lollithuania counts] and Ales and his BFF will be reunited! I can't imagine there wouldn't be something worth seeing in either of that] But right. Conks has a helmet and it is quite possibly the greatest of helmets this team has ever seen. Though I do think Miller's design is nice as it's so intricate and utilizes the shape of the mask perfectly. But it's not blindingly shiny. Seriously that has to be a tactical advantage or something as it's sure to burn the retinas of all who attempt shooting the puck in that general direction! That man bs's so badly when he says he's not a mask guy (possibly worse than Marty and that takes skill!) wtf I have counted like at least 10 in the not even decade that he's played.

We'll see wether or not I actually am weak of mind tomorrow. Probably not though as it also promises more Marty.

PS: This just in. Huet is from France. Seriously.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

...

Remember that hiatus that I thought I was gonna be taking a little while back that was a false alarm? Yeah, this time, it's not.

I was caught online again, and will probably not be able to have computer access until I move out. That will hopefully not to be too far from now.

So, I'll catch y'all at some time in the future, I hope.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

LAK @ CBJ: 3-2 OT WIN

Spaztastic LJ Phone Post about game.

And the one thing I didn't spaz about in that is Geoff Platt's first goal. It's about damn time. Good for him.

A goal from Platt, and two goals from Vyborny, including the game winner.
Can't remember who scored for LA, don't really care. ^^;

Final Score: 3-2
BLUE JACKETS WIN.

Game Day!

What, a post from me? XD That actually happens? Yes, yes it does. Sometimes. When I'm not being lazy, it seems.

Game Day
Los Angeles Kings @ Columbus Blue Jackets
7 P.M. Eastern Time
NHL Preview
Game Day Score Card

The Jackets are coming off a successful
two-game road trip, where they came away with 4 of 4 points earned.
Can we say 'woot'? I thought so.

Norrena is getting the start tonight after Boucher won his first game as a Blue Jacket on Saturday night.

It also looks like Hitch might have played a little blender with the lines again, as Nikolai Zherdev is up on the second line with Sergei Fedorov and Fredrik Modin. Geoff Platt is still up on the top line with David Vyborny and Rick Nash, as those three seem to have extremely good chemistry together.

A win Wednesday would also snap Columbus' three-game home losing streak. The Blue Jackets are just 1-4-1 in their last six games at Nationwide Arena.


This is not the greatest of stats, but hopefully, we can break this horrible slump tonight with a win against Los Angeles, who are struggling at the moment.

The Kings went 0-for-6 with the man advantage Tuesday, snapping a run of nine straight games with at least one power-play goal.

Los Angeles, which owns a league-worst 9-20-2 road record, visits Detroit on Friday before closing out the four-game swing Sunday at Dallas.


In other news, Edmonton plays Tampa Bay tonight, and Buffalo faces Colorado.

I think that's it from me, and I'll go back to writing fanfiction that I really should not.

GO BLUE JACKETS.

Sports math: Hockey > School

I deemed ten minutes before I had to run to school an appropriate time to write about hockey huzzah! Sabres didn't play last night but it should be noted that our captain is slated to come back in the Avs match up tonight. I think we should be pretty solid for this game with him back with the way the rookies have been performing. And his return also means we can send the ones that haven't been performing as much back down. I'm looking at you Mike.

There's also been lots of discussion over whether or not Ruff may just keep Stafford for the rest of this season and post. I for one think he has more than earned that place. To be honest I thought he felt like a full fledged Sabre long ago. I wouldn't even argue with Macarthur getting the same honor too if chance allows. Anyway in a rare display of guessing scores I predict 4-2 Buffalo tonight. Go Slugs!

In other news a lot of chance victories took place last night. I frighted the dog in my cussing over the Wings Nashville game not because I wanted the latter to win but because I really wanted the Wings to win regulation and I don't want that often! A repeat of this scene also took place as I audibly squee'd over the New Jersey Flyers game. Lowly Philly taking down the top team in the division is good for everyone in spite of the fact that the Devils still get a point. But it's good for the Pens on the off chance that they decide to try and play well enough to take them on again (speaking of which quite nervous about their match on Thursday and the win over Ottawa is huge to give them some insurance) and it's good for the Sabres if we want to clinch top of the division (hey we're not out of the woods yet).

Most importantly of all Biron made and absolutely disgusting save on Langenbrunner with his leg while he was on the ground. It was so lucky and smart at the same time and he got a standing ovation from his first night in his new city so of course that makes me even happier. I also kind of need to point out Scottie Upshall could this kid have been any better of an acquisition? No it's already quite clear that I don't like Nashville so it's not like I'm noticing him for that either but I swear in the every game I've been paying attention to Philly this kid has been putting up points. Where as Foppa has about three points and is now currently off searching for the newest trend in breakfast foods. By the end of this season Upshall will probably match what Forsberg did in Philly. Gagne's OT goal also made me far more happy than I should ever allow myself to be in the face of this team.

So all and all with the except of the st. Louis game, hockey was a fairly happy thing last night.

And because breakfast foods were mentioned can I please just say how much I don't really care for Joe Thorton one way or another, not to say I dislike him either, but every single time the league does something with him and his damn toast I just DIE truly and completely. I with they would put that commercial up now plzkthnx. Or maybe they shouldn't or I might watch it on repeat for the rest of my life XD;

Monday, March 5, 2007

In case you didn't know I'm obsessed with a certain devil-eyed goalie...

Well well well, where to begin? It's been quite an emotional week or two, in life and in the world of hockey but thankfully I only have to write about the latter here but I can't promise this won't get sappy and sentimental because I am slowly realizing that I took a great player for granted and am now kicking myself for it but really excited for what's in store too.

Trade deadline has come and gone and it's always a stressing time for fans Foppa went to Nashville making it arguably the most dangerous move for anyone set to face them come play off time. We'll see. Guerin to the Sharks also struck a particular chord with me because he's been a key player with St. Louis this year. Arguably the most important along with Legace in my option (on the plus side he resigned for two years~) and they also lost Tkachuk to Atlanta. Steph did point me toward information that basically stated outright that Guerin was a rental player and i don't see why that might not be the case with the later too though his contract did have an addition if it isn't. So all is not lost for them. Unlike Edmonton, with the most heartbreaking news of all which I'm sure I don't even need to restate here but I was rather broken up about it too. But STILL not as much as I was over this, the trade that hit home most of all. And that was no small news either but I am still reeling from disbelief over the trade of Martin Biron, quite possibly one of the most beloved athletes in the sport, to the Philadelphia Flyers; as in from number one to dead last and I don't think it's possible for me to be any more torn.

What adds salt to the wound is that when all was said and done the Sabres pretty much officially stated that this was a direct result of all the injuries we were taking, to free up money from the cap which they had maxed out. The acid in the wound is that to replace him we signed Ty fucking Conklin . To be fair I am not so bent up over that part of the deal anymore but I don't think I'll ever accept him as a Sabre unless he's in for a long haul. Doubtful. Moving back to the québécois goalie, as much as I don't want to see him leave this is an opportunity for him and he seems more or less excited about it in interviews, any number of which I could point out at home but seeing as I'm writing this at school this is the only one I can access but they're all about the same. Some people have noted that he doesn't seem himself in these but you know what? I don't blame him if that's the case and I don't think that's any reason to assume that he's lying about being happy. He wanted to start more than anything else. He wanted to play probably even more than he wanted to win a cup at least as back up and you know what? If he starts for the Flyers for the rest of the season he will probably end up getting more games than he would have with the Sabres even in post season barring any injuries with Miller [Oh please no injuries. I am having horrible nightmares of facing the Islanders with Bergeron and watching last season in new colours on repeat in slow motion it's horrible]. So in the end, who are we to deny him the opportunity to prove himself again just because we want to hold on to our longest tenured player who we adore? And for that I am glad he's not stuck in the shadow anymore just providing comic relief.

But I still miss him. Still miss him as much as the day the trade went through and I'll admit I cried a little when he was absent from the bench and Conks was there acting like he was just one of the guys with everyone else. It hurt. It felt wrong. He's been a constant from before I departed from hockey for a while and I regret missing a big part of the most important years of his career now. But I do remember him from when he was still a regular in minors which means he's been part of this organization for more than half of my life. The team just doesn't seem the same without him there anymore. And I think the players feel the same way. Nearly all of them were interviewed about the trade and all of them had glowing opinions of him especially Miller who has no doubt been influenced by him greatly. Add to that both captains singling him out as the best teammate they've ever had in their career [and Drury has been with quite a few notable players to be sure] and Brian Campbell actually reacting angrily about it, toward Miller unfortunately but he understood and didn't hold it against Campbell. Earlier in the year Brian also said:
"I really don't know what I would do without Marty out there. Everybody on the team enjoys him so much. Everybody has fun with him and he has fun with us. Marty is the big time key to all of it --- I think the only reason all of this is working is because of the personality of Marty."
And it seems to be holding true. The Sabres have had their fair share of stars to come through their ranks but Biron was something else altogether for them. He seemed sort of like a wall. He was knowledgable , he was supportive, he was sweet, he was funny, he was a notable optimist for them, always looking ahead and I feel like the importance of what he did for them off the ice maybe even doubles what he did on it. The Flyers know they're getting a great goalie in him [and I don't say great lightly, you don't hold records for thirteen straight wins and one for shut outs for your team on mediocrity] but I hope they also realize what a fantastic person they are getting too. I think they do.

My reasoning? Well lets just say in a stunning display of failure to cope with the change coupled with lack of logical reasoning I picked up a ticket to see the Flyers play the Pens yesterday and made a rather expensive day trip of it that was totally worth it. Biron stole the show for me and I couldn't even tell you how good the game might have been though it was ridiculously fun. And unlike seeing him absent from the Sabres bench, seeing him clad in black and orange did not evoke any feelings of sadness. I was just so glad to see him play and get so into the game. But what I wanted to note here is what I observed in watching the other Flyers interact with him. I think they were really trying their best for him. Really going out of their way to help him feel like he fits in because I'm sure they realize he is there to save their sorry last place butts. But it was genuine and cute too. And I'm almost afraid to admit that I warmed to them just a little because anyone that is THAT nice to Biron will get points with me. All I can actually describe here as an example though is how every time there was a break in play, and I do mean every time, so long as they were at centre ice or in their zone one or more players would go over and poke him and or talk with him a little if time allowed. Sometimes the whole line did it! It was excessive and I was happy to see it.

The thing that worries me most is how the management seems to be baiting him. Or it feels like that to me. In interviews it feels like they are being critical of Buffalo and calling the Sabres on only considering him a back up goaltender. Um no. We recognized that Biron was good enough to start or we would not have started him after Hasek left! We knew he could play at that level considering all his accomplishments and I think Darcy and Lindy did a lot to ensure he still got time to show that. But the fact of the matter is Miller was still better and there should be no question about starting the better goalie. The other thing that rubs me the wrong way is how much they are pushing him to sign a new contract now which I suppose is only to be expected but I still hate seeing it happen and I kind of would like to see him hold out. There's no telling what kind of opportunity free agency could bring him so long as he can keep it together for the rest of the season in spite of the team that is fronting him now. He's a desirable goalie and I suppose I just want to see him make out with the very best... and if after all that, it means choosing to stay with the Flyers then so much the better.

Regardless of where he goes from here, I will continue to follow him and love him and miss him and wish him the very best in the rest of his career. Though like any loss it is still sad, over all I am happy for him and I want him to prove his skills can shine as brightly as his personality. So for all we know this could be the beginning of something even better.

And with that I will shut up now! I know I shouldn't have let this get so long winded but I think I really needed to get that out. It's been bothering me this whole time and I'll get over it and move on soon enough and I rambling incessantly probably helped speed that process along~

In other news I can find a really lengthy and amazingly incoherent [to me] interview with Marty's brother Mathieu en français! And I find it horribly unfair that the same does not exist of so many other French Canadian players so readily!

I am also linking NPI to Ty Conklin in an attempt to google bomb because page three just isn't good enough. Though they claim to have fixed the programing to keep bombing from happening I believe it can still be gotten around.

Friday, March 2, 2007

CBJ @ DAL: 3-2 SO WIN

*sigh*

Good game.

SERGEI GOAL. Adorable Sergei pictures because of said goal. Life is complete.



Steady Freddy indeed. ♥ Did SO GOOD in the SO.

And I now know what to do during shootouts. Wear my Nikky hat sideways. *new superstition spawns...NOW*



In other news, the Red Wings won. Robert Lang got first star with a goal and 3 assists. Jiri Hudler and Valtteri Filppula had a goal each as well, so I am a happy little girl right now. ♥