Go Sabres

jlbsquared

this is our year, even with the ugly new unis -




a little revenge in cow town tonight will set the tone for another great season...

euphoria18

ummmm its the Sabres year to do what??

Boopotts

<< <i>this is our year, even with the ugly new unis -




a little revenge in cow town tonight will set the tone for another great season... >>



WOW. I'm a Sabres fan too (a more casual fan, though, since I live in Detroit. But the Sabs are my favorite Eastern conference team), but those new unis are just terrible. What the hell was wrong with the old ones?

jlbsquared

Your standard marketing decision I guess, though the official word is something about a return to the blue and gold... On the plus side, for several home games they are going back to the old school blue and gold with the swords(top) -

xbaggypants

Buffalo Slugs??? Man that's the worst Logo EVER! Go Wings

euphoria18

The new logo is ugly, but so is the old one. But thats ok, they will be wearing golf shirts soon enuff

phreakydancin

The new unis on TV make them look exactly like the Predators. The only thing I like is the old-skool number on the chest, otherwise they're garbage.

yawie99

I saw the picture of Ryan Miller on cbssportsline today. Those things are f**kin' horrible-lookin', to borrow a phrase from the greatest sports motion picture of all time. But it is good that the old-school ones will be back on occasion. I used to have one - lace-up style and everything - but I've never been able to find it at my parents' house. I fear my mom might have given it away or something. It's pretty upsetting, really. I'm not even a Sabres fan, but it was a cool sweater.

euphoria18

<< <i>The new unis on TV make them look exactly like the Predators. The only thing I like is the old-skool number on the chest, otherwise they're garbage. >>



Please dont insult the Preds that way.

jlbsquared

<< <i>Please dont insult the Preds that way. >>



Yeah, those preds who won less games than us and didn't go as far in the playoffs...

RedHeart54

The more they tinker with the jerseys the better the old ones look. (It's almost weird to look at a Dominik Hasek card circa 1993 with him in the original blue and gold. ) Considering the Sabres have been around for nearly 40 years the fans should revolt like the Islander fans did when the team went to that awful teal fishsticks sweater.

jlbsquared

Without the success of last season, I think there would have been a revolt... Expectations and excitement are way high (and so many season tickets have been sold there might only be 3,000 Toronto fans when they come to town), the uniforms took a back seat after quite a bit of grumbling during the summer.

Man, watching carolina raise that flag sucks...

euphoria18

Actually.. only thing that matters... did the sabres win the cup? nope, and neither did the preds. finishing 2nd doesnt mean anything.

jlbsquared

phreakydancin

phreakydancin

Here's a very interesting site on what the new unis MIGHT have looked like. This was never officially commissioned; just an artist messing around with designs. http://www.newblueandgold.com/

Boopotts

<< <i>Here's a very interesting site on what the new unis MIGHT have looked like. This was never officially commissioned; just an artist messing around with designs. http://www.newblueandgold.com/ >>




Those are SO much more tasteful than these new unis, which are just a total trainwreck as far as I'm concerned.

Buffalo fans deserve better! Say NO to these crappy new sweaters!

jlbsquared

the power is finally back on after a week from hell and we are 6-0...


LET'S GO BUFFALO.....LET'S GO BUFFALO... LET'S GO BUFFALO

Writer11

I still say that if the NHL wants to win over new fans, they should sit people down and make them watch a Sabres game. This is the fastest, most highly-skilled and exciting team to come along in a long time. And the best thing about the Sabres players is that they are a bunch of low-key guys, who don't know how good they are.

jlbsquared

I couldn't agree with you more Writer- and if I remember correctly, aren't you a Leafs fan? - I never agree with them


With all the season tix we sold this year, there might only be 5,000 screaming fans when the Leafs come to town - I always enjoy those games, tons of energy from the seasoned hockey fans from both sides of the border...

Boopotts

<< <i>I still say that if the NHL wants to win over new fans, they should sit people down and make them watch a Sabres game. This is the fastest, most highly-skilled and exciting team to come along in a long time. And the best thing about the Sabres players is that they are a bunch of low-key guys, who don't know how good they are. >>



I said at the beginning of the playoffs last year that the Sabres-Flyers matchup would be the most exciting series of the entire playoffs. And it was, IMO.

I cannot WAIT for the playoffs this year, particularly if Atlanta manages to get there and Atl/Buff square off. That could be a series for the ages.

Boopotts

<< <i>I couldn't agree with you more Writer- and if I remember correctly, aren't you a Leafs fan? - I never agree with them


With all the season tix we sold this year, there might only be 5,000 screaming fans when the Leafs come to town - I always enjoy those games, tons of energy from the seasoned hockey fans from both sides of the border... >>



To hell with the sig-- CHANGE YOUR AVATAR

Baseball season is ovah in NY-- time for a new look!

jlbsquared

<< <i>To hell with the sig-- CHANGE YOUR AVATAR >>




I need the reminder that one team I root for actually wins championships every once in a while - and since I also root for the Sabres, Bills, and Knicks, my options are pretty limited....

euphoria18

Well.. i am surprised that the Sabres are doing as well as they are after losing some key players.

I wish i could say the same for my Preds

jlbsquared

<< <i> wish i could say the same for my Preds >>




I hope they do well as Kariya and Sullivan are on my fantasy team.

We lost some key players, but I thought Regier did a great job keeping as many guys as possible and replacing Mckee with Spacek for less $$$... Grier played tough but we have plenty of young, hard hitting talent to replace him...

Writer11

<< <i>I couldn't agree with you more Writer- and if I remember correctly, aren't you a Leafs fan? - I never agree with them


With all the season tix we sold this year, there might only be 5,000 screaming fans when the Leafs come to town - I always enjoy those games, tons of energy from the seasoned hockey fans from both sides of the border... >>



Hey,

Thanks for the note. Actually, I'm a huge Blue Jays fan, but I despise the Leafs. My hatred runs so deep for the Leafs franchise that I was at a family reunion last year where there was a Leafs lawn chair and I refused to sit in it. I'm an Ottawa Senators fan, that goes back to my university days. Although, this looks to be a long year for the Sens. Havlat is going to be sorely missed. With the ice time, he's getting in Chi-town he could score 100 points this year.

euphoria18

Spacek was a great pickup for the Sabres. Solid dman with a powerful shot and great on the powerplay. Nashville has struggled... and unfortunately it was Vokoun who was costing them game after game. Although he is now starting to get into his groove again.

jlbsquared

<< <i>I'm a huge Blue Jays fan, but I despise the Leafs >>



oops... well, at least we have something in common

Havlat is off to a HUGE start...

jlbsquared

Well, off to downtown for some pregaming, then over to HSBC to watch the best team in the NHL get some revenge on the Loafs, then out for a few on what is the busiest bar night of the year in Buffalo... Life is good!

80sToyguy

Watch out for my Habs, they are FOR REAL! Carbo and Gainey, just doesn't get any better than that!
Jay

jlbsquared

Great game last night 80sTG - I didn't get a chance to watch last time Montreal was in town, and you guys are for real - as I saw Souray and Koivu (I think it was them) streaking down the ice last in OT, I turned to my wife and said "these guys are going to score with one second left" - sure enough.....

The way the games have gone early, Montreal is a team I wouldn't want to see in the playoffs - thats a series you can probably write down for 7 hard fought games...


Seemed like a lot of Buffalo fans had sold their tickets and gone away for the holiday weekend - there were tons of Habs fans there - almost felt like a Leafs game!

80sToyguy

Ya JLB, never got to see any of the game but we got lucky with that backhand pass by Koivu that ended up going in--kept watching the ticker and figured 2-0 Sabres, nice to pull one out like that. Still would have been nice seeing Huet Vs Miller in the shoot-out but it never came to be, this time. Looks like Huet is actually the guy for real, because the Sabres and Habs play very different games, Huet has bailed them out time and time again--sad to say it, but very similar to the way they used to play in front of Ru-aohh!
That division is sick though, and I still think the Sens are the best team. If their goaltending holds up that will be the powerhouse division in hockey for some time to come.
Jay

jlbsquared

WOW, Ovechkin with one of the cheapest, dirtiest hits I've seen in a long time last night - if you didn't see it, Briere was heading off of the ice and Ovechkin came out of nowhere and crushed him in the back, sending his helmet flying off and Briere crashing head-first into the boards. Ryan Miller said it was the dumbest hit he had seen in his life. AO got penalized for boarding and got tossed, and I hope he gets suspended further.

I'll be at the rematch Dec. 26th. Hopefully payback is a b*tch...

80sToyguy

Ya, that was a really cheap hit--not as bad as Dale Hunter on Pierre Turgeon, but it was bad.

Habs continue to climb the ladder though, that division is unreal! Sabres still look good, but can anyone beat the Sens?

It's a great time to be a hockey fan!
Jay

jlbsquared

If anyone missed the highlights from last night, they are worth watching -


link to espn w/motion

Neil with a cheap shot? shocker....

dirtmonkey

<< <i>Sabres still look good, but can anyone beat the Sens? >>



Sens have generally been the class of the East over the last 6-7 years... until the playoffs come and they fold. As my Wings have proven lately, having a great regular season record generally doesn't mean much come playoff time.

Boopotts

<< <i>If anyone missed the highlights from last night, they are worth watching -


link to espn w/motion

Neil with a cheap shot? shocker.... >>



It was a little cheap, but it wasn't Ulf Samuelsson/ Claude Lemieux cheap. Twenty years ago nobody would have given that one a second look.

Nice to see Heatley and Spezza fold up when things get a little hot, though. No wonder that team never makes it out of the second round.

jlbsquared

Agree with you on both points, boo, especially about Heatly and Spezza. Heatly was reluctant to mix it up with a local kid (Kaleta) playing his first NHL game, then ran again when Peters grabbed him. I did gain some respect for Ray Emery though - first he beats up Biron, then is willing to go toe to toe with Peters, a pretty tough dude....

The hit may have been blown out of proportion a bit here in Buffalo because it was like the 7th staright game we've lost someone to an injury, and this one was avoidable.

I see Ottawa has activated McGrattan for tonight's rematch, probably to fight Peters and even the Emery score. Should be interesting.

renrutmd

I hope Peter's gets his A** kicked everyone knows you dont touch the goalie. I understand the two goalies fighting but after that Peters should have backed off. Also Heatley and the rest of them should hide in shame for not going to there goalies aid. Not that Emery didnt probably enjoy the fight but 1:You dont touch the goalie and 2: If I were Heatley I would have rather got my ass kicked and tried then been the coward he was. You would NEVER see that happen in Calgary.

Boopotts

<< <i>I hope Peter's gets his A** kicked everyone knows you dont touch the goalie. I understand the two goalies fighting but after that Peters should have backed off. Also Heatley and the rest of them should hide in shame for not going to there goalies aid. Not that Emery didnt probably enjoy the fight but 1:You dont touch the goalie and 2: If I were Heatley I would have rather got my ass kicked and tried then been the coward he was. You would NEVER see that happen in Calgary. >>




Agreed. You would not see that in Calgary. Or in most NHL cities, for that matter.

Spezza and Heatley completely embarrassed themselves. Hell, the whole team embarrassed themselves when they left Emery out to dry like that.

jlbsquared

It was funny, with all the injury/fight hype, I forgot what happened to McGrattan last year when he tried to fight Peters link

Guess they wanted to activate him for Saturday night to get his a$$ kicked again

jlbsquared

Presidents Trophy? Check. Stanley Cup to follow...

Saw the Islanders won today - man, I hope they can sneak in. Don't want the exhausting battle that will ensue if Montreal or Toronto win, what with the Ottawa/Pitt winner lurking in round 2...

80sToyguy

That was a debacle tonight by the Habs--where the HELL was Kovalev? The first thing Gainey has to do this off-season is ship him out.
I too am praying the Isles get in (because as a Habs fan I have to hate the Leafs). I live in Toronto, and the Leafs fans are treating the win tonight like it's their Stanley Cup--give me a break! We've won 10 Cups since 67 and the Leafs haven't even been in a final--I mean it's a joke!
I am actually hoping for a Sabres/Pens round 2, because in my eyes that's the Stanley Cup right there, that will be one hell of a series.
Jay

jlbsquared

Hey Jay, tough loss. I saw the Leafs fans going crazy too - what they showed on TV made it look like they were celebrating a Cup win. Can't say I'm too sorry you guys lost - that would have been a tough first round matchup.

Go Isles!

Boopotts

<< <i>That was a debacle tonight by the Habs--where the HELL was Kovalev? The first thing Gainey has to do this off-season is ship him out.
I too am praying the Isles get in (because as a Habs fan I have to hate the Leafs). I live in Toronto, and the Leafs fans are treating the win tonight like it's their Stanley Cup--give me a break! We've won 10 Cups since 67 and the Leafs haven't even been in a final--I mean it's a joke!
I am actually hoping for a Sabres/Pens round 2, because in my eyes that's the Stanley Cup right there, that will be one hell of a series.
Jay >>



Where the hell was Kovalev? The same place he always is when the gig gets heavy; skating aimlessly between the bluelines dreaming of a neverending summer of Stoli's and hookers.

Also, FWIW I don't think Sabs/Pens would qualify as the de facto Stanley Cup. There are a LOT of tough teams in the West. In fact, this is the first year in a long time where I think the West will provide a greater number of compelling playoff matches than the East.

Rangers/Thrashers? Yawn. Sabs/Isles? That's going to be a total woodshed job, unless Buffalo completely loses their composure. Ottawa/Pens is the only first round match up that looks at all interesting in the East, although I suppose it's possible that the Lightning could give NJ a run.

blindflyer

Wow --- I can't believe someone just said Buffalo/Pens would be defacto Stanley Cup.

7 of the 8 Western Conference teams finished with over 100 points (compared with 5 in the East).

The West is stronger, grittier, and has significantly more "star talent" than the East. Other than the fact that the west has to beat each other up to get to the finals, I'd argue hands down that it's stronger team-for-team than the East.

-t

RedHeart54

<< <i>I live in Toronto, and the Leafs fans are treating the win tonight like it's their Stanley Cup--give me a break! We've won 10 Cups since 67 and the Leafs haven't even been in a final--I mean it's a joke! >>



I must say it's kind of a shame T.O. didn't get into the playoffs based on Saturday night's game. I, like many, thought they were done when they were down 5-3.



Go FLAMES!

80sToyguy

Guys, my point is the Sabres and Pens are better than anyone in the West--yes, the western teams are stronger (bigger) and play a grittier game (except Detroit--still don't know how they got all those points--this years Wings team reminds me of the teams a few years before they won the cup--NOT Stanley Cup contenders). Star quotient? No way, the East is a far better division this year, they have the 4 biggest cup contenders.
I'll put my money on either the Sabres, Pens, Devils or Sens to win the Cup this year, it's a shame the Sens have to play the Pens in the first round. The west will be exciting and there will be alot of hitting, but they aren't going to beat any of those 4 teams when the finals start. Again, this is just my opinion, but alot of those western teams are built around 1 player (you honestly think Anaheim can win with 2 defensemen and Teemu Selanne?).
That being said, they still have to play the games but I'll be back to chat it up once we get down to the nitty-gritty.
Jay

blindflyer

80ToyGuy,

I'm a die hard Nashville Predators fan (been so since expansion year, when I used to work for them).

.... I'll take my Preds against any Eastern Conf team you through out there. Our team was BUILT for the playoffs.

-t

80sToyguy

And they might just get there t, we'll see.
Jay

jlbsquared

80ToyGuy,

I'm a die hard Nashville Predators fan (been so since expansion year, when I used to work for them).

.... I'll take my Preds against any Eastern Conf team you through out there. Our team was BUILT for the playoffs.

-t


Or maybe they weren't. 4 down, 12 to go baby....